PackFM - WhatduzFMstand4? (Review: Ben)

It all sounds the same.

OK, so after two quite negative reviews last week, I was determined that this week would be different. If you happen to have seen my review of Cunninlynguists on AlbumSwap (Chief's favourite review ever, I might add) you'll already be aware that I don't really care for rap or hip-hop in general but that I found an exception with that album. Having said that, for some reason I still had the same assumption about this album, that it would not be to my tastes, especially after Matt said it had 'a more mainstream sound'. Somehow this preconception seems to be a recurring theme in my reaction to anything in the rap/hip-hop genre. Most of the time I hate being proved wrong, especially with music, but something about this album made me hope to be drastically wrong and love it.

As with Cunninlynguists, I'd heard snippets of this album coming from the brother's room but never really taken an interest. So, into the content of the album we go. 'The Fuck' is a fantastic opener. It has such a good beat to it and it's lively, something which I tend to find absent from mainstream acts in this genre. Instantly I remembered what it was that I loved so much about Cunninlynguists: the production. I absolutely love the notion of taking the best parts of other songs and sampling them into something totally different and it just always seems to fit so well in this album in particular. 'I Can't Win' is an equally addictive track and I started to find myself really enjoying the tracks on this album at this point. The chorus is brilliant and sums up everything that I love in this genre perfectly.

I found the spray can noises in 'Click Clack & Spray' a little bit annoying but that doesn't detract from what is also a very good song. I don't think this album is as thought provoking lyrically as Cunninlynguists but it still has some real meaning to it, again something I find missing from hip-hop as a whole. 'Lessons' is one of my favourite songs on the album as it has an incredibly good beat and I can actually feel myself nodding along to it. Lyrically it's also a very nice track and I just enjoy listening to it. Whilst not really enjoying casual racism in music (I think it's ridiculous and overused to the point where it doesn't mean anything anymore) I found 'N*gga Pass' really funny and for the first time found myself enjoying an interlude on an album so well played PackFM.

'Stomp' is for me the standout track on the album and sounds like it could be absolutely huge in the mainstream. The production on it is absolutely immense and it's just a brilliant song which I'll definitely be playing over and over again for a long time. Other highlights include 'Free-Esta' again due it's fantastic production and the amazing 'Token Love Song'. I felt that the album tailed off a little towards the end but that didn't really seem to matter when the strength of the rest of the album was such that I couldn't wait to listen again.

I can't really write too much more other than a track by track review as I just feel I'm reiterating points already made in my Cunninlynguists review but this album has once again proved me so badly wrong and apparently I'm actually really into underground rap and hip-hop. I can't really give this album anything other than 5/5 when it's made such an impact that I'm going to seek out more artists from this genre in the near future and I can't wait to hear more from PackFM.

The Ghost of a Thousand - New Hopes, New Demonstrations (Review: Ben)

I have a huge problem with the post-hardcore genre as a whole. I'm yet to find anything original in the genre and find that a lot of bands seem to go with Alexisonfire's patented format of screaming over the top of a heavy riff and just making general noise. Exit Ten are probably the only post-hardcore band that I enjoy and the rest I tend to just clump together as repetitive and boring. However, I'd hoped that after Matt's recommendation, GOAT would offer me the creativity and inventiveness that I think does exist somewhere within post-hardcore music.

I've listened to the album 3 times through now, and I honestly couldn't remember a single song standing out and making me think much more than 'that was ok'. This is my frustration with post-hardcore music. I don't hate it at all - musically I think this album is quite good - but I almost can't seem to make myself care about the album. It all just seems to blend into one wall of noise and aggression. I'm all for screaming and aggressive vocals and music (Machine Head are one of my favourite bands) but this seems to be aggression without any real purpose or point to it.

I can imagine that live there would be a brilliant energy about GOAT. Their music is lively and hard-hitting enough to make people sit-up and take notice but it struggles to hold my attention for more than a few songs. In terms of the actual content of the album, my favourite track was probably 'Canyons of Static' as it had an ever-so slightly different sound to the rest of the album. Having said that, tracks 9-11 could be equally different but I'd lost a lot of interest by this point.

I can't really find too much more to say about this album other than that I didn't really enjoy it and found it quite hard to listen to. I think that perhaps I need to accept that post-hardcore bands will never be to my taste and am going to rate this album as 1.5/5.

Someone please review Biffy :)

Streetlight Manifesto - Somewhere in the Between (Review:Ben)

My previous experience of Ska music is non-existent and other than a quick 10 minute viewing at Reading '09, I'd never heard of Streetlight Manifesto. Their live performance was fun, for want of a better word but I didn't really feel compelled to go and listen to them on record. Anyway, this is what albumswap is all about and so lets see what Somewhere in the Between has to offer.

The first track grabbed me instantly with its' catchy chorus and almost addictive brass music. It was bouncy and enjoyable as a standalone track but whilst enjoying it, I was quietly hoping that the album would have a change of pace and direction somewhere in order to keep me listening.

Tracks 2 and 3 evoked similar feelings to the opener but by the end of 'Watch it Crash' I felt like I'd heard everything Streetlight Manifesto had to offer and was starting to become a bit bored by their sound. I actually though 'Watch it Crash' was the best track on the album and again was a very good song in its' own right, but in amongst a whole album of similar tracks it all just seems to blend into one. I think this is the main issue with Ska music and why it's never been as big as perhaps it should have been. There's simply no diversity in the music and it can all sound very 'samey'. It's a strange feeling as I like the fusion between brass instruments and rock music and even enjoy the music generally, I just don't think it has any longevity to it and I got bored with it extremely quickly.

My other problem with Streetlight Manifesto is the vocalist. It's been said in previous reviews and I can't help but re-iterate what an awful sound this man is making. As I said in my 65DOS review, I love a good frontman but this man's gravelly voice does nothing for me and I actuallly think it detracts from some very good songs.

As a whole, I'm going to give Streetlight Manifesto 2.5/5. I did find the album fun but the novelty wore off much too quickly and I thought it was highly evident as to why Streetlight Manifesto and Ska music as a whole will never be successful.

65daysofstatic - The Fall of Math (Review: Ben)

If pushed to say what I feel is the most integral part of any band or album, I'd have to think hard before probably answering vocals or lyrics. For me, vocals are the icing on the cake and make something which could be a bit dull come to life and have so much more meaning and feel to it. All of my favourite bands have frontmen who are incredibly important to the sound of the band and without these frontmen I'm not sure I'd bother listening to the band anymore. Take Alex Turner away from Arctic Monkeys, Dave McPherson from InMe or Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro and you're left with just a small part of what that band were. So, trying to dispell preconceptions about music not containing any vocals, I was extremely interested to hear what 65daysofstatic had to offer with 'The Fall of Math'.

I had imagined that this would be the sort of album that would pass me by without leaving any real impression. That the sound would simply wash over me and leave me with a sense of unfulfilment and a lack of desire to listen again. I couldn't have been more wrong. The first two tracks left me feeling ignorant about my assumption that this album would be empty and devoid of any emotion. I was stunned at how powerful music can be within this genre without vocals. It felt almost as if 65DOS didn't have the distraction of vocals and so could focus fully on writing the best music they can. So many times I've listened to bands who have had so much focus on the frontman that the actual music is boring and generic and could be anyone else in the world. 65DOS avoid this by creating their own sound which is encapsulating in itself and stand on its own without the need for a vocal. Sure, they're not the greatest musicians in the world and if Matt Bellamy, Dave Grohl etc got together and did a similar project the results would probably be much more enjoyable, but something about the raw sound of 65DOS makes them different and appealing in a way I've not found in a band before.

Moving on with the actual album, 'Retreat! Retreat!' and 'Swallowed Hard Like I Understood' are both absolutely outstanding tracks. They showcase the bands full potential fantastically well and sound as if the band are just enjoying making music which in the right context and arena could potentially be epic. Other highlights include 'The Fall of Math' and 'Hole' and I'd go as far to say that there isn't a single track I'd regard as a 'filler' track on the album. For me there is nothing worse than buying an album from a band and there being 4 outstanding tracks and 6 or 7 tracks where the band just amble through a song and you can tell it was nowhere near them at their best. 65DOS have produced an album which starts out brilliantly and raises the bar with every song.

However, despite how good I think this album is musically, I can't help but wonder what they could be with a vocalist. Our ideology of 'rock' music - for want of a better term - is that you have a drummer, a bassist, one or two lead guitarists and a vocalist. Without one of these integral pieces, it will always feel like there is a vital piece of the puzzle missing and I can't seem to shake that desire to hear what 65daysofstatic could produce with a vocalist added to their sound. For that reason I'm going to score this album as 8.5/10 but I will definitely continue to listen to their stuff and hope to seem them live in the not so distant future as well.

Ben

CunninLynguists - Strange Journey Volume One (Review:Ben)

It was with great disappointment that I saw this album uploaded this week. I was even more disappointed upon being given it as an album which I had to review. Me and hip-hop/rap go together like Weetabix and warm milk. Given the choice, I'd willingly rather have blended my balls than have to listen to an album of hip-hop or rap. However, the powers that be gave me CunninLynguists and doing my best to keep an open mind I began to listen.

I'd been told not to read much into the intro entitled 'Departure' and so did exactly that and ignored the ridiculous ramblings it contained. 'Nothing But Strangeness' was a much more enjoyable track and was everything I expected it not to be. It had thought-provoking lyrics (an ever-present characteristic of the album) and a nice beat to it. The only thing I found missing was a decent chorus. This is something which I often have a problem with in rap/hip-hop music as it is this part of the song which helps form my first opinion of a song. It is almost something I expect from the structure of a song and so when I don't hear one or one which is good enough I often find myself a little annoyed.

Another characteristic of albums in this genre which tends to envoke feelings of my dismay is the need for interludes or quick one minute tracks. I can't help but feel they are not neccessary and just pre-long the album. I've never enjoyed this type of track and whilst 'Lynguistics' is not truly an interlude as such, it fits in to that kind of style enough to annoy me with its presence. However, what followed was about as good a song as I've ever heard in this genre of music. 'Move' is a fantastic song. It relies heavily on a fantastic piece of backing music but that is exactly what I enjoy most about it. The song is produced so well and the vocals flow so brilliantly with the song, it really is an enjoyable track.

Evidently from the tone of my review, I've strangely enjoyed this album. It's not without its filler tracks such as 'Hypnotized' and 'White Guy Mind Tricks' but the strength of the standout tracks is more than enough to carry the album. The depth in tracks such as 'Die For You', 'Georgia' and 'KKKY' is astounding. There are so many layers to the songs and this is something I never though possible from the hip-hop genre. I've not been able to fully appreciate the lyrics on this album as I was so taken aback at how much I'd enjoyed the tracks and definitely need to listen again to take the lyrics in fully but even so, they've still left a lasting impression.

I see albumswap's number one advantage being that is a vehicle for encouraging each of us to listen to albums that if it weren't for albumswap, we never would have heard. I've heard Elliott play this album before and previous offerings from CunninLynguists and always dismissed it as not for me. However, having listened to this album, I have to concede that I was extremely wrong in my naive, judgemental opinion. Hip-hop/rap is a genre which is easily written off as 'all about guns, bitches and dollars' but this album is about much more than that. Lyrically it is much more complex than that and discusses a number of different issues which people wouldn't normally expect from such a record.

Somehow, the likes of 50 Cent and his cohorts manage to hog the limelight within the rap/hip-hop genre and it is no surprise that many people's opinions of it as a genre are poor based on what such media-loved acts have to offer. However, CunninLynguists offer so much more than this and deserve much more recognition for a fantastic record.

I've had to swallow my pride and admit that this album was much better than I ever could have expected but it is with no reluctance that I give it a fully deserved 5/5.

The Smiths - Meat Is Murder (Review:Ben)

I've never really had too much exposure to 80's Indie music, well at least that's the genre I'm going to acquit it to. I had a vague idea of what to expect from this album and in a strange way it fitted that preconception whilst also being rather different to what I had expected.

Opener 'The Headmaster Ritual' has a basic but still very enjoyable guitar and whilst the vocals didn't immediately grab my attention, the lyrics were enough to maintain my interest. As an opening track I enjoyed it but was unsure as to where the album would go from here-on in. Expecting much of the same, I was surprised to find a very different sound in 'Rusholme Ruffians' although despite it being different, I actually found this the worst track on the record as the strained vocals in part did nothing if not annoy me and the song was altogether forgettable. It was by no means something which I hated but it lacked any kind of attribute that made me want to keep listening.

The middle part of the album I actually really quite enjoyed. Again the songs were nothing incredible but something about their simplicity made them easy to listen to and meant I could enjoy them without struggling to understand what the band were trying to do or force myself to keep listening. 'I Want The One I Can't Have' is possibly my favourite track from the album and whilst I can't exactly explain why, it just had something different about it and stood out from the rest of the record. 'That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore' was another track which I particularly enjoyed as again it differed from the basic sound of a lot of the other tracks and is something which I will go back to and listen again. 'Nowhere Fast' was another stand-out track with a more upbeat sound that flowed nicely and was just another pleasant song to listen to.

'Meat Is Murder' as a whole is the kind of album that I'd put on and be able to listen to in its entirety of as opposed to just one track and that is something which I feel is quite a commendable attribute for an album and one which a lot of todays albums severely lack. I got a much better experience from The Smiths than I had expected and it is one of the first albums from albumswap which I shall be returning to listen to. What is lacks in technical complexity, it makes up for with instantly memorable lyrics, nice simple guitar riffs and meaningful songs. A very solid 4/5.

Radiohead - OK Computer (Review:Ben)

Having spent last week binging on In Rainbows from Radiohead, I was very happy to see OK Computer added for this week and anticipated another fantastic album from Radiohead. I've rather shamefully only just got in to them and so I was quite excited to hear this record. I love the simplicity in Thom Yorke's vocals and find that coupled with the complexity of the music it creates an incredibly enjoyable sound.


OK Computer gets off to exactly the start I had anticipated from my second Radiohead album. 'Airbag' has a 'more-of-the-same' kind of feel to it yet still branches off in a totally different direction to anything from In Rainbows. I'd attribute a lot of Radiohead's success to their ability to craft songs that all sound similar yet strikingly different. All too often a band find a sound that works and stick to it but Radiohead seem to be constantly looking for new and innovative ways to further advance their sound.


One of the main things I've found in my brief listening to Radiohead's back catalogue is that they are incredibly consistent. In the two albums I've heard I wouldn't be able to name one track which I felt was a 'filler' track and similarly I'd struggle to name too many stand-out tracks. I never want to listen to one track of theirs, for me it is the whole album or nothing. There is something so complete about their albums as a whole that just can't be captured in four minutes of sound.


Getting back to the content of OK Computer, I'd probably say 'Let Down' was the first track on the album that made me think "wow, this is a really incredible song". I'm not great with the technical side of music and so can't talk about different scales or tones but something about this song makes it instantly lovable. When I first heard some Radiohead, I expected it to take four maybe five listens of the album before I was completely into their sound but 'Let Down' dispells any of these preconceptions. Other real standout tracks include 'Paranoid Android', 'Karma Police' and 'Climbing Up The Walls' but I know that with every listen of this album I am going to get a different favourite.


I don't think I've actually mentioned how much I am enjoying this album. It is an incredible album and one of the best I've heard. I don't want to skip any tracks, I just want to listen to it all and absorb everything from it that I can. There is only one possible score I can to an album that is so consistent and creative throughout and so OK Computer easily scores a 5/5 from me and I can't wait to listen to more of their stuff.

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion (Review:Ben)

I'd never heard of Animal Collective before and so this was a journey into a band I had no prior knowledge of. I wasn't really sure of what to expect and the only indication I had of what to prepare my ears for was Matt's genre classification of 'experimental'. I'll be honest, this genre tag rarely evokes feelings of excitement from me and so I was never expecting a masterpiece.

So, what did I find in Animal Collective? The original sound was not what I had immediately anticipated and I actually found it a struggle to listen to to begin with. After the first two songs I couldn't wait for the album to end and had placed it firmly in the 'not for me' pile. I found the music very monotonous and the vocals were hardly inspiring. I felt like I was listening to a bizarre combination of R.E.M and MGMT and I didn't like it. 'Also Frightened' did little to change my opinion and I found myself considering what kind of person could enjoy such a record.

However, I persevered with the small hope that the album would make a vigorous change in it's sound or that I would somehow manage to train my ears to enjoy it. Now, there is usually always something for me in an album and thankfully by the time I reached 'Summertime Clothes' and 'Daily Routine' I found that I was tapping along to the beat and enjoying the music a lot more than in previous tracks. I wouldn't say there was a huge change musically in these songs and in fact I found the whole album to be distinctly lacking in variety but something about these two tracks altered my perception of the album slightly.

From this point on the rest of the record went by me relatively calmly and whilst the songs were no longer a huge annoyance, they were still far from stimulating my musical tastes. I conclude that Animal Collective are somewhat of an acquired taste and whilst originally sounding like a musical equivalent of AID's to me, grew into something which was a lot more tolerable.

I give the album a score of 2 out of 5.

Audioslave - Audioslave (Review: Ben)

Aside from 'Cochise', I'd never really listened to Audioslave and so it was with baited breath after a string of healthy reviews from everyone else that I delved into their self-titled offering. So, let's start with what we know, Morello is a guitar genius and Cornell is a fantastic vocalist. But what to expect from this 'supergroup' combination?



The album begins with a solid opening track, a nice riff and a song which promises good things from the album. Unfortunately, I found 'Show me how to live' went in the opposite direction and prepared me instead for a much more challenging listen. The song was solid enough and by no means terrible but it lacked something to keep me interested, a trend I found consistent throughout the album.



Influences of RATM were obvious from the outset but I felt the album as a whole lacked the stand-out, in your face kind of tracks that have become such a trademark of RATM. Ok, so this is not RATM and Audioslave are clearly trying to do their own thing, but I just can't help but feel the album as a whole is solid if unspectacular and almost drifts by without leaving much of an impression. Having just finished listening, I can name maybe 2 tracks other than 'Cochise' which stuck in my head. 'Like a Stone' showed a much more diverse style to Audioslave and proved their undoubted quality to write a song with a lot of depth and meaning, typified by another fantastic Morello solo. However, 'I am the Highway' stands out for me as the real anthem of this record. It is a much slower song but has so much emotion in it and really showcases Cornell's vocals. It hints at something epic within this band and I was hugely disappointed that no other track managed to reach these heights. Despite these two tracks, the album fails to really engage the listener and by the time I'd reached track six (Set it Off) there was a sense of "heard it all before".



So, to conclude, I thought that this was an average album that despite showing in parts great promise to deliver something epic, ultimately fell way short of consistently delivering memorable tracks. Audioslave left me with a great sense of unfulfilment and so I give it a score of 2.5 out of 5.