Jimmy Eat World - Clarity

If I had to use one word to describe Jimmy Eat World's album Clarity, it would likely be "tender".   That by no means is a knock on the band or the record.  In fact it's one of my all time favorite albums to listen to when I have a lengthy car drive some where and it's easily my favorite Jimmy Eat World album in my collection.

I haven't listened to this record from beginning to end in a while but I'm having a hard time not recommending any of the first 5 tracks on the album.  The production of this record is ridiculous and thanks to this album being produced at Sound City, the drum tracking is especially sweet to listen to.

I know a lot of people got into the band when Bleed American came out (another great record by the way), but you're really missing out on this band if you don't give this record a spin.

Standout Tracks:

• Jimmy Eat World – Table For Glasses
• Jimmy Eat World – Lucky Denver Mint
• Jimmy Eat World – Your New Aesthetic
• Jimmy Eat World – Believe In What You Want
• Jimmy Eat World – A Sunday
• Jimmy Eat World – Crush
• Jimmy Eat World – Just Watch The Fireworks
• Jimmy Eat World – Blister
• Jimmy Eat World – Clarity

Artists: Jimmy Eat World
Album: Clarity
Producer: Mark Trombino
Label: Capitol
Recorded: Sound City, Clear Lake Audio

Metallica - Master of Puppets

When I listened to Megadeth the other day, I felt compelled to listen to a number of other metal albums I used to listen to a lot when I was a kid.  

Master of Puppets - by Metallica, is one of those influential albums that I have never properly owned.   Garage Day's, And Justice For All...  were the first two albums I purchased by Metallica when I was in 4th grade and I eventually got around to owning Kill Em All on cassette also.  I just never owned Ride the Lightning or Master of Puppets for some strange reason.

I'm totally familiar with the work on the album.   I learned about the band through a Zorlac skate deck and recall seeing the shirt "Damage, Inc." and "Metal Up Your Ass" a lot in the mid 80's...  I naturally went out of my way to find out who exactly Metallica was.  

I fell in love with them instantly.  Every song was blistering in speed and aggression...  the guitar work was equal parts elaborate and focused.  

Of all the records I used to stare at for hours on the shelf - Master of Puppets - remains atop my list of album covers I would spend hours trying to draw by hand.  If memory serves me correctly, the back of the album features a picture of the band performing in front of a stadium crowd.  I'm not sure if it's the Oakland Coliseum or from their Monsters of Rock show... but it always left an impression on me that they were fucking HUGE.

Listening to the album for the first time in nearly 15 years, I didn't look back on it as fondly as say And Justice for All...  None of the songs on this album are truly radio friendly...  the album only has 8 tracks, it weighs in just under 54 minutes and the shortest song is just over 5 minutes.  I almost found it laborious to sit through a few of the tracks...  but could not stop thinking about well put together this album is.   I have no idea how they were able to tour and perform a number of these songs live.   

Stand out Tracks:

• Metallica – Master Of Puppets
• Metallica – Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
• Metallica – Orion (Instrumental)

Artists: Metallica
Album: Master of Puppets
Producer: Flemming Rasmussen
Label: Elektra
Recorded: Sweet Silence Studios

Radiohead - The Bends

When I signed up for penning a daily entry on an album I listened to during the day, I didn't really stop and ask myself - "how many days a year/month/week do you go about a day and not get around to listening to any music?".   

The answer to that is pretty rare.  If I didn't have to pen a review today, I may have gone an entire day without really listening to any music.

My day started off with a visit to a local collision shop to drop off my car for repairs this week.  I then took a shuttle over to a local Enterprise to get a car rental (Chrysler 300 - more on that later) before getting to the office where I had a day full of work ahead of me.

I anticipated spending some time with my parents (who are technically in town) but they stayed over at my sisters to take care of my niece who is currently under the weather.

Made the most of my evening at home alone (w/Amos technically) and watched the Ice Harvest.  A movie that features John Cusack (Cusack Week) and happens to be directed by Harold Ramis who passed away today.  

The news of his passing really bummed me the fuck out.... so I slipped on a record that always seems to make me smile.   The Bends, by Radiohead.

There's truly no bad tracks on this album, so I'm going to struggle finding any "stand-out-tracks".    It's also one of those albums that remind me of people and places in my lifetime...

For example - the song High and Dry.  A song that instantly transports me to a specific morning in Downtown Detroit.  I had spent the night at my friend's place...   I don't remember a single thing about the night before, but recall being at Norma's flat in a spacious living room that had a Christmas tree - suspended upside down above me.

That song sorta bled into the rest of the album and if I close my eyes hard enough, I can still picture her roommates brining me something to drink as they attempted to fill me in on what I didn't remember from the night before.

I just listened to the song - Just - & recall seeing the video for it on 120 Minutes for the first time ever.  I remember thinking to myself that the band had more to offer than the song "Creep".

Another favorite of mine is the song My Iron Lung.  The song doesn't really remind me of a person or place, but that's ok also.  It's nice to hold things very close and dear to yourself and never wanting to share that with anyone else.  Wait... maybe that's not a nice thing.

Anyhoo... you can't go wrong with any track on this album.  In my opinion, it's their finest moment and one of the best albums of the 90's.

Standout Tracks: (all of them) - these i like more than the others tho'.

• Radiohead – High And Dry
  
• Radiohead – Just
  
• Radiohead – My Iron Lung
  

Artists: Radiohead
Album: the Bends
Producer: John Leckie
Label: Capitol
Recorded: Abbey Road Studios, RAK Studios, The Manor

Megadeth - Rust In Peace

Due largely in part of me having to stop into the office to catch up on a hellish week of work, I felt the urge to listen to Megadeth's - Rust in Peace - album at Guantanamo prison levels.

I've owned this on every format but vinyl (hope to remedy that soon tho') and purchased this on cassette the day that it was released in 1990.

It was an easy sale...  I recall seeing them on HeadBangers Ball introducing the video "Hangar 18" and I'm pretty sure this was my introduction to the Roswell Incident.  I just saw through the first 3 minutes of the video and didn't recall it being that terrible... but it made a pretty big impression on me at age 13.

Weighing in at only 9 songs, Rust in Peace wastes no time in grabbing you by the throat and never letting you go.  The song Holy Wars is just as applicable now as it was back in 1990...  If war had a soundtrack Take No Prisoners would undoubtedly make the cut.  Tornado of Souls speaks to a lot of the issues that have plagued the band in their existence.  Lastly, there's the song Polaris.   My favorite song about thermonuclear warfare...   it's also one of the few songs I've been known to sing in the shower from beginning to end.   I can't really explain why I've committed the lyrics to memory... it just firmly has a grip on  the 13 year old that operates within my body.

Stand out Tracks:  Note - I'm not a fan of the remastered works.  The vocals tracks seem off...

• Megadeth – Holy Wars...The Punishment Due - 2004 Digital Remaster
• Megadeth – Hangar 18 - 2004 Digital Remaster
• Megadeth – Take No Prisoners - 2004 Digital Remaster
• Megadeth – Tornado Of Souls - 2004 Digital Remaster
• Megadeth – Rust In Peace...Polaris - 2004 Digital Remaster

Artists: Megadeth 
Album: Rust in Peace
Produced: Mike Clink
Label: Capitol 
Recorded: Rumbo Recorders

10,000 Maniacs - The Wishing Chair

Sometime around 2002, I would spend almost every lunch period at a local record store called Switched On CD's in Novi, Michigan.

I walked in daily after eating some locally and then spent about 40 minutes pouring over the used bin - finding numerous gems for my collection.

Every now and again, I would run across a recommendation by the store owner Glen (I think his name was Glen)..  10,000 Maniacs was one of those albums.   I didn't photograph my copy of the CD to showcase his recommendation but I'll make it a point to take a photo of it and post it to this blog posting.

Haven't listened to this album in ages, but ran across a vinyl copy in a small bookstore near my sisters house.  Threw it on during breakfast to see my niece dance to it.  It worked without fail.

Stand out tracks:

• 10,000 Maniacs – Can't Ignore The Train
• 10,000 Maniacs – Just As The Tide Was A Flowing
• 10,000 Maniacs – Back O' The Moon
• 10,000 Maniacs – Everyone A Puzzle Lover
• 10,000 Maniacs – Daktari

Artists: 10,000 Maniacs
Album: The Wishing Chair
Producer: Joe Boyd
Label: Elektra
Recorded: Livingstone Studios

Nada Surf - Lucky

A number of people my age sorta know Nada Surf from the MTV hit-video Popular...   a song that I never really cared for but it was almost inescapable the year it came out.

A couple of years after that release, Nada Surf were featured in an issue of CMJ New Music CD (Volume 64 - same Issue I discovered Josh Rouse) - with a song titled "Mothers Day".  

The song sorta had a Girls Against Boys / Afghan Whigs - sound to it so I immediately took a liking to it.  After a couple of listens, the lyrics to the song began to sink in...  The song is a very sharp take on sexually aggressive males.  In some ways it's an interesting song when juxtaposed to the song "Popular".  

You'll feel good for ten minutes
She'll be screwed up for life
Blue balls and all of that bullshit x4

I didn't think of the band for nearly 10 years.   While visiting Minneapolis Minnesota on a business trip, I stopped into a record store and picked up their album "Lucky" after seeing it had just been released that week.  The album was produced by Chris Walla, who reportedly had his album "the Field Manual" confiscated by homeland security right around the time Lucky got released.

I naturally had an interest in hearing both albums so I purchased the both on a whim.

That impulse purchase ended up being two of the most rewarding decisions in my musical library.  Especially the Nada Surf album...  if you're a fan of mid-period Death Cab For Cutie, this is a must-have-purchase.

Stand out tracks:

• Nada Surf – See These Bones
• Nada Surf – Weightless
• Nada Surf – Are You Lightning?
• Nada Surf – From Now On

Artists: Nada Surf
Album: Lucky
Producer: Chris Walla
Label: Barsuk
Recorded: Robert Lang Studios

Anyone else smell pregnancy scare in the air? All things Reality Fantasy Real World Ex-plosion Week 6

Want to quickly apologize to all the Fantasy Owners for not getting around to watching the episode until last night.  Werk has been unusually grueling and all it took was one week for these guys to not air on Wednesdays for me to completely forget about the show.

Seriously.   I couldn't remember the names of cast members during my viewing and it made it really upsetting to score.  Its good to know that my brain is keeping these idiots in my short-term-memory bank where it belongs.

To View Updated Scores and Rules Click HERE

Top 3 Ballerz of the WEEK!

Corey - 100 points
With hurricane Ashley safely off the show, Corey is firmly holding onto my MVP vote for Most Valuable Reality Baller of the Year.  Despite the house filling to 10 roommates, Corey continues to average a staggering 63 points per week.  Half of his points came by way of "Pregnancy Scare"...   something I've experienced in my lifetime and dread the idea of having MTV document that for others to watch/tweet/blog/talk about it.  Corey picked up an additional 20 points for intentional nudity by participating in a Butt Cheek competition (and lost) to Tom.  25 points for sexy time in the shower... and 5 points for unintentional nudity to get into said shower.  Beast On brother Corey, Beast On.

Lauren - 75 points
Loren picked up 75 points handily buy simply having sex in a shower and having a pregnancy scare in only her 2nd week on the Real World.   I personally have bad experiences with Lauren's from Michigan so every time her name comes up on the screen, I sorta cringe a little.

Tom - 50
I can't hide the fact that I'm not a big fan of Tom...  I don't understand his relationship with Jaime and Haliey on the show.  He did however pick up 20 points differently than anyone else this season.  Tom sang a song in front of more than 2 people and that got him on the board early on.   He also picked up an additional 20 for intentionally showcasing his "bubble butt" in a Butt-Off against Corey.   Tom picked up a pedestrian 10 points for have a hand full of fights with Jaime.     

Pixies - Doolittle

Full admission...  it took a really long time before I came around on the Pixies.   Their influence was inescapable in the 90's and I turned my back on them simply because everyone loved them.

It wasn't until I was dating Kathy nearly a decade ago that I began to really appreciate them. She purchased Surfer Rosa and Doolittle for me on CD for my 28th birthday and it didn't take long for me to realize that they were an incredible band.

Doolittle is my favorite release by the band...  I truly enjoy every track on the album, but there's songs like Hey on the second half of this record that are simply life altering.  

Wave of Mutilation - is another life altering track.  If you haven't listened to this album in a while, I highly recommend you dig it out and give it a spin.   I recently purchased it on Vinyl after discovering that my copy got lifted/borrowed and never returned.   It's one of three albums I hope to replace in the near future.

Stand out tracks: 

• Pixies – Debaser
  
• Pixies – Wave Of Mutilation
  
• Pixies – Here Comes Your Man
  
• Pixies – Monkey Gone To Heaven
  
• Pixies – Crackity Jones
  
• Pixies – There Goes My Gun
• Pixies – Hey
  

Artists: Pixies
Album: Doolittle
Producer: Gil Norton
Label: 4AD
Recorded: Downtown Recorders, Carriage House Studios

The Streets - Original Pirate Material

Pulled out a trusty record today to help productivity at the office this morning.   Original Pirate Material was an album I picked up simply because it was released by VICE.

In the early 2000's, a free issue of VICE made its way to Detroit thru a friend who had spent the weekend in nYc...   I then went out of my way to find people to send me more issues.   

The moment I heard that they were going to put out an album, I made the decision to buy it before ever hearing a single note on the album.

I sorta recall the first time I heard it...   I remember being in a parking lot in Novi, Michigan and getting that indescribable excitement when you hear something and know that it's going to be huge.

I went out of my way to play the album for friends and its been a staple of sorts every spring when the weather begins to warm up.

I never been a fan of his other albums....  but this release is quite remarkable.

Stand out tracks:

• The Streets – Turn The Page
  
• The Streets – Has It Come To This? - *
  
• The Streets – Let's Push Things Forward
  
• The Streets – Geezers Need Excitement
  
• The Streets – It's Too Late
  
• The Streets – Too Much Brandy
  
• The Streets – Don't Mug Yourself
  
• The Streets – The Irony Of It All
  
• The Streets – Weak Become Heroes
  

Artists: The Streets
Album: Original Pirate Material
Producer: Mike Skinner
Label: VICE
Recorded: ?

White Lies - BIG TV

Every now and again, I'll run across an album that will completely win me over with the sleeve art alone.  When 2013 drew to a close, I ran across a top 10 album covers list and discovered this band and album.

The artwork is painting titled "Pilot 2" and was done by Michael Kagan in 2010.

The music itself is pretty rewarding also...  the album is about a couple that moves to the city.  It sorta reminds me of Depeche Mode at times and but its delivery is a little more grandiose.

My favorite track on the album is called "There Goes Our Love Again"

Stand out tracks:

• White Lies – Big TV
• White Lies – There Goes Our Love Again
• White Lies – First Time Caller
• White Lies – Mother Tongue

Artist: White Lies
Album: BIG TV
Producer: Ed Buller
Label: Fiction
Recorded: ICP Studios