What can you say about Jello Biafra the outspoken former lead singer of the Dead Kennedys... well in terms of Alternative music he is sat at the top of the tree.
Everyone who claims to be an Alternative music fan MUST own at least one Kennedys album. Now 30 years after Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables Jello is back with the elaborately named Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School of Medicine.
I saw these live in September it was a brilliant show, but could it be carried over onto an album, or was the fact that it was Jello singing Holiday in Cambodia, Moon over Marin and other Kennedys songs the reason it was so good.
I guess these days I am everything Jello sings about I go to work in a shirt and Tie, a salaried job 40hrs a week, drive a car, play XBOX and so on would this just be a rant about people like me? I'm no longer a rebel I'm a slave to the man as they say but that's life
From the opening track The Terror of Tinytown
you can see how the albums going to go almost from the start it kicks in with a seriously heavy Guitar riff along the lines of Helmet with Jellos Snarling vocals. Clean as a Thistle is another riff heavy political song with lyrics like:
Peek-a-boo and wretch
Republican buttocks
Flapping skyward in the wind
Lie to start a war
Killing millions
Ain’t impeachable
Like wayward weenie moistening
That’s why I love it
Yeh eh eh Yeh eh eh
I love it
Yeh eh eh Yeh eh eh
It's obvious even at the age of 51 he is still as angry with the world and writing songs about what he believes in which you have to admire. I don't think anyone is better at writing Humorous lyrics with a serious meaning than Jello Biafra.
Moving onto Electric Plantation a song with a bass intro and sound that could almost be a Kennedys song but is he talking about me again? with lyrics like:
Factory or PhD
You are all termites now
Laptop is your ball and chain
Til we downsize you away
Shop at home
Is your reward
Your best friend is a mouse
The album has some of the best lyrics I have heard in a while the songs are fast and heavy, but does this album have a lasting appeal? I'm not sure, if you need a Jello fix first call will obviously be a DK's album, no matter what he does or where he plays people are always going to want to hear the Kennedys songs.
Musically this is a very tight album, to me it sounds as close to a new Kennedys record as you could get.
Key Track: Electronic Plantation
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Sunday, 25 October 2009
Rock Steady - The Roots of Reggae
The idea reunite some of the the leading artists from the 60's rocksteady scene to film a documentary along the lines of Buena Visata Social club.
The Soundtrack some of the best songs of the era rerecorded by the original artists
The result some all time classics sounding better than ever!
Where do you start... this album is just brilliant the quality of the original songs was good but they now sound amazing, obviously when some of the songs were first recorded they sounded pretty rough and scratchy, in the Jamaican DIY Analouge studio style of the time, so to hear some of these songs enter the digital age is great.
This sort of idea can go one of two ways be an unmitigated disaster or be totally amazing. Thankfully it's the latter each track has been recorded with total respect for the original version. Every track on this is a winner with songs like 007, Stop that Train,you don't love me, Tide is high. tougher than tough you simply can't go wrong!
for anyone with an interest in reggae or roots music this is essential, as a compilation this album is essential, for people who already have the original tracks this is essential, for someone who doesn't own any reggae albums or thinks Bob Marleys Legend album is the only Reggae record they need, this is a great starting point to show you how many great songs are out there.
Key Tracks - all of them
The Soundtrack some of the best songs of the era rerecorded by the original artists
The result some all time classics sounding better than ever!
Where do you start... this album is just brilliant the quality of the original songs was good but they now sound amazing, obviously when some of the songs were first recorded they sounded pretty rough and scratchy, in the Jamaican DIY Analouge studio style of the time, so to hear some of these songs enter the digital age is great.
This sort of idea can go one of two ways be an unmitigated disaster or be totally amazing. Thankfully it's the latter each track has been recorded with total respect for the original version. Every track on this is a winner with songs like 007, Stop that Train,you don't love me, Tide is high. tougher than tough you simply can't go wrong!
for anyone with an interest in reggae or roots music this is essential, as a compilation this album is essential, for people who already have the original tracks this is essential, for someone who doesn't own any reggae albums or thinks Bob Marleys Legend album is the only Reggae record they need, this is a great starting point to show you how many great songs are out there.
Key Tracks - all of them
The Heavy - The House that dirt built
you can't imagine Garage rock inspired Funk to be a genre most people relate to so where does this leave The Heavy?
Signed to Counter records an off shoot of the amazing Ninja Tunes they manage to produce a retro sound but adding a modern twist, from The Stooges esque Garage rock sound of Oh No! not you again to the brilliant how you like me now?, which you could possibly only describe as a Chemical Brothers remix of James Brown, some nice beats laid over a funky break with some classic old school vocals.
This as an album that should appeal to a huge variety of people and the ability to combine soul, funk, garage rock, reggae, crunchy guitars and Hip Hop Beats into 11 tracks deserves credit, this a great album with something for everyone and should bring them to the attention of more people and deservedly so
Key Track - How you like me now?
Signed to Counter records an off shoot of the amazing Ninja Tunes they manage to produce a retro sound but adding a modern twist, from The Stooges esque Garage rock sound of Oh No! not you again to the brilliant how you like me now?, which you could possibly only describe as a Chemical Brothers remix of James Brown, some nice beats laid over a funky break with some classic old school vocals.
This as an album that should appeal to a huge variety of people and the ability to combine soul, funk, garage rock, reggae, crunchy guitars and Hip Hop Beats into 11 tracks deserves credit, this a great album with something for everyone and should bring them to the attention of more people and deservedly so
Key Track - How you like me now?
Editors - In this light and on this evening
After a break of a few years Editors are back with a new album.
Previously they have released some of my favourite tracks of the last few years, Munich, An End has a start, Smokers outside the Hospital doors are all brilliant individual tracks, with some amazing vocals from Tom Smith and his unique vocal style.
It was often said that Editors are just a British version of Interpol, not that anything is wrong with that! however they came back with the brilliant high energy Papillon which is a monster of a track, almost a dance rock crossover which usually ends in terrible results, you only have to look at Pendulum they are to Drum & Bass what Five are to Hip Hop, but you could see this track appealing to dance fans and indie fans.
So what of the new album from the start it has a notable difference in style being produced by Flood it's no surprise it has a more electric/industrial feel. The first track and title track of the album sounds more like the Sisters of Mercy than Interpol a theme that continues throughout the album.
On first listen I thought this album was rubbish, I wanted the old Guitar based Editors back after about the forth listen it suddenly clicked, some of the tracks are just brilliant obviously Papillon is the real stand out track but songs like You Don't know Love and Eat raw meat = Blood Drool are fantastic tracks.
It may be a a radical departure from previous albums, but they have managed to produce a record that is dark and haunting and fits well with Tom Smiths vocals.
This certainly isn't an album that hits you from the first listen but with a little perseverance you really start to appreciate it's beauty.
Key track: Papillon
Previously they have released some of my favourite tracks of the last few years, Munich, An End has a start, Smokers outside the Hospital doors are all brilliant individual tracks, with some amazing vocals from Tom Smith and his unique vocal style.
It was often said that Editors are just a British version of Interpol, not that anything is wrong with that! however they came back with the brilliant high energy Papillon which is a monster of a track, almost a dance rock crossover which usually ends in terrible results, you only have to look at Pendulum they are to Drum & Bass what Five are to Hip Hop, but you could see this track appealing to dance fans and indie fans.
So what of the new album from the start it has a notable difference in style being produced by Flood it's no surprise it has a more electric/industrial feel. The first track and title track of the album sounds more like the Sisters of Mercy than Interpol a theme that continues throughout the album.
On first listen I thought this album was rubbish, I wanted the old Guitar based Editors back after about the forth listen it suddenly clicked, some of the tracks are just brilliant obviously Papillon is the real stand out track but songs like You Don't know Love and Eat raw meat = Blood Drool are fantastic tracks.
It may be a a radical departure from previous albums, but they have managed to produce a record that is dark and haunting and fits well with Tom Smiths vocals.
This certainly isn't an album that hits you from the first listen but with a little perseverance you really start to appreciate it's beauty.
Key track: Papillon
My Eclectic Ear
For those that know me you may already guess I am a music junkie I just love the feeling you get me you hear something for the first time and it blows you away.
I intend to use this blog to review and give my thoughts on the music I purchase or download maybe it will encourage people to give something different a chance.
I intend to use this blog to review and give my thoughts on the music I purchase or download maybe it will encourage people to give something different a chance.
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