Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta 1998. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta 1998. Mostrar todas las entradas

sábado, 23 de julio de 2011

Anti-Flag - 1998 - Their System Doesn't Work For You

2000's Their System Doesn't Work for You resurrects the nine tracks from 1998's limited-edition EP, North America Sucks, and adds ten previously-unreleased, later-vintage tracks for good measure. The songs from the EP are prime Anti-Flag, political punk that never loses its sense of humor even when making its most important points. "Indie Sux, Hardline Sux, Emo Sux, You Suck!" decries the Balkanization of the D.I.Y. scene in the '90s to the album's catchiest chorus, while the title track and "Anti-Violent" take aim at the usual suspects. Unfortunately, with only a couple of exceptions, the later tracks sound like half-baked filler; indeed, the beyond-lo-fi sound suggests that they might be rough demos not originally intended to be heard outside the band, a supposition backed up by the lazy, sluggish performances, and meandering song structures. There are a few promising tracks among the dross, particularly "Betty Sue Is Dead," which makes incredibly effective use of an old-school punk-reggae middle section in the style of the Ruts, but overall, the second half of Their System Doesn't Work for You doesn't work for anybody.

1 I Can't Stand Being With You 2:05
2 Their System Doesn't Work for You 2:31
3 We've Got His Gun 2:25
4 Born to Die 2:05
5 The Truth 2:40
6 You'll Scream Tonight 5:15
7 Indie Sux, Hardline Sux, EmoSux, You Suck! 2:05
8 Anti-Violent 3:05
9 20 Years of Hell 2:32
10 I'm Having a Good Day 2:41
11 I Don't Want to Be Like You 3:30
12 Too Late 2:50
13 I Don't Need Anybody 3:49
14 Betty Sue Is Dead 3:14
15 If Not for You 3:16
16 Meet Your Master 3:57
17 We Won't Take No 2:34
18 Save Me 3:00
19 I'm Feeling Slightly Violent 3:29

¡Aquí!

miércoles, 8 de junio de 2011

Hammill, Peter - 1998 - This

Even if the gang of the pH quartet are supporting Peter, he wanted this album to be a very much personal matter (at least he said so).

But, as usual, it is the more band oriented songs that I will prefer. "Unrehearsed" has the indefinite Graaf feeling I like so much. Mighty Jackson is as great as ever and Stuart's violin is just remarkable. When you would combine these elements with a passionate vocal part, you just have to acknowledge that this song is outstanding.

Same perspective for "Since the Kids" which is another highlight from "This". More tranquil but same passion. These moments are pure joy. During his long and (too) prolific career, Peter has dotted his albums with such wonderful songs.

I wasn't really enthusiast about Peter's output in the nineties and "This" might well be his best work since "Roaring Forties" or "Out Of Water". The delicacy of "Nightman" or "Fallen" is so moving. Hammill at his best. Like he should have always been. Stuart being a very good add-on of course.

Some less inspired songs here and there ("Stupid", "Always Is next") bring the listener back on earth again. The long and closing epic is more on the experimental and atmospheric side.

About this song, Peter said: "This was entirely improvised as far as music is concerned. I began playing one morning in a completely open - if somewhat anxiously reflective and somber - frame of mind. Just I'm making music, in a free sense. I played my parts...my performance...in one continuous pass, adjusting the various sound sources I was using as I went.

Again, a process of editing brought the piece into (admittedly long) shape. By this time the vocal line, theme and lyrics were well under way. David and Stuart's contributions were made under strict rules: they were allowed only two passes each. The first was without having heard the music at all; the only reference points I gave them were It's 14 minutes long and it's Antarctic. I remain really happy with this piece".

My feeling is probably more mixed, but "This" remains a good album in the man's discography. Three stars.

1 Frozen In Place [Fragment] Hammill 0:47
2 Unrehearsed Hammill 7:01
3 Stupid Hammill 4:26
4 Since the Kids Hammill 5:57
5 Nightman Hammill 6:16
6 Fallen (The City of Night) Hammill 5:36
7 Unready [Fragment] Hammill 0:42
8 Always Is Next Hammill 3:58
9 Unsteady [Fragment] Hammill 1:02
10 The Light Continent Hammill 14:00

¡Aquí!

domingo, 22 de mayo de 2011

Abuela Coca - 1998 - Despues Te Explico...

01. Que pasa
02. Afoxe
03. Sexy Girl
04. Roberto
05. Toda menina Baiana
06. Chicos ricos
07. San Pedro
08. Himno de mi corazón
09. Pulgoso
10. Asesinos son
11. Che bo!
12. Coco claro
13. La ley

¡Aquí!

martes, 1 de septiembre de 2009

Zawinul, Joe - 1998 - World Tour (2CD)

This version of the Zawinul Syndicate could swing harder than any Zawinul-led unit since the heyday of Weather Report, as this two-CD set -- taken from three concerts in Berlin and Trier, Germany -- triumphantly illustrates. Small wonder, for the lineup of the Syndicate looks almost like a Weather Report alumni gathering, with Zawinul, the brilliant percussionist Manolo Badrena from the 1977 Heavy Weather band, and bassist Victor Bailey, from the great '80s global-funk edition forming a quorum, with Paco Sery on drums and Gary Poulson on guitar filling out the ranks. Zawinul remains a marvel at 65, always in touch with the idea and feel of the groove, weaving spare, enigmatic electronic comments and spangled layers of synthesizers into the mix, creating a touching dialogue in "Zansa II" with Sery's kalimba. Some of the material stems from the early years of the Syndicate, and "Indiscretions" and "Two Lines" date all the way back to Weather Report. Among the greatest groovathons -- at last presented in full glorious concert length on CD -- are "Indiscretions," which gets the voodoo going in an insinuating manner, and "N'awlins," which manages to evoke the Crescent City R&B feeling in a swingingly original way. The set's two anomalies are "When There Was Royalty," a curious intermezzo consisting of Zawinul's polystylistic solo piano musings poorly recorded in his home studio on a Walkman, and "Success," a spoken poem by Erich Fried set against the stunning blend of Berlin church bells and electronics. For a souvenir of the state of Zawinul's art in the 1990s, this is the album to get.


¡Aquí!

domingo, 30 de agosto de 2009

Xenomorph - 1998 - Cassandra's Nightmare

1 Necroid Millenium (7:58)
2 Hallucinatory Spheres (9:15)
3 Abominations (9:40)
4 Torrent Of Insanity (9:49)
5 Acid For Blood (7:17)
6 Obscure Spectre (9:22)
7 Apocalyptic Ritual (7:46)
8 Cassandra's Nightmare (8:27)

¡Aquí!

sábado, 11 de julio de 2009

Queens Of The Stone Age - 1998 - Queens Of The Stone Age

Instead of trying to recreate the sound of his former band Kyuss, Josh Homme took a new approach to music. He crafted tight hard rock songs that were heavy on melody and light on vocals. While there is still a lot of fuzz coming from the amplifiers, the vocals are softly interwoven among the chords. There's no screaming or rock & roll antics, and the group takes an almost lo-fi attitude to heavy metal — an interesting combination that produced instant radio gems like "Regular John," the extreme ranges on "Avon," and the smoky, blues-influenced "Walkin' on the Sidewalks." Queens of the Stone Age are creating a new blend of heavy metal that makes it acceptable to produce creative music that doesn't rely on testosterone as the driving force.


¡Aquí!

miércoles, 1 de julio de 2009

Ozric Tentacles - 1998 - Spice Doubt


¡Aquí!