THE LOBBY: ALBUMS OF THE WEEK
February 13th 2007 12:15
Tom Waits's big-ass Orphans box set won the Earache Hotel Albums Of The Week poll this time, meaning I have to listen to and take notes on three CDs by the grumbly old bugger before I can even begin writing (and I’m already writing like 2000 000 reviews for Tsunami this month—PLEASE KILL ME). For my own health and wellbeing, I’ve been sticking to the single CD albums this time around, and NOT listening to the Laughing Clowns’ or Ed Keupper’s 3CD sets (even though Ed's cool and went to my highschool in the age of the dinosaurs).
I’m not sure if you know the drill, but it’s a Stihl brand cordless with a keyless chuck. It’s name is also Chuck. Say hi to Chuck (but watch out for his revolving, piercing, metal tongue). Chuck wants you to post a comment as to which album you would like to see reviewed. Whichever gets the most votes will be reviewed sometime in the near future. Whichever gets the least votes will be grinded to pieces by Chuck and used as compost. Does plastic make good compost?
This week’s most-played albums are:
1) for the money…
Ween:
Quebec
(2003; Sanctuary)
Ween’s most recent studio album proper is somewhat of a return to the ‘brown’ side of their twisted, childlike vision. That doesn’t mean it’s about kids smearing shit all over your new leather couch, it just means that the brothers Dean and Gene are back to dabbling in the weirdness and crude humour they do so well. The combination of this sillier side with the more serious (or possibly faux-serious) prog and psych style they’ve been developing since 1997's The Mollusk makes for a lopsided album, but it’s still awesome. If you’ve dismissed Ween because you thought “Push Th' Little Daisies” was all they were capable of, not only are you a total dickballs, but you’re also missing out on some of the best songwriting around.
2) for the show…
Big Black:
Song About Fucking
(1987; Touch & Go)
With a title like that (not to mention its horny manga-like cover art), Songs About Fucking is not an album to leave lyin' around where your momma might find it. What it is, is an album of insistent analogue drum machine beats, chunky bass, and a textured guitar barrage that gives new meaning to the word abrasive. Big Black combine the bleakness of Joy Division with the shrill guitar attack of other post-punk legends like Gang of Four and Killing Joke, turn it up a notch with plenty of misanthropic punk aggression, and wield the resulting noise like a rusty razor. They also do covers of Kraftwerk's "The Model" and Cheap Trick's "He's A Whore" (possibly about Mike Patton). Meanwhile, mainman Steve Albini both reveals and revels in the dark side of the Midwest with his pissed-off, nerdy guy bark.
3) to get ready…
Mr Bungle
California
(1999; Warner Bros.)
More accessible than their uncompromising watershed in avant-rock Disco Volante (1995), California is Mr. Bungle’s swansong which was released just before Mike Patton started whoring himself out to just about everyone (in great bands like Fantomas, Tomahawk, and his Peeping Tom project). California is a strangely sunny album that sounds like a metal band playing the Beach Boys, taking sudden twists into mechanized rockabilly, sleazy R&B, and Middle Eastern intrigue—and that’s barely scratching the surface of their pus-ridden scab of musical styles. For all its divergent ideas, this album is Mr Bungle’s most cohesive and appealing, but still incredibly fucked-up by normal standards. The Red Hot Chili Peppers wish they could record an album about California that was this good, while I wish they'd just put their shirts back on.
Now go, cat, go!
***
IMAGES
Quebec*
ongs_About_Fucking.jpg" target="_blank">Songs About Fucking*
California*
(album covers used under fair dealing)
*images on this page were taken from the following Wikipedia pages:
Quebec
Songs About Fucking
California
I’m not sure if you know the drill, but it’s a Stihl brand cordless with a keyless chuck. It’s name is also Chuck. Say hi to Chuck (but watch out for his revolving, piercing, metal tongue). Chuck wants you to post a comment as to which album you would like to see reviewed. Whichever gets the most votes will be reviewed sometime in the near future. Whichever gets the least votes will be grinded to pieces by Chuck and used as compost. Does plastic make good compost?
This week’s most-played albums are:
1) for the money…
Quebec (2003)
Quebec
(2003; Sanctuary)
Ween’s most recent studio album proper is somewhat of a return to the ‘brown’ side of their twisted, childlike vision. That doesn’t mean it’s about kids smearing shit all over your new leather couch, it just means that the brothers Dean and Gene are back to dabbling in the weirdness and crude humour they do so well. The combination of this sillier side with the more serious (or possibly faux-serious) prog and psych style they’ve been developing since 1997's The Mollusk makes for a lopsided album, but it’s still awesome. If you’ve dismissed Ween because you thought “Push Th' Little Daisies” was all they were capable of, not only are you a total dickballs, but you’re also missing out on some of the best songwriting around.
2) for the show…
Songs About Fucking (1987)
Song About Fucking
(1987; Touch & Go)
With a title like that (not to mention its horny manga-like cover art), Songs About Fucking is not an album to leave lyin' around where your momma might find it. What it is, is an album of insistent analogue drum machine beats, chunky bass, and a textured guitar barrage that gives new meaning to the word abrasive. Big Black combine the bleakness of Joy Division with the shrill guitar attack of other post-punk legends like Gang of Four and Killing Joke, turn it up a notch with plenty of misanthropic punk aggression, and wield the resulting noise like a rusty razor. They also do covers of Kraftwerk's "The Model" and Cheap Trick's "He's A Whore" (possibly about Mike Patton). Meanwhile, mainman Steve Albini both reveals and revels in the dark side of the Midwest with his pissed-off, nerdy guy bark.
3) to get ready…
California (1999)
California
(1999; Warner Bros.)
More accessible than their uncompromising watershed in avant-rock Disco Volante (1995), California is Mr. Bungle’s swansong which was released just before Mike Patton started whoring himself out to just about everyone (in great bands like Fantomas, Tomahawk, and his Peeping Tom project). California is a strangely sunny album that sounds like a metal band playing the Beach Boys, taking sudden twists into mechanized rockabilly, sleazy R&B, and Middle Eastern intrigue—and that’s barely scratching the surface of their pus-ridden scab of musical styles. For all its divergent ideas, this album is Mr Bungle’s most cohesive and appealing, but still incredibly fucked-up by normal standards. The Red Hot Chili Peppers wish they could record an album about California that was this good, while I wish they'd just put their shirts back on.
Now go, cat, go!
***
IMAGES
Quebec*
ongs_About_Fucking.jpg" target="_blank">Songs About Fucking*
California*
(album covers used under fair dealing)
*images on this page were taken from the following Wikipedia pages:
Quebec
Songs About Fucking
California
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Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
Comment by yonicsooth
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
Adrian. Songs About Fucking isn't all about fucking (although a few songs are, mostly of the desperate and violent kind). I think the title is more a blatant reference to the origins of the term 'rock 'n' roll', which was originally an Afro-American euphemism for fucking. Big Black's sound is brutal and reductive, and their lyrical approach is blatantly confrontational, so the title fits.
Ween is in the lead by a massive one vote (thanks yonicsooth).
One vote is all it takes ladies 'n' gentlemen. Why not put in yours?
Comment by (embr)yonicsooth
(embr)yonicsooth: Ween!
yonicsooth: Now play nice, childerns...
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
There was no need for vote rigging anyway, because Ween won fair and square. There'll be a review coming shortly, or possibly further if it hasn't ejaculated in a while, applies pressure to the underside, and has a strong pubococcygeus.
Congratulations and please play again, although not this week. This week you can get stuffed.
P.S. Hehe, childerns!