tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86249842567201659562024-03-27T06:21:38.833+02:00I Was a Teenage Music GeekTeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.comBlogger292125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-5895310324652885222024-03-27T06:19:00.001+02:002024-03-27T06:21:04.028+02:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Mar 24 Vol. II<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetbH_zwI4TuVKJ_kQYLunJIW-ScV4kMiQk1Pkl_Zf5IausUwltBJPb-DaF869DQmARYPf3pReTgktqd9eqjK37dkMtX3qeeOZFJ8kN72kQenFayOGJh41IVOSHm7BRDnaKgUQKtR6GEWtK_wlBgk9hcqL-HvNZ229mwmIe9RzNb8hlrDPihiIB5T1oPty/s1280/cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetbH_zwI4TuVKJ_kQYLunJIW-ScV4kMiQk1Pkl_Zf5IausUwltBJPb-DaF869DQmARYPf3pReTgktqd9eqjK37dkMtX3qeeOZFJ8kN72kQenFayOGJh41IVOSHm7BRDnaKgUQKtR6GEWtK_wlBgk9hcqL-HvNZ229mwmIe9RzNb8hlrDPihiIB5T1oPty/s320/cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b>THE LOUDER STUFF<br /><br />THE BLACK CROWES – Happiness Bastards</b><br />The Black Crowes return in full “Exile On Main St.” cosplay, and it rules. <b>(8)<br /><br />EXHORDER – Defectum Omnium</b><br />Underrated NOLA thrashers who are at least partially responsible for Pantera becoming Pantera, widen their scope – “Year Of The Goat” starts as old-school Norwegian black metal, “Stolen Hope” and “Your Six” sound like early Soundgarden, and so on. The “Pantera groove” is still there though. <b>(7)<br /><br />JUDAS PRIEST – Invincible Shield</b><br />A follow-up to 2018’s excellent “Firepower”, “Invincible Shield” is another fantastic Priest album with Halford in top form, killer guitars, and songwriting that quite honestly is up there with all their classics. (<b>8)<br /><br />VLTIMAS – Epic</b><br />It’s the combination of David Vincent’s totally over-the-top vocals and Blasphemer’s trademark dissonant riffs that makes this black/death metal supergroup so much fun, you just can’t help pretending to be evil when you hear something like “Mephisto Manifesto”. <b>(8)<br /><br /><br />THE OTHER STUFF<br /><br />THE HANGING STARS – On A Golden Shore</b><br />Is it still “Americana” when played by Englishmen? Anyhow I like these Londoners, they have the whole Gram Parsons/Byrds/Burritos thing down pat already so now they’re expanding their palette to include more contemporary, poppier influences (think Sheryl Crow?). <b>(7)<br /><br />JULIA HOLTER – Something In The Room She Moves</b><br />Every time Holter releases a new album I stream it immediately, and every time I fail to get it: She sits somewhere between avant-garde, jazz, and pop, and if she would only allow her pop melodies to shine instead of hiding them under all the distracting stuff she’d be much closer to my tastes. <b>(6)<br /><br />JOHN LURIE – Painting With John</b><br />Music from the weird, funny and wonderful TV series which is certainly not about painting. My only complaint: It does not include the hilarious “Flea’s Walk” from the episode where the RHCP bassist visits his friend John. <b>(8)<br /><br />LOREENA McKENNITT – The Road Back Home</b><br />Live album focusing on McKennitt’s roots in the Celtic folk music tradition. Some of the songs you know from her studio albums, some are recorded by her for the first time. Beautiful. <b>(8)<br /><br />THE MESSTHETICS & JAMES BRANDON LEWIS – The Messthetics Αnd James Brandon Lewis</b><br />An excellent album occupying a strange place between jazz-fusion and post-rock, this one features a guitar shredder, a tenor saxophonist, and the rhythm section from Fugazi. Wrap your head around that. <b>(8)<br /><br />KACEY MUSGRAVES – Deeper Well</b><br />Expectations are always high from people who have <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2013/12/2013-20-top-albums.html" target="_blank">previously topped the List</a> and Musgraves does not disappoint, moving with ease between Fleetwood Mac soft rock, delicate country folk, and Laurel Canyon singer-songwriter poetry. <b>(8)<br /><br />ROSALI – Bite Down</b><br />A very strong country-rock record with a Neil Young/Crazy Horse flavor. Not to be confused with Rosalia.<b> (8) <br /><br />MARRY WATERSON & ADRIAN CROWLEY – Cuckoo Storm</b><br />A very strange but delightful little album that defies labeling and categorization. You can call it folk I guess (Waterson comes from a family considered folk royalty in England) but it’s much more than that, venturing into jazz and even Scott Walker weirdo territory at times.<b> (8) <br /><br />WAXAHATCHEE – Tigers Blood</b><br />One for the Year-End lists, this is probably Katie Crutchfield’s strongest album – more indie rock than Americana.<b> (8)</b><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-16239291115582458552024-03-03T08:43:00.002+02:002024-03-04T08:48:57.852+02:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Mar 24<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMEhWRDT9WFtv3XH6xlWM4fUa819jPUa6CfZaVM3eRSdYukAJ8cajmrpXfnJkdE5qoakP-VIRgBrIsDGdI2ATJu9yUNiIpgcmI30pdI1cvn7x-Fq5uDBCPeDJyE-8TqqnZNh6fL5rAzc3zo8HmrW9ABmh9zpWea8Quf3oCY5nUIa1Vm48sD9xlCxxm-_X/s300/Nadine_Shah_-_Filthy_Underneath.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMEhWRDT9WFtv3XH6xlWM4fUa819jPUa6CfZaVM3eRSdYukAJ8cajmrpXfnJkdE5qoakP-VIRgBrIsDGdI2ATJu9yUNiIpgcmI30pdI1cvn7x-Fq5uDBCPeDJyE-8TqqnZNh6fL5rAzc3zo8HmrW9ABmh9zpWea8Quf3oCY5nUIa1Vm48sD9xlCxxm-_X/w320-h320/Nadine_Shah_-_Filthy_Underneath.png" width="320" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b>THE LOUDER STUFF<br /><br />BRUCE DICKINSON – The Mandrake Project</b><br />If I would describe this album with one word Ι’d call it “safe”, despite Dickinson usually being the risk-taker in the Iron Maiden universe. <b>(7)<br /><br />BEN FROST – Scope Neglect</b><br />Avant-garde electronica musician goes metal, sort of – this is an attempt to deconstruct/reconstruct metal by building cinematic soundscapes around djenty guitars. If you think you could get through 40 minutes of Autechre remixing Meshuggah riffs without getting a headache, then go ahead. <b>(6)</b></p><p><b>MANNEQUIN PUSSY – I Got Heaven</b><br />First half of the record is
slightly grungy 90’s-flavored indie rock, sometimes reminiscent of Hole.
Second half of the record they go hardcore. The whole thing, despite it
being a break-up record, is pure joy. <b>(8) <br /></b><b><br />MEGA COLOSSUS – Showdown</b><br />Heavy metal the way it’s meant to be, old-school like back in 1981 when everyone from Iron Maiden/Riot/Exciter to Y&T/Styx/Boston was labeled “metal”, no subgenre bullshit. These guys are obviously having a blast and so will you.<b> (8)<br /><br />MINISTRY – Hopiumforthemasses</b><br />If they had broken up in 1997 you wouldn’t have missed anything important and that’s the case with this album as well – the kind of competent but formulaic industrial metal record we’ve come to expect from Al Jourgensen, full of samples and raging against the machine. The main thrills are provided by guest vocalists like Jello Biafra and Eugene Hutz. <b>(7)<br /><br />NORTH SEA ECHOES – Really Good Terrible Things</b><br />Matheos & Alder go ambient. It’s supposed to be something entirely different from Fates Warning but really, if you speed the songs up just a bit and add a metal rhythm section and a distortion pedal, these are Fates Warning songs. That’s a good thing, of course. <b>(8)</b></p><p><b>PISSED JEANS – Half Divorced</b><br />This sounds just like something
released on Amphetamine Reptile Records ca. 1990 by Jesus Lizard,
Surgery, Cows or some shit, excellent. <b>(8)<br /></b><b><br />SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM – Of The Last Human Being</b><br />Wow, never thought I’d hear from these guys again but this album sounds like they never went away, an uber-weird prog metal cabaret amalgam of King Crimson, Mr. Bungle, Primus, and Kurt Weill. <b>(8)<br /><br /><br />THE OTHER STUFF<br /><br />THE BEVIS FROND – Focus On Nature</b><br />Nick Saloman has described his band better than any music critic ever will: “A Hendrix/Wipers/Byrds sound but with a distinctly British feel”. This is probably the best album from a 70-year-old guitar hero you’ll get this year.<b> (8)<br /><br />AZIZA BRAHIM – Mawja</b><br />West Saharan singer and activist’s fifth album is a triumph that will make the WOMAD crowd delirious with joy. <b>(8)<br /><br />FIRE! – Testament</b><br />This is jazz for people who prefer rock to jazz, and they’ve got Steve Albini on the console to prove it. <b>(8)<br /><br />HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF – The Past Is Still Alive</b><br />This is a HUGE step forward for Alynda Segarra, where they finally nail it with a killer collection of songs that will most likely sit on top of the heap of 2024’s best Americana albums. <b>(9)<br /><br />CORB LUND – El Viejo</b><br />Canadian country guy makes good use of his formal jazz training by incorporating the occasional Django-like gypsy jazz/swing element into his humorous tales of cowboys, outlaws, and gamblers. Good fun! <b>(8)<br /></b><b><br />NADINE SHAH – Filthy Underneath</b><br />Everyone knows the “tortured artist” cliché, but in Shah’s case losing her mother, getting a divorce, attempting suicide, and entering rehab since her previous album has actually led to the creation of a masterpiece, a brave album that will appeal to fans of PJ Harvey and Depeche Mode alike. <b>(9) <br /></b><b><br />SHEER MAG – Playing Favorites</b><br />Can something be indie rock and arena rock at the same time? Sheer Mag seem to pull it off by finding the right balance between Thin Lizzy riffs, Big Star jangle, and Minor Threat ethos.<b> (8) <br /><br />SHEHERAZAAD – Qasr EP</b><br />Stunning debut for this young artist, with influences ranging from Indian-classical to flamenco and jazz. “Produced by Arooj Aftab” should’ve been a dead giveaway. <b>(8)<br /><br />YARD ACT – Where’s My Utopia</b><br />On the first album they were compared to The Fall, second time around they go beyond the “post-punk” label and sound like a hook-filled combination of Arctic Monkeys and Gang of Four. <b>(8) </b> <br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-32918498465748382132024-02-19T16:33:00.004+02:002024-02-20T16:50:43.044+02:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Feb 24<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn26KZqnNxg19Ds2LfdqLJsiSYJuIJCBLXfVXzjCb0kJCa6dO4qXYwb-CMayNny2gLC-AjmFBZolBT1Y0u6qqL1qop8Y-xRDpWvWIBbTYpTUM90ThB-lHyNPqYR94zIkGoqNc_WEsWFPOtbyeicemCz2-RAK-d4RUM1jsXPBROA8Enpjkg3fxwnFUaQHzb/s500/getmetal-42150202024-02_4215020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn26KZqnNxg19Ds2LfdqLJsiSYJuIJCBLXfVXzjCb0kJCa6dO4qXYwb-CMayNny2gLC-AjmFBZolBT1Y0u6qqL1qop8Y-xRDpWvWIBbTYpTUM90ThB-lHyNPqYR94zIkGoqNc_WEsWFPOtbyeicemCz2-RAK-d4RUM1jsXPBROA8Enpjkg3fxwnFUaQHzb/w320-h320/getmetal-42150202024-02_4215020.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b>THE LOUDER STUFF<br /><br />BOKASSA – All Out Of Dreams</b><br />Lars Ulrich apparently likes them a lot but that’s probably because their drummer does not keep time with the precision and accuracy of a high-quality Swiss watch, if you know what I mean. In any case if you like your stoner metal punked up, or if you’re into their compatriots Kvelertak, you’re going to enjoy this. <b>(7)<br /><br />BRIGHT & BLACK – The Album</b><br />Members of Opeth, Meshuggah, Watain, Entombed AD, and Apocalyptica compose for classical orchestra and it sounds like the soundtrack to the kind of movie that features dwarfs, wizards, and a pet dragon. <b>(7) <br /><br />IHSAHN – Ihsahn</b><br />Essentially two albums, a metal one and a classical one. The metal album is fantastic, the closest he’s ever come to the Emperor vibe but more mature. The classical one is alright I guess, but he probably bit off more than he can chew. <b>(9 metal, 7 classical)<br /><br />LUCIFER – Lucifer V</b><br />It’s been a slow, steady development from nice but slightly generic vintage heavy rock to something packing a real punch, but Johanna Sadonis has finally arrived there. Fans of her husband’s post-Entombed bands will certainly enjoy this. <b>(8)<br /><br />THE OBSESSED – Gilded Sorrow</b><br />He might be a paranoid conspiracy theory nutjob on crystal meth but his riffs are still the best you can get west of Iommi.<b> (8)<br /><br />SLOWER – Slower</b><br />What happens when you slow down Slayer songs to doom tempos and downtune them? The “world’s slowest Slayer tribute band” (Slower, get it?) try it out on five classics and it works spectacularly well (“War Ensemble” lasts 11 minutes when sludged down this way). And just in case you thought it’s just a bunch of kids having fun, the band is led by Fu Manchu’s guitarist and features members of Kyuss, Kylesa and others, so it’s actually a bunch of old bastards having fun. <b>(11)<br /><br />CHELSEA WOLFE – She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She</b><br />So good it might turn me into a full-time goth in my old age. <b>(8)<br /><br /><br />THE OTHER STUFF<br /><br />BLACKBERRY SMOKE – Be Right Here</b><br />Strong new album by the best southern rock band of the 21st century, more Allmans than Skynyrd. <b>(8)<br /><br />LAURA JANE GRACE – Hole in My Head</b><br />Her best set of folk-punk songs outside of Against Me! but they would have sounded even better by her proper band – Grace here plays everything (including drums) except for bass, and it shows.<b> (8)<br /><br />GRANDADDY – Blu Wav</b><br />One of those country-flavored indie albums that end up on year-end “best of” lists, and it is quite nice in a “My Morning Jacket on Vicodin” sort of way.<b> (8)<br /><br />BRITTANY HOWARD – What Now</b><br />You’ll see this one on multiple “year’s best” lists come December, and it is a good album, but certainly not the year’s best – at her finest Howard channels Prince, but there are a few middling tracks of unspectacular R&B here as well. I’m still giving it an 8 because apparently the music critic police will take me out back and shoot me in the knees if I dare give it a 7.<b> (8)<br /><br />PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS – Band On the Run (50th Anniversary Edition)</b><br />I’m not worthy to talk about this album. <b>(10)<br /><br />NEW MODEL ARMY – Unbroken </b><br />Their 1986-1990 three-album run is as good as any three-album run can get and they’ve never been able to reach those heights again, not that anyone could reasonably expect them to. But 40 years after their debut they can still come up with a strong piece of work in their unique style combing post-punk with folk rock.<b> (8)<br /><br />TY SEGALL – Three Bells</b><br />From the 15 albums this guy has released in 15 years this one’s closer to the genre-agnostic "Freedom's Goblin", <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2018/12/20-albums-2018.html" target="_blank">and that one was his masterpiece</a>. Anything goes here too, in terms of influences: T-Rex, Funkadelic, QOTSA, Love… <b>(8) <br /><br />VARIOUS ARTISTS – Looking for the Magic: American Power Pop in the Seventies</b><br />My latest theory (probably not very original) is that “power pop” is not really a genre, and that there’s only “power pop” songs, not “power pop” artists. This 3-CD compilation provides further proof by bringing together a bunch of people who have no right to be bunched together under a “genre”: Jonathan Richman and Blue Oyster Cult? Television and Bread??? Even MC5 and the Ramones get the “power pop” tag here along with the usual suspects (Todd Rundgren, Big Star, Raspberries, Cheap Trick, The Cars, Badfinger, The Knack) and a whole bunch of unknowns and coulda/shouldabeens, but overall a really fun listen. <b>(11)</b><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-89560124317161638822024-01-21T08:43:00.000+02:002024-01-21T08:43:15.866+02:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Jan 24<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4FSfilcVBr0qn9addhqYWuRaQzK78Er3-sg7iln9XoYlPYnnBSAuz6ZO6raDVrdER6eFDzae3w_5ANSb4JArXphOoa65KIlD81VfgnKkciBojUqWMAKr63hQz35L_NvzxQGt3fYkjv3U_D9anQ8jqepbaa7nMr2sDg12gyOUVROWzUftZhB_sk3Kb3PQ/s1280/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4FSfilcVBr0qn9addhqYWuRaQzK78Er3-sg7iln9XoYlPYnnBSAuz6ZO6raDVrdER6eFDzae3w_5ANSb4JArXphOoa65KIlD81VfgnKkciBojUqWMAKr63hQz35L_NvzxQGt3fYkjv3U_D9anQ8jqepbaa7nMr2sDg12gyOUVROWzUftZhB_sk3Kb3PQ/s320/cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b>THE LOUDER STUFF<br /><br />ALKALINE TRIO – Blood, Hair, And Eyeballs</b><br />Pop-punk veterans keep doing what they do.<b> (7)<br /><br />DOGMA – Dogma </b><br />A blatant attempt to capitalize on Ghost’s success, it gets the sound and the visuals right but totally misses out on the humor and the subtle subversion. <b>(6)<br /><br />GREEN DAY – Saviors</b><br />Their most political album since “American Idiot”, and among their top-5 (probably #4). That’s quite a feat for a band that has been going on since 1987 on their 14th outing. <b>(8)<br /><br />ESCUELA GRIND – DDEEAATTHHMMEETTAALL</b><br />4-song EP tribute to one of their favorite genres, and they absolutely nail it. Katerina Economou is not intimidated by Barney Greenway’s guest slot, and that tells you something. <b>(8)<br /><br />HEALTH – Rat Wars</b><br />Dancefloor-friendly industrial with NIN as the most obvious reference point but not enough hooks.<b> (6)<br /><br />GREG PUCIATO – FC5N (EP)</b><br />Ηe’s turning into Mike Patton, with all these different projects and all of them good. 5 tracks here, most of them previously available as bonus tracks, it’s high-quality modern heavy rock.<b> (8)<br /><br /><br />THE OTHER STUFF<br /><br />RYAN DAVIS & THE ROADHOUSE BAND – Dancing On The Edge</b><br />Literate southern gentleman with a sound often utilizing Americana/country-ish signifiers (e.g. pedal steel guitars, Joan Shelley guesting) but a dense lyric sheet of weird poetry and oddball humor that, as a songwriter, positions him closer to someone like Craig Finn.<b> (8) <br /><br />JOHNNY DOWD – Is Heaven Real? How Would I Know</b><br />Legendary country music weirdo on 19th album, which sounds like all things Memphis combined. His voice is a bit off, but that’s actually part of the charm of this record. <b>(8)<br /><br />GLASS BEACH – Plastic Death</b><br />“OK Computer” as done by Yes. <b>(8)<br /><br />THE SMILE – Wall Of Eyes</b><br />Radiohead spin-off sounds quite a bit like a cross between 1999 Radiohead and 2015 Radiohead so, with all due respect to Tom Skinner, I really don’t understand why it’s not a Radiohead album. <b>(8)<br /><br />VARIOUS ARTISTS – She’s Got the Power! Female Power Pop, Punk & Garage</b><br />Is Blondie “power pop”? Lydia Loveless? Girlschool??? Is “power pop” even a genre? And if it is, do “power pop” artists exist or only “power pop” songs? I dunno but this is an extremely fun, joyous compilation of adrenaline-fueled party tunes. <b>(11)</b><p></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-26288383963883566182023-12-10T08:11:00.002+02:002023-12-12T09:11:37.585+02:0020+ ΑΛΜΠΟΥΜ ΓΙΑ ΤΟ 2023<p>Έφτασε Δεκέμβριος και ω, τι πρωτότυπο, οι βλαμμένοι μουσικόφιλοι κάνουν λίστες. Ο Music Geek το κάνει δεκαετίες τώρα δημοσίως, πρώτα σε περιοδικά και μετά online, και αναπόφευκτα συχνά υπήρχαν αντιδράσεις: Πώς τολμάς να αφήσεις εκτός το τάδε; Μα είναι δυνατόν να σου άρεσε αυτή η μαλακία; Ξέρετε τώρα. Οπότε φέτος θέλω να ξεκινήσω τη λίστα με ένα disclaimer:</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i><b>Οι παρακάτω επιλογές δεν είναι σε καμία περίπτωση "αντικειμενικές", και εκφράζουν μόνο το προσωπικό μου γούστο. </b>Ο βασικός λόγος που τις παρουσιάζω είναι γιατί μου αρέσει να μοιράζομαι τις μουσικές με τις οποίες παθιάζομαι με άλλους, γνωστούς και αγνώστους, ελπίζοντας να συστήσω κάποιους καλλιτέχνες που αγαπώ σε λίγα άτομα που μπορεί να ανακαλύψουν κάτι καινούργιο για αυτούς. Ο δευτερεύων λόγος που τις παρουσιάζω είναι γιατί ο καλοπροαίρετος διάλογος (και "καλοπροαίρετος" δεν σημαίνει απαραίτητα ότι δεν εμπεριέχει και κάνα μπινελίκι που και που) γύρω από δίσκους έχει πλάκα.</i><br /></p><p>ΟΚ πάμε παρακάτω. Πριν δούμε την Εικοσάδα, ή για την ακρίβεια Εικοσιτριάδα, Εύφημος Μνεία σε κάποιους πολύ καλούς δίσκους που "έπαιξαν" κάποια στιγμή για τη Λίστα αλλά τελικά έμειναν απ' έξω: Φέτος ακούσαμε εξαιρετικές δουλειές metal από <b>Danava, Kvelertak, Mutoid Man, Green Lung, Dodheimsgard</b>, punk από <b>Dwarves, Poison Ruin</b>, Americana από <b>Margo Price, Shana Cleveland, Lucinda Williams, Lydia Loveless</b>, garage rock από <b>Olivia Jean</b>, R&B από <b>Janelle Monae</b>... για hip-hop και τέτοια μη με ρωτάτε, όχι ότι είμαι ιδεολογικά αντίθετος ή κάτι τέτοιο, απλά είμαι άσχετος. </p><p>Επίσης πριν δούμε τη Λίστα του Music Geek, ας δούμε την καθιερωμένη πλέον εναλλακτική λίστα με<b> Δίσκους Που Θα Δείτε Σε Άλλες Πιο Trendy Λίστες, Αλλά Όχι Εδώ</b>:<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>100 GECS </b>διότι σόρι αλλά αυτό το πράμα δεν είναι μουσική.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>ANDRE3000</b> διότι ο τύπος σας τρολάρει και δεν πήρατε χαμπάρι.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>ANOHNI & THE JOHNSONS </b>διότι πολύ κατώτερο του "I Am A Bird Now<b>".<br /></b></li><li><b>CAROLINE POLACHEK </b>διότι δεν ξέρω, υποψιάζομαι ότι αν το είχα ακούσει θα μου άρεσε πολύ, αλλά για αδιευκρίνιστους λόγους δεν το άκουσα.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>FEIST </b>διότι με πήρε ο ύπνος.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>JESSIE WARE </b>διότι μισώ την italo disco.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>MITSKI</b> διότι δεν έχω TikTok.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>NIECY BLUES </b>διότι πού είναι τα τραγούδια, οεο; <b><br /></b></li><li><b>OLIVIA RODRIGO</b> διότι δεν είμαι έφηβος.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>NONAME </b>διότι βρίσκω το εξώφυλλο απωθητικό.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>PAUL SIMON </b>διότι είναι πολύ καλό, αλλά τελικά δεν μου "κόλλησε".<b><br /></b></li><li><b>PJ HARVEY </b>διότι αγαπώ την Polly, αλλά το φετεινό δεν είναι από τα καλύτερά της.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE </b>διότι αγαπώ τον Josh, αλλά το φετεινό δεν είναι από τα καλύτερά του.</li><li><b>ROLLING STONES </b>διότι και μόνο το ότι υπάρχουν ακόμα και κυκλοφόρησαν κάτι παραπάνω από αξιοπρεπές ειναι αξιοθαύμαστο, αλλά όχι και Εικοσάδα.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>SBT </b>διότι είναι καλό, αλλά δεν χρειαζόταν να είναι διπλό.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>SLOWDIVE </b>διότι και αυτό καλό είναι, αλλά δεν χώρεσε.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>SUFJAN STEVENS </b>διότι έχω αλλεργική αντίδραση στην καθολική λατρεία που του δείχνουν μουσικοκριτικοί που δεν είχαν γεννηθεί ακόμα όταν άρχισα να γράφω δισκοκριτικές, πείτε με δεινόσαυρο.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>SZA</b> διότι δεν είμαι εγώ για αυτά. <b><br /></b></li><li><b>WEDNESDAY </b>διότι στην πραγματικότητα ανήκει στην κατηγορία "Εύφημος Μνεία" παραπάνω, απλά το βλέπω σε πολλές λίστες.<b><br /></b></li><li><b>WILCO </b>διότι ποτέ δεν με κέρδισαν, και το συγκεκριμένο άλμπουμ δεν κέρδισε καν τους ορκισμένους οπαδούς.<b><br /></b></li></ul><p>Πάμε
τώρα λοιπόν να δούμε και την Εικοσάδα/Εικοσιτριάδα του Music Geek για το 2023. Αν
έχω καταφέρει να σας βοηθήσω να ανακαλύψετε ένα ή δύο άλμπουμ που σας
ξέφυγαν και που θα σας αρέσουν, έχω πετύχει τον στόχο μου. Περιμένω τις δικές σας εισηγήσεις στα comments από κάτω κι επειδή απέχω συνειδητά εδώ και χρόνια από τα Social, κάντε τη δουλειά μου - <b>Spread the word, share the love: </b></p><p><b>
</b></p><hr /><div style="text-align: right;"><b><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAtnc3Xn1dU8-7kwZ1VvnPxovO22X6q3G4-LemdjxCLXly7DbbN8I85kOeZIlhEixkGKpf-MBFXh8_-xQrvxFPJMUPOG8VrE-wLiZ1UH0yF292y_o38aQTMEMmdxovI4dCnZu4X6EBbpJ1j9EYjAbo3-rhCQMZ4fz3uwWydROoOvdPqxE7iNWsiTXyT7d/s1400/Untitled.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAtnc3Xn1dU8-7kwZ1VvnPxovO22X6q3G4-LemdjxCLXly7DbbN8I85kOeZIlhEixkGKpf-MBFXh8_-xQrvxFPJMUPOG8VrE-wLiZ1UH0yF292y_o38aQTMEMmdxovI4dCnZu4X6EBbpJ1j9EYjAbo3-rhCQMZ4fz3uwWydROoOvdPqxE7iNWsiTXyT7d/w100-h200/Untitled.png" width="100" /></a></div><b>20. BUGGIN – Concrete Cowboys / CODE ORANGE – The Above<br /></b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Το 2023 ήταν μια πολύ καλή χρονιά για το hardcore με αυτά τα δύο περίπου ισάξια άλμπουμ να αποτελούν την κορυφή του παγόβουνου – το μεν Buggin πιο παραδοσιακό με άφθονες NYHC αναφορές, το δε Code Orange φέρνοντας έναν αέρα ανανέωσης στο ιδίωμα εμπλουτίζοντάς το με ηλεκτρονικά και industrial στοιχεία, αμφότεροι δίσκοι ιδανικοί για άφθονα κλωτσομπουνίδια και επιβεβαιώνοντας ότι ο σκληρός ήχος θα είναι πάντα εδώ.</span><br /><b></b></div></b></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JWHKq5Nxp54" width="320" youtube-src-id="JWHKq5Nxp54"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X-C5ug_-u-8" width="320" youtube-src-id="X-C5ug_-u-8"></iframe></div><hr /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFcMQXJWaVGfRUrRv7LUjXL07mCAYkIDoDtCu0MwyxunZhrFonaIgWzJyTGSk_rmOaF9VJ1VDSJrQYj1DnfqyPZLbgjHrV3EW4oG1nCmKOWNcSoAFLsHjRAc_XMBK9EUvja9nGZImlUqLnzMS6tk2SSJEfDLg0S7AI15dBIS4lEENGMITahWg2ABhObnW/s3000/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFcMQXJWaVGfRUrRv7LUjXL07mCAYkIDoDtCu0MwyxunZhrFonaIgWzJyTGSk_rmOaF9VJ1VDSJrQYj1DnfqyPZLbgjHrV3EW4oG1nCmKOWNcSoAFLsHjRAc_XMBK9EUvja9nGZImlUqLnzMS6tk2SSJEfDLg0S7AI15dBIS4lEENGMITahWg2ABhObnW/w200-h200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></b><b> </b><b>19. PETER GABRIEL – I/O<br /></b>Δεν βγαίνουν πια τέτοιοι δίσκοι: Μεγάλο budget, τέλεια παραγωγή, βιρτουόζοι μουσικοί (η rhythm section των Tony Levin και Manu Katche παραμένει από άλλο πλανήτη), συνθέσεις που δεν χρειάζονται ηλεκτρονικά glitches, auto-tune ή άλλα gimmicks για να σου σφηνωθούν στο μυαλό. Και η φωνή του αναλλοίωτη στο χρόνο, λες και είναι 1986 και ακούμε το “So”. Θεός.<br /><b><br /></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VMJGV7GWC5I" width="320" youtube-src-id="VMJGV7GWC5I"></iframe></div><p><b></b></p><hr /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoMTYnZsJhsWNlWjFE93o9YOamZtW1tqG7Jz9yc_USWV4wImbXArV3yThzJYmllGfrq6j5lBALTmo-aiV-JUssLMAPfgDUl4m8cbsHJenXVhwovWW4WUNn9yttjPg6WlVh9HnW2iLoCnMOn8Ei5YvCOPsPAvpbIlJj8uP9R1AmKdGUsLUM5IDg806eKoB/s1414/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="1414" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoMTYnZsJhsWNlWjFE93o9YOamZtW1tqG7Jz9yc_USWV4wImbXArV3yThzJYmllGfrq6j5lBALTmo-aiV-JUssLMAPfgDUl4m8cbsHJenXVhwovWW4WUNn9yttjPg6WlVh9HnW2iLoCnMOn8Ei5YvCOPsPAvpbIlJj8uP9R1AmKdGUsLUM5IDg806eKoB/w200-h200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
18. MARTY STUART AND HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES – Altitude<br /></b>Βετεράνοι country παιχταράδες με κάτι ούμπαλα ΝΑ, με το συμπάθειο, βρίσκουν τη χρυσή τομή ανάμεσα στη Bakersfield Sound βλαχιά του Merle Haggard και το αέρινο ψυχεδελικό country rock των Byrds περιόδου “Sweetheart Of The Rodeo”. Πώς θα μπορούσε να μη μου αρέσει;<br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TsrktylH5mc" width="320" youtube-src-id="TsrktylH5mc"></iframe></div><p><b></b></p><hr /><b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidt0MBX1l3e79ahT0AVdzKVz0L23YY3uxihj8aoQtj_NBQomyzKR8PAe0wCqzefkLdhYmzeG-uw83ggJ0dWBWk7qtP2yxx9kuuAgMq6Vh3okL0SMoQzZ-GH7aZLOxXyDoVW8DxbyqHXUb4D4u_Ks47sEkfXuxHMmSmEP7URAw0dFON1hOrXckrlQtzs8Yp/s1200/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidt0MBX1l3e79ahT0AVdzKVz0L23YY3uxihj8aoQtj_NBQomyzKR8PAe0wCqzefkLdhYmzeG-uw83ggJ0dWBWk7qtP2yxx9kuuAgMq6Vh3okL0SMoQzZ-GH7aZLOxXyDoVW8DxbyqHXUb4D4u_Ks47sEkfXuxHMmSmEP7URAw0dFON1hOrXckrlQtzs8Yp/w200-h200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>17. JEFF ROSENSTOCK – Hellmode<br /></b>Φοβερός πάνκης που κάτω από το DYI attitude, τις υπερηχητικές ταχύτητες και τα φωναχτά φωνητικά κρύβει ένα απίστευτο ταλέντο να σκαρφίζεται κορυφαία pop hooks. Τώρα που για πρώτη φορά έχει και αξιοπρεπή παραγωγή θα περάσει ελπίζω και σε ευρύτερο ακροατήριο, γιατί με τέτοια τραγούδια ο τύπος είναι για αρένες, όχι για υπόγες. <br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xxGv-JdWRWU" width="320" youtube-src-id="xxGv-JdWRWU"></iframe></div><p><b>
</b></p><hr /><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipap5jhsq6I1i52R6o2DcVjaJAAYU90z-6mxY_ljjlOgs2KLyOJnBxZc4NjRKAff73ehUqP3rOGtj9bxVtzqraTA_zun5G5NN-OE0_GdceyGXxDudnGilk1gM8AW8IE52sZSf8eamOnYcQhbQg2shbJGM1ZcKwBPMt4fpGbnDqogL0w-K5w6s9xPDU_z0z/s1500/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipap5jhsq6I1i52R6o2DcVjaJAAYU90z-6mxY_ljjlOgs2KLyOJnBxZc4NjRKAff73ehUqP3rOGtj9bxVtzqraTA_zun5G5NN-OE0_GdceyGXxDudnGilk1gM8AW8IE52sZSf8eamOnYcQhbQg2shbJGM1ZcKwBPMt4fpGbnDqogL0w-K5w6s9xPDU_z0z/w200-h200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></div><p><b>16. FUCKED UP – One Day<br /></b>Οι Καναδοί NoMeansNo υπήρξαν ένα από τα αγαπημένα μου συγκροτήματα όλων των εποχών, με έναν μοναδικό (πίστευα) συνδυασμό punk, prog, υψηλότατου δείκτη ευφυίας, και σουρεαλιστικού χιούμορ. Όταν συνταξιοδοτήθηκαν προφανώς παρέδωσαν τη σκυτάλη σε αυτούς εδώ τους συμπατριώτες τους οι οποίοι, χωρίς να ακούγονται καθόλου σαν τους NoMeansNo, επιτυγχάνουν τον ίδιο ακριβώς (μοναδικό, σχεδόν) συνδυασμό. Το συγκεκριμένο άλμπουμ ΓΡΑΦΤΗΚΕ ΚΑΙ ΗΧΟΓΡΑΦΗΘΗΚΕ μέσα σε μία μέρα, από το μηδέν, αλλά δεν του φαίνεται. Καθόλου. Είναι τεράστιο.<b><br /></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xs-V906A3aQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="xs-V906A3aQ"></iframe></div><p><b>
</b></p><hr /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vlAXtTadqQiIumfgHVZcDiqWEU4tGgwwKCZsuXYw3oSxNoYPhB8kUi_ugYKItkjlSKtoAiavI-_IHQLLtGWzJ5WH_KhmmYahjykc6e-VQmsu4CnBMduLu6P58tygb5oU_Bb9iJGPoimBUpeWFZJBhz29i1N4uHhWukOJnkfiGVXhHdZgqe8Q_yDBmv5h/s1200/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vlAXtTadqQiIumfgHVZcDiqWEU4tGgwwKCZsuXYw3oSxNoYPhB8kUi_ugYKItkjlSKtoAiavI-_IHQLLtGWzJ5WH_KhmmYahjykc6e-VQmsu4CnBMduLu6P58tygb5oU_Bb9iJGPoimBUpeWFZJBhz29i1N4uHhWukOJnkfiGVXhHdZgqe8Q_yDBmv5h/w200-h200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a><p></p><p><b>15. THE NECKS – Travel<br /></b>Δεν ξέρω πόσα άλμπουμ έχουν κυκλοφορήσει στην καριέρα τους, η Wikipedia λέει 17, το Uncut λέει 19, ξέρω όμως ότι από το 2013 που τους ανακάλυψα έχουν κυκλοφορήσει 6 και πως <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2013/12/2013-20-top-albums.html" target="_blank">τα μισά από αυτά</a> έχουν <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2018/12/20-albums-2018.html" target="_blank">μπει στη Λίστα</a>, γεγονός που πιθανότατα κάνει αυτό το Αυστραλέζικο, πειραματικό, μινιμαλιστικό jazz τρίο το αγαπημένο μου συγκρότημα των τελευταίων δέκα ετών, κάτι που ούτε ο ίδιος δεν θα πίστευα. Ζεν.<b><br /><br /></b><b></b></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MeBz7JOW5I4" width="320" youtube-src-id="MeBz7JOW5I4"></iframe></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><b>
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</b></p><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o8NcyUWN9Hss1LocQ5-2b4JZwkuSbS1Wy87l91bug10q0EMKc8k1PMgZHdgUHBqc32GRL_2ddABc2Wm5odVPAPaQ2ejS4zxGL0FVz5vwt6kRolwpuKPtDpC1KCtXAElyZMDlwH8ElxHKvhW13h_h3cjgrz8KUNH6on6Pf8-nPVc7hy1LApdSv9JmUAO7/s1280/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o8NcyUWN9Hss1LocQ5-2b4JZwkuSbS1Wy87l91bug10q0EMKc8k1PMgZHdgUHBqc32GRL_2ddABc2Wm5odVPAPaQ2ejS4zxGL0FVz5vwt6kRolwpuKPtDpC1KCtXAElyZMDlwH8ElxHKvhW13h_h3cjgrz8KUNH6on6Pf8-nPVc7hy1LApdSv9JmUAO7/w200-h200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>14. BOYGENIUS – The Record / The Rest<br /></b>Τρεις από τις πιο ταλαντούχες indie rock singer-songwriters της γενιάς τους, άγνωστες ακόμα, καλλιεργούν μια ειλικρινή φιλία στα παρασκήνια σκοτεινών κλαμπ μέσω της κοινής αγάπης τους για τη λογοτεχνία. Όσο η δημοφιλία τους ως solo καλλιτέχνιδες αυξάνεται τόσο η φιλία τους βαθαίνει, και κάποια στιγμή αποφασίζουν να ηχογραφήσουν ένα άλμπουμ. Μερικούς μήνες αργότερα και ακολουθώντας μια θριαμβευτική sold-out συναυλία στο Madison Square Garden έρχεται κι ένα EP ακόμα, εξίσου φανταστικό. Τον Φεβρουάριο του 2024 κερδίζουν 2 Grammys και το μέλλον προβλέπεται λαμπρό... Σύντομα στους κινηματογράφους σε σκηνοθεσία Cameron Crowe.<b><br /></b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bIX_ouNJsTs" width="320" youtube-src-id="bIX_ouNJsTs"></iframe></div><p><b></b></p><hr /><b>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUoHkoZbSX_MyrAPGRVV4PWPkF96sRZx2ewv-MKbMDxoewWZ1bYQQqcJGir1-zux43ObNy-6XWkN2WMPo1kjbAaKCXH5rjnCP6GfCGjKpiQSwm7BszG8u_GBL7pUR0QYs5dqdSOxErvwGURxbZmmAOS6WRCcoS4ZhUW1PSg6tJsrFv1tf4zFiaAfIgemF/s700/lemon.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUoHkoZbSX_MyrAPGRVV4PWPkF96sRZx2ewv-MKbMDxoewWZ1bYQQqcJGir1-zux43ObNy-6XWkN2WMPo1kjbAaKCXH5rjnCP6GfCGjKpiQSwm7BszG8u_GBL7pUR0QYs5dqdSOxErvwGURxbZmmAOS6WRCcoS4ZhUW1PSg6tJsrFv1tf4zFiaAfIgemF/w200-h200/lemon.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>12. THE LEMON TWIGS – Everything Harmony<br /></b>Όλα τα σημάδια έδειχναν ότι αυτή η στιγμή θα ερχόταν, αργά ή γρήγορα: Στο δεύτερο άλμπουμ τους, ηχογραφημένο όταν το αδέλφια D’Addario ήταν μόλις 19 και 21 ετών αντίστοιχα, συμμετείχαν ο Todd Rundgren και ο Jody Stephens των Big Star. Το τρίτο άλμπουμ τους ήταν η καλύτερη power pop κυκλοφορία του 2020 κι <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2020/12/20-albums-2020.html" target="_blank">έμεινε εκτός Λίστας στην παράταση</a>. Με το τέταρτο άλμπουμ, πιο ώριμοι πλέον, τα κατάφεραν. Με εκπληκτικές μελωδίες, απίστευτες φωνητικές αρμονίες, ευφυείς ενορχηστρώσεις και αμέτρητα hooks, το τελικό αποτέλεσμα συμπυκνώνει μισό αιώνα έξυπνης pop (Beach Boys, Big Star, Wings, Jellyfish, Posies, Broadway musicals…) σε ένα απολαυστικό κοκτέιλ.<b></b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hmX2wsnzEGE" width="320" youtube-src-id="hmX2wsnzEGE"></iframe></div><b>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5piH7x-06rxHoOA6NzJSCkZQTC5NEPQtE_rthmXPo5tS7b6xfvjphhZRlQ3DKXhr1Y_CFlBtKiZAH24Yb9oA8AW80RFSs0KoDRQeL_Q_7KO37e1O4Nx0MtGTGro4CvtxtMG9y9HkbbgjyrnZlBe6JZzULEopdRyu8T2vjI59kpqxjtTneoX9kVOa5XdL/s600/Untitled%202.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5piH7x-06rxHoOA6NzJSCkZQTC5NEPQtE_rthmXPo5tS7b6xfvjphhZRlQ3DKXhr1Y_CFlBtKiZAH24Yb9oA8AW80RFSs0KoDRQeL_Q_7KO37e1O4Nx0MtGTGro4CvtxtMG9y9HkbbgjyrnZlBe6JZzULEopdRyu8T2vjI59kpqxjtTneoX9kVOa5XdL/w100-h200/Untitled%202.png" width="100" /></a></div>10. JOHN FRANCIS FLYNN – Look Over The Wall, See The Sky / LISA O'NEILL – All Of This Is Chance<br /></b>Κάτι γίνεται στην Ιρλανδία. Δεν είναι μόνο οι Lankum (βλ. παρακάτω) αλλά μια ολόκληρη σκηνή που βράζει, καλλιτέχνες που τιμούν μια μουσική παράδοση αιώνων αλλά είναι αποφασισμένοι να της αλλάξουν τα φώτα προσθέτωντας post-rock δυναμικές και μια “fuck you” στάση απέναντι στις καπιταλιστικές δυνάμεις που έχουν μετατρέψει το Δουβλίνο σε μία από τις ακριβότερες πόλεις της Ευρώπης, με τις παραδοσιακές pubs να δίνουν τη θέση τους σε πεντάστερα boutique ξενοδοχεία και πολυτελή lofts για τα μεγαλοστελέχη των εταιριών τεχνολογίας. Όπως ο Flynn που παίρνει τη θέση του στα προπύργια της σκηνής αυτής με το εξαιρετικό δεύτερο άλμπουμ του, ή η O’Neill που αν ζούσε τον 17ο αιώνα μάλλον θα την είχαν κάψει στην πυρά ως μάγισσα.<p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r101tAT6mf0" width="320" youtube-src-id="r101tAT6mf0"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wQGUYgNhQa4" width="320" youtube-src-id="wQGUYgNhQa4"></iframe></div><p><b>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJEk92Pytt80KbW1npzEZuzZSu78B8XiSqXSxP2Z2gKqxsH0hSz7Ko-XA5NJGZjFcTBAphBSqIJfPcQVcGg-3yXeVgKtgKoJDTZpiGFrMyNpJkSP3Vvgsb-vRmYIXs561LisjeaCy1wMLQkhpHHC-_iHfa34V0VrpRssGQ2UVNJE4IVoRyqzBKNSeFleQ/s2000/Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJEk92Pytt80KbW1npzEZuzZSu78B8XiSqXSxP2Z2gKqxsH0hSz7Ko-XA5NJGZjFcTBAphBSqIJfPcQVcGg-3yXeVgKtgKoJDTZpiGFrMyNpJkSP3Vvgsb-vRmYIXs561LisjeaCy1wMLQkhpHHC-_iHfa34V0VrpRssGQ2UVNJE4IVoRyqzBKNSeFleQ/w200-h200/Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>9. WITCH RIPPER – The Flight After The Fall<br /></b>Η μεταλλική αποκάλυψη της χρονιάς ήταν αυτή η μπάντα από το Seattle και το ΦΟΒΕΡΟ δεύτερο prog-sludge (?) άλμπουμ τους, όπου οι Mastodon συναντούν τους Queen και οι Baroness παίζουν σφαλιάρες με τους Muse – το “The Flight After The Fall” ακούγεται τόσο larger than life που δεν μπορείς παρά να βγάλεις το καπέλο στους Witch Ripper για το θάρρος, το θράσος, και τα cojones τους. Σε έναν τέλειο κόσμο, κι αυτοί θα γέμιζαν αρένες.<b></b><p></p><p><b></b></p><p><b></b></p><p><b></b><b></b></p><p><b>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0m2_8jslFcWNLKqpJUnGaDWRLpZ1ZE7BXHdqcudDnQfQYqT-OkXHSMZobffhtDx7HEzFoo8Dpwy7sGR7ZA9qyNxiYzlBvfbZk_D0AeKK17Z09PD_xhj0cIYq2uW649dbYbXRcF8FUCfuxleoSw7Cn1WDyM4D0gTQAtDwTI_VO-LdnBuMhJ0UUtb4QWWKo/s700/a1801276676_65.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0m2_8jslFcWNLKqpJUnGaDWRLpZ1ZE7BXHdqcudDnQfQYqT-OkXHSMZobffhtDx7HEzFoo8Dpwy7sGR7ZA9qyNxiYzlBvfbZk_D0AeKK17Z09PD_xhj0cIYq2uW649dbYbXRcF8FUCfuxleoSw7Cn1WDyM4D0gTQAtDwTI_VO-LdnBuMhJ0UUtb4QWWKo/w200-h200/a1801276676_65.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>8. THE BATHERS – Sirenesque<br /></b>Αυτούς τους Σκωτσέζους δεν τους ήξερα, ΟΚ; Ποτέ δεν έγιναν household name που λεν και στο χωριό μου και ηχογραφούσαν τότε που εγώ άκουγα Αμερικάνους, όχι Βρετανούς. Οπότε όταν υπέπεσε στην αντίληψή μου το φετεινό τους άλμπουμ, το πρώτο τους με αποκλειστικά νέο υλικό από το 1999, το σοκ ήταν τεράστιο: Υπέροχα τραγούδια, πανέμορφες ενορχηστρώσεις, συγκινητικοί στίχοι, μια φωνή σπασμένη και τρυφερή μα συνάμα εγέρωχη, ένα chamber pop κόσμημα που έμεινε σε rotation στα ηχεία του Geek εβδομάδες ολόκληρες.<b><br /></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ur3m0-fcsMM" width="320" youtube-src-id="ur3m0-fcsMM"></iframe></div><b>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDQzCCjzuc6Cce7zZEXi2j_Pm4L8pP8e8oiYUaQYvITSLA64TW23KKlwG9P7As2iElacu0IYWP8_VdxcdLGiOIIyVVj5UEBDaxdniISakZeUz-1yO3ury4SnW7K3AFwPcSanFD7byBJWWWM1xzge5HmQol0Iz6VvgTohKE1GZ1LSU2WYEGB4x0UzAeSwz/s1280/Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDQzCCjzuc6Cce7zZEXi2j_Pm4L8pP8e8oiYUaQYvITSLA64TW23KKlwG9P7As2iElacu0IYWP8_VdxcdLGiOIIyVVj5UEBDaxdniISakZeUz-1yO3ury4SnW7K3AFwPcSanFD7byBJWWWM1xzge5HmQol0Iz6VvgTohKE1GZ1LSU2WYEGB4x0UzAeSwz/w200-h200/Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>7. JOE HENRY – All The Eye Can See<br /></b>O Henry είναι εξαιρετικός παραγωγός της συνομοταξίας T-Bone Burnett/Daniel Lanois, με Americana ρίζες κι έχοντας δουλέψει με αμέτρητους A-Listers από τον Elvis Costello μέχρι τη Bonnie Raitt, οι δικοί του δίσκοι όμως ποτέ δεν ήταν «εμπορικοί» και δεν προσπάθησε ποτέ να εκμεταλλευθεί το γεγονός ότι η κουνιάδα του είναι η Madonna (αλήθεια). Και αυτό το άλμπουμ είναι το πιο αντιεμπορικό και σκοτεινό σε όλη τη δισκογραφία του: Γράφτηκε και ηχογραφήθηκε όχι απλά σε συνθήκες lockdown, αλλά επίσης μόλις ο Henry είχε διαγνωστεί με καρκίνο του προστάτη σε τέταρτο στάδιο. How’s that for subtext? Επειδή όμως είμαι μίζερος μπάσταρδος, η θλίψη του “All The Eye Can See” μου ταιριάζει 100%.<b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S0yDjWWIqFA" width="320" youtube-src-id="S0yDjWWIqFA"></iframe></div><hr /><b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgot0P3iTrfQGXMpBg-PAjZDrLfWr7m5PIBA6oCoCljJj5ZATRf2MaC9smmxP1gH6IsyXyhI5raiPqOKzPvjeWumfnC38x6i0m4hEx7lZXgcICSJaWNQIphyphenhyphenhBJ1Hu-8rNouMI5jXOZ31ol6OWVRHv4I2wHbk-M3wZw2FkFup63aNPBBw4Vyytd_-2AWF8a/s3000/Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgot0P3iTrfQGXMpBg-PAjZDrLfWr7m5PIBA6oCoCljJj5ZATRf2MaC9smmxP1gH6IsyXyhI5raiPqOKzPvjeWumfnC38x6i0m4hEx7lZXgcICSJaWNQIphyphenhyphenhBJ1Hu-8rNouMI5jXOZ31ol6OWVRHv4I2wHbk-M3wZw2FkFup63aNPBBw4Vyytd_-2AWF8a/w200-h200/Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>6. VENOMOUS CONCEPT – The Good Ship Lollipop<br /></b>Από ένα project αποτελούμενο από ισοβίτες κάφρους (μέλη των Napalm Death και Brutal Truth) θα περίμενε κανείς να ακούσει grindcore, death metal, τέτοια. O Shane Embury και τα φιλαράκια του όμως εδώ ακούγονται τη μία σαν Melvins, την άλλη σαν Killing Joke, την παράλλη σαν Poison Idea, και πάντα πιασάρικοι, πορωτικοί, και πάνω απ’ όλα fun. Riff-άρες, ρεφρεν-άρες, τραγουδάρες.<b><br /><br /></b><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YVrT9LAEkbE" width="320" youtube-src-id="YVrT9LAEkbE"></iframe></div><p><b></b></p><hr /><p><b>
</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqhF5Ei9Lb6l6jT0eT8HfhAhATVG6FwA7TooaZtoQVMjFQO0sJZt2I7vrlQvBqnl7ExDAMOolOdr3EqyQVylihNEzsRB7lPw1JChGFWQz5uiO3IL9fNN4Wn_O6jq6vbfg_rU5O-4Bv5rYcSy_3uM_RTl0MepjTQ1T-9pozDq3fH1aeUacsYW_ugdSxDdZ/s1280/Lana-Del-Rey.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqhF5Ei9Lb6l6jT0eT8HfhAhATVG6FwA7TooaZtoQVMjFQO0sJZt2I7vrlQvBqnl7ExDAMOolOdr3EqyQVylihNEzsRB7lPw1JChGFWQz5uiO3IL9fNN4Wn_O6jq6vbfg_rU5O-4Bv5rYcSy_3uM_RTl0MepjTQ1T-9pozDq3fH1aeUacsYW_ugdSxDdZ/w200-h200/Lana-Del-Rey.webp" width="200" /></a></b></div><b>5. LANA DEL REY – Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd<br /></b>H Lana Del Rey δείχνει το δρόμο σε όλες τις υπόλοιπες «έντεχνες», αφού έχει επηρεάσει μέχρι και κοτζάμ Taylor Swift. Παρόλα αυτά ο Geek ήταν για αρκετά χρόνια επιφυλακτικός απέναντί της, θεωρώντας ότι τα πέντε πρώτα της άλμπουμ είχαν εξαιρετικές στιγμές μεν, αλλά και κάμποσο filler δε. Το “Normal Fucking Rockwell” του 2019 όμως ήταν ΤΕΛΕΙΟ από κάθε άποψη, ένα από τα καλύτερα άλμπουμ του 21ου αιώνα – ένας από αυτούς τους δίσκους που ο δημιουργός τους δεν θα μπορέσει ποτέ να ξεπεράσει. Με το φετεινό “Did You Know…” όμως η Lana έφτασε κοντά. Πολύ κοντά.<b><br /></b><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C2e0H6MUWyU" width="320" youtube-src-id="C2e0H6MUWyU"></iframe></div><b>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdBbYY1tF2BQAP3ad10Tm1SgHY7_8oHMa_s_S1NnGJGXEecJf_xzSwfxG6AHk_4p33ToyQm0p1ZFOjZMTDYSRWWY_1PdgBSmFYgG87OTxPYieebjs9-e-xQG2WlIjWQyqw4F5WStO1DAhLQ1D85DPc8JT35kJ6QqP6Mi1MRiIsorgr-RvNnf9yf3INXAs/s320/Foo-Fighters-But-Here-We-Are.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdBbYY1tF2BQAP3ad10Tm1SgHY7_8oHMa_s_S1NnGJGXEecJf_xzSwfxG6AHk_4p33ToyQm0p1ZFOjZMTDYSRWWY_1PdgBSmFYgG87OTxPYieebjs9-e-xQG2WlIjWQyqw4F5WStO1DAhLQ1D85DPc8JT35kJ6QqP6Mi1MRiIsorgr-RvNnf9yf3INXAs/w200-h200/Foo-Fighters-But-Here-We-Are.webp" width="200" /></a></div>4. FOO FIGHTERS – But Here We Are</b><br />Όλοι συμφωνούν ότι ο Dave Grohl είναι συμπαθέστατος κι επίσης ότι είναι ο Δήμαρχος του Ροκ εκλεγμένος με ποσοστά Μπέου, η αλήθεια όμως είναι ότι μετά τα τρία πρώτα άλμπουμ των Foo Fighters, αν δεν έχεις ακούσει τίποτα από τους δίσκους που έβγαλαν από το 2002 μέχρι το 2021 δεν χάνεις και σπουδαία πράγματα. Δυστυχώς χρειαζόταν μία τραγωδία για να αλλάξει αυτό – ο θάνατος του καλύτερου φίλου και συνεργάτη του, Taylor Hawkins, οδήγησε τον Grohl στο να γράψει κάποια από τα καλύτερα, βαθύτερα, συναισθηματικά πιο φορτισμένα τραγούδια της καριέρας του. Ελπίζουμε η έμπνευση να μείνει ακόμα και όταν η θλίψη σιγά-σιγά ξεθωριάσει.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6MF6trC529M" width="320" youtube-src-id="6MF6trC529M"></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b><hr />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWWHxdK7Xdklfod2w4yvBeP2nWX5yvpKsYNaDi1PoCUd9jNtoDTs68MRH0MYL-vekITUzlbSf6nN0-enOt3JsCzwWpOpt5nB4rKXyiwqdj-uu65U6qE_DwroAeCs_f0M1xUCCQKetkQ_9bR-qnJT7gOrTLWASeeMx-O_MMTkdHl5AT5gaG_fFRvBPXn1R/s1200/gm.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWWHxdK7Xdklfod2w4yvBeP2nWX5yvpKsYNaDi1PoCUd9jNtoDTs68MRH0MYL-vekITUzlbSf6nN0-enOt3JsCzwWpOpt5nB4rKXyiwqdj-uu65U6qE_DwroAeCs_f0M1xUCCQKetkQ_9bR-qnJT7gOrTLWASeeMx-O_MMTkdHl5AT5gaG_fFRvBPXn1R/w200-h200/gm.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>3. GRIDLINK – Coronet Juniper<br /></b>Όταν μιλάμε για grindcore είμαι βέβαιος πως η πρώτη λέξη που σου έρχεται στο μυαλό δεν είναι «μελωδικό», για την ακρίβεια θα στοιχημάτιζα ότι δεν είναι καν μέσα στις πρώτες 17 χιλιάδες λέξεις που σου έρχονται στο μυαλό. Και όμως, κάτω από τα 200+ bpm blastbeats και τα υστερικά τσιριχτά, το “Coronet Juniper” κρύβει ιδιαίτερα εκλεπτυσμένες μελωδίες και προχωρημένες συνθετικά δομές: Αν συμφωνήσουμε ότι το “Powerslave” των Iron Maiden ήταν η καλύτερη metal κυκλοφορία του 1984, δεν έχω κανένα πρόβλημα να δηλώσω ότι ένας δίσκος που ακούγεται σαν το “Powerslave” παιγμένο στη διπλάσια ταχύτητα είναι η καλύτερη metal κυκλοφορία του 2023.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8vvTRtPf7nw" width="320" youtube-src-id="8vvTRtPf7nw"></iframe></div><hr /><b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU79TnJ6fNig21PimyHJ0vymkkIjo6qcOXI9Oepb3v7cH3td4PYqCEwoAaLFL5XfkZfnPF63dbwZkyF5eUFXmR0-HRGaAg6mdXHH5W4Jye3CZqMhEteobmqGfbpZy80AFW_5VkM4JuxL6q0v8yzGNI7qxYBXnujGBDNMTgR99wb2LhgGFigTE804GwCksA/s2560/Untitled.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU79TnJ6fNig21PimyHJ0vymkkIjo6qcOXI9Oepb3v7cH3td4PYqCEwoAaLFL5XfkZfnPF63dbwZkyF5eUFXmR0-HRGaAg6mdXHH5W4Jye3CZqMhEteobmqGfbpZy80AFW_5VkM4JuxL6q0v8yzGNI7qxYBXnujGBDNMTgR99wb2LhgGFigTE804GwCksA/w160-h320/Untitled.png" width="160" /></a></div>2. LANKUM – False Lankum / ØXN – Cyrm<br /></b>Υποτίθεται ότι αυτά τα δύο γκρουπ, που μοιράζονται κάποια μέλη, παίζουν παραδοσιακή Ιρλανδική μουσική, οπότε εμένα γιατί μου φέρνουν στο μυαλό την ένταση των Swans; Και τις ατμόσφαιρες των Godspeed You Black Emperor; Και, κυρίως, γιατί ενώ δεν είναι καθόλου metal μου φαίνονται τόσο, μα <i>τόσο</i> metal; Ακούστε τους και πείτε μου αν θα σας φαινόταν παράξενο, ενώ παίζουν τα ίδια όργανα (και, κάποιες φορές, τα ίδια τραγούδια) με τους Chieftains και τους Dubliners, τα επόμενα άλμπουμ τους να κυκλοφορούσαν από την Southern Lord ή την Profound Lore ξέρω ‘γω.<b><br /><br /></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qhqpQiXnFx0" width="320" youtube-src-id="qhqpQiXnFx0"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fuaLiowElxE" width="320" youtube-src-id="fuaLiowElxE"></iframe></div><p></p><p></p><p><b>
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</b></p><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQI5tBhLq2Vl5J6Y8g0s4CoGZimhNUAv9df7LrETE2g1Pqd2eX82AfrH1uCHQ08C3NroG12FHIIcic24tNa2Hi_1xABIXflDMR4Pbki5UxLMZXdTFfkWVi_mbBRmzmUh0W8WwMOsRYsyjQaVU_8RI5PK-rLcC3goar_0KlNCCRmErMHYfs4Ad1ZWFcTan/s1280/Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQI5tBhLq2Vl5J6Y8g0s4CoGZimhNUAv9df7LrETE2g1Pqd2eX82AfrH1uCHQ08C3NroG12FHIIcic24tNa2Hi_1xABIXflDMR4Pbki5UxLMZXdTFfkWVi_mbBRmzmUh0W8WwMOsRYsyjQaVU_8RI5PK-rLcC3goar_0KlNCCRmErMHYfs4Ad1ZWFcTan/s320/Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>1. JASON ISBELL & THE 400 UNIT – Weathervanes<br /></b>Ο Geek εκθειάζει τον Isbell από το 2007 όταν το ντεμπούτο solo άλμπουμ του είχε φτάσει στα γραφεία του Metal Hammer για κριτική (προφανώς κατά λάθος), και πλέον φέτος αυτός ο τύπος ήταν πανταχού παρών: Σούπερ επετειακή επανακυκλοφορία του “Southeastern”, του δίσκου που τον καθιέρωσε στο ευρύτερο κοινό, σούπερ επανακυκλοφορία κι ενός άλμπουμ των Drive-By Truckers στους οποίους έπαιζε τότε, ένα ε-ξ-α-ι-ρ-ε-τ-ι-κ-ό <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op-EEnArgqc" target="_blank">ντοκιμαντέρ γι’ αυτόν στο HBO</a>, ρόλος στην ταινία του Martin Scorcese, ένας πολύ ενεργός λογαριασμός στο Twitter πάντα στη σωστή πλευρά ως φωνή αυτών που δεν έχουν φωνή... Με άλλα λόγια το 2023 θα ήταν η χρονιά του Isbell ακόμα κι αν δεν είχε κυκλοφορήσει το άλμπουμ της χρονιάς, το σκεπτόμενο ροκ κομψοτέχνημα “Weathervanes” που θα μνημονεύεται εσαεί.<br /><b><br /></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j4lEqjTkFr4" width="320" youtube-src-id="j4lEqjTkFr4"></iframe></div><p><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-35712048617481500262023-12-09T08:28:00.000+02:002023-12-09T08:28:11.936+02:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Last Batch Before The List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKIBKUbku0kXu2cwJkccjR9BX1RlwbEu4RlVv_940DSNeh4d3aXWoEKNFAFCjpPG4zKVi-h_U5RQOj_h3fA9ohoIU3HWqSi8yaCsBbjPFo5NNfjFECKw-0izc7gBM4bkccU2kevI5_Qj7_hYixMVSBR5gR-bgaUhKE0htvUWVTJPV1RCdfh5bJPL52yY0R/s700/a1801276676_65.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKIBKUbku0kXu2cwJkccjR9BX1RlwbEu4RlVv_940DSNeh4d3aXWoEKNFAFCjpPG4zKVi-h_U5RQOj_h3fA9ohoIU3HWqSi8yaCsBbjPFo5NNfjFECKw-0izc7gBM4bkccU2kevI5_Qj7_hYixMVSBR5gR-bgaUhKE0htvUWVTJPV1RCdfh5bJPL52yY0R/w320-h320/a1801276676_65.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>THE BATHERS – Sirenesque</b><br />This is fucking gorgeous, best orchestral pop album of the year, why have I never heard of these guys before. <b>(8)<br /><br />DANNY BROWN – Quaranta</b><br />One of the best rappers out there hits 40, slows down the beats and the flow, and doubles up on the intensity. <b>(8)<br /><br />LILA DOWNS – La Sanchez</b><br />Another fantastic vocal performance from Downs on the most personal album of her career, written during a turbulent time in her personal life and with her partner/producer/manager/saxophonist dying midway through the recording process. If you want a quick taste of Regional Mexican, the most popular music genre you probably never even heard of, you might as well start here. <b>(8)<br /><br />DUSK – Glass Pastures</b><br />Like CCR for indie rock kids. <b>(8)<br /><br />THE DWARVES – Concept Album</b><br />Juvenile humor combined with stoopid punk rock riffs and catchy choruses? Bring it on! Nick Oliveri’s on bass and this is better than QOTSA’s 2023 album, so he wins. <b>(8)<br /><br />PETER GABRIEL – I/O</b><br />Literally two decades in the making, I/O rewards the listener with a texturally rich aural experience (including two different mixes) and some of Gabriel’s best songwriting – and for a guy who wrote “Solsbury Hill”, “Games Without Frontiers”, and “In Your Eyes”, this says quite a lot.<b> (8)<br /><br />GHOST WOMAN - Hindsight is 50/50</b><br />What if The White Stripes were actually The Cramps but played psychedelic goth? <b>(8)<br /><br />HARP – Albion</b><br />Former Midlake frontman Tim Smith in Robert Smith (no relation) worship mode.<b> (7)<br /><br />DOLLY PARTON – Rockstar</b><br />After being indicted into the Rock Hall Of Fame despite her protests that she’s not a rock musician, she releases a rock album as a response and invites what feels like the entire Rock Hall of Fame to be on it – the guest list is more stacked that Dolly herself, with everyone from McCartney to Miley Cyrus to Stevie Nicks to Rob Halford showing up. As for the songs? Her own compositions are fine, the covers are essentially so close to the originals that they can be considered karaoke (with a couple of notable exceptions, e.g. a fantastic gospel-flavoured version of CCR’s “Long As I Can See The Light” featuring John Fogerty), but it’s all good, clean, stupid fun. <b>(7)<br /><br />VARIOUS ARTISTS – The Faithful: A Tribute to Marianne Faithfull</b><br />A great team of mainly female artists on a benefit album for Marianne, who’s been struggling with health issues and unable to perform. Excellent job covering Faithfull (or covering Faithfull covers) by the likes of Tanya Donelly, Josie Cotton, Shirley Manson with Peaches, Bush Tetras, Lydia Lunch, and, ummm, Iggy Pop?<b> (8) </b><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-11443324838626376502023-12-07T15:47:00.002+02:002023-12-07T15:47:53.553+02:002023: The Metal List<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4G3OHTs9l_1s4uhII7aQXlnEHRlaWZ_U9HMAfdDFSk3d7A0opkE8_Q01Hhdgft7funbVyR7gxdrfcxoPRQ1ox3l1HRpGkELAxuwiVO6R5z7Fhz48PDx_W13lBq1riLmpIDWYFqZM0xFOeeQmRMy7OjIs0Anykd748Fu8taJ606voMnthEoKqXR9RZzr0/s1200/heavy-metal-music-mental-health-neurosciencneews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4G3OHTs9l_1s4uhII7aQXlnEHRlaWZ_U9HMAfdDFSk3d7A0opkE8_Q01Hhdgft7funbVyR7gxdrfcxoPRQ1ox3l1HRpGkELAxuwiVO6R5z7Fhz48PDx_W13lBq1riLmpIDWYFqZM0xFOeeQmRMy7OjIs0Anykd748Fu8taJ606voMnthEoKqXR9RZzr0/w400-h267/heavy-metal-music-mental-health-neurosciencneews.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>While the Music Geek is putting the final touches on his annual genre-agnostic and quite Epic "Best Albums Of the Year" List, here's a quick one: 2023's 20 favorite metal and metal-friendly releases. The order is alphabetical, to keep the suspense going on which ones will end up on the other List as well.</p><p>Feel free to share suggestions in the "Comments" area on what I might have missed out on. No, Baroness are not in my top-20 this time, Metallica barely cracked the top-40, and Sleep Token can go fuck themselves.</p><p>THE ABBEY – Word Of Sin<br />BEARTOOTH – The Surface<br />BLOOD CEREMONY – The Old Ways Remain<br />BUGGIN – Concrete Cowboys<br />CODE ORANGE – The Above<br />DANAVA – Nothing But Nothing<br />DODHEIMSGARD – Black Medium Current<br />THE DWARVES – Concept Album<br />FUCKED UP – One Day<br />GREEN LUNG – This Heathen Land<br />GRIDLINK – Coronet Juniper<br />KATATONIA – Sky Void Of Stars<br />KVELERTAK – Endling<br />MUTOID MAN – Mutants<br />MYRKUR – Spine<br />NETHERLANDS – Severance<br />POISON RUIN – Harvest<br />PRIMORDIAL – How It Ends<br />VENOMOUS CONCEPT – The Good Ship Lollipop<br />WITCH RIPPER – The Flight After The Fall<br /><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-56197086611033584762023-11-13T17:04:00.000+02:002023-11-13T17:04:42.730+02:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Nov 23<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7y71e2u19PWueLI7xddR_DlwI7tu5RyoW76JaBCgfswoXWQn_Xzk7tnRHC2MLH2RYma2Is9xGEUUJB1HTqRYMmt_U2DAEr6Kx8f4LPCLAuqFMnBkwbNzgDWMpbfHEpk_xF_ovMFDYAH_wmI_gPwaxAtDnPOnbzqGFsQkZ0zp32aY3d4fHApet3xWzIPl/s316/John_Francis_Flynn_-_Look_Over_the_Wall,_See_the_Sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7y71e2u19PWueLI7xddR_DlwI7tu5RyoW76JaBCgfswoXWQn_Xzk7tnRHC2MLH2RYma2Is9xGEUUJB1HTqRYMmt_U2DAEr6Kx8f4LPCLAuqFMnBkwbNzgDWMpbfHEpk_xF_ovMFDYAH_wmI_gPwaxAtDnPOnbzqGFsQkZ0zp32aY3d4fHApet3xWzIPl/w320-h320/John_Francis_Flynn_-_Look_Over_the_Wall,_See_the_Sky.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>BEIRUT – Hadsel</b><br />Classic Beirut, you know, Casiotone beats – multitracked vox – unusual brass – other assorted unrock instruments – nice tunes.<b> (7)<br /><br />NIECY BLUES – Exit Simulation</b><br />One of those albums that get a “Best New Music” tag and an 8.7 from Pitchfork but I’m too thick to understand, like FKA Twigs or Bjork, where whatever fragments of actual songs exist are hidden as much as possible by all the “experimental” stuff going on around them. Just give me the fucking songs. <b>(-)<br /><br />JESSI COLTER – The Edge Of Forever</b><br />The “First Lady of Outlaw Country”, widow of Waylon Jennings and an acclaimed singer/songwriter in her own right, celebrates her 80th birthday with a new album produced by the “new Jessi Colter”, Margo Price. But neither her singing nor her songwriting are what they used to be. <b>(6)<br /><br />JOHN FRANCIS FLYNN – Look Over The Wall, See The Sky</b><br />This is music from another universe, an otherworldy transformation of 100-year old traditional Irish songs into a distorted lament about a Dublin long lost to gentrification. <b>(8)<br /><br />GREEN LUNG – This Heathen Land</b><br />Queen (first three albums) meets Uriah Heep meets Ghost for infinite awesomeness. <b>(8)<br /><br />LENHART TAPES – Dens</b><br />This guy’s from Belgrade and labels his music “ethno noise”. In essence this means he’s taking traditional Balkan sounds and giving them the sort of treatment 80’s industrial groups from ex-Yugoslavia, like Laibach and SCH, might have come up with.<b> (8)<br /><br />JEFFREY MARTIN – Thank God We Left The Garden</b><br />This album is a not-so-distant cousin of Joe Henry’s “All The Eye Can See” from earlier this year, in both sound and vibe. If you like really bleak, dark records you should definitely check this out and also remind me to never invite you to a party because you’re a miserable bastard. (<b>8) <br /><br />MELLOW CANDLE – Swaddling Songs (reissue)</b><br />A holy grail f0r 70’s prog-rock vinyl junkies, the sole album/lost masterpiece of this Irish progressive folk band was recently reissued by Decca at 1% the US$3,000 price tag people are paying for the original version on Discogs. <b>(9)<br /><br />TODD SNIDER – Crank It, We’re Doomed</b><br />World-class stoner and Nashville’s favorite underachiever finally got around to releasing a great album he recorded 16 years ago, I guess he couldn’t remember where he put it. Funny and sharp as always, and featuring guest spots by legends Kris Kristofferson and Loretta Lynn. <b>(8)<br /><br />CHRIS STAPLETON – Higher</b><br />Often grouped together with Jason Isbell but a very different animal, Stapleton is much more “traditional” in his approach to Southern-rock infused country music. Also, Isbell goes much deeper lyrically, but Stapleton’s got a voice for the ages! <b>(8)<br /><br />LOL TOLHURST X BUDGIE X JACKNIFE LEE – Los Angeles</b><br />Post-punk royalty with vocals provided by fans of their original bands like Bobby Gillespie and LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy. It sounds more like their guests’ bands than like The Cure or The Banshees. <b>(7)</b><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-11964456041503244292023-10-29T14:19:00.001+02:002023-10-29T15:05:04.084+02:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Oct 23 Vol. II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBeduNisws5uaAKQ8iuwlBvClw2cxcnVyvWBWrktL-j45DVVQh0dOT8NiJsYPhVKgU8XfTVBEQUgqyKXPY334Rajbj9AxfqJqymm0IF9huyLNT-5DygTsQs6yGpaNRFbidng6ihNuW_KvcguR2NlCKu1X73I7sIl39L8UumrP4dP0tnvVMeRjbUXNUWXcQ/s1400/cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBeduNisws5uaAKQ8iuwlBvClw2cxcnVyvWBWrktL-j45DVVQh0dOT8NiJsYPhVKgU8XfTVBEQUgqyKXPY334Rajbj9AxfqJqymm0IF9huyLNT-5DygTsQs6yGpaNRFbidng6ihNuW_KvcguR2NlCKu1X73I7sIl39L8UumrP4dP0tnvVMeRjbUXNUWXcQ/s320/cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>CIRITH UNGOL – Dark Parade </b><br />I love Cirith Ungol, always did, despite Baker’s voice being more of an acquired taste than Marmite, and “Dark Parade” is the best REAL heavy metal album from a bunch of 70-year- olds you’ll hear in 2023. <b>(8)<br /><br />ORA COGAN – Formless</b><br />A fascinating “under the radar” release, Cogan’s compositions often have a gothic cinematic vibe that brings to mind Cocteau Twins whilst her voice has a Sharon Van Etten-y quality. And she covers a Lhasa De Sela song, which is a big plus in my book. <b>(8)<br /><br />ROBERT FINLEY – Black Bayou</b><br />Septuagenarian Black Keys protégé is having a blast belting highly entertaining stories over some great funky blues tunes. <b>(8)<br /><br />THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM – History Books</b><br />The Springsteen influence was always there for these New Jersey punks, and on their comeback album they got the Boss himself to sing with them on the title track. Not an all-time classic like “The ’59 Sound”, but a very welcome return. <b> (8)<br /><br />MYRKUR – Spine</b><br />Amalie Bruun’s Magnum Opus, she finally nailed that perfect marriage between Nordic folk and black metal she’s been aiming for since 2015.<b> (8)<br /><br />ISRAEL NASH – Ozarker</b><br />I described his previous album as “Chris Stapleton meets My Morning Jacket, music-wise and hair & beard-wise”. On the new album both the sound and the hair & beard can be more accurately described as Bob Seger.<b> (8)<br /><br />ØXN – Cyrm</b><br />Featuring members of Lankum and Percolator, this experimental dark folk/post-rock/with-shades-of-drone-and black-metal supergroup of sorts releases an excellent, startling debut. <b>(8)<br /><br />MARGO PRICE – Strays II</b><br />Her <a href=" https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2023/01/short-attention-span-record-reviews-jan.html" target="_blank">psilocybin-fueled and very good country rock album</a> from earlier this year, now expanded with 9 unreleased tracks from the same sessions that are bit more traditional country-ish. <b>(8)<br /><br />REVEREND KRISTIN MICHAEL HAYTER – Saved!</b><br />Kristin Hayter kills off her Lingua Ignota persona, gets ordained, and releases something that sounds like Diamanda Galas doing a Nick Cave impression inside a Pentecostal church.<b> (7)<br /><br />THE ROLLING STONES – Hackney Diamonds</b><br />They’ve been a legacy act for 40 years already and everyone still goes to their gigs only to hear “Satisfaction” and “Paint It Black”, but they are Artists so they have an intrinsic need for new music. And there’s some really good stuff on this, too. Truly the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band on Earth. <b>(8)<br /><br />VARIOUS ARTISTS – If There’s Hell Below </b><br />A compilation of 13 tracks by totally unknown/forgotten black rock groups from the 70’s, drenched in fuzz and wah-wah like the illegitimate offspring of Funkadelic and Hendrix. You can give it anything between 10 and 6 depending on how much you value history and effort Vs. quality and talent. <b>(-) </b><br /><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-69755767010268890042023-10-14T07:31:00.001+03:002023-10-16T06:17:37.421+03:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Oct 23<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nHbyykM9y74ZvH5nV6UXF67XMaxIjAuuYJMBgWD3WH4ErQ_Gs7WZArBAUu2Nk-Z4VYdWzm8tohkjmmsUh1BQfRh4eUMyWB-WnpY41gcxtJr4XLrxUZsD16KARM3DD1kt2gSBznGtV_0ilwixW8k9y8V3UE8QbRacw5BI8_Oo0NkuvJ0SAjv3wfF89aVa/s1200/gm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nHbyykM9y74ZvH5nV6UXF67XMaxIjAuuYJMBgWD3WH4ErQ_Gs7WZArBAUu2Nk-Z4VYdWzm8tohkjmmsUh1BQfRh4eUMyWB-WnpY41gcxtJr4XLrxUZsD16KARM3DD1kt2gSBznGtV_0ilwixW8k9y8V3UE8QbRacw5BI8_Oo0NkuvJ0SAjv3wfF89aVa/s320/gm.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b>THE LOUDER STUFF<br /><br />BEARTOOTH – The Surface</b><br />A couple of years ago <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2021/12/20-2021.html " target="_blank">they made The List</a> with their previous album, probably the biggest surprise on that list: I loved the catchy choruses, and the brutal breakdowns, and the darkness. This time around, the darkness is missing. I assume this means the guy’s in a happier place now and more power to him, but it does make him sound like a metalcore Taylor Swift sometimes. <b>(8)<br /><br />BETTER LOVERS – God Made Me An Animal</b><br />This is essentially Every Time I Die with Dillinger Escape Plan’s Greg Puciato on vocals, and this 4-track EP fucking rules, like a ETID/DEP hybrid should.<b> (8)<br /><br />CODE ORANGE – The Above</b><br />Their mixture of brutal hardcore and industrial/electronics is becoming better and better. This one also features catchier melodies than the last one, a new drummer (Portnoy’s kid), Steve Albini on the console, and… Billy Corgan??? <b>(8)<br /><br />CREEPER – Sanguivore </b><br />The Misfits produced by Jim Steinman. <b>(7)<br /><br />GRAVEYARD – 6</b><br />Mellower than previous efforts. Less exciting too. Bring back the Rock please. <b>(7)<br /><br />GRIDLINK – Coronet Juniper</b><br />Nine years after “Longhena” which had <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2014/12/2014-top-20-albums.html" target="_blank">made The List</a> and after making us think we’d never hear from them again, they’re back with another grindcore masterpiece, like Iron Maiden’s “Powerslave” played at three times the original speed.<b> (9)<br /><br />THE MENZINGERS – Some Of It Was True</b><br />2012’s “On The Impossible Past” is one of those albums that mean a LOT to some people, and this fact alone puts The Menzingers on a different level than most of their pop-punk peers. Their new album is a bit mellower than usual, drenched in purely American heartland imagery like cousins of the Gaslight Anthem. <b>(8)<br /><br />PRIMORDIAL – How It Ends</b><br />If Bathory had tried to make a U2 record in 1989, it might have sounded something like this. <b>(8)<br /><br />TWIN TEMPLE – God Is Dead</b><br />I have to admit that when the first track started playing and it sounded like a Phil Spector production from 1963 and then I realized that the chorus goes “Burn your Bible with me tonight” in a Ronettes voice I LOL’ed. Musically it’s a surprisingly accurate recreation of the feel of pre-Beatles pop, but lyrically at some point in the near future they’ll have to come up with a new joke because the cartoon satanism will only carry you so far.<b> (7) <br /><br /><br />THE OTHER STUFF<br /><br />BOYGENIUS – The Rest</b><br />Self-mythologizing companion EP to their album from earlier this year, it’s just as good and confirms their status as indie rock royalty.<b> (8)<br /><br />MIKE DOUGHTY’S GHOST OF VROOM – 3</b><br />As a former resident of New York in the mid-90’s I, of course, have a special place in my heart for Soul Coughing, and this is the closest Doughty has come in his post-SC career to recapturing that weird white-boy art-funk magic. <b>(8)<br /><br />GOAT – Medicine</b><br />The Swedes are back, darker and more psychedelic than ever, with their most stoner-friendly album to date.<b> (8)<br /><br />JOLIE HOLLAND – Haunted Mountain</b><br />A collaboration with Big Thief’s guitarist Buck Meek, who also rather confusingly released an album in collaboration with Holland titled “Haunted Mountain” earlier this year, this is a dark, experimental folk album that becomes quite uncomfortable once you’re aware of Holland’s biography (a religious cult survivor who lived homeless for years). Other reviewers say she sounds like a cross between Norah Jones and Lucinda Williams, but the Geek believes she has a closer kinship with Nina Nastasia. <b>(7)<br /><br />JASON ISBELL – Southeastern (10-Year Anniversary Edition)</b><br />The album that introduced the new, sober Isbell to a wider audience and launched a thousand Americana copycats has aged really well. This excellent edition includes a crisp remaster of the original, the demos, and the whole album performed live. <b>(10) <br /><br />STEVEN WILSON – The Harmony Codex</b><br />I love the guy but at this point he’s at serious risk of getting a restraining order from David Gilmour’s lawyer. <b>(8)</b></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-52932259137967250482023-09-27T10:19:00.003+03:002023-09-27T10:19:32.276+03:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Sep 23 Vol. II<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvS-LPWgCrihgJkNGqMgVWJG_ydFOtnzNMrClYGpZw6gAUkQbz96pdgH7XtPIJJOdNTWIdflxdxh5CZJXn-hD45R1wniMclnrbBAZY_wambifjzovefTQECrbMhf7yZhyXsLNL9qVn6-XAeYxy3gprv1I0f0BgsMivNAWGH0qqhF1u2r0lsb34DINIHsO/s1280/Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvS-LPWgCrihgJkNGqMgVWJG_ydFOtnzNMrClYGpZw6gAUkQbz96pdgH7XtPIJJOdNTWIdflxdxh5CZJXn-hD45R1wniMclnrbBAZY_wambifjzovefTQECrbMhf7yZhyXsLNL9qVn6-XAeYxy3gprv1I0f0BgsMivNAWGH0qqhF1u2r0lsb34DINIHsO/s320/Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b>BARONESS – Stone</b><br />A slightly weaker album than previous ones, especially the last one which was a masterpiece. A 7.5, really, but I round upwards because they’re Baroness.<b> (8)<br /><br />CARDIACS – A Little Man And A House And The Whole World Window (reissue)</b><br />Equal parts prog and punk rock and with fans ranging from Radiohead to Hammers Of Misfortune (plus Blur, Faith No More, Steven Wilson…), the Cardiacs’ no-fucks-given debut album from 1988 gets the deluxe reissue treatment – 4 discs including demos, radio performances, and live shows, plus a book. Dig! <b>(9)<br /><br />MARGO CILKER – Valley Of Heart’s Delight</b><br />Cilker’s sophomore album is an excellent example of what makes good country music so effective: Romanticizing the road, diners, the great outdoors, and all the Americana we love, a prevailing sense of loss, and world-class musicianship. <b>(8)<br /><br />GRAILS – Anches En Maat</b><br />Cinematic and downtempo like Morricone soundtracking a 70’s blacksploitation flick. <b>(8)<br /><br />WILL JOHNSON – No Ordinary Clown</b><br />Texan polymath, and a touring member of Jason Isbell’s band, releases weird and glorious Americana record. <b>(8)<br /><br />LYDIA LOVELESS – Nothing’s Gonna Stand in My Way Again</b><br />Her gradual transformation from alt-country hellraiser to 90’s-influenced alt-rock powerhouse is now complete – where she once sung about Steve Earle, now she might as well sing about Alanis Morrisette and Liz Phair. <b>(8)<br /><br />MITSKI – The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We</b><br />I’ve exited social media several years ago so I’m probably missing out on a lot of artists who become pretty famous because they’re TikTok-worthy, whatever the fuck that means. So I don’t know a lot about Mitski but I know this is a good album, somewhere between chamber pop, country rock, and bedroom something or other.<b> (8)<br /><br />BUFFALO NICHOLS – The Fatalist</b><br />On his previous album he stayed close to the Blues tradition and <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2021/12/20-2021.html" target="_blank">made The List</a>. This time around he messes with the formula by adding trip-hoppy beats and atmospherics, and the results are just as excellent. <b>(8)<br /><br />PARCHMAN PRISON PRAYER – Some Mississippi Sunday Morning</b><br />Murderers, rapists, and other inmates at the infamous Mississippi State Penitentiary sing gospels and spirituals. A stunning listen. <b>(8)<br /></b><br /><b>THE RECORD COMPANY – The 4th Album</b><br />Like a more muscular Black Keys, almost in Bad Company territory, here’s some pretty decent blues rock for you. <b>(7)<br /><br />BARRENCE WHITFIELD & THE SAVAGES – Glory</b><br />No frills, dirty garage-y rock ‘n’ roll from the master of the genre, a rock 'n' soul screamer in the Little Richard tradition who’s been doing it better than anyone else for decades.<b> (8)</b><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-21370014879913570432023-09-11T19:56:00.003+03:002023-09-11T19:57:06.735+03:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Sep 23<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84kUp63GjO9p_rrbbK7iT1qT93M28Ze5Ur36UmLxyR4JBMmSt5Us8ujCqr7wVWNDZFMw59NkERKRlgohlyst4JNiTP2SFeuri3eWr2sMxKZhZ8_3a9wDIPY8vWwKgD6gQF2ep7GBB6jihB1CgZ-ZG0Sh63Weseo8mWRfAFYMtza_9waW2OARbhlVmu6_e/s1280/cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84kUp63GjO9p_rrbbK7iT1qT93M28Ze5Ur36UmLxyR4JBMmSt5Us8ujCqr7wVWNDZFMw59NkERKRlgohlyst4JNiTP2SFeuri3eWr2sMxKZhZ8_3a9wDIPY8vWwKgD6gQF2ep7GBB6jihB1CgZ-ZG0Sh63Weseo8mWRfAFYMtza_9waW2OARbhlVmu6_e/s320/cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>ZACH BRYAN – Zach Bryan</b><br />It’s like this guy was designed in a lab to cater specifically to my tastes – country music that sounds more like heartland rock, not light years away from what Jason Isbell has been doing for the past decade or what Ryan Adams was doing in the early 00’s. Great tunes, strong lyrics. <b>(9)<br /><br />EMPIRE STATE BASTARD – Rivers Of Heresy</b><br />Biffy Clyro guys recruit Dave Lombardo and make some noise that’s probably more fun for the players than for the listeners, somewhere between Napalm Death and Fantomas.<b> (7)<br /><br />KVELERTAK – Endling</b><br />Started out 15 years ago as Immortal meets Hellacopters, now they’re like Mastodon meets Turbonegro, never losing their kickassness along the way. <b>(8)<br /><br />JEFF ROSENSTOCK – Hellmode </b><br />DYI punk rocker enters a proper studio and ends up sounding more “Dookie” than “Repeater”. <b>(8) <br /><br />ALLISON RUSSELL – The Returner</b><br />We got to know Russell as a member of Our Native Daughters who <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2019/12/20-albums-2019.html" target="_blank">almost made the top of The List in 2019</a>, and on her second album she goes way beyond folk/Americana reaching as far as soul and disco to address some very serious stuff that’s on her mind.<b> (8) <br /><br />SLOWDIVE – Everything Is Alive</b><br />Beautiful shoegaze that’s less noisy than My Bloody Valentine and less classic rock than Ride, actually much closer to dream pop. Bring on the reverb! <b>(8)<br /><br />SOEN – Memorial</b><br />Moving further away from Opeth/Tool time signatures and progmetal pyrotechnics towards a more “mainstream”, 4/4 template. <b>(7)<br /><br />MORGAN WADE – Psychopath</b><br />Rooted in country but pop-rock smart and glossy, Wade’s new album is a Venn Diagram where Miranda Lambert, Stevie Nicks, and Alanis Morrisette meet. Excellently produced by Sadler Vaden (from Jason Isbell’s band). <b>(8)<br /><br />TOM WAITS – Swordfishtrombones / Rain Dogs / Frank’s Wild Years / Bone Machine / The Black Rider (2023 Remasters)</b><br />One of the wildest left turns in modern music was the one Waits took in the early 80’s when Island Records took him in, moving away from his well-established beatnik/boho persona and coming up with 1983’s “Swordfishtrombones” <b>(10)</b> – giving up the beloved “jazz trio with strings added on the tearjerkers” shtick for a cacophonous yet addictive blend of demented Beefheart blues, Kurt Weill cabaret and Harry Partch microtonality. He perfected that formula on 1985’s “Rain Dogs”<b> (10)</b>, his finest album and quite possibly anybody’s finest album, ever, a perfect Ten record if there ever was one. 1987’s “Frank’s Wild Years” <b>(9) </b>revisits the template successfully, completing an unsurpassable trilogy.<br />1992’s “Bone Machine”<b> (8)</b> is a different kind of animal, lyrically much darker and disturbing and sonically placing a greater emphasis on percussion, his voice achieving the unimaginable and becoming even gruffier in the five years that passed. 1993’s “The Black Rider” <b>(8)</b> is a collection of songs Waits wrote for a theatrical play and they sound like it. <br />All of Waits’ Island Records catalog is now re-released, and even though these remasters don’t make the records sound significantly different than before, I envy the younger generation that will now discover Waits for the first time through them.<br /><br /><b>WARREN ZEVON – Excitable Boy (Remastered)</b><br />A masterpiece of 70’s American rock, now’s the time to discover it if you never got into Zevon before. Big fans like Billy Joel and Jackson Browne can’t be wrong. <b>(10)</b><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-13071254949188745242023-08-26T11:48:00.001+03:002023-08-26T11:48:56.644+03:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Aug 23<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzS5q7WpUmcwE8GUEkq3qPcMLGPqgn8HzhNTtI9nuWpHoVTstGeZkUpXhAtAbR1r2z1-IishdfNfMwDgUbaaeWzOK1IL5tEbdV9_6x78meX8hg5qNtq13KIKQpYA1L0EAgQk3XzyR5ZYKWezPpLwFNajV8zLTyr1DyKJImJJDI1t3jjo2knPDsinAS1P-T/s1200/gm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzS5q7WpUmcwE8GUEkq3qPcMLGPqgn8HzhNTtI9nuWpHoVTstGeZkUpXhAtAbR1r2z1-IishdfNfMwDgUbaaeWzOK1IL5tEbdV9_6x78meX8hg5qNtq13KIKQpYA1L0EAgQk3XzyR5ZYKWezPpLwFNajV8zLTyr1DyKJImJJDI1t3jjo2knPDsinAS1P-T/s320/gm.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b>THE ARMED – Perfect Saviors</b><br />(Ex- ?) Hardcore provocateurs go full-on arena rock, probably mocking arena rock at the same time, and it rules.<b> (8)<br /><br />ANDREW BIRD – Outside Problems</b><br />A companion album to last year’s “Inside Problems”, this one’s mainly instrumental, improvised, and quite joyful. Nobody sounds quite like Bird and his music is impossible to describe, but if you’re not familiar with his music try it, you’re in for a treat.<b> (8)<br /><br />BRAD – In The Moment That You’re Born</b><br />Side project of Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard brings on the grunge nostalgia with a solid album that sounds extremely Seattle.<b> (8)<br /><br />THE CLIENTELE – I'm Not There Anymore</b><br />I never really got into this whole soft indie pop British thing (Felt, Belle & Sebastian…) and I’ve always been a Who guy not a Kinks guy, so The Clientele shouldn’t really be my cup of tea, especially now that they throw a bit of latter-day Radiohead electronica weirdness into the mix. But this is good! <b>(8)<br /><br />CUT WORMS – Cut Worms</b><br />Young New Yorker sounds like he’s raiding his grandad’s record collection in wondrous amazement and discovering “Please Please Me”, Frankie Valli, and the Beach Boys for the first time. <b>(7) <br /><br />RHIANNON GIDDENS – You’re The One</b><br />Americana star and folk polyglot delivers her most diverse album yet, further incorporating gospel, R&B, jazz, and Cajun into her palette. <b>(8)<br /><br />HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER – Jump For Joy</b><br />One of his more uptempo efforts, this is a very good and very American soft rock album with a sound somewhere between Don Henley and Little Feat. <b>(8)<br /><br />MUTOID MAN – Mutants</b><br />Cave In/Converge/High On Fire side-project/supergroup has tons of fun in the studio just being dumb metalheads. <b>(8)<br /><br />OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW – Jubilee</b><br />Bluegrass can be really fun.<b> (8) <br /><br />OXBOW – Love’s Holiday</b><br />A bipolar album wildly oscillating between Jesus Lizard noise and melodic art rock tunes, some of which wouldn’t sound out of place on a Nick Cave album.<b> (8)<br /><br />MOLLY TUTTLE & THE GOLDEN HIGHWAY - City Of Gold</b><br />Bluegrass star releases another excellent album with top-notch songwriting and astounding virtuosity from a band that can’t hide behind distortion and volume – <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRZCLEsXG4c" target="_blank">get a load of this!!!</a> <b>(8)</b><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-39776115686858103522023-07-19T14:54:00.002+03:002023-07-20T08:37:15.544+03:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, July 23<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdQpLBxr5aziOIz5UAHw-cioWW2nGNGj-S6-0NDLfNNM0n9YdKcqUSVb7lhIf3IgSaJu79FLgtTqofOu3jy0_wTQEfUvGJBIvdpmm7uCaIsHErrlTuVn3iUN5C6NblbTZe7qxKDapNhz6P3i8E3kNDGTEnFGmPccK5GcVNbkafc_SJOHdw6c1wwhUPuhf/s2560/cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="2560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdQpLBxr5aziOIz5UAHw-cioWW2nGNGj-S6-0NDLfNNM0n9YdKcqUSVb7lhIf3IgSaJu79FLgtTqofOu3jy0_wTQEfUvGJBIvdpmm7uCaIsHErrlTuVn3iUN5C6NblbTZe7qxKDapNhz6P3i8E3kNDGTEnFGmPccK5GcVNbkafc_SJOHdw6c1wwhUPuhf/s320/cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>ANOHNI AND THE JOHNSONS – My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross</b><br />Antony or Anohni, I still find her voice an acquired taste that doesn’t really work for me. <b>(7)<br /><br />JULIE BYRNE – The Greater Wings</b><br />Like Phoebe Bridgers without all the high-profile guest slots on other people’s albums.<b> (8)<br /><br />DIVIDE AND DISSOLVE – Systemic</b><br />Australia-based (mainly) instrumental doom metal duo featuring one member who’s black/Cherokee and one who’s Maori, and the cultural background informs their work to some extent – but mostly you’ll get crushing sludge/doom in the SunnO))) vein. <b>(7)<br /><br />MILITARIE GUN – Life Under The Gun</b><br />Back in the 90’s bands like Quicksand and Jawbox split the distance between hardcore and alternative rock, and Militarie Gun seem determined to revisit that era and mindset. <b>(8) <br /><br />PJ HARVEY – I Inside The Old Year Dying</b><br />While Polly Harvey’s stubborn insistence on sounding as unlike PJ Harvey as possible is an admirable demonstration of her uncompromising creative spirit, the most PJ Harvey moments of the album (e.g. “Seem An I”) are actually the best. Not one of her masterpieces, still better than 99% of what gets released out there. <b>(8)<br /><br />SETH LAKEMAN – The Somerset Sessions</b><br />British folk-rock star on a great album recorded over 10 days in late 2020, including some unreleased compositions plus alternate versions of 4 songs from 2021’s “Make Your Mark”. <b>(8)<br /><br />LUKAS NELSON & PROMISE OF THE REAL – Sticks And Stones</b><br />Willie’s son & Co. on a decent set of mostly good-time country rock tunes about drinking, fornicating, and drinking before fornicating. <b>(7)<br /><br />MARC RIBOT’S CERAMIC DOG – Connection</b><br />Former Lounge Lizard and all-around genius guitarist (with Tom Waits, John Zorn, Robert Plant, Elvis Costello and about a thousand others) and his band create an explosive amalgam of no wave, free jazz, hard rock, Cuban music and everything in between.<b> (8) <br /><br />SLEEP TOKEN – Take Me Back To Eden</b><br />I should’ve known better than to finally give in to the hype and listen to this, because it’s as bad as I feared it was going to be – like a djent version of fucking Imagine Dragons or something. Death to false metal. <b>(5)<br /><br />LUCINDA WILLIAMS – Stories From A Rock’N’Roll Heart</b><br />With the best bar band in the universe behind her (including members of Tom Petty’s and Stevie Ray Vaughn’s bands) and guests like Tommy Stinson, Patti Scialfa, and The Boss himself, Williams and her pure rock ‘n’ roll heart make a very strong comeback. <b>(8)<br /><br />VARIOUS ARTISTS – Young Limbs Rise Again: The Story Of The Batcave Nightclub, 1982-85</b><br />Finally got my hands on this fantastic box set – 5 CDs that act as a soundtrack history of the historic London goth club. Everyone’s on it, plus an 80-page book. <b>(10)<br /></b><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-53024053349896416142023-06-25T16:07:00.000+03:002023-06-25T16:07:43.715+03:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, June 23 Vol. II<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwh7h3Y-rWHGZHt48sYR766qVHVZHRuiEs3u355OM0Up13-li0vW_ZLXIyufI5FMvT2QV-wtysOkGZypDIjGPHAiZTfykScyMJ465qLpBsn-z2mLOgiBkB2NL-wV2vuHGiqfzeHRavzbHftrB5bfy-NPL5oXhtvjwRS4XNHhtzTxcudLmWytrlfapSBur/s1200/gm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwh7h3Y-rWHGZHt48sYR766qVHVZHRuiEs3u355OM0Up13-li0vW_ZLXIyufI5FMvT2QV-wtysOkGZypDIjGPHAiZTfykScyMJ465qLpBsn-z2mLOgiBkB2NL-wV2vuHGiqfzeHRavzbHftrB5bfy-NPL5oXhtvjwRS4XNHhtzTxcudLmWytrlfapSBur/s320/gm.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b>BENEFITS – Nails </b><br />A noise-punk/trip-hop hybrid that ends up sounding like Sleaford Mods on steroids. <b>(7)<br /><br />CREEP SHOW – Yawning Abyss</b><br />Electro-pop supergroup of sorts, mainly known as side-project for John Grant and Cabaret Voltaire’s Stephen Mallinder, sounds like the more annoying aspects of Yello.<b> (6)<br /><br />DJANGO DJANGO – Off Planet</b><br />This double album, or rather quadruple EP, doesn’t sound much like the art rock Django Django we know, I can only describe it as prog disco and it’s probably 6-7 songs too long. <b>(7)<br /><br />DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS – The Complete Dirty South</b><br />The band’s fifth studio album from 2004 was meant to be a double one but was trimmed down back then. So here is the Director’s Cut, with three extra tracks and slightly different sequencing. Patterson Hood usually writes most of the material but on this one songwriting credits are more or less evenly distributed between Hood, Cooley, and Isbell, the latter providing a glimpse into his future greatness. A southern rock masterpiece just got even better.<b> (9)<br /><br />CORY HANSON – Western Cum</b><br />2021’s “Pale Horse Rider” was like Radiohead doing a Gram Parsons tribute and it was <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2021/12/20-2021.html" target="_blank">so good it made the Geek’s List</a>, the regrettably titled “Western Cum” is a very different deal with Hanson rocking out in almost-metal fashion, but it’s just as great! <b>(8)<br /><br />BETTYE LAVETTE – LaVette!</b><br />Legendary septuagenarian gravelly-voiced soul singer backed by a killer band dedicates a whole album to songs by Randall Bramblett, a guy better known as a session musician but apparently a great songwriter too. None of these funky jams have been hits before, and I can’t understand why.<b> (8)<br /><br />DONNY McCASLIN – I Want More</b><br />You know this tenor saxophonist as Bowie’s right-hand man on the latter’s swansong “Blackstar”, and on this solo album he’s pushing the boundaries of jazz towards electronica with a band that’s tighter than Kim Kardashian’s yoga pants.<b> (8)<br /><br />QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – In Times New Roman…</b><br />Josh Homme had a tougher time than most of us these past few years, and this is reflected in the darkest and heaviest QOTSA album since 2007’s “Era Vulgaris”. <b>(8)<br /><br />ROYAL THUNDER – Rebuilding The Mountain</b><br />Back from the dead with a strong grungy hard rock album. Mlny Parsonz often gets compared to Janis Joplin, but really, she sounds more like Gerard Way’s sister. <b>(8)<br /><br />AMANDA SHIRES & BOBBIE NELSON – Loving You</b><br />Bobbie was not just Willie Nelson’s sister, but a great pianist in her own right. On this posthumous release, recorded when she was already 90, she collaborates with Shires who provides her fragile, sensitive vocals and the occasional fiddle to interpretations of a bunch of classics (“Always On My Mind”, “Summertime”, “Dream A Little Dream”, that sort of thing). A delightful little record and a proper send-off.<b> (8)<br /><br />SIGUR ROS – Atta </b><br />Drummerless this time but with a full orchestra on board, they successfully bridge the gap between post rock and classical music. <b>(8)<br /><br />SWANS – The Beggar</b><br />Can something be simultaneously spacey and claustrophobic? Apparently so, this Swans album does that, taking their choking experimental drones and expanding, expanding, expanding them to infinity and beyond. <b>(8)<br /><br />VINTAGE TROUBLE – Heavy Hymnal</b><br />Catchy soul/blues/rock from this LA-based band. Go see them live this summer if you can, they’re a blast.<b> (8)</b><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-15588704868745011772023-06-11T10:36:00.003+03:002023-06-11T10:48:01.416+03:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, June 23<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSHstyaBAeQVs4kd_wwjlzrPQTCWmOiGTZT4Gd8l-C4q53_n620_oDa4lYB31N4noN-rWXch3mouMLyja3Foh-9sWGtnowKP_fsX0G24Su5Eqy9Mub68zUIv-kjkbJ2AlHEOcou6Ff6cjgbxyKDUMwJYapEAEPKDdokum3B3rodpFs73-d8N8lr5oNA/s1280/Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSHstyaBAeQVs4kd_wwjlzrPQTCWmOiGTZT4Gd8l-C4q53_n620_oDa4lYB31N4noN-rWXch3mouMLyja3Foh-9sWGtnowKP_fsX0G24Su5Eqy9Mub68zUIv-kjkbJ2AlHEOcou6Ff6cjgbxyKDUMwJYapEAEPKDdokum3B3rodpFs73-d8N8lr5oNA/s320/Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b>THE LOUDER STUFF<br /><br />RAY ALDER – II </b><br />Slightly mellower than 2019’s “What The Water Wants” but not straying far from that template, i.e. essentially what used to be called AOR but with slightly proggy overtones. I do miss Fates Warning very much though, and I hope Jim has another FW album inside him. <b>(7)<br /><br />AVENGED SEVENFOLD - Life Is But A Dream</b><br />I’ve deliberately avoided these guys since 2001, and I honestly don’t think I’ve heard a single note from them prior to “Life Is But A Dream” so I have no clue what a “normal” A7X album is supposed to sound like. All I know is that this one is interesting but tries a bit too hard to sound like Muse doing Faith No More cosplay. <b>(7)<br /><br />BUGGIN – Concrete Cowboys</b><br />If you want great punk singalongs played tight and with no macho bullshit posturing, these young Chicagoans just released a fantastic and really fun record. <b>(8)<br /><br />EXTREME – Six </b><br />Nuno’s got a day job nowadays playing with Rihanna but his hard rock shredding muscles are still in great shape – “Rise”, for example, has the best guitar solo I’ve heard in 30 years. Songwriting’s not too shabby either. <b>(8) <br /><br />FOO FIGHTERS – But Here We Are</b><br />Grieving the death of Taylor Hawkins, Grohl himself fills in on drums and this is actually a very good album, probably even their best – they’re still likeable and immensely popular, but now they’ll also get critical respect even if they don’t need it or care for it. <b>(9)<br /><br />GOZU – Remedy</b><br />Most people will compare this album to Kyuss or Clutch, but that’s because they’ve never heard of Goatsnake. <b>(8)<br /><br /><br />THE OTHER STUFF<br /><br />LAURA CANTRELL – Just Like A Rose: The Anniversary Sessions<br /></b>Alt-country/Americana singer displays solid songwriting skills, but any such album released on the same day as Jason Isbell’s “Weathervanes” doesn’t stand much of a chance of getting heard. <b>(7)<br /><br />COWBOY JUNKIES – Such Ferocious Beauty</b><br />A very personal piece of work with lyrics revolving around the dementia of the father of three band members, sonically staying close to the unique Cowboy Junkies template – these guys were “Americana” before the term existed as a music genre signifier.<b> (7)<br /><br />BEN FOLDS – What Matters Most</b><br />Ben Folds Five (a trio, actually) were pretty hip among, well, hipsters in the second half of the 90’s, and the guy is back with a piano/strings/irony-heavy chamber pop record that will delight those of us who are still around. <b>(8)<br /><br />JASON ISBELL & THE 400 UNIT – Weathervanes</b><br />In a recent interview Isbell said something along the lines of, in order to stay sane, he will just aim at writing good songs rather than consciously try to make a better record than “Southeastern”, but you know what? I think he just made a better record than “Southeastern”. BTW is that weathervane on the cover actually pointing southestern?<b> (9)<br /><br />UTE LEMPER – Time Traveller</b><br />Better known as a top-notch interpreter of the Weill/Brecht songbook and for 2000’s marvellous “Punishing Kiss” which featured songs by The Divine Comedy, Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits etc., Lemper nevertheless occasionally decides to release albums based on her own compositions and this is one of those cases, but she never strays too far from a safe, predictable pop-jazz framework. <b>(6)<br /><br />JANELLE MONAE – The Age Of Pleasure</b><br />I tried to watch the video for “Lipstick Lover” but couldn’t because it made my glasses fog up. In any case this is a very hedonistic album with Monae officially entering her T&A era. <b>(8)<br /><br />KEVIN MORBY – More Photographs (A Continuum)</b><br />Last year’s “This Is A Photograph” <a href=" https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2022/12/20-2022.html" target="_blank">made the Geek’s List at #3</a>, but apparently Morby wasn’t done with it – “More Photographs” is basically the same photograph subject from different angles, with three songs from the former album re-imagined plus six new songs revisiting the same lyrical themes.<b> (8)<br /><br />SQUID – O Monolith</b><br />On their debut album they sounded like part of the whole Black Country New Road/Dry Cleaning/Black Midi talk-sing London thing, albeit with a krautrock twist. On this second one, some of the keyboards plus the pastorally proggier elements make me think they spent the COVID lockdown listening to Cardiacs and Soft Machine. <b>(8)<br /><br />THIS IS THE KIT – Careful of Your Keepers</b><br />A pleasant little indie-folk record. <b>(7)<br /><br />JESS WILLIAMSON – Time Ain’t Accidental</b><br />Alt-country/Americana singer displays solid songwriting skills, but any such album released on the same day as Jason Isbell’s “Weathervanes” doesn’t stand much of a chance of getting heard. <b>(7)</b><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-20677054390143849612023-05-26T21:16:00.000+03:002023-05-26T21:16:11.218+03:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, May 23 Vol. II<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3A41yUuC7egVioNBXAEfcOkI8Vvdzi-FGES-YWd9XFLyBjiktXnvChZM_k93GpQUV7EW6fCAhKdG3hrP2sXO6FoFuvTx-qO7rQ7UXHv3242u5B5D_8qoJt-ohboVb2OLxlZatGwcAtMojiO0PCmA2ari7HXgXpeT4B4bPZ8IW5rfgipA445U2eDNdQ/s1414/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="1414" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3A41yUuC7egVioNBXAEfcOkI8Vvdzi-FGES-YWd9XFLyBjiktXnvChZM_k93GpQUV7EW6fCAhKdG3hrP2sXO6FoFuvTx-qO7rQ7UXHv3242u5B5D_8qoJt-ohboVb2OLxlZatGwcAtMojiO0PCmA2ari7HXgXpeT4B4bPZ8IW5rfgipA445U2eDNdQ/s320/cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>CLARK – Sus Dog</b><br />A glitchy EDM album that’s more Radiohead than David Guetta, and not only because Thom Yorke is on it. <b>(7)<br /><br />BRANDY CLARK – Brandy Clark</b><br />Fourth solo album by country songwriter to the stars, includes a couple of real gems like “Ain’t Enough Rocks”. <b>(8) <br /><br />ELEGANT WEAPONS – Horns For A Halo</b><br />Superb metal supergroup put together by Richie Faulkner (Judas Priest) and featuring Scott Travis, Rex Brown, and Ronnie Romero tips the hat to 80’s non-Priest classic hard rock/metal – songs like “Do Or Die” might as well be retitled to “Do Or Dio”. <b>(8)<br /><br />ROBERT ELLIS – Yesterday’s News</b><br />This is so weird, back in 2016 this guy had again released an album on the same day as Paul Simon with the two albums blending seamlessly when played back-to-back, and the same thing happens now – “Yesterday’s News” is like a younger Paul Simon rooted more in country than in folk, and it’s sparsely orchestrated like “Seven Psalms”. <b>(7)<br /><br />GHOST – Phantomime</b><br />The between-albums EP is becoming a tradition for Tobias and this one is just cover songs, featuring a provocative mix of tracks originally by Television, Genesis, Stranglers, Iron Maiden, and Tina Turner (good timing). Great, as expected. <b>(8)<br /><br />ARLO PARKS – My Soft Machine</b><br />More textured than her wonderful bedroom pop debut a couple of years ago, adding a few “rock” bits into the mix (the grungy climax of “Devotion”, Phoebe Bridgers guesting on “Pegasus”), and again quite poetic, this sophomore effort will establish her as one of the most interesting voices of her generation. <b>(8)<br /><br />PAUL SIMON – Seven Psalms</b><br />A suite consisting of seven beautiful, chilling, sparsely orchestrated songs evoking spiritual imagery. A worthy addition to the catalog on one of the world’s greatest songwriters. <b>(8)<br /><br />COLIN STETSON – When We Were That What Wept For The Sea</b><br />If you thought you had a general idea of what one saxophone can do, well, think again. Another haunting, beautiful, scary masterpiece from Stetson and his amazing circular breathing technique. <b>(8)<br /><br />SBT – Joan Of All</b><br />Laura Marling does Lou Reed, or vice versa. And it’s a grower, you really start getting it on the 4th or 5th listen. <b>(8)<br /><br />MARTY STUART AND HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES – Altitude</b><br />Wow. A revelation. Who would’ve thought that a 65-year-old country veteran who used to be in Johnny Cash’s band would come up with such a fantastic Byrds-influenced country rock album in 2023? <b>(8)<br /><br />TINARIWEN – Amatssou</b><br />By now they’re like Iron Maiden – they’ve been around since the late 70’s, they’re the biggest act in their genre (the Tuareg peoples’ assouf, known in the West as “desert blues”), they've released quite a few masterpieces, they're now dependable but predictable.<b> (7)</b><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-25658154129096918492023-05-12T19:03:00.000+03:002023-05-12T19:03:09.907+03:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, May 23<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSoR9q4nlCZdG6_YsHuE1FRv75ycSA6YuNUhKkXfXUtQzKsQSf-SM2pJw4OO0c8JeDHjf3ZIWT3XbYMEsMu0lhyrSi2z4pdm5-ZAyqCO-VghtVu_5mE3yE87anofF6CaRWPfvGTaBWEGWKes_2lZOgwi4DVtYr-L6ECElngviQQJxmYV9Y2bKIe2h3g/s500/CT-358-The-Lemon-Twigs-Cover_3000x3000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSoR9q4nlCZdG6_YsHuE1FRv75ycSA6YuNUhKkXfXUtQzKsQSf-SM2pJw4OO0c8JeDHjf3ZIWT3XbYMEsMu0lhyrSi2z4pdm5-ZAyqCO-VghtVu_5mE3yE87anofF6CaRWPfvGTaBWEGWKes_2lZOgwi4DVtYr-L6ECElngviQQJxmYV9Y2bKIe2h3g/s320/CT-358-The-Lemon-Twigs-Cover_3000x3000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>THE LOUDER STUFF<br /><br />BLOOD CEREMONY – The Old Ways Remain</b><br />In retrospect it looks ridiculous that these guys were once grouped together with Ghost under the same “occult rock” umbrella, since they’re very different animals: Despite influences Ghost are very much a “today” band, whereas Blood Ceremony are firmly rooted in 1970 with a folk-rock streak that keeps getting stronger with each album and reaching its peak on this one.<b> (8)<br /><br />DANAVA – Nothing But Nothing</b><br />I remember being very impressed by an album from these guys maybe 15 years ago, then I lost track of them. But out of nowhere comes this gem, landing somewhere between early Riot and DiAnno-era Maiden and kicking all sorts of ass. <b>(8)<br /><br />DROPKICK MURPHYS – Okemah Rising</b><br />A sequel to last year’s “This Machine Kills Fascists”, recorded at the same time and without co-vocalist Al Barr due for family reasons: The Murphys mainly use unreleased Woody Guthrie lyrics and build rowdy acoustic songs around them, and they also do a new acoustic version of their biggest hit “I’m Shipping Up To Boston”, a Guthrie original. Another track features the Violent Femmes. Fun! <b>(8)<br /><br />ENFORCED – War Remains</b><br />Thrashy death metal from this bunch that does a great job of raiding Slayer’s cabinet of leftover riffs. It’ll make you headbang until your brain comes out of your ears. <b>(7)<br /><br />GRAVE PLEASURES – Plagueboys</b><br />A bit of Killing Joke, a bit of Joy Division, a bit of Sisters, a bit of Bunnymen. Nothing original here but if you miss (or missed) the post-punk/new wave 80’s you’ll have a great time. <b>(8) <br /><br />DAVE LOMBARDO – Rites Of Percussion</b><br />Slayer etc. legend releases his first pure drum/percussion album demonstrating his virtuosity in a myriad different genres and managing not to be as boring as a 35-minute-long drum solo. <b>(7) <br /><br /><br />THE OTHER STUFF<br /><br />RODNEY CROWELL – The Chicago Sessions</b><br />Another excellent album from this somewhat underrated Americana/country stalwart, produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and featuring a couple of deep dives into the 70’s – “You’re Supposed To Be Feeling Good”, a Crowell composition recorded by Emmylou Harris back in 1977, and a great cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “No Place To Fall”. <b>(8)<br /><br />OLIVIA JEAN – Raving Ghost</b><br />Just because she’s Jack White’s wife doesn’t mean you should discount “Raving Ghost” – it’s a fantastic garage/rockabilly/surf/power-pop record with a backing band featuring members of Jellyfish, My Morning Jacket etc. and, actually, it’s the closest you’re gonna get to White Stripes riffage in 2023. Oh, and her cover of Enya’s “Orinoco Flow” is a scream! <b>(8) <br /><br />RICKIE LEE JONES – Pieces of Treasure</b><br />She’s always been more jazz than pop or anything else, but this is the first time she dedicates an album to the Great American Songbook, reuniting with the guy who produced her first two albums in 1979-1981. You know these songs from Sinatra, Chet Baker, Nat King Cole, Ella and Louis, Sarah Vaughan and others and those are some very scary comparisons, but Jones is so good she gets away with it. <b>(8)<br /><br />THE LEMON TWIGS – Everything Harmony</b><br />They’ve been on the Geek’s radar <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2018/09/short-attention-span-record-reviews_22.html" target="_blank">for a while now</a>, and their previous album <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2020/12/20-albums-2020.html" target="_blank">almost made The List</a>, but this time they fucking nail it – 1967 Beach Boys, 1972 Big Star, and 1993 Jellyfish seamlessly merge into something totally 2024.<b> (8)<br /><br />PARKER MILLSAP – Wilderness Within You</b><br />Another slight move away from his trademark bluesy Americana towards a more experimental sound with elements of pop, electronica, even krautrock thrown into the mix, it works more often than not. <b>(7)<br /><br />CIAN NUGENT – She Brings Me Back To The Land Of The Living</b><br />Irish guitar hero (think Steve Gunn/Ryley Walker, not Steve Vai/Yngwie Malmsteen) releases breezy, summery country-tinged album. Right on time. <b>(8)<br /><br />OTIS TAYLOR – Banjo</b><br />Taylor plays the blues like no other – his music is repetitive, trance-like almost, and his lyrics are political but often touched by the surreal or the cryptic. It’s not for everyone but I love it. <b>(8)</b><br /><p></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-69362798448156578912023-05-05T21:44:00.011+03:002023-05-06T07:49:09.615+03:00Nina Nastasia, L' Archipel, Paris, 28/4<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnRFnbRxx1wajcH5R9IrSBY9ThhJ5qYiVrDKpw8FhxUnjEQqJOeLgBRQ6JwzkI41nI3VXrekKZ1yYWjtRGqActWJBr01IYnLG4B_BFR1h2zJwTOITn54LyWc_RK4XWfpf-vu6ATPh3um2umtCs84saD7JNfaxO0AqqQVHKCzVVJ4RROrQnCy5ZSLU5Q/s1008/nina.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="756" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnRFnbRxx1wajcH5R9IrSBY9ThhJ5qYiVrDKpw8FhxUnjEQqJOeLgBRQ6JwzkI41nI3VXrekKZ1yYWjtRGqActWJBr01IYnLG4B_BFR1h2zJwTOITn54LyWc_RK4XWfpf-vu6ATPh3um2umtCs84saD7JNfaxO0AqqQVHKCzVVJ4RROrQnCy5ZSLU5Q/w300-h400/nina.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>Free afternoon in Paris, by myself, after a couple of days' hard work. What to do? Let's check the concert listings.</p><p>Hey! Nina Nastasia's in town for an acoustic set, she released a fantastic and devastating album last year, "Riderless Horse", which was <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2022/12/20-2022.html" target="_blank">probably my 6th favorite album for 2022</a>. The venue, L'Archipel, is 3-4 kilometers from my hotel, it's a nice evening for a walk, despite what you see on the news there's no trouble on the streets of Paris, let's take a stroll and check it out, maybe they've got tickets available.</p><p>Yes, they do. L' Archipel is a combination art cinema/folk club with rows of movie theater-type seats and a capacity of approximately 150. Nice, clean, civilized. Smallish stage, decent lights. I'm actually one of the first people in, I take a look at the merch (a couple of old Nastasia albums on CD, her latest one on vinyl, a book, a few T-shirts only small sizes, and an album by someone called Bobbie - apparently there's a support act on the bill), I get a whisky from the bar and grab a seat on the second row.</p><p>Interesting crowd. The front row is occupied by a bunch of ageing rockers, rock journo/industry lifer types with ponytails and sideburns, probably from Rock & Folk or Les Inrockuptibles or something. They dress better than their Greek counterparts. The rows behind me gradually fill up mostly with civilians, you know, normal people: Young couples and small groups of people mainly in their 30's. I get the weird row, of course: A woman comes and sits to my right and promptly proceeds to take a big fat 800-page book from her handbag and just sits there reading, while to my left sit four ladies, I shouldn't call them "older" as they're probably around my age, but with their clothes and jewelry and hairdos they look VERY out of place, like they were planning to go to a luxury hotel at Champs-Elysées for afternoon tea and got lost. But they seem to be enjoying themselves, so who am I to judge?</p><p>Bobbie, the support act, hits the stage. Pretty blonde girl in a mini skirt and go-go boots and playing an acoustic guitar, she's straight out of central casting for a movie about a Parisian folk club in the 60's. Her songs are simple, innocent, a bit naive, and they'd probably work better as pop songs with a full band behind her than with just a guitar. But she does have a very good voice, and the audience gives her a warm and polite applause - with the exception of the four out-of-place ladies next to me who are much more enthusiastic and take tons of pictures which they immediately share from their phones, thus solving the mystery of what the fuck they're doing here: Obviously Bobbie's mum and aunties or mum's friends.</p><p>After a brief interval, Nina Nastasia takes the stage. She looks well, something I'm happy about given the circumstances that led to the creation of her last album. She is a commanding presence on stage too - she starts a capella with a folk song about suicide, and I swear you could hear a pin drop in the back of the room, nobody in the crowd dares make a sound or be disruptive before erupting into applause as the song fades, setting the pattern for the rest of the evening. She then picks up her guitar and proceeds to play essentially "Riderless Horse" in full, plain, bare, warts and all. Her banter between songs is light and pleasant and occasionally funny even, which is a blessing given the darkness of the material sung, but when she sings she transforms into a force of nature, an ancient sorceress commanding the elements, and she gives you goosebumps even if you don't know the backstory. Even Bobbie's mum looks shaken.<br /></p><p>Her encore consists mainly of acoustic versions of older material and is well received, even though it lacks a bit of the emotional punch of her main set. But overall the show is a triumph, Paris loves Nastasia and she gives love back. She hangs out at the bar after the show chatting to the industry types and audience members, I go across and say thanks, then head out back to my hotel. Certainly a night in Paris to remember.<br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-12992219090989263102023-04-19T09:59:00.003+03:002023-04-19T10:01:19.785+03:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Apr 23<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-7pPe-oDvnD347jaPwwfjQlUzOVInP_sehFqXdVqL_MRRzkGE-8QVyZcoKtFoKcs1xQCbj1Bfk3vgrDP6UZZ-Okdvj94ceeS-jxPGtoIAuWd8_lJ1DrMI-K6xVWtMF9xpdMPy1IFg_72tD_ZInG9Xylp06mQ6rxasIGJjJJSZHdbGbuIurP4zVOGPQ/s500/cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-7pPe-oDvnD347jaPwwfjQlUzOVInP_sehFqXdVqL_MRRzkGE-8QVyZcoKtFoKcs1xQCbj1Bfk3vgrDP6UZZ-Okdvj94ceeS-jxPGtoIAuWd8_lJ1DrMI-K6xVWtMF9xpdMPy1IFg_72tD_ZInG9Xylp06mQ6rxasIGJjJJSZHdbGbuIurP4zVOGPQ/s320/cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b>THE LOUDER STUFF<br /><br />DODHEIMSGARD – Black Medium Current</b><br />No longer possible to classify as black metal, they venture into everything from psychedelia to goth disco, and all of it is great. <b>(8)<br /><br />METALLICA – 72 Seasons</b><br />We need Metallica because someone still has to play stadium shows, but everybody (including Metallica) knows they simply can’t release anything as good as their 1983-1991 run ever again, and if you’d make a list of their top-40 songs ever, most likely not a single track from “72 Seasons” would be on it. <b>(7)<br /><br />MUDHONEY – Plastic Eternity</b><br />Grunge survivors still at it and punk as fuck, but with a sense of humor.<b> (8)<br /><br />NETHERLANDS – Severance</b><br />50% of this duo (Timo Ellis) used to be in Cibo Matto, and members of Gojira and Mastodon are superfans, and they’ve been going for a decade, and this is their seventh album and it sounds like Big Business meets QOTSA meets RATM, so why the fuck have I never heard of them before? <b>(8)<br /><br />POISON RUIN – Harvest</b><br />Now on Relapse, they have found an audience mainly among the metal crowd despite being a low-fi punk band influenced by The Wipers (a very good one, too). Maybe it’s the medieval thing they have going on in the lyrics.<b> (8)<br /><br /><br />THE OTHER STUFF<br /><br />FEIST – Multitudes</b><br />People will call this “intimate”, “introspective”, or something like that. I call it “a bit too quiet for my tastes”. <b>(7)<br /><br />SUSANNA HOFFS – The Deep End</b><br />Excellent covers album for this beautiful, supremely talented artist. Hoffs is good at the classic oldies (Rolling Stones, Leslie Gore, Yazoo) but shows impeccable taste in both selection and execution of the newer and/or lesser-known stuff (Coconut Records’ “West Coast”, Brandy Clark’s “Pawn Shop” etc.). <b>(8) <br /><br />JANA HORN </b><b>– </b><b>The Window Is The Dream</b><br />Minimalist folk with some jazz and Tropicalia influences. Great guitar playing, but no hooks I could hold on to.<b> (7)<br /><br />LONDON BREW – London Brew</b><br />An album inspired by Miles Davis’ jazz-fusion masterpiece “Bitches Brew” and featuring the Dream Team of London’s contemporary jazz scene, that falls a bit short of the colossal expectations it set up for itself. <b>(7)<br /><br />WEDNESDAY – Rat Saw God </b><br />We can call them countrygaze if you like, but if you prefer to keep things simple we can just agree that this album qualifies them as one of the best American indie rock bands around at the moment. And, because I’m ancient, they remind me more of the Geraldine Fibbers than the Drive-By Truckers (with whom they often get mentioned in the same breath). <b>(8)</b></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-87133556982178278132023-03-31T21:37:00.000+03:002023-03-31T21:37:04.711+03:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Mar 23 Vol. II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhXiJqefiypHrArZudaL80jGaTDUq6fYVbQjvstLJuuXQxVgCy2g00WWgldRBpJzbLr2_Rk1-CAmxDHRH4EHyccrOV9pgaBx-VURAi0WDrIsOd-OsUJ4HVhzy7qTA8lKyZ5mLzlZrQdcNVUt66hEMBGiqlsnofjxekCnlZctRKfZJzVHxG2c9c21hBg/s1280/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhXiJqefiypHrArZudaL80jGaTDUq6fYVbQjvstLJuuXQxVgCy2g00WWgldRBpJzbLr2_Rk1-CAmxDHRH4EHyccrOV9pgaBx-VURAi0WDrIsOd-OsUJ4HVhzy7qTA8lKyZ5mLzlZrQdcNVUt66hEMBGiqlsnofjxekCnlZctRKfZJzVHxG2c9c21hBg/s320/cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>AROOJ AFTAB, VIJAY IYER & SHAHZAD ISMAILY – Love In Exile</b><br />Aftab’s 2021 album was gorgeous, seamlessly blending her Pakistani heritage with jazz and earning her a Grammy. This year’s collab with jazzman Iver and top-shelf sessionman Ismaily takes things one step further with lots of improvisation, the three musicians constantly feeding off each other. <b>(8)<br /><br />BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD – Live At Bush Hall</b><br />In a bold move after losing lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Isaac Wood, they decided to go ahead (three other band members now sharing vocal duties) without playing any Wood-era songs, and they release a live album consisting of entirely new material written specifically so they have something to tour with. So, no worries about their future, they’ll keep making the List (<a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2022/12/20-2022.html" target="_blank">#19 in 2022</a>). <b>(8)<br /><br />BOYGENIUS – The Record</b><br />Destined to be Album Of The Year for Pitchfork and most other music magazines/sites years before it was even recorded, the debut album by this female singer/songwriter supergroup of sorts (Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers) is actually really good – catchy songs covering a lot of ground between Liz Phair and Simon & Garfunkel, and clever lyrics that are in places funny, sometimes sad, often touching, and mostly celebrating their own friendship.<b> (8)<br /><br />JAMES HOLDEN – Imagine This Is A High Dimensional Space Of All Possibilities</b><br />I’m a rock guy so I have no idea if this one classifies as techno or trance or ambient or whatever, but it is a magnificent throwback to early 90’s electronica and open air raves. <b>(8) <br /><br />THE HOLD STEADY – The Price Of Progress</b><br />I admit I can’t be objective with The Hold Steady, they simply mean too much to me because they almost single-handedly kept rock music alive over the past couple of decades.<b> (11)<br /><br />IHSAHN – Fascination Street Sessions</b><br />Pretty good (as expected from Ihsahn) 3-song EP, the first song sounding like a slightly blackened Opeth, the second one like a NWOBHM Emperor, and the third one, a cover of a 20-year-old Swedish synthpop hit and featuring Jonas Renske, (unsurprisingly) like Katatonia.<b> (8)<br /><br />LANA DEL REY – Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd</b><br />Containing several references to her undisputed masterpiece, <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2019/12/20-albums-2019.html" target="_blank">“Normal Fucking Rockwell”</a>, this is probably her second-best album and could’ve given “NFR” a run for its money if not for a couple of tracks too many. <b>(8)<br /><br />LANKUM – False Lankum</b><br />Irish folk band experiments like Radiohead and plays with an intensity more reminiscent of Godspeed You Black Emperor. A small masterpiece. <b>(8)<br /><br />LITURGY – 93696</b><br />As a band, Liturgy certainly could always be more accurately described as “important” than as “enjoyable”. This album, however, feels VERY important, and quite intriguing once you get past the unintelligible screaming, the only thing that remains from the band’s black metal roots. <b>(8)<br /><br />NICKEL CREEK – Celebrants</b><br />One of the bands responsible for making bluegrass a relevant genre again, Nickel Creek make a decent comeback album that doesn’t really add anything new to their hefty legacy. <b>(7)<br /><br />SAXON – More Inspirations </b><br />A follow-up to 2021’s covers album, this one features songs originally done by Animals, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Alice Cooper, ZZ Top, Who, Uriah Heep, Rainbow, Kiss, Nazareth, and Cream. Totally unnecessary but fun. <b>(7)<br /><br />SCREE – Jasmine On A Night In July</b><br />Like Ennio Morricone doing Space-Age Bachelor Pad music, this guitar-led experimental jazz trio has lots of fun here, and you will too. <b>(8)</b><br /><br /></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-82130414245225143352023-03-11T17:59:00.002+02:002023-03-11T17:59:54.177+02:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Mar 23<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKztK7U72qiwU8bBkeXVt3-gBVMzxBTtX-DrzYhbf83LQo9SP2IiBoFC2UxaGn-MYF-sPE1KUpB-iTz72bFMx-J3Jo34PvtKHovxfBYhnazq-qdgagtyQ4HBMucc3k_jH49rtghAcwr2kZTTFkEMozd1wmD4wVY3he-QIaau6TI3HVMckp6OfzUvn5ow/s2000/Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKztK7U72qiwU8bBkeXVt3-gBVMzxBTtX-DrzYhbf83LQo9SP2IiBoFC2UxaGn-MYF-sPE1KUpB-iTz72bFMx-J3Jo34PvtKHovxfBYhnazq-qdgagtyQ4HBMucc3k_jH49rtghAcwr2kZTTFkEMozd1wmD4wVY3he-QIaau6TI3HVMckp6OfzUvn5ow/w320-h320/Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br />THE LOUDER STUFF<br /><br />THE ABBEY – Word Of Sin</b><br />Great riffs and some solid songwriting on debut album from this psychedelic doom/occult rock band from Finland.<b> (8)<br /><br />ENSLAVED – Heimdal</b><br />Black metal, prog, space rock, anything goes and it’s once again great.<b> (8) <br /><br />PERIPHERY – Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre</b><br />Of course it’s not, I’ve been saying so for years. <b>(7)<br /><br />SIENA ROOT – Revelation </b><br />These Swedes were doing the vintage hard/blues/folk rock thing before it was fashionable and they just keep doing it now that it’s once again unfashionable, so respect to them. But that fucking hippy-ass sitar is really, really annoying. <b>(7)<br /><br />WITCH RIPPER – The Flight After The Fall</b><br />An absolutely fantastic slab of loud, epic, proggy, sludgy but melodic metal that adds a touch of Queen to its Baroness/Mastodon influences. <b>(9)<br /><br />ZULU – A New Tomorrow</b><br />Bundling these guys alongside Turnstile and Soul Glo as hardcore revisionists is a no-brainer, but the way they reach into the depths of Black music tradition to enhance their sound also brings to mind heroes of generations past like Fishbone and 24-7 Spyz. Zulu are far more extreme, of course.<b> (8)<br /><br /><br />THE OTHER STUFF<br /><br />SHANA CLEVELAND – Manzanita</b><br />Solo album by frontwoman of surf-rockers La Luz is an exquisite tapestry of rustic folk with orchestral pop elements that’s sometimes reminiscent of Jessica Pratt with a psychedelic edge. <b>(8)<br /><br />HACK-POETS GUILD – Blackletter Garland</b><br />English folk supergroup of sorts does 12 superb songs about life, death, and everything in between. <b>(8)<br /><br />LONNIE HOLLEY – Oh Me Oh My</b><br />Respected septuagenarian visual artist with a music side-gig releases fantastic album of dark and bluesy electronica, slightly Massive Attack-y, featuring high-profile guests like Michael Stipe, Sharon Van Etten, and Bon Iver. A revelation.<b> (8) <br /><br />THE LONG RYDERS – September November</b><br />In a perfect world <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paisley_Underground" target="_blank">Paisley Underground</a> would still matter as a genre. <b>(8)<br /><br />REVEREND HORTON HEAT – Roots Of The Rev (Volume One)</b><br />The guy who wrote <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/4SRG5mB36p5bAV5vN3gYo9?si=09789c35f07a40ce" target="_blank">the best song of all time</a> is back with a non-essential lo-fi album of rockabilly covers. <b>(7)<br /><br />SLEAFORD MODS – UK Grim</b><br />The compositions are a bit more aggressive than previous recent Sleaford Mods releases, even though Williamson no longer constantly sounds like he’s about to start a pub fight (he only sounds like that 80% of the time now). One of their better efforts. <b>(8)<br /><br />SLOWTHAI – Ugly </b><br />British rapper releases album influenced by 90’s alternative rock and opinions are split: Pitchfork hates it, everyone else loves it. <b>(8)</b><br /><p></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-56208419418679941382023-02-25T15:59:00.000+02:002023-02-25T15:59:06.592+02:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Feb 23<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoelZG7047jHZcmh3Fa_r6AjTRVAn79csCe8hmspnk0s5dos558FL7c99xwO89i27kRT2MTmQGq6KYuPgq6eALNK4ZwrDL34oCKZXB6VR2p0zRpxmxJzYmVjVLZI9MWuRDBw0m_xDaZKVSyuJeggOwgZEPOwCs0y2xid8Oy0d64pRCSXoLHM8K404xKg/s3000/Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoelZG7047jHZcmh3Fa_r6AjTRVAn79csCe8hmspnk0s5dos558FL7c99xwO89i27kRT2MTmQGq6KYuPgq6eALNK4ZwrDL34oCKZXB6VR2p0zRpxmxJzYmVjVLZI9MWuRDBw0m_xDaZKVSyuJeggOwgZEPOwCs0y2xid8Oy0d64pRCSXoLHM8K404xKg/s320/Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br />ALGIERS – Shook</b><br />Impossible-to-pigeonhole band (Post-punk meets gospel? Noise-rock/hip-hop hybrid?) plus lots of high-profile guests on ambitious fourth album that attempts to express the pain and angst of living in this decade and (mostly) hits the mark. <b>(7)<br /><br />BIG|BRAVE - Nature Morte</b><br />Canadian drone/doom/post-metal trio with weird female vocals, it might sound revolutionary to the younger crowd but (Karyn) Crisis and Julie Christmas have been there years before. I did come across the term “Bjorkcore” as a description and it’s not entirely inaccurate.<b> (7)<br /><br />JARROD DICKENSON – Big Talk</b><br />Starting from a country background but ending pretty close to Petty-esque heartland rock, not too far from guys like Todd Snider and Cory Branan. <b>(7)<br /><br />JAMES BRANDON LEWIS – Eye Of I</b><br />A very exciting jazz record breaking barriers with punk rock and noise. This sax player does NOT make smooth sounds for dinner parties.<b> (8) <br /><br />LUCERO – Should've Learned By Now</b><br />I never really got into Lucero even though, at least on paper, they’re right up my alley (i.e. Southern Americana rockers with strong storytelling qualities), but their new album, more uptempo and rowdier than previous releases, might change that. <b>(8)<br /><br />JESSE MALIN - The Fine Art Of Self Destruction (20th anniversary edition)</b><br />Now re-issued with bonus tracks, Malin’s excellent 2003 solo debut saw him leave his glam punk past with D-Generation behind and go into singer-songwriter mode sounding not unlike what the producer of this album, Ryan Adams, himself sounded like 20 years ago. <b>(8)<br /><br />THE NECKS – Travel</b><br />Jazz experimentalists from Down Under and <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2013/12/2013-20-top-albums.html" target="_blank">regulars</a> on the geek’s <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2018/12/20-albums-2018.html" target="_blank">Annual List</a> return with an excellent double album of, well, jazz experimentation. <b>(8)<br /><br />PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS – Land Of Sleeper</b><br />Pigs X7 really sound like Orange Goblin X7 on much of this one. <b>(7)<br /><br />SUNNY WAR – Anarchist Gospel</b><br />A nice little folk record with some rock elements, brings to mind Joan Armatrading. <b>(7)<br /><br />UNTHANK : SMITH – Nowhere And Everywhere</b><br />Folk veteran/royalty joins forces with Maximo Park frontman for an album of traditional tunes from Northern England. <b>(7)<br /><br />VENOMOUS CONCEPT – The Good Ship Lollipop</b><br />Supergroup featuring extreme metal’s elite (members of Napalm Death, Brutal Truth, and Cancer) started out having fun with some chaotic hardcore punk, but now expand their sound – the album title is a dead giveaway that this is as un-grindcore as you can get, and there’s quite a bit of melody here plus some kraken-sized riffs and more hooks than a fisherman’s tacklebox, like the bastard son of Killing Joke and AC/DC on steroids.<b> (9)<br /><br />VARIOUS ARTISTS – Steven Wilson Presents Intrigue: Progressive Sounds In UK Alternative Music 1979–89</b><br />Wilson seems convinced that deep down everything is prog, the same way I at 17 was (only half-jokingly) claiming that deep down everything is metal. He tries to prove it by curating this box set, but apart from including a few obvious choices (Robert Fripp, Peter Hammill, Cardiacs), claiming that The Cure, Sisters Of Mercy, or “Ghost Town” by The Specials have anything to do with prog is stretching it a bit. Still, an entertaining/educating listen. <b>(8)</b><br /><p></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-33581235257860773622023-01-28T20:06:00.004+02:002023-01-28T20:07:48.624+02:00Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Jan 23<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGziyZgDndYPZxsl-vIf3l9AEh1wstlNxpDHdAu8cMsc7-fYhmLoP3aebywtjYiwMfK_jyl8_17KJm9PrXCuft6kCJcwluQ06LNiCSsbjVNZZBXYiFnNP9FDMO8xg8EIVelxU4mu3YvHDejuoMMVAbFnmdPVw0ZRpIcIeop-k_wj916jLe_KR-XdX6LA/s1500/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGziyZgDndYPZxsl-vIf3l9AEh1wstlNxpDHdAu8cMsc7-fYhmLoP3aebywtjYiwMfK_jyl8_17KJm9PrXCuft6kCJcwluQ06LNiCSsbjVNZZBXYiFnNP9FDMO8xg8EIVelxU4mu3YvHDejuoMMVAbFnmdPVw0ZRpIcIeop-k_wj916jLe_KR-XdX6LA/s320/cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b>THE LOUDER STUFF<br /><br />COLD GAWD – God Get Me The Fuck Out Of Here</b><br />Shoegaze metal but not in the Deafheaven style, more like a heavier My Bloody Valentine.<b> (7) <br /><br />FUCKED UP – One Day</b><br />Written <u>and</u> recorded in just one day (!), this is an excellent album by a band that no longer qualifies as strictly hardcore punk but is still punk as fuck. The Sugar-y (as in Bob Mould) “Cicada” is the best song I’ve heard in months. <b>(9) <br /><br />KATATONIA – Sky Void Of Stars</b><br />Another solid effort from the sad Swede metallers, this is a bit more reminiscent of classic “Peaceville Three” releases from the late 90’s (think “Alternative 4” or “One Second”), big choruses and all. <b>(8)<br /><br />IGGY POP – Every Loser</b><br />With Ozzy’s producer Andrew Watt at the helm and an all-star backing band featuring Duff McKagan, Chad Smith, and the late Taylor Hawkins, Iggy put together his hardest-rocking, stoopidest, and most fun record in decades.<b> (8) <br /><br />RONNIE ROMERO – Raised On Heavy Radio</b><br />Mercenary heavy rock vocalist revisits metal’s glory days with a covers album featuring classics by Manowar, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Accept, Ozzy, Yngwie, Metallica etc. It’s basically karaoke well done.<b> (7)<br /><br /><br />THE OTHER STUFF<br /><br />THE ARCS – Electrophonic Chronic</b><br />Black Key Dan Auerbach’s side project explores soul, R&B, and overall sounds mellower than his main gig. <b>(7)<br /><br />THE BAD ENDS – The Power And The Glory</b><br />Marking the return of REM’s Bill Berry 25 years after his retirement due to health reasons, this Athens, GA-based indie rock supergroup of sorts excels in the kind of intelligent, hook-laden Southern sound championed by the likes of Drive-By Truckers. <b>(8) <br /><br />MEG BAIRD – Furling</b><br />Haunting psych-folk that will appeal to fans of everyone from Joanna Newsom to Mazzy Star to Joni Mitchell. <b>(8)<br /><br />JOHN CALE – Mercy</b><br />His passion to create and experiment at age 80+ is admirable and his totemic status cannot be disputed. But as someone who didn’t invest emotionally in Velvet Underground when young and impressionable and is not the biggest fan of 21st century weird electronica/art pop either, I appreciate “Mercy” but fail to get much pleasure out of it. <b>(7)<br /><br />JOE HENRY – All The Eye Can See</b><br />The kind of record that makes me want to curl up in a fetal position on the floor crying, and I mean that in the best possible way. <b>(9)<br /><br />KEVN KINNEY – Think About It</b><br />Another Athens, GA album released in December, this one’s by Drivin N Cryin’s frontman and features a couple of REMs (Berry and Peter Buck) plus a Drive-By Trucker or two. Kinney’s in full weird singer-songwriter mode, like a strange Tom Waits/Bob Dylan/Kinky Friedman Venn diagram, and it’s fantastic, if I’d heard it in time it could’ve made <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2022/12/20-2022.html" target="_blank">The List</a>. <b>(9)<br /><br />HC McENTIRE – Every Acre</b><br />Singer-songwriter gently moves her Appalachian folk-country towards psychedelia. <b>(7)<br /><br />BILLY NOMATES – Cacti</b><br />Somewhere between 00’s electro-rock (think low-budget LCD Soundsystem) and 00’s pop-punk you’ll find 2023 Billy Nomates leaving her mark and impressing music critics. <b>(8)<br /><br />MARGO PRICE – Strays</b><br />Written on magic mushrooms, featuring high-profile guests, and leaving country behind for a clear classic rock direction, Price’s great psychedelic roots rock record is an early candidate for year-end-best-of lists. <b>(8)<br /><br />NEMANJA RADULOVIC – Roots </b><br />Serbian rock star-type classical violinist on his most fun album yet, incorporating elements of Balkan, Celtic, and tango music into his style and adding the occasional vocalist.<b> (8)</b></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8624984256720165956.post-17487188435362390162022-12-10T11:41:00.001+02:002022-12-10T13:48:42.487+02:0020+ ΑΛΜΠΟΥΜ ΓΙΑ ΤΟ 2022<p>Ο COVID τελικά ήταν πολύ καλός για τις Τέχνες: Πολλή μουσική γράφτηκε το 2020 και το 2021 όταν οι δημουργοί κάθονταν στο σπίτι αδυνατώντας να περιοδεύσουν, και όλη κυκλοφόρησε φέτος – μιλάμε για έναν πραγματικό οργασμό σπουδαίων κυκλοφοριών, οι καλοί δίσκοι το 2022 ήταν τόσοι που έμειναν έξω από την εικοσάδα δυό ντάνες δίσκοι που σε περασμένες χρονιές θα ήταν μέσα άνετα.<br /><br />Εύφημος μνεία λοιπόν σε metal και metal-friendly μπάντες όπως οι <b>Alexisonfire, Slipknot, Korn, Cave In</b>, country/southern rockers όπως ο <b>Ray Wylie Hubbard</b> και οι <b>Larkin Poe</b>, κλασικές αξίες όπως οι <b>Calexico, Afghan Whigs, Drive-By Truckers,</b> στο τρίτο μέρος της εξαιρετικής τριλογίας του <b>Ezra Furman</b>, στην καταπληκτική επιστροφή των <b>Godfathers</b>, στα world music κομψοτεχνήματα των <b>Black Ox Orkestar </b>και <b>Souad Massi</b>… Λυπάμαι αλλά για να χωρέσουν όλα τα σούπερ άλμπουμ της χρονιάς θα έπρεπε να δημοσιεύσουμε 50-άδα αντί για 20-άδα.<br /><br />Ξέρετε τι άλλο δεν χώρεσε στη Λίστα του Music Geek; Όλοι <b>Οι Δίσκοι Που Θα Δείτε Σε Άλλες Πιο Trendy Λίστες, Αλλά Όχι Εδώ</b>. Για παράδειγμα, ιδού μια πιθανή ολοκληρη εικοσάδα του Pitchfork ή του Uncut, όλα έξω από τη λίστα του Music Geek:<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>BEYONCE</b> διότι o δίσκος είναι ουσιαστικά ένα αφιέρωμα στη χορευτική μουσική και το club culture, πράγματα στα οποία είμαι αλλεργικός.</li><li><b>THE SMILE </b>διότι μπορεί να είναι το πιο «παλιακό» Radiohead άλμπουμ εδώ και πολλά χρόνια, αλλά εμείς επιμένουμε “The Bends”/“OK Computer”.</li><li><b>BIG THIEF</b> διότι τους μπερδεύω με τους Weather Station.</li><li><b>WEATHER STATION</b> διότι τους μπερδεύω με τους Hurray For The Riff Raff.</li><li><b>HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF</b> διότι τους μπερδεύω με τους Big Thief.</li><li><b>KENDRICK LAMAR</b> διότι ο δίσκος έχει κάποια αριστουργηματικά κομμάτια, αλλά έχει και αρκετό filler.</li><li><b>ROSALIA </b>διότι δεν γουστάρω τραγουδίστριες που δεν έχουν επώνυμο – ούτε Τάμτα άκουγα ποτέ, ούτε Αρλέτα, ούτε Γλυκερία. Ούτε καν Madonna.</li><li><b>WET LEG </b>διότι διασκέδασα, αλλά δεν πιστεύω ούτε ότι το άλμπουμ είναι εικοσάδας ούτε ότι θα έχουν διάρκεια.</li><li><b>FONTAINES D.C. </b>διότι είμαι αυτιστικός – επειδή δεν έχω ακούσει το πρώτο και το δεύτερο άλμπουμ (από αντίδραση στο hype), αποφάσισα ότι δεν θα ακούσω ούτε το τρίτο.</li><li><b>BLACK MIDI</b> διότι χωρίς να είναι χειρότερο από το περσινό τους άλμπουμ που είχε μπει στη Λίστα, όπως λέγαμε ο ανταγωνισμός ήταν εντονότερος φέτος.</li><li><b>DRY CLEANING</b> διότι ενώ οι υπόλοιποι της γενιάς τους (Black Midi, Black Country New Road) εξελίσσονται, αυτοί ξανάβγαλαν τον περσινό τους δίσκο.</li><li><b>BARTEES STRANGE</b> διότι συμπαθητικό αλλά ως εκεί.</li><li><b>MJ LENDERMAN</b> διότι δεν μπορεί να αποφασίσει αν είναι lo-fi indie rock, alt-country, power pop, ή αθλητικός σχολιαστής.</li><li><b>ALVVAYS</b> διότι, χωρίς να έχω ακούσει νότα, κάπου διάβασα ότι οι επιρροές τους περιλαμβάνουν Smiths, Celine Dion, Pavement και Oasis και κάπου εκεί με χάσανε.</li><li><b>SHARON VAN ETTEN</b> διότι την έχω στην καρδιά μου, αλλά δεν πλησιάζει καν το αριστούργημα “Are We There”.</li><li><b>ARCTIC MONKEYS</b> διότι βαρέθηκα ακούγοντάς το.</li><li><b>WEYES BLOOD</b> διότι αυτό το soft rock α-λα Carpenters χρειάζεται περισσότερα hooks.</li><li><b>ANGEL OLSEN</b> διότι η στροφή στην country δεν της βγήκε 100%.</li><li><b>SUDAN ARCHIVES</b> διότι απλά δεν έτυχε να ασχοληθώ.</li><li><b>BAD BUNNY</b> διότι σοβαρά τώρα;</li></ul><p>Πάμε τώρα λοιπόν να δούμε και την Εικοσάδα του Music Geek για το 2022. Αν έχω καταφέρει να σας βοηθήσω να ανακαλύψετε ένα ή δύο άλμπουμ που σας ξέφυγαν και που θα σας αρέσουν, έχω πετύχει τον στόχο μου. <b>Spread the word, share the love: </b></p><p><b>
</b></p><hr /><div style="text-align: right;"><b><div style="text-align: left;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhi5QprsKFY6oTQ8pXmVa17RnkQdFEMZ-gUZaVa3Of67WSoZ_SpE6_IZmcf_2vj8dzZ0bdnzv-RfVQyGYpzhBFaWxXa9loXTaiGbCL1jqEAMbGYQJsHETfRIbOG2asa0DaClTifRKDDF277zru_Nt7pkfE3hR74JXtZNr5vbYTJZjA8OixWRj64EUQRQ/s1920/dead%20dream.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="960" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhi5QprsKFY6oTQ8pXmVa17RnkQdFEMZ-gUZaVa3Of67WSoZ_SpE6_IZmcf_2vj8dzZ0bdnzv-RfVQyGYpzhBFaWxXa9loXTaiGbCL1jqEAMbGYQJsHETfRIbOG2asa0DaClTifRKDDF277zru_Nt7pkfE3hR74JXtZNr5vbYTJZjA8OixWRj64EUQRQ/w120-h240/dead%20dream.jpg" width="111" /></a></div>20. DREAM WIDOW – Dream Widow / DEAD CROSS – II</b> </div></b><div style="text-align: left;">Όπως και πέρσι κλέβω λίγο τοποθετώντας δύο άλμπουμ σε μία θέση, αλλά οι Dream Widow και οι Dead Cross έχουν πολλά κοινά:</div><div style="text-align: left;">α) Και τα δύο άλμπουμ είναι έργα ανιδιοτελούς αγάπης προς μουσικά genres ελαφρώς ξένα σε σχέση με τα day jobs των δημιουργών τους (metal από τον Dave Grohl, old-school crossover από την παρέα του Mike Patton).</div><div style="text-align: left;">β) Και τα δύο άλμπουμ θα σας κάνουν να θέλετε ΚΑΙ να αρχίσετε το slam-dancing ΚΑΙ να σκάσετε στα γέλια.</div><div style="text-align: left;">γ) Και τα δύο άλμπουμ ΓΑΜΑΝΕ.</div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pj8XbTDBhXc" width="320" youtube-src-id="pj8XbTDBhXc"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4oEZq_JHwBg" width="320" youtube-src-id="4oEZq_JHwBg"></iframe></div><b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1U3TBqeNXs4-qRdXtfkt4Ddr_FEB4VB0UDkclzqBpqvLRL4C0_qMUTV3T2n--4yaGOwhgwZv9KJq3Gz4H-V4pMIw9hrxOC3kqKr3pTNqPRpr_G2tV9OVsGsTh-A8cFHR0IH98DTqF1Ag-Gm_EZlfGNVeVQ-G8bDVIsU3ZhOlLVxnIWoNySqCCM4HuNQ/s600/Black-Country-New-Road.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1U3TBqeNXs4-qRdXtfkt4Ddr_FEB4VB0UDkclzqBpqvLRL4C0_qMUTV3T2n--4yaGOwhgwZv9KJq3Gz4H-V4pMIw9hrxOC3kqKr3pTNqPRpr_G2tV9OVsGsTh-A8cFHR0IH98DTqF1Ag-Gm_EZlfGNVeVQ-G8bDVIsU3ZhOlLVxnIWoNySqCCM4HuNQ/w200-h200/Black-Country-New-Road.webp" width="200" /></a></div>19. BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD – Ants From Up There<br /></b>Κάνουν το back-to-back αφού <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2021/12/20-2021.html" target="_blank">ήταν στη Λίστα και πέρσι</a>, με ένα δεύτερο άλμπουμ ακόμα πιο θαρραλέο, λιγότερο post-punk, περισσότερο chamber-pop. Η σοκαριστική αποχώρηση του τραγουδιστή/κιθαρίστα/βασικού συνθέτη Isaac Wood ταυτόχρονα με την κυκλοφορία του “Ants From Up There” θα μπορούσε να είχε σημάνει το τέλος, οι υπόλοιποι όμως συνεχίζουν και οι ανταποκρίσεις από τις συναυλίες τους είναι διθυραμβικές. Για να δούμε αν μπορούν να σκοράρουν χατ τρικ το 2023...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yjC4qXiBRu4" width="320" youtube-src-id="yjC4qXiBRu4"></iframe></div><p><b></b></p><hr /><b>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8h9OA2aK9U6HzgTiH8O85p4-Hocdee9DjGg-1MUeCzuswQpGjoXugIcxQbmD5ThHCZJvLZ5hLhKTA9I2SivGNvlXnEFNy_tmUSPpKEWoK6D8SsZYXstLC7gdB9VyncbnqKyvYC3UvFb0fIOiFhr_4HsijE8CBMgUgRyUnzo3rdLQ6bnNQlIgATCIKwQ/s1280/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8h9OA2aK9U6HzgTiH8O85p4-Hocdee9DjGg-1MUeCzuswQpGjoXugIcxQbmD5ThHCZJvLZ5hLhKTA9I2SivGNvlXnEFNy_tmUSPpKEWoK6D8SsZYXstLC7gdB9VyncbnqKyvYC3UvFb0fIOiFhr_4HsijE8CBMgUgRyUnzo3rdLQ6bnNQlIgATCIKwQ/w200-h200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>15. MICHAEL HEAD & THE RED ELASTIC BAND – Dear Scott<br /></b>Pale Fountains δεν άκουγα – μιλάμε για το 1984 ή κάτι τέτοιο, ήμουν φουλ βλαμμένος 16-χρονος μεταλάς, η ποικιλία των ακουσμάτων μου ξεκινούσε από τους AC/DC και κατέληγε στους Manowar, και η πλούσια ορχηστρική pop του Head, με επιρροές από Love και Burt Bacharach, δεν είχε καμία ελπίδα. Δεν ήμουν ο μόνος που τον σνόμπαρε τότε: Ο Head ποτέ δεν κατάφερε να περάσει σε ευρύτερο ακροατήριο, έμπλεξε και με τα ναρκωτικά, και ουσιαστικά έμεινε όλη του τη ζωή ένας πικραμένος cult ήρωας με ελάχιστους αλλά ορκισμένους οπαδούς. Υποθέτω ότι αυτό δεν πρόκειται να αλλάξει ούτε και με το “Dear Scott”, τουλάχιστον όμως έχω πλέον την ωριμότητα να αναγνωρίσω έστω και με 30+ χρόνια καθυστέρηση έναν σπουδαίο συνθέτη, από τους κορυφαίους της γενιάς του, και ο ίδιος φαίνεται να έχει βρει επιτέλους εσωτερική γαλήνη. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cABVBWozXs4" width="320" youtube-src-id="cABVBWozXs4"></iframe></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><b>
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</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUIzmaLYUkKaLXn4exNlGhCkHXSz9gXvL3nN-rO78r3w3pw5Q_kxSlgcDUMjvNKOw2ic9IFOj8YoMyuw4zKtWftNyITZ9fyVCfT8E2rxhVa-sgH3Z03rku8XtSA0_b7RS4iKtzhWu0QrpdiQrMHjmnbQtCrCuYW9lBs6MX2k4hWM9sVOAhCIZFuNRIg/s500/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="500" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUIzmaLYUkKaLXn4exNlGhCkHXSz9gXvL3nN-rO78r3w3pw5Q_kxSlgcDUMjvNKOw2ic9IFOj8YoMyuw4zKtWftNyITZ9fyVCfT8E2rxhVa-sgH3Z03rku8XtSA0_b7RS4iKtzhWu0QrpdiQrMHjmnbQtCrCuYW9lBs6MX2k4hWM9sVOAhCIZFuNRIg/w200-h198/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></div><b>14. TAYLOR SWIFT – Midnights<br /></b>Ξεκίνησε ως παιδί-θαύμα της country και το 2012 έκανε μία επική αλλαγή κατεύθυνσης που σύντομα την καθιέρωσε ως giga-star, status που διατηρεί ως σήμερα παρόλο που τα δύο άλμπουμ που κυκλοφόρησε μέσα στην πανδημία ήταν indie folk χαμηλού προφίλ. Το “Midnights” είναι η επιστροφή της Swift στην καθαρόαιμη pop, με τη διαφορά ότι οι στίχοι της αυτή τη φορά φανερώνουν ένα πιο ώριμο, ευάλωτο πρόσωπο. Αληθινή καλλιτέχνις, ο θρόνος της Βασίλισσας της Pop της ανήκει δικαιωματικά.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b1kbLwvqugk" width="320" youtube-src-id="b1kbLwvqugk"></iframe></div><p><b></b></p><hr /><b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbT5xo6asjX6gs8u__MPr-NY2h1CnuNu7BM37fT7Jn-BA04ClQfNE8h5Gq-W71Cq-7DbSOfHOngY2X9OsDKhSN4bZAwp_m1-jdj0D7Uz_tWJnweFBnX82lxo5QbjnE3jL9mB0TDvaEOP5D14A2eerSbQRVUPkZTjSVfErc9bqddMKh1R_NS7YdBwplBA/s1280/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbT5xo6asjX6gs8u__MPr-NY2h1CnuNu7BM37fT7Jn-BA04ClQfNE8h5Gq-W71Cq-7DbSOfHOngY2X9OsDKhSN4bZAwp_m1-jdj0D7Uz_tWJnweFBnX82lxo5QbjnE3jL9mB0TDvaEOP5D14A2eerSbQRVUPkZTjSVfErc9bqddMKh1R_NS7YdBwplBA/w200-h200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>13. SPIRITUALIZED – Everything Was Beautiful<br /></b>Ο Jason Pierce ανήκει στη συνομοταξία των ανθρώπων-κατσαρίδων (Keith Richards, Al Jourgensen κλπ.) που θα επιβιώσουν ακόμα και μετά από πυρηνικό Αρμαγεδδώνα – ο τύπος έχει πάρει τόσα ναρκωτικά στη ζωή του που όταν τελικά πεθάνει, θα χαρίσει το σώμα του στην επιστημονική φαντασία. Και παρόλα αυτά, μπορεί ακόμα στα 56 του να δημιουργεί δισκάρες όπως το “Everything Was Beautiful”, ένα album που παντρεύει ιδανικά ετερόκλητες μεταξύ τους επιρροές (Stooges, Stones, Velvets, Beach Boys, country, gospel...) και είναι σχεδόν τόσο καλό όσο το ανυπέρβλητο αριστούργημά του, το “Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space” του 1997. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ME0ji3o05UQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="ME0ji3o05UQ"></iframe></div><b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWep5QObvnvd_xiIFZNObYWWWh6-cOokOPM6xAvV_BMzHTXVUOAyv3XlLIfSrgxbFeIYobTgEj7bfDZ6Gr3oakggqVzSSU-p1p8kPTtmxRI9vntIM7wLliC1ENh6QhGMn7LPDIcGemycVEB1bu48_fwwRtyHygke_Ub8b4lNzUG0kFRC8xGQgDE7adA/s1417/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1417" data-original-width="1417" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWep5QObvnvd_xiIFZNObYWWWh6-cOokOPM6xAvV_BMzHTXVUOAyv3XlLIfSrgxbFeIYobTgEj7bfDZ6Gr3oakggqVzSSU-p1p8kPTtmxRI9vntIM7wLliC1ENh6QhGMn7LPDIcGemycVEB1bu48_fwwRtyHygke_Ub8b4lNzUG0kFRC8xGQgDE7adA/w200-h200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>12. WITCH FEVER – Congregation<br /></b>Κορυφαίος punk δίσκος κι ένα φοβερό ντεμπούτο – για να μην παρεξηγούμαστε όμως, όταν λέμε “punk” δεν εννοούμε ούτε Kαλιφορνέζικη σχολή Epitaph, ούτε hardcore: Oι Witch Fever αντλούν τις επιρροές τους από το Grunge, το κίνημα Riot Grrrl, ακόμα και από τους Deftones, και οι στίχοι τους είναι πολλά επίπεδα πάνω και χτυπάνε πολύ βαθύτερα από την σύνηθη punk συνθηματολογία. Δηλώνω εντυπωσιασμένος.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TKNjCj0sjes" width="320" youtube-src-id="TKNjCj0sjes"></iframe></div><b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagNmZWr3fNAmJLFNgRsn3MKrBm6kBNyf_8hHZQI4n2QgBzsOcaqQDYgYpJMH_V_oooKwQygMrZhyf2_W0QexeMd9yG1ZiTW4XB03x45N48e4Goi4G0tBhtEp5Ikyh_RzDbBoFHJl2Rxz9EE3o24kw_9qP2lWhbxQj-VcEI3s32qAv7sg1yOhbmGa7CQ/s600/yard-act-the-overload-art_1290_1290.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagNmZWr3fNAmJLFNgRsn3MKrBm6kBNyf_8hHZQI4n2QgBzsOcaqQDYgYpJMH_V_oooKwQygMrZhyf2_W0QexeMd9yG1ZiTW4XB03x45N48e4Goi4G0tBhtEp5Ikyh_RzDbBoFHJl2Rxz9EE3o24kw_9qP2lWhbxQj-VcEI3s32qAv7sg1yOhbmGa7CQ/w200-h200/yard-act-the-overload-art_1290_1290.webp" width="200" /></a></div>11. YARD ACT – The Overload<br /></b>Ευφυές, πολιτικοποιημένο, συχνά αστείο post-punk funk που σκιαγραφεί την κατάσταση σε μια μετα-Brexit Βρετανία, από μία μπάντα από το Leeds που οφείλει σε πρωτεργάτες όπως οι συμπολίτες τους Gang Of Four όσα και στους Sleaford Mods και τους Arctic Monkeys. Και παρεμπιπτόντως, το άλμπουμ είναι κλάσεις ανώτερο από το φετεινό Arctic Monkeys.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UrO7MLlMiLg" width="320" youtube-src-id="UrO7MLlMiLg"></iframe></div><b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUJBvSU9Jv334EbPokZ-ZxBxXDQXgJPiQSm_S5bZoj9pTLrmIpAVJBtb0DNNK4eodsbQFhjASX9rRR9qRJgllLgXDFh9m-Dq0D9GkSgXRV8Au-DHAg0fGeRinIPDOYYe3vMdR9SUUFgzOJHZjurQe2drAd2gIiSlsSPVAdG_vKzQZNKuNQNyPg0OHDUg/s500/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUJBvSU9Jv334EbPokZ-ZxBxXDQXgJPiQSm_S5bZoj9pTLrmIpAVJBtb0DNNK4eodsbQFhjASX9rRR9qRJgllLgXDFh9m-Dq0D9GkSgXRV8Au-DHAg0fGeRinIPDOYYe3vMdR9SUUFgzOJHZjurQe2drAd2gIiSlsSPVAdG_vKzQZNKuNQNyPg0OHDUg/w200-h200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>10. THE SADIES – Colder Streams<br /></b>Οι Καναδοί Sadies αποτελούν <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2013/12/2013-20-top-albums.html" target="_blank">σταθερούς επισκέπτες της Λίστας</a> του Music Geek, <a href="https://teenmusicgeek.blogspot.com/2017/12/20-albums-2017.html" target="_blank">κάθε φορά που βγάζουν δίσκο</a>, και αυτό είναι ίσως το καλύτερό τους άλμπουμ. Δυστυχώς το μέλλον τους διαγράφεται αβέβαιο μετά την πρώωρη απώλεια του κιθαρίστα/τραγουδιστή Dallas Good, το υπέροχο ψυχεδελικό country rock τους όμως θα έχει πάντα μια θέση στην καρδιά μας ακόμα κι αν αυτό είναι το τέλος του δρομου.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lw5laxbPrS8" width="320" youtube-src-id="lw5laxbPrS8"></iframe></div><b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-WX9Qd1QeJM1bPDxGhGCX2fcHdLAksPmB9uHsFFZLP_AZz9i7uc_mIdkof1iKWfNjZ-jqJ8qWQt6-Z31P5qZ3AmGcYPEzqPEbHfpRPrzK1flrAL59VYKxHTWbfZx7Xe1eRGpS0POqxriFlhwW-sE_1eLRgEPoJZf5YJsEUjHVNWcnidVz7fOY0Au8w/s300/Rammstein_-_Zeit.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-WX9Qd1QeJM1bPDxGhGCX2fcHdLAksPmB9uHsFFZLP_AZz9i7uc_mIdkof1iKWfNjZ-jqJ8qWQt6-Z31P5qZ3AmGcYPEzqPEbHfpRPrzK1flrAL59VYKxHTWbfZx7Xe1eRGpS0POqxriFlhwW-sE_1eLRgEPoJZf5YJsEUjHVNWcnidVz7fOY0Au8w/w200-h200/Rammstein_-_Zeit.png" width="200" /></a></div>9. RAMMSTEIN – Zeit<br /></b>Ίσως το πιο καθαρόαιμα διασκεδαστικό άλμπουμ της χρονιάς: Εθιστικά beats, από hooks τούμπανο, χιουμοριστικές ανωριμότητες, όλα στο 11, είναι απλά αδύνατον να μην περάσεις καλά ακούγοντάς το κι ας μην καταλαβαίνεις γρι Γερμανικά. Χοντροκομμένο βέβαια, αλλά αν αποζητάτε λεπτότητα και φινέτσα τραβάτε να ακούσετε Sade ξέρω ‘γω, τι δουλειά έχετε με τους Rammstein;<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hBTNyJ33LWI" width="320" youtube-src-id="hBTNyJ33LWI"></iframe></div><b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2c4MdcpV_2Hqw9bKKBcEbOL6KDBrVvmveH1jq8varWJems4r0K1FKVYCEbpW8415_dNdTqyOFXe1W5MhE5KJkZ_TDzKv5lrp6BWME4aPyWizLXKBE27uelzh-Y5M8pUshe6ec_H17bXyS9wKAUGbEiYXGHBn0Fu1QZ6jeUer1lA1NmL8w7oGihaHnA/s225/comet.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2c4MdcpV_2Hqw9bKKBcEbOL6KDBrVvmveH1jq8varWJems4r0K1FKVYCEbpW8415_dNdTqyOFXe1W5MhE5KJkZ_TDzKv5lrp6BWME4aPyWizLXKBE27uelzh-Y5M8pUshe6ec_H17bXyS9wKAUGbEiYXGHBn0Fu1QZ6jeUer1lA1NmL8w7oGihaHnA/w200-h200/comet.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>8. THE COMET IS COMING – Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam<br /></b>Ένας -υποτίθεται- jazz δίσκος, ο οποίος θα σας πάει πίσω στο Big Beat και τα Rave των 90’s: Χορευτικοί ρυθμοί, παχιά synths, και το τενόρο σαξόφωνο του πολυπράγμωνα Shabaka Hutchings σε ρόλο σέντερ φορ συνθέτουν ένα απολαυστικό, ξεσηκωτικό άκουσμα για περιπετειώδεις jazz-τροναύτες.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VN5VtWncH0A" width="320" youtube-src-id="VN5VtWncH0A"></iframe></div><b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4kM-c9683PyvK3ZujdcSnNvw6kvFVtrQB1_NufocUE6QKRIW63J5oSbe77jubT_uOqrDMB-gC_kyySROAg4J4Ui2lwJHm20iFyivEu63tw9WX0747Zkzin6ZhFkjQtOTCn3ScN7pXVlCCd2JUzfivGpFPpV3mB0yYfrPHrgqN27t1bfCf5evFGVTig/s1280/Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4kM-c9683PyvK3ZujdcSnNvw6kvFVtrQB1_NufocUE6QKRIW63J5oSbe77jubT_uOqrDMB-gC_kyySROAg4J4Ui2lwJHm20iFyivEu63tw9WX0747Zkzin6ZhFkjQtOTCn3ScN7pXVlCCd2JUzfivGpFPpV3mB0yYfrPHrgqN27t1bfCf5evFGVTig/w200-h200/Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>5. JAKE BLOUNT – The New Faith<br /></b>Ένας δίσκος από το μέλλον φτιαγμένος με υλικά του παρελθόντος. Ο Blount (εκτός από πολυοργανίστας, έχει και ακαδημαϊκή καριέρα στην ιστορία της μουσικής) συλλέγει αρχαίους gospel, blues και folk ήχους και τους επαναπροδιορίζει εντάσσοντάς τους στο πλαίσιο του αφροφουτουριστικού concept του “The New Faith”, περιγράφοντας τη ζωή μιας μικρής ομάδας Αφροαμερικανών επιζώντων της καταστροφής του πλανήτη λόγω κλιματικής αλλαγής και δίνοντάς τους νέο, συγκλονιστικό νόημα. Ένας καλλιτεχνικός θρίαμβος. <p></p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0hfI8dhgElc" width="320" youtube-src-id="0hfI8dhgElc"></iframe></p><b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mJOGx-UtEJ0-jY23rsKmGiTHv4uN173INzYWzCQT7w-PGBxUGfAalyZJ6F-P65NVF1XX6K9_aEncmMgAi3ub_ateCIT9SjVG2yY9lxKdVadxofXQXgNZVGaRJKF3CFgMcRS5cH4K5Uqjo0noF0hADpt1xHiHV70mafPpW5zRHPJcx4Vz5Go7GqkcOw/s1200/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mJOGx-UtEJ0-jY23rsKmGiTHv4uN173INzYWzCQT7w-PGBxUGfAalyZJ6F-P65NVF1XX6K9_aEncmMgAi3ub_ateCIT9SjVG2yY9lxKdVadxofXQXgNZVGaRJKF3CFgMcRS5cH4K5Uqjo0noF0hADpt1xHiHV70mafPpW5zRHPJcx4Vz5Go7GqkcOw/w200-h200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>4. ZEAL & ARDOR – Zeal & Ardor <br /></b>Πιστός ακόλουθος και καλός μαθητής της εικονοκλαστικής Ελβετικής παράδοσης των Celtic Frost, ο Manuel Gagneux συνεχίζει να χτίζει μεθοδικά τη μυθολογία των Zeal & Ardor προκαλώντας τα χρηστά ήθη. Οι μεταλλάδες αντιμετωπίζουν τους Zeal & Ardor με καχυποψία, ως είθισται σε τέτοιες περιπτώσεις, και αυτό μόνο ως επιβεβαίωση του καλού γούστου όσων τους γουστάρουν μπορεί να εκληφθεί.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L9G4HRGh8Ac" width="320" youtube-src-id="L9G4HRGh8Ac"></iframe></div><b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGj-27Ecb_95LkpZ0BV_4-On8kzyrfR-ocf8MhtFi2KJ0ErZnoZ0l5lDNN6gaMHI8jwFLFLC5k_gy6BZnpYVeAQ0zkw0Zq3No5ny86gL1YCHMHEy5vLKihUk_70fWSRIo9Jc18AZ9n1lwbDsTcIgUcV6ZdUFrsIlsCXhJycOnMZhKGZU4aP2aaz9WmA/s225/morby.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGj-27Ecb_95LkpZ0BV_4-On8kzyrfR-ocf8MhtFi2KJ0ErZnoZ0l5lDNN6gaMHI8jwFLFLC5k_gy6BZnpYVeAQ0zkw0Zq3No5ny86gL1YCHMHEy5vLKihUk_70fWSRIo9Jc18AZ9n1lwbDsTcIgUcV6ZdUFrsIlsCXhJycOnMZhKGZU4aP2aaz9WmA/w200-h200/morby.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>3. KEVIN MORBY – This Is A Photograph<br /></b>Ένας εξαιρετικός δίσκος που καλύπτει όλο το μουσικό φάσμα από το indie rock στην americana, παραδίδοντας ταυτόχρονα μαθήματα για το πώς το προσωπικό γίνεται συλλογικό: Τραγουδώντας για μια παλιά φωτογραφία του πατέρα του που βρήκε, ή εξομολογούμενος τον έρωτά του στη σύντροφό του (την επίσης μουσικό Katie Crutchfield, γνωστή ως Waxahatchee), ή για τότε που πρωτοάκουσε το “Hallelujah” από τον Jeff Buckley, ο Morby αποθανατίζει στιγμές της ζωής του και τις μετατρέπει σε αληθινή τέχνη.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hmxrnAouciM" width="320" youtube-src-id="hmxrnAouciM"></iframe></div><hr /><b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Hz2XuLW5cb_LQYrC63sDJHyiKWr9wDuoQ2JDME9Uk0FCB_OBDMmmENARTu5iZKZ10dOv6aySU6ny5hk4whcIaIqAVXefMWLrplTlKen0AYtwFmDw3T_Jutms_LaYZWtiH2zHET1Hi9cf8i7R2ZjMCM_je2V6chD2sLzasb64fgUeF-hObWxDmfzB0A/s315/cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Hz2XuLW5cb_LQYrC63sDJHyiKWr9wDuoQ2JDME9Uk0FCB_OBDMmmENARTu5iZKZ10dOv6aySU6ny5hk4whcIaIqAVXefMWLrplTlKen0AYtwFmDw3T_Jutms_LaYZWtiH2zHET1Hi9cf8i7R2ZjMCM_je2V6chD2sLzasb64fgUeF-hObWxDmfzB0A/w200-h200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>2. GHOST – Impera<br /></b>Το gimmick του Αντί-Πάπα υπήρξε στην αρχή ένα εξαιρετικό εργαλείο μάρκετινγκ, η όλη υπόθεση όμως θα είχε ξεφουσκώσει με την άρση της ανωνυμίας αν η μουσική δεν ήταν εξαιρετική. Και ξέρετε κάτι; Η ταυτότητα του Tobias Forge ήταν έτσι κι αλλιώς το χειρότερα κρυμμένο μυστικό στο metal από την ομοφυλοφιλία του Rob Halford και μετά, και όπως ακριβώς η δημοφιλία των Judas Priest δεν επηρεάστηκε από την αποκάλυψη, κανείς δεν νοιάστηκε πραγματικά για το ποιός κρύβεται πίσω από τους Ghost – ήταν ένα παιχνίδι, είχε πλάκα, αυτό που μετράει όμως είναι τα φοβερά τραγούδια που ο Tobias εξακολουθεί να μας προσφέρει απλόχερα, παντρεύοντας ξεδιάντροπα πλέον το metal το σωστό, το αντρίκειο, με pop hooks που θα ζήλευαν οι Abba και ο Desmond Child.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rtkaUZvMaG8" width="320" youtube-src-id="rtkaUZvMaG8"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p><b>
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</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPaiqgPjLID3NA5ioesE2fprWralxA_6ayMMhUIAIEJuDp9kpdEmT9u-ZEFeHP8ILAVjeHJwgg4FjBh_g_udeEIpa_EVKeZeOk415EAgoBRqfsE0NgbkVGwIwkbZJJiQJyFUyjcFCszcz80dOfgDkQEVztqsxlxRfR9yXc2Jc6oyZ2gz37cQjgSjs_Q/s1500/turner%20cover.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1485" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPaiqgPjLID3NA5ioesE2fprWralxA_6ayMMhUIAIEJuDp9kpdEmT9u-ZEFeHP8ILAVjeHJwgg4FjBh_g_udeEIpa_EVKeZeOk415EAgoBRqfsE0NgbkVGwIwkbZJJiQJyFUyjcFCszcz80dOfgDkQEVztqsxlxRfR9yXc2Jc6oyZ2gz37cQjgSjs_Q/w317-h320/turner%20cover.jpeg" width="317" /></a></b></div><b>1. FRANK TURNER – FTHC <br /></b>Μην ψάχνεις για βαθιά μεταφορικά νοήματα στους στίχους του Frank Turner – o τύπος βασικά τραγουδά για τη ζωή του. Κόβει τα ναρκωτικά; Να ένα τραγούδι! Μετακομίζει από το Λονδίνο στην επαρχία; Τραγούδι! Διαγιγνώσκεται με αγχώδη διαταραχή; Τραγούδι! Αυτοκτονεί ο κολλητός του; Τραγούδι! Ανακαλύπτει ότι ο επί δεκαετίες χαμένος/αποξενωμένος πατέρας του είναι πλέον trans και λέγεται Μιράντα; Εεε, τραγούδι, εννοείται. Αυτή η αμεσότητα είναι που κάνει το “FTHC” να ακούγεται σα να σου ανοίγει την καρδιά του ένας καλός φίλος, υποθέτωντας βεβαίως ότι οι καλοί σου φίλοι γράφουν φανταστικά rock/folk/punk τραγούδια κι έχουν fans όπως....οι Iron Maiden;;;<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiroQUbTZst8rDTWGjjHcX_HWSYOkwuCCv1OVnfUob9Yx8WhWID_FU_1bXIRXyZHvAlDFKb8-fIjHIj5m8dfwJJymNp7ruwwmend7ocJwDDUkVE3S9sm__jphIVPRwVOk7Jt_qdDyql9pKD_by05z4hls5B0lL05KE10x1MxI-O9HFabZju7g_pCm8uGQ/s532/turner%20tweet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="532" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiroQUbTZst8rDTWGjjHcX_HWSYOkwuCCv1OVnfUob9Yx8WhWID_FU_1bXIRXyZHvAlDFKb8-fIjHIj5m8dfwJJymNp7ruwwmend7ocJwDDUkVE3S9sm__jphIVPRwVOk7Jt_qdDyql9pKD_by05z4hls5B0lL05KE10x1MxI-O9HFabZju7g_pCm8uGQ/w400-h189/turner%20tweet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Μμμ ναι. Τι λέγαμε; Τραγουδάρες για τη ζωή του Turner που μιλάνε στην ψυχή μας, διότι μπορεί εμείς να ζούμε μια άλλη ζωή, ζητάμε όμως παρόμοια πράγματα από αυτήν και το “FTHC” ήταν φέτος το soundtrack της.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2w3aIj6iU5Y" width="320" youtube-src-id="2w3aIj6iU5Y"></iframe></div><br /><p></p>TeenMusicGeekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01942584839955807473noreply@blogger.com0