Snog - The Last Days Of Rome (2007)

Alternative, Electro-Industrial

     I've sat down and tried to write this review several times, and each time I feel like I'm either being over-zealous or I'm not doing the album justice. So here goes. Snog is an very interesting entity, and in my opinion, has the most original sound of any group I've heard besides maybe Primus. To describe Snog is like trying to count the stars, and just when you think you've got David Thrussell figured out, he surprises you. With an intellectual blend of dark electro-industrial beats and folky spegetti-western acoustics, Snog redefines the 'goth' genre.  One thing you should know is that the subject matter is pretty consistent, and usually revolves around anti-capitalist, anti-fascist and anti-consumer themes, which is made apparent with song titles like 'Christmas Everyday', 'Its All Lies' and 'The Billionaires Bullshit Machine'.  Snog is so utterly committed to these individualist and anti-corporate values, that at times it almost seems to be a parody. To be fair it might take you a couple listens to get it, and that's understandable. I've been trying very very hard not too over-sell this band, and it's taken massive amounts of will power.  

     Also, David Thrussell condones file sharing and illegal consumption of all Snog material, so you can download guilt free.

Snog - The Last Days Of Rome

The Heavy - Great Vengeance & Furious Fire

Neo Soul, Funk, Indie Rock

     Learned of these guys from a car commercial. Remember the one where the hamsters are driving around? That one.  Not very indie, but whatever.  This is The Heavy's first release from 2007 and it packs a serious punch.  Plenty of potential singles on this one. A combination of funk, soul and good ol' rock & roll, their sound is huge, heavy and the perfect soundtrack to a wild friday night.  

The Heavy - Colleen

Grayskul - Creature (2004)

Hip-Hop

     Another album I checked out based on the cover art alone, which is more badass than any Slayer record.  Not surprisingly the Grayskul duo are associated with Atmosphere, and have released 4 albums on Rhymesayers Entertainment, along with 3 self-releases and 4 albums which could only be purchased at live shows, so they're all over the place when it comes to getting the rhymes to the people.  This is the only album I've listened too, so I can't recommend any of their others, but this one is sick.  Futuristic, gruesome, medieval and full of imagery.  Check this track out, the loon call kills me.

Grayskul - The 8th Day

Soul Coughing - El Oso (1998)

Alt Rock, Funk, Jazz

     El Oso (The Bear) is the third and final album from NY based band Soul Coughing. Their sound is mix of indie rock and jazz fusion, with a little bit of funk thrown in.  Mike Doughty's voice is extremely original, instantly recognizable and when combined with his bizarre poetic lyrical style, makes Soul Coughing one of the most memorable cult bands of the 90's.  This is the first album of SC I checked out, and since it's so nostalgic for me it remains my favorite from them, but to be honest their others are equally as good. Sorry this review is so shitty and short, I'm really tired. Good Band. Sleep Now.

Soul Coughing - St. Louise Is Listening

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

Soundtrack, Country

     Ok so first thing's first, if you haven't seen the film, do yourself a favor and see it.  The Coen Brothers (The Big Lebowski, Fargo, No Country For Old Men) have an unbelievable track record, and in my eyes can do no wrong.  O Brother, Where Art Thou? is an adventure comedy satire based on Homer's Odyssey, and tells the story of three prisoners who escape a chain gang in 1930's Mississippi.  If you've been following this blog at all then you've probably already noticed that I'm not a big country fan.  I find most of it to be incredibly corny, and can't stand the generic male country voice which Toby Keith, Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson all seem to share, so the very fact that I have posted this album should tell you how good it is.  I think it's safe to say that I would put this in my top 3 greatest soundtracks of all time. Fuck Jesus, Fuck Allah and Fuck Buddha. I pray to the Coen Brothers.

The Soggy Bottom Boys - I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow

Street Sweeper Social Club (2009)

Rock, Hip-Hop, Supergroup

     Can't believe I haven't posted this yet.  Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave) and Boots Riley (The Coup) have teamed up to inaugurate this self-titled debut from Street Sweeper Social Club.  Quite possibly the most revolutionary partnership in recent times, SSSC combines the hard hitting groves of Tom Morello with the anti-bourgeois, punk hip-hop lyrics of Boots Riley.  In an interview with Consequence Of Sound, an online music blog, Morello described the album as "revolutionary party jams. It's got huge steamroller riffs combined with depth, charge, funk, while Boots unloads clip after clip of incendiary rhymes rich with satire and venom." 

     Boots added: "this is a time when the working class is being fleeced left and right. More families will be homeless and more people will be jobless. They'll need something to listen to on their iPods while storming Wall Street." 

So yeah... 'nuff said.

Street Sweeper Social Club - Clap For The Killers

Mischief Brew - Smash The Windows (2005)

Folk Punk

     The more I listen to folk punk the more I love it.  A strange combination, but also probably one of the most underrated genres around. To be honest I've had a hard time getting into to the more modern punk scene, sometimes it's just too much work weeding out all the emo screamo bullshit, but it seems like punk is moving in many different directions these days, which I think is a good thing. Mischief Brew is a trio from Philly, and their first studio release is the quintessential folk punk album. Smash The Windows  is overflowing with rural celtic anthems so catchy it borders on suspicion. I'm still pretty new to this genre, but I get the feeling it's gonna be hard finding more bands like this. From gypsy instrumentals to Primus style twang, the Brew truly delivers on this debut.  Big thanks to Pat Flood for the recommend.

Mischief Brew - Nomads Revolt

Bongzilla - Amerijuanican (2005)

Stoner, Sludge

     Amerijuanican is the 'Godfather' of stoner rock albums, and a perfect introduction to the genre. I've said it before and I'll say it again; sludge is all about the riffs, so don't expect any vocal harmonizing or acoustic picking.  Bongzilla comes out of the gate swinging with the title track, which could be my favorite stoner anthem of all time, and from that point the album never lets up.  One thing that's great about Bongzilla is they keep their songs relatively short compared to other sludge bands.  Actually there is a 12 minute track, but it happens to be one of the strongest, and they save it for the end of the album, other than that though there aren't any songs over 7 minutes.  I know that probably seems long, but if your like me you'll wish they were a lot longer.  Definitely Bongzilla's best.  Break out the bong and bask in the sludgy goodness.

Bongzilla - Amerijuanican

Ugly Duckling - Audacity (2009)

Hip-Hop, Underground

     I'm very lucky to have stumbled upon these guys.  Found this album last summer and loved it immediately.  They've been referred to as 'one of the most prominent underground hip-hop groups' and remind me of both the Beastie Boys and Jurassic 5.  I wouldn't go as far as to say they're family friendly, but they do work pretty clean, but the rhymes and beats are so delicious it doesn't matter.  UD has quickly risen in the ranks of my all time favorite hip-hop groups, and if you like this one definitely check out their other albums, I had a pretty hard time choosing which one to post.  

Ugly Duckling - I Want To Believe

Mr. Bungle - California (1999)

Avant-garde, Mike Patton

     Hmm... how do I sell this one?  Well first of all it's a Mike Patton project, so already you should be salivating.  I looked for multiple descriptions of this album and avant-garde was the best one, so that's what I labeled it as, but like most of Patton's manifestations, Mr. Bungle defies classification.  Some have deemed it as experimental metal but I completely disagree, seeing as how the majority of the album is soft and melodic.  There are a number of genre shifts though out the album, and at times it feels like the band has a bad case of ADD, but compared to the other two Bungle albums this one is definitely the most accessible. A vintage beach sound complemented by wine and weed.  Fuckin' brilliant. 

Now I'm finding truth is a ruin

Nauseous end that nobody is pursuin'

Starin' into glassy eyes, mesmerized

There's a vintage thirst returning

But I'm sheltered by my channel surfing

Every famine virtual

Retrovertigo

Mr. Bungle - RetroVertigo

The Left Rights - Bad Choices Made Easy (2010)

SynthPunk, Humor

     The Left Rights is a new side project of Jimmy Urine, better known as the frontman for Mindless Self Indulgence, a group that has gained a massive fan base by opening for more mainstream bands like Korn, Linkin Park, Sum 41 and System Of A Down. This album got a lot of attention last year, I kept seeing it on a bunch of indie top 10 lists, so eventually I checked it out and I'm glad I did. For me, one of the biggest draws of The Left Rights or Mindless Self Indulgence is their use of humor.  They don't take themselves very seriously, and that becomes apparent almost immediately with the second track 'I'm On Crack'.  This is a very interesting album to say the least.  Most of the tracks are under 2 minutes, so it moves pretty quickly.  There's also a lot of sketches and samples, but the actual songs scatted in between make it worthwhile.  The sound is a mix of synth, industrial, hip-hop, and punk. Extremely catchy and few do it better.

The Left Rights - White

Poe - Haunted (2000)

Singer/Songwriter, Female Vocalist 

     I discovered this album through a book called House Of Leaves, which my very good friend Swan recommended to me years ago.  The book is about a family that moves into a new house and discovers the chilling impossibility that the measurements of the house are bigger on the inside than they are on the outside.  I can quite honestly say that it's the best book I've ever read, and I've been searching for more like it ever since.  Anyway, Poe is the sister of Mark Z. Danielewski, the author of House Of Leaves, and this album acts as the book's counterpart, and contains many references to the book itself.  To be honest I'd probably hate this album if it weren't  connected to the book, but it is and I love it.  

Poe - 5½ Minute Hallway