Bomb the Music Industry!/ O Pioneers!!! Split

Before I start into the album review, I would first like to point you all to the website where the music can be downloaded from. (Quote Unquote Records) Really, it's a great place, any Bomb the Music Industry CD is worth buying, and to get it for free or whatever donation you feel like giving, should you be so inclined is an outright blessing. I'd also encourage you to check out the other bands on there, I know I will.

Anyhow, with all that out of the way, here it is:

Bomb The Music Industry!/O Pioneers!!! Split

Cost: As previously stated, it costs whatever you want it to cost. Sweet action eh?
Some CD info: There's not really much I can say here, as the only information I know about it is available right there on the page where you get it. I can tell you this about the artwork though, it's done by the insanely awesome Mitch Clem, creator of the webcomics "Nothing Nice to Say," "San Antonio Rock City," and "My Stupid Life." All of which can be found at (www.mitchclem.com) all three are fantastic and I advise you memorize each and every strip and repeat them at all future social functions, people will think you're cool. . . or at least I will.
Genre: Punk
Track Breakdown:
Bomb The Music Industry
1. Save the War - It's difficult to put beliefs aside and cast an objective eye onto anything which carries a controversial message. In this song, the issue of the Iraq war and our culture is touched upon and in order to make my stance known so that you can judge for yourself how it will reflect my opinion of the work as a whole I agree with the message the song puts forward. (The overall ideals expressed are profoundly left-wing in case you were wondering at this point.) Regardless of political ideology however, the tune is classic punk with up tempo rhythm and a catchy hook, a real winner.
2. I'm Terrorfied!!! - Frontman for BtMI! Jeff Rosenstock had a dream that one day black children and white children could eat together at the same table and...actually no he had a dream where he and his mother were standing on the roof of a building as it was hit by planes and bombs. When he awoke, he found that terrorists had been planning an attack with the number of planes in his dream saying " I think that you've clearly had way too much television fear instilled in you when you can effectively predict terrorist attacks." The song is good, it's a solid 2 and a half minutes of enjoyable music. Good lyrics and executed well, not a lot more to say really.
3. This is a Singalong - This is probably my least favorite track of BtMI!'s contribution to this split, it fails to engage me, due in large part to it's repetitive lyrics and mediocre delivery. To quote Queen Victoria, "One is not amused."
4. Ghost of a Corporate Future - A cover of a Regina Spektor song, and in the humble opinion of this reviewer, it's better than the original. Still not as good as the "Save the War" or "Terrorfied" but it's alright every now and again. Good, but not great.
O Pioneers!!!
5. Punknews Is Stoked - Focusing on what can be found in the comments of the news and reviews over at (Punk News) O Pioneers!!! kick their half of the album off right with a rough and ready minute long jam that'll have you yelling along. The sound isn't half as polished as what you'll be expecting after the BtMI! but the coarse, raw waves of sound have their own unique charm.
6. Yo Bones! - The instruments sound similar to "Punknews Is Stoked," and the major difference lies in the delivery of the vocals. They're not as. . .I suppose the word would be intense as in the preceding track but once again, they're good and fit in well with the sound that O Pioneers!!! is clearly trying to establish.
7. You Know That Part in Superman III, Where He Is All Bad Ass and Stuff? Yeah, I Bet That's How You Feel Right Now. - I think I may like this song more than I actually like this song, entirely due to the title. It's fun, it's got a hook, and it lives up to the greatness it's name suggests it should have.
8. Bad Scene, Aaron's Fault - I don't know who Aaron is, but if this song is his fault then kudos to him. It's good stuff indeed. . . You may want more information but I'm fairly tired, perhaps I should start doing these things in the afternoon instead of in the 11 PM to 4 AM timeslot.

Summary: Both these band's are truly excellent examples of modern punk, I walked into this not knowing much about O Pioneers!!! and I walked out thinking I should acquaint myself with them further. I already knew and loved the library of BtMI! works, so I'm sort of surprised that I wasn't as big a fan of their half. Sure "Save the War" and "Terrorfied" are amazing, but I don't think it's enough to balance out the two ends. Still, the album is name your own price. . . and I'm thinking 4-5 dollars is in order here, maybe more if I weren't trying to keep this whole project relatively cheap.
I'm giving this one 3.5/5

Extra note: A lot of links in this post, all of them are worth your time, so check 'em on out eh?

Ease Down The Road

Two more CD's arrived today, however I'll only be reviewing one of them now, the other we will save for tomorrow or sometime later in the week. Today's CD is:

Ease Down the Road: By: Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Cost: $3.99
Some CD/Artist Info: Release in 2001, "Ease Down the Road" marks the seventh album in a long line of various monikers by artist Will Oldham. Previously he released CD's various names containing the word "Palace." Oldham adopted the identity of Bonnie "Prince" Billy on his album "I See A Darkness" and has stuck with it ever since.
Genre: Indie, Folk, Post-Punk. (It's difficult to label accurately.)
Track Breakdown:
1. May It Always Be - The opening track is tiring to listen to, and I don't mean that in a bad way. The tone it sets out is so incredibly peaceful, serene, and relaxing that it puts whale songs to shame. The guitars are melodic and the way the lyrics are sung quietly enough to be distinguishable but not loudly enough to be even mildly abrasive makes this song a real keeper. It's tough to make a song this soft keep listeners enthralled but the Bonnie Prince really pulled it off.
2. Careless Love - Though not as enthralling as "May It Always Be," "Careless Love" is another beautifully done song, it's short though the content is anything but sweet it's tale of a one night stand and it's hints at a suicide after said stand. It takes a bit more focus to turn this from simple background music to something that you're actively listening to, but it's worth it.
3. A King At Night - It sounds up-beat, the vocals sound positively cheery when backed by the wonderfully melodic guitar and piano until you realize the the lyrics include lines such as
"There is blood on my hands
From the murder of a man
This is how I start another day in my kingdom"
I'll leave the song review on this one by saying that it's done incredibly. It's easily one of the best, if not the best song on the album.
4. Just to See My Holly Home - Really this is the perfect example of the element which ties this album together, but I'll leave that talk for the CD summary. What I will say at this point is that the melody is up-tempo and the lyrics aren't as softly spoken as the previous tracks, but as far as ambiance goes it's a nice bit of a break from the slower songs which precede it.
5. At Break of Day - Ahh lust and love, two of the most popular themes for songs of all time, and this one combines both into one. The lyrics are masterfully crafted, describing the love a man feels for that special someone while also describing the adulterous affair he conducts with multiple women who aren't that special someone without being cheesy in the love area or crass in the lust area.
6. After I Made Love to You - Lacking the subtlety of "At Break of Day" it still manages to avoid the common pitfalls found in songs containing similar subject matter. The instrumentals remain impressive, as do the vocals, what really took this song up to the level set by the other songs were the back-up vocals. Usually in most songs the back-ups are a non-factor, adding nothing, but taking nothing away from the song as a whole but their deft employment here really makes it shine.
7. Ease Down The Road - It is obvious why this song is the title track, the themes of the album are played out well, and I wonder why the banjo they have on this song wasn't featured more prominently in other tracks. That could just be because I like banjos though. Oldham's voice though still calm on this track, sounds less, for lack of a better word, frail than in the other songs on the album, and I think for this particular song it was a wise move. The content required a more confident sounding voice, whereas the previous songs required a certain neediness and it's a testament to Oldham's talent that he knows when the change is required and moreover that he is capable of singing in both manners well.
8. The Lion Lair - In a deviation from the path which the rest of the album has been leading us on, we find "The Lion Lair." It feels curiously out of place here, which isn't to say it's bad it's just not quite like the rest of the album except for the pastoral aura it emits. It's a bit drawn out at 6:02, just under 2 minutes longer than it's nearest rival in length "King At Night" and sadly the length doesn't do it any favors. It seems a bit drawn out and though it is fine to listen to once, you'll want to move on and listen to some other things before giving it another listen.
9. Mrs. William - I feel as though I should be out on the front porch sipping lemonade and tuning my fiddle as I listen to this. There's a violin in the background that, like the banjo in "Ease Down The Road" I wish there was more of. Short of that however it's a nice song about sleeping with other mens wives, and I think in reality, aren't those the songs our society needs more of?
10. Sheep - A much more somber tune than any thus far on the album, it's another "Lion Lair-esque" diversion from what the other songs have led us to expect. Once again, it isn't a bad thing and unlike "Lion Lair" it doesn't suffer from being drawn out.
11. Grand Dark Feeling of Emptiness - Introspective and melancholy without being overly depressing, "Dark Feeling" manages to make the pity we feel for the singer or the man in the story feel genuine and deserved. It inspires an emotion which is not easily brought about, and which the Emo culture has been wishing they could capture since it's conception, however they just end up sounding whiny. Here Bonnie Prince Billy has given us an anthem for those rare reflective moments in our life.
12. Rich Wife Full of Happiness - As a final cheer up moment we leave the darker waters of "Sheep" and "Grand Dark Feeling" and end up on one more story of lust and love, laughter and the sticking of fingers up behinds (Yes that's an actual line). An excellent finale to an excellent album.

Summary: It was hard to review this album, especially in the track breakdown, because the songs are all so well done that it was hard to point out the positives without just repeating myself. If it seemed a bit samey I apologize. There's just so much going on here and it's all great, the instrumentals are relaxing yet engaging thanks to it's partnership with Oldham's vocal stylings. Then once you regard it as more than background music and take time to listen to the lyrics you find the songs which sound like the kind you'd hear that hippie you had for a camp counselor back when you were in grade school playing around the campfire, are in fact sexually charged tales of unfaithfulness and occasional violence. It's like they took a Bukowski manuscript and hid it behind pianos and acoustic guitars, and I really can't get enough.
I wouldn't have expected that I'd be into this kind of music, but "Ease Down the Road" has quickly risen into the ranks of my favorite albums, and at $4.00 it's a steal. Go out and pick this one up immediately.
I'm giving this one 5/5

Introduction: (Heads Are Gonna Roll)

I'll forgo the usual "OMG this R T3h neW Blogzorz" post, and simply tack a quick introduction onto my first review.

I'm a fan of music, hell I think we all are. However, I'm also not rolling about in vaults full of cash in Scrooge McDuck style...I'm barely rolling on a single...what I'm trying to say is, I'm lacking in cash to finance my love of music. But I'm not here to ask for donations, I'm here to provide a service and help all you other cash-strapped folks out there. The albums may not be recent, as you'll soon find out, but sometimes the old 'uns are the best. Finally, I'd like to note that I have no background in music history or criticism, but hopefully I'll improve over the course of this adventure into the already saturated world of online criticisms. Now, onto the review.

Heads Are Gonna Roll: By: The Hippos
Cost: $1.50 + $2.98 on shipping
Some CD Info: Released in 1999 "Heads Are Gonna Roll" was The Hippos' second CD release and it's first on a major label.
Genre: Ska-Pop
Track Breakdown:
1. Lost It - A strong leading track, it's beat drags the listener in mercilessly and clubs their eardrums with some good horns and vocals. The lyrics are catchy and the inherent poppiness of the track makes it the kind of song you'll find yourself singing along to.

2. Wasting My Life - Along with their cover of "Always Something There To Remind Me," this song is what convinced me to get off my ass and purchase a Hippos album. It's the only track that received significant air-time when the CD dropped, though after listening to the rest of the album I question why. The song is quality, however when compared to some of the other songs (I.E. Thinking, Pollution, Lost It) it seems rather average. The synth hook is good and the lyrics are easy to relate to with it's tale of time wasted chasing the unattainable, but it doesn't have the grab and, dare I say, oomph of it's counter-parts. Perhaps it's just because I've been listening to this one for a while, whereas the others are new. Anyhow, moving on.

3. Struggling - Laying on the synths as thick as jam on a good piece of toast (It should be thick, it tastes better that way) this song has the boys leaning further into the pop side of their ska-pop divide. The vocal styling has more variation here, as lead singer Ariel Rechtshaid spends significant portions of the song pulling off a rougher sounding voice. The only real downside is that it's a bit repetitive, luckily the song isn't incredibly long so unless you put it on repeat it won't seem too bad.

4. Pollution - Unlike the angst-ridden songs about bad relationships which are so common these days, this song on the same subject comes across sounding like several pixies of joy just crapped in the happiness river. (I apologize for the crude imagery if anybody out there on the interwebs is actually offended by such things.) This remarkably up-beat sounding song has me tapping my feet as I write this...and my fingers which is causing multiple typos. An excellent track.

5. Thinking - Coming off of the bad relationship story in "Pollution" we land in the next relationship saga and this time it's working out well for our Hippos. Much to the delight of my inner rude-boy the band has dug out it's horns and gone ska for this song. Moreover with lines like:

"I can't stop thinking
while I'm on the can
your eyes pop into my mind again and again"

It's tough not to smile, get up, bust out some fresh dance moves, or just flail around aimlessly if you're not gifted in the coordination and grace department.

6. Something - Keeping on track with the ska set out in "Thinking," "Something" hooks the listener with a few swift horn blasts. I can't really say much about the track other than, I dig it, and the message that you too can make something of yourself is certainly appreciated. Thanks Hippos, for letting me know that I too can be something.

7. Always Something There To Remind Me - Sure it's a cover, but it's a damn fine one. I'd go so far as to say I enjoy it more than the original version. Other than that, not a whole lot to go over on this rehashing.

8. Better Watch Your Back - It lacks the immediate hook of the previous songs as the first 12 seconds are, to be perfectly honest, dull as dirt. Then again, that's only 12 seconds right? The song as a whole has a relatively different sound when compared with it's peers and though I like it, I'm not enthralled. Not one of the best tracks on the album, but it's certainly listenable.

9. The Sand - Fitting along with it's beach-based content, the song has a definite surf-rock vibe about it. It's also surprisingly bouncy, the way the singer enunciates and the beat of the song seem to literally pulsate. It's not as catchy as the other songs up to this point though, barring "Better Watch Your Back."

10. Paulina - Of all the songs on the album this one has the biggest variance in how much I like it, it starts out with a slower tone and unfortunately they couldn't make it work entirely. They sound uncomfortable playing in this different style, the instrumentals sound off somehow and the vocals are lacking. However about halfway through it loosens the reigns and reverts to it's forte of fast-paced music that they actually seem happy to be playing. An old timey piano and horn piece at about 2:00 is where it plateaus and the remaining minute is pure class.

11.Far Behind - A new version of a song from the band's first album, the song suffers from a dull intro but it picks up fairly quickly. The song isn't stellar but it's certainly good enough to see why it deserves a place on the album.

12. All Alone - After the lack of a good hook in the last two songs, "All Alone" breaks the rut with what sounds like a recorder. Who would have thought recorders could be good for anything other than the brown noise? It's a nice little jam that manages to build up towards the end of the album and along with "He Said" helps to redeem the somewhat lackluster second half of the album.

13. He Said - The drums and horns are really what make this song great, it's got an incredible chorus and is chock full of awesome little extras like a xylophone solo at 3:00. If they'd ended the album on this song, the album would truly have ended with a bang.

14. Paulina (Reprise) - Unfortunately the album ends, not with "He Said" but with this. Sure it replays some of the good parts of Paulina in a slightly varied manner from the original, however it ends the album flat and is leaves me feeling like I should go back to the previous track and just eject or stop the disc before it transitions to this.

Summary: As a whole the album is excellent for the price, there's a solid 9 songs on there that I could listen to repeatedly and there isn't an entirely awful song in the set. However, tracks 8-11 and 14 cause the back end of the album to sag a bit, which inevitably knocks the ranking down a bit.

All in all, I give this one a 3.5/5.