October Mini Reviews

So I'm back with another installment of my mini reviews with releases from this month. I thought I'd actually try to rate the releases this time, albeit with a little more of an ambiguous scale; the scale being positive, negative or ambivalence (meh). I thought I'd share my opinions on the new Vaselines record, Childish Gambino's mixtape/EP combo, the Bishop Nehru/ MF DOOM collab, the debut EP of Vince Staples, and a colorful re-imagining of Willy Wonka by Primus.


The Vaselines- V is for Vaselines

The Vaselines are a Scottish duo, who in the late 1980s released a few small releases that caught the eyes of a select few, including Kurt Cobain. He went on to champion the group, which had since broken up, and even recorded a few of their originals. This is how I was first exposed to the Vaselines, along with finding a copy of their complete discography up to that point, Enter the Vaselines, in my college radio stations. Their quirky lo fi tunes were very interesting to me (Imagine if She & Him got guitar lessons from Kevin Shields and vocal lessons from Stuart Murdoch). However, since their reunion, I've been a little disenchanted with them. They've taken a little more of direct route here, supposedly inspired by the Ramones, and while their charm is still there in some spots, I liked their more raw and quirky side as opposed to the polish their sound received here. I hope to hear a return to the original sound in future projects, if there are any to be had.

Rating: Ambivalence

Childish Gambino- STN MTN/ Kauai

Following his concept album Because the Internet, Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino delivers a mixtape and an EP simultaneously, the former being his dream of a Gangsta Grillz mixtape, and the latter a PBR&B EP featuring narration by Jayden Smith of all people.The mixtape has some high spots, but the subject matter is a little predictable and some of Gambino's cringe worthy lines sneak their way in (second coming? really?). Then 'Sober' hits, and the EP is just amazing. The production is trippy and hypnotic, and the narration is actually quite interesting, as well as the soliloquy near the outro. Donald Glover's singing has a lot of personality and there are some Weeknd and Frank Ocean vibes coming up at points. Also, that line where they edit out an obvious phallic reference and put in 'love' on 'Pop Thieves' is hilarious. I appreciate how big Childish Gambino is going on his last few projects, and I'm excited to see where he goes next. If he can make a mixtape and EP this layered, I'm very much looking forward to the next LP.

Rating: Ambivalence (mixtape), Positive (EP)

NehruvianDOOM- NehruvianDOOM

I am generally pretty excited every time news of a new DOOM project emerges. I had never heard of Bishop Nehru before, but this project definitely opened up my eyes to this MC, whose word play is pretty spectacular at spots on this LP. The draw backs on this album to me were the relatively dated production (probably consisting of Special Herbs outtakes) and the relative absence of DOOM. I realize he handled the production and he did have a few bars on the album, but putting one of the best spitters of all time in the background for the majority of a project was a mistake in my opinion. And the biggest mistake of this album: the sampling of 'Out of Nowhere'. Never sample Charlie Parker and have it go nowhere, as well is just tack it on to the end of a track. I heard it for the first time in my car and almost wiped out. Please DOOM, don't do that to The Bird.

Rating: Ambivalence

Vince Staples- Hell Can Wait EP

Vince Staples' debut EP is one to remember for sure. I am definitely not a fan of hip hop that glorifies the gangsta lifestyle, and apparently neither does Vince Staples. His portrayal of life in the inner city is a hard an uncompromising one, and points out the hardships and emotional turmoil to be found there as opposed to glorifying it. He continues his winning streak starting with his mixtapes and continuing through his 'Hive' feature and his song stealing appearances on Common's Nobody's Smiling, with his story telling abilities and skill at spitting rhymes. My one complaint lies with the hooks. They were a little weak, and this doesn't fall squarely on Staples, as the featured guest Teyana Taylor also stumbles here. I feel like the hooks just get in the way, and I find myself just waiting for more bars. But all in all, a great project, and I'm looking forward to more from Staples, but hopefully with less hooks.

Rating: Positive

Primus- Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble

This is probably the weirdest thing Primus has ever done, and that's saying something. This album is essentially a song for song remake of the soundtrack to the 1971 Willy Wonka movie, albeit with a ridiculously heightened creepy factor. This is also the first album with the original lineup of Primus since Tales from the Punchbowl almost 20 years ago. If you're a fan of Willy Wonka or Primus, you're either going to really love or really hate it. I feel like this has the potential to be a polarizing listen. I quite enjoy it myself, as I enjoy the really creepy spin that they put on the soundtrack. I feel like there could have been some more instrumental noodling or fills or something, as this is pretty simple as Primus goes. Not to mention that Les Claypool's voice can be a little annoying in spots. But it's good to know that the original lineup is back and recording, so hopefully some new original material might turn up soon. Also, Primus sucks!

Rating: Positive

So those are my opinions on a few releases. What did you think of them? Are there any recent albums you're really excited about? As for me, I'm looking forward to some vintage Ravi Shankar records I just bought until the Flaming Lips Sgt. Peppers cover album comes out.

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Review: Tweedy- Sukierae

It took me a little while to form an opinion on this album, and even as it stands, I'm still not 100% sure of what I think. Jeff Tweedy, of Uncle Tupelo and Wilco fame, teamed up with his son Spencer on drums for this album, which is quite varied in tone and song structure, but somehow missing something. I somehow feel like the fact that this is the first release from Jeff Tweedy in a while may have gotten me a little over hyped and may have put too much pressure on this.

As it is, the album, which is a double (though at a little over 70 minutes could fit on one disc), seems a little hit or miss. Though there are some great moments on this album (the hypnotic drum pattern on 'Diamond Light' reminiscent of 'Tomorrow Never Knows', or the Velvet Underground inspired guitar solo on 'World Away') the lyrics never really get that much of a reaction from me, which is a shame. I find myself appreciating a lot of little moments in the middle of the mix, like barely audible keyboards or an interesting drum fill from Spencer. I appreciate the music much more than what is put on top, to say it in another way.

I feel like Jeff Tweedy needs some competition in order to get his creative juices flowing. Whether in Uncle Tupelo or the various Wilco lineups, there was always someone to challenge him and bring out his best, and while Spencer Tweedy's drumming is very interesting, I feel like the lack of others on this album led to Jeff playing it safe when it came to songwriting. I'm just hoping he can come back fresh and deliver a new and amazing Wilco album sometime in the near future.

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

Next time, I'll be taking a look at three albums for an October special: The Vaselines' V is for Vaselines, MF DOOM and Bishop Nehru's NehruvianDOOM and Childish Gambino's one two punch of the STN MTN mixtape and the Kauai EP.

"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."

Review: Aphex Twin- SYRO

Richard D. James, aka Aphex Twin, came back in a big way this year. First was the Kickstarter release of the Caustic Window LP, and now the first full length release under the Aphex Twin moniker since 2001's Drukqs. So what does a modern Aphex Twin sound like? The answer is pretty much what you'd expect; that is, to say, amazing.

Whereas the Caustic Window LP was 20 year old shelved material, the songs on SYRO are much more recent, and have been picked from the rumored thousands of hours of unreleased Richard D. James material. The product is unmistakable James. Densely layered, infinitely complex and with a danceable yet highly intricate beat based on poly-rhythmic drum patterns, this is not Swedish House Mafia, let's just put it that way. One thing that always astounds me about any release by James is just how much is going on at once, and how it all blends so well. Composing in this fashion and keeping all the rhythms together in one's head must get exhausting. 

There are really three things that are really interesting to note about this record. One is the vocal sampling. While James has sampled voices before, I don't feel like he's ever done it so much as here, with soundbytes of himself, his wife and son, as well as other family members in the mix (on a side note, his 5 year old son is already making music; an electronic Mozart in the making). Second is how little it sounds like anything current. I like how James has resisted the newer influences of electronica. Though a trap or dubstep album by Aphex Twin would probably be amazing, I can respect that he's still comfortable doing his own thing. Other artists have the potential of being very desperate at this point in their careers. The third thing is variety. Essentially every touch stone in Richard D. James' oeuvre is on display here, thus making a perfect diving in point for new fans.

The one thing that throws me off about this album is how accessible it is. That might not be the word, since it definitely rewards repeat listens and is definitely deeper than the music on the surface, but I feel like efforts like Drukqs or Selected Ambient Works Volume II were a little more challenging over all. Also, James recently stated in an interview for Pitchfork that these are not his best songs that he has been working on and that he's more excited about other projects, which may be either modesty (but when has he been that?), or he might be holding out on us for the moment. I hope that one day the door on the Richard D. James vaults busts open, but until then, this is a pretty amazing album and a must listen for Aphex Twin fans or just fans of electronic music in general. It's good to have Richard D. James back in the spotlight, if only for a little while.

Out of a total of 5 stars, I give this:

Check back in later for my opinions on Jeff Tweedy's double album featuring his son on drums entitled Sukierae.

"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."

Album Spotlight: Aoxomoxoa (1969 Original Mix)

Before I take a look at SYRO by Aphex Twin and Tweedy's Sukierae, I thought I might share my opinions on a long lost but recently rediscovered gem: the original 1969 mix of the Grateful Dead classic Aoxomoxoa.

So, most Deadheads probably know that the original mix of the record was deemed a little too busy, and that some music got lost in the mix. This led to a remixing of this record and my personal favorite album Anthem of the Sun in 1971, and while the remix for the latter quickly fell out of favor, the remix of Aoxomoxoa became the standard issue, with the original 1969 mix not resurfacing until 2013 for Warner Bros. reissues of the first five records on vinyl. The original 1969 mix has never been released on CD, and is a little rare, but vinyl ripped Youtube streams exist for those without a record player.

So how does the original mix hold up against the 1971 remix? In my opinion, it honestly depends on the song. 'Saint Stephen' is very similar, with the removal of a few sound effects for the remix. 'Dupree's Diamond Blues' has a completely different vocal take between the versions, but I actually prefer the remix. 'Rosemary' is pretty similar between the versions, but there is an a capella section on 'Doin' That Rag' that was removed for the remix. Not really sure why, I kind of enjoy it. I also enjoy the choir on the original 'Mountains of the Moon'. There is also an extended 'China Cat Sunflower', that I quite enjoy on the original, but where the majority of the cuts were made for the 1971 mix were on 'What's Become of the Baby?' Where there was just Garcia's reverb soaked vocals on the 1971 mix, the original had a plethora of sound effects and other effects placed on the vocals. I never liked this song before, and kind of questioned the threadbare song's inclusion on the album, but I guess I was listening to the severely edited version the whole time, because I kind of get this one.  'Cosmic Charlie' was cut at the beginning as well. 

For the most part, the edits just cut little studio banter at the beginning and ends of songs, with some effects removed or lowering or raising instruments in the mix,but it really is interesting to hear the different versions. I highly recommend listening to both versions, and to both versions of Anthem of the Sun, to draw your own conclusions. Feel free to let me know what your favorite mix is and why.

Now off to absorb SYRO's deeper meanings.

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Review: J. Mascis- Tied To A Star

When you think of J. Mascis, one generally pictures his extremely loud and abrasive guitar work with his band Dinosaur Jr. This is not the case with his recent solo output, as this album, along with its predecessor, Several Shades of Why, which have a much more intimate sound, with large parts of the work consisting of acoustic guitar stylings. The ever present Neil Young vocal comparisons are definitely more apparent when backed with some finger picked guitar.

I see myself comparing this album in a strange way to Beck's Morning Phase. They are both acoustic efforts from artists who have their noisy streaks, but where Beck's album felt a little listless, J. Mascis's work has been lively and incredibly varied. There are some very beautiful and catchy songs to be found on this album, and where as Morning Phase, though pretty, seemed to drag due to its slower tempo, Tied to a Star shows a diverse set of songs that are all very great in their own way.

Bits of Dinosaur Jr. do bleed its way into this album, which is to be expected, but mainly these distorted lines are far in the sonic background, while the acoustic guitar and vocals provide for an intimate and introspective foreground. Any fan of Dinosaur Jr. would find this a surprising but extremely worth while listen, but this album has the potential to find a much broader audience with its folkier and less tinnitus inducing sound. Not that there's anything wrong with Dinosaur Jr.'s harder edge, but I guess even J. Mascis thinks there's good in messing with the formula every once and a while.

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

I'll most likely be doing another classic spotlight in the near future, while eagerly anticipating my chance to listen to Aphex Twin's first full album in 13 years, SYRO.

"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."

Review: FKA Twigs- LP1

So, after another long and drawn out absence, here I am to offer my belated opinion on the debut LP by FKA twigs, or formerly known as twigs, or whatever she's calling herself at the moment.

Twigs, or Tahliah Barnett, is a British singer and former background dancer that has recently been making waves with her one two punch of EPs. I hadn't actually heard any of these EP tracks before I delved into the LP, so I was quite surprised with what I got from the album. To classify this into a genre would be a little difficult, but if pressed, I would have to call it some sort of trip-hop/R&B hybrid. No where else do come ons sound so unsettling.

I feel a lot of the unsettling atmosphere is due to the brittle but intricate production that can be found all throughout the album. Then twigs sings. Her voice is very vulnerable and beautiful, and her range on the album is insane. She seems most comfortable in the stratosphere, but her low notes are equally remarkable. Her singing on this very strange production may not initially sound like it blends, but its actually a very organic blending of sounds, and adds some depth. The lyrics here may sound a little one dimensional, but the music in the background provides double meanings that may not have been there originally.

My only complaint may fall with the lyrics. Though some introspection leaks through in tracks like 'Video Girl', a lot of the lyrics can be a little too much in the bedroom R&B vein, which is fine, but I feel like Barnett is capable of much greater lyrical substance.

In my opinion, she's definitely and artist to watch, and her first full length in a hypnotizing and original musical experience. Definitely not something to miss.

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

Later, I'll give my opinions on J. Mascis' new album, Tied to a Star.

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Review: Electric Wurms- Musik Die Schwer Zu Twerk

It took me a little while to form my opinion on this record. Electric Wurms is a side project of Steven Drozd and Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips, in which they enlist Linear Downfall as co-conspirators. The problem I was having is inevitably what a lot of other people will have: the comparisons to the Flaming Lips.

So, let's set something straight. The Flaming Lips are pretty awesome. Their sonic experiments and novel and innovative releases are all but legend at this point. I just was kind of expecting something different from this album, or EP if you will. The lack of the Flaming Lips name made me think there was going to be a radical sound change here; one that they thought would not have worked within the Flaming Lips wheelhouse. Collaborations are nothing new to the band (Heady Fwends and multiple cover albums), so why the name change? There's a slightly subtler sound to it, and Wayne takes more of a back seat, but one can definitely hear the Flaming Lips sound on this release.

The fuzzed out guitars and synths are here in full force, but the album is a little tame for the most part, but maybe that was the intent. My favorite track on this was definitely 'Transform!!!', where a pretty funky and insistent groove is laid down, and insanity is slathered on top. All in all, this is a solid release, but I never really got a sense of identity with this project. To make a comparison, Spanish Gold is a side project of members of a number of bands; elements of each band's sound can be found within the new group's record, but I feel the group established their own identity and sound within South of Nowhere. I don't really feel that here, and I would have liked to hear more divergence from the Flaming Lips if they were making an effort to distance this project from the band, as the diverging moments are among the release's strongest moments.

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

What did you think of the EP? Tell me your thoughts. As for me, I'm off to absorb my first exposure to FKA Twigs.

"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."