maniaco

Santana - Caravanserai [1972]

maniaco — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:14:34 GMT

Música: Jazz Rock/Blues Jazz/Latin Jazz/Soul Jazz/Fusion

Comentário AM:

Drawing on rock, salsa, and jazz, Santana recorded one imaginative, unpredictable gem after another during the 1970s. But Caravanserai is daring even by Santana's high standards. Carlos Santana was obviously very hip to jazz fusion -- something the innovative guitarist provides a generous dose of on the largely instrumental Caravanserai. Whether its approach is jazz-rock or simply rock, this album is consistently inspired and quite adventurous. Full of heartfelt, introspective guitar solos, it lacks the immediacy of Santana or Abraxas. Like the type of jazz that influenced it, this pearl (which marked the beginning of keyboardist/composer Tom Coster's highly beneficial membership in the band) requires a number of listenings in order to be absorbed and fully appreciated. But make no mistake: this is one of Santana's finest accomplishments.

4.5

Santana - Caravanserai [1972]

Jaga Jazzist - The Stix [2003]

maniaco — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:05:02 GMT

Música: Jazz House/Experimental Big Band/Progressive Jazz

Comentário AM:

The second full-length by Norwegian jazz enfant terribles Jaga Jazzist proves to even the most ardently pigheaded that their debut, A Livingroom Hush, was no fluke. (Jazz "purists" -- as if jazz were a "pure" music -- will even have to take note on compositional, swing, and improvisational levels but will no doubt, like any music fascist, dismiss this as somehow inauthentic because of the presence of electronics.) The Stix ups the ante a notch and foregoes much of the restraint displayed on the previous album, delving deeper into jazz motifs and the latest innovations in electronic music with a vengeance. Featuring ten original compositions by Lars and Martin Hornveth, Jurgen Munkeby, and others from the ensemble, The Stix moves into realms of ensemble interaction that cross barriers of swing, soundtrack architectures, sampladelica, and modal jazz often in the same tune. Melodic lines become riffs that give way to ensemble counterpoint and solo improvisations. Here, as on "Another Day," horns, electric guitars, looped snares, acoustic bass, strings, and an insane, treated trumpet solo offer a view from the pastoral to the incendiary in a seamless fugue of harmonic and scalar interludes. Likewise the strange sci-fi Braziliana and shimmering electronics at the heart of the futuristic bossa "I Could Have Killed Him in the Sauna" offer a futuristic view of Charles Mingus and his Tijuana Moods album if it were recorded in the 21st century. It has all the chamber pieces and the intimacy of close-distance group interplay and the expansive view of the terrain and atmospherics to offer the listener an aural view of a universe, ever present yet just beyond her reach. Once again, Jaga Jazzist have proven that the European jazz identity is a highly individualistic one and reflects different musical considerations in regard to mood, texture, and communication and a powerful set of dynamic perceptions to stand outside everything of concern and makes it human, warm, and vibrant -- all of our musically racist notions about Scandinavia are blown to bits here over and again. This music is compelling, hip, groundbreaking, and stunningly, achingly beautiful as well as challenging. The Stix needs top be recognized as one of the finest jazz records of 2003. Period.

4.5

Jaga Jazzist - The Stix [2003]

Alain Pérez - En el Aire [2006]

maniaco — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:53:37 GMT

Música: Latin Jazz/Progressive Jazz

Comentário AM:

Five-string electric bass guitarist Alain Pérez has talent far beyond his deft and dedicated ability to play his instrument. For this debut recording he has written all the music, including the punchy three-part horn charts, and assembled a band of relative unknowns in the general scheme, to produce a unique brand of progressive jazz with Latin underpinnings and far-reaching, fervent, abounding joy. You'd have to ask Pérez where he came up with all of these brilliant ideas to make music so fresh and original. One could surmise he's heard his share of Machito and Tito Puente, with generous helpings of the Gil Evans or Thad Jones/Mel Lewis big bands and a dollop of Jack Bruce as dessert. The music really jumps out of the speakers with the first three outstanding tracks: the title cut with its churning Latin rhythms, contemporary complex horns, and a Fender Rhodes keyboard; the beautiful "120 & 9" with cleverly steamed, boiling, and simmering rhythms constantly shifting up and down; and the bold sounds of "La Canchanchara," a little heavy and a lot happy. This is truly unbelievable music, but there's much more, as a version of Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee" begins with a ritual chant, kicks into high gear, stutters into a delay mode, and is hard to pin down in its wild construct. "Camino del Oso" is delightfully similar to a Weather Report piece in its hip and heavy, danceable modern Latin overtones. "La Razon" is chunky, funky, and jumpy, "Agarrame Si Puedes" has melded polyrhythms of 6/8 and 4/4 with a Rhodes-led line aside percussion, and there are three vocal cuts led by Pérez ranging from a love song to a Yoruban chant and a tribute to his grandfather. Do not pass up this wonderful, eclectic, and vibrant effort by Alain Pérez, as good as it gets in the contemporary post-salsa progressive Latin jazz music of now.

Alain Pérez - En el Aire [2006]

Spectrum Road - Spectrum Road [2012]

maniaco — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:44:18 GMT

Música: Jazz Rock/Fusion

Comentário AM:

Spectrum Road is a jazz-rock supergroup featuring bassist Jack Bruce, guitarist Vernon Reid, drummer Cindy Blackman-Santana, and organist John Medeski that formed as a tribute to the inspiration and music of Tony Williams' pioneering Lifetime group (of which Bruce was a member). In the process of playing Lifetime's music as a project, they became a bona fide band. All but two of these cuts are from Lifetime's catalog. The set begins with the scorcher "Vuelta Abajo," from 1970's Turn It Over album. All four members come storming out of the gate on a syncopated, intense series of riffs and stops. Blackman-Santana, a Williams disciple, plays furiously with countless rolls and fills yet never drops her sense of groove. She pushes hard at Bruce's bassline while Medeski washes it all with a counter pulse and Reid takes it over into the red zone. This is excess at its level best. The hippest thing is that not only does Bruce keep that insane pace, he revels in it and works with Blackman-Santana to keep the groove funky and weird. She takes the vocal on the spacey, 12-minute "Where," which builds via her rolls and Medeski's abstract painterly touches into a true freewheeling jam with Reid and Bruce going head to head. The group interplay on "Vashkar" (written by Carla Bley, and originally appeared on 1969's Emergency) is a manic showcase for Medeski and Reid, but it's the rhythm section that keeps moving the track further onto the ledge. Spectrum Road honors Williams' example by taking real chances with his music. The way they break down "There Comes a Time" ( from 1971's Ego) with Bruce's bluesy vocals holding the ground firm under the band's improvising moves it from a somewhat staid open modal blues into something more textured, aggressive, and expansive. Reid's jazz chops on "Coming Back Home" walk a line between swing and Hendrixian blues, as Medeski swells and feeds his every line. Reid's and Blackman-Santana's rock strut on "Wild Life" would be nearly processional were it not for Bruce's and Medeski's deeply funky undercurrent. Spectrum Road's self-titled debut delivers in full on the supergroup promise; in addition, they provide the kind of forward-looking tribute that a pioneer like Williams truly deserves.

Spectrum Road - Spectrum Road [2012]

MP3MANIACO´S

maniaco — Sat, 18 May 2013 20:37:02 GMT

Ratatat - Ratatat [2004]

Ratatat - Classics [2006]

Monty Python - Sings [1991]

Blue October - Foiled [2006]

Daft Punk - Musique, Vol. 1: 1993-2005 [2006]

Flobots - Fight with Tools [2008]

Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes [1983]

The Subways - Young for Eternity [2006]

Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare [2007]

Justin Timberlake - Futuresex/Lovesounds [2006]

Eagles of Death Metal - Peace Love Death Metal [2004]

Andrew Lloyd Webber w/ Tim Rice - Jesus Christ Superstar OST [1971]

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 4 Way Street (Live) [1971]

maniaco — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:15:51 GMT

Música: Folk Rock/Contemporary Pop Rock/Psychedelic

Comentário AM:

Expanded by almost 40 minutes, the double-CD version of 4 Way Street simply built on the existing foundation of a landmark live album, and for a change, there was no diminishing of the original release. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young had come out of Woodstock as the hottest new music act on the planet, and followed it up with Deja Vu, recorded across the second half of 1969 and released in March of 1970, supported by a tour in the summer of that year. As it happened, despite some phenomenal music-making, the tour was fraught with personal conflicts, and the quartet split up upon its completion. And 4 Way Street followed, released in April of 1971: a live double-LP set, chock-full of superb music distilled down from a bunch of nights on that tour that more than fulfilled the promise of the group. Indeed, contained on those original four LP sides was the embodiment of everything great that the unique ethos behind this group -- which was not a "group" but four individuals working together -- might have yielded. Each of the participants got to show off a significant chunk of his best work, whether presented alone or in tandem with the others, and the shared repertory -- "Long Time Gone," "Ohio" etc. -- binding it all together as more than a documentary of some joint appearances. Conceptually it was all as diffuse as the concept behind the group, but musically, 4 Way Street was one of the great live rock documents of its time, a status it retains along with such touchstones as the Allman Brothers' At Fillmore East, the live half of the Cream's Wheels of Fire, and the Grateful Dead's Live/Dead; some of the extended guitar jams between Stills and Young ("Southern Man") go on longer than strict musical sense would dictate, but it seemed right at the time, and they capture a form that was far more abused in other hands after this group broke up. Although Neil Young and Stephen Stills had the advantage of the highest wattage on their songs and their jams together, David Crosby and Graham Nash more than manage to hold their own, not only with some strong and distinctive songs, but also a strong case that less could be more; they reached the more introspective members of their audience, mostly individually, while Stills and Young wowed the crowds collectively. The double-CD version adds more acoustic material by each of the participants, which gives a fuller picture of what they were all about musically -- Nash's acoustic rendition of "King Midas in Reverse" doesn't slot in too easily next to the earthier Crosby, Stills & Young originals, but it also adds a welcome British psychedelic pop interlude to the proceedings. The essentials of the original album are all intact, and all in better sound.

4.5

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 4 Way Street (Live) [1971]

AC/DC - If You Want Blood You've Got It (Live) [1978]

maniaco — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:02:10 GMT

Música: Hard Rock/Heavy Metal/Arena Rock

Comentário AM:

This is a great album! One of the best live albums i've ever heard from any classic rock bands! The CD starts out with a raving audience cheering, and you can tell when Angus comes out. Then you hear the intro played by Angus to "Riff Raff", and Bon is really at his best in this concert!! He screams his lungs out with raw hysteria, its great!! The song moves onto the great "Hell Ain't A Bad Place to Be", followed by one of the best songs off of Let There Be Rock, "Bad Boy Boogie", and this version really gets in your face! "The Jack" comes next, with the original live version of lyrics(which are so much better). "Problem Child" where Bon screams his best here as well. "Whole Lotta Rosie", another favorite, and you can really feel Bon's voice going through your ears and shaking your brain! And the rampaging crowd chants "Angus, Angus" during the beginning riffs, its just great! Then onto some classic rock and roll tunes, "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" and "High Voltage", where Bon get the crowd to chant "HIGH", and wait'll Bon chants it the 4th time around(get your ears ready). "Let There Be Rock" the most powerful song on the album, where Angus and Malcolm blast their guitars and push their Marshall amps to the limit. The CD closes out with the classic "Rocker". Bon really puts his heart and soul into singing here, i've never heard him sing better than on this album. If you want blood...You got it, right on this album.

4.5

AC/DC - If You Want Blood You've Got It (Live) [1978]

Stanley Clarke & Friends - Live at the Greek (Live) [1993]

maniaco — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:53:35 GMT

Música: Contemporary Jazz/Fusion

Comentário AM:

More than any other genre, jazz seems best suited for the live environment. An artist can improvise in the studio, certainly, but in concert a musician can ignore time limits and stretch creative possibilities. This is especially true of all-star collaborations; they can seem contrived or forced, but when chemistry exists between the players, the result is jazz in its purest, most exciting form. Such is the case on this disc, which features five contemporary giants: Clarke, Larry Carlton, Najee, Deron Johnson, and Billy Cobham. Seventy minutes for seven songs allows the players to interact and solo at length, stretching originals and Miles and Mingus covers to their limit. While each member is a monster improvisor, all base their musings on a definite wave of melodic brilliance. Najee is the real surprise here, as Clarke says in his liner notes. While the others are respected as top fusion cats, the saxman has always faced criticism for the commercialism of his albums; here, Najee proves he can blow with the best of them, getting the energy flowing on tracks like his own "Buenos Aires." Other highlights include the light intro "Minute By Minute," which L.C. popularized as an instrumental; Cobham's explosive "Stratus"; Carlton's simmering "Her Favorite Song"; and the final piece, an increasingly frenetic, 22-minute explosion of Clarke's classic "School Days."

4.5

Stanley Clarke & Friends - Live at the Greek (Live) [1993]

Carole King / James Taylor - Live at the Troubadour (Live) [2010]

maniaco — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:35:37 GMT

Música: Contemporary Pop Rock/Soft Rock

Comentário AM:

I had put off buying this because I'd anticipated a repeat of previous releases -- the ho-hum, cozy/warm vibe of King's "Living Room Tour" and Taylor's "Live," both of which served as late-career retrospectives. How surprised I was when I heard the music; providing backup is the original rhythm section -- once called The Section -- which helped define the sound for both artists on their seminal records (Danny Kortchmar, Lee Sklar and Russ Kunkel.) This makes all the difference -- and probably comes close to recreating the original sound of both artists when they played the L.A. Troubadour back in the day (which was indeed the intent of this concert, as the pair united to celebrate the venue's fiftieth anniversary). There's some muscle here, even a hint of distortion in Kortchmar's guitar, that helps vault both artists' songs into energetic readings that get under the skin. And the top of the set list includes some early, lesser known songs of Taylor's. In other words, this isn't an evening restricted to wrapping up in an afghan, sipping camomille tea, and stroking the cat, but rather revisiting a time and place -- the anxiety-ridden late '60s and early '70s -- when both artists' voices were heard in more complex settings than history has assigned them. (Back then, Taylor wrote often of his time in a mental institution; King was breaking free of her Brill-Building pop roots with songs that included a guy gunning down a congregation.) Still, the hits are here, but the great backing sound gives them much-needed new life, even as it harkens back to roots. In short, there's something here for everybody, and it all seems effortless. It's a terrific and welcome surprise from two artists who deserved this sort of release, because they earned their appreciative audiences. It appeals across the spectrum.

Carole King / James Taylor - Live at the Troubadour (Live) [2010]

VA - Mississippi Girls (1928-1931) [1991]

maniaco — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:29:31 GMT

Música: Delta Blues/Country Blues/Acoustic Blues

Comentário AM:

This is an important collection, because it helps fill the gap in the recorded history of blueswomen who played and sang outside of the well-known sphere of the "classic singers" such as Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. The highlights here are the two recordings of Mattie Delaney, a wonderful singer/guitarist about whom almost nothing is known. Fine also are the more rough-hewn offerings of Rosie Mae Moore who is accompanied by talented veterans Charlie McCoy and Ishmon Bracey. Although the Geechie Wiley/Elvie Thomas duets are marred by a scratchy background, they also are well-worth hearing.

VA - Mississippi Girls (1928-1931) [1991]

VA - Message from the Tribe: An Anthology of Tribe Records, 1972-1977 [1996]

maniaco — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:22:25 GMT

Música: Soul Jazz/Hard Bop/Post Bop/Free Funk

Comentário AM:

Detroit's Tribe Records was a political, social, and aesthetic collective of local musicians whose collective identity was a staggering array of aesthetic ones -- especially in music. The group headed by Wendell Harrison and Phil Ranelin also held in its ranks Marcus Belgrave and the late Harold McKinney, with countless others, such as bassist Ron Brooks, trumpeter Charles Moore, drummer Doug Hammond, and others joining in for sessions and concerts. Tribe was the only label in history to have had musicians who played with everyone from Charles Parker and Mingus and Sun Ra to Marvin Gaye and the Supremes. Besides the record company, Tribe held a publishing house for a magazine and a production company under its roof. This Universal Sound sampler collects music from all nine Tribe albums, and an awesome glossy, miniature facsimile of Tribe magazine in a deluxe slipcase edition. Universal Sound's trademark is one of quality, with well-mastered compilations of forgotten yet necessary material from the African-American and Latin music communities that existed during the 1960s, '70s, and '80s throughout the United States that have passed into history largely unappreciated despite their influence and contribution to the culture at large. The most striking impression of Tribe is its musical diversity: here were a group of jazz musicians whose own approaches to music were very different from one another, who folded everything into the soup: soul, bebop, hard- and post-bop, modal, funk, groove jazz, vocals, avant-garde improvisations, and so on. From David Durham's half-minute, string freakout "Space #2," to the early funky groove-oriented jazz-funk of Ranelin's "Vibes From the Tribe" and "Sounds From the Village" to the strange, baroque vanguard of Hammond's vocal "Moves" to the deep, slippery, greasy fatness of the Tribe's "Benificent," which combined Coltrane-like modal improvisation with Latin percussion and Detroit funk in a sticky soup of pure sonic pleasure. Belgrave's landmark nine-minute epic "Space Odyssey" combines the use of electronic experimentation with amplified piano and big-band arrangements -- à la his stint with Mingus during the "Pre-Bird" era -- and is still a piece ahead of its time in terms of both jazz arrangement and composition despite its aural limitations due to the shortcomings of the gear used at the time of the recording. The set officially ends with Wendell Harrison's "Tons and Tons of B.S.," featuring a small big band with a percussion section playing counterpoint to the four-horn front line. The groove is strictly Latin with Harrison lending a melodic sensibility from both the hard bop and early modal schools of Miles Davis, with a Coltrane and an R&B vibe! All the sounds are mixed, all given due weight in the tune, making for a piece as provocative and harmonically advanced as anything that came out of the '70s -- in fact, more than most. The reason was the vision: Tribe was all-inclusive, wanting to leave no music outside of its walls. Hence the kitchen-sink approach -- that had been tried by everybody from Archie Shepp (Attica Blues) to Ornette Coleman (Skies of America) to Miles with mixed results. Tribe may have only existed for five years, but during that time it changed the musical universe -- even if nobody knew it.

4.5

VA - Message from the Tribe: An Anthology of Tribe Records, 1972-1977 [1996]

VA - The Trojan Box Set: Bob Marley & Friends [2002]

maniaco — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:15:44 GMT

Música: Reggae/Rocksteady/Ska

Comentário AM:

Listeners should be aware that the title on this three-disc box set from Trojan Records really ought to be Bob Marley's Friends rather than Bob Marley & Friends, since it consists of tracks by backup singers, ex-Wailers, and former producers who worked with Marley, and virtually nothing from Marley himself. That doesn't make this a bad collection, just a misleading one. There is plenty to like here, including a trio of organ instrumentals from Aston Barrett ("Ten Thousand Tons of Dollar Bills," "Deep River," "Sly Mongoose"), a couple of familiar Peter Tosh songs ("Maga Dog," "Arise Blackman"), Carl Dawkins' credible reggae cover of the Temptations' "Cloud Nine," a wonderful song from Joe Higgs ("The World Is Upside Down"), and yet another funky instrumental from Earl "Wire" Lindo ("White Rum"). Any journey into the legendary Trojan vaults is generally worth the time, and if the organizing principle here is a little bit of a bait and switch, the end result is still full of great tracks.

VA - The Trojan Box Set: Bob Marley & Friends [2002]

VA - After Dark [2007]

maniaco — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:08:35 GMT

Música: New Wave/Post Punk Revival/Indie Rock/Alternative Pop Rock

Comentário AM:

A limited-edition CD-R that functioned as both an introductory label sampler and a roundup of the first several 12" releases on the fledgling Italians Do It Better imprint, After Dark presents a sleekly sinister style of synthetic dance music that recalls the decadent overtones of early-2000s electroclash but finds a more direct stylistic referent in vintage electronic disco from around 25 years prior. The name of the New Jersey-based label (run by Mike Simonetti of Troubleman Unlimited) suggests a link with Italo disco, a genre that was very much coming into vogue when these sides were released in 2007, but despite a preponderance of relentless robotic synthesizers, the music here is a far cry from the giddy sentimentality and synth pop melodicism often associated with that style (and as heard, for instance, in the classicist Italo revivalism of Sally Shapiro, among others). The tracks collected here turn instead on haunted minor-key vamps, torpid tempos, cheap-sounding synths, and stripped-down, almost rudimentary percussion, creating a consistent, rather dour atmosphere that feels anachronistically musty but not quite retro. This sharply defined aesthetic must be credited in large part to producer Johnny Jewel, who has a hand in the music of three of the five artists represented here. He's a member of both Glass Candy and Chromatics (each of which had existed as post-punk-styled rock bands before effecting this transformation into what could be tagged post-disco), and he also produces here for Farah, a Plano, TX-based vocalist/lyricist who doesn't sing so much as intone, in both English and Farsi, with a devastating dispassion. Her "Law of Life," a dead-eyed, post-apocalyptic sermon declaimed over Jewel's spare, unrelenting jittery thud, is the compilation's most bleakly nihilistic moment, though it has some competition from Chromatics' standout "In the City," a dreamier but no less creepy track whose soporifically dripping synths, muted guitar glimmers, and fluid string lines induce a sweet-but-deadly hypnosis beneath singer Ruth Radelet's bleary croons of "shining violence." Glass Candy's kickoff, "Rolling Down the Hills," is a crackly, horn-fueled strut that could pass for straight-up old-school disco, at least if it were sped up a few notches, while the contributions by Professor Genius and Mirage skew closest to classic Italo -- the former offering up a pair of Moroder-esque synthesizer workouts; the latter gilding their midtempo keyboard fantasias with menacingly alien vocoders. Mirage also turn in an excellent, understated robotified rework of Indeep's classic "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life," which, alongside a generous selection of covers (three of them by Glass Candy, including a beguiling take on Kraftwerk's "Computer Love"), helps to establish a strong sense of reverence for and continuity with dance music's disco and not-quite-disco past. Boasting a strong sense of cohesion but a decent amount of variety, and plenty of highlights, After Dark amply demonstrates that electronic disco is alive and flourishing in the late 2000s, and that Italians -- at least these wanna-be Italians -- do it very well.

VA - After Dark [2007]

Even More MP3MANIACO´S

maniaco — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:41:01 GMT

Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb [2007]

Gerry Rafferty - City to City [1978]

Lamb of God - Sacrament [2006]

Katatonia - Night Is the New Day [2009]

The Postal Service - Give Up [2003]

Gotye - Making Mirrors [2011]

The Black Keys - Brothers [2010]

Beastie Boys - To the 5 Boroughs [2004]

Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm Just Me [2007]

Dolly - Dolly [1997]

Nightmares on Wax - Carboot Soul [1999]

maniaco — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:45:34 GMT

Música: Electronic/Trip Hop/IDM/Club Dance

Comentário AM:

Four years on from Smoker's Delight and, fortunately, little has changed for George Evelyn's Nightmares on Wax project. While he could've easily been forgiven for following the nu-beat crowd and inserting a few prescient big beats into the blunted trip-hop formula, it's all clear from the opener, "Les Nuits" (a NoW theme of sorts, repeated from Smoker's Delight), that at hand is a return to form, not a turn away from the trip-hop style that took such a beating during the late '90s. The lazy-day soul samples driving tracks like "Morse" and "Finer" are perfect examples that instrumental hip-hop doesn't have to resort to the usual producer's bag of tricks to make for music leagues beyond the average. There's also a focus here lacking from previous material; fewer interludes make for a more concentrated listening experience. All in all, Carboot Soul is one of the best arguments yet for the continuing development of trip-hop beyond mere coffee table fare.

4.5

Nightmares on Wax - Carboot Soul [1999]

Dub Pistols - Speakers and Tweeters [2007]

maniaco — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:38:26 GMT

Música: Electronic/Trip Hop/Big Beat

Comentário AM:

A new Dub Pistols album is always a cause for celebration, and Speakers and Tweeters, the duo's third, is no exception. A tighter and more directed set than Six Million Ways to Live, it's also a bit less adventurous, as the Pistols rein in their more fanciful musical experimentation in favor of focusing on the vocals. This is particularly notable on the entertaining but virtually superfluous cover of the Specials "Gangsters." They so perfectly conjure up the original, even bringing in Terry Hall to recut his own vocals, that one has to work hard to spot the difference. And Hall pops up all over this set, appearing on three more tracks, initially joining the leering lads on the "phew what a scorcher" take of the Stranglers' "Peaches," and kudos to Rodney P. for keeping his rap slack free and simultaneously wildly suggestive. The Pistols' house DJ, TK Lawrence strongly steps up for the classic roots reggae flavored "Running from the Thoughts," with Hall again providing backing for a song awash in smoky brass and a compulsive rhythm that's top-notch. "Rapture" is inspired, taking Blondie's disco hit into deep house territory, fueled by a four on the floor beat and splashes of brass, while Hall moodily intones the lyrics overhead, and Lawrence adds snippets of rap in between. Rodney P returns for a roots reggae version of Lou Rawls' "You'll Never Find," with the rapper mashing up the song around sweetly crooning vocal samples from John Holt, and for "Something to Trust," a tough, old-school styled West Coast rap, the aggressive backing is filled with menace. "Cruise Control" is old-school in a very different mode, evoking Afrika Bambaataa; its jittery mood and nervous energy reach a climax on the title track. Lawrence, who raps on both, however, shines brightest on the deep roots dub of "Stronger" and the smoldering hybrid "Mach 10." The latter blends rap with reggae's evocative Far East style and boasts a sly use of the riff from Horace Andy's "Skylarking." The album is bookended by two calmer pieces, with Blade launching us towards a faraway galaxy on the Moby-ish, ambient-rinsed "Speed of Light." Plenty of diversity then, and just enough musical crossover to keep most fans satisfied, but it's all far more subtle than on their previous sets, with the Pistols less interested in clashing music than using different vocal styles as their foil. In that respect, they offer more while simultaneously giving less. In any event, this is a stunning set, with lots of lyrical meat to chew on, and music to give one chills.

4.5

Dub Pistols - Speakers and Tweeters [2007]

Gonjasufi - A Sufi and a Killer [2010]

maniaco — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:29:58 GMT

Música: Electronic/Left Field Hip Hop

Comentário AM:

Like if J. Dilla produced George Clinton after visiting with the Dalai Lama, or if Dan the Automator recorded Cody Chesnutt after the two shared a plate of magic mushrooms, A Sufi and a Killer is a weird, ‘60s-rooted, psychedelic hip-hop trip. Sumach Ecks (aka Gonjasufi) sings quietly in his old-man croak over record crackles, McCartney-esque basslines, Farfisa organs, spacy delays, chopped guitars, Middle Eastern scales, and beats by the Gaslamp Killer, Mainframe, and Flying Lotus. It’s a perfect fit for Warp Records, and the same type of creatively deranged underground hip-hop aimed at fans of Stones Throw, Ghostly, or even the vintage-oriented Dusty Groove. Purportedly, the album took much longer to mix than it took to record, and this heavy attention to detail is evident. Of course, you have to listen closely to notice. The record is purposely skuzzy-sounding, giving it the sense of a loose projector warbling through a Fender tube amp. Along with Ecks’ unique delivery, this constant, lo-fi quality holds the album together as “Suzie Q,” “Stardustin’,” and “Change” jump from one style to the next, taking on Bad Brains punk, Tom Waits carnival creepiness, and Funkadelic cosmic slop. The mellow grooves of “Sheep” and “Dust” are highlights. On these, abstract melodies rise to the surface and stick. Elsewhere, the album shapeshifts, globetrots, and time travels so much that it's hard to keep up. Still, it's always mesmerizing. A Sufi and a Killer is nearly impossible to place or categorize, and this ageless quality is only embellished by Gonjasufi's vocal work, which at times sounds like a mystic channeling spirits from another dimension. Truly visionary.

Gonjasufi - A Sufi and a Killer [2010]

Martina Topley-Bird - Some Place Simple [2010]

maniaco — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:21:55 GMT

Música: Electronic/Trip Hop/Alternative Pop Rock

Comentário AM:

Martina Topley-Bird's Some Place Simple follows the release of her dynamite 2008 Danger Mouse-produced Blue God full-length by two years. That said, this set wasn't planned. She was actually approached by Damon Albarn who suggested recording stripped-down versions of songs from both her albums (the other is her 2003 debut, Quixotic) for his Honest Jon's imprint. What's more interesting is that the production on both of those recordings -- which were wildly different from one another -- was far from excessive. Nonetheless, Topley-Bird took Albarn up on his offer, and stripped her songs to the bone, completely recontextualizing her melodies. Some Place Simple is driven by minimal instrumentation on each of its 15 tracks. Other than her melodies, her approach is unique, even riveting. One need go no further than the album's opening cut, "Baby Blue," which uses a ukulele and a keyboard imitating a glockenspiel to illuminate her vocals. Electric piano and skeletal synth lines provide a counter melody between verses on "Phoenix," which is also lightly kissed by a kick drum and a tambourine. The electric piano and hand-drum loops on "Lying" make it so poignant the listener is tempted to hold her breath throughout its three minutes-and-49 seconds. Other highlights include the sparse, skittering, near-raga of "Intro" and "Sandpaper Kisses," with Claire Nicholson's approximation of Duane Eddy's sound. Then there's the swinging, fingerpopping dread heat of "Too Tuff to Die" with its heavily distorted electric guitar EFX and tom-toms. "Poison" is wildly exotic despite its musical economy: Topley-Bird's expressive vocal is accompanied only by Eastern (Near, Middle, and Far)-flavored percussion. That said, these song sketches provide a much deeper look into Topley-Bird's keen and original sense of melodic invention far more than her previous offerings, and display her ability to get the maximum from her limited vocal range. Some Place Simple is a delightful -- and sometimes astonishing -- surprise.

Martina Topley-Bird - Some Place Simple [2010]

Pig Destroyer - Terrifyer [2004]

maniaco — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:56:35 GMT

Música: Alternative Metal/Grindcore/Hardcore Punk

Comentário AM:

Pig Destroyer aren't out for the middle of the road presentation with this album given the Ralph Steadman/Gerald Scarfe-styled cover art, then again it's hard to see how they would be interested in that approach in the first place. Perhaps thankfully, the cover's nowhere near as grotesque to look at as the cover of Prowler in the Yard. That said, the music? Now that high-speed grindcore of any variety is about to move into its third decade of existence, it'll take accomplished performers to step up to the plate, and this trio does have the goods -- the main album itself is over 20 tracks in 32 minutes and completely nails it in terms of strong, honestly memorable performances. Where so many groups rely on undifferentiated blur, guitarist Scott Hull and drummer Brian Harvey are masters of brief, brilliant riffs and drum blasts that are memorable hooks as much as sheer rampage. The stop-start on-a-dime switches between the songs make the entire album one long but constantly changing listen. Songs like "Gravedancer" and "Carrion Fairy" are practically classic rock in ways and all the better for it, welding together a slew of familiar styles into something memorable in its own right. Even the sudden dropout on "Lost Cause" to a dramatic, hard to fully understand conversation/shouting match between two people acts as a needed deep breath before returning to the pit. What fans may be even more intrigued by is the bonus second disc, an audio DVD presentation called "Natasha" even longer than Terrifyer by five minutes. Pitched somewhere between a very long song and a movie without visuals (the presentation was mixed in 5.1 sound for those with such a setup), with both lyrics and a related short story reprinted in the booklet, it's the complete opposite of Terrifyer's sound -- slow, considered, many pauses, even intelligible lyrics -- but is equally powerful in its own right.

4.5

Pig Destroyer - Terrifyer [2004]

The Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works [2007]

maniaco — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:48:23 GMT

Música: Alternative Metal/Post Hardcore/Grindcore

Comentário AM:

After Miss Machine, Dillinger Escape Plan fans were divided. Many of the folks who were attached to the screaming mathematical metal of Calculating Infinity bailed on the band, disapproving of the experimental musical direction and the meathead appearance of new singer/screamer Greg Puciato. Open-minded listeners were excited about the progressive journey they were taking and many critics hailed the group as a true innovator of metalcore. Ire Works succeeds in many of the same ways that their previous album did, while branching out creatively. They continue to toy with technical metal, blistering hardcore, jazz breaks, and post-punk, but here they evolve again by adding more twists and turns with additional electronic elements. While the merging of too many styles in hardcore can make for a convoluted result (see Avenged Sevenfold's self-titled release), the added instruments and genre changeups enhance the result rather than acting as ornamental distractions. Edgy Aphex Twin-style drill'n'bass drum breaks and stretched and squeezed electro blips feel strangely at home next to the psychotic time-signature changes and manic riffs, especially on the tracks "Sick on Sunday," "Dead as History," and "When Acting as a Wave." Violins, pianos, and trumpets sit nicely in the mix, and the group's willingness to take chances leads to stunning artistic endeavors rather than stale attempts at crossing genres just for the sake of being clever. Original vocalist Dimitri Minakakis makes an appearance, as does Mastodon guitarist Brent Hinds, but the most notable inclusion is drummer Gil Sharone, who proves himself an expert at picking up the slack after the departure of founding member Chris Pennie to play in Coheed and Cambria. Undoubtedly, this act added anger to fuel the fire of their heavier numbers. "82588," "Fix Your Face," and "Party Smasher" are as wicked and manic as their most difficult earlier stuff; conversely, the melodic hooks and falsetto of "Black Bubblegum" and the watery ambience of "Mouth of Ghosts" balance out the album nicely. It can be inaccessible and terrifying all at once, but in a genre overly saturated with formulaic groups, Ire Works is a true standout. If DEP aren't careful and continue down this innovative path, they could easily be labeled the Radiohead of metalcore. A visceral metal album that pushes the envelope? Who would have thunk it?

4.5

The Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works [2007]

The Chariot - Wars and Rumors of Wars [2009]

maniaco — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:38:43 GMT

Música: Alternative Metal/Post Hardcore

Comentário AM:

In the Christian rock world, there has long been a considerable amount of debate over the effectiveness of lyrics that are only subliminally Christian. "How," the more strident Christian fundamentalists argue, "are you going to convert the unconverted if your lyrics are barely recognizable as Christianity-inspired lyrics?" And the proponents of the subliminal approach will counter that if your lyrics are too overt or too preachy, you won't even get your foot in a nonbeliever's door. So bearing those arguments in mind, it is safe to say that the Chariot have at least gotten a foot in the door where secular audiences are concerned. Lyrically, Wars and Rumors of Wars doesn't beat listeners over the head with Christianity; the Christian-oriented message is there, although you have to be on the lookout for it. But musically, there is nothing subtle about this 30-minute CD. the Chariot continue to be a dense, clobbering sledgehammer of a metalcore band, and no prisoners are taken on vicious tracks such as "Teach," "Impress," "Evolve," and "Daggers." But for all their harshness, the Chariot have a strong sense of groove; therefore, if one has a taste for this type of extreme metal, Wars and Rumors of Wars is a very easy album to get into. Metal this abrasive is definitely an acquired taste, but someone who appreciates hooky metalcore agitators like Throwdown and Hatebreed will find that the Chariot can be equally infectious in their own scorching way. And because the Chariot's Christian message isn't nearly as in your face as their music, this 2009 release won't be off-putting to secular audiences. Wars and Rumors of Wars is enthusiastically recommended to both Christian and secular metalcore fans.

The Chariot - Wars and Rumors of Wars [2009]

Flyleaf - Memento Mori [2009]

maniaco — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:28:37 GMT

Música: Alternative Metal/Emo

Comentário AM:

Texas-based Christian rock/emo-metal quintet Flyleaf’s sophomore release jettisons the raw, punk-infused angst of its platinum-selling debut, replacing it with a thick, punchy theatricality that is as progressive as it is radio-ready. Fueled by the electrifying voice of Lacey Mosley, who can build a city with a single soaring note and then tear it down with a lone caterwaul, Memento Mori (musically, at least) owes more to the tech-heavy, similarly faith-based King's X than it does the moody atmospherics of Evanescence, but there’s enough angst and obsession here to draw fans of the latter. At 14 songs, most of which bust out the gate with guns blazing, it can be hard to differentiate, especially when the group sticks to the formula of heavy riff/verse/heavy riff/chorus, but between the moody single "Again" and the alternately laid-back and elegiac closer "Arise," the five members of Flyleaf have come awfully close to finding and defining their voice.

3.5

Flyleaf - Memento Mori [2009]

More MP3MANIACO´S

maniaco — Wed, 08 May 2013 20:44:11 GMT

The Real McKenzies - 10,000 Shots [2005]

The Kinks - Something Else by the Kinks [1967]

Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords [2008]

2Pac - Me Against the World [1995]

2 Pac - All Eyez on Me [1996]

2Pac - Greatest Hits [1998]

2Pac - Better Dayz [2002]

Bob Dylan & the Band - The Basement Tapes [1975]

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Babylon by Bus [1978]

VA - The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift - OST [2006]

Das Phantom Der Oper - Vienna Cast [2004]

The Cranberries - Stars: The Best of 1992-2002 [2002]

Lords of the Underground - Here Come the Lords [1993]

maniaco — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:28:23 GMT

Música: Golden Age Rap

Comentário AM:

Lords of the Underground are a group from Jersey consisting of Mr. Funke, DoItAll, and DJ Lord Jazz, with production from Marley Marl and K-Def. This came out in '93, but the vibe is very old-school. DoItAll and Mr. Funke come from a school of rhyme that predates other '93 releases, when MCs weren't so lyrical and didn't take themselves very seriously. The rapping has a humorous tone throughout, but the Lords don't focus on content. What's important is their charged delivery, loud and fast, with yelled chants instead of hooks. It's enough to get any crowd hype. But the truth is, Marley Marl and K-Def added at least as much as the Lords to this disc. They provide banger after banger, steady coming with the heavy-hitting bass and blaring horns. I've never heard so much crazy energy fused into tracks as on this album. They have an old-school sound but with a kind of chaotic quality, as opposed to the overly-simplistic beats from the 80s. Song after song will get your head banging right from and start and keep it going till the fade-out. There's no wack tracks on here, but some are better than others. The more conceptual songs, which are missed from a lot of other rappers' albums, are actually the weakest ones on here because they're not what the Lords do best. The beats bang a little less and lyrics come to the forefront, but Funke and DoItAll aren't really accomplished lyricists so these slow down the album. "Lords Prayer" and "Sleep For Dinner" serve to show off the Lords' sense of humor, but "Grave Digga" and "Psycho" are less impressive. But for the most part, this album is very solid and could be considered classic. That is, if you like to nod your head. The truth is, Lords of the Underground sometimes feel like a one-trick pony, but the trick is so damn good you won't even care. Plus the old-school vibe gives it a feel of 100% pure hip-hop, removed from the politics, watering down of sounds, beefing, etc. that were starting the plague the growing rap industry at the time. Definitely a worthy part of any Golden Age hip-hop collection.

4.5

Lords of the Underground - Here Come the Lords [1993]

N.E.R.D. - In Search Of... [2002]

maniaco — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:20:15 GMT

Música: Rap Rock/Alternative Rap/Alternative R&B

Comentário AM:

N.E.R.D. are nothing if they're not clever, and they brilliantly constructed a back-story to accompany their debut album, In Search Of... As every rock critic in the Western world has said in his review of the album, they originally released the record in Europe, then decided it was crap, withdrew it, re-recorded it with a live band, and then released it worldwide. Now this story is probably true -- as the first album by the band driven by the powerhouse production team the Neptunes (though these are not interchangeable terms, as they went to great lengths to make clear in the promo interviews), there was a lot riding on this record, so it had better be right -- but it certainly helped them get valuable press, elevating this record to a near-event level. So, is In Search Of... worth the hoopla? Well, pretty much. Musically, it's a lively affair, breaking free of the signature approximated-Prince beats, as they borrow heavily from classic soul, breakbeat aesthetics, and postmodern alt-culture, tying it together with live beats. It pretty much deliberately does everything that most modern rap does not do, and it's hard not to embrace it for that very fact. Alas, there are flaws, mainly in the raps, which are hardly as nimble as the music; actually, they're rather clumsy and embarrassing, especially since they attempt to cover "socially relevant" issues (i.e., politicians are equated with strippers). Choruses that croon that "She needs me/Because I'm the sh*t" are hard to stomach, no matter how supple the music is (or how ironic the delivery), but if you can ignore that, In Search Of... does provide genuine musical thrills. Although, be forewarned -- it's easy to overrate this record simply because it deviates from the norm at a time when nobody deviates from the norm or has deviated from the norm in years. With better lyrics and a little less smirking hipsterism, it could have been the record it was intended to be, but as it stands, it's still a pretty terrific listen and one of the most adventurous, intriguing hip-hop albums in a long, long time.

4.5

N.E.R.D. - In Search Of... [2002]