straf's (Totally awesomer than G's) Review Thread

[straf]

Bump of great justice!

Expect some Sparklehorse reviews later today.

[Zilla2112]

Terrorhorse > Sparklehorse

At least namewise, anyways.

[straf]

Sparklehorse does sound rather gay, doesn't it?

[Suicide Club]

Eww.
Eighties hairstyles and 80's soon-to-be ex-porn stars. //

[straf]

That's so sad. //

[Suicide Club]

Quite. //

[straf]

Sparklehorse - Good Morning, Spider

Released in 1998
Track Listing
Pig
Painbirds
Saint Mary
Good Morning Spider
Sick of Goodbyes
Box of Stars (Part One)
Sunshine
Chaos of the Galaxy/Happy Man
Hey, Joe
Come on In
Maria's Little Elbows
Cruel Sun
All Night Home
Ghost of His Smile
Hundreds of Sparrows
Box of Stars (Part Two)
Junebug

The cool thing about Sparklehorse is that for their first couple of albums(this included), it was really only one guy recording everything with the exception of a few minor touch-ups from guest stars like Vic Chestnutt. He even got Tom Waits on a latter album. So what's so special about Sparklehorse? (or in this case, Mark Linkous) It's his lyrics and technique. His style of music, you see, is dream-pop of sorts. He combines that genre with some well-produced lo-fi recordings to create a bombast and trippy wall of sound. This wall of sound is then paired with Linkous' surrealistic lyric work, thus creating a true and trippin' experience. The literal acid trip in music form.

So it should go without saying that his music isn't all that accessible. And it isn't. It doesn't help that his lo-fi equipment makes it sound like the entirety of this album was recorded in his kitchen. Actually, it probably was recorded in his kitchen. Case and point right dar, meine Freunde. To be quite honest, it sounds like a blend of Bob Dylan, the Velvet Underground, the Zombies, and some post-rock band with a somber twist. It sounds like a funeral album now that I think about it.

I can't think of much else to say. Good Morning, Spider is one of those albums. I'd give it a chance if I were you, just for its uniqueness.

B

Interesting cuts include: Pig, Sick Of Goodbyes, Sunshine

[Suicide Club]

Of course, you know, I'ma Diamond.. //

[jameshetfield]

Stupid spamming is stupid.

[Suicide Club]

I lurves you. //

[straf]

The Rolling Stones - Goats Head Soup

Released in 1973
Track Listing
Dancing with Mr. D
100 Years Ago
Coming Down Again
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)
Angie
Silver Train
Hide Your Love
Winter
Can You Hear the Music
Starfucker

If there's anything that I like more than a Rolling Stones album, it would be a good Rolling Stones album(so yes, in case you're wondering, they are in fact my favorite band), which Goats Head Soup, unfortunately, isn't. Not that I'm trying to find an excuse to rattle on the Stones, 'cause I'm not. It's impossible if you count out their poor attempts at punk and disco and reggae. Which that brings me to my next point: GHS is an awesome album. Contradiction? No.

You see, the music itself is just as Stones as ever: sleazy, rockin', rollin', and full of that awesome bluesy charm. The production value is what's crap. Jimmy Miller -- the Stones' long-time producer -- kind of went AWOL on the Stones in the middle of production, leaving the Glimmer Twins to produce it themselves. Now, it should go without saying that you should never, ever leave two drunken junkies alone with fancy equipment that could determine a band's immediate future, but that's exactly what Miller did. You'd think that they'd leave what asshole already produced alone, but no. They went and screwed with everything, mixing everything so strangely and so close together that this album sounds like the musical equivalent of a mud puddle. It's complete crap. Of course, no thanks to Virgin/ABKO/Atlantic, some dude only known as "Mickboy" made an excellent remaster of it, making it no longer sound like a mud puddle, but like a polluted lake full of anti-freeze. And believe me, while the latter might not be as healthy, it sure as hell sounds better.

So how are the songs, then? Well, I've already said it: just as Stones as ever. Ever listened to Exile On Main St? Yeah, well, it sounds pretty much like the good songs off that(and there's only like 4), if that tells you anything. And ignoring the two songs that sound like Exile cuts, the rest of the songs sound rather mystic-y(You know what a better title for this album would be? Voodoo Lounge). Like... ancient Louisiana swamp black man from the Jamaican wilderness kind of mystic-y. Eck.

Interesting cuts include: Dancing With Mr D, 100 Years Ago, Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker), Angie, [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5ViK-7z8Ws}Silver Train[/url]

6/10

Mickboy's version, however, gets:

7.5/10[/color]

[Zilla2112]

That is, sadly, the only Rolling Stones album that my dad owns (at least on CD anyways).

[Jack White]

Do Exile On Main Street
I mean seriouslly.

[straf]

The Rolling Stones - Exile On Main St.

Released in 1972
Track Listing
Rocks Off
Rip This Joint
Shake Your Hips
Casino Boogie
Tumbling Dice
Sweet Virginia
Torn and Frayed
Sweet Black Angel
Loving Cup
Happy
Turd on the Run
Ventilator Blues
I Just Want to See His Face
Let It Loose
All Down the Line
Stop Breaking Down
Shine a Light
Soul Survivor

If there's anything that I like more than a Rolling Stones album, it would be a good Rolling Stones album, which Exile unfortunately isn't. So many damn songs and so much damn fluff. Sure, while the songs may be as Stones as ever, they're a little bit too Stones. Of course, at the time, the Glimmer Twins were still drunken junkies, so you couldn't really expect much from them. Mick sang some, Kieth twanged some. Done the exact same thing they've always done. And you know what? This has the exact same crap production quality as Goats Head Soup, except this time they actually had a "real" producer. The vocals are buried so low that you're lucky to even make out one or two of the lyrics. The bastards.

What really aggravates me about this album is that it's half rock 'n roll and half soulful blues, and very horrid soulful blues at that. You see, normally when somebody pours all their heart and soul into a blues song, it's very beautiful and melancholy, but you have to remember that this is Mick Jagger that we're talking about. His heart probably has a penis. It just doesn't work. And they're all in lieu of that horrible "I Got The Blues" number from Sticky Fingers. Eck. And they're going the Beggar's Banquet way on this: Give you shit country/blues, give you some very nice rock 'n roll, and then try to make up for the shit country/blues by giving you an over-zealous gospel song to close out the album.

To tons of people, though, Exile is considered to be the Stones' masterpiece. Why? Maybe it just hasn't clicked with me yet, but how can I let something click when I'm too busy trying to fight off Mick Jagger's soul-penis?

In short, Exile's too long, too boring, and too pretentious to be any good. Proceed with caution. But -- in the words off the Glimmer Twins -- you gotta scrape that shit right off yo' shoes.

Interesting cuts include: Rocks Off, Rip This Joint, Tumbling Dice, Sweet Virginia

5.5/10

[Zilla2112]

Nov 9, 2010 16:15:39 GMT -5 straf said:

You see, normally when somebody pours all their heart and soul into a blues song, it's very beautiful and melancholy, but you have to remember that this is Mick Jagger that we're talking about. His heart probably has a penis. It just doesn't work.

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