Taken from Top Ten Noise Rock Albums of 2014
This 12” made it into my top three because it is probably
the best example of ‘noise rock’ that I can think of from the year. I mean every good noise rock buzz word needs
used when describing them: ‘Dissonant’, ‘angular guitar riffs’, ‘sharp/metallic
tone’, well you get the point. When I
begin writing my review of this album I found myself having a hard time
choosing which tracks to point out because this album is consistently good. “Lucky Pastures” showcases some of the best
song writing in noise rock this year and “Neighbors” is a great closer for the
album.
The album is under 20 minutes, and well worth your
time. Stream it and check out their Bandcamp where you can also purchase a live cassette version.
It must feel good to release a debut as strong as this
album. Concrete Misery is a dense, synth-driven drone album that was done
right. The tracks are long enough to
have time to build up and focus on creating tension filled atmospheres, but
short enough to have removed any excess filler.
Tracks like “All Night Graves” do a great job of blending
synth arpegiations into the composition, and “In the Room” works well as a
strong closing track to the album. In
short, it is almost hard to write about this album because whenever I try I end
up getting caught up listening.
Listen to the track "Petrograde" Here.
Listen to the track "Petrograde" Here.
Sometimes I get so caught up in finding the next new thing,
I almost miss a great album from an older style. The Earl’s of Leicester’s self titled is one
such album. I don't listen to too much older bluegrass, but tracks like "I'll Go Steppin Too" have lyrics that remind me of artists like Bill Monroe.
Overall, Jerry Douglas sounds much better in The Earls of Leicester than on his 2005 solo album I've heard entitled The Best Kept Secret.
Not too much else to say about this album, since I am not an expert on the genre. Was very surprised when I saw this album won a Grammy the other night, as it didn't seem to get that much press throughout the year. Good for them.
Listen to The Earls performing the opening track live Here.
Overall, Jerry Douglas sounds much better in The Earls of Leicester than on his 2005 solo album I've heard entitled The Best Kept Secret.
Not too much else to say about this album, since I am not an expert on the genre. Was very surprised when I saw this album won a Grammy the other night, as it didn't seem to get that much press throughout the year. Good for them.
Listen to The Earls performing the opening track live Here.
Sitting someplace between Mutwawa and Wizards Of, Mincemeat or
Tenspeed's album is an aggressive, electronic monster. The album uses
"rhythmic melodic compositions made from feedback loops,
in order to fake music that would more aptly be made using synths and
sequencers." DECOHERENCE Records fittingly labeled the genre as 'no
rave', a pretty accurate genre tag for an album that sounds as if Holy
Fuck made an EDM album.
One strength this album has is its ability to make otherwise bad quality sounds feel natural. The end of "Normal Techno Jam" has a Casio-style drum sound that feels either circuit bent or overdriven. Somehow, the implementation of this sound works perfect.
If you were a fan of the Fuck Buttons, I would recommend taking some time to check this album out.
Stream the album Here.
16) Biscuit Mouth- Doing it Right and Doing it Well
Taken from an Earlier Review
This album was a great surprise. With vocals someplace in between Mclusky and Zebras, biscuit mouth is are the black keys of noise rock. They really aren't the best, but the duo has created a solid album which captures the essence of the genre, is an easy listen, and most importantly is fun.
When I first listened to this album I was immediately blown away by the great acoustics of the vocalist. To me, Biscuit Mouth is a band built around showcasing his awesome voice. What's more, right from the opening track you see that the band isn't interested in verse, chorus, verse, chorus; rather many of the track keep a continual progression to the lyrics in a storyteller fashion. Sure much of what he sings is indistinguishable, but the smooth, unbroken flow was a pleasant surprise seen all too little.
Once the third track, Gregory pointer, kicks in it becomes apparent how confident the singer is in his voice. Absences of noise are filled with his crooning voice. On my first listen it wasn't until this track that I realized how much potential this band really had. While this isn't my favorite track on the album, it is one that showcases what the band does best; angular guitars, a harder blues style drumming, and entrancing songwriting.
From there, this album remained strong. "You want something" may be my favorite track. While it starts out relatively simple, the lyrics fit the sound perfect, and sound like Bob Dylan wrote them. Moreover, at the 3:30 point the song style switch really kicks off the second half of the album.
If I had any one qualm with this album it would be that it is only two people. Really, the band could benefit with a good bassist filling up the sound. Moment of tracks like Sonny Mottram would have been much stronger if the guitarist could play while that guitar line was played by a bassist.
I found this album looking through random blogs with little visits. If you stumble upon it reading my little blog with little visit, I suggest you take the time to give this a listen like I did. I doubt you will be disappointed.
One strength this album has is its ability to make otherwise bad quality sounds feel natural. The end of "Normal Techno Jam" has a Casio-style drum sound that feels either circuit bent or overdriven. Somehow, the implementation of this sound works perfect.
If you were a fan of the Fuck Buttons, I would recommend taking some time to check this album out.
Stream the album Here.
Taken from an Earlier Review
This album was a great surprise. With vocals someplace in between Mclusky and Zebras, biscuit mouth is are the black keys of noise rock. They really aren't the best, but the duo has created a solid album which captures the essence of the genre, is an easy listen, and most importantly is fun.
When I first listened to this album I was immediately blown away by the great acoustics of the vocalist. To me, Biscuit Mouth is a band built around showcasing his awesome voice. What's more, right from the opening track you see that the band isn't interested in verse, chorus, verse, chorus; rather many of the track keep a continual progression to the lyrics in a storyteller fashion. Sure much of what he sings is indistinguishable, but the smooth, unbroken flow was a pleasant surprise seen all too little.
Once the third track, Gregory pointer, kicks in it becomes apparent how confident the singer is in his voice. Absences of noise are filled with his crooning voice. On my first listen it wasn't until this track that I realized how much potential this band really had. While this isn't my favorite track on the album, it is one that showcases what the band does best; angular guitars, a harder blues style drumming, and entrancing songwriting.
From there, this album remained strong. "You want something" may be my favorite track. While it starts out relatively simple, the lyrics fit the sound perfect, and sound like Bob Dylan wrote them. Moreover, at the 3:30 point the song style switch really kicks off the second half of the album.
If I had any one qualm with this album it would be that it is only two people. Really, the band could benefit with a good bassist filling up the sound. Moment of tracks like Sonny Mottram would have been much stronger if the guitarist could play while that guitar line was played by a bassist.
I found this album looking through random blogs with little visits. If you stumble upon it reading my little blog with little visit, I suggest you take the time to give this a listen like I did. I doubt you will be disappointed.
Spiritual Emergency sounds exactly how I expected the follow up album to To See the World Given to a One-Love Entity to sound like. Liturgy's Greg Fox continues to bring a relentless tribal drumming to the table, with psychedelic guitar twangs and effect-soaked vocals litter the tracks.
Over the course of the five tracks, Guardian Alien keep to their hallucinogenic fueled themes, with the opening track repeatedly telling the listener to "Be the Tranquilizer". The second track opens with a sample stating "the whole universe is a model contained in my head which contains a model of my head, so I have two heads, the head outside the universe and the head inside the universe". The epic closing track using samples discussing embracing 'Spiritual Emergencies', or moments of existence when people have out of body experiences. even the album art holds to this psychedelic theme, with the front cover (as pictured above), being mirrored on the back cover by this image: While Guardian Alien are the epitome of psychedelic wankery, they also seem to be one of the modern masters of it, and this album further solidifies them as deserving recognition as such.
Listen to the track "Vapour" Here.
This is fantastic.
Honestly, this is the only album that even compares to his debut, Tapefuck. But it may exceed it. This is literally a mix of the style of Kanye’s
newer production with GIVV’s bass-centric raps.
Given how short and sweet this album is, it is amazingly original. NAH has evolved his instrumentals, but they
remain his own, and the lyrical themes seem almost untouched in a genre filled
with copycats.
Highly suggest you take 20 minutes out of your life and
experience one of the best hip hop acts of 2014. Check it out and cop a copy Here.
My first experience with Tom James Scott came earlier this year with his album Teal. While I enjoyed that album enough to listen to his follow up, The Landing, it was nowhere as good. Over the course of The Landing's two 10-minute tracks, Mr. Scott paints a lovely, serene picture. Not all that much happens during this album, but the constant shifts of tones perfectly captures a sound that I find relaxing.
This album is on the milder end of ambient, so go into it without the expectation of electronic drone influences ala Tim Hecker. Rather, get out your most comfy pair of headphones and put it on before going to bed.
Unfortunately I was an idiot and missed my chance to purchase the physical copy of this, but it can still be streamed Here.
Listening to Summer Scab brings to mind a lot of great producers such as Knxledge, Comfort Fit, and Teebs. This primarily instrumental, cloud-rap mixtape is a real showcase of production. Sampled hooks are pitched up in a way that stands out without being out of place and the occasional stolen rap verse feels right at home.
Sure this album clocks in at a mere 20 minutes, but almost each track holds its own and never wears out its welcome. While I have definitely listened to much less instrumental electronic music recently, Realms has had the ability to keep me coming back and is someone to watch out for in the future.
Stream/purchase the album Here.
Misha’s album, 2012
was my number one album of, appropriately, 2012. All through 2013 I waited for
this release, but it never came.
Finally, though, Misha’s release, 2013,
arrived in April of 2014. This is
definitely a case of better late than never.
Again, Misha gives us an album filled with hand drumming, chanting,
and what appears to be propagandist speeches. As with all of Misha's stuff, there is very little I know to compare it to. His stuff is original, engaging, and like nothing else. A true juxtaposition of tribal drumming overlayed with apocalyptic radio transmissions.
I don't care that this was an EP, it is under-appreciated and deserves a spot on this list. Stream the album Here.
I don't care that this was an EP, it is under-appreciated and deserves a spot on this list. Stream the album Here.
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