Oooohh yeah, that Dylan Cover by Ministry is a great one. Forgot about it.
Can't remember if I've ever talked about the brilliance of The Wiggles covering Tame Impala's "Elephant", but I'm ok with repeating myself. This is just incredibly well-played, and I actually can't listen to the original song anymore without thinking of this version that includes the "Fruit Salad" interlude.
Most covers of Kiss songs (not that I hate Kiss, but it seems they've inspired a lot of great bands who do good covers). Apart from Goin' Blind and The Replacements Black Diamond cover, this Bathory Deuce cover is a bop.
I’ve read that some consider this album, and maybe even this song, to be the death knell for the Britpop scene. And, if it is, then it ended with a bang. (Well, not really a bang, more like a disenchanted malaise.)
I've been listening to this song a lot the past few months. Like, a weird amount, so I figured writing out some thoughts would help me identify what I like about it.
I love the three act play structure of the song.
You’ve got the overture that opens everything up: Some lurching trip-hoppish drums that sound ENORMOUS. Room-filling. Accompanied by this sample of some Bond era brass, and a plaintive descending piano line, the whole thing is dripping with drama & tragedy from the start. Around the 50 second mark, live orchestration enters to add more depth to the overall sound and fill out the texture that the sample provides.
Act 1: Dream and Initiation- “eh, what’s that? You want fame? Well here’s how you’re going to get it.”
The bass creeps in during that first verse and adds a low end that is absent without the orchestration. Although, I guess it’s not exactly just the low end, because it’s fairly prominent in the mix.
I love how Jarvis goes through three very different deliveries in this first part. (Maybe more than that.) Verse 1 it’s very measured speaking kind of voice. Then he goes up to a falsetto for the part that starts “I want it bad”. Finally, I love the more acerbic delivery of the lines, “I’ve seen all the pictures…” you can hear the sneer he must be making when he says that.
That piano comes in to punctuate the ends of verse and transitions, and I’m a big fan of that too.
Act 2: Performance “we’re going to give you what you want, but you’re going to do it they way we want you to do it.”
Huge musical shift here. We’ve got this kind of dream-like feel to the beginning of this section with the piano arpeggios and the addition of the guitar for the first verse. The drums have dropped out except for some light cymbals to keep the rhythm.
The drums come back in along with the orchestration to build to the (ahem) climax, which is appropriately the loudest and most aggressive the song has been so far.
Right after the second “that it took me this long” the instrumentation has died down enough that you can hear that sample pop back in before the next verse starts. I like that.
Act 3: Encore? “we lived up to our end of the bargain, now what are you going to do next?”
I love how the orchestration is working around that initial sample again, but in a totally different way. Makes it sound way different. Appropriate given the lyrical content and purpose of the song I suppose.
Once again, I have to admire Jarvis Cocker for his ability to alter his delivery as often as he does. It gives the effect of playing multiple characters throughout this song. He brings back that sarcastic delivery with the “that goes in there” lines.
Final note is that trumpets are an underutilized instrument. Can really add some great texture to anything, as it does to the final minute of this song.
Well, that’s probably more words than anybody needs to spend talking about one song.
Genre(s): Drum n Bass, Instrumental Hip Hop, Jungle
This album is one of the most successful fusions of Drum n Bass and instrumental hip hop I've ever heard. The use of samples on this one is superb. The Bad Brains sample on track 2 really caught me off guard. I knew I wasn't listening to a typical DnB record after that track. I wish there was some more fusion of hard rock/metal riffs in music of this style. It may sound dated to some, but I think it works. The vocal samples remind me of some early Doom and DJ Shadow's ...Endtroducing. It's the DnB cousin to ..Endtroducing at the very least, because It's definitely an album about and centered around the drums. Kind of floored it doesn't have more recognition outside it apparently being used in the notorious flash game "Pico's School" which I did not know about prior to listening. * If you're at all interested in any of the above albums or genres, then I would say this is a must listen.
*EDIT Uh, I guess this song was also on the soundtrack for The Matrix? My mind is absolutely blown, because I know my brother had this album at one point, so I must've have heard this track at a young age. It's not even used in the movie, so the Wachowski's must've thought it just matched The Matrix vibe.
** ALSO, that's the most AI-generated looking cover I've ever seen for something that is not AI generated. Pretty rad.
As far as atmospheric DnB is concerned, this is a top album right here. And, like a lot of albums of its kind, it's too long and not too sonically diverse, but the vibe is immaculate. The first track "Universal Love" is fantastic, and it has all of the elements of this genre (and related genres) that I love.
female vocal hook
theme of humanitarian togetherness
tight repetitive groove
for added flavor, some jazzy sax and a solo
The rest of the album has some slight deviations from this formula but not much. The last 5 tracks make a nice instrumental suite from "Shadow Run" to "Solar Emissions".
Most might get bored by about Track 3 or 4 here, but if you'd like to put something on in this style, then I'd say you can't go wrong here.
Genre(s): Power Pop, Progressive Pop, Baroque Pop, etc.
WARNING: Gets rambly and incoherent at times. (Eh, what's new?)
Boy, I can't tell you how much I missed out on; not having this band, and this album in particular, in my life sooner. I might've just as easily picked the 1990 debut, Bellybutton, instead of their follow up, Spilt Milk, but this one certainly seems a tad more fully-formed and realized in its purpose and execution.
I think one of the worst things a critic or reviewer can do is assume the purpose of the artist. But, I feel confident that, to some extent, the purpose of Jellyfish was to recreate the sound of the 60s and early 70s for the 90s. Today, this is certainly not a new or novel concept in the least. And, there were plenty of artists influenced by artists like the Beatles, Beach Boys, in the late 70s and 80s, but it wasn't until the 90s that true "revivals" started to crop up. (Note to self: There is probably some kind of chronological thing here that would be worth researching. When did influence change to homage, to revival? When does it become "original" again?)
Also, let's list the other influences while I'm thinking about them.
T. Rex
Van Dyke Parks
Harry Nilsson
Queen
Kinks
Jellyfish is the only other band, besides maybe the Olivia Tremor Control, to successfully recreate a similar sound in this era.
Andy Sturmer's, Jellyfish, as many fans and converts would proclaim, should have been one of the biggest bands of the era. The fact that they weren't probably has some logical and industry reasoning, but it still puzzles many a listener to this day. The debut and the follow up are exploding with the kind of memorable lyrics, hooks, and melodies that defined the previous generations. (Whose oeuvre is called to mind on this album.)
If there was a thesis for this album, I'd say it happens in the 2nd track, "Joining a Fan Club" in between 1:54 and 2:11
The strings that accentuate and contrast with the main verse, the transition to a harder and faster bridge all within the span of about 20 seconds. This is the most accurate exhibition of "Power Pop". All in a song with smart lyrics depicting the similarities of fandom and organized religion.
"New Mistake" sees a traditional ballad of sorts updated for a new age. And what a concept. The "new mistake" is an unexpected child, but the orator still cares and loves for the child all the same. It's these kind of juxtapositions, musically and lyrically, that separate Jellyfish from any other kind of similar concept band of the time. And, this song would be a great moment to talk about the performances on this album. (Especially by enigmatic frontman Andy Sturmer.)
I'm so glad that live footage of this short-lived band exists, so I could see that this brilliant musician actually did play drums and sing these parts at the same time. (Standing up no less!!!) Sturmer's vocals are incredibly assured, variable, and thematic. They are always complimentary to any of the highly eclectic instrumentals on the album.
Ah man, this album really deserves a thorough evaluation track by track, but I think I'm going to cut out here. It's so fucking good. I'm relistening to it now as I'm writing this, and I just reached "Russian Hill" realizing that all of the tracks on this DO NOT miss. That echoed voice that comes in on that track. Some slide guitar. The atmosphere is incredible. The jazz & baroque elements that saturate the bridge. What an incredible track.
I guess I can't fully stop this review until I talk about my favorite track "Brighter Day" which should probably be a planetary anthem. I think I could see the nations of the Earth marching down a wide boulevard to this song. However, it's not because this is some kind of track about coming together and making the world brighter. It may seem that way on the surface, but it's actually about how we keep carrying on with some kind of mindless positivity in spite of the horror and shit that penetrates our daily lives.
But man is it catchy. And it lurches along at a perfect "parade-like" pace too. The horns help fill out that atmosphere as well. Just a fantastic track conceptually, and a dour note to end on for Jellyfish for this album and as a band. It is a shame that this is the seeming end for Andy Sturmer and this project. He's continued to make music, but it has to be one of the biggest "what ifs" I could think of. Certainly a megahit was on the horizon for them at some point. Not that they're similar in the slightest, but what if U2 would've stopped making music after "October"? Some bands may just take a couple of records to fully catch on. I feel like if they would've kept it up just for a few more that they would have reached a glorious peak. Having only two albums from this band is criminal, but I'll be thankful for what we got, I guess.
Just, uh, just go check this out if you haven't. Or maybe take another listen if it's been awhile.
Best Track(s): "Joining A Fan Club", "New Mistake", "Bye Bye Bye", "Russian Hill", "Brighter Day"*
Experimental Rock, Post-Rock, Indie Rock
Krautrock, Post-Punk, Noise Rock, Dub, Shoegaze, Trip Hop
Well, the astute among you have already noticed the band's name is a CAN song, so you can probably guess a little what this album sounds like. But that would only be half of it. Think the jazzy and funky elements of CAN filtered through Mark E Smith and The Fall. (Who coincidentally also reference CAN in the song 'I Am Damo Suzuki').
Even the scrawled cryptic messages on the cover recall the cover for The Fall's 1982 masterpiece "Hex Enduction Hour". Those of you that have read many of my inanities in the past already know that I'm a big fan of anything by The Fall, so you know I wouldn't make this comparison lightly. I'm not the first to do so, but I agree with others that have made the same observation.
It's an updated Fall for the 90s, with some timely influences and songwriting that fits better with what was going on in the UK at the time.
The first track may have you prepared for a particular kind of album, but it only serves as a jumping off point for the eclecticism on display here. First off, the shouty nigh-comprehensible bloke that recalls the aforementioned Fall is not on every track here. Hopefully you're also familiar with a great band called Laika, as this band was has two members whom were first featured here. One being lead vocalist and guitarist Margaret Fiedler. Her tracks on this album, including standout 'Beautiful Pigeon', have a slightly different vibe than the tracks with Dave Callahan on vocals.
Hard to describe an 'Experimental Rock' album, especially when, unlike others that may have that tag, this one actually lives up to that moniker. Odd instrumentation an atonality abound (as they should) while still remaining in the 4 minute rock song format.
The first track 'Wanderlust' has this weird muted horn line that sneaks behind the verses and chorus that I'm greatly interested in. It's minor, but it makes an impact on the legitimacy of the "experimental" nature of the album.
PS.
The Pop Group and PIL's 'Flowers of Romance' should also be mentioned as well for influences and comps.
Best Track(s): "Wanderlust", "City Poison", "Beautiful Pigeon"
Genre(s): Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Progressive Metal, Brazilian Music
This album has to be the most FUN I've had listening to a metal album in a long time. Like Iron Maiden levels of running around pumping your fist in the air fun.
This is probably the most melodic and ballady Power Metal album I've heard. It's not necessarily a sound I usually go for; however, on this album, it really works for me. It's over the top to the point of being a little cheesy sometimes (like maybe the track 'Make Believe') but it's just got such a sense of musical fun to it's of no consequence. The cheesiest aspect is definitely the mid90s MIDI "classical" instrumentation, but I absolutely love that aspect of it too. Makes it feel kind of like a period FPS soundtrack.
The harmonies on this album, both guitar and vocal, are catchy in a way that most music of this style never seems to achieve.
There are some actual classical influences on this album with the chorus on the opening track and "Deep Blue". The other disparate influences include some of the Brazilian percussion added to tracks like "Holy Land". Like a lot of bands in the listed genres, Angra's "Holy Land" is a concept album. The concept being the Brazilian land being a "Holy Land" prior to colonization, and some of the results of European influence. So the music is reflecting the native sounds and the western classical music of the colonizers.
Finding it hard to properly describe this album really. It feels both familiar and original at the same time. I can't say I've heard anything quite like it before. The performances are all top notch as you'd expect. All of the musicians are tight and the vocalist is superb for this style of music.
Best Track(s): "Nothing to Say", Carolina IV, Holy Land, Z.I.T.O.
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