Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock

Classic Pumpkins. From the moment that intro started you knew that Siamese Dream was going to kick ass. And oh, how it did. Those were the days my friends.

Best of 2014 Part 2

I kinda forgot, yesterday, to mention some of the albums that didn't quite make it. This year felt like the spectrum of what is 'popular' expanded just a little bit further. Flying Lotus put out a far-out album that got a lot of critical acclaim. I'm not a big fan but I can appreciate its artistic merit. Lots of 'alternative hip-hop' ended up on best-of lists, and some 'neo-soul' albums. The new D'Angelo has been making waves recently, again not really my thing, but whatever floats your boat.

Once again it felt like there were a lot of really good albums, but nothing that came off as an instant classic. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's worth considering as we venture further into the digital age where kids all over the world have virtually free exposure to, well, everything ever. Who will be the next great genre definer?

I digress. Taylor McFerrin, son of Bobby, put out a really impressive debut LP. Other stand-outs that were close, but no cigar, included (but not limited to) Glass Animals, FaltyDL, Beef Terminal, The Juan MacLean, Badbadnotgood, and Tom Petty. Special mention also to Apollo Brown who dropped an awesome collection of hip hop beats that I couldn't quite squeeze in. I enjoyed the new Joris Voorn album, and James Curd's funky house grooves on "Damage Is Done" was my favorite EP that didn't make my charts. So there you have the honorable mentions. Now back to the headliners.

#18

Smashing Pumpkins

Monument To An Elegy

This one kind of came out of nowhere for me. I wasn't expecting its arrival, particularly after the bizarro "AEGEA" vinyl that Billy Corgan put out earlier in the year, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It's fair to say that Corgan is a bit out in space these days. Well, maybe that's not fair to say, it's not like he hasn't always been there, and then again aren't we all a little bit? Anyway thankfully this album did not sound like that pre-recorded noise, it sounded like a rock album.

I might come back later on and think I rated this too highly. There's some valid criticism being throttled at it. It's real short, like barely over a half hour, and a couple tracks are a little on the synth-pop side of things, but I still dig it. The songs that rock, really f'in rock. Tiberius rips the album into life and sounds almost as good as anything the Pumpkins have ever put out. It's interesting to note that the band is basically just Corgan these days. He even brought in Tommy Lee to play drums on the record. Anyway check it out. You might not be as impressed with it as I am, and I'm perfectly ok with that. It's a free country. Not everyone was born to rock.

One And All

Anti-Hero

Tiberius

#17

Tensnake

Glow

I like disco. There. I said it. If you've been following the blog at all, or even just my year end lists, you'll be well aware of that by now. Not that this is pure disco, it's not, but there are a lot of elements that certainly feel like it. This album is sort of this year's Disclosure, only not quite as big, and maybe mixed with some Classixx. It's just a helluva lot of fun. The production is slick and bouncy, and the choice of guest vocalists sounds spot on wherever it's called for.

It's not easy to put out a dance record these days. Most people throw out EPs or singles, so I feel like you have to laud a good one when it comes around, and this one is really good. At least a half-dozen tracks are killer singles in their own right, and there isn't any jarring issues with the song order. Even though it spans genres, it flows like an album should. I give it two thumbs up. Throw it on your favored portable music device and do some dancing in the street.

Feel Of Love

58 BPM

See Right Through

#16

Ought

More Than Any Other Day

Eight tracks is all we get on this album, so savor every little bite. There's a good chance you've never heard of them, unless you've got your ear to the hipster wheel, but that's ok. Now you have. They're young fellas from Montreal who sound a great deal like the Talking Heads, and probably a little Velvet Underground mixed with Battles. It's pulsing, groovy, trippy madness and it's super fun to rock out to.

For a debut it's massively promising, but also kind of scary. They could descend further into madness, in fact they should, and who knows what they might churn out. Can they reach the heights of their esteemed forefathers, or will the flutter into obscurity? Does it even matter? Does any of this matter? Have I eaten too much turkey? Get the damn record. Thank me later.

Today More Than Any Other Day

Habit

Pleasant Heart

EP #6

Louis La Roche

Dusty Cassette

Louis, aka Brett, maintains his #6 spot on the EP charts with another French disco house special, only this time he juices that classic '80s synth soul ballad sound to maximum levels. It's got huge, ubersaturated, chunky bass goodness that just makes you want to groove. At just over 20 minutes you can get through it on the way to the grocery store, or maybe on a short bus ride. He's taken that old beat up tape deck and given it a fresh coat of dust, and it works perfectly. 

Wondering

Ghost

The Way She Makes Me Feel

Part threeeee tomorrow, but first - Hobbits!

Billy Corgan - One Diamond, One Heart

Right, one more day to the big show. Lots of work ahead! Let's cool off before the storm with some acoustic jams to chill to. I enjoyed the last Pumpkins album, it wasn't quite vintage but it was a welcome return to form after some decidedly ordinary years. This is a nice little performance from Billy, so it's a good place to start methinks.

Best of 2012 Part 3

Decidedly off topic but worth a mention anyway: I saw The Hobbit tonight, in all its HFR 3D 48fps glory. I have to say I can't understand what a lot of the critics were talking about. I had no trouble adjusting to the format and personally I thought it was the best 3D filming I've ever seen. It was as if you were watching the action through a window pane, the detail was incredible.

 The movie itself was very good. Sure, there are lots of things that differ from the book, but the overall feel is there and once the action gets going it doesn't let up until the final scene, which was a terrible tease and once again I can't wait for the next one. Well done Peter Jackson, onwards and upwards. Speaking of which, we have some albums to review!

#15

The Smashing Pumpkins

Oceania

I can remember as if it was yesterday when Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness made its grand entrance into the world. So many moons ago, but what a moment in time. At that point the Pumpkins were at the absolute apex of the alternative hierarchy, but oh how the mighty have fallen. Well documented personnel issues and an ill conceived voyage into goth rock and drum machines led to their expulsion from the rock pantheon, and yet somehow here we are again celebrating their rebirth with their best album since those famous days of yore.

The first half of this album is as good as any other rock release of this year, but after the pulsing majesty of the epic nine minute title track it tends to fade a little, keeping it from edging into the very top of the rankings. Despite that this album blasts into life from its opening buildup and keeps you on edge for a good forty minutes that is well worth the price of admission by itself. There are little remnants of their pseudo-electronic experiments along the way, but for the most part they are subtle and flow nicely along with the thrashing guitars and punctuating snares. Welcome back Billy, we missed you.

The Celestials

Quasar

Oceania

#14

Ondatrópica

Ondatrópica

Muy caliente! Una cerveza por favor! I wanted to do the whole review in Spanish, but alas that's about the extent of my abilities in that language. From what I've seen and can certainly hear, it doesn't much matter because it's your hips that do the talking in the South American paradise of Colombia. With beats and grooves like the ones on this album, it's a miracle anyone gets any work done down there ever. Maybe they've perfected the art of working and dancing at the same time.

In a nutshell this is an all-star Cuban ensemble put together by Quantic and Mario Galeano, which just about says it all. With those two leading the way there's simply no way this album could fail, and it doesn't. Mixing just about every kind of rhythm and sound you could possibly hope to find in a tropical locale, this is an absolute must-have for any Latin themed activities you have planned. Saludos!

Linda Mañana

Suena

Tiene Sabor, Tiene Sazón

#13

Tame Impala

Lonerism

When I first started to see reviews about this album and gave it a listen I thought "oh joy, another Australian Beatles cover band, just what we need". Having since given the album a thorough going over several times, I can say quite confidently that this is indeed space-tacular psychedelic dream pop heavily influenced by the Liverpool boy toys, but it's actually really nicely done. What we have is something that feels more like an evolutionary extension of the sound, rather than outright repetition.

While several songs are strong enough to stand alone as singles, the album is best appreciated in its entirety. From front to back thoughts of spiraling starlight and cascading rivers of color are conjured amidst swirling synthesizers and the wispy lyrics of front man Kevin Parker. The depth and array of sound on display are impressive, and I have a feeling this one might sound even better in time. A very fine effort indeed.

Feels Like We Only Go Backwards

Elephant

Apocalypse Dreams

EP #5

Lapalux

Some Other Time

I'll be honest with you, I'm as confused as you are with this one. I haven't really a clue what to think. This is the second EP released this year by British producer Stuart Howard, and they're both really interesting and terrifically produced. I like them both and can't seem to stop listening, but ultimately have no idea how to describe them. He has a unique way of blending trippy, glitchy beatstep with soul and downtempo that just screams... well.. something. There's no sense in me carrying on, have a listen already.

Close Call / Chop Cuts

Forgetting And Learning Again

Strangling You With The Cord

Almost half way, part 4 tomorrow!

Smashing Pumpkins - There It Goes

Just for Billy, here's another classic.

Billy Corgan vs Alex Jones

Figured I'd give everyone an extra day to absorb everything I posted on Monday. Here's another biggie for you. I'm not really a huge fan of Alex Jones, I think he's a sensationalist and I'm not into his presenting style, but he has a place in alternative media and I respect the work he does in trying to make people think. This is probably my favorite interview that I've seen him do, mostly because he just lets Billy talk and control most of the conversation.

I was a big fan of early Pumpkins stuff and while I don't always agree with Mr. Corgan, I think he's very intelligent and I think he presents himself very well here and explains his point of view very coherently. I tend to agree with most of what he's talking about here, and I think it's worth a listen if only to instigate conscious thought and debate about important societal issues.