Top 10 Albums of 2011

The first thing I did when I started putting this post together, is that I looked back at my top 10 albums of 2010. I was curious to see if my choices still held up after a year. For the most part, I can still very much stand by my choices. Except, I think would now probably swap Stone Temple Pilots and Jakob Dylan for Against Me! and The Hold Steady. However, that’s in retrospect. I’ve decided that the list is reflective of where I was at that place in time, so I’m accepting it. Having said this, after much careful deliberation here is my list of my 10 favourite albums of 2011. This list was much more difficult than the last one for some reason, as there were many great records this year. At the end, I’ve actually included an additional 10 albums of which I felt at least deserved mention. Basically, these were all albums which were competing for the last spots in my final 10. Maybe that goes against the rules, but I don’t care. I’d also like to take this opportunity to call out a few artists whom had put out releases this year which I was looking forward to, but ultimately let me down. Radiohead, Rise Against, Flogging Molly, and Steve Earle. These were all disappointing releases from artists whom in the past have been pretty consistent in my listening rotation. Records from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and R.E.M. were also lackluster, but on course with their recent sub-par output. I’m not even going to bother calling out the Metallica/Lou Reed collaboration, because criticizing it would be the equivalent of pushing a crippled child down the stairs. There were also records that were pretty good but certainly not list-worthy, as with releases from Wilco and Mastodon. Further, I’ll also admit to feeling slightly guilty for not including any Canadian content in the top 10. The fact is that there was no formula to this list. These were my favourite records. Period. I couldn’t justify including an obligatory Canadian release if I just wasn’t feeling it. That being said, there were some strong Canadian albums. Hard Charger from Fredericton and Death Valley Driver from Charlottetown both released great records this year, and both Fucked Up and Protest The Hero at least creep into the honourable mention category. Anyway, I hope everyone who takes the time to read this will find something they can take away from it. Enjoy.




  1. Old Man Markley - Guts 'n Teeth
Just out of curiosity, I like to search the internet for other “best of” lists for the year. This album doesn’t appear on any of them. I must say that this band has got to be music’s best kept secret. Although this is perhaps a very unlikely formula for any kind of mainstream appreciation, this is not only the catchiest album of the year, but has some of the most urgent and inspiring lyrics since the last Joe Strummer record. This band of tattooed punks from southern California plays a very clean and pure sounding bluegrass, but with fierce punk rock energy and a penchant for quality songwriting. The vocals are very clear and prominent, with lots of sweet harmonies, and with a pure unadulterated passion. Despite the complete lack of electric instruments, the band presents their sound with a fervor that could rival the Ramones. This is the sound of a band giving a true testament of how music can be good for the soul. Being on the Fat Wreck label and having toured with the likes of Social Distortion, the punk ethos is not lost on the band, as they distill the vital qualities of traditional roots music all with a blazing punk intensity.


Song to check out: "Guts 'n Teeth"




   2. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
After a decade and a half of releasing pretty good albums, the Foo Fighters have finally created their true masterwork. An impressive culmination of everything the band has done, this is a thoroughly executed benchmark of modern rock music that shines all the way through. An FM radio programmer’s wet dream as the flow of the record feels like a greatest hits collection, with each track blowing the sonic spectrum wide open and commanding strict attention. This album is a melodic rock juggernaut which features a perfected formula of layered guitars, soaring choruses, and immediate hooks with complex, yet concise harmonic arrangements.


Song to check out: "Arlandria"



   3. Ghost - Opus Eponymous
If nothing else, this is likely the most terrifying album of the year. Here we have a Swedish metal band made up of a series of “nameless ghouls” fronted by an imposing figure in a Cardinal outfit and skull mask. The lyrics and imagery are so blatantly evil and Satanic, that you really don’t know whether or not to take them seriously. In fact, the whole mystique of it all makes the band that much more intriguing. Their sound is deeply infused with components of classic metal and 70’s era psychedelic rock with extremely hook-heavy choruses and clean vocals. The songs are cleverly and concisely constructed, and with brilliant embellishments of funeral organ and layered harmony vocals. In spite of lyrical themes of Satan worship and witchcraft, this is a surprisingly accessible album. Never before has music so evil and sinister been so damn catchy. Along with the heavy thematic elements, the music is so infectious that these insidious melodies will creep into your consciousness and haunt you in your sleep.

Song to check out: “Ritual”

**Sidenote: This album was released in 2010 in Europe, but wasn’t released in North America until January 2011, which is why I’m deeming it eligible for the 2011 list**



   4. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
Temporarily abandoning their grandiose artistic ambitions, The Decemberists settle very nicely into a simple, straight ahead roots rock sound. With help from the sweet high-mountain harmonies of Appalachian songstress Gillian Welch, the band weaves a delightful tapestry of sound using more organic song structures and warm rustic tones. See my full review from 02/26 here.


Song to check out: "Rise To Me"



   5. The Horrible Crowes - Elsie
Side project for Gaslight Anthem front man Brian Fallon, has him exploring some slightly new territory with some dark soulful rhythms. Musical concepts which were vaguely hinted at on the last Gaslight record are further developed, and the result is an illustriously crafted collection of ominous slow-burning dirges that feature themes of hope and redemption. The songs are slow, sinister and carefully deliberated to create a dark ambience while showcasing Fallon’s character-driven vocal delivery through delicate and impassioned execution.

Song to check out: “Cherry Blossoms”



   6. Deer Tick - Divine Providence
If you can imagine a scenario where The Replacements hijack The Band’s performance in The Last Waltz, it may give you a vague idea of what this album sounds like. Reckless, sloppy and unhinged garage rock with tones of southern roots inflected twang. While their previous records adhered to a more typical alt-country form, this outing has them embracing their true live ethic. This album flows with brash impudence, drunken pomposity, and a perfectly rough-around-the-edges charm. It’s a beautiful, chaotic mess.

Song to check out: “The Bump”



   7. The Strokes - Angles
What I love most about this record is how accurately and vividly it truly captures a classic early 1980’s new wave vibe. This album speaks to the 8 year old me who used to wear a holographic iron-on Duran Duran T-Shirt. Everything from the vibrant cover art, to the authentic sounding FM pop-rock melodies feels like a precious junkyard of aesthetic artifacts from a Ric Ocasek garage sale. Expect a forthcoming box set edition to include a Coleco-Vision controller, a collectible sticker book devoted to Ziggy, and a Rubik’s Cube.

Song to check out: “Two Kinds of Happiness”



   8. Kvelertak
Blast beats, ghastly shrieks, blues-rock shuffles and honky-tonk piano. These are all things that appear on this album. Believe it or not, the band actually manages to blend it all together quite seamlessly. Here is a Norwegian metal band who are obviously influenced by their country’s known black metal scene, but has exploited the sound as only one of many elements to this bona fide rock and roll record. The term, “black and roll” has been used to describe their sound. Oh, and don’t bother trying to understand the lyrics. Not just because they’re undecipherable, but because they’re also all in Norwegian. Although, it probably isn’t hard to figure out what the song title “Blodtorst”
translates to. The band compounds a mercilessly brutal sonic experience that effortlessly fuses dirty blues rock grooves and garage punk rhythms all with a furious Norwegian metal twist.

Song to check out: “Fossegrim”


**Sidenote: This album was released in 2010 in Europe, but wasn’t released in North America until March 2011, which is why I’m deeming it eligible for the 2011 list**



   9. Chuck Ragan - Covering Ground
This is the third solo album from Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan. His raspy, weathered voice is the perfect instrument against the backdrop of acoustic guitars, fiddle, and pedal steel. His punk rock audacity is still prevalent in this collection of southern backwater folk anthems, which serves as his most accomplished solo effort yet. A guest appearance from Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon provides only further validation of Ragan’s artistry.

Song to check out: “Right as Rain”



  10. Social Distortion - Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes
By Social Distortion’s standards, this record doesn’t really compete with the rest of their catalog. However, even a bad Social D album is still better than most albums. While the one glaring flaw is Mike Ness having flipped his lyric-writing on auto-pilot, most of the music still stands up as expected. Read my full review from 02/14 here.

Song to check out: “Diamond In The Rough”


Honourable Mentions: (in no particular order)
Frank Turner – England Keep My Bones
Thrice – Major/Minor
Havok – Time Is Up
Fucked Up – David Comes To Life
Protest The Hero – Scurrilous
Ryan Adams- Ashes and Fire
Adele- 21
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Dropkick Murphys- Going Out In Style
Tom Waits – Bad as Me

Album Review: Death Valley Driver - Choke The River

        If Prince Edward Island's music scene has a known signature sound, I’m reasonably sure this isn’t it. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve assumed these guys came straight off a bayou in Louisiana. Although these guys may not be truly representative of a cultural benchmark for P.E.I. in the same vein as say, Stompin’ Tom Connors, they somehow manage to harness an authentic sonic assault that genuinely sounds as if from the deep south. No more than before has a Maritime metal album had me in the mood to look for the nearest bottle of Jim Beam, go shoot up some rattlesnakes and get thrown in jail in the same afternoon. Front to back, this record pummels the sonic ether with bruising riffs, deep fetching grooves and scathing vocals, all with a cocky southern-like swagger. Mind you, this isn’t breaking any new ground. The manner in which the band engages their influences is anything but subtle, as bands like Pantera, Down and Crowbar will immediately come to mind upon listening to these songs. However, it’s all done in a way that is sincere, tasteful and fresh.

            “Choke The River With Your Dead” is a stellar lead off track, as it crams all the best elements of their genre into a single 4 and a half minute serving. Fiercely heavy, sludgy riffs with wide open grooves, canorous guitar passages and dynamic vocals that venture between beastly growls and a clean melodic wail. The main riff bludgeons all available sonic space with a crushing syncopated rhythm that sounds like a bearded, rebel flag wearing redneck giant stomping a blood entrailed path along the Mississippi. “Insect Dirge” employs a fetching Sabbath-esque groove that brandishes a commanding rock ‘n roll pomposity. In fact, all 8 songs truly showcase a tireless parade of sinister metal riffage and uncompromised aggression. All of course, with a heavy dose of southern stoner rock arrogance.

           Although this album is not severely original, the saving grace here is there is not a single hint of pretense. It’s clearly evident that this band is not setting out to reinvent the (steel?) wheel. What I hear in these songs is an honest and dedicated admiration for this sound and an unmitigated desire to carry the torch for good sludge/stoner metal. Also, regardless of the recognizable formula, the band continues throughout the record to incorporate dynamics that always keep the music interesting. Lead singer Dan Hodgson has an apt range of vocal stylings that can appropriately drive home tones of brutality, yet can complement the rhythmic backdrop with the right touch of harmony in the right moments. The guitar riffs are as imposing as they are compelling, and the rhythm section is always deep in the pocket. The band is great at what they do, and with this album have forged a new East Coast Canadian standard for good ‘ol Hell-raising, groove-oriented metal to shotgun a beer to.


www.myspace.com/deathvalleydriverpei
http://diminishedfifthrecords.com/

Album Review: Cicada

         In keeping with the true spirit of this album, I’m going to keep this review fairly simple. That is the one thing that really strikes me upon listening to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia's Cicada. This is actually a very simplified, no-bullshit serving of really good metal. In fact, I would find it rather difficult to categorize these guys into any kind of proper sub-genre, only because they offer such a seamless sonic amalgam of some long celebrated metal formulas. There are no over-the-top expressions that suggest any particular scene or niche, which is not necessarily a bad thing. One thing is for sure, there is no risk of them being confused with the European electro-pop group of the same name. There are plenty of killer riffs, sinister grooves and fierce vocals to make that absolutely certain. However, since they were insistent on using the name, I might have suggested giving their album a proper title. This would make them much easier to Google.

       Anyway, “Cleansing of The Wicked” gets things started with a harmonized guitar pattern which successively bursts into a very distinguished power-chorded assault, and has a very mechanical like groove. This was the best possible choice for the lead track. Although the pace trudges along, the rhythm has a very pleasingly distinctive feel. “In Same” is a showcase of shifting tempos, which employs an underlying slow burning melody that carries the song through an array of time signatures. “Benefactor of Chaos” exploits a severely heavy rhythmic attack, propelled by an industriously disciplined drum beat that evokes images of the Devil driving relentless stakes into the heart of humanity. “Steel Crusher” is another noteworthy highlight, which opens with a Conan The Barbarian sound clip before fearlessly charging into a tumultuous racket. Despite the unyielding furor, the song features some very carefully pronounced rhythms and impressively concordant modal executions.

      The only real criticism I could possibly offer here would relate to the production quality. There is definitely a tastefully rough edge to the overall sonic ethos, which for the most part complements the aggressive temperament of the record. However, my one complaint is that the vocals are largely, somewhat buried in the mix. In listening to most of these songs, I find myself wanting to hear the vocals more prominent and up front. However, this is a very minor complaint when considering the spectrum of musical virtues offered here. The riffs are engaging, and there is an impressive range of dynamics. Although rather simple in formula, the band still manages to create an interesting mosaic of tasteful sonic elements, which effectively invokes discomforting moods of misanthropy and disaffection. In other words, everything a great metal album should do.

http://www.cicadametal.com/

Review Roundup

So here is a roundup of the last several reviews I've posted for Noisography. Most of these albums were pretty good.




Hale Hale – Spearmint (EP)

Hailing from Edmonton, this rock outfit bridges the gap between classic indie rock of the 80’s and mainstream 90’s rock. In stark contrast with the pretentious, artsy indie scene of late, these guys bring guitars back into the limelight and the results are very engaging.

Read full review here: http://noisographyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/album-review-hale-hale-spearmint-ep.html


The Kansas-Nebraska Act

Halifax’s own Kansas-Nebraska Act, or affectionately referred to as KNA, play a very raw and lo-fi brand of punk rock. However, what sets them apart from other bands of this ilk is the singer’s deep tremolo howl paired with the bands affectation for arena rock hooks buried beneath the rough mix.

Read full review here: http://noisographyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/05/album-review-kansas-nebraska-act-full.html

Hearts & Mines – Find Your Way

The main songwriter and frontman for Ottawa’s Hearts & Mines is an Afghanistan tour veteran who uses his experiences as inspiration for his music. The result is an album that is somewhat palatable, but overall rather bland. While the music doesn’t lack in sincerity or earnestness, it all comes off as generic radio rock with nothing really exciting to offer.

Read full review here: http://noisographyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/06/album-review-hearts-mines-find-your-way.html


Kings Eden – The Era of The Youth

Heavy, sludgy garage rock served up by a trio of angry women from Halifax. Overall, an admirable effort to maintain a very primal and stripped down rock sound. Their influences are anything but subtle, but they play to claim the sound as their own.

Read full review here: http://noisographyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/06/album-review-kings-eden-era-of-youth.html

Nami – Fragile Alignments

This here is a grand concept piece with a strong thematic narrative brought to us by a progressive death metal ensemble from Andorra. Loud and heavy, yet also melodic and beautiful to create a vast landscape of sonic dynamics complete with storyline and a host of characters.

Read full review here: http://noisographyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/album-review-nami-fragile-alignments.html

Top 10 Canadian Albums

First off, my apologies to my followers for having been significantly out of sight for the last while. I can offer the assurance that I have been keeping rather busy writing album reviews for Noisography, and have been listening to lots of music. I intended to post this list yesterday in spirit of Canada Day, but it just didn’t happen. So here it is, a day late. This is my list of not-so-obvious essential Canadian albums. After some careful consideration, I’ve decided to not bother with the classics, (Neil Young’s Tonight’s The Night, Rush’s 2112, Joni Mitchell’s Blue, etc.) and offer a list of Canadian records that aren’t necessarily regulars on the perennial lists. There’s so many great albums that get overshadowed by the classic monoliths, which although may have very well earned their place in music history, I think maybe it’s time to peel back the layers a bit and look a bit further into the Canadian rock pantheon.

10. Luther Wright and The Wrongs – Rebuild The Wall


Hailing from Kingston, Ontario, these guys play a very refreshing brand of traditional country and bluegrass complete with all the necessary ingredients. Banjo, pedal steel, washboard, etc. are all included to complete their warm sounding down-home
musical tapestry. They have recorded albums of original material, but this is a masterpiece of artistic re-envisioning. This is a complete note-for-note re-working of Pink Floyd’s The Wall, but done in their own backwater, hillbilly style. It’s all done with absolute sincerity, but with just the right touch of tongue-in-cheek humour. Now when I’m in the mood to listen to The Wall, I actually find myself reaching for this CD more often than Pink Floyd’s own original version.

9. Buck 65 – Talkin’ Honky Blues


Mt. Uniacke, Nova Scotia’s Buck 65 (aka Rich Trefry) has been around for many years, and has earned a rather dedicated following and universal acclaim. I was actually torn between choosing this album or Secret House Against The World. Buck 65 offers a unique brand of hip-hop that forgoes the usual stereotypical trappings of the genre, and delivers a musical canvas that is rich in substance and artistic vision. I actually don’t even feel like I’m listening to rap when listening to this album. This is an impressive, semi-autobiographical conceptual piece of work that is deeply roots-inflected, and reminds me more of Tom Waits or Beck than any other hip-hop artist.

8. The Constantines – Shine A Light


The Constantines come from Guelph, Ontario and play a very raw and abrasive form of art rock. All of their albums are very good, but this one is easily their most accomplished. Delicately straddling the line between noisy aggression and artistic focus with an earnest, blue-collar songwriting quality, they forge an original sound that could be compared to Bruce Springsteen fronting Fugazi.

7. Propagandhi – Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes


Winnipeg-based Propagandhi are one of Canada’s premier punk rock acts, and could be considered our own champions of the 90’s era punk resurgence. Their earlier albums were pretty straight forward melodic punk, but this record catapulted their sound into a whole new stratosphere. While certainly not abandoning their punk rock foundation, on this album we find the band much angrier and more technically refined. This new melodic hardcore, almost borderline metal sound serves a perfect soapbox for their extreme left-wing political lyrics which they have become known for.

6. Wintersleep – Welcome To The Night Sky


I really loved this band up until their last album, New Inheritors. I’ve decided that I’m going to try to remember this band by this last great album. Coming out of Halifax, this is very dark and moody rock that borrows rhythmic structures and vocal stylings from the Pearl Jam canon, but delivers with a much more morose and haunting ambience that sounds closer to The Cure. Although rich with brooding atmosphere and dark nuances, there’s an unexpected healthy dose of engaging melodies and fetching hooks.

5. The New Pornographers – The Electric Version


Vancouver’s power-pop ensemble The New Pornographers have been putting out solid albums for years, and each one is jam packed with fiercely catchy choruses, off-the-wall lyrics and of course, X-factor Neko Case. Co-frontperson/songwriter A.C. Newman is a truly gifted songwriter whose knack for catchy hooks is severely under-recognized. Helping bring the melodies to life is Neko Case, whose voice is just so incredibly rich in substance and character. Their debut album, Mass Romantic seems to get the most attention, but I think this album is their pinnacle, with its grandiose display of soaring choruses, infectious melodies and insanely creative song titles.

4. Bedouin Soundclash – Sounding a Mosaic


This Toronto-based trio probably has one of my favourite band names in Canada. In addition, their music is a solid catalog of deep grooves, sweet harmonies and a sincere songwriting ethic. Their second album, Street Gospels is also great, but this debut album provides a perfect example of their carefully understated reggae-rock which showcases their distinctive deep-in-pocket rhythms and soulful vocals.

3. Hayden – Everything I Long For


Beloved singer/songwriter Hayden, from Thornhill, Ontario is probably one of Canada’s best kept secrets. If you can imagine the pure folk ethos of Gordon Lightfoot, the idiosyncratic style of Leonard Cohen, and the artistic ambition of Neil Young all encompassed with some the chaotic noise of the Pixies, this might give you some idea of where Hayden is coming from. Very straight forward and honest lyrics are delivered with careful contemplation, and adorned with an extremely stripped down production. Sparse, acoustic tracks are interspersed among more experimental and discordant moments, to create a widely eclectic, yet cohesive collection of songs.

2. The Stanfields – Vanguard of The Young and Reckless


This band is easily one of the most authentic bands to ever come out of the East coast. Although Halifax has come to be known for endless streams of bands spewing out the same tired old Celtic Rock formula, The Stanfields give the genre a major shot in the arm with this debut album. These guys are rowdy, raucous and usually drunk but exhibit a true fundamental understanding of real songwriting, and with the amps cranked up to 10. Taking some obvious influence from bands like The Pogues and probably Stan Rogers, the band provides a sound that the common man can easily relate to, with a dedicated working class ethic and poignant lyrics. There’s an effortless fusion of Celtic Rock, bluegrass, country and punk vitriol that all comes together to make for one of the most genuinely fulfilling albums I’ve heard in years.

1. D.O.A. – Hardcore ‘81


At the same time that the second wave of punk rock was coming to life in the dark, dingy clubs of L.A. and youth centers in D.C., Vancouver had its own burgeoning punk scene. At the hub of this scene, along with the likes of The Subhumans and The Pointed Sticks was D.O.A. Led by charismatic Joey Shithead, D.O.A. has come to be known as one of the founders of hardcore punk. In fact, the title of this very album is widely believed to be the single progenerate of the term. Still currently active, the band helped create the template for 80’s hardcore with hard driving rhythms, confrontational performances and subversive lyrics all delivered with Shithead’s lispy growl. Despite their staunch leftist lyrical stance, they are unapologetically Canadian with songs about lumberjacks, hockey and have been known to poke friendly fun at various Americanisms. Although having endured many lineup changes over the years, the band has been consistently active since 1978, making them currently the longest running punk band to date.

New Reviews

I do have a new post coming up pretty soon. In the meantime, I've done a few album reviews for Noisography.


First You Get The Sugar:  Apparently, the '70's are alive and well and living somewhere in Montreal.  The debut album from First You Get The Sugar has all the musical adventure and excitement of a '70's Gold infomercial. To their credit, they actually have more of an authentic 1970's sound than Seals and Crofts. I can completely understand the idea of capturing a retro vibe, or exploiting various influences of the past, but who wants to hear music nowadays that sounds like fucking Donna Summer? 


Read my full review: FirstYouGetTheSugar Review




Fa Fa Fa - What Made These Holes and Rents: While we have one band forging their sound based on the most mainstream of sounds from music's worst decade, we have Reno Nevada's Fa Fa Fa taking influence from the 80's, but using sounds borrowed from some great non-mainstream scenes. Imagine the artistic ambition of Roxy Music, the deep grooves of the Talking Heads, the bleakness of The Cure, all with the amps cranked up to 11. These guys make a science of balancing delicate harmony and solid rhythms, with plenty of noise and feedback, all with lots of carefully placed ambience. Their influences are obvious, but they made one kick ass record. One of my favourites of the year.


Read my full review: FaFaFa Review

Top 10 St. Patrick's Day Albums

These are the 10 albums to have in rotation on St. Patrick's Day. No, I didn't forget U2.

10. Swingin' Utters - A Juvenile Product of The Working Class
      An American punk band with a strong Pogues influence, and plenty of alcoholic lyrical references.

 9. Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material
     Dubbed as the "Irish Clash", these guys are criminally overlooked in the annals of punk rock.

 8. Dropkick Murphys - Sing Loud, Sing Proud
     Shamelessly representing the Irish working class of Boston, this is perhaps their most Irish sounding album.


 7. Thin Lizzy - Bad Reputation
     There are many great Thin Lizzy albums, but this one always seems to stand out.


 6. The Mahones - The Black Irish
     These guys can be easily be criticized as being a Pogues knock off, but they do it better than anyone.


 5. Van Morrison - Moondance
     Nobody does Irish folk-rock balladry like Van Morrison.


 4. The Chieftans - The Long Black Veil
     These guys have been around longer than anybody on this list. Including Van Morrison.


 3. Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies
    One of the more authentic Celtic punk bands. The lead singer is actually from Ireland.


 2. Dropkick Murphys - Blackout
     Their version of the Irish folk ballad "The Fields of Athenry" alone, is worth a spot on this list.


 1. The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy, and The Lash
     This album is nothing short of pure, Celtic rock perfection. Perhaps the greatest drinking album ever.

Album Review: The Decemberists - The King Is Dead

Upon reading various media coverage on the release of the new Decemberists album, there's something I find rather odd. For some reason their new disc, The King Is Dead is being touted as some kind of grand scale departure from the signature sound they've forged for themselves over the course of the last 5 records. This puzzles me. OK, I will agree that this is an overall different sounding album, and I was a little surprised at it's simplicity after 2009's majestic opus, The Hazards of Love. However, what I am hearing with this album is something the band has been naturally progressing toward, and it seems maybe I'm the only one hearing it. Well, maybe not so much as a natural progression, as more of a welcomed regression. Let's make one thing clear. I am a big fan of roots inflected rock music. Whatever you may want to brand it. Alt-Country, Roots-Rock, Folk Rock, whatever. It all just strikes me as very earnest, impassioned and deeply rooted music, driven by tasteful soundscapes and honest songwriting. What had endeared me to the Decemberists in the first place was their elegant use of rustic tones, with the integration of accordion and banjo with their intelligent, indie rock resonance. As much of a fan as I have been of their previous albums, I couldn't help but yearn for those country/folk tinged harmonies to become much more flourished. Don't get me wrong, I fully appreciate everything that The Crane Wife and The Hazards of Love have accomplished as full scale artistic statements, and wouldn't change anything about them. They really are masterpieces in their own right. It's just that those rural subtleties that have been lurking just under the surface the whole time, have just been a little bit of a tease and have left me craving something more organically developed.

Well, if all the previous albums have been the tease, I would be tempted to liken this new record to the ensuing orgasm. On the ambiguously titled, The King Is Dead, the band has completely abandoned their over the top indie rock pretenses, and in the words of Neil Young, "got back to the country". Gone are the ambitious art-rock concept pieces with the delicately understated southern twang, and here we get the band's most direct and accessible record to date. When you think about it, it only makes sense. Where else could they possible go after The Hazards of Love? The heavily themed, mammoth rock opera that is now being worked into a broadway production, set the bar pretty high for large-scale concept albums. It seems like a logical progression to avoid trying to outdo what has been done, and rather just get back to basics. The King Is Dead is a glorious celebration of traditional American sounds, with warm, austere soundscapes and graciously idyllic textures. The record is surprisingly immediate with it's straightforward arrangements, and in-your-face melodies. It's impressive how the band has managed to effectively streamline the raw basics of their sound into a very simple, yet engaging piece of work. Quite simply put, this is a very straight up folk-rock album, that doesn't sound that far off from Blue Rodeo. Also, the fact that Gillian Welch appears on here to contribute her sweet vocal harmonies, just makes this effort all the more complete.

The lead off track, "Don't Carry It All" wastes no time in setting the tone, and making a statement as to where this record is going to take us. It begins with a straight beat and a bold harmonica riff, which already paints a vivid landscape of endless prairies and lonesome highways. The tone doesn't let up, as "Calamity Song" takes the tempo up a notch with an upbeat rhythm driven by an arpeggiated acoustic guitar riff, followed by a sweeping, tuneful chorus. The album's shining moment comes with the dark and emotional balladry in "Rise To Me" with it's weeping pedal steel, and Welch's high mountain harmony. The song's sweet, melancholic melody echoes sentiments of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. The overall aesthetic of the album is best summarized in "Down By The Water", which is very catchy, but at the same time carries an ominous undertone that is rather suggestive of R.E.M. Although, the fact that R.E.M.'s own Peter Buck provides 12-string guitar duties on the song may have more than something to do with it.

Despite the simpler musical arrangements, frontman Colin Meloy's lyrical vocabulary, as always, reaches all corners of the English lexicon. In fact, lyrically speaking, the album continues the band's tradition of still carrying somewhat of a thematic element to it. There is a vague lyrical concept running through the record that explores the ongoing cycle of the seasons. This is perhaps punctuated by the 2 companion pieces, "January Hymn" and "June Hymn", which are both beautiful, sensitive ballads that almost serve as solo performances by Meloy with their very sparse instrumentation. The album closes out with the sad, lonesome lament, "Dear Avery" which is a bittersweet melody that prominently showcases Meloy's unique trademark vocal delivery, well complimented by Welch's rich harmony.

This album is very easily my favourite of the year so far. It almost feels as though the band has recorded this project as a special treat just for me. Everything I love about great roots music is exploited generously throughout this recording. Minor chorded dirges, and Appalachian barnstorms colorfully embellished with fiddle, mandolin and steel guitar. Although there are many critics bemoaning the abandonment of the band's ornate extravagance, and accusing them of relinquishing themselves to something more ordinary and prosaic, I wholeheartedly disagree. It feels to me like it has been a long time coming, and is part of the great master plan. It also seems to me that the bold indulgence of these types of traditional sounds after such elaborate, monumental efforts is a further testament to the dedication these guys have to staying creative. I wouldn't necessarily expect this album to mark the direction the band will be going forward, as it feels more like a short stop on a long journey of musical reconnaissance.

http://decemberists.com/
http://www.myspace.com/thedecemberists

Money In The Banana Stand - There's Always

Despite their ridiculously atrocious name, Money In The Banana Stand are a bona fide punk rock powerhouse from Charlottetown, P.E.I. I like their album, There's Always. I recently did a review of the record for noisography. Check it out here:

http://noisographyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/02/album-review-money-in-banana-stand.html

I also did a review for the Benjamin Russell album, Rockhill. To sum it up, don't waste your time. Read the full review here:

http://noisographyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/02/album-review-benjamin-russell-rockhill.html

Album Review: Social Distortion - Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes

      It seems to me that Social Distortion are one of those bands. You know, one of those bands that either you love, or you've never heard of them. It's hard to have anything but respect for these guys. Enduring many rehab and jail stints, hiatuses, and the death of co-founding member Dennis Danell in 2000, the band continues on with frontman Mike Ness as the only remaining original member. One thing I will say about Social Distortion is that they are consistent. Although, they damn well better be with the amount of time it takes them to release an album. With their output being so solid, paired with how infrequent it's actually released, the unveiling of a new Social Distortion record has come to be a monumental occasion in the world of punk rock. Except it would be entirely unfair to strictly associate the band with the punk rock scene alone. Although credited with helping kickstart the L.A. punk scene in the early 80's with peers Youth Brigade and X, they have long since established themselves as a rock and roll tour de force. Their 1983 debut, Mommy's Little Monster was a seminal punk landmark, which along with debuts by Black Flag and Minor Threat, helped mold the landscape for 80's hardcore and drive punk rock back into the underground. (For the time being, at least). Never ones to follow any kind of musical trends, their 1988 album Prison Bound found the band driving a stake into the ground of a new sound altogether. Well, if not a new sound, at least a new blend of familiar ones. Like no one else before them, Mike Ness and group began running a thread of country and rockabilly tones through their already established punk rock bombast. Perhaps becoming complacent with Reagan-era punk rock in the late 80's, Ness re-discovered his roots in sounds influenced by the Rolling Stones, Hank Williams and Wanda Jackson. Albums to follow, such as their 1990's self-titled, and 1992's Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell were classic collections of hard luck ballads and rock and roll love songs that sounded like they should have come complete with a leather jacket, switchblade and self-tattooing kit. By the time Green Day was about to re-introduce punk rock to the disaffected, post-grunge youth and blow it wide open into the mainstream, Social Distortion had already forged their own brand of roots-fueled punk that created the ideal soundtrack for whiskey-soaked heartbreak, redemption, and wide eyed rebellion.

      The latest from Social D's catalog gives us Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes. This is the long anticipated follow up to 2004's near masterpiece: Sex, Love and Rock 'n Roll. Was it worth the wait? One look at the track listing alone gives us an idea that we are already treading into familiar and comfortable territory. The songs prove this is mostly the case indeed, albeit with a couple of surprises. I was immediately taken in with the album's first proper track, "California (Hustle and Flow)". The song is driven by a dirty blues shuffle, and carries into a soulful Stones-esque chorus complete with female gospel singers on backup. There are a few classic sounding gems, such as "Diamond In The Rough" and "Machine Gun Blues" built on the tried and true formula of driving power chords, soulful melodies and Ness's trademark gruff vocal delivery. What I like most about this record is the heavier emphasis on harmony vocals, which have been present in the past but not near as prominent. Case and point is the chorus on the heart-wrenching ballad "Bakersfield" that sweeps you in with densely layered harmonies cutting through the mix. The album is mostly good. There are plenty of driving rhythms, sincere melodies and swaggering punkabilly. Except I do have a few gripes. One of my favourite things about Social D in the past, has been Ness's painfully honest and poignant lyrics. Classic tracks such as "Ball and Chain" and "When The Angels Sing" were highlighted with simple, yet deep and impassioned lyrics that could speak to the downtrodden vagabond soul. On this album, they straddle the line between poignant and trite. It almost seems that Ness is so arrogant as to not bother really trying anymore. In the past he's been able capture the true essence of the sensitive rock and roll rebel who's down on his luck, with pained and confessional lyrics that anybody with a whiskey buzz and life of regret can relate to. Unfortunately, some of the lyrics here start to sound a bit tired and cliched. Also, the album's instrumental opener, "Road Zombie" is a pretty killer riff but sounds like an unfinished song. Had they added some lyrics and a chorus, it could have the the album's most rocking number.

     Much has happened to the face of punk rock in the past decade or so. Since claiming widespread mainstream appeal in the mid-90's, the scene has become diluted to say the least. New sub-genres have emerged from the shadows. Emo. Screamo. Post-Hardcore. Pop-Punk bands have invaded pop radio and reality TV. The very ethic from which punk rock was born in the 1970's is completely lost on today's youth, and has become everything that punk was rebelling against in the first place. Social Distortion is one of those bands that have been around since the beginning, and have stayed true to their original vision. Amidst the chaos of trendy mallrat punks and mopey emo-kids, its refreshing that these guys are still around making music that conjures up images of hot rods and pin up girls, and makes you want to grease up your hair and take your bike out on the town.

www.socialdistortion.com
www.myspace.com/socialdistortion

Top 10 Love Songs

I have a new album review coming very soon. In the meantime, just for something to do here's a quick list of the 10 songs you should have on your Valentine's Day playlist.

10. We Don't Mind - Hayden
9. Blind Love - Tom Waits
8. Don't Forget Me - Harry Nilsson/Neko Case
7. Nights In White Satin - The Moody Blues
6. A Pair of Brown Eyes - The Pogues
5. Lovesong - The Cure
4. Crimson and Clover - Tommy James and The Shondells
3. No One's Gonna Love You - Band of Horses
2. Wicked Game - Chris Isaak
1. Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor

Album Review: Orchid's Curse - Voices: The Tales of Broken Men

    I'm going to begin this review with saying that I am very picky when it comes to metal these days.  I was a big fan of metal in the late 80's/early 90's era with bands like Pantera, Sepultura and Slayer creating the template for great modern metal.  Unfortunately, I then found that metal as a whole seemed to take a seriously tragic plunge going into the late 90's, with bands like Korn and Sevendust taking the reins and leading us all into and endless Nu Metal hell. It felt like there was so much lost in what makes great metal music. For example: intelligent songwriting, melodic sensibility, and interesting musical dynamics. I did however feel a sense of hope in the early 2000's upon discovering some long overlooked bands like In Flames and Dark Tranquility. These bands seemed to go back to some of the more primal roots of true metal that celebrated the melodic structures of classic Maiden, with the progressive tendencies of King Crimson, all nicely complimented with sincerely brutal vocals.
    Now allow me to introduce Nova Scotia's own Orchid's Curse. Lead vocalist Josh Hogan has been championing the Canadian east coast metal scene for the last 5 years with his own Diminished Fifth Records label, and makes his case no better than with his own band. Their 2006 debut EP, Goodbye Is When The Casket Closes, delivered a remarkable showcase of tight, razor sharp rhythms and carefully arranged song structures. The band takes things a step further with their first full length release, Voices: The Tales of Broken Men. This is the sound of an already fiercely accomplished metal ensemble truly coming into their own lyrically, musically and conceptually. With an album that follows a narrative thematic structure that invites us to explore the darkest of human emotions, the band has created a brilliant, progressive masterwork that may already be their magnum opus. Imagine the perfect marriage of technical proficiency, dedicated musicianship with emotional catharsis and unadulterated aggression. The production is also severely impressive, while at the same time lends a quality that exposes the raw nature of the music. On top of everything else, amongst some of the violent discord are some actual frighteningly catchy hooks.
    The rhythm section (consisting of drummer Bobby Webb and bassist Kevin Mombourquette) flawlessly pounds with frenetic intensity and creates the ideal backdrop for the relentless sensory overload of sonic wizardry. The dual guitar team of Brian Jones and Keith MacLeod come through with a barbaric assault of mean, metal riffage and complex, interwoven melodies executed with surgical like precision. Vocalist Hogan cuts through the mix with an imposing display of range that travels the spectrum from tortured scream that recalls Sick Of It All's Lou Koller, to a brutally resolute death growl.
    The musical journey opens with the slow burning instrumental, "Above Moyobamba" that meticulously ascends into an oblivious hollow of dark, disturbing melody and atmosphere. From there we're taken into "The Delicate Art of Dying" which is where the album explodes into full force with all guns blazing. Perhaps one of the record's major highlights comes in the grandiose interlude of "The Workhorse Walks Alone" which builds slowly into an epic group vocal chorus that sounds like a frustrated, haunted choir of doom chanting from the ends of insanity. Despite the beautiful chaos that erupts with the savage rhythms, piercing guitar hooks and feral screams, the songs are colorfully flourished with an interesting array of embellishments. "It Was The Darkest Day We'd Never See" is a short but sweet instrumental built around a renaissance era sounding classical guitar passage with cello. The final suite of "The Voice" that serves as the album's dual-faceted coda, begins with a delicate, harmonious piano melody that leads into a canorous dueling guitar intro that is welcomingly reminiscent of Heartwork era Carcass.
    Along with the likes of Soilwork and Unearth, it is bands like Orchid's Curse that have renewed my enthusiasm for great metal. More metal bands really need to understand and appreciate the need for dynamics and musicality to get the point across. Heavy for the sake of being heavy doesn't cut it anymore. The Nu Metal era is over, and that is made painfully clear with music like this.

http://www.myspace.com/orchidscurse
http://www.diminishedfifthrecords.com/