DAVID LYNCH & ALAN R. SPLET / Eraserhead: Original Soundtrack Recording [2012]

The soundtrack album to director David Lynch's 1977 black & white cult classic Eraserhead is literally a sound track album in every way.
Instead of being a collection of songs or score cues, it's a nightmarish mural of decaying soundscapes & awkward dialogues lifted directly from the movie, sounding something like a field recording from a mildly humorous industrial Hell dimension.  It roars and rumbles while unsettling soundclips of disturbed sexual frustration and a creepy-ass baby...er...thing cries out from the shadows and every now & then a haunted organ flutters in, courtesy of Fats Waller, and as the rotten cherry on top, the Lady in the Radiator chimes in with her disfigured beauty.  A terrifying symphony of noise, David Lynch & Alan R. Splet's sound design isn't for everybody but if this is your kind of thing then bathe in it's dark ambience.

4 regular chickens out of 5

Songs Of Note: In Heaven: Pete's Boogie

DANIEL LICHT / Silent Hill Downpour (Original Soundtrack) [2012]

This is not Akira Yamaoka and while some of these songs do smack of him, the best contain personal flourishes from Licht, like the staccato percussive elements akin to Juno Reactor’s work on the Matrix films. Some exquisitely transition between claustrophobic, subdued movements and moments where everything will expand into freeform aural bouquets or, at the very least, fall into unexpectedly welcome melodies. Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and the other voices are only used ethereally but this is effective in the face of Jonathan Davis’s singular lyrics, which accomplish nothing beyond painting a generic picture of what the series probably appears like to dismissive outsiders.

Trash that track, and check out the Radio Songs for accurate, subtle lyrical character development.

Songs of Note: Railcar Ride; Monastery Otherworld

3½ Rhythms in the Raindrops out of 5

PAUL LEONARD-MORGAN / Dredd (2012)

Paul Leonard-Morgan's score is evocative of the gritty, dirty underbelly of Dredd's violent world. In that respect, it's a roaring success; but a repetitive, noisy and abrasive electronic punch in the face that flirts with dark ambient and industrial soundscapes will alienate many casual listeners.
There's an occasional frail, textured wave of hope attempting to break through the overabundant distortion, but the thick bass keeps it cruelly subdued. The timing seems a little haphazard in places, almost as if it was made by a bedroom musician dabbling in Cubase. I'm going to assume that was intentional.

Songs of Note: The Plan; Taking Over Peach Trees

3 lockdowns out of 5

LIGHTS / Siberia Acoustic [2013]

Lights seems to genuinely love making music and I respect that, however I can only stand to listen to 2 or 3 songs before her special brand of bubbly electro-pop gets a bit too gooey and squeaky for me.
Naturally I was very intrigued by the idea of her re-recording 2011's Siberia as an all acoustic album, aptly titled Siberia Acoustic.
Completely stripped of her electronic studio trickery, Lights is able to showcase her songwriting versatility and a vulnerability in her voice we've never really heard before.  It's actually quite interesting to hear what used to be sparkly space songs so gracefully morphed into to something somber and chilling yet still speak true to their lyrics .
It's nice that she didn't just merely strip her songs down but found whole new meanings and emotions in them that makes for her strongest record yet.

4 cities for Owls out of 5

Songs Of Note:  Toes; Heavy Rope

DAVID LYNCH / The Big Dream [2013]

On David Lynch's second solo album, 2013's The Big Dream, he goes a lot more bluesier than his previous solo effort, 2011's Crazy Clown Time but it's still obviously run through a Lynchian filter of reverb and drowsy swagger.  
It's very apparent Lynch feels more confident with his musical abilities this time around and doesn't hide it behind the stark weirdness of his first album.  He might be using fairly generic chord progressions but it's made interesting by splashes of sonic textures and a dreamy twang that screams of crackling neon lights outside a sleepy gas station found on the Lost Highway on a warm summer's night.

3 icky foreign beers out of 5

Songs Of Note: Cold Wind Blowin'; Are You Sure

LIGHTS / Siberia [2011]

Valerie Poxleitner aka Lights offers a "grittier" more developed version of her bubbly electro-dance pop on the 2011 sophomore effort Siberia.
2009's The Listening was insanely sweet and offensively cute, so thankfully Siberia tones down the sugar flavored sap and inserts some distorted dub-step & hip-hop tinted anthems.  Lights still sounds like Cyndi Lauper overdosed on pixie sticks & rainbows but now with a little bit of attitude it's much more bearable to the ears.  Her voice is actually quite nice but I get the feeling she found a comfort zone then stuck to it without realizing her full potential.  It does get a bit repetitive in the middle but if she explores her creativity with a bit more confidence and curiosity things could get really good.

3 Holy Fucks out of 5

Songs Of Note: Banner; Suspension

LINKIN PARK / A Thousand Suns [2010]

Linkin Park's 2010 album, A Thousand Suns, was not well received when it was first released for being too different from what was expected of them.  I'm guilty of not being thoroughly impressed with it either.
However after a few years, LP's second outing with producer Rick Rubin, has warmed up quite nicely.  Each song, whether it be a straight up rocker, a dance floor thumper, Public Enemy-esque hip-hop or even spacey ambience, is constructed with care and passion.  I think a lot of has to do with Rubin pushing the group to go that extra step they wouldn't normally go but it's apparent the band already knew what they were doing to begin with.  Once a generic nu-metal/rap act, Linkin Park have mutated themselves into something more thoughtful and creative than their dwindling peers.

4 Bhagavad Gita's out of 5

Songs Of Note: When They Come For Me; Iridescent

LAWNMOWER DETH / Return of the Fabulous Metal Bozo Clowns (1992)

Against all the odds, Lawnmower Deth made a second album of crossover thrash, hardcore + punk piss-takes, and genre parodies. The addition of guitarist Baron Kev Von Thresh Meister Silo Stench Chisel Marbels KP (Kevin Papworth of Acid Reign) brought some quality riffage to the usual comedy of errors. It'll appeal to a very small crowd of weirdos and freaks, but if you're one of them, then I raise my chipped beer glass to you. Let's go get drunk and ugly.

Songs of Note: Paranoid Polaroid; Crazy Horses

3 asswipes out of 5

LYNYRD SKYNYRD / (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) (1973)

It's hard to believe that Pronounced... was Lynyrd Skynyrd's début album; the teething problems that usually litter a début are nowhere to be found. Most bands would trade their souls to make something as good as it over the course of their entire career; to get it so right on your first try is almost unheard of.
They're best known for their nine-minute long Freebird track, which closes the album. Love it or loathe it, you can't deny the enduring magnificence of it.
There's no rule that says you have to grow a beard and order a bottle of bourbon to enjoy Southern Rock, but it sure does help.~

Songs of Note: Tuesday's Gone; Freebird

5 trains out of 5

LOOPFLESH | FLESHLOOP / Untitled (1991)

A hard to find split-release that featured Godflesh covering a Loop song, and Loop covering a Godflesh song. Loop's psychedelic drone makes the Godlfesh track sound like it's played at the wrong speed. It loses the crushing intensity but gains a deep melancholy. Godlfesh make the Loop track sound like a Godflesh demo, with extra cheap anarcho-punk style distortion. It only had two tracks, so here's both:

Songs of Note: LOOP: Like Rats; GODFLESH: Straight to Your Heart

3 splitsies out of 5

LONESOME WYATT AND THE HOLY SPOOKS / Ghost Ballads [2013]

Lonesome Wyatt (of Those Poor Bastards) releases another album of great mournful, haunting beauty and the grotesque with 2013's Ghost Ballads.

Like a bad dream you don't want to wake up from, Wyatt seems to be channelling the tortured spirits of a different era with each song.  Deceivingly simple folk music creaks into your heart and soul with solemn dread that knows no time, like a Syd Barrett song from beyond the grave.  Eerie sound effects linger throughout the record making for a fantastic listen when you're giving it your undivided attention.  Do yourself a favor and mosey on over to their official site and pick yourself up a copy of this haunting little album.  

4 songs from Hotel Hell out of 5

Songs Of Note: The Golden Rule; Dream Of You

THE LUYAS / Animator [2012]

Normally chirpy Canadian indie-pop act The Luyas take a darker turn on their third effort, 2012's Animator.

Written in response to the death of a close friend, the album creaks and haunts over dreamy beds of abstract bass pulses, twinkling guitar strums and rumbling synth & drum rhythms all complimented with some stark piano and string arrangements.  Unfortunately the emotions being to grow stagnant due to vocalist Jessie Stein's one-note voice and the songs tease us with going somewhere bigger but never quite dive into the dramatic crescendos we're expecting.  

3 ghost writers out of 5

Songs Of Note: The Quiet Way; Earth Turner

KENDRICK LAMAR / good kid, m.A.A.d. city [2012]

Using Compton as a narrative backdrop is nothing new to hip-hop, yet Kendrick Lamar's 2012 major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d. city brings it a sense of character and depth unlike anyway it's been portrayed before.

It tells the story of Lamar's smooth-talking experiences growing up in the crime-riddled neighborhood, through smooth downbeat production, tingling piano notes, hallucinatory hooks and frantic, yet low-key, tripped out rhythms.  Like N.W.A., there is an obvious love for his hometown but like The Clash or Springsteen, he intelligently knows it's a terrible place to live as well.  Lamar's lyrical delivery isn't interested in sucker punches or witty punchlines but yearns to tell a story that needs to be told and that's what gives it heart, as rockhard as it is.

4 short films out of 5

Songs Of Note: The Art Of Peer Pressure; Swimming Pools [Drank]

LIARS / WIXIW [2012]

Alt-dance act Liars redefine their sound with each album without completely ostracizing their fanbase, so it's no surprise they eventually entered into the tripped-out electronic sound on 2012's curiously palindrome titled album WIXIW.

Swirling with eerie shimmering synth textures pulsating back and forth between splashes of soft base tones and bizarre percussive experimentation, the album somehow creates a surreal paranoid mood lost in a frantic slo-mo setting, with heavy hints of Radiohead thrown into the mix.  As new as they are to the electro sound, Liars sound as if they're vets in the genre as they perform it with such confident ease.

4 wish you's out of 5

Songs Of Note: Octagon; Brats

GREG LASWELL / Landline [2012]

5 albums without any radioplay or major chart hits for Greg Laswell is one of life's greater mysteries. His somber, piano ballads about broken souls & confused hearts are perfect for the soundtrack of the airwaves.

For 2012's Landline, Laswell quietly slips some hip-hop beats into his writing which makes for quite an effective impact that should grab the attention of anyone listening.  With the help of several female guest vocalists (including Sia and Ingrid Michaelson), Laswell continues his trend of catchy, yet not annoying pop ballads, with thoughtful lyrics, skilled yet simple production and arrangements and all complimented with his bold, yet delicate voice.  It's not original or jaw-dropping, but for what it is, it's pretty damned good.

4 songs with the wifey out of 5

Songs Of Note: Come Back Down [feat. Sara Bareilles]; Back To You [feat. Elizabeth Ziman]

LINKIN PARK / Living Things [2012]

After a lot of experimentation on their 2 previous albums, Linkin Park return to strengthening up on their straightforward songwriting, instead of dipping into dizzying sounds and bizarre song structures, on 2012's Living Things.

With Rick Rubin back at the producing helm for a third time, LP's sound remains dense, busy and clean without ever getting overly distracting.  Being the only '90's rap/metal act to win a second life, Linkin Park know they need to keep pushing the envelope to remain relevant and they do a fine job at it.  

3½ returns to the instrumental penultimate tracks out of 5

Songs Of Note: Castle Of Glass; Roads Untravelled

THE TEA PARTY / Live From Australia [2012]

Canadian "Moroccan roll" act, The Tea Party have always been considered one of the best live acts in the world, so why it took over 20 years to release a proper live album is beyond me.  All that aside, 2012's double disc extravaganza Live From Australia is a welcome addition to any fan's collection. 

The sound on Jeff Martin's humorously serious vocals and the band's performances is top-notch, however the flow of the live performances are ruined by fade in and outs between songs, due to takes from different shows.  Still, as a longtime fan of the group, this is a real gem and makes me thirst for a new studio album.

4 songs "that would have made great ring tones back in the day" out of 5

Songs Of Note: Psychopomp; Fire In The Head

THE LEVELLERS / Levelling the Land (1991)

The second album from the Brighton folksters is the first Levellers album I ever heard, and the reason I became a fan. Have you ever watched from afar as a group of poncho-clad anti-establishment types enjoyed a sing-a-long session around a camp-fire on a beach and wished in your heart that you could pull that British made poker out of your ass, leave your reservations behind and join them? Levelling the Land is the trigger you need. It'll help relieve you of your shitty inhibitions.

Songs of Note: One Way; The Boatman

4 crusty fiddlers out of 5

KOJI KONDO / The Legend of Zelda: 25th Anniversary Symphony Soundtrack (2011)

The 25th Anniversary recording enabled Koji to present some of his most well-known themes played by a full symphonic orchestra. With such a huge library of music to draw from, it made sense to medley a large part of it, the majority of which comes from Ocarina of Time, and Twilight Princess. Sadly. the more sinister Majora's Mask is largely ignored. It ends with a track from Skyward Sword, the only Zelda game (to date) to feature an actual symphonic score in-game.
It's fun to hear familiar themes in a different form, but I still prefer the original recordings, they had a simplistic beauty that gets occasionally smothered by the grandeur of a large scale orchestra.

Songs of Note: Gerudo Valley; The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Medley

4 harp strings and heart strings plucked out of 5

KOJI KONDO / The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask Original Soundtrack (2000)

Like the previous game soundtrack, Ocarina of Time (1998), the music of Majora's Mask was reliant on the N64's limited sound capabilities, but Koji once again managed to tease out some beautifully haunting themes that perfectly capture the environments they were designed to represent. It's possible the limitations actually worked in his favour, forcing him to be extra creative.
There are also familiar themes presented differently, reflecting the darker nature of the game. Its simplistic beauty is something that is fading from today's games.

Songs of Note: Chamber of Voices; Freed Souls

5 events undone out of 5