The Dear Hunter - Act III: Life and Death (2009)

Man, it has been a while, but I do have a lot of new reviews ready. So, The Dear Hunter finally released their 2nd full length, 3rd album “Act III: Life and Death.” I already knew what was coming thanks to that crappy leak. But, when you get to hear the final produce, GODDAMN IT’S GOOD! I mean everything about this album is awesome. From the story to the music, from the case itself to the post cards, it’s an overall awesome experience.

The music is fantastic, starting off bold and heavy and ending lonely and optimistic. Casey and the band really pushed themselves on this record and it pays off to the listener. I mean, the way they move from a heavy song like “In Cauda Venenum” to the dramatic, sadder song of “What It Means to be Alone” is impeccable. Even Casey’s voice is flawless as he sings from track to track, acting out each scene with the band and his vocals. The musical and lyrical throw-backs, as well, really helps to interact the listener throughout the whole experience.

As well, his lyrics are pretty straight forward this time. There are some word-plays here and there, but over all you can follow the story on your own. From what I can tell, the story, and the Boy, heads towards war. There he goes through loneliness and regret but slowly adapts to the war with help from four people that he meets along the way. What will happen when he goes off into the heart of war? He meets his father and half-brother (who looks just like him) and decides, after hearing how his father took no mercy on his Mother (Ms. Terri), to kill him and the son (his brother) and take his identity.

Also, since I got the deluxe version of the album, I got four extra tracks including an a capella version of the track, “Writing on a Wall,” “Untitled 1” track, and both Movement 1 & 2 from their home site. I also got an autographed poster from the whole band. Along with everything else, you also get the post cards that give you the lyrics and help you through the story with amazing pictures and a very cool comic that tells the story of Act 2.

After all the waiting and everything, The Dear Hunter new album does not disappoint. You will be sure to find the entire album enjoyable and not want to miss a moment of music. I’m giving “Life & Death” 5 out of 5 stars. And now the wait begins for Act 4.

Cheers!

El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez - Cryptomnesia (2009)

Sorry, it has been a while since I’ve wrote a review. I’ve been kind of busy, and kind of lazy, but hopefully now I can continue. So I’ll restart this with “Cryptomnesia,” the highly anticipated album from Omar Rodriguez-Lopez second solo group El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez.

To be honest, there was nothing to really anticipate. I heard about the album and what it would hold. I thought, “Well, if Cedric is going to be singing on it, it might sound like ‘Se Dice Bisonte, No Búfalo.’” Well…I was wrong. It was basically another ORL solo album. Omar is just playing different riffs through effect pedals, Cedric is singing incoherently, the drummer is doing whatever the fuck he feels like, and the bassist is playing a Latin bass line. As well the effects used in the background is what really turned me off, it just annoys and bugs you till you just eventually just tune it out and then switch to a different album.

But there is always a good side to every album. For those who worship ORL solo albums will just as well cream to it just as they do to all ORL albums. If you have heard any of his albums you know what you are in for. That’s a good thing, right? As well, there are some gems on here that even I could enjoy. Tracks like “Half Kleptos” and “Shake Is for 8th Graders” are pretty forward driving and have some sense to them… very little though.

The drum work on the album is very impressive; it holds a lot of jazz roots and punk styling, amidst the chaos of the rest of the band. The lyrics, from what I could hear or even understand, are laughable in a good way. You could tell that Cedric didn’t really give a shit and just went off on whatever he felt like…wait, isn’t that every Mars Volta album?

Tl;dr? The album is a blender of conflicting tones, styles and ideas, set on “overkill” and served over ice, mixed with smooth spice rum. If you’re an ORL fan-boy, you will no doubt love this album, BUT if you’re an Mars Volta fan and that’s it, you might as well skip it. So while I didn’t enjoy all of it, I did like some of it. Omar is really doing what he set out to do, challenging your ideas and ideals of music; though this could also be hurting him in the long run. I’m giving “Cryptomnesia” 3 out of 5 stars. Not bad, but not good either. Enjoy your ORL drinks, I haven’t trademarked it yet.

Cheers!

Not much of an Update

God I'm tired. Thinking about joining a band and doing shows, get me out and away from the house.

Good god.

Anyways, I haven't had any free time lately to sit down and listen to music to a point where I can review it so it might be a week or two before you see a new blog. Im even thinking of starting to make them come out on Tuesdays. New albums are release every Tuesday, might as well pick up something I post here as well. Items in the wood-work:

The Demonstration - Accidents With Intelligence
Neutral Milk Hotel
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Isis - Wavering Radiant, along with Oceanic
Intronaut - Prehistoricisms
Maybe a Red Sparrow album

maybe some older albums too. I don't know, too much is and has been going on to do anything.

Speaking of Isis, I might go to one of their shows coming up. The Mastodon show was crazy as hell so I want to see what Isis will be like.

Im done, cheers.

The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium (2003)

After leaving At the Drive-In, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler Zavala went onto create the Mars Volta. A beautiful, dangerous and ground breaking group that is sure to set the standards for all experimental rock, if not all rock bands to come. The first full length album, courislly titled, “De-Loused in the Comatorium” proves this beyond a shadow of a doubt.

The album, made pretty much right after leaving AtDI, if not before, is jaw dropping. Cedric voice, although known mostly now days as the high pitch serpent that it is, is reeling back and forward between its post-hardcore rants to an almost Robert Plant sound, spouting out the overly difficult to follow lyrics. His words are passionate, though, filled with love and pain. It makes sense once you understand about the back-ground of the album and who inspired it. Omar playing and band directing, however, is remarkable. He brings a sound that we’ve all heard before in Spanish music, but twists it and turns it from traditional to rock ballets and then to some other form of music. Cedric voice is one thing, but it is Omar’s arrangements that make the album.

The album artwork is pretty cool itself. Throughout the pages holds random quotes, drawing, and information to decode the album and the story that it tells. From research that I’ve found, the story follows a character named Cerpin Taxt who overdoses on painkillers and is taken into a inder world where all of his creations have come to life. All of this happens while he’s in coma. He finally wakes to find that the world is left is much better than the world he’s living in and kills himself….I’m not kidding.

The one down side to the album is the band’s used of ambient sound-scape. For instance, the song, “Cicatriz ESP” is 12 minutes and 29 seconds long, give or take your computer or cd-player. However, a long muffling occurs around 6:00 minutes in with the music falling out from behind it. The music then picks back up around 9:20. 3 minutes of ambient and random guitar playing. I guess it might be a cooling down period for the listener but still, 3 minutes is a little overkill. The other downside is the story. The album booklet doesn’t come with the lyrics but you could’ve brought a little booklet that tells you the story, confusingly and give you the lyrics. I didn’t like that idea but it worked in the long run, I guess.

Over all though I enjoyed the album, it is exciting and confusing as it is haunting and beautiful. It begins as abruptly as it ends. It’s a defining moment in music that cannot be passed up. Go get this album, it’s worth the money. 5 out of 5 stars. Enjoy the music folks.

Cheers!

Portugal. The Man - Church Mouth (2007)

“Church Mouth” is the very reason why I started listening to Portugal. The Man. The second release has a southern feel, the double-sided lyrics and the style of the band offers much to the listen as any other of their albums.

Highlights of the album would have to be the band, the music, and the words. The band is highly in tune, playing in sync with each other. Their harmony with each other either gives a song a Baptizes chorus or an eerie effect. This adds to the music as they mix blues and gospel with their already jazz, rock and R&B feel. This is hinted at more than once in songs like: “Dawn,” “Children,” and “The Bottom.” Each song is full with lyrics that speech out of each side of the mouth.

The burned bulbs of the album would really have to be “speed bumps.” Basically something that slows down the album which can take place from song to song or even in one song. Such as “The Bottom” where we get the drawn out end chorus which just slows down the song. I guess these can be forgiven with an awesome record that “Church Mouth” is.

But this album is really a slower record, meant to be enjoy on a lazy day or on a drive one sunny day. This is why I really do like the album, it’s meant to be slow and allow you to digest everything brought to your ears. Though I understand this, I have to give “Church Mouth” 4 out of 5 stars. A great album, but if you’re new to Portugal. The Man then you might want to pick up “Censored Colors” first.

Enjoy the, and yours’, music.

Cheers!

Dirty Old Church Mouth