MÖNGÖL HÖRDE / Möngöl Hörde [2014]

Known best for his folky-punk songs, nice guy Frank Turner takes some time off from his busy schedule to have a laugh while returning to his harsher punk-rock roots with the 2014 self-titled album, Möngöl Hörde.
The three-piece act are as loud and aggressive as The Refused but never once do they sound like they're taking themselves too seriously.  Yes, it sounds pissed off (and probably is) but it's more of shit-eating grin "fuck you" than an overly mundane "you're all mindless sheep" fuck you.  The lyrical subject matter for the most part is pretty light on substance but when it does make a clever point, it sneaks up on you and smacks you square in the face.  It might just be a one-off album but the song-writing is solid and the playing it tight enough to make one hopeful for more material in the future.

3½ tapeworms in Natalie Portman out of 5

Songs of Note: Make Way; Staff to the Refund Counter

ZEE / Identity [1984]

Kudos to Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright for trying out something different while away from his prog-rock outfit and dip into the new wave sound with synth-duo Zee's first and thankfully only album, 1984's Identity.
Synth-pop act Fashion's Dee Harris on vocals makes this is very much a product of the early '80's with it's clunky drum-machines, tired keyboards and overly dry Fairlight synthesizers.  As a Floyd enthusiast, this is like finding out your favorite great uncle, as a wee lad, used to make late night visits to the local petting zoo and fondle the livestock for sexual pleasure.  With a thorough search, one might find some mildly interesting moments hidden beneath the coked-up shit you're fed but it really isn't worth the trying work.

1½  light things out of 5

Songs of Note: Strange Rhythm; By Touching

EMILIE AUTUMN / Fight Like a Girl [2012]

Inspired by her time spent in a psychiatric ward, theatrical violinist Emilie Autumn came up with the idea for the 2012 musical concept album, Fight Like a Girl.
Scaling back the presence of the violin, Autumn focuses more on the glam rock and Victorian cabaret aspects of her music, giving it a full-blown Goth rock opera feel.  The song-writing itself is finely tuned, with the exception of a few weak lyrics scattered about but it's obvious Autumn is feeling very confident with what she out's to prove.  Snuggling in traces of crunchy industrial drones and jittery harpsichord plucks over Autumn's frantic vocals make for a pretty entertaining listen.  Individually the songs don't really work, so if you have the time and patience the album is best heard in it's complete form.

4 asylums for wayward Victorian girls out of 5

Songs of Note: Girls! Girls! Girls; What Will I Remember?

JOHN MORRIS / The Elephant Man: Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture [1980]

After the nightmarishly puzzling Eraserhead, director David Lynch took more of a conventional approach with his sophomore follow-up both in film narrative and music with 1980's The Elephant Man.
Instead of scoring the film himself a second time, Lynch turned to Young Frankenstein composer John Morris and the results suit the surreal black & white heart-break of the film to a tee.  For the main theme, Morris channels the same sort of somber Eastern European off-kilter carnival tones Danny Elfman would relate to early in his career.  The tickling xylophones, twinkling chimes and swaying organ of the main theme counteract with the heart-wrenching strings and crying woodwinds of a secondary theme that harkens back to some of Bernard Herrmann's more dramatic scores.  It's all very simple composing and orchestrations but it's easy on the ears and works with the film so perfectly it's nothing short of a success both on-screen and on it's own.

4 adagio for strings out of 5

Songs of Note: The Elephan Man Theme; Recapitulation

PRIMUS / ...& The Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble [2014]

I suppose if someone were to successfully re-imagine Anthony Newley & Leslie Bricusse's bizarre soundtrack from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, it'd be psycho-funky weirdo's Primus.
 With Tim Alexander back on drums, in his first full-lenth since 1995, Primus are in fine form and prove their creepy quirkiness and spaced-out playfulness is perfect for the light-hearted darkness of the world of Willy Wonka and all his sinful delights.  Aided by a cellist & mallet percussion, the band manages to re-arrange the songs into their own style without losing a lot of the orchestrations of it's source material.  It's certainly an ambitious project that doesn't always hit the mark but when it does it leaves the most demented grin on one's face.  Clearly Primus are doing whatever the hell they want and that's why, for a fan anyway, this album works.

4 freaky-ass boat rides out of 5

Songs of Note: Golden Ticket; Oompa TV

GIN WIGMORE / Holy Smoke [2009]

Upon first listen to New Zealand singer-songwriter Gin Wigmore's 2009 full-length debut, Holy Smoke, it's pretty obvious she's a talent to be reckoned with.
Like Amy Winehouse before her, Wigmore packs a mighty soulful voice that's aged well beyond her youthful years that's instantly likeable and obviously the center-point of the album.  Her raspy sass is complimented by a tightly wound rock back-drop, courtesy of Ryan Adams' former band The Cardinals but as strong as they are, something doesn't quite gel together on a majority of the songs.  It never takes away from the enjoyability of this thoroughly entertaining album but one can't help but constantly thinking "she's really good now but once she's tuned in a bit more she'll be fantastic".

3½ roads to redemption out of 5

Songs of Note: Hey Ho; I Do

RICHARD WRIGHT / Wet Dream [1978]

With Pink Floyd well on it's way into complete self-destruction after 1977's Animals, the band went on a brief  hiatus to gather their bearings and possibly release a solo record or two.
1978's Wet Dream was keyboardist Richard Wright's leisurely offering.
It's a serene dreamlike trip with contemplative soothing vocals gently layered over smooth jazzy keyboards and lite-bluesy guitar riffs.  Like Wright, it's fairly inoffensive, peaceful and almost buries itself in the background making sure it never wears out it's welcome.  To sum it up, it sounds like Dark Side outtakes without the passion of David Gilmour's guitar playing and that's just fine with me.  I just simply enjoy it as a calming ambience every once in a blue moon.

3 pleas for time to breathe out of 5

Songs of Note: Summer Elegy; Drop In From The Top

RUN THE JEWELS / Run The Jewels [2013]

After a successful co-headlining tour together, veteran hip-hoppers El-P & Killer Mike decided to collaborate under the name Run The Jewels and release their 2013 eponymous album.
Clocking in at an all too short 33 minutes, the duo make damned sure it's all killer, no filler with El's fast-talking paranoid Philip K. Dick-ian wordplay complimenting Mike's aggressively punchy deliveries.  The electronic-infused backbeats are flavored with some fuzzy 808 synth-lines and bassy retro drum-tracks that tickle the eardrums.  As heavy as some of the subject matter gets, the album never feels too preachy and it's easy to hear the fun the two buddies are having together.  It doesn't have the even flow of a proper album but it certainly has more coherency than a mixtape.  Whatever it might be, it's obvious these guys are in their proper element and demands immediate replay.

4 puddles of cat piss out of 5

Songs of Note: DDFH; Twin Hype Back

PINK FLOYD / The Endless River [2014]

By sifting through over 20 hours of unused material from their Division Bell sessions, David Gilmour & Nick Mason set out to create Pink Floyd's swan song with 2014's The Endless River.

Made up of mostly instrumentals, with only a handful of them clocking in at over 3 minutes, the album is broken up into 4 distinct parts all of which thrive on that classic Floyd sound, which is a bit dated in this day and age.  Gilmour's bluesy guitars still ring out like stark teardrops, Wrights new-age keyboards swirl with warmth and heart while Mason's drumming is still heavy but subtle enough to never overpower the relaxed ambience.  It's got all the ingredients of a great Floyd album but instead it mostly feels like the echoes of noodling around, like sleepwalking backwards into time.  It's literally the best of Floyd and the worst of Floyd rolled into a comforting nostalgic yawn.

3 high hopes out of 5

Songs Of Note: It's What We Do; Calling

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

THE KILLERS / Day & Age (2008)

This is a well-executed album that assuredly means something to plenty of people. People who aren’t me. I personally find that this treads the exact same ground as Sam’s Town, to the point of having the same types of songs dutifully accounted for. When someone comes to this album, or the small nuances and lyrical variations, can make all the difference. Brandon et al. are as funky, creative, and acutely poignant as ever and I’m happy for those who found this outing first, or simply find it preferable to its predecessor.

Song of Note: Spaceman

3 Infectiously Charming Greys out of 5

VARIOUS ARTISTS / Gyakuten Saiban Sound Box (2012)

This omnibus release collects the original in-game audio of the Phoenix Arc into three concise discs. When presented as such, it’s clear to see that there are strict checklists in place for each game: trial prologues, variations on the courtroom standard Pursuit, character themes, and somber recollection pieces for when the true murderers are revealed. The special releases previously covered on this blog are especially fitting as many of these tracks are either comfortable jazz murmurs or as faux-orchestrated as the sound-chips of Nintendo’s handhelds can manage. And yet, somehow this near-singular, formulaic approach does little to detract when you’re familiar with the personalities associated with each strain and melody.

Does your heart often tire of racing, breaking, and soaring? Mine usually doesn’t.

Songs of Note: Happy People; Fire-Carved Scars; Elise Deauxnim ~ Gentle Melody

4 Hidden Proclivities On Display out of 5

FASTBALL / Little White Lies (2009)

I implore any potential listeners to give this outing more than a single spin, as I rather disliked it on my initial go-round. It struck me as strangely grating and off-kilter. Miles and Tony sing simultaneously more than they ever have previously and are content to be pretty brazen in their just-enough experimentation. They even indulge in some effective meta-musings of the sort the Crows and Fall Out Boy have previously delivered. It took some self-adjustment, but once I was familiar with how to traverse these alternate avenues, I found an experience that was as satisfying as it was different. Hopefully others will as well.

Songs of Note: The Malcontent (Modern World); We'll Always Have Paris (Everyday All of the Time)

3½ Mariachi Cadillacs out of 5

FALL OUT BOY / American Beauty/American Psycho (2015)

The years since Save Rock and Roll released have been remarkably kind, canonizing it as slick, muscled perfection. Early in the game though it may be, Psycho gives it an exhilarating run for its money, violently demarcating this new era of the boys' career, even if they’ve always been on an upward trajectory, in my eyes. It continually comes back to this, but I think it really is the fact that their musical prowess is finally keeping pace with Pete’s ever more stylishly eviscerating lyrics. An arms race being resoundingly won.

Songs of Note: The Kids Aren't Alright; Jet Pack Blues

Their very own Resident Evil 4 out of 5
True to this simile, Mania is indeed their RE6. Oh my... 😒

KATATONIA / Sanctitude (2015)

It's basically the Dethroned and Uncrowned (2013) concept extended to include more of the band's back catalogue, as far back as Brave Murder Day (1996).
The reworking means the mood is changed but it's not compromised; the result is no less beautiful. Their being unplugged could just as easily be described as being uncaged; there's an airy freedom under the dark wings, carrying them to less cloudy climes. Katatonia's evolution has been slower and less extreme than Anathema's, but in this instance they're travelling under similar skies.
Silje Wergeland (The Gathering) joins the sausage factory for a memorable rendition of The One You Are Looking For is Not Here.

Songs of Note: A Darkness Coming; Day

5 memories of things out 5