Illmatic, Nas

The Genesis
N.Y. State of Mind*
Life's A Bitch
The World is Yours*
Halftime
Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park)
One Love
One Time 4 Your Mind
Represent*
It Ain't Hard to Tell

This is easily the most difficult review I can imagine doing. I will not mislead at all in my opening remarks, and will instead do the only thing I can think of and jump right into it.

Musically this is the simplest album I have ever heard. Nothing differs in tempo, no beats change, no bizarre phrasing. Even the piano and trumpet playing, though unique in mainstream hip-hop, are not inspiring. There is one saving instrumental effect: the longest, most drawn out pedal point in probably the history of the world.

A pedal point is basically a drone, used in many kinds of music as a constant which allows the attention of the listener to go elsewhere (a changing variable). In this case, the drone is the hypnotic repetition of the music. Every track is basically the same, with slight production changes which imply little to no knowledge of what else can be possible instrumentally. As bitter as this sounds, I am not so, I am merely explaining the fact: there is almost no room for melodic or rhythmic exploration in the hip-hop realm represented on this album. As I said the listener is dulled to what is heard, focusing his/her attention to something else. On Illmatic, the attention goes of course to the lyrics themselves.

Nas on this album proves to be honest (I am taking his word for it since I lost track of the number of times he indicated "this is real"), clever, aware, and relevant. His descriptions of urban brutality, poverty, and violence are acute and worth hearing. I especially appreciate, "Born alone, die alone, no crew to keep my crown or throne. I'm deep by sound alone, caved inside a thousand miles from home. I need a new nigga, for this black cloud to follow, 'cause while it's over me it's too dark to see tomorrow." This lyric reflects the depth in all of the tracks. Well, most...

Through scenes dealing with imprisonment, drug use and self realization there is an integrity to the presentation, but sometimes it feels compromised. For example, the first verse of Halftime really adds nothing to the grander scope of the album. It is simply Nas stroking his ego and not revealing anything meaningful in the words themselves, regardless of the entertaining word play. There are other moments on the album like this, where the tendencies of rap culture take over.

It could be argued that these tendencies are stylistic. However, I believe that just because something is an element of style, it doesn't make it allowable. The social self-disappointment and wallowing that accompanies subject matter in music dubbed "Emo" can be considered an element of style. Should "Emo" kids be teased because they can't cut in the right direction?

Of course they should, as also should Nas be ignored when he tells the listener that his rhyming is impeccable. Let the listener judge based on something that deserves to be said, and not simply hype. A parenthetical insert earlier referenced Nas' honesty; it is the same effect, coming off as trite and utterly moronic.

I earlier mentioned how difficult this album was to review. I probably exceeded my word limit doing so, but I felt it necessary because this album goes to the very heart of musical investigation. What is music? Notes? Harmony? Instruments? Poetry? Organized sound?

Poetry, though most often read, is musical to hear. And, good poetry set to a drone... well, certainly worth $9.90 from the iTunes store.

Grade: B+

Good News for People Who Love Bad News, Modest Mouse

Horn Intro
The World at Large
Float On
Ocean Breathes Salty*
Dig Your Grave
Bury Me With It
Dance Hall
Bukowski*
This Devil's Workday
The View
Satin in a Coffin
Interlude (Milo)
Blame It on the Tetons*
Black Cadillacs
One Chance
The Good Times Are Killing Me

During my research of Modest Mouse's Good News for People Who Love Bad News, I found nothing but good reviews and remarks. Not to ruffle any feathers, but oh dear god they are wrong.

Musically speaking, there are only a few good things to say about the album: the bass player is occasionally creative, and most the songs are quite catchy. However, there is a lot of catchy music and most of it is better than this.

The number of things wrong with this album musically are almost countless, namely that The World at Large, Float On, and Ocean Breathes Salty are the same four chords over and over; the background vocal track adds absolutely nothing but noise (you'll recognize it as the whisper-like squealing that simply repeats everything already being sung); and how very little of the album is solidly in tune.

One final note on the poor quality of the music, what is with the baby crying in Interlude (Milo)? Since Pink Floyd's The Wall, everyone thinks having a baby cry is some great effect, as opposed to just being horribly out of place. Oh, and Interlude is basically the same chord progression as the songs previously mentioned.

The lyrics, at first glance are promising. There are many clever lines such as, "Life it rents us. And yeah I hope it put plenty on you. Well I hope mine did too." After the whole album however, the frailties in the lyrics are apparent. Songs begin to sound the same, not just the same voice but the same story: a presentation of a negative viewpoint, and the solution being an optimistic perspective or the assurance that you don't know what will happen. The most trite is, "I backed my car into a cop car the other day, well he just drove off sometimes life's okay."

Bullocks. You hit a cop car, you're screwed, I don't care how optimistic you are. I'm aware of the exaggeration's use to be poignant, however, it really just takes away from credibility of the statement. Beyond these poorly expressed lines, there are attempts to be deep that are really just statements of the obvious like, "If God takes life, then he's an Indian Giver." Well, of course he is an Indian Giver. If he gives you life, then takes it away, that is Indian Giving by definition.

Also, there aren't many depressing lyrics on the album, mostly just statements of depression followed by witticisms about the duality of good days and bad days, which becomes very redundant.

As much as I was disappointed with this album, I do see the potential Modest Mouse has for doing something great. I only hope the success of this album doesn't make Modest Mouse not so modest. Overall, Good News for People Who Love Bad News is a great idea, just very poorly executed. My suggestion is instead of listening to the album, just repeat the words, "take the bad with the good," over and over for about 49 minutes.

Grade: D+

Method to the Madness

I'm so sorry you've been waiting this whole time, please have a seat. May I offer you something? Latte or espresso? Whichever you want, just be sure to use a coaster. Now the topic of discussion, namely two things. Firstly, my sincerest apologies for my absence in the past few weeks. I've had dinner plans, juice stains all over my linens, and work has just been hectic. The good news is that in this hiatus I have been preparing some great reviews for you all, including Modest Mouse, Brian Eno, Nas and many others. Certainly each will get their just deserves...

Secondly, I would like to address an issue with my grading system. I've heard many comments similar to, "Well, I didn't check it out because it wasn't an A." The system isn't designed so that only excellent grades are listen-able; it is just like back at Harvard so perhaps I should explain for all of you crack-head yuppies from Yale:

F = Absolutely do not waste your time on this piece of trash. Your time would be better suited burning all the pant-suits in the history of feminism.

D = only listen if you are feeling adventurous. Some of you readers might enjoy aspects of this album, or there might be a few good songs surrounded by terrible ones. Either way, most likely not worth a listen.

C = worth a listen. Perhaps don't spoil any dinner plans going to buy it immediately but if you can borrow it or listen to it in its entirety sometime, give it a chance.

B = worth buying. Though not genius, these albums are worth listening to multiple times. They have a few flaws but overall they are definitely worth the investigation.

A = a masterpiece. Though often not perfect, damn near close. Buy it and listen to it over and over again until its intricacies sink into you.

Clearly the usage of - and + indicate more specific levels of grading, but the sentiment of the above is still pertinent. So, a B+ would be a great album but just short of a masterpiece. An A- is a masterpiece, but still flawed in some way, keeping it from the perfection of an A+.

My advice is simple: C- and above deserves a listen. D+ and lower are only for the adventurous who are quite possibly looking for laughs. I'll never understand that Yale crowd, but hopefully they will understand the beauty of this grading system. If not, I might need to send a few on vacation to Europe. Ciao.

Time Out, The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Blue Rondo A La Turk*
Strange Meadow Lark
Take Five
Three To Get Ready*
Kathy's Waltz
Everybody's Jumpin'*
Pick Up Sticks

Before everyone starts whining, "But, I don't listen to jazz," this album, if any, will be your exception. Recognizable, catchy, simple but brilliant, Time Out is to jazz what Mitch Hedberg was to comedy: a straight 38 minutes of non-sequiturs.

The album title references exercises in unique time signatures for jazz. Featured are jazz waltz's, 9/8 time, and most famously 5/4. Now, this is really quite meaningless with regards to musical expression, but the pun of calling the album Time Out is meaningful. The album is connected because of the rhythmic elements; and using a (to be honest) cheesy pun as a title expresses the silly attitude of the playing. Not that the playing isn't great or that sincerity and determination are lacking in the delivery; on the contrary, Brubeck and the Quartet find their own in this playfulness. Catchy melodies, great playing, and some rhythmic wit.

What I mean by rhythmic wit goes beyond just the time signatures themselves. Compositionally there is an indecision as to where to place each punch line. Sometimes the waltz builds to a slow swing, or vice versa. Maybe the piano will play half the speed of the bass, which will play half the speed of the drums. There is an open mind to try out different things while being coherent melodically and harmonically. Whether written into the piece or improvised by the soloist, the experimentation works every time. I don't know which is more absurdly successful; the switch from dramatic, fast toccata-like playing to medium swing in Blue Rondo A La Turk or the reference to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" in the Sax solo in Strange Meadow Lark. Its probably the decaying 3 against 4 at the very end of the album, with Joe Morello altering the pitch of his drums with his hands.

Earlier I said 38 minutes of non-sequiturs and what was meant was that each track seems as unrelated as the next (almost like these paragraphs... wait, what?). Sometimes random, like the cheek of Three to Get Ready (dubbed because it revolves two bars in 3/4 time and two bars in 4/4 time, so three to prepare to swing), or the over the top but perfect drum solo in Take Five. As the album progresses, the undeniable charm of the quartet reels you in and forces your foot to tap, which is easily the most impressive feat of the album: to explore many different rhythmic and tempo feels, but make each one groove. Through all the meter change, it is effortless every time.

Time Out, though not a heartfelt search for meaning, is a masterpiece. It takes an idea: explore the possibilities of rhythm in the jazz idiom (as defined in the 1950's) and expands on the idea through composition, improvisation, and interaction.

If you have ever hummed in your entire life, you will find something on this album to like. It isn't the best jazz album of all time, but it might just be the cleverest.

Grade: A+

Deftones, Deftones

Hexagram
Needles and Pins
Minerva
Good Morning Beautiful
Deathblow*
When Girls Telephone Boys
Battle-Axe
Lucky You
Bloody Cape
Anniversary of an Uninteresting Event*
Moana*

I have very rarely been more torn by an album. Moments of the Deftones' self-titled 2003 release are haunting, beautiful and honestly quite genius. Other moments are numbing and immature. Which more heavily impacts the quality of the album's listening experience, the bad or the good? Well, let's see...

The good: so much of this album is actually touching. There are some bad moments, but overall there is a consistency of presentation.

For example, the vocal phrasing is strange, lengthy and even hesitant. In other words, it takes almost a minute (yes, exaggerated) for vocalist Chino Moreno to get out a sentence... and this reviewer loves it. The sincerity of the delivery, the uncanny ability to phrase over changing sections of a song; just amazing. It's almost like he was in a room alone, away from the music, confessing himself as tragically as he could, and the music is the stream of sounds of an uncaring listener. The effect is stunning. Your ear is constantly torn between the angelic vocals suspending and the wall of guitar noise crashing. That is the vocal effect overall, yet there are moments where you feel far too many pitches are scooped and the screaming is unnecessary.

The bad: if ever there was a book published on the spectrum of musical dynamic, the Deftones' never read past page three. The drummer and bassist either play at 50%, 100% or they don't play at all. This contributes to the numbing effect the album can have. More importantly, it makes volume trite. So much of the playing is technically good, but its lessened without contrast. By the end, you feel the album could have been 5 tracks or so and you'd have the same experience.

I'm aware there is a density the band is trying to reach. The Deftones want to push the envelope with intensity and focused volume. Many times it works, and where it seems this could be an exceptional tool to convey the nuances of that intensity, the song composition disappoints. In other words, in tracks like Minerva and Battle-Axe the choruses are extremely thick. And in those moments of thickness, there are harmonic elements that provide for beautiful contours, showing the depth of understanding the band has.

However, the most common effect of dense volume doesn't promulgate in sonorous dissonances: it becomes generic sounding. Songs are the same tempo, consisting of the same rhythms and notes and in the same structure. As much as I love the vocals, even they sound much the same after a couple of tracks, and the end result is an album that feels undeveloped, even though it ends better than it begins.

After 12 songs, Deftones shows experimentation but only within the genre that these musicians are comfortable with. They show a lot of potential and effort yet the consistencies develop into redundance with every listen. Enough to have left an impression, but not a masterpiece.

Grade: B

One Hot Minute, Red Hot Chili Peppers

Warped
Aeroplane*
Deep Kick*
My Friends
Coffee Shop
Pea
One Big Mob
Walkabout
Tearjerker
One Hot Minute
Falling Into Grace*
Shallow Be Thy Game
Transcending

After the success of Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik it seemed the Red Hot Chili Peppers could do no wrong. It was the band's commercial breakthrough and everyone eagerly awaited the follow up, which was this album. But, some critics and fans alike were let down by the album's psychadelic tone. What happened? One Hot Minute is the experimental album of the Peppers' catalogue, and on a first listen doesn't seem promising, thats what happened. However, this reviewer has found after closer inspection, the album proves to be the band's masterpiece.

Before this albums release in 1995, the Peppers were mainly a funk act. With some rock, punk and rap influences they created a unique, high energy funk formula to having fun. This album continues some of that tradition with some of the funkiest material the band has had. Tracks like Aeroplane, Deep Kick, and Walkabout are extremely groovy, highlighting the talents of Flea and Chad Smith as the rhythm section.

Where this album starts a new leaf is the heavier rock and metal influences, also the beginnings of lyrical introspection. With the introduction of Dave Navarro as guitarist, much of the album is more rock than earlier Peppers work. Songs like Warped, Coffee Shop, and the album's title track, still have the funk groove of Peppers stuff, but have a darker presentation with heavy distortion and metal riffs.

Even gentler, more poetic art rock can be seen on the album with gems like Tearjerker, and the beginning of Deep Kick. These newer kinds of RHCP songs allow for greater depth lyrically. Disillusionment, sadness, loss, and addiction are constant themes of the lyrics. At times, Anthony Keidis' lyrics actually reach the profound. Namely the beat poetry which begins one of the album's strangest tracks, Deep Kick.

Only on this album can lyrics like "And the journeys away from it[the city] we had not yet been or seen our friends' selves chase tails round and round in downward spiral," and "Picaboo street in Timbuktu, do I need to repeat that a boy named Sue, rockin' to the beat of the kangeroo, let me kiss your feet and forehead too," actually work. Sometimes heartfelt, other times nonsensical and funny. Truly the struggled growth of a band finding meaning.

What makes One Hot Minute so strange is its confusion of deep lyrics with silly ones; rock versus funk, metal versus tenderness. The album is all over the place and essentially covers the scope of what the Peppers are capable of playing. In the tension between these differing voices the Peppers are searching. For what, who knows? But the journey is more than worth the effort.

Grade: A

Broken Boy Soldiers, The Raconteurs

Steady As She Goes
Hands
Broken Boy Soldier*
Intimate Secretary
Together*
Level*
Store Bought Bones
Yellow Sun
Call It A Day
Blue Veins

The Raconteurs and their debut album, aptly named Broken Boy Soldiers, might just qualify as turning a few heads.

As a previous listener I have never been a big fan of Jack White of the White Stripes. But on this album he has other elements to calm him down, considerably the unexpected talents of Brendan Benson. Now I am not establishing Jack White or Brendan Benson as geniuses on this album. Only aspects of White's musicianship are helpful, namely the blues guitar stylings of Level, and the cryptic vocal quality of the album's title track. Where the band really shines is in the composition of Brendan Benson.

A track like Together is reminiscent of John Lennon or George Harrison of the Beatles. It is a beautifully melancholy addition to the album that would easily be the best track if it weren't for the obnoxious background vocals of White. He insists on being eccentric in every aspect of his playing, and therefore cheapens the sincerity of Benson's quiet lyrical aptitude. He even sings louder as a background vocalist than Benson does as the lead.

The two clearly get along in the end though, contributions like the title track Broken Boy Soldiers, Level, and Blue Veins, are honestly very surprising. Especially the title track, with its hypnotic rhythmic undertones in an ominous sounding tune. It even explains the playfulness of the rest of the album. Descriptions lyrically of a boy who attempts to grow up but in the end lapses and never matures are alleghorical of the band itself. There is an attempt here to make an album as serious musicians but the band chooses not to take themselves too seriously. In other words, this is a tongue-in-cheek pop/rock album with some catchy songs, some sincere ones, and a few bad ones (the biggest downer is the sheer audacity of repeating the first half of Call it a Day exactly to make it almost 4 minutes of nasally whining instead of 2).

Overall though, Broken Boy Soldiers, though nothing epic, is a fine album. It displays adequate musicianship and a diverse understanding of popular music. Think of it this way, if a student gets a C, did they learn anything? Probably. So was it worth teaching that student? Of course, and in that line of thinking this album is worth a listen... just not much more.

Grade: C+

La Mer (trois esquisses symphoniques pour orchestre), Claude Debussy

La Mer I: De L'Aube A Midi Sur La Mer*
La Mer Ii: Jeux De Vagues*
La Mer Iii: Dialogue Du Vent Et De La Mer*
Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
Nuages
Fetes
Sirenes

Firstly, to any of you thinking “I don’t like classical music,” give this a chance. This version is usually about 6 dollars at Barnes and Noble, and it sounds like no other music before it; it is truly unique. Warning: necessitates headphones.

Enough cannot be said about Debussy’s masterpiece La Mer. One of the most impressive musical achievements ever, the French composer depicts marvelously the majesty of the Sea, which is the English translation of the title. Officially called three symphonic sketches, this is technically not a symphony. That is why the album above includes other works. This reviewer suggests the purchase of this album for the quality with which the London Symphony Orchestra presents Debussy. Musically, however, I will refrain from mentioning the other tracks, as amazing as they are. The reason is because La Mer is its own work, whether or not provided on the same disc as other works; the symphonic equivalent is represented in only those three movements. Therefore, I feel justified in addressing only those three tracks as the complete work.

The movements’ English translations are, respectively, “From dawn to noon on the sea,” “Play of the waves,” and “Dialogue of the wind and the sea.” The opening with the strings truly brings the image of the Sun rising, the tides of the water becoming visible underneath the wind melody. The soft dynamic eventually grows and the sea becomes as busy as any urban metropolis. The contrasting timbres of strings, brass and woodwind respond to one another in simple motifs. Eventually they grow and recede again, as the sea does.

The movements connect with each other beautifully, elaborating on previous rhythms and harmonies, while still making every moment sound different from the previous. There is an undeniable continuity to the writing, yet La Mer manages to be peaceful at times, manic at others, sometimes even frightening. Much of the work is like a hush, barely audible if you aren’t truly listening. Climaxes of the work, however, are absurdly loud, with cymbal and gong rolls feeding each brass crescendo.

The harmonic language of Debussy is consistent like all his other works, parallel motion in melodic chord progressions. Casting aside the usual classical tendencies that say Bach or Beethoven firmly followed, Debussy makes his own sound. No previous composer had ever been as successful at harnessing the potential of all available timbres (timbre can be oversimplified as the actual quality of the sound heard). In an orchestra for example, all of the instruments provide a different timbre. What makes this work so unique is the mastery of how these timbres interact. At moments a heavy brass soli that holds out notes will contrast violin bowing in rhythm, while the flutes glissando fervently. Cymbals sweep through the sonorous landscape and the double basses roar underneath the gentle harmonies. Not one second of sound is wasted.

In his depiction of the sea, Debussy expresses a complex world with hundreds of characters and events happening at once. Brilliant.

Grade: A+

Euphoria Morning, Chris Cornell

Can't Change Me
Flutter Girl*
Preaching the End of the World*
Follow My Way
When I'm Down
Mission
Wave Goodbye*
Moonchild
Sweet Euphoria
Disappearing One
Pillow of Your Bones

Steel Rain

After making notice to Rolling Stone’s terrible review of Chris Cornell’s solo album, how better to upstage them than with a better review set on the perfect off-white coloring?

Chris Cornell’s debut solo work Euphoria Morning must be understood as one thing: not Soundgarden. Those expecting Soundgarden will be disappointed. However, once this is accepted, you won’t be disappointed. Cornell’s ability to sing using haunting, soaring vocal melodies is as strong as it ever was. There are some interesting lyrics and the instrumentalists play like veterans. The album is overall a solid performance.

The album can really be summed up by some of the lyrics in Sweet Euphoria… “In the daze of a thousand yawns, lost my love, now I’m truly gone.” This is a beautiful and unique expression, how in his complacence he lost the one he loved and that its really he who is lost. Not Shakespeare but certainly something of merit. But later in the song he drops this bombshell… “Gone are your dandelions, falling like mine, falling like daydream mangos.” Now, this isn’t the worst lyric I’ve ever heard of course, but it’s also not the worst on the album. The problem with lyrics such as these is the meaning is there but it seems expressed clumsily. I don’t think daydream mangos are very relatable, even as heavy falling objects. In other words, the lyric isn’t bad just not inspiring, mediocre in a word. The song epitomizes the album in its moments of genius and moments of… well… not genius.

I maintain that the instrumentalists play well, but nothing impressive. They have moments where something interesting happens but it feels awkward at times. The songs start to sound alike as the album progresses, hinting at the generic nature of the playing. There are enough differences that the album doesn’t sound like repetition, but there is enough lack of diversity from musicians who should know better to be disappointed. The vibe never changes and by Euphoria Morning’s end you don’t feel like you’ve really gone anywhere.

What could have addressed these issues? I feel Cornell is an underrated musician, but when left to his own devices he can cause some harm. I think short of Euphoria being put in front of the great musicians in his previous group, Soundgarden, there was little to be done. This is Cornell’s solo album, and as sincere and genuine as it is, sometimes it just falls short. It needs the differing musical opinions of Soundgarden.

Often I hear comparisons between Soundgarden and Led Zeppelin. In this case, Euphoria Morning is the Zeppelin III of the catalogue: certainly not your average rock album, but short of previous masterpieces.

Grade: B-

Make sure to wear your poncho...

Things are going to get a bit messy because here are the details. This blog will be updated spontaneously so check back whenever you get a chance. Albums will be given with a song list, indicating with asterisks the 3 most musically meritorious songs. These aren't necessarily the best songs, simply the most musically interesting. This suggests that you should pay special attention when you listen to these golden tracks.

Following will be the review itself, held to no more than 500 words. Finally shall be the album's grade, just like back at Harvard, A+ through F. Albums of all genres are fair game (including the classical equivalents, i.e. symphonies) and from all time periods. Let me make this clear, I will not review only recent albums, this isn't Rolling Stone. This is an appreciation of the beauty of music, not the ignorant quibbling of simpletons. Read the Rolling Stone review of Chris Cornell's Euphoria Morning if you don't trust my description (in case you do read it, I promise never to use the word "rhapsodically").

I will accept some requests of albums, and I will try to get all of them over time but its not like I don't have other interests, so be patient. I have matinees to catch, lunch dates, and of course video tapes to return. So please, patiently request albums for review via email at mbarb1ac@vt.edu. Thank you for your attention... try and get a table now.

Music can sooth even the most psychotic beast.

Patrick Bateman welcoming you... would you like anything? A mineral water perhaps? No? Anyway... what was the topic of discussion? Oh yes, my blog. Welcome to my blog, I think you will find it inspiring and informative. Given my own medium through which I can rant about anything I wish, I choose to share with you my love of music. Through reviewing certain albums, some great, others bad, I hope to express something about the human condition to you. Not that I find much redeeming about mankind, no, I refer to something more inherent. The kind of thing rich, well-invested, egomaniacs like myself usually sell to get ahead in life. Through the acoustics of music the human soul can express the deepest of emotions. As I said, I am not one to have feelings, any expression of them is a facade, something illusory, nevertheless, the human condition relies on emotion. Therefore I will as a moderate without true emotion, reveal the human animal for what it is: an emotional weakling. Now I'm sure you're asking yourself, "How can he claim to do all this through simply reviewing music?" My answer to you is this: it doesn't matter. Whether or not any word I've written here makes sense does not matter, as you have already read this far. There is an idea of sincerity, a mirage, but nothing of it truly exists in my words. This paragraph has meant nothing.