Born Against "The Rebel Sound of Shit and Failure"

Born against career began and ended with their live show: starting at New York City's Pyramid Club on April 29, 1989, and finishing at the Nile Cafe in Richmond, Virginia (July 12, 1993). "The Rebel Sounds of Shit and Failure" is a furious attack of anger and diatribe that will make most other hardcore/punk CDs sound like one of those kids now collections. You know those commercials where a bunch of brats are jumping up and down while singing along to Top 40 acts including Greenday and Sum 41? It's almost enough to make me give up on the human race and gouge my own eyes out. How much more proof does one need that punk has long kicked the bucket? Anyway, this album is a reissued collection (released by Kill Rock Stars in '03; originally released by Vermiform Records in '95) of Born Againsts seven inch and compilation material. Everything about the 24 tracks on "Rebel Sound" is straight forward, no frills, angry, and raw. The dudes in this band must have a had a fucked up child hood or something because they're the angriest band of skinny white kids that I know of. Sam, the lead singer, vomits out a blistering attack of cynical humor and radical politics. The guy sounds like he had to cough up blood after every show. Adam Woodrow (also see The Young Pioneers) played guitar, sang back up, and wrote most of the music for Born Against. "The Rebel Sound..." song list includes a sweet cover of X's "Riding With Mary". Some of my favorite tracks include the fierce "The Good Father", and the slower (dare I say melodic) songs "I Am A Idiot" and "My Favorite Housing Project". The latter two songs hint at a musical progression that may have veered from their take no prisoners hardcore sound if they had continued to play as a band. There are more songs on this CD that'll make you want to smash things up, slam around, and think at the same time. Well maybe not at the same time, but hopefully you get the idea... Isn't that what punk rock was all about? I don't know. I could be wrong, but all that dudes who wear black mascara, and look like they just walked out of a Hot Topic inspire me to do is hit the off button.

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PELICAN "Sirius"

A lot has been going on around here... none of it has been particularly grand. This song is sonic therapy. I'll let the sound speak for its self. If you're cool you would check out the band's website, or not.

The Velvet Underground "Loaded: The Fully Loaded Edition"

So, everyone knows The Velvet Underground is great. Right? If not, what the fuck?! They've inspired so many bands and clones that it's ridiculous. The Velvets' influence stretches far and wide. Bands like The Strokes, Longwave, and all of their look-a-likes barrow heavily from VU. They WERE sex, drugs and rock 'n roll; Lou Reed was one of, if not the first to write and sing overt lyrics about shooting up drugs and getting freak nasty. He just put it all out there. Just listen and you'll get it. Velvet Undergrounds "Loaded" in it's self is a great album, but with two CDs full of sweet goodies "Loaded: Fully Loaded Edition" is a music lovers wet dream... the first CD is the original classic plus 6 bonus tracks. The second CD features alternative and demo versions of the original 10 songs featured on "Loaded" plus another 7 tracks not seen before on the album; including an alternative demo of one of my favorite Lou Reed songs ever "Satellite of Love". "Loaded", the fourth album, would be VU's last, and most commercially successful offering as a band. By the time of this records production VU was pretty much in a state of limbo, and had begun to fall apart... the days of Andy Warhol, Nico and John Cale were long gone, drummer Maureen Tucker was on haitus to take care of her newly born daughter, and Lou Reed himself had quite the band a month before "Loaded" was submited to Atlantic Records. Many fans concider "Loaded" to be the weekest of VU's studio albums for lacking the same raw intesity of their earlier works, but it's undeniable the record is a triumph of catchy uncrompramising pop sensibility. The might of the song "Rock and Roll" sais it all. Don't doubt the Velvet Underground! Even in a state of explosion they could cut a record worth praise and worship. In honor of my buddy Rob and his music blog "Oh Sweet Nothing" (linked to the right) I'm posting the song "Oh! Sweet Nuthin" plus a couple other tracks from this beast.

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M83 "Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts"

The second album from two French fellers (Anthony Gonzalez and Nicolas Fromageau, released 2003) who create rich musical landscapes to set your mind a flutter. I find it amazing that it only took two guys to create this expansively imaginative, multi-layered sound... pretty awesome. M83 fittingly derived their name from a spiral shaped cluster of stars also known as the "Southern Pinwheel" galaxy. Fitting because you could describe M83 as a pinwheel of spaced out sound. By mixing warm ambient textures with, at times, My Bloody Valentine inspired pop M83 have produced an album you'll to easily get lost in. Each song spirals and flows smoothly into the next, so your locked in for an enitre 56 plus minutes. I read a fan review at insound stating that this CD "will love you and kill you all at once." Yep. It's electronic music with an organic soul; deep and mysterious. You like Sigur Ros, My Bloody Valentine, Brian Eno, Spiritualized, Radiohead, etc? Then you most likely are already into this band, but if not get with it because this collection of 17 songs (two CDs, plus two music videos to feast on) is one of the best things to happen to dreamy morose music loving geeks everywhere.

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The Young Pioneers "Free The [Young] Pioneers Now!"

The Young Pioneers share their name with the communist youth organization of China. They also came and went as quickly as the second wave of ska, but without the geeky plaid pants. As far as I know The Young Pioneers released only one full length ("Free The [Young] Pioneers Now!"), and two seven inches ("On Trial" and "The Fall of Richmond") in a two year period (1997-'98). You can read a better description of The Young Pioneers and order their stuff at Lookout Records. Adam Woodrow (a.k.a. Stackolee) from Born Against sang and played guitar in this band. "Who's Born Against," you may be asking? Well lovelies, more on them later... While most "punk" bands were trying to write a Blink-182 record Stackolee and his boys released "Free The [Young] Pioneers Now!". It's an album with a sound Dr. Frankenstine would be proud of; a healthy dose of punk sensibility, two parts country, one part folk, and a sprinkle of bluesy undertone. That's the best I can do to describe The Young Pioneers stripped down, angry sound. Angry, yes, but intelligent in it's anger... if that makes sense. This band sings songs of political and social defiance, but doesn't wave an over bearing flag of politics in your face. One thing that makes this band a good listen is that Woodrow left his songs statements to make their own impression on the listener rather then strong arming an agenda. Plus his voice is raw, and it's passionate in it's urgency. "We Aint Even Married" (a love song of sorts) is by far one of the best tracks of the CD... organ, hermonica, and all. "Drown In The James" is a poetic and haunting song about the disillusionment of the american dream. I like.

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