Xaal - 1991 - En Chemin

Xaal's first album was quite a revelation for the prog scene in the early 90s. The mixture of Crimson trend, jazz-rock and regular melodic symph prog that the band developed across this album's repertoire felt really amazing, regarding that it was really mature for a debut and for such young musicians. Also, you will find lots of energy in the trio's performances and a clever use of complexity in the arrangements: at times, that complexity is enhanced by the use of some RIO-inspired tricks, like dark ambiences and subtle dissonant textures. "En Chemin" is really great, from beginning to end. The opener 'L'enfant' is related to the KC-meets-Camel aura that Shylock recreated and mastered some time ago. 'Ballade' goes to the fresher vibes of funky-jazz, with the added intervention of a duet of sax and trumpet that helps the basic trio to fulfill properly the joyful demands of the basic jam. 'Hkunk's Garden' retakes the path of track 1, only including some exotic flavors in the main theme; just to keep the logic working, I guess, the title track, track no. 4, displays a predominant jazzy colorfulness just like track 2 did, but this time, including some disturbing adornments in the interlude that may remind the listener of some sort of accessible RIO. 'Talisman' is driven softly and tastefully through the trend of fusion, portraying a patently modern sound, like some sort of Tribal Tech without a background of digital synths. After a mysterious and subtly dense guitar-synth intro, 'Le Vieux Chasseur de Papillons' follows a similar path to that of the title track: the energetic climax that is built up before the closing reprise of the intro theme shows how powerful this trio was. 'Ascension' finds the band exploring seriously and deeply their taste for accessible RIO: the darkness of the motifs and counterpoints is elegantly achieved, although perhaps a little more strength could have been used here. But strength is what is not missing at all in the 11-minute 'Byblos', which installs a "Red"-era KC vibe on a solid jazz-rock basis during the first part. Then comes a languid interlude based on aleatory guitar and synth layers, from which the dissonant fire of the second part emerges in a majestic way. This time, the use of guests on brass instruments serves as a vehicle for RIO mannerisms, helping to build up a climax. This is the richest number in the album. The frenzy of the 1-minute 'Finale' sounds like a funny impersonation of the release of inner demons: a surprising, joyful way to end a great album.

1 The Child [L'Enfant] Xaal 6:25
2 The Walk [Ballade] Xaal 5:32
3 Hhunk's Garden [le Jardin] Xaal 3:58
4 On the Way [En Chemin] Xaal 6:37
5 Talisman Xaal 5:14
6 The Old Butterfly Hunter [le Vieux Chasseur de Papillons] Xaal 7:40
7 Ascension Xaal 6:38
8 Byblos Xaal 11:09
9 Final Xaal 0:52

¡Aquí!

Abonizio, Adrián - 1991 - Demos

- Y ahora
- Violetas
- País del ojo negro
- Te hablo
- Todo es humo
- Cambios
- Amelia
- Familia de artistas

¡Aquí!

Hammill, Peter - 1991 - The Fall Of The House Of Usher

Hammill began work on The Fall of the House of Usher back in the early '70s, yet it didn't see the light of day until the early '90s as a hard-to-find European import. He didn't feel it was completely finished until 1991; hence its elongated delay. This rock opera is comprised of six acts, and is based on an Edgar Allan Poe tale with small changes to the story here and there. Unlike Hammill's other material, which is based on progressive rock, Usher has its roots in classical music. Still, it's a safe bet that longtime Hammill and prog-rock fans won't be disappointed with this classical experiment. There are lots of sweeping, churchlike a cappella vocals, which convey nearly all the album's melodies, whereas most rock fans would expect guitars and keyboards to carry out at least some of that task. Synthesizers and drums don't show up until several numbers in, so don't expect to be automatically drawn in. It takes a few listens to grasp the music and the storyline (Chris Judge Smith worked with Hammill on the libretto), with a few highlights being the early Genesis-sounding "The Herbalist" and the soothing "That Must Be the House," to name just a few.

		1		An Unenviable Role Act One; [The Road to the House of Usher]
		2		That Must Be the House Act One; [The Road to the House of Usher]
		3		Architecture Act Two; [Within the House of Usher]
		4		The Sleeper Act Two; [Within the House of Usher]
		5		One Thing at a Time Act Two; [Within the House of Usher]
		6		I Shun the Light Act Two; [Within the House of Usher]
		7		Leave This House Act Two; [Within the House of Usher]
		8		Dreaming Act Three; [Immediately Following]
		9		A Chronic Catalepsy Act Three; [Immediately Following]
		10		The Herbalist Act Three; [Immediately Following]
		11		The Evil That Is Done Act Three; [Immediately Following]
		12		Five Years Ago Act Four; [The Following Morning]
		13		It's Over Now Act Four; [The Following Morning]
		14		An Influence Act Four; [The Following Morning]
		15		No Rot Act Four; [The Following Morning]
		16		She Is Dead Act Five; [Dawn the Next Day]
		17		Beating of the Heart Act Six; [Three Days Later]
		18		The Haunted Palace Act Six; [Three Days Later]
		19		I Dared Not Speak Act Six; [Three Days Later]
		20		She Comes Towards the Door Act Six; [Three Days Later]
		21		The Fall Act Six; [Three Days Later]

¡Aquí!

Mudhoney - 1991 - Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

Whether it was Conrad Uno's production, the addition of more instruments to the Mudhoney arsenal (notably, Mark Arm adds organ, as can be enjoyably heard on "Who You Drivin' Now," among other numbers), a slew of brilliant songs, or a combination of the above, Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge found Mudhoney coming into their own album-wise. "Let It Slide," the album's lead single, fuses everything from surf rock drumming from Dan Peters to a delicious vocal whine on the verses from Arm into a hotwired classic. It's not so much grunge as speed-freak energy, and all the better for it given the caricatures of Sub Pop's sound that would soon take over the airwaves. "Into the Drink" is another fun single, using acoustic and electric guitar to carry a nicely snotty garage stomp along, the full band adding one of their better chorus-gang shouts. More acoustic twang surfaces here and there (check out "Move Out"), helping to show that the variety of songs and styles is much more apparent and welcome here than on the self-titled album. The almost-pretty rushed guitar chime on "Good Enough" could be mid-'80s New Order or the Wedding Present, while Steve Turner's harmonica playing often suggests even deeper roots (and on "Pokin' Around" is both quick on the pace and sweetly mournful). Uno's eight-track production makes more of less plenty of times — "Something So Clear" may not sound as full to some ears as their other records, but the basic guitar overdubs add just enough force, an effective simplicity (and Turner's soloing is pretty great to boot). The six-minute "Broken Hands" is the one point on the album where the band completely freaks out, but unlike the takes-too-long moments of Mudhoney, it's all worth it here, down to the final chaotic amplifier abuse.

		1		Generation Genocide	Mudhoney	1:13
		2		Let It Slide	Mudhoney	2:35
		3		Good Enough	Mudhoney	3:25
		4		Something So Clear		4:14
		5		Thorn		2:10
		6		Into the Drink	Mudhoney	2:08
		7		Broken Hands		6:02
		8		Who You Drivin' Now	Mudhoney	2:21
		9		Move Out		3:32
		10		Shoot the Moon		2:27
		11		Fuzzgun '91		1:52
		12		Pokin' Around		3:30
		13		Don't Fade IV		3:58
		14		Check-Out Time	Mudhoney	3:07

¡Aquí!

Kronos Quartet - 1991 - Piazzolla: Five Tango Sensations

¡Aquí!

Clock DVA - 1991 - Man-Amplified

		1		Man-Amplifiers		5:16
		2		Techno Geist		5:42
		3		Aziomatic and Heuristic		4:48
		4		Nyc Overload		6:28
		5		Transitional Voices		7:30
		6		Bitstream		5:55
		7		Fractalize		5:06
		8		Final Program		4:17
		9		Dark Attractor		5:16
		10		Memories of Sound		4:40

¡Aquí!

Yapoos - 1991 - Dial Y Wo Mawase

¡Aquí!

Napalm Death - 1991 - The Peel Sessions

In a way, Napalm Death's Peel Sessions better represent the group's extreme classic sound than any of their '80s albums. Albums such as Scum and From Enslavement to Obliteration still stand as testaments to the group's innovative approach to prototypical grindcore, but as historically important as these albums are, they're awfully lo-fi. The pristine clarity and live aggression of the group's sessions on John Peel's influential BBC radio show make for a better sample of exactly how amazing this storied group was during its fabled era with vocalist Lee Dorrian, guitarist Bill Steer, drummer Mick Harris, and drummer Shane Embury. The first session, recorded on September 13, 1987, features the group blasting through 12 songs in under six minutes. The CD features the songs in blocks of three with a brief pause between each song. Even with the blurry grinding sound of the group's instruments, you can actually make out the individual sounds: the repetitive yet powerful guitar riffs through the maelstrom of percussion, the enveloping bass tones through the detuned guitar riffs, and the juxtaposing growls and screams of the group members. The second session, recorded on March 8, 1988, finds the group moving through yet more of its early canon, including some of its more noteworthy compositions such as "The Walls" and a trio of Japanese hardcore cover songs. The third session featured on this CD, from August 12, 1990, features the band's shuffled '90s lineup playing many of the group's best-known classics such as "Unchallenged Hate" and "Social Sterility" while also moving through some of the early-'90s material such as "Suffer the Children." Overall, Napalm Death's Peel Sessions serve as an excellent overview of the continually evolving grindcore band and surpasses the group's '80s albums in terms of sound quality, if not historical significance. Note, though, that this album has been repackaged as The Complete Radio One Sessions and features a later session from 1996, making that a more comprehensive choice.

		1		The Kill/Prison Without Walls/Dead, Pt. 1	Broadrick, Bullen ...	:55
Composed by: Broadrick, Bullen, Napalm Death
		2		Deceiver/Lucid Fairytale/In Extremis	Dorian, Embury, Harris ...	1:45
Composed by: Dorian, Embury, Harris, Napalm Death, Steer
		3		Blind to the Truth/Negative Approach/Common Enemy	Dorian, Embury, Harris ...	1:05
Composed by: Dorian, Embury, Harris, Napalm Death, Steer
		4		Obstinate Direction/Life/You Suffer, Pt. 2	Dickinson, Embury, Harris ...	1:55
Composed by: Dickinson, Embury, Harris, Napalm Death, Steer
		5		Multi-National Corporations/Instinct of Survival/Stigmatised/Parasites	Dorian, Embury, Harris ...	4:10
Composed by: Dorian, Embury, Harris, Napalm Death, Steer
		6		Moral Crusade/Worlds Apart/M.A.D.	Dorian, Embury, Harris ...	3:35
Composed by: Dorian, Embury, Harris, Napalm Death, Steer
		7		Divine Death/C.S./Control	Napalm Death	3:20
		8		Walls/Raging in Hell/Conform or Die/S.O.B.	Daiske, Siege, Toshimi ...	3:15
Composed by: Daiske, Siege, Toshimi, Tottsuan, Yasue
		9		Unchallenged Hate/Murdered Mentally	Dorian, Embury, Harris, Steer	3:55
		10		From Enslavement to Obliteration/Suffer the Children	Dorian, Embury, Harris, Steer	5:40
		11		Retreat to Nowhere/Scum	Dorian, Embury, Harris ...	2:50
Composed by: Dorian, Embury, Harris, Napalm Death, Steer
		12		Deceiver/Social Sterility	Dorian, Embury, Harris ...	1:35

¡Aquí!

Gang Starr - 1991 - Step In The Arena

The album on which DJ Premier and Guru perfected the template that would launch them into underground stardom and a modicum of mainstream success. Guru's deadpan monotone delivery was shockingly different from other early-'90s MCs, many of who were either substituting charisma for substance or engaging in hardcore "realism" without really commenting on black inner-city life or offering ways to alter the situation for the better. But it is Guru who sounded like the real clarion call of and to the street on Step in the Arena ("Why bring ignorance/where we're inviting you to get advancement," he intones on "Form of Intellect"). Step in the Arena was the first real mature flowering of his street-wise sagacity. His voice would grow more assured by the next album, but here Guru imparts urban wisdom of a strikingly visible variety. It's easy to allow yourself to get caught up in the fantasy of hardcore rap, but it is somewhat more involving and disorienting to hear truth that avoids exaggeration or glorification. Guru is not easy on any aspect of the inner city, from the "snakes" that exploit the community ("Execution of a Chump") to those that are a product of it ("Just to Get a Rep"), and the result is a surprising but hard-fought compassion ("Who's Gonna Take the Weight?" pleads for the acceptance of responsibility, for not taking the easy path). He seems to have somehow developed a hopefulness out of the bleak surroundings. DJ Premier was already near the top of his game at this early point. His production seems less jazz-fueled on Step in the Arena, opting more for spare guitar lines and tight beats, as well as his unmistakable vocal cut-up style of scratching for a slightly warped and out-of-phase soundscape.

		1		Name Tag (Premier & the Guru)	DJ Premier, Guru	:36
		2		Step in the Arena	DJ Premier, Guru	3:36
		3		Form of Intellect	DJ Premier, Guru	3:37
		4		Execution of a Chump (No More Mr. Nice Guy)	DJ Premier, Guru	2:39
		5		Who's Gonna Take the Weight?	DJ Premier, Guru	3:54
		6		Beyond Comprehension	DJ Premier, Guru	3:10
		7		Check the Technique	DJ Premier, Guru	3:55
		8		Lovesick	DJ Premier, Guru	3:22
		9		Here Today, Gone Tomorrow	DJ Premier, Guru	2:16
		10		Game Plan	DJ Premier, Guru	1:06
		11		Take a Rest	DJ Premier, Guru	4:18
		12		What You Want This Time?	DJ Premier, Guru	2:39
		13		Street Ministry	DJ Premier, Guru	1:21
		14		Just to Get a Rep	DJ Premier, Guru	2:39
		15		Say Your Prayers	DJ Premier, Guru	1:20
		16		As I Read My S-A	DJ Premier, Guru	2:35
		17		Precisely the Right Rhymes	DJ Premier, Guru	3:22
		18		The Meaning of the Name	DJ Premier, Guru	2:53

¡Aquí!