Monthly Archives: June 2010

Shout at the Devil

Posted on by
1

Shout at the Devil
(original cover)

(Alternate cover)
Band: Mötley Crüe
Album: Shout at the Devil
Best song: The title song is the best.
Worst song: To say the cover of “Helter Skelter” is bad is an understatement.

I’ve written this before, but there was something of a continuum for what passed for hard rock in the 1980s, popular variety. On one side, you had Poison and Def Leppard. No real shredding, lots of makeup, lots of hairspray. On the other side was Metallica. Lots of shredding, minimal image junk.
Continue reading →

Wavering Radiant

Posted on by
Reply

Wavering Radiant
Band: Isis
Album: Wavering Radiant
Best song: “Ghost Key” is great. “20 Minutes/40 Years” is fantastic.
Worst song: “Threshold of Transformation” probably goes on too long.

The ocean, like business, with a pillowy abyss of a lover’s bosom, seems infinite, but all things must end.
— Don Geiss, in Yachting Illustrated

Isis’ farewell tour hit DC’s 9:30 club last week and I was in attendance. Isis’ live show has changed a bit in the six years I’ve been watching the band — Aaron Turner’s hair has gotten longer, the keyboards have taken a larger role in the music, different venues, etc. — but Isis never fails to entertain. I’m sad to see Isis go away, as I’ve seen the band the most of any artist. I always enjoy Isis shows.
Continue reading →

The Ugly Organ

Posted on by
1


Band: Cursive
Album: The Ugly Organ
Best song: “Driftwood: A Fairy Tale” is, by far, the best song on the record, though “The Recluse” is great and “Some Red-Handed Sleight of Hand” is Tim Kasher at his most intense.
Worst song: “Staying Alive” isn’t good.

There’s a nice parallel between Cursive’s The Ugly Organ and Pedro the Lion’s Winners Never Quit. Both deal in the notion of someone dealing with tempation, fame and nefarious hangers on. In the case of the PTL record, it’s in politics, while the The Ugly Organ is something of an offshoot of the “rock singer becomes too much for himself” subgenre of concept albums (The Wall comes to mind).
Continue reading →

Very Emergency

Posted on by
Reply


Band: The Promise Ring
Album: Very Emergency
Best song: The record brings me back. “Jersey Shore” is great, “Happy Hour” is good. Nothing beats “Emergency! Emergency!,” though.
Worst song: Most of these songs sound the same, let’s be honest.

I’ve touched on this in the past, but “emo” was “hipster” about ten years ago. When I was in college — god, I graduated seven years ago! — “emo” was bandied about and mocked as much as “hipster” is now. “Emo” had more of a defnition, as “hipster” seems to mean just about everything, from the Fleet Foxes to Kanye West to whatever else.
Continue reading →