JOE VOLK / Happenings and Killings [2016]

Joe Volk's first album since leaving Crippled Black Phoenix, 2016's Happenings and Killings, is a familiar yet subtle departure from his previous works.
With production help from Geoff Barrow & Ben Salisbury it means careful attention was paid to the gentle yet complex production and rewards with each subsequent listen.  Volk channels a low-key acoustic tone that is subtly complimented with soft electronics and the occasional string textures.  There's slight echoes of Pink Floyd, The Beach Boys and Radiohead but never enough to mistake it for anybody else other than Volk.  His prog-rock influences are still evident but it focuses more on being a haunting singer/songwriter project that raises the bar with opening track and only gets better and better with each track.

4 thieves of our ideals out of 5

Songs of Note: Soliloquy; The Curve

VENETIAN SNARES / Rossz Csillag Alatt Született [2005]

2005's Rossz Csillag Alatt Született was my introduction to drill 'n bass artist Venetian Snares (aka Aaron Funk) and is still my favorite of his vast library of offbeat offerings.
Drenched in heavy melancholy, Funk does his best to break your brain with intensely abrasive electronic shifting and sonic manipulations over mostly string samples from a variety of Hungarian classical pieces.  Usually all over the map, here Funk follows a basic theme and mood to make for his most coherent listen to date which still doesn't make it particularly friendly to everyone's ear.  The meshing of classical music and the attack of skittish breakbeats sound like a potential disaster but somehow it works beautifully and even if it does overpower with despair one can't deny the dizzying brilliance of this album.

5 lonely pigeons out of 5

Songs of Note: Öngyilkos Vasárnap; Hajnal

VOIVOD / Angel Rat (1991)

The classic Voivod sound continued to soften and by album number six the chaotic structures were tamed, the bass was horribly defuzzed and the guys had skipped fancifully into Dimension Prog Rock. I'm not a follower of Prog, in general, and I've no idea how fans of the genre feel about it. Does it sound as off-the-wall to them as the earlier spacey-Metal Voivod albums do to me? I genuinely hope so, because then it wouldn't be a complete waste of time and air. Personally, I can listen to about a selective third of Angel Rat before I've to fight an urge to stomp all over the disc. File under: Damn, it's even more purple than usual!

Songs of Note: Angel Rat; Golem

2 halls of glass out of 5

ANASTASIA VRONSKI AND RICARDO ALRUCINI / The Groom is Still Waiting for the Bride at the Altar (2011)

One track lasting 23 minutes that never once feels like it's gone on too long. It reminds me of music designed to give atmosphere to tabletop RPGs, except it has some haunting and creepy spoken word throughout documenting the opening of the 6th seal, from the Revelation of John the Apostle.
The instrumentation is equally as unsettling. There's rattling chains, creaking protestations from ancient wood and ritualistic drums.
When the sky splits apart and the land moves, it turns to noise. It feels then as if the horrors it's documenting are happening right at your feet and you better not look down unless you want to be a part of them.

Songs of Note: The Groom is Still Waiting for the Bride at the Altar

5 falling stars out of 5

SUZANNE VEGA / Days of Open Hand (1990)

The Folk beginnings can still be heard as influences in Suzanne's third album but the singer/songwriter has moved onto new plateaus musically; not necessarily higher or lower, just different. It's not Folk, Rock or Pop, it's simply music from the heart played in an understated way. I can well imagine it being someone's favourite SV album for that reason alone.
The obvious singles will likely be the thing that entice many people in, but the beautifully serene and occasionally mysterious poetry on the quieter tracks will keep them there; it may take longer to appreciate that aspect of the work, but for my money it's where the album's true strengths lie.

Songs of Note: Tired of Sleeping; Book of Dreams

3½ magic markers out of 5

VOLBEAT / Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies [2013]

On Swedish metal act Volbeat's fifth record, 2013's Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies, they bring on ex-Anthrax guitarist Rob Caggiano as their newest member.
While they still mesh thrash metal, rockabilly and punk, the lines between the genre-hopping are less apparent as they all meld together quite organically now.  It's as if they've finally found that spot of comfort and it shows with the enthusiastic performances and tight compositions on this album.  I don't know why Volbeat always feel the need to write 1or 2 songs for each album that sound dangerously close to Nickelback or Creed but fortunately it doesn't take away from the insane enjoyment of the rest of the songs.  In short, this album is feckin' great great fun.

4½ Young The Giant covers out of 5

Songs Of Note: Room 24 [feat. King Diamond]; Doc Holiday

VENETIAN SNARES / Fool The Detector EP [2012]

Breakcore producer Aaron Funk (aka Venetian Snares) has a hilariously absurd sense of humor that seems to enjoy tormenting the listener's comfort.  His second EP of 2012, Fool The Detector does nothing to contradict that.  

It eases you in with soothing, haunting textures that teeter towards New Age/classical genres and then sonically assaults you with unnerving glitches and distorted sound palates that puts the brain into a blissful frenzy.  It's baffling to hear Funk blend slow, moody soundscapes with frenetic blurps & chirps and yet somehow make it all work.  It's not going to gain any new fans but will certainly leave the already initiated with a twitchy grin on their faces.

4 pyramids of thoughts out of 5

Songs Of Note: Fool The Detector; Chriohn

SUZANNE VEGA / Solitude Standing (1987)

Like Suzanne's perfect début, her second album is constructed from story songs that together resemble a kind of musical book. She's added more instrumentation this time, making it sound less naked. I prefer the naked Vega (don't apply that to your filthy world view), so I find Solitude Standing less interesting. Her ability to draw the listener in with her voice hasn't changed, it's just not as immediate as before. It's the album that gave us Tom's Diner, but it's not the version that you may know from the charts, it's a capella.

Songs of Note: Luka; Gypsy

3½ things erased out of 5

VCMG / Ssss [2012]

I've always been a fan of Depeche Mode and their side projects, so I was interested to hear former bandmates Marty Gore & Vince Clarke reunite in 2012 as VCMG for the electronic dance album Ssss.

Having both mastered the electronic side of Depeche Mode & Erasure with great effect, you'd think this would be a work of genius.  Sadly it's notl.  With legions of younger artists doing it better these two don't stand a chance.  They still seriously resort to outdated and boring blips & bleeps, while other electronic artists have figured out ways to fuse countless genres and sounds into their work.  

This is grandpa's dance record and was outdated 20 years ago.  

FRISBEE

SUZANNE VEGA / Suzanne Vega (1985)

Listening to Suzanne's début is akin to opening a treasured book of short stories, being enveloped by the experience, and then falling deep into the pages. It's built around traditional Folk music structures, acoustic guitar and simple harmonies, but channelled through Suzanne's story-telling voice it becomes something beautiful, introspective and uniquely intimate. She was only twenty-six when she made it; the lyrical content suggests she's one of those individuals that's born old and stumbles upon wisdom sooner than the rest of us. It's a perfect album from a beautiful voice in what's an often stagnant genre.

Songs of Note: Some Journey; The Queen and the Soldier

5 small blue things in the danger zone out of 5

VOIVOD / Nothingface (1989)

If you’re new to the sci-fi Metal of Voivod, then Nothingface is a perfect place to start. Not only is it arguably their best album, it's also accessible and forgiving while channelling weird. It's a mesh of styles, often playing at different speeds and seemingly independently, but together they work, somehow. They've taken all the oddness and streamlined it into a truly unique experience. Dissonant chords, spacey vocals and tribal drumming sound so very wrong and so very right at the same time alongside the progressive influences; it's a beautiful enigma. Nothing else (on Earth) quite resembles the sound that drips from the Voivod.

Songs of Note: The Unknown Knows; Into My Hypercube

4 wandering into the ozone stew out of 5

VESPERTINA / The Waiting Wolf [2011]

One of the biggest disappointments of 2011 is the lack of attention paid to the operatic trip-hop duo Vespertina (comprised of Jedi Mind Tricks' Stoupe and vocalist/pianist Lorrie Doriza).
With their wonderfully melodramatic debut album The Waiting Wolf, Vespertina seemed like they would receive a considerate more amount of buzz than they actually did. Doriza's powerful vocals are both playful, sweet and laced with a vengeful streak. While Stoupe's production and beats compliment Doriza's songwriting without ever getting too busy or distracting.
A flare for the theatrics and storytelling, The Waiting Wolf is one of the most highly recommended albums of 2011.

5 Rabbit Holes out of 5

Songs Of Note: The Girl In The Basement; Devil's Dance

VED BUENS ENDE / Written in Waters (1995)

VBE are an Avant-garde Metal band from Norway. Their music sounds wrong; it's filled with intentionally atonal bass, discordant changes and unexpected jazz breaks alongside the more traditional Black Metal noise. Special mention must go to Einar Sjursø for his remarkable drum techniques. It takes a long time to really appreciate the diversity of Written in Waters, but once it gets under your skin it stays there. Sadly, it was the only full-length album they ever released.

Songs of Note: I Sang for the Swans; You, That May Wither

4 undreamt dreams out of 5

VENETIAN SNARES / Songs About My Cats (2001)

There's crazy cat ladies and then there's Aaron Funk aka Venetian Snares. Canada's frantic electronic artist's 2001 album Songs About My Cat is an album that's fairly self-described.
Kitty littered with drill-like blips and twitchy tweets, Funk somehow still manages to paint the perfect auditory picture of cats doing their thing. Under each chaotic wall of offensive sound is a pleasant little melody leading into more sound.
Venetian Snares is an acquired taste and this does nothing to try and prove that otherwise. It's a difficult listen at times and insanely hilarious at others. Not his best work but certainly worth a listen if you can stomach this type of music.

3 inspirations for Nora The Cat out of 5

Songs Of Note: For Bertha Rand; Lioness