Okay, I'm a few months late. In January, I kept seeing bloggers and even credited music websites publishing lists of the best albums of the decade. The one thing they all had in common? Readers got angry. So I'm not going to write a list of the best albums of the decade. These are just my personal favorites. And even that is subject to change.
A Perfect Circle - Mer De Noms
This band is very close to my heart for a lot of reasons. Aside from being generally amazing songwriters and lyricists, A Perfect Circle happened to be a "right place at the right time" kind of thing. Mer De Noms, comprised in no small part of songs about sex and love, came out when I was fourteen years old. This album helped to shape my perceptions of love and rejection and guided me through some particularly trying relationships.
A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step
Then came Thirteenth Step in 2003. An album about the dangers of addiction, this one helped through some very different struggles.
The Cure - Bloodflowers
There's something about The Cure that seems timeless, even the first time you hear them. They have this sense about them, as if they're the authority on the type of music they play. As if they're the authority on heartbreak itself. Bloodflowers is the only record I'd even consider to contend with Disintegration as the best Cure album. The consistency of the atmosphere from track to track makes this one of the most well-constructed records of the decade.
Glassjaw - Worship and Tribute
Glassjaw... oh man, what to say about Glassjaw? I can't stand hardcore, but I love Glassjaw. That's their legacy, I guess. They got it right.
Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
I didn't like Brand New before this album. I know a lot of people who feel the same way. This album came out of nowhere. Most bands progress gradually over time, so you can see how they got from album to album. But this one... after the acoustic, emo Deja Entendu, I don't think anybody was expecting Brand New to release the epic, progressive monster that is The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me.
Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer?
As much as I like to hate Amanda from time to time, I can't deny how amazingly talented she is. We've got a lot of artists who fit the "I'm a girl with a piano and some raging emotions" model, but this Boston native stands out from the crowd. Provocative, poetic and utterly ballsy... thank you for some great music and performances over the years, Miss Palmer. (Or is it Mrs. Gaiman now?)
Deftones - White Pony
See Worship and Tribute, but replace "hardcore" with "metal."
Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around
Naturally, I jumped on this album because of the Nine Inch Nails cover. But the whole album stuck with me. This was one of my "mind-opening" music experiences: what I once would have written off as boring acoustic singer-songwriter stuff (or even worse: country) was actually pretty good.
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
I had the pleasure of seeing this band live. It was amazing. There was a full string section. And a guitar player. And a bassist. And the drummer from Marilyn Manson. That show made me realize that I probably shouldn't assume that vaguely hip-hop sounding music is always going to be performed by an MC and a turn-table.
mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister
Goddamn, what an amazing album. It took a while to grow on me. The song structures are a bit odd. The vocals frequently sound more like the rantings of a madman than actual singing. But that's actually pretty awesome once you get into it. I was also turned off by the frequent (albeit cryptic) references to religion. Now I find them comforting. Curious.
Saul Williams - The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust
This one's intense, provocative and legitimately edgy...
Mindless Self Indulgence - You'll Rebel To Anything
...and this one's just plain fun.
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Okay, so I might be biased because of the awesome release tactics. This is a great album though, especially if you can get your hands on the two disc version. I've always had an issue with Radiohead. While they are undoubtedly excellent musicians, I found most of their albums after The Bends lacked the personal element. The vocal performances just seemed a bit insincere and impersonal. I feel like the passion's back on In Rainbows, though it's decidedly more cryptic and infinitely more mature.
Manchester Orchestra - I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child
Another band I was initially turned off to because of religious references. The Manchester Orchestra grew on me with their brand of passionate, often angry folk rock. And now they make me wish that I was religious.
Lauren O'Connell - The Shakes
More folk rock. Lauren O'Connell's great. I found out about her through YouTube and actually paid to download her album. That might not sound like a big deal, but it is.
Marilyn Manson - Holy Wood
This album gets a lot of crap, even from Manson fans. I liked it a lot. People trash it for being repetitive... I find that the repetition helps to make it a coherent album--more coherent than the much-praised Mechanical Animals, even.
Carissa's Wierd - Songs About Leaving
I don't know how to describe this album. I've heard the term "chamber rock," but that doesn't really mean anything. Picture a depressed singer-songwriter guy with an acoustic guitar. Now add a female singer doing lead vocals with him. Cool! Now throw in a piano and a string orchestra. That's what this album is, sort of. It's also sort of like The Cure, but not at all like The Cure. Just do yourself a favor and get this one.
Tool - Lateralus
This is the album that made me want to play bass. This is also the album which, for better or worse, shaped a lot of my philosophical ideals. Of course, now I'm realizing most of the ideals on this album were ripped straight out of Eastern religion. So, I guess it's probably not a bad thing. But yeah. Great record.
Okay, well... that's it for now! Hope you found something worthwhile on this list.
Friday, May 7, 2010
The Art of the Remix
A lot of people think that remixing a song means throwing a dance beat over it. That's alright, it's a common ignorance--and it's strengthened by the awful dance remixes that get play on the radio and in clubs. But that's really not all that remixes have to offer. There are a handful of popular remix artists who put a great deal of effort into remixing songs, creating completely new versions that bring the songs into a completely new light.
When creating a remix, an artist typically takes the master tracks of the original song and rearranges them or adds sonic effects. Additionally, many remix artists (these days, that is) also add additional instrumentation of their own. Through these methods, remix artists can transform the original song into a completely new vision.
Here are some remixes along with their respective original songs.
A Perfect Circle - "Three Libras"
This remix was done by Nine Inch Nails alumni Danny Lohner and his mixing partner, Josh Eustis of Telefon Tel Aviv. Lohner is a master of the art of the remix, and this is but one of many examples of mastery. The production on this remix becomes an instrument in and of itself--the subtleties in panning, the painstakingly automated volume shifts... the duo clearly put a lot of effort into this track, and it shows. The ambiance of this remix beautifully captures the lamenting tone of the original song and takes it in a new (and arguably darker) direction.
Thrice - "Broken Lungs"
This remix was done by the Legion of Doom. Thrice's original version was optimistic, and apparently the Legion of Doom didn't like that. Between the atmospheric drums and bass and the detuning of the guitars, these remix artists made "Broken Lungs" into something bitter. This version of the song would fit on a number of horror movie soundtracks. It's almost creepy.
Nine Inch Nails - "Only"
When Nine Inch Nails released With Teeth in 2005, some fans weren't very happy. After waiting six years for the follow-up to The Fragile, they were horrified by singles "The Hand That Feeds" and "Only," which sounded like The Faint and disco, respectively. I was one of those fans, and rather than complaining I decided to try to turn the new Nine Inch Nails into the Nine Inch Nails that I remembered.
And that's another beautiful thing about remixes... it's a whole different animal from actually writing music. When I did this remix, I had absolutely no musical knowledge. But I did have a computer.
The remix is a wonderful art form and one that is growing in popularity. Let's hope that more musicians take a cue from bands like Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead and Mindless Self Indulgence--all three of whom have taken to releasing master tracks from their songs for fans to remix.
When creating a remix, an artist typically takes the master tracks of the original song and rearranges them or adds sonic effects. Additionally, many remix artists (these days, that is) also add additional instrumentation of their own. Through these methods, remix artists can transform the original song into a completely new vision.
Here are some remixes along with their respective original songs.
A Perfect Circle - "Three Libras"
This remix was done by Nine Inch Nails alumni Danny Lohner and his mixing partner, Josh Eustis of Telefon Tel Aviv. Lohner is a master of the art of the remix, and this is but one of many examples of mastery. The production on this remix becomes an instrument in and of itself--the subtleties in panning, the painstakingly automated volume shifts... the duo clearly put a lot of effort into this track, and it shows. The ambiance of this remix beautifully captures the lamenting tone of the original song and takes it in a new (and arguably darker) direction.
Thrice - "Broken Lungs"
This remix was done by the Legion of Doom. Thrice's original version was optimistic, and apparently the Legion of Doom didn't like that. Between the atmospheric drums and bass and the detuning of the guitars, these remix artists made "Broken Lungs" into something bitter. This version of the song would fit on a number of horror movie soundtracks. It's almost creepy.
Nine Inch Nails - "Only"
When Nine Inch Nails released With Teeth in 2005, some fans weren't very happy. After waiting six years for the follow-up to The Fragile, they were horrified by singles "The Hand That Feeds" and "Only," which sounded like The Faint and disco, respectively. I was one of those fans, and rather than complaining I decided to try to turn the new Nine Inch Nails into the Nine Inch Nails that I remembered.
And that's another beautiful thing about remixes... it's a whole different animal from actually writing music. When I did this remix, I had absolutely no musical knowledge. But I did have a computer.
The remix is a wonderful art form and one that is growing in popularity. Let's hope that more musicians take a cue from bands like Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead and Mindless Self Indulgence--all three of whom have taken to releasing master tracks from their songs for fans to remix.
The Art of the Cover
For those of you who don't know, when a band or artist performs a song originally written by another, their version is called a "cover."
While there are many reasons a band may want to perform the work of another, the most obvious reason is to pay homage to the original artist. Doing a cover is not stealing. On the contrary... it's typically a sign of respect.
Sometimes an artist will do a cover just for the love of the song. Often, however, the reason has more to do with their audience. Perhaps they know a song that will get the crowd riled up. In Boston, for instance, a lot of bands have a habit of playing the Standells song "Dirty Water." Getting the audience's attention by playing a cover like this is an old trick... and it still works.
Less often, a band will cover another artist to get the audience interested in that artist. A great example of this is what we saw in the twilight of the late Johnny Cash's career. Over his last several albums, he covered many other artists. Most of them were younger artists like Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails. These artists were far from obscure, but they were certainly alien to Cash's core audience.
Regardless of the reason behind it, a cover can do a great many things. Whether they bring a classic song to a new generation, honor a fallen or defunct band or simply put a new spin on the music of one of their contemporaries, when a band does a cover it's guaranteed to breathe new life into a song.
Here are some covers of songs, along with their original versions. These ones have some particularly interesting stories.
In the 1970's, John Lennon's "Imagine" was an unrivaled anthem of peace. The man's highly influential world view and his less talked about bitterness made this song an honest and powerful picture of the world as it could be.
In 2004, A Perfect Circle rushed to put out their third album, eMOTIVe, in time for election day. This was an album of political songs that the band put out to play their part in swaying the presidential election. It didn't work, but we did get some great songs out of it. This cover of "Imagine" twisted the song to serve the times... this version is decidedly dark, and why shouldn't it be? Thirty years after Lennon's "Imagine," the "dreamers" aren't as far along as some might have hoped.
Neutral Milk Hotel had actually disbanded before they achieved much critical and commercial success. However, they did manage to touch one man--Brand New frontman Jesse Lacey. Lacey has covered several Neutral Milk Hotel songs over the years, and he speaks very highly of the band. His praise and covers have doubtlessly driven up the sales of Neutral Milk Hotel's albums over the years. Thanks in part to Brand New and in part to a peculiarly positive Pitchfork review (don't they hate everything?), you can no longer go into a hipster bar or coffee shop without hearing Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. Though, I'm not sure if Neutral Milk Hotel would actually thank anyone for that.
And here it is, the cover you couldn't miss if you were alive in the 1990's. This is a prime example of an artist taking someone else's song and truly making it theirs.
Where The Eurythmics wrote a shameless pop song with a slightly bitter twist, Marilyn Manson found a violent, pornographic alternative rock ballad. Interestingly enough, this is actually the song that catapulted him out of relative obscurity--with good reason. From the crushing bassline to the indisputably evil guitar riffs, Manson's version of "Sweet Dreams" is the kind of song that sticks in your head. Even if you don't want it to.
While there are many reasons a band may want to perform the work of another, the most obvious reason is to pay homage to the original artist. Doing a cover is not stealing. On the contrary... it's typically a sign of respect.
Sometimes an artist will do a cover just for the love of the song. Often, however, the reason has more to do with their audience. Perhaps they know a song that will get the crowd riled up. In Boston, for instance, a lot of bands have a habit of playing the Standells song "Dirty Water." Getting the audience's attention by playing a cover like this is an old trick... and it still works.
Less often, a band will cover another artist to get the audience interested in that artist. A great example of this is what we saw in the twilight of the late Johnny Cash's career. Over his last several albums, he covered many other artists. Most of them were younger artists like Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails. These artists were far from obscure, but they were certainly alien to Cash's core audience.
Regardless of the reason behind it, a cover can do a great many things. Whether they bring a classic song to a new generation, honor a fallen or defunct band or simply put a new spin on the music of one of their contemporaries, when a band does a cover it's guaranteed to breathe new life into a song.
Here are some covers of songs, along with their original versions. These ones have some particularly interesting stories.
In the 1970's, John Lennon's "Imagine" was an unrivaled anthem of peace. The man's highly influential world view and his less talked about bitterness made this song an honest and powerful picture of the world as it could be.
In 2004, A Perfect Circle rushed to put out their third album, eMOTIVe, in time for election day. This was an album of political songs that the band put out to play their part in swaying the presidential election. It didn't work, but we did get some great songs out of it. This cover of "Imagine" twisted the song to serve the times... this version is decidedly dark, and why shouldn't it be? Thirty years after Lennon's "Imagine," the "dreamers" aren't as far along as some might have hoped.
Neutral Milk Hotel had actually disbanded before they achieved much critical and commercial success. However, they did manage to touch one man--Brand New frontman Jesse Lacey. Lacey has covered several Neutral Milk Hotel songs over the years, and he speaks very highly of the band. His praise and covers have doubtlessly driven up the sales of Neutral Milk Hotel's albums over the years. Thanks in part to Brand New and in part to a peculiarly positive Pitchfork review (don't they hate everything?), you can no longer go into a hipster bar or coffee shop without hearing Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. Though, I'm not sure if Neutral Milk Hotel would actually thank anyone for that.
And here it is, the cover you couldn't miss if you were alive in the 1990's. This is a prime example of an artist taking someone else's song and truly making it theirs.
Where The Eurythmics wrote a shameless pop song with a slightly bitter twist, Marilyn Manson found a violent, pornographic alternative rock ballad. Interestingly enough, this is actually the song that catapulted him out of relative obscurity--with good reason. From the crushing bassline to the indisputably evil guitar riffs, Manson's version of "Sweet Dreams" is the kind of song that sticks in your head. Even if you don't want it to.
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