Karma Police's Blog

Karma Police Presents: Death Magnetic, an Album Review

Mac is Drowning Some Riot — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:28:35 GMT

Five-years ago, Metallica made an attempt to reclaim their thrown - a thrown they never realized they had fallen off of - over the metal world with technically their first album in six-years. (Garage Inc. was a cover album; not really a Metallica record) Since the beginning of the new millennium, turmoil had surrounded the band. In early 2000 and through 2001, Metallica found that their songs were being downloaded for free off Napster by millions everywhere. By that time, they had sold well over 90-million albums world-wide, grossing amounts of money unimaginable to those of us struggling in today's decimated economy. For a band so laden with cash, Napster didn't seem like a move crying about loss of revenue, but getting a step on the new wave moving through music that was not only losing them money, but everyone else as well, virtually killing the business. (Album sales are down 11% so far this year) Naturally, the only concept that got across to fans was that they were just greedy musicians using their name as a platform. Then, as if things couldn't get worse, inner issues began to boil over - the spark that revealed those problems and set them ablaze was the departure of Jason Newsted, then bassist of 14-years. Continuing the domino effect, James Hetfield's alcoholic problem of 20-plus years was becoming something that was negatively affecting his home life, thus, he was thrown out of his own home. Soon after, he's in rehab, postponing the production of the band's album later to be known as St. Anger. After months in rehab Hetfield returned to his band, their album, their film-project, and the psychiatrist that had been working with them. St. Anger hit number-one in 30-countries, only to be later ill-received for its retched musical styles that included a trash-can sounding snare drum and a c-tuned guitar. It was a very pissed off, primal and heavy on the attitude record that spilled James Hetfield open and revealed the ugly avenues within; so ugly that it nearly killed the band's reputation, which was yet another strike against them with so many others already in the books: Metallica - supposedly selling-out; Load/Re-load - going alternative; Garage Inc. - yet another non-thrash album; and Napster.

In the five-years between the release of St. Anger and lots of touring/shows done, Metallica has returned to the rock universe to give birth to their 10-studio album:

Many questions surrounded the album; would it be thrash? Did they fix the drums? How will James' vocals sound? Will there be any guitar solos? How many tracks? Will the lyrics of old be back? Do they even have anything left in the tank? Questions all posed by metal enthusiasts who've been tracking the band for most of their lives. Metallica has lost followers by the thousands for the past 20-years dating back to when they first made major changes in their style on the Justice album and debuted their first ever music video. The masses remaining who have posed the countless questions of what to expect next are truly die-hards, who live, breathe, and exist through the band's music that has been clouding the airwaves for decades. The millions remaining on the Horsemen's bandwagon are like Cubs or Red Sox fans; they've been through thick and thin, both in their lives and in their devotion to a band that has never been afraid to do what they wanted. Yet, through every trial and tribulation in their lives, and no matter how many times what has always been constant in their lives has changed itself, the music, Metallica's music has always been an unwavering force in their lives. When they woke up to a driving headache and the scars of the past aching inside and out, "Bleeding Me" was there. When questions of faith arose, "Until it Sleeps" and "The God That Failed" was there. When injustice seeped into their living rooms, "Eye of the Beholder" was there. When the day's darkest moments surrounded on all fronts, "Fade to Black" was there. When the sun wouldn't stop shining, "Whiplash" and "Damage Inc." was there. And when things felt uncertain and overwhelming, "The Unnamed Feeling" was there as a constant, mother-like touch. It never has mattered how many times it seemed that they turned their backs on people, because, you see they never really have. Leaving their metal roots left many behind to waddle in their own rotten feces; jumping into alternative rock captured the hearts of millions more. And when many had turned their cheek and crushed CD's, more were found in the darkness with the light of St. Anger. And now, 25-years after their first release via album into the underground metal world, the band that has ruled the world ever since is back, ready to answer questions, erase doubts, and forge a new path for their careers, and in the process, open up countless more avenues and set more paths for the up and comers of the business, that like rock and music as a whole is dying.

I give you... Metallica

1. That Was Just Your Life

James Hetfield acknowledges what transpired in the lives of Metallica in the early 2000's and throughout the entire St. Anger process as a near-death experience for the band. He attributes that idea to this album - not only it bringing them back to the forefront and of importance in the music world, but some of its lyrical themes and the makeup of the record. That idea is brought to life by the heart-beat that begins to strum in the opening seconds of the first song to this album. Symbolizing that Metallica is still alive, well, sane, and still rules the world, the heart-beating leads directly into a blistering wave of modern thrash metal. The bogged down pace of the first minute and a half deceives you, until riffs charge faster, the song shifts gears and fire breaths out of the tail-pipe. After the emergence of some short-lived double-bass drum play, James' updated vocals take the mic' with a strong grip and never release its clamped pressure. As James spits out lyrics at a heightened pace that rather than retain but naturally throttles you with attitude, any wonders of what exactly they were capable of are answered. The riffs: maddeningly good. Vocals and lyrics: bad-****. The solo: THE SOLO! Seven-minutes of this makes you bite your nails for more... and literally "brings you straight down to your knees".

5/5

2. The End of the Line

A while back, Metallica debuted a song called "Death is Not the End" somewhere, featuring some of the very same brutally awesome riffs that start off this song. The rest of that song they debuted was miserably hard to listen too; apparently, the band took a hint. They re-worked some things, and as it seems, ripped those riffs and threw them right into a different song. This bad-boy busts out of the gates and finds its groove with daring speed and intensity. James' vocals rip through the speakers and the guitar follows along perfectly. Where other artists would round a song like this off at 3:30 minutes, Metallica rages on, throwing more onto the ship and more hands on deck. Taking a step back in time to days of writing about drug use, "The End of the Line" throttles you with a story of a young-man struggling with abuse, while incorporating not one, but two solos, and a bridge that comes out of nowhere making it sound like a new track has commenced. Then it alters course, directly back to the track it was on, and brings things home to a screeching halt.

4/5

3. Broken, Beat & Scarred

Number-three... how important it is to retain the fire of the album that has been going for over 14:00. The opening drum-play kicks you in the shins you so hard, you fail to realize your bobbing your head already. The riff at the 1:00 mark is so bone-crushingly wicked; you remember exactly why you're still listening to this band. James' opening vocals, no matter the morphed chliche, clinch you hard enough to maintain your attention for the last 5:00:

You rise, you fall, you're down then you rise again.
What dont kill you make you more strong.
You rise, you fall, you're down then you rise again.
What dont kill you make you more strong.

Rise, fall, down, rise again.
What dont kill you make you more strong.
Rise, fall, down, rise again.
What dont kill you make you more strong.

Through black days.
Through black nights.
Through pitch black insights.

It continues, heading straight into a classically molded Metallica track unhinging another lightning fast solo... and concludes with the words "We die hard!" being yelled as if it's a slogan. This anthem personifies the mess the band has trudged through in the 21^st century, highlighting its near-death experience and the turmoil that surfaced in their own lives and reverberating the idea of getting back up once knocked down. James Hetfield takes the flag for ‘Tallica by roaring out to the heavens and earth that they fell, got back up and came back stronger than ever before, and remind us that they aren't going out with a fight. And to top it off, remind everyone that the things they've spewed about them over the past few years only bounce off their armor - e.g. "Through pitch black insights".

4/5

4. The Day That Never Comes

On August, 21st from Metallica's website, their first single was released: this song. Out of all the song titles that I saw early on when the track listing was debuted, this one drew me in the most. And I'm sure it was chosen as the debut song off the album nearly a month prior to its release for a reason. So far, this album is generating a lot of energy, utilizing their thrash metal roots and churning it with a modernized sound; The Day That Never Comes is at this point in the album the best representation of what Metallica was trying to accomplish. The opening melody brings back memories of "To Live is to Die", one of their most vividly creative and emotional tracks, and my favorite song off the ...And Justice For All album. It slowly bridges into a soothing guitar sequence that holds the mood for the vocals, which are soft and making it clear that this is a ballad. From what I can gather, the song is about abuse, and the will to hold on and wait for the warmth of love. But as I've read it more, it seems open to interpretation. Like so many songs in the past -- Bleeding Me, for example -- the vocals help guide the music perfectly with the effortless amount of emotion used. Hetfield takes his heart punching lyrics and take them to another level with how he approaches and finishes them. When the song hits the 3:55 mark, it's leaving the depths of sorrow and raging its way down the path of promise and determination. The beat hits you in the gut, and the last scream of "This I swear", where Hetfield is speaking out to the person in the song that he'll make the day brighter one day for her, is all you ever needed to be uplifted and released -- or maybe it was the last 3:00 minutes of the song, which have the effect that the guitar portions in "To Live is to Die" after the only stanzas of lyrics were uttered. Kirk Hammett and Hetfield take center stage in the final few minutes, which musically, were as brilliant, and even more empowering as the introductory angelic riffs. "The Day That Never Comes" is a slow-bounding emotional roller-coaster that hits its stride late, and like a horse in the Preakness, never slows down until it hits the light at the end of the tunnel.

5/5

5. All Nightmare Long

The duo of strumming bass and slowly tapping drums creates a building sensation from the get-go of this one. Guitar enters, figuratively slamming heavily on the gas pedal and abruptly quickening the pace. The guitar soars over what sounds like air, creating even more of a sensation of gaining speed. And then, it becomes clear that this "Damage Inc."/"Enter Sandman" look-alike means business. In times of Metallica's career, they substituted the usual metal song-themes for very political and personal messages. On albums like Master and Justice, they incorporated politics, war, religion, and injustice. And occasionally, they'd throw in a few songs just to get the juices flowing, where listeners wouldn't have to worry about any hidden messages or statements being made - they could just lose themselves in the music and never let it go. This is that time on Death Magnetic, yet again. And as the song flies by, it doesn't forget that it's supposed to be musically complex - it throws in a second solo, before closing with the same unforgettable verses that will make you come back to this song so many times in the future. Note: Next time you want to taunt someone, quote this song.

5/5

6. Cyanide

Personally, after hearing this song I thought it could've been discarded, maybe even spliced and cut into other songs, so that "All Nightmare Long" was the perfect bridge to what will most definitely be an amazing ballad at the seven-spot; but nah, ‘Tallica had different ideas. "Cyanide" gets going with a foot-stomping bass line and trudges on through a wasteland forged by the Horsemen at a very smooth pace. Then, Rob enters again, then exits only to be a rumble in the distance. For what is the heaviest song on the album, it never really takes flight with me. It has its moments of classic-quality - the Trujillo's bass-play, some of the lyrics and riffs - but never really soars like the other songs before it. This album is very loud, very in your face... "Cyanide" sort of gets lost in a world of sameness. For others, it's one of the best on the record, maybe because of how it slows mid-way through to a melodic speed, featuring some soft to the touch vocals. And I can dig that - there's other people that I've seen say "The Day That Never Comes" is utter crap, where I'm one to say it's one of the best on the album. But playing fair isn't always part of the game - Mac says "Cyanide" is alright, so it's alright. Alright? Alright...

3/5

7. The Unforgiven III

Because of what I consider a track-ordering fop a, there is a sense of urgency at this point in the album. In years past, number-seven meant that you were only one away from being home and done, ready to dig into mom's home-cookin'. Enter Number-Seven: When I first read the letters of each word and put those words together to form the title of this song, I was a bit shocked, scared and hopeful all at once. Why? I'll tell ya: It seems a bit pretentious and unoriginal, taking the name/idea of two songs from the past and trying to continue it into a series. That makes me scared because it may end up being made into a big part of the record, and then be a major bust. But then there's hope. Ah, hope. Hope that their creative juices are still flowing. Hope that the series now revealing its third part will be one of the best pieces to this puzzle. For hell, the songs of the past always were very intuitive lyrically. They were always some of the better songs on the albums they were on. That right there gave me hope that Metallica had dug deep yet again and had given me yet one more song to listen too from my countless list of others. Oh, how they succeeded. It starts with a suttle, yet direly effective piano intro, further solidifying the fact that Metallica are the Kings of coming up with new and creative introductions to each and every song they've ever created - regardless of how the song ended up being. The first two Unforgiven songs carried some weighty themes and were generally around the same spot in the album as the third-installment is. The first on 1991's Metallica album was written about the idea of living your own way, and not letting yourself become oppressed by others. The concept of it is personified in the music video, helping it become clearer that it's about a young man driven down as a boy, suffers through adult-hood and grows old, living in regret for never casting the shackles beset about his wrists by society and that he never was able to satisfy others, leaving emotional scars. Number-two was from 1997's Reload, carrying a much bluesier feel to it. Lyrically, it picks up where the first left off, adding love into the mixture. James, who personally has admitted he didn't know how to get close to people, directly relating it to his life growing up at home, lyrically channels that past and incorporates a thematic element of a man seeking to no longer be alone, but only if the love he sees is true. Yet again, the music video that accompanies the song articulates the theme beautifully. This time around, the one to be forgiven is himself. Always living in remembrance, fighting the fear and searching for more, the character, whether it's James or not - although, to me the three-part song series has to be centered around James - struggles within himself. The 7:47 long track breaks away from all songs before it in getting very personal to the author and musician, and sheds the burden of being Metallica, and just being James Hetfield. Like so many songs done in their careers, the emotion foams out of the speakers and spills into your lap; and to me, if they can't do anything else, that's all I want them to do: Exit Number-Seven.

5/5

8. The Judas Kiss

Think real hard for me here... think of all the songs you've ever heard that had lyrics that were insanely hard to not laugh at, but were so damned bad-to-the-bone that it made you wanna hear them again and again.

The eighth track to this record is just another great example of that. The attitude that seethes out of this song takes away any blame for James even having picked up a pen and jotting some of the things down that are included in this song. And when the time is right, those devilish lyrics devour you... prime example:

Bow down; sell your soul to me.
I will set you free.
Pacify your demons.

Or here:

Bow down, surrender unto me.

Submit infectiously.

Sanctify your demons... into abyss.

You don't exist... cannot resist the Judas Kiss!

Or my goodness, here:

Judas lives, recite this vow.

I've become your new god now!

And don't lie -- those wa-wa fests of a solo clinches your soul and never let's go. Unless of course, you already sold it to them, then... well...

4/5

9. Suicide & Redemption

In 1988, roughly two-years after the death of bassist Cliff Burton, Metallica released the album ...And Justice For All. The second-to-last track - like this one - was an instrumental in dedication to their fallen friend and band-mate. With their new and 10^th installment to their album collection nearly in the books, Death Magnetic at least to me decides to make a payment to its fans. After about two-to-three minutes of very intoxicating filled music, featuring heavy riffs, it becomes perfectly clear that they've dished out their fifth-instrumental. And like the last one they did, this one nearly tops out at 10:00. 9:58 of a modernized, fully-energized, metal instrumental that in on itself could create a mosh-pit without the assistance of a few growls out of the Mighty Het. Around the middle when the guitars start to whine, it just makes me laugh at how they're almost toying with everyone who has doubted them over the past 18-years. I'm dead set on the idea that this song was supposed to accomplish a number of things: show Metallica fans everywhere that their gas-tank isn't empty; touch on the old-flame they used to have; give Rob Trujilo his day in the sun as the now full-time bassist; and give a fat middle finger to those who abandoned ship over the years. And as I listen to this song more and more, I to give all that aren't still on Metallica's bandwagon - or even ever were -- a big, double-barreled symbol of rebellion and cockiness. Out of all the songs on this album, this is my favorite. It's bar-none the most intelligently crafted and creative piece of work on Death Magnetic.

5/5

10. My Apocalypse

Now, at the 10th and final spot on the album, we arrive at an attempt to recapture the fire of the past with "My Apocalypse". In years past when Metallica really was metal, and thrash metal at that, they loved to end albums with a fiery burst of a speed-demon, testosterone induced song. On Master of Puppets, it was "Damage Inc". On ...And Justice For All, it was "Dyers Eve". Now we have "My Apocalypse", a song stealing lyrical themes from Slayer in the cover of a 45-year old James Hetfield. A song of 5:00 minutes to its length, and one that starts off with a thundering amount of attitude. You can feel the air of Seattle '89 reemerging in the first few seconds. The hoof-pattering drums add a ballsy touch, and the cymbals seem to cry out in laughter. And like the rest of the record, are a bit too loud and the tone a bit aggravating. But it's all okay once again when James comes in. Unlike on St. Anger when it seemed like he was trying to find words to make rhymes and it not coming out in classic Hetfield-style, the lyrical scheme works perfectly, keeping with an olden 80's Slayer ideological theme and a full-blown new-age Metallica attitude. A thrash fan of any age can't help but love it at the 1:51 when James dishes out a grunt and a speedy burst from Hammett ensues. Showing no sign of age, James rages on with great speed vocally and the guitar/drum duo never relents either. The quick start-stop sound never even gets old as the song blisters its way on, and Metallica reminds you that they aren't in the 80's anymore despite any similarities, as they don't succumb to their old habits of just letting a song finish itself with a blitzkrieging guitar solo; they let the guitar/drum/vocal trio do the closing. After the first listen the song fulfils its purpose and then some. Listening to it repeatedly can become a bore, and the start-stop style and lacking of a good solo downgrade it. But, that was just how the songs it modeled from the past ended up being like. So, in a twisted way, it was a recapturing of the old flame -- a solid, much less than great way to finish this new installment to the Horsemen's careers.

3/5

After 75:17 of Metallica, one needs to cleanse their palate a bit, eh? For an album hyped up so much, it definitely leaves a pleasing taste after its conclusion. Although bloated in its size (it still had three more demo tracks that could've made it a double-album) it flows smoothly in regular Metallica fashion that the minutes fly by as you're swept up continually by its riffs, bellows and screeches. For a long time now, Metallica has been surrounded by negative energy. Jeers of selling out and being washed up have clogged message boards and Youtube comment sections for some time now, leaving a nation of fans divided more ways than you can point out. There's the life-long diehards, who, although have issues with a lot of the turns the band has made during their trip, still find ways to love everything they've accomplished, and will truly be there forever as a fan. There are those who label themselves as old-school Metallica fans, and nothing else. Others who came in 1991 and feel as if what they've done since is just them delving into their own musical abilities, searching for the limits of their talents. And after that, there's so many in-between and mixtures of it all. One thing that most have suffered from is the inability to move on from the past, realize that it's still rock n' roll, and that metal isn't everything. Realize that people move on, no matter how perfectly crafted their past works were or how much of a high they were riding during their so-called "glory years". And that the best way to make your legacy last is to expand and experiment in your styles, so that you can reach as many people as possible, while still living by your own call and doing what you feel is best. Metallica, driven by the desire to make it and become rich and famous like every other band out there, did alter their course for that purpose, but also because they wanted to see how far they could go. And now, after doing so, they've returned. Returned to their roots, yet, not forgetting but channeling what they've done in the years they've accumulated on the trip that has led them to today. Death Magnetic is a testament to a band's resolve, both in their own lives and their careers. Whether it's the last record they ever produce or not, it has extended their legacy another 10-20 years. They continued their own trend of never sticking with the same thing twice, and giving the public just one more stash of songs to obsess over for the next few decades. Despite it's obvious flaws that include James Hetfield doing his best to re-metalize himself lyrically, and Lars Ulrich's less-than fantastic drum-play, and veteran Rick Rubin's inability to mix the album well enough to give it justice, Death Magnetic recharges Metallica's battery so much that it extends their reign for a long time to come. It's said that the best way to make people turn the other cheek and forget is to continue doing what you do best - Death Magnetic, if not entirely for some, erases a lot of the past that clogs their legacy. While it may not be the best album of the 2000's, or even of the year 2008, it will forever be a landmark in Metallica's careers for what it means to them personally, and for the millions abroad that awaited it so faithfully and with an immense amount of hope.

Notable Tracks

That Was Just Your Life, The Day That Never Comes, Suicide & Redemption

Overall Rating

Four-Stars

Released Worldwide September 12th, 2008

The Sound of Karma -- Volume XXXVI

Mac is Drowning Some Riot — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:33:33 GMT

Lately, I've been on a new-rock binge. As strange as it may seem - and is - it's true. Between a few new albums and songs done by older artists to fresh, up and coming bands that have come to my attention, the truth remains the same: modern rock n' roll is getting a crash course into the ears of Mac. The five-songs beset in this post are diverse through their styles, providing I'd say most of the people who will view this with at least one song to click upon.

1. Disciple - Slayer

First up, it's the one song that might be skipped over. It's Slayer, the ‘80's speed-metal band that has during its career given birth to a sub-genre of metal - Black - and driven home messages of the atheistic and morbid to millions of underground music enthusiasts. Slayer had their years when they were unshakeable; albums like Reign in Blood, Seasons in the Abyss and South of Heaven put Slayer on the map in the metal realm and as one of the elites in the sub-genre beyond the years of British Heavy Metal. In 2001, after years of sub-par albums in accordance to past productions, Slayer released the album God Hates Us All, bar-none, and even by their standards, one of their angriest albums to date. This song here is the second track, and easily one of the bigger ones of the record, the other being "Bloodline" that has its own menacing video to go with it.

2. The First Vietnamese War - The Black Angels

A few weeks ago, my buddy and long-time resident of this site Coletrain raved about the band The Black Angels somewhere, either being in Dogs, Pigs and Sheep or in the Chat Room Group. Their album Passover was what he was gushing about, an album he made out to be a modern-day version of a Doors record. Surely, he must've either been out of his mind to have been comparing a band of today to the gods he's worshipped for some time now, or there really was something to it, and these guys were masters of psychadelia. The latter ended up being the reality of it, as Passover is an orgasmic album that provides foot-stomping beats and rhythms every step of the way. Personally, I don't think this is the best song on the album, but it's just the one I featured.

3. An Audience With the Pope - Elbow

Staying with Coletrain here, this is another album I took a hint on from him. And I guess Cardsox as well as the both of them were talking about the band known as Elbow one day that ended up getting me curious. Cardsy introduced the song "Grounds For Divorce" to me, which was the spark I needed to spend $9 on iTunes to get the album, The Seldom Seen Kid. Overall, it's good, sometimes things sound the same and are drawn out unnecessarily, but I still enjoy the album, as it's a wonderfully refreshing piece of work that I use to break from my daily routine of nothing but Metallica.

4. Okay I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Dont - Brand New

Here again is an album that was referred to me by a guy online. This time being solely on the shoulders of Cardsox and the album review he wrote a bit ago. The album Deja Entendu is supposedly the closest thing to the soundtrack of his life, equaling the simple idea of his favorite album. It's pop emo rock, the style in rock that I've always ignored due to its generic sound and popcorn lyrics. Deja lyrically and ideally is something to reckon with, sadly, though, the music never grips me, which even more sadly in the case of the band, allows me to let the lyrics go unnoticed for how bored my mind is. But like I've said already, after spending $10.83 on it off iTunes, I'm gonna keep trying with it, especially so because so many songs and artists I now love were first turn-offs. So... we'll see.

5. The Day That Never Comes - Metallica

You knew it was coming, right? I think you did, and if you didn't, you must not know who I am. Metallica's 10^th studio album, Death Magnetic is to be released on September 12^th, only seven-days from now. They have released three-singles on their website -- along with three-more Thursday night, dubbed a "Feast of Death" (All Nightmare Long, Broken, Beat & Scarred, The Judas Kiss: all of which were damn good) -- and this is the one that has to anyone's knowledge been made into a music video. It was debuted on their site just a few days ago, and has already hit Youtube, with I'm sure the likes of MTV and VH1 to follow. The song itself in my obsessive opinion is the best they've had in 11-years, unless you count cover songs like "Astronomy" or "Turn the Page", then the competition to me gets a bit tough. This ballad that shifts into a blitzkrieg worthy of being noted as thrash metal with a modern twist is a wonderful piece of music, and the video, although seemingly not related to the song's meaning, is brilliant as well.

The Airborne Toxic Event - The Airborne Toxic Event

Cardsox — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:57:26 GMT

The Airborne Toxic Event
The Airborne Toxic Event
5 August 2008

Picture yourself spending your Thursday evening with your friends in a damp, dark New York underground club, where an open poetry exhibition has seized a controlling grip on the night. One nervous, bumbling mess after another stumbles onto the stage and pours their heart out into the microphone. As expected, the improvisational lineup reeks of amateurish performances, and the slim audience settles into a vague disinterest, only watching in order to keep tabs on the possibility of a total onstage meltdown. Suddenly, with the night winding down, a troupe of five eccentric-but-elegantly dressed 20somethings step to the mic, set up an army of sonic manipulators, and begin to seamlessly move the audience from their coffee-laden round tables to the front of the stage, and then to near tears.

The poor poets are today's beloved indie scene, the audience is ourselves as the listening community, and the troupe of five make up The Airborne Toxic Event.

In one of my favorite review quotes I've seen in a while, the LA Times calls The Airborne Toxic Event "poetry you can dance to." Well...review finished. That's really all you need to know about ATE. But then, in futile hopes of making my introduction paragraph worthwhile, I shall continue to tell more about this danceable, poetic symbiosis. Lead man Mikel Jollett is an artist at the pen, but a master at delivery. I mean, have you ever wondered what would happen if Conor Oberst could sing? Have you ever pondered the effects of Bruce Springsteen upping his performance to the point where you’re as sucked in and consumed as dust to a vacuum? What if Vampire Weekend collaborated with Joy Division? If your interest was piqued by any of these questions, I’d like to recommend an album to you.

The eponym begins with “Wishing Well”, a pulsating thought bubble that compares more to a usually-indescribable feeling than to an emotion or experience. It’s the descriptionless anxious boredom that drives us to the brink of insanity as we’re trapped within our minds with nothing else to do. Of course, I can’t do it justice here, nor could I in any other non-prose format. When a song does more than poetry can, that is to say knowing and remembering that you’re at the exact spot in time that Jollett refers to, you come to realize that the rest of the album will likely be a downhill slope.

And so it is, but in brilliantly marginal fashion. Songs like “Papillion” and “Gasoline” make you quite literally want to cry and dance at the same time. Really, they sort of make me want to hear The Bravery cover some Brand New material. Nothing like mixed emotions tearing you in opposite ways like a storm front collision. The best example of this is the oddball track “Does This Mean You’re Moving On?”, which comes off as almost too jangly to take itself seriously. By the second verse, you’re already too enveloped in self-appreciating enjoyment to notice the lyrics, “I come to your door and I hear a moan / Then another voice, Oh Christ she’s not alone, alone, alone / And my heart sinks like a stone, a stone, a stone.”

Buried halfway into the second half of the album comes the clear album highlight, “Sometime Around Midnight”. Kicking off with a violin overture reminiscent of R.E.M.’s “Nightswimming”, the song presses into a nervous sweat. Ever shown up to a party, only to see a former lover walk in and leave with another man? No? You’ll swear you have after five minutes of ATE. None of the lost, dizzying sickness fails to come through on this track. After the Americana-based “Missy” begs the listener to accept the character’s love, The Airborne Toxic Event end their debut in a most curious manner. “Innocence” begins with sweeping violins and distant guitars. Eventually it picks up, digressing into a structureless, desperate cry for easier times.

All in all, this little, unknown band from Los Feliz, California has done more than enough to impress me beyond what I could’ve ever imagined when I took their CD from the shelves. Their unique brand of soothing-but-emotive, post-punk poetry has taken my iTunes play counts by storm and left all else in disarray. The Airborne Toxic Event will never hit the mainstream and may never be prodigious in the Absolutepunk scene, but they certainly have and will continue to leave their mark on the high quality indie business.

The Sound of Karma volume XXXV

(Cincy) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:48:43 GMT

Alright I haven't done a Sound of Karma in a bit and I got the itch to, so here it is. This edition will have some music I've delved into lately that for the most part wasn't into before, enjoy. Oh and I've linked the names of the songs!

Many shades of black-The Raconteurs

The only song I've really payed attention to by them. I found these channels on my tv that are pretty much xm radio stations and I've been listening to two channels with new rock and one with classic rock, I've also been listening to more rock stations on the radio with many varying kinds of rock, alternative, etc.

Suppermassive black hole-Muse

I've really been getting into Muse lately with songs like; Knights of cydonia, Starlight, Hysteria, and this one. I was gonna get Black holes and Revelations at Wal-mart but they didn't have it in stock. Cool tune.

Rise above this-Seether

Not a whole lot of Seether lovers that I've encountered on FN, I do know Buc likes 'em though.This and "Fake it" are the only ones I really like by them.

Black-Pearl Jam

Sure Eddie Vedder's voice isn't exactly magical but there's just something about it.... I have a feeling if I had born a few years earlier i would have been a grunge head.

Take me out-Franz Ferdinand

I just love this one. When it starts fast, then slows down, then speeds up into the chorus. Just brilliant.

3rd planet-Modest Mouse

I'm starting to get into MM a little bit. I kinda like the lyrics but at the same time haven't completely got them. Soxy has told me it's hard to comprehend them. I'll take his word.

Songs I added to my playlist today

(Cincy) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:02:10 GMT

What it says^.Yeah I know, I need to link the songs.

3rd Planet-Modest Mouse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbqYzArcTqQ

Float On-Modest Mouse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLkC8l3nJro

Starlight-Muse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-c94VVU7zc

Blue Morning, Blue Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPeU3XgeUaw

Headstrong-TRAPT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfyPxvdmwv0

You ain't seen nothing yet-Bachman Turner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnd8ArBkKtA

Night Moves-Bob Seger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTgLQgpwRvQ

Death on two legs-Queen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuwJ4-2f3z8

Brand New - Deja Entendu

Cardsox — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:44:17 GMT

Deja Entendu
Brand New
17 June 2003

I was once provoked by a friend of mine to ask myself a question. That question is, "From the modern age of music, what is the soundtrack of your life?" At that time, I was left silenced in my response. To me, there really was no all-encompassing answer to that rhetorical question used to prove the superiority of classic rock.

And then came Brand New's 2003 release of Deja Entendu. To most, Brand New is a band of mystery, just another alternative white boy group they've never heard of in their life. To others, it's a p*ssy band for emo heartthrobs to listen to while they're posting their new "scene" exploits for their friends via Myspace blogs. But to those "emo heartthrobs," Brand New, headed by 29 year old songwriter Jesse Lacey, is widely accepted as one of the greatest bands to ever hit planet earth.

From the time it was released, and still today, Deja has been the clear example of some the most appropriate musicianship, vocals, and lyrics that Brand New (and anyone else) can offer. In the underground alternative/punk/emo scene, it is revered as a God among albums, similar to that of Led Zeppelin IV or Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in the mainstream classic rock world.

Don't believe me, thinking "I've never even heard of this 'great' band"? Well, drop the Mastodon, the Nickelback, the Aaliyah, the Billy Joel, or whatever else it is you're listening to, do the noble thing, and expand those proverbial horizons, why don't you?

In an era where LPs rarely feature well rounded musical effort or a complete album vision, they instead often display a succession of rapid and unconnected 3 minute teenage an(gst)hems. Deja exquisitely bucks this trend, and while it's definitely the overall young people's anthem of all anthems, it transcends the stereotypical "My life sucks. Girls are mean to me." feeling of still-good acts like Yellowcard, Mayday Parade, or Jimmy Eat World.

One of the most controversial conundrums in music today stems from the issue of production. While perfecting this art is accepted as a positive skill for music, it all too frequently dissolves the ability for us to relate to music on the personal level that we're used to. This probably aptly explains the sudden lust for so-called "lo-fi" music (also known as the indie underground movement). However, occasionally but very rarely, an album like this comes along with the ability to overcome the assumed loss of musical personality while retaining the ability to produce a perfectly clear record. With crisp vocals, a symbiotic guitar/bass duo, and timely drumming throughout, Deja is a fine example of such an exception.

The album kicks off with "Tautuo", a creepy, stirring intro song that foreshadows the album theme of the despair of emotional anguish, depressed even more by the pressures of our own unavoidable sexual desires. This fitting kickoff fades gently right into the rolling, businesslike bass line of "Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades". Right from the start of Lacey's vocals, you can see (or hear) that this is going to be more serious and eloquent than you're accustomed to hearing, and by the end of the second half-sung stanza you can tell that this album is already diving headfirst into sex. In partial story-telling mode, the track focuses on a boy's point of view as he finds himself in over his head in the bedroom, a feeling I think most or all of us have felt, regardless of whether or not you've physically been there yourself. As the chorus draws in, the backing vocals separate from the lead and proclaim one of the harshest and most paradoxical truths of our age: "Up the stairs: the station where / the act becomes the art of growing up". From the sweat, the focus, the awkward motions, and the struggles of one side to the calm, cool, and careless approach of the other, very little intensity is lost in this epic track from the real deal that we perceive as the highest form of living.

For such a powerfully fast spark that "Sic Transit" was, the transition into the ensuing "I Will Play My Game Beneath The Spin Light" is uncharacteristically, perhaps even uncoordinatedly, slow. Acoustic guitars and softly yearning vocals enter immediately to tell of the strains and difficulties of faraway touring. Musically, this is one of Deja's weaker points, but the final few lines of the first two verses skyrocket it almost into my personal hall of lyrical and musical fame: "Collect calls to home / To tell them that I realize / That everyone who lives will someday die / And die alone" and " Oh, I would kill for the Atlantic, / But I am paid to make girls panic / While I sing". Simple on paper, but it's an entirely different experience when the shift in senses is adjusted for the ears.

Track 03, also known as "Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't", instantly slows the album down from the emotional "Spin Light" and returns it to the somber mood that made its presence known in "Sic Transit". To me, I could see this song as having a multitude of meanings (for example, I see it outlining the vanity of our outlook on relationships which becomes clearly evident even as we claim innocence), so I wouldn't pin it down for just one. Entering the chorus, you're hit with a wall of guitar that feels like a 30 mph amp to the face. From there, it coasts along with the continuing archetypes of said vanity until the inevitable discourse that follows the cool runnings of every relationship dismantle everything.

This leads us to perhaps the most epic/catchy track on Deja, "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows". Wasting no time in getting started, a typical punk guitar riff layered with a steady bass and crashing cymbals kicks it off with stellar emphasis. If one song on this piece of history could be labeled as anthemic, this is certainly the one, and in turn, if you've never heard Brand New before, this is the one song you may possibly just maybe kind of recognize upon hearing for the first time. This may, in fact, be the ideal song to immerse oneself in at those occasional times when there are too many emotions mixing together to separate (yes...feel those emo vibes...). And if raw emotion is not enough to satisfy the conservative-driven soul, the grammar freaks can feast on one of my favorite wordplays of all time in the bridge. All in all, this is one of Deja's premier tracks.

From a song known for its catchy chorus to one known for its catchy verses, "The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot" enters next in the long line of tedious song titles. "The Boy" appears to focus on the tangible and emotional fallouts between two people in the aftermath of a broken relationship. The narrator, in an extension of kindness to his former lover, decides to show her just how vile he knows that he is (A cleverly poetic way to carry the song out - another quality of the record is its subtle lyrical geniuses). Eventually, the acoustics lead an invisible crescendo (it's intensity increases, anyway) that conclude the song with possibly the only lyrics to rival that of "Sic Transit's": "Spring keeps you ever close. / You are second hand smoke. / You are so fragile and thin, / standing trial for your sins, / holding on to yourself the best you can. / You are the smell before rain. / You are the blood in my veins." Again, words on paper are light, but I assure you that music adds a lot of weight to these lyrics.

Transitioning into “Jaws Theme Swimming”, Brand New’s bass and lead guitar trade off in one of the coolest riffs on the album, which continue through the verses. In my humble eyes, this is one of the most instrumentally impressive tracks, with the guitar and bass taking more freedoms than previously. The entire song emits an aura of darkness and frustration, nicely paralleled by the lyrics, which seem to bring alive the painful realities of life. With great hopes and expectations we go into the world, and with desolation and crushing disappointment we realize the fruitlessness of our efforts that we thought would launch us into success. Hm. This seems to be an ongoing trend with this particular record…

As “Jaws Theme” fades into nothingness, the five softest chords you’ve ever heard mark a second peak (or valley?) in Deja. Where almost the entire album is narrated with tired vocals, nothing compares to the quiet emotional outpour from Jesse Lacey in “Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis”. It almost serves as an open confessional, as if admitting your most recent sins to the silent priest, only this time without making them up on the spot. With us behind the confessional screen, Lacey opens up, chronicling the events leading up to taking advantage of the stereotypical drunk bar girl by deceitfully leading her from the barstool to the car to the bedroom. With more wistful remorse than a nostalgic Rico talking about the fourth quarter of the state championship, you can vividly feel yourself at the scene of the crime, watching a disorientated Jesse Lacey go through the pitiful motions of what knows will drag him down into a shameful pool of regret come sunrise. “MvMvE” is certainly one of many highlights of the album, if not the track to catch.

Finally straying from the love-gone-bad theme of the album, “Guernica” focuses on Lacey’s grandfather’s bout with lung cancer. This made the song much easier to understand when I found that little fact out, as I was trying to compare lines like “My lungs are fresh and yours to keep / Kept clean and they will let you breathe” to girl troubles. As a tribute to his grandpa, it’s lyrically touching, digressing into desperate screams at one point and then instantly reanimating into a calm, almost creepy vocal effort. It’s not the best on the album, but I’m sure it is to at least one certain somebody.

Lovely distorted guitars bring the listener out of the somber state and right on into “Good To Know That If I Ever Needed Attention All I Need To Do Is Die”. Easily the longest track on the album, it extends out to over seven minutes in length, mostly from repeated choruses and instrumentals. The lyrics seem to convey the mind of a writer, but beyond that, it’s too muddled to make a foolproof interpretation. At 3:16, the most prevalent instrumental section of the entire album, featuring a good bit of Eagle’s “Hotel California” influence coming in, gives “Good To Know…” a numb but refined sound. There’s a whole lot of passion that bursts out in this song, and while it’s not a personal favorite, it’s definitely up there with the best songs on the record.

And so, with an emotional array of fast-moving, passionate screamers sprinkled ever so depressingly with trudging, sorrow-inducing reminiscants, proper album etiquette demands with the most silent of mandates that the record close with a slower-than-average emotive heart wrencher. Since Brand New pretty well delivers that to a T with the previous ten tracks, the only way to blow the candle out with a show is to, well, make a song even more passionate, more depressingly sorrow-inducing, and more soaked to the core with emotion until it’s dripping so hard with anguish that the only way to stop it is to immediately run out and buy as much band merch as your wallet can regurgitate. Track 11 is “Play Crack The Sky”.

“Play Crack” could easily be substituted as a poem and still have tremendous effect. It’s geared less towards standard song structure and more towards a freeform poetic method. For example, no chorus! Successful chorus liberation is difficult, but makes music ten times more mature than it is with a repetition of summarized “Interpretations For Dummies” segments. The entire song is a comparison between the dismal game of love and the wicked inner workings of the ocean. As a listener may find, a rogue wave and the passing of time have a little more in common than one might think. It’s also all acoustic, leaving all drums, bass, and other effects at the door to make room for Lacey’s ever-urgent voice. Lines like “Your tongue is a rudder / It steers the whole ship” and “You know that you are not alone / I need you like water in my lungs” as well as others are some of the most memorable quotes in an especially quote-worthy record. Strongly recommended for those who either loved “MvMvE” or prefer Dylan to Fall Out Boy, “Play Crack” is Deja’s best example of stripped down lyricism.

And suddenly it’s over. At 50 minutes, it doesn’t lack in the length department, so you don’t feel too outrageously upset that it doesn’t go on longer. Instead, you’re just sitting there, thinking “Wow. Could that have been improved?” Or…at least, that’s how I recall it. If you’re anything like me, you should be thinking something on those lines, I hope.

Overall, Deja has stuff out there for not just the typical emo listener. A more rebellious rocker can still appreciate the intensity of “Sic Transit” and “Good To Know”, whereas an indie buff can make new friends with “I Will Play My Game” and “Play Crack”, and a post-punk addict can at least acknowledge the coolness of “Okay I Believe You”. As a whole album, it’s a masterpiece, start to finish. I personally guarantee that at least one song can be related perfectly to a problem you’ve had with the opposite sex (excluding the boring breakup motions).

The album of my life? No. There’s a lot on here that doesn’t apply to my life. I’ve never once sold my soul for that of a drunken bar hopper. I’ve never missed home while touring on the other side of the country. I have, however, been able to associate many of my inner workings and feelings with those of Brand New’s Deja Entendu. And so, I’ll have to settle for it being the closest thing I have to being the of the album of my life. Plus, I’m only 16; In ten years’ time, this could and very plausibly will be just that.

The Sound of Karma:Volume XXXIV

(Cincy) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:59:50 GMT

Ok here's yet another adition of Sound of Karma.Yes I know Cardsox did one yesterday but i had the very strong urge to write one today.So here's some good music.My theme here is more inspiring and slower music.

My immortal-Evanescence

This slow song is just so great.Amy Lee has a beautuful voice, had to get this out of the vault, hadn't listened to some Evanescence in a while(onsidering I just recently found out who they were but I knew a few of their songs)just beautiful vocals.

One thing-Finger Eleven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnOvGGGf6qA

If I traded it all,i f I gave it all away for one thing, just one thing,if I sorted it out,if I knew all about this on thing,wouldn't that be something"

Finger Eleven I only know for One thing and Paralyzer, both awesome songs.We all know what that one thing is.

Yellow Ledbetter-Pearl Jam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhcnKYvzfZc

I LOVE the intro riff to this.Simply genius.What's cool about Pearl Jam is that they're one of those almost unheard of bands who don't want to be bigtime, they shy away from celebrity.But how can they with some of the stuff they've put out like;Jeremy, Even Flow, Yellow Ledbetter, and others?

Drive-Incubus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zN9vd9WUiA

Not a huge fan of Incubus,and when I sa them perform in Rock honors the who I didn't like their rendition of one of the who's songs.But this song is incredible, I've always loved it.

Iris-Goo goo dolls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsK90GWBVLY&feature=related

Excellent

Most of these groups aren't my favrorite but these songs are flat out amazing.Thanks for watching.And I promise a new blog soon.

The Sound of Karma: Volume XXXIII

Cardsox — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:45:55 GMT

Usually, when I take up the time to pen these Sounds of Karma, I like to put in a general theme to the songs I choose, whether it be ballads or Valentines or nerdy songs, I like to keep the reader at least mildly entertained. When my friend's Hot Topic-wearing wanna-be-emo sister was telling me how gay violins are, it inspired me to put on display the wonderful use of violins in the rock genre. All four songs on this list will feature a band that either regularly uses the bow or at least have for that particular song.

Robot Love Story - North By Northwest

Robot Love Story hasn’t hit it big yet. As of right now they’re still playing the little New York gigs waiting to be discovered. But they’re building momentum as one of the best new bands in America right now. Songs like North By Northwest feature epic violin overtones and Tom DeLonge-like vocals and graciously break free from the same pop punk chains that sugar coat so many bands.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Airborne Toxic Event - Sometime Around Midnight

This band absolutely blows me away. They’re one of my favorite bands in the entire world and nobody even knows them yet. Honestly, I couldn’t rave about them any more than I already do. In fact, the last FanNation icon I had before my now-permanent one was their debut album cover that just came out this past Monday. With straightforward but beautifully poetic lyrics, a violin player with an amazing voice, and a guitar player almost completely independent with the rest of the instrumentals, the ATE sings every song they write with the passion of anyone I’ve ever seen. “Sometime Around Midnight” is easily their best, closely followed by every song they’ve ever sung.

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Arcade Fire - Intervention

Aside from Led Zeppelin, no band has taken longer and more effort for me to get into than Arcade Fire. But now that I have, wow. It’s hard to describe how amazing this band is. Everything they do is as epic and overdone as Muse themselves, but paradoxically mellow all the while. Their sophomore, Neon Bible, was entirely recorded in a church (awesome, much?). “Intervention” brings that out with the church organs blaring from the beginning. As in Arcade Fire custom, the usual wave of many other instruments comes sweeping in throughout the song, molding it into a classic.

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Coldplay - Viva La Vida

For the mainstream buffs out there that aren’t afraid to admit that Coldplay rocks the straight world too, I give you the brand new official “Viva La Vida” music video. I’m afraid it doesn’t feature any purple clouds appearing behind Chris Martin as he sings about the fall of Jerusalem, a la iTunes commercials, but it’s still pretty freakin’ sweet. It gets slightly repetitive, but the graphics and overall feel are awesome. And hey what do you know, at 2:49, purple clouds do appear behind Chris Martin as he sings! Baller stat!

Sound of Karma Volume XXXII

(Cincy) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:15:37 GMT

So this'll be a little bit different.I want to share some old songs even though this is a new rock group, and I can't do this for DPS so I'll do it here and hope I don't get crucified :)

The Thin Ice-Pink Floyd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mheRPjt2Qdk

Kinda slow, but I really like the lyrics.

"If you should go skating, on the thin ice of modern life

Draggin behind you the silent reproach of a million tear stained eyes

Don't be surprised when a crack in the ice appears under your feet

You slip out of your depth and out of your mind

With your fear flowing behind you as you crawl the thin ice."

Nice

I've seen all good people-Yes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wamW9hUlpfI&feature=related

"I've seen all good people turn their head's each day so satisfied I'm on my way"

This was another one of those songs I had no idea who It was by until I looked through some "Yes" stuff because I remembered Coletrain named one of their album's; (90125 I believe) was on his top albums list.This is pretty good.

Beer-Reel Big Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCgX4ixCRcQ

Here's a diamond in the rough, or more like a lesser mineral.Anyway you got my point, they actually have some pretty cool songs.D-Fan reccomended them to me and I was surprised I liked them.All the instruments and sounds, it all seems to just mesh together well.

Point of know return-Kansas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60A1yKc2hi4

And to think I only knew of them for Carry on Wayward son.This is a pretty cool one.They jump into the catchy and exciting part right away.Cool song.

Feels like the first time-Foreigner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpeahgdzYp4

I've always liked Foreigner's work.Damn it I hate to admit it though.This is the kind of stuff my dad always rocked out to and told me I'd like, damn him.He was right.This song is sweet.

Somebody told me-The Killers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgTyIqTJdYw

It took me a friend to listen to some of their music to remind me why I liked them.I haven't listened to them much of late, but they have several awesome songs like this one, When you were young, and Mr. Brightside.

Yes I know I have some oldies in here but i felt like being diverse and I wanted to share some older ones.Thanks for reading!

Exploring Rock #1:Lenny Kravitz

(Cincy) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:02:10 GMT

Can't say I know how people will react to this.I've never heard anyone on this sight even mention his name.I was going through some music yesterday,and I came upon him.I had heard of him,but couldn't have told you any song by him.He has a lot of stuff I have heard,and he has some good stuff.I heard when he came out there were some amazing feelings and predictions for him,but obviously he failed to live up to them fully.He's still a great artist.

So this is all Lenny Kravitz

Love Love Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbBwAnVeGcs&feature=rec-fresh

One of his newer songs,has an interesting and cool beat.

Let Love Rule

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcU57tAKzng

I think this was his first big hit.Very good sax solo.

Stillness of Heart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8OpclnjDHg&feature=user

Ok,song.Kind of odd changing of voice,it's like they make his voice echo in this song,but it actually makes it kind of cool.

Where are we running

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMPugw3Bw3A

I love this song.It's sweet.One of my defenite favorites from him.He just seems so melow,even in an up tempo song like this.It seems to kind of be his demeanor.

Are you gonna go my way

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLhpHjmxNw8

Another great song.This may be the song of his I like best on his Guitar play.

Dig in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyodjTmaPK4

Another good one,kind of uhh,ignore the beggining.

And once you dig in,you'll find you'll have yourself a good time"

Sure it's repetitive,but good nevertheless.

American Woman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4hbVtVa1zg

Even though he isn't the one who made this song,he may perfect it.

Lady