THE LOBBY: ALBUMS OF THE WEEK
February 6th 2007 12:45
Howdy y’all. If you were around last week, ya may have noticed the new lobby here at the Earache Hotel. If not you can check it out by clicking here. There’s no pictures of it or anything, because like heaven, the lobby is what you want it to be (also, it doesn’t really exist).
The lobby is where I’ve been spinning records while I greet my guests and beat them at parcheesi, and for an extra fee, beat them off (with a stick, there’s just so many of them).
Now here’s the deal. The three albums that have been getting the most play for the week will be posted up here and you, my reading public and faithful parishioners, can vote for which one you want me to review. And when I say vote, I don’t mean click on the vote button in the bottom right hand corner of this post, although if you want to do that, it’s cool too. All I want you to do is post a comment and let me know which album you would like to see reviewed.
Here are this week’s:
1) for the money…
Mastodon:
Blood Mountain
(2006; Reprise/Relapse)
A towering, epic of escapist prog metal, Blood Mountain is the only Mastodon album I’ve heard in its entirety, but I bloody like it. Long songs with challenging structures and diverse vocals (with guest spots from the Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, and Neurosis’s Scott Kelly) with lyrics about such silly subject matters as a one-eyed Sasquatch that can see into the future. But I don’t listen to this for the lyrics (no D&
nerd am I); I listen to it for the colossally heavy yet ragingly melodic album it is.
2) for the show…
Tom Waits:
Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
(2006; Anti/Shock)
This is an exhaustive and exhausting 3 CD compilation of Tom Waits’s long-lost children, or as he puts it, ‘A lot of songs that fell behind the stove while making dinner’. The set is split into three categories: Brawlers being the bluesy, upbeat barnstormers; Bawlers being the beatdown tearjerkers; and Bastards being the spoken word curiosities and weird-ass experiments. Any Tom Waits release is like a visit from Jesus; but this is like a visit from Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit.
3) to get ready…
Gnarls Barkley:
St Elsewhere
(2006; Warner)
This one’s been getting a lot of attention of late, and for good reason. Dangermouse (Gorillaz, Danger Doom) and the Goodie Mob’s Cee Lo Green collaborate for an album that mixes soul, hip hop, and pop of the indie variety to create a concept album about insanity. It's amazing how this manages to sound both cutting-edge and soulful at the same time, but it does, and to glorious results. Plus, you’ve gotta love an album with a song called “Go-Go Gadget Gospel”.
Now go, cat, go!
***
IMAGES
Christina Aguilera Giving the Finger
(does masturbation count as fair dealing?)
Blood Mountain*
Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards*
t_Elsewhere_Cover_Art.JPG" target="_blank">St Elsewhere*
(album covers used under fair dealing)
*images on this page were taken from the following The Horse’s Mouth and Wikipedia pages:
A Message To China’s Internet Police
Blood Mountain
Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
St Elsewhere
The lobby is where I’ve been spinning records while I greet my guests and beat them at parcheesi, and for an extra fee, beat them off (with a stick, there’s just so many of them).
Christina Aguilera counts all the guests at the Earache Hotel on her hand (i.e. there's only one guest here, and he's a boob)
Here are this week’s:
1) for the money…
Blood Mountain (2006)
(2006; Reprise/Relapse)
A towering, epic of escapist prog metal, Blood Mountain is the only Mastodon album I’ve heard in its entirety, but I bloody like it. Long songs with challenging structures and diverse vocals (with guest spots from the Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, and Neurosis’s Scott Kelly) with lyrics about such silly subject matters as a one-eyed Sasquatch that can see into the future. But I don’t listen to this for the lyrics (no D&
nerd am I); I listen to it for the colossally heavy yet ragingly melodic album it is.2) for the show…
Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards (2006)
Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
(2006; Anti/Shock)
This is an exhaustive and exhausting 3 CD compilation of Tom Waits’s long-lost children, or as he puts it, ‘A lot of songs that fell behind the stove while making dinner’. The set is split into three categories: Brawlers being the bluesy, upbeat barnstormers; Bawlers being the beatdown tearjerkers; and Bastards being the spoken word curiosities and weird-ass experiments. Any Tom Waits release is like a visit from Jesus; but this is like a visit from Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit.
3) to get ready…
St Elsewhere (2006)
St Elsewhere
(2006; Warner)
This one’s been getting a lot of attention of late, and for good reason. Dangermouse (Gorillaz, Danger Doom) and the Goodie Mob’s Cee Lo Green collaborate for an album that mixes soul, hip hop, and pop of the indie variety to create a concept album about insanity. It's amazing how this manages to sound both cutting-edge and soulful at the same time, but it does, and to glorious results. Plus, you’ve gotta love an album with a song called “Go-Go Gadget Gospel”.
Now go, cat, go!
***
IMAGES
Christina Aguilera Giving the Finger
(does masturbation count as fair dealing?)
Blood Mountain*
Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards*
t_Elsewhere_Cover_Art.JPG" target="_blank">St Elsewhere*
(album covers used under fair dealing)
*images on this page were taken from the following The Horse’s Mouth and Wikipedia pages:
A Message To China’s Internet Police
Blood Mountain
Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
St Elsewhere
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Comment by Lily
Ars Poetica
~LIly
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Yeah, I dig Go-Go-Gadget Gospel too!
Comment by mastodon't
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
It looks like Tom Waits and Mastur(bate)don are in a head-to-head tie. I'm not gonna tell ya which one I'd rather review, but I'd be happy with either to win.
I'd be happy for Gnarls to win too, otherwise I wouldn't have put it up here. Let's see what develops (I betcha it's your little sister).
Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
Tom Waits is now in the lead. That's a massive, three-CD set I have to review. I'm having enough trouble with the Turnpike review, and that's only one CD. Argh!
Comment by yonicsooth
You really enjoy the 3CD compilations, don't ye? (McLusky/Tom Waits). What plans do you have for the Lobby next week? Laughing Clowns? Ed Kuepper's Magic Mile? Nice work!
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
I might just do that. Love that Luaghing Clowns comp.
I guess I'm just lazy. Whipping out a 3 CD set by the one artist is easier than grabbing three separate albums. I assure you that the seconds I save doing this are put to good use with charity work.
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
The review wont be up for a while yet though, so hold your horse's hand. I'm busy with way too many Tsunami reviews (I got a bit greedy at the last meeting), and I've gotta work tomorrow, plus it's Valentine's Day (and this time I actually have a girlfriend).
Expect something in the shape of a review next week maybe.
Thanks to Lily, mastodon't, and Adrian for voting. And thanks to everyone else for dropping by. Remember, every time you vote, a kitten is released from purgatory.
A fresh batch of albums of the week are available here for your reading pleasure.
Comment by Lily
Ars Poetica
ya smiled me there..
i can do patience.. enjoy the Tom hours, and have yourself a luverly V-day with your love....
~Lily