In Honor Of Oldominion's 10th Birthday Part. 2: I Think You Need A Lullaby

Album: Bleed
Artist: Smoke of Oldominion
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Year: 2006
Label: Superhappywax

The Pacific Northwest is home to a vast and diverse Hip-Hop community. This is no longer news to me. One of the most interesting aspects of this community is the Oldominion collective. Comprised of over twenty odd members, Oldominion is a force to by reckoned with and features the talents of such Hip-Hop luminaries as Onry Ozzborn, JFK, Sleep, Syndel, Candidt and Smoke to name just a few. While Ozzborn and JFK have found some more recognition as the Grayskul duo, many of the other artists seem to go with little or no public acknowledgement of their work. Oldominion isn’t The Wu-Tang after all, and a lot of their music goes unheard by most people. This is truly a shame as the work I’ve heard thus far has all been pretty dope. The Gigantics debut album, Die Already, was my first exposure to the world of Oldominion. Though not an Oldominion album, it featured the talents of many members of the collective and was put together by Onry Ozzborn, easily my favorite rapper in the whole group… until now. Now, the line has been blurred by Smoke, whose debut solo album, Bleed, is giving Osborn and Grayskul a strong run for their money.

Smoke is a producer and emcee that, I think, may have crafted one of the finest Hip-Hop albums I’ve heard in months. Most of the production on this album is provided by Smoke himself, with just a few tracks being built by other Oldominion members. The sound of Oldominion, especially Smoke’s, production is becoming very familiar to me. It’s distinct, often dark and usually minimalistic in comparison to other Hip-Hop acts, with bare bone sound providing excellent backing for Smoke’s surrealistic ramblings. As an emcee he’s somewhere between the weirdness of Aesop Rock and the darkness of JFK, finding the place where they meet, and using the best elements of both worlds to his advantage. He’s also much speedier in his delivery than either of the aforementioned, words flying out of his motor powered mouth faster than a Circle Jerks song. His subject matter ranges from religion to relationships, darkness to drugs and each one is tackled with a kind of deadpan enthusiasm that reveals the powerful mind behind the wordy rhymes. This album is riddled with strong tracks like a gangster’s corpse is riddled with bullet holes. The combination of Smoke’s production and rhymes are an intoxicating concoction, which is a heady, but rewarding, brew to drink.

Easily the best track on the album is the addiction dirge of “Lullaby” with its midnight tolling clock chimes and doom saying guitar riffs. The track details Smoke’s descent into drug hell as he does everything in his power to maintain his high, disregarding everything else around him in favor of drugs. Sleepless, cold and aching he finds himself powerless, as does a girl of his acquaintance who also finds her life falling apart under the weight of her addiction. This track is chilling and quite worrisome in many ways. You hope that this tale is that of a character and not Smoke’s personal experience, because, quite frankly, it sounds like death in a bottle. But it’s also the best track on the album, combining Smoke’s mastery of production and lyrics as well as showcasing the gorgeous vocals of Yadria Brown, whose chorus adds to the hopeless atmosphere of the track.

There are other great songs on the album, like the flamenco guitars and self-deprecating lyrics of “Mudd” as well as the down tempo bass lines of the title track “Bleed” but no other track has quite the deathly cold atmosphere of “Lullaby”. For some people that’s probably a good thing, but, in my opinion, I could have stood to see more tracks in its (cold) vein. Though, again, the album is incredibly strong and “Lullaby” just happens to be its strongest moment.

This album is an excellent introduction to the Oldominion collective and a compelling document in and of its self. Smoke can hold his own and will hold your attention all the way through to the end.

In Honor Of Oldominion's 10th Birthday Part. 1: I'm An Owl In Flight!

Album: Bloody Radio
Artist: Grayskul
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Year: 2007
Label: Rhymesayers Entertainment

Gloom is in the air when it rains in Seattle, and it rains a lot. Grayskul is the Hip-Hop personification of that overcast atmosphere, all dark tones and gothic lyrics. As Hip-Hop duos go, Grayskul is one of the finest and in good company being part of the Pacific Northwest’s Hip-Hop community and an offshoot of the Oldominion collective. Comprised of Onry Ozzborn and JFK, the two spit vernacular bleakness over gloomy beats, most of which are provided by various members of the Oldominion crew. This latest album, Bloody Radio, is over a year old at this point but is a strong document of this dynamic duo’s unique spin on Hip-Hop. You could call it Doom-Hop or Goth-Hop if you want to get really silly, but those are blanket terms that don’t accurately describe the eclectic mix of styles found here.

My friend Alex once said that all the best rappers have really weird voices and this is why he likes the Beastie Boys so much. Onry Ozzborn is gifted with a deep, powerful voice that carries his points across very clearly. JFK on the other hand, has a bizarre voice, very nasal pitched and a bit harder to understand. These are the primary voices on the album and they both are well complemented by the down tempo beats. The album has a very shadowy atmosphere, like wandering a city’s alleyways at night and that affords it an unusual presence in the Hip-Hop world. Every track on the album has kind of a minimalist bent to it, unlike some other Hip-Hop production which is all flash and glam, this is very subdued, not so much that it fades out of sight, but small enough not to obscure any of the voices.

Underground Hip-Hop being the collaborative environment that it can be, Bloody Radio is rife with guests, all of whom manage to lend their talents without overshadowing the stars of the album, those being Ozzborn and JFK. The list is pretty impressive actually. Cage shows up to say something nasty (as usual) on the short but sweet “How to Load a Tech” and Pigeon John ghosts his way through puppet show of “Dance the Frantic”. But the most impressive collaborative tracks come in the form of 1) the zombie apocalypse of “The Office” which has its chorus provided by the incomparable Aesop Rock and its final verse by Slug of Atmosphere, and 2) The haunting “Missing” which features not only some of Ozzborn and JFK’s finest verses, but also Andrea Zollo of Pretty Girls Make Graves singing chilling words about the loss of the soul.

The best track is number 4, the title track “Bloody Radio.” Ozzborn and JFK take time to wax out their opinions of modern radio and how it’s a cesspool of bad beats and repetitive lyrics. The track’s fast pace is different for the album, and provides one of their few shout-along choruses “What makes the world go round? THE RADIO! What makes you scream out loud? THE RADIO!” It’s the best track on an album with no real weak takes. Onry Ozzborn is quickly rising higher and higher in the musical world, being one half of Grayskul and the mastermind behind The Gigantics. What he’ll do next is anyone’s guess, but it’ll be good, I can promise you that much.

And We All Went To Heaven In A Little Row Boat...

Album: Ocean Songs
Artist: The Dirty Three
Genre: Instrumental Rock
Year: 1998
Label: Touch and Go

There’s something truly wondrous about the ocean. It’s vast, unknowable and beautiful beyond reason. The feeling you get when witnessing unknowable beauty is the same as that which The Dirty Three’s Ocean Songs evokes. The Dirty Three is composed of Warren Ellis (Violin, also of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds,) Jim White (Drums) and Mick Turner (Electric Guitar) and together they create some “Authentic Celestial Music.” Picture this: You’re drifting out to sea in a little wooden row boat. The water is calm, the air is warm, and a cool breeze blows. Overhead you can see the starlight, the sky is completely clear. Moonlight shines all around you, illuminating the dark waters. As you gently drift, you hear angels fluttering above you. The angels are singing. You feel totally at peace with yourself and the world around you. And that’s just the first track. This album is worth acquiring for “Sirena” alone, but that is not the only reason.

I’ve heard that the earlier music by The Dirty Three was more raucous, more chaotic, but this album is nothing of the sort. Completely instrumental, this music has no need for words to tell stories. The melodies are nothing if not celestial, giving one the feeling of being rocked gently to sleep by the ocean current. Not that you would want to sleep through this, I’m just saying it’s calming music. It’s like taking a shower and letting the dirt and grim wash away, leaving you feeling clean and refreshed. Although there is no real leader to The Dirty Three, Warren Ellis’s violin is definitely the star attraction here. It’s elegant and captivating, steering the course of the album. Mick Turner and Jim White provide the groundwork for the album, allowing room for Ellis to work his magic.

White’s masterful brush drumming is especially gifted, providing the glue that holds the band together. He and Turner are not just background musicians and have more then their fair share of limelight, but to me, Ellis is the man. His playing is considerably different here then it is with The Bad Seeds. There he is furious and frenzied, but here, he is cool and calm, completely serene by contrast. It is a testament to his abilities that he can so effortlessly shift between the worlds of serenity and rambunctiousness, without carrying over any evidence of the other.

This album doesn’t really have that many flaws. The theme may get old for you after awhile, but if you bought an album of “Ocean Songs” and then want to hear something about the Gobi Desert that’s your own problem then isn’t it? This album is a masterful work of art and you should acquire it at once. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m still lost at sea and have a little while left before I find my way home.

Oh, My Pounding Head: The Information Overload Tactics Of Lightning Bolt

Album: Wonderful Rainbow
Artist: Lightning Bolt
Genre: Noise Rock
Year: 2003
Label: Load

When people think of duo bands, the first ones that come to mind are the White Stripes or the Black Keys. People with this conventional (and color coordinated) understanding of minimalist music are going to be woefully under-prepared for the thunderous chaos of Lightning Bolt. Lightning Bolt is a Noise Rock explosion from Providence, Rhode Island, and they generate more raw sound per member then the entire line-up of Broken Social Scene put together. Composed of drummer Brian Chippendale and bassist Brian Gibson, the duo propel forward at maddening velocity smashing into everything in their way. The sound is like a thousand imploding buildings crashing down all around you at high speed. Chippendale’s drumming doesn’t have an immediately distinct sound like some drummers, but it is frantic but controlled, occasionally reminiscent of drummers like Zach Hill, whose band Hella actually shares some similarities with Lightning Bolt, being another Noise Rock duo.

But where Hella is guitar and drums, Lightning Bolt relies on Gibson’s unusual and rhythmic bass playing. Tuned to cello standard tuning, Gibson’s warped and processed bass is often mistaken for a guitar, but this is not so. I actually thought it was a guitar the first time I heard it and was surprised to discover my error. Together, these two elements of the bass and drums are like mixing volatile chemicals together, producing a combustive result that’ll blast you out of your boots.

One of the stranger aspects of Lightning Bolt’s music is the incorporation of vocals into the mix. Chippendale is also the group’s vocalist, no easy task as he’s already drumming like a lunatic. But he sings, or rather, howls his way through most all of their music. Instead of a normal microphone, Chippendale sings through a contact microphone, taped inside of the mouth of a gimp mask he wears while performing. The sound it creates is like that of a man screaming for his life while slowly asphyxiating from too much whipped cream. It’s disturbing, but ultimately complements the anarchic music.

Despite the abrasive connotations of Noise Music, most of this album, Wonderful Rainbow, is pretty melodic, in its own special way. All of the tracks have grounded structure and even hooks you can sink your teeth into with the notable exception of tracks like “30,000 Monkies” which is just controlled demolition. My favorite takes are tracks like the rumbling cruncher “Dracula Mountain” and the head-banging, finger tapping nightmare of “Crown of Storms”. Lightning Bolt have expressed displeasure with the recording process, but they make excellent albums so I don’t see where there’s a problem.

It may take awhile to find the hooks and, admittedly, I was uncertain about the prospect of Lightning Bolt when I first heard about them, but I’ve grown to love their bizarre blender music. Paraphrasing from Steve Albini “It’s the best alarm clock you’ll ever have” and I do believe it.

Bauhaus: Gone Away Again

Album: Go Away White
Artist: Bauhaus
Genre: Gothic Rock
Year: 2008
Label: Bauhaus Music

So, somehow in the midst of my gloomy sleep deprived ravings, I managed to completely miss the Bauhaus releasing a new album in March of 2008. There must have been absolutely no fanfare about the release because I just found out about it less than a month ago. What the hell, guys? I know you’re Gothic Rock legends from beyond the void but the least you could have done was tell me! Maybe it was just Seattle because I asked a friend of mine if she’d heard about Go Away White and she was just as shocked as I was. She also said she was excited. So was I.

The Bauhaus, for those of you not living with the bats in the cave, were the original Gothic Rock band. They were the first to combine dark atmospheric rock with horror movie lyrics to create the gloomy sound that would later be adopted by dozens of other bands. If you want to argue this point, saying something to the effect of “no, Joy Division and Siouxsie and The Banshees came first” you’d be right, but you’re still wrong. Yes those groups (barely) preceded Bauhaus, but they were Post-Punk bands and could be termed “Proto-Goth” but that just sounds silly. Joy Division were gloomier than Bauhaus any day of the week, but with them it was utterly serious, no humor or camp to take the edge off. And Siouxsie was a punk, there’s no getting around this. For god’s sake she was a Sex Pistols groupie before she did anything of musical importance and even then it took her time to escape the three-chord confines before she started to develop her own spooky sounds. But I’m off topic.

The Bauhaus re-united in 2005 to tour and soak up some of the glory that had been withheld from them the first time around. It must be nice to see history vindicate your music, proving that you were doing something of integrity and originality way back when everyone else thought you were cracked. On the other hand, it must be disturbing to look back through time and see all the bands that have come and gone, trying to ride your vampire cape tails all the way back to the coffin you crawled out of. Anyway, the Bauhaus returned to a world that welcomed them back with open arms. They toured with Nine Inch Nails and by themselves and took on such venues as Coachella Music Festival before returning to the studio for the first time in over twenty years to record Go Away White, the first album they’ve ever released without a significant amount of black on the cover. In fact, it’s completely white, with an angel seeming to fade away into the cover, which is, of course, an artistic representation of the title.

I’ve managed to get this far and not even mention the music, so lets talk about that. Go Away White stands up well in comparison to the Bauhaus small discography of twenty years prior, which is incredibly impressive for a band to do, return like this and create work that’s still relevant. Some bands spend years creating crap album after crap album, trying to regain their former glory. But Bauhaus aren’t trying to recapture their former glory with this album, rather, they’re creating something new that remains strictly Bauhaus to its dark core. And in that they have succeeded. You won’t find any “Dark Entries” on this album, try as you might to find them, but that’s OK, because we have “International Bulletproof Talent” with its catchy chorus and attention grabbing guitar riffs. We also have the haunting “The Dog’s A Vapor” which is as chilling as “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” or “Hollow Hills” ever were. It may be even creepier then either of those takes if that’s possible to believe, as Peter Murphy just takes off on this track, his voice echoing throughout the piece, infiltrating every nook and cranny of your poor abused psyche. It’s like that moment in a horror movie where the creature is revealed and one of the cast is too scared to run away and is disemboweled because of their lack of initiative.

Peter Murphy’s Bowie-esque vocals are at the center of this album, the rest of the band flitting about him like bats in the night. David J and Daniel Ash are as talented as ever, both of the weaving seamless darkness over Kevin Haskins post-punky drumming. This could have been a new beginning for the Bauhaus but instead it’s the end, the final note of the last song is that last you’ll hear of the Bauhaus as they’ve disbanded, for the last time. Why? Who knows, these things happen. And they’re not Killing Joke so don’t get your hopes up for another reunion. But ultimately, it’ll be OK. We still have In The Flat Field and Mask, and now we have Go Away White as well. While you may never see the Bauhaus live again, you can celebrate their death, so to speak.

The Winner: World/Inferno Friendship Society.

Yep. I wouldn’t want to live in a world without grudges either.

Dearboy: Such Pleasant Words (And Music)

I’m a person of integrity and I try to act with it as much as I can. Sometimes I fall short of the mark, but I’d like to think such incidents are few and far between. However, I have said three times now that I would write something about Dearboy and haven’t done it. That changes today.

Myspace bands are frequently annoying, uninteresting and out of tune, but Dearboy is no ordinary Myspace Band. An eclectic four piece from various areas of Seattle, their line up consists of Kathryn Van Buren (Lead vocals, Guitar and Mandolin,) Jessa Lowe (Upright Bass,) Sasha Kool (Keyboards and Accordion) and Willa Goettling (Drums and Cowbell). I don’t know a lot about the bands history but do know that up until recently the band was a trio, with no bass. Jessa Lowe’s jazzy hand has been a welcome addition to their sound. And what a sound! Like an eastern European cabaret, Dearboy simultaneously glides and stomps their way around the room, commanding your attention with their romantic and rocking show.

I have had the privilege of attending four Dearboy concerts and each one I found quite entertaining. Van Buren has a beautiful and sultry voice and is backed by equally beautiful music. One of the more impressive things about this band is that their sound is as mature as it is, being that the members are high school juniors. Most high school bands sound like they’re from high school, but you wouldn’t immediately think that listening to Dearboy. The band’s best number is their oldest one, the song “Such Pleasant Words” which, while skillfully showing off their Gypsy Cabaret sound, also features an electronic interlude, revealing a usually unexplored techno influence.

Their music is strangely infectious, as I found myself humming their melodies for days after the first time I saw them live. Dearboy has a lot going for it-cryptic lyrics and gorgeous music, so really, what’s not to like? I find myself cutting this review short simply because I have few things to say about the band and all of them are good. If you have the opportunity to see them live, take it.

And here is your chance: Dearboy performs as a part of the 8th Annual SoundOff! competition at the EMP on Saturday Feb 14th. Here’s the link:

http://www.empsfm.org/programs/index.asp?categoryID=27

Also, Here’s Dearboy’s Mypsace:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=215891808

Just Die Already: Onry Ozzborn's Gigantic Ambition

Album: Die Already
Artist: The Gigantics
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Year: 2008
Label: Camobear

It took me awhile to notice, but Seattle has a fairly interesting and strong Hip-Hop scene. Blue Scholars, Cancer Rising, Grayskul… the list goes on and on. The point is it’s got some great stuff, my favorite thus far being The Gigantics debut release Die Already. To call The Gigantics a group isn’t quite right, as the ensemble is roughly 50 heads strong, so perhaps army is the right word. Assembled and produced by Grayskul’s Onry Ozzborn, Die Already is a veritable who’s who of underground Hip-Hop and beyond. The thing that drew me to the album was Aesop Rock. A surreal master of slippery metaphor, Aesop Rock steps in to wax his way around the room on the albums second and best track “The Explanation.” The track is also home to MCs Reason (Onry Ozzborn) and Eligh, the latter of which has become one of my favorite voices of the many that populate the album. Many of the MCs were completely unknown to me, but the presence of Aesop Rock and Mr. Lif (both of Def Jux records) were strong swings in the albums favor. Admittedly, not all of the MC’s are from Seattle, but that doesn’t really matter in the long run as they’re all excellent.

Listening to the album for the first time, it quickly became clear that all is not well in the land of the Gigantics. There is a gritty urban darkness lurking in this album, the human kind that makes the horror show antics of bands like Slipknot look downright childish. Social commentary comes in the form of the fourth track on the album “Biological Nothing” as Candidt raps about life as a G raising his son to be just like him “You don’t hustle, you don’t eat.” Knowing that it was commentary didn’t make it any less horrifying. The albums pervasive feelings of doom and gloom are a little overwhelming at times, especially on track 15 “Memory Loss” a song that wears its subject matter on its sleeve. Personally, I can’t think of anything scarier then Alzheimer’s, so hearing Count Draven (Onry Ozzborn again) and Pigeon John rap about it left me cold.

As previously mentioned, Onry Ozzborn of Grayskul is the man with the plan, producing and assembling the album. I’d like to call attention to that production, because it’s distinct. With the myriad of noises coming from god knows where, the album has a very solid sound that you’d never confuse for anyone else. Ozzborn’s production gives off a cold, crisp and stark atmosphere that will chill you to the bone. That, combined with the aforementioned bleak lyricism, is what gives the album its dark nature. However, there are moments of pitch black humor which left me snickering quietly to myself and a skit at the end that left me holding my gut with laughter. I won’t spoil the ending for you, but rest assured, it’s funny. This album has very few weaknesses and a whole load of strength. It shows off numerous talented MCs and that Onry Ozzborn can hold his own masterfully in the production world. This isn’t Party Hip-Hop, but in my book that’s a good thing. Seattle may have its flaws (Public Transportation) but its Hip-Hop isn’t one of them.

Freezing Over: Cage's Cold Woes

Album: Hell’s Winter
Artist: Cage
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Year: 2005
Label: Definitive Jux

I first heard of Cage on El-P’s “I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead” (the album that got me into Hip-Hop) when he guested on the track “Habeas Corpses (Draconian Love)” and all I knew of him was that he had a very nasally voice. On the track, El-P and Cage are futuristic prison guards in a totalitarian regime, discussing the beauty of one of their prisoners. This was long before I’d heard of Def Jux records or any of the artists associated with it. I liked the song but wanted to know who Cage was. As I discovered, Cage is a rapper with a past most angsty artists would give their right foot for. The man was abused by his father and stepfather, experimented with drugs and was confined to a mental hospital where he was misdiagnosed and put on incorrect medication. After being released, Cage became some kind of Horrorcore Rap wunderkind. Most of his material revolved around madness, drugs and horrible acts of misogynistic violence. Here in lies the problem. I really can’t stand misogyny in music and, reading his lyrics, Cage seemed to be one of the worst offenders. However by the time I found out about him, he had already released his second album “Hell’s Winter” on Def Jux records. Part of the album’s promotion was that it had no misogyny on it and so, with caution, I picked it up.

Well. This was not what I expected. Rather than a horror show of sickening lyrics and ridiculous antics, “Hell’s Winter” is a dark, introspective trip through the mind of a clear headed Cage. Instead of disgusting acts of violence we find ourselves in a group therapy session with Cage as he discusses all the wrongs of his life, ones he committed and ones committed against him. He isn’t looking to glorify drugs, abuse or violence; he’s trying to exorcise his own demons. And demons he has; on the second track “Too Heavy for Cherubs” Cage takes us back to his childhood where his father forced him to pull a tourniquet tight while he shot up heroin. Scared, Cage tries to escape from his father out the window but gets caught and beaten for it. One of the most frightening parts of the song are the moments where Cage, through a voice distorter, plays his father. Blockhead’s production features a lilting guitar riff that repeats over and over again throughout the piece. Sounding a bit childlike in its tone, the music makes the subject matter of the song all the more difficult to bear.

Speaking of production, Cage has involved some big name people in the making of this album as there is production from Blockhead, El-P, RJD2, Camu Tao, PaWl and DJ Shadow. You’d think that Shadow’s contribution to the album would be the greatest given his track record, (Endtroducing? Anyone?) But this isn’t so. The best production moments come from RJD2 on “Shoot Frank”; a synth piano chord progression over which Cage raps some of his most heart wrenching verse, and the El-P produced opener “Good Morning” which gets the album off to a rousing start with its bouncing bass lines, courtesy of James McNew of Yo La Tango. That’s another of the things that has greatly helped Cage’s credit in my eyes is the willingness of other skilled artists to work with him. The production crew aside, Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys also appears on “Grand Ol’ Party Crash” and Aesop Rock (along with the rest of the Weathermen) makes an appearance on the Camu Tao produced track 11 “Left It to Us.”

The greatest thing about this album comes not from outside help but from the fact that Cage, an artist who seemed doomed to making the same sick joke over and over again, didn’t like where his career was going and changed it. Sure, there are still moments of violence and drugs, but rather than glorify them, Cage warns against them. Once or twice on the album he said things I found questionable, even gross, but this was the exception rather then the rule. Overall, “Hell’s Winter” finds a Cage transformed, shedding the Horrorcore elements to leave just the Rap Wunderkind behind. And that’s why I’ve been listening to him so much, because it’s surprisingly good stuff. It’s dark, sure, but it makes you think, something his previous work never would have done.

Enemies & Friends: Gogol Bordello vs World/Inferno Friendship Society

This came out of an argument with two friends of mine and I've determined to get y'all to help me resolve it. Here we go.


1. What:

G: Gypsy/Immigrant Punk collective from New York City known for hell-raising shows and excellent genre blending albums.

W: Cabaret/Circus Punk cult from New York City known for hell-raising shows and fantastic theatrical albums.

2. Front Man:

G: Eugene Hutz. Possibly schizophrenic mustachioed beast of a man from the Ukraine known for his heavily accented vocal delivery. One of the wildest front men I have ever witnessed.

W: Jack Terricloth. Possibly vampiric ghost of a man from New Jersey known for his brilliant lyrics and suave delivery. Reportedly, the greatest front man in the world.

3. Sounds Like

G: A never-ending celebration of the meaning of life, with Punk, Folk, Gypsy and Dub leanings.

W: A never-ending Halloween Party held in the heart of Berlin as the whole city burns, with Swing, Ska, Klezmer,Cabaret and Punk leanings.

4. Touring:

G: Gogol tours the United States constantly, giving you numerous opportunities to witness their bouncing shows.

W: Loves Europe and the East Coast to death, so If you live there you’re in luck, but if you’re like me and live on the West Coast then you’re never gonna see them again. Sad but true.

5. Most Well Known Song:

G: Start Wearing Purple. Featured in the movie Everything Is Illuminated, which also co-stared Eugene Hutz. A foot stomping romp through the village pub calling for your lady to Start Wearing Purple.

W: Cult band, so if you’re looking for a hit you’re not going to find one. But to the Cult? Tattoos Fade. Piano driven boot stomper reveling in the fact that nothing lasts forever. Sure to get you moving or your cigarettes back.

6. Greatest Strength:

G: Energy. They’ve got a never-ending supply of it and it could power New York for a thousand years if you plugged them in to the generator.

W: Musicianship. The Inferno blazes with dozens of fantastic musicians, the most notable of which are probably guitarist Lucky Strano -who is everything you could want in a Punk guitarist- and Drummer Brian Viglione -also of The Dresden Dolls. The horn section also burns up the room with their propellant blasts of sound.

7. Greatest Fault:

G: Friends with Madonna

W: Always in Europe, never on West Coast.

8. Example of Work (so you can hear them):

G: http://www.myspace.com/gogolbordello

W: http://www.myspace.com/worldinferno

9: The Winner:

This is the part where YOU comment with YOUR valued opinion. What’s it gonna be Merv? The Immigrant Punk Romp of Gogol Bordello? Or The Endless Soul of World/Inferno Friendship Society?

Team Sleep: Better Than The Deftones Any Day of The Week

Album: Team Sleep
Artist: Team Sleep
Genre: Experimental Rock
Year: 2005
Label: Maverick

Chino Moreno is best known for his work as the Deftones vocalist. The Deftones, while an excellent band on most of their albums, simply pale in comparison to Team Sleep. Formed initially as a collaboration between Moreno and guitarist Todd Wilkinson, Team Sleep is a mixing bowl of a band. But the point of an experimental band is to experiment, right? While the Deftones remain cemented in an alt metal sound, Team Sleep branches out to numerous genres and incorporates influences that would never find a home with the Tones. Another major difference is the lack of aggression in Team Sleep’s music. The Deftones have a lot of pent up fury. In contrast, Team Sleep is a far more chilled out project. But to keep comparing them like this is really quite unfair, actually. After all, Team Sleep has Zach Hill as their drummer, so the contest is over, Team Sleep wins.

On that note, Hill’s drumming, always good, usually ludicrously brilliant, is somewhat more contained here compared to other albums he has lent his talents to. This is not the kind of music that always requires Hella-like scatter pummeling, but regardless, Hill is in top form. But back to the sounds: Team Sleep initially struck me as a melding of the Deftones and Radiohead; mainly the latter’s more experimental and electronic albums. But that is a somewhat limited description as Team Sleep sounds like Radiohead as often as they sound like Massive Attack, My Bloody Valentine or Explosions in the Sky. Speaking of which, the guitar playing is really out of sight on this album. Wilkinson and Moreno duel over Hill’s drums or DJ Crooks beats to create spirals of sound that are sometimes time lulling in their beauty or soaring in their urgency. Moreno’s voice is unique, you always recognize him when he sings for better or worse. Some people really hate his voice but I’m not one of them. The elevating sound of some of the work on here is well complemented by his poetic vocals. But he’s not the only vocalist here. Indie stalwart Rob Crow (of Pinback) sings on four of the fifteen tracks. His voice is like a cool drink of water, flowing over the music, painting everything an even deeper shade of blue. The song “Our Ride to the Rectory,” my favorite of the album, features extensive vocals from Crow. Mary Timothy (of Helium) also stops in to lend her voice to a few songs, including the haunting “Tomb of Liegia” which could be a glitched up Portishead take, lost in time.

The strength of this band falls on the ensemble's ability to create music diverse in nature, but all falling under the umbrella of the “Team Sleep sound”. Chino Moreno’s band is something else as this one album outshines almost everything he’s ever done with the Deftones. Hopefully, their next album will be out soon as I’ve had this one for a long time and am starting to get antsy for more.

Amon Tobin: Brazil's Finest

Album: Foely Room
Artist: Amon Tobin
Genre: Electronica/Drum N’ Bass
Year: 2007
Label: Ninja Tune

I have a hard time conceiving of composing music. I love music, but the idea of laying down individual notes to make even just one piece is sort of incredible to me. After all, you have to have an idea of how any given instrument sounds corresponding to the notes, and that seems incredibly difficult. This is why Amon Tobin can’t be human. How do you compose music from samples? How do you compose music with a car engine? Or a bee buzzing? Or water dripping? Granted, there are real instruments throughout the album, but just as frequently there are non-instruments clanging, booming, screaming and ripping. Amon Tobin is an Electronica artist from Brazil and his latest album Foely Room is comprised entirely of field recordings. Armed with highly sensitive microphones, Tobin gathered sounds from all over the place with the intent of making the non-musical musical. He also recorded with artists such as the Kronos Quartet and Sarah Page for some actual musical samples. The entire album isn’t just a collage of random field recordings; every track is very musical. This is what impresses me. After all, how does someone in their head take a field recording of an engine rumbling and think “yeah, that’ll go great with some piano.”

It’s really stunning just how musical the album is. Every track sings in its own way. My favorites include tracks like “Keep Your Distance” which features a Les Claypool-esque Bass driving jungley drums and the epic “The Killer’s Vanilla” which features the Kronos Quartet at some of their finest. I remember one time I was sitting in a car while it was raining, listening to that track. It was night and a street light was shining through the windows, causing everything in the car to look like it was moving because of how the rain was running over the surface of the windows. It was one of the trippiest things I’ve ever seen in my life and the effect was dramatically augmented by the music. Another great track is “Kitchen Sink.” You know that joke about throwing everything including the kitchen sink into the mix? Well, it looks like Tobin did just that as this track sounds completely aquatic in its atmosphere. Tobin, along with Aphex Twin and Massive Attack, ranks among the best Electronica artists I’ve heard recently and you would do yourself a favor to get this unusual album.

New Year. New Name. New URL.

Well Folks, It 2009 and I've decided to change up some minor details like the name and URL of this blog. As you can see, now we are The Third Rail: Off Track Music Reviews and the URL is http://thethirdrailreviews.blogspot.com/. Happy New Year!