The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Album Name: Neon Bible

Artist Name: The Arcade Fire

Album Date: 2007

Shock horror, an album from this century is being reviewed =O

Well, now that we've gotten that shock out of the way, The Arcade Fire are a critically acclaimed band, who are headlining Reading and Leeds festivals this year to support their new album (The Suburbs, which will be reviewed at a later date), and I have been told about several times.
Anyway, I saw a version of Wake Up they did with David Bowie and loved it, so decided to check them out, and I am glad I did so.

This band are phenomenal, and have a rather different set-up to the usual, featuring an accordion player and two violin players alongside their two guitarists, bassist, keyboard player and drummer, and almost all the members sing while they play to some degree, giving them quite an interesting sound, unlike most things I have heard before.

The album itself is very mellow, and not particularly loud, although it does have climax's within certain songs, they are not a typical climax, more of an emphasis in most cases, which works perfectly.

Most people view this as the bands best album, I shall judge this when I have heard more of their material.

For now, if you need to relax, or just wind down, or like mellow albums, check this out immediately.

5/5

David Bowie - The Man Who Sold The World

Artist Name: David Bowie

Album Name: The Man Who Sold The World

Album Date: 1970

Okay, so since discovering Bowie last week I've gotten a slight obsession due to the godly nature of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust (I'll review that later), and figured, since I love Nirvana's version of this albums title track so much, the original must be pretty good.

The album itself is amazing.

Unlike the album he's probably most well known for (R&FoZS), this album is somewhat heavier-seeming, with more guitar-driven songs as they hold the rhythm and the lead control in most songs.

The album varies its styles from a seemingly harder rock, to the somewhat psychedelic The Man Who Sold The World, as Bowie added a large amount of Flange to his voice in the verse, making it seem a lot different to the rest of the albums tracks.

Overall, I'd say even if you just have an incline for Bowie, or even just Alt. Rock, I'd give this album a listen.

But not before Ziggy Stardust, that album should be the starting point for all Bowie fans, as its truly an amazing album which was the epitome of its time in music.

7.5/10

Melvins - Houdini

Album Name: Houdini

Artist Name: Melvins

Album Date: 1993

So, it seems I have a grunge thing going on at the minute, so here's a review of what is generally seen (as far as I've been told) as the best Melvins album. The Melvins of course being a band that inspired Kurt Cobain to some degree, as he was originally a roadie-type person for them.

Contrary to most music of their style at the time, the Melvins were not so much Grunge, however are considered part of the Seattle Sound, as they were similar, in that time period, and from Seattle. The Melvins, take more influence from a mix of metal and punk, thus giving them the straight up edgy sound that Grunge was based around, but also the louder, more powerful metal feeling to their work.

Houdini, is an awesome album. It incorporates songs using the style that Nirvana were famous for (Soft-Loud) and takes their own style, with distorted, melodic riffs with vocals that match across the entire album as well.

Overall, the album will appeal to anyone who likes the heavier style songs Nirvana did, as Kurt was heavily influenced by Buzz Osbourne in his youth, and the growling style of vocals that was present at so many different times and places across the era of the Seattle Sound.

If you like Grunge, be sure to check them out, to see how one of the bands that helped start it all off turned out on their first major label release

8/10

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention - Freak Out

Okay, I figure I'll crank another review out tonight.

Album Name: Freak Out!

Artist Name: Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention

Album Date: 1966

Okay, so this is, one of my favourite albums.
It is the first album Frank Zappa commercial made, and toured for, with his original band (which he disbanded and re-made several times over his career), The Mothers of Invention.

The album, compared to a lot of Prog Rock, is somewhat similar to the popular musical style of the time (The Beatles, and that sort of Rock'n'Roll), so its a nice starting point for Prog Rock if you like that, it sort-of eases you into it, and then throws you in at the crazy end.

Although it does take the easier route for entry to Prog Rock, with the familiar styling's, it was still revolutionary. It didn't talk about any debatable lyrics, it had Frank's traditional style of lyrics, that leave you wondering why the hell you just listened to a song about someone being a rock and screaming for help. However, some tracks, contain a social commentary on the US of

the time to some degree, which is always nice.

The album contains a wide variety of instruments, with the traditional Zappa solo's that absolutely amaze and astound, not very dominant here, although still present. It contains brass parts, Kazoo's, Piano, tradional Bass Drums, Guitar and Vocals (from several vocalists in each song usually).

The strangest track on the album, by far, is It Can't Happen Here, which consists of the entire band speaking for most of it, to a slight melody which is created by the band, and then has a short instrumental break, before returning to the vocal styling.

Over-all, the album encompasses, to me, the origins of Prog Rock, showing how one of the, if not the, greatest composers, guitarists, and vocalists of the 20th+21st centuries started. It has somewhat simplistic lyrics, often simply concerning love, but presented in the traditional "What the hell???" Zappa style, and it will always hold a place in my playlists.

10/10

So we're starting again

So this died out.

Again.

Yeah, I know, it always does.

Anyway, here's another fresh start.

Album Name: Daydream Nation

Artist Name: Sonic Youth

Album Date: 1988

Okay, so since I'm listening to this for the first time in ages while I write this, this is our first review.

Sonic Youth are a truly legendary band.
They've been going since the early 80's, with the ever unique style of the entire band having never played an instrument before they started, and using only cheap instruments + learning as they go, giving them that punk-rock edge that so many punk legends had (Sid Vicious as example).

However Sonic Youth hold a place in my music library for one main reason, they pionereed/spearheaded two genre's.

One, the legendary Grunge Rock. The Seattle Sound, kicking off in the 80's and coming to fruition in the early 90's with Nirvana's Nevermind album hitting the big time, they were one band that started on the legendary Grunge label, Sub Pop, and were always on the scene to some degree.

The second, a genre I am less familiar with, is Noise Rock, pure un-adulterated, distorted, heavy, chaotic, noise. Plain and simple.

The album Daydream Nation, as all good Sonic Youth Albums do, has elements of both, but to me leans heavily towards the Grunge side of things. It also keeps to Sonic Youth's light grunge stylings, while heavily leaning away from Grunge and towards Alt. Rock in general. However, the album does retain the distorted riffs, the chaotic instrumentals, and the pure un-adulterated noise that is what they became known for.

The album has a variety of tracks, some featuring only Kim Gordon on vocals, some being instrumental, most however being completely reliant upon the male members of the band, with Kim singing backing vocals.

To me, the album is something I can just get lost in, sitting listening to the structured, melodic chaos that unravels around me as I drown in the distorted guitar, obscure lyrics, and ever thumping drum beats.

I recommend this album to every single one of you, simply so you can have a taste of two genre's at a single point in time, seeing as this album is probably Sonic Youth's best work.

8.9/10