the Smashing Pumpkins – Zeitgeist (7.0/10)

The Smashing Pumpkins: Zeitgeist
“this disc has enough of its own merit to stand next to the rest of the Pumpkins’ discography, even with Iha and Wretzkey out of the picture.”
7.0/10

1. Doomsday Clock
2. 7 Shades of Black
3. Bleeding the Orchid
4. That’s the Way (My Love Is)
5. Tarantula
6. Starz
7. United States
8. Neverlost
9. Bring the Light
10. (Come One) Let’s Go!
11. For God and Country
12. Pomp and Circumstances

The return of the Smashing Pumpkins was met with criticism from most corners, and their comeback album was downright torn to shreds. But, after letting the dust settle, the bias can be seen through and the truth can come out: it’s really not that bad.

Sure, it can’t touch Siamese Dream (1993) or Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995), but this disc has enough of its own merit to stand next to the rest of the Pumpkins’ discography, even with Iha and Wretzkey out of the picture.

Musically, it’s the standard Pumpkins fare, blending metal and classic rock together in a furious combination, and vocally, Corgan can still hit all the notes he needs to. Unlike fellow alt. rocker Eddie Vedder, his voice still has the power it had a decade earlier.

But, despite Corgan’s form, there’s a problem – there’s too much of him. Most of the songs have layer after layer of vocals on piled on top of each other, the result of Roy Thomas Baker’s production. And Corgan’s voice has always been an acquired taste – even the most adamant of fans will find that it becomes quite jarring, and quickly.

There’s also another inherent problem that plagues Zeitgeist – there’s moments that sound completely forced and veer straight into a brick wall. Corgan’s cries for revolution in ‘United States’ sound juvenile, and his lyrics in ‘That’s the Way’ are saccharine somewhat overbearing.

That doesn’t mean that Zeitgeist is unlistenable – it’s far from it. There’s plenty hard rocking and sincere moments, and they make it a fun and interesting album. There’s nowhere near as much fat as there is on Mellon Collie, and it doesn’t drift out of focus like MACHINA (2000). It’s much easier to ‘get’ as a result, and you don’t need to be feeling any particular way to give it a spin.

As a whole, Zeitgeist gives the Pumpkins another shot at the 21st century – revitalizing a damn good band that had lay dead far too long. It’s straightforward; it rocks hard, and it also shows that with a good songwriter at the helm, a band can live on without all of its original members.

Radiohead – OK Computer (8.5/10)

“…there is a catchiness built into most of the songs that makes the album both fun to listen to and to immerse yourself in.”

1. Airbag
2. Paranoid Android
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
4. Exit Music (For A Film)
5. Let Down
6. Karma Police
7. Fitter Happier
8. Electioneering
9. Climbing Up the Walls
10. No Surprises
11. Lucky
12. The Tourist

OK Computer can be called one of the best albums of the ‘90s, or at least Radiohead’s best because of its lush, textured sound. Even through the layers, though, there is a catchiness built into most of the songs that makes the album both fun to listen to and to immerse yourself in.

One of the strongest points on OK Computer is Thom Yorke’s vocals, with ‘Airbag’, ‘Lucky’, and ‘Paranoid Android’ standing out. Yorke is responsible for some of the best lyrics and melodies on the album, and he sings/plays them with assurance.

As a whole, OK Computer is not a singles album. There are some songs that stand very strongly on their own, such as ‘Karma Police’ or ‘Airbag’, but overall it has to be listened to as a complete work for the full effect. There are a few weaker tracks, or, in a special exception (one subtlety noted on the backside of the case), one that doesn’t belong at all, but even then they are listenable and work towards something larger.

New Guns N’ Roses single “Chinese Democracy”

Guns N’ Roses has finally announced an official release date for it’s 14-years in the making opus “Chinese Democracy”. The album will be exclusively available at Best Buy in North America on November 23rd, and anywhere music is sold in any other territory.

The lead single, “Chinese Democracy” was released to radio on October 22nd, and can be heard in the Widget above.

The Music Industry

It’s something I’ve been paying attention to a lot recently. Most people that follow music even in the slightest know that record sales have declined massively since the advent of Napster (And a few could argue that the quality of what we’re buying has gone down as well as originality – but that’s for another time) and some artists are choosing to go independent of labels and release their music online, before you can even buy a physical copy in stores.

I can think of three bands that have done this so far:

*Radiohead – Their album “In Rainbows” was released with a “Pay Any Price” option for the album -from $0 to millions, if so you chose.

* Nine Inch Nails – “Ghosts I-IV” had the option of letting you download the first 9 tracks out of 36 for free, then had a myriad of options for purchasing the album in different formats and packaging. Then, in May, Reznor released “The Slip” as a completely free download – meaning you could get every song without any strings attached.

* Girl Talk – Released the album “Feed The Animals” with the same tactic as Radiohead – pay what you want. If you chose $0, you were asked to select from a list of options why you decided not to pay.

With the major record labels losing money faster than ever, it leaves me wondering what they will try next in order to keep their bank accounts from hitting zero. With so many new methods of cheaper and more efficient methods of distribution, will they resort to jacking up concert ticket prices? Or will they do what The Eagles did with “Long Road Out of Eden”, and sign exclusive deals with large chain stores so that the music can only be purchased at those locations?

Releasing music for free through the internet can also offer up a benefit to more local, small-time bands and musicians. With the extra attention they get for going the free or pay any price route, there we always be people that are not fans but will download the music because of it’s “price”. The band is now reaching a wider audience, and is likely to gain more fans through curiosity. Of course, this is only an option for these bands and musicians if they feel they have a big enough fan base so that they can still make enough money from touring to continue recording and booking arenas.

Musicians make more money from touring than actual record sales, anyway. ( Source )Considering that after the label gets their cut from a CD, and after packaging, promotion, and whatnot, there’s not a whole lot left to be split between the actual performers, so obviously if you’re paying $50 for a concert over $12 for a CD, you’re definitely supporting the artist more than a CD. (Not that the extra revenue is bad)

All I can say for sure that I’m liking the future of the industry. The days where paying for music is mandatory seem to be coming to a close, and music will soon be more accessible to the masses than ever before.

Nirvana – Nevermind (7.75/10)

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit
2. In Bloom
3. Come As You Are
4. Breed
5. Lithium
6. Polly
7. Territorial Pissings
8. Drain You
9. Lounge Act
10. Stay Away
11. On A Plain
12. Something In the Way

Nirvana is synonymous with the early-‘90s rock scene, and even in 2008, their legacy lives on with Nevermind, the album that catapulted the band to international stardom and poster-boy status. For the next three years following its release, Nirvana enjoyed unending popularity and multi-platinum record sales up until Cobain’s unfortunate suicide in 1994.

But, going past the near-worship the album receives from so many corners of the music industry, is it really such a great album?

Well, the answer is somewhere in the middle. The first five songs really shine, these including the famed hits “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Come As You Are”. Here Cobain’s talents for writing melodies and hooks that, despite his constant hate towards fame, only stood to show that he was indeed capable of effortlessly writing something that spoke to millions. However, the albums momentum is quickly killed with the droning “Polly” and grating (albeit good workout song) “Territorial Pissings”, which sound dated and almost juvenile.

Things start to pick up again with “Drain You”, a song that, without its Whole Lotta Love-esque breakdown, becomes forgettable in short order despite being so poppy. The trio of songs that close the album (“Stay Away”, “On a Plain”, and “Something In The Way”) range from good to great in respective order, with the simplicity of the latter painting a great picture about the homeless lifestyle.

So why do I say Nevermind was somewhere in the middle of being good and being great? Well, I honestly believe the music hasn’t aged as well as say, Pearl Jam, or Soundgarden, who continued to evolve through the years while creating music that still sounds great when mixed in with newer tunes. Nevermind is a really good album, but coupled with the fact that it sounds dated and can wear on the listener about half-way through, it loses some of the power it had back in 1991. (And please, Nirvana fans, don’t crucify me for giving a Nirvana record anything less than 11/10!)

11 Albums You NEED to Hear

1. Appetite for Destruction by Guns N’ Roses

For something recorded in 1987, it’s raw, fresh, visceral, and relevant.

2. Ten by Pearl Jam

A perfect, well-rounded album. Strong riffs, thoughtful lyricism, and an anthemic sound bring it all together.

3. The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails

It’s long, but there’s a lot of great, complex songs to dig into.

4. Black Holes & Revelations by Muse

Muse has always been a stunning band, and with this release, they play to their strengths. There is an obvious addition of electronica elements added to their hard-rocking, Queen-esque sound, as well.

5. Pinkerton by Weezer

Quirky, off-beat, and catchy could sum this record up well. Full of raw confessions and blaring guitars, it’s a definite departure from their debut, and arguably their best work.

6. Binaural by Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam took a big leap here,s tepping into unchardted territory while creating meaningful songs that ignore their “grunge” label.

7. Shangri – La Dee Da by Stone Temple Pilots

Lots of psychedelic elements mixed with STP’s traditional hard-rocking/alternative sound. It’s more “them” then any prior work.

8. Title of Record by Filter

Moving from their atypical industrial sound, the fury actually lets up for a few moments with slower tracks like “Take a Picture”, all while new textures blend with and explore the band’s sound.

9. Into the Wild by Eddie Vedder

A folksy, ambitious solo album from Pearl Jam’s lead singer that merges perfectly with the movie it scores.

10. Superunknown by Soundgarden

Cornell’s voice is Earth-shattering, and as a whole the record is very cohesive and muscular.

11.  The Colour and the Shape by Foo Fighters

Take the drummer from Nirvana, give him a backing band, and add his throat-shredding vocalls and aggressive power-chords and you get an album that’s a perfect snapshot of mid-90s rock after the grunge explosion.

Nine Inch Nails – The Fragile (8.5/10)

Nine Inch Nails – The Fragile 8.5/10

Disc 1(Left):
1.    Somewhat Damaged
2.    The Day The World Went Away
3.    The Frail
4.    The Wretched
5.    We’re In This Together
6.    The Fragile
7.    Just Like You Imagined
8.    Even Deeper
9.    Pilgrimage
10.    No, You Don’t
11.    La Mer
12.    The Great Below

Disc 2 (Right):
1.    The Way Out Is Through
2.    Into the Void
3.    Where Is Everybody?
4.    The Mark Has Been Made
5.    Please
6.    Starf*ckers, Inc
7.    Complication
8.    I’m Looking Forward To Joining You, Finally
9.    The Big Come Down
10.    Underneath It All
11.    Ripe (With Decay)

The CD version clocks in at over an hour and 40 minutes, and the LP is even longer. To truly digest and appreciate this album, you’ll need to clear your schedule for a bit, grab your best pair of headphones, and dive in.

The Downward Spiral brought worldwide attention to Nine Inch Nails in 1994, and for five years fans waited for the next sonic journey into Trent Reznor’s twisted world. The result was a two-disc magnum opus, something he is unlikely to top in the near future. The music on here is charged and emotional, and maybe more mature than its predecessor.

That’s not to say that EVERY song is a masterpiece. There are times when the album slows to a drag, as the angst, processed guitars, and layered synthesizers become old.  Even then, there is reward in picking out the fine details and nuances only found in Nine Inch Nails releases.

In my personal opinion, the second disc (Right) is more enjoyable and memorable than the first. Songs like The Way Out Is Through, into The Void, Please, and the Big Come Down are shining examples of Reznor’s song craft, providing strong synth lines and deep bass that drive the tracks and keep them in your head long afterwards.

Still, the length does become problematic, and for the average listener, it may be too cumbersome to listen to compared to releases like The Downward Spiral and With Teeth. The songs themselves are great, but might just be too much of a good thing.

New Scott Weiland album due Nov. 18th

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003845004

10 years after his solo debut 12 Bar Blues, two break-ups, and one reunion, Scott Weiland is finally ready to release a brand new solo album. Judging from 12BB, (Which I reviewed on this blog previously) there’s a lot of potential to show a whole new side of him, unlike the hard rock and alternative he’s put out with Velvet Revolver and Stone Temple Pilots.

With the possibility of a new Pilots record, and a set release date for the new solo album, thingd are looking up for Weiland. Let’s hope they stay this way.

Metallica Rips Off Pearl Jam

Seems like every opinion of Metallica I see is that they haven’t had any good ideas since the Black Album. Now, I’m no Metallica fan (Unless liking four or five songs off the Black Album qualifies me), but when I found this out today, you can imagine I was angry, seeing as Pearl Jam is one of my favorite bands.

Metallica’s new song “The End of the Line” steals a riff directly from Pearl Jam’s song “Why Go?”. Hear it here from 0:34 to 0:56:

http://www.youtube.com/v/YQvDWdK_b1E&rel=0

Now listen to Pearl Jam’s “Why Go?” here:

Stone Temple Pilots – Shangri – La Dee Da 9/10

Stone Temple Pilots – Shangri – La Dee Da   9/10

1. Dumb Love 10/10
2. Days of the Week 9.5/10
3. Coma 10/10
4. Hollywood Bitch 8/10
5. Wonderful 9/10
6. Black Again 8/10
7. Hello, It’s Late 8.5/10
8. Too Cool Queenie 10/10
9. Regeneration 7.5/10
10. Bi-Polar Bear 9/10
11. Transmissions From A Lonely Room 9/10
12. A Song For Sleeping 8.5/10
13. Long Way Home 10/10

I often fight with myself over which Stone Temple Pilots record is better, Purple or Shangri – La Dee Da. The latter usually wins out.

The album begins with a burst of the hard-rocking, throaty rock found on Core and Purple, and then follows up with the catchy single “Days of the Week”, a poppy number with its roots in Tiny Music. Coma is kicked off by an odd sound that becomes a common theme during the verse, along with a huge riff and a great breakdown.

Skipping over the typical rocker which is Hollywood Bitch, Wonderful is a great track that mixes acoustic and electric guitars and a peaceful lyric about a dying man, begging an unknown person for forgiveness and reminding them what a great person they were.

From here, the album has itself rooted in its sound. Most of the songs after Wonderful have a dreamy quality, yet retain some great melodies Many of the tracks are a bit slower and fine-tuned than the standard STP fare, to boot. Black Again is a good example of this, a fine track featuring some great drumming from Eric Kretz.

Hello, It’s Late is a sparse track, with a melancholy vibe and a strong bass line. Too Cool Queenie is one of the album’s highlights, and would definitely be in my top STP songs. The jangly intro, song-carrying bass line, and interesting, satirist lyrics (“I’m looking at you Courtney Love” could be the name of the song!) all come together to create what could have been a hit single.

I’m also going to skip over Regeneration, because its one of the weakest tracks on here.

I guess you could say Bi-Polar Bear has a Middle Eastern vibe to it, and it very obviously documents Scott Weiland’s bi-polarity. (“Let my meds on the sink again/My head will be racing by lunch time”)

The last three songs finish STP’s swan song well. Transmissions from A Lonely Room has a loud and clear-cut riff to catch your interest after the plodding Bi-Polar Bear, then continues with the psychedelic vocals so abundant on previous tracks.

A Song for Sleeping is reminiscent of Scott’s song on 12 Bar Blues, “Son”. This time around, it’s sparser. He promises to be a protective and teaching father, yet also asks of his son to share the secrets of God and the angels. Overall, its purer and simpler than his last try.

Sending us off the way we started, we end with a hard-rocking, straightforward track. Scott is raspy here, but now in his typical gruff and throaty style. Dean’s guitars forebodingly slog through the song, which all builds up to a stunning solo, which eventually fades out and closes the album on a question mark.

Shangri – La Dee Da is an underappreciated gem, and it’s a crying shame that it didn’t catch on. It is very easily Stone Temple Pilots’ most unique work, and showed a side of the band they had most likely wanted to expose a long time beforehand. I would not hesitate to recommend this one.