Reviews by meemesker

A more soulful, slightly rougher Beach Boys. This is better than anything The Beach Boys did from '72 onward. Though I adore Brian, it kinda makes you wish Dennis could've taken the reins around that point in their career and moved the group in a more compelling direction than where they ended up going.

I prefer Ali Farka Toure on his own.

There were many moments throughout this record where I simply felt embarrassed for her.

It's fine I guess, but the thing that really breaks it for me is when he does those weird little drum sounds with his mouth.

I'm sorry your son died, but I don't want to listen to this.

Kinda weird to have a compilation on here, but I guess it does sort of sum up a time and a place. This holds up quite well compared to alot of other electronic music of the era. It's moody, atmospheric, and unobtrusive - yet far from ambient. A nice balance. More like a landscape than a portrait. Plenty of space for your mind to wander inside these tracks.

I lived in Providence in 2003-2004, just after this album was released. I had moved there from Lawrence, Kansas, a cozy college town, home to a healthy indie music scene. When I arrived in Providence though, I quickly realized the musical landscape was quite a bit different from what I was used to - mainly that it seemed to center around semi-secretive warehouse shows, which were mostly noise and metal acts. One of the main record stores in town, Armageddon Shop, even focused pretty much exclusively on those two genres, and they are still able to survive to this day doing just that! Shows you how hungry people are for extreme music in Providence. This is largely due to the presence of the Rhode Island School of Design attracting folks who think WAYYY outside the box. Many of the bands there started as more or less performance pieces, and they generally have a strong visual component as a part their show. Check out Lightning Bolt drummer and RISD alum Brian Chippendale's artwork, he is a full fledged artist and illustrator in his own right. His style seems to complement the music in that he fills every possible space with intricate, almost overwhelming, detail. He drew the album cover for example. So, not only did the Providence scene have a sound, there was also a strong visual aesthetic as well, which seemed to mirror the music; being hyper-busy mutations of pop culture. Lightning Bolt were definitely the vanguard of the scene, being one of the main forces behind the Fort Thunder collective, whose physical space was unfortunately shut down shortly before I arrived in town. However, I was lucky enough to see a secret show of theirs before I moved away, and was converted to a lifelong fan during that experience. I have gone on to see them live several more times in various locations over the years. I see them every chance I get. And I'd recommend you do the same if you want to experience one of the most cathartic explosions of raw musical energy you will ever witness. Listening on earbuds isn't going to really do this justice. At the very least, try to play this at the loudest possible volume you can get away with on the largest speakers you have access to.

When I first moved to Providence I was a little apprehensive about the music scene. It seemed somewhat intimidating to me coming from a background of fairly cozy indie rock and hip hop. A few punk house basement shows here and there was as wild as it got really. Noise and metal were two genres that I really hadn't explored yet, especially in a live setting. But eventually I was seduced, first by the artwork that surrounded it, and then by the music itself. It became clear to me that this was one of the most original and significant mutations in rock music I was going to witness in my lifetime. First, they strip everything down to its core (drums and bass with only occasional vocal punctuations), even the drum kit itself is stripped down to essentials. Then, they turn everything to 11: volume, distortion, and simply their own physical limits in terms of playing. It goes beyond punk and metal into transcendental art territory. Don't just listen to this either, look up a video of them playing on YouTube. The documentary "The Power of Salad" is a great introduction to the band. You will see that Brian Chippendale is the closest a human being can get to Animal from the Muppets. This shit is not just noise and cacaphony. They are tight as fuck and there are undeniable grooves underpinning everything. The album is like being shuffled instantly from one rollercoaster to another, to another, to another. You are left drained and woozy, but exhilarated. And the best part of all, to me at least, is that, as heavy as it may be, it isn't particularly dark music - it's more a sort of manic joy than anything. They are able to tap into an almost childlike wonder through the sheer power and intensity of their playing.

I have to say though, it did take awhile for their sound to grow in me. And, had I not temporarily lived in the veritable heart of the US Noise scene, I might never have taken that time. In a way it was like exposure therapy or endurance training, but coming out on the other side, not only did I have a greater appreciation for heavier music, I had a greater appreciation for music in general. Listening to Lightning Bolt made me truly appreciate music itself as a sort of raw material - a transference of energy. It didn't blow my ears out, rather, it retrained them to hear nuances in things that I previously didn't think had any nuance whatsoever. It's the closest thing to taking a musical drug that I've ever experienced, besides maybe some of Steve Reich's early works. Lightning Bolt and others from that scene expanded my palette and gave me more stamina and patience to listen to the expression of the music itself, rather than fixate on things like words or beauty. Their sound might stop you in your tracks, but if you can overcome that impulse to immediately flee, you could be rewarded with powerful, even liberating feelings, that you might not be able to access otherwise. Lightning Bolt are aptly named, they are a force of nature.

My favorite Neil album. As a teenager I would listen to a cassette copy on my walkman over and over while mowing lawns.

This is quite an accomplishment for 1979. Leading the way towards a transition to the electronic sound that would come to dominate pop music in the 80s. I'm sure the Velvet Underground cover is done with reverence, but I think it takes the album down a notch.

We had just gotten out of the 90s but for some reason The Vines wanted to take us straight back there.

Like being haunted by a low energy ghost.

Another album that sneaks onto the list only by way of UK bias. Unexceptional to the point of being annoying. Taking up precious space that could be filled by more worthy artists. My suggestions for a replacement from 2004 would be MF Doom's "Mm..Food," Fiery Furnace's "Blueberry Boat," Dungen's "Ta det lugnt," or Animal Collective's "Sung Tongs."

Robert Wyatt is polarizing but I tend to find his sound oddly comforting.

Peak Wu-Tang. Like visiting an old friend and when it's time to go you're like, "damn! we should hang out more often."

Not bad, but not great. There are some interesting moments here and there, but they never quite coalesce.

Yuck. This is like eating a plate of candy for dinner. And not chocolates either, but the artificially flavored fruit ones that get stuck on your teeth.

And I thought it couldn't get any worse than Kid Rock. Turns out I was deeply mistaken. I can now barely hold down my job as I have become significantly dumber after listening to this. Limp Bizkit. Not even once.

The more albums I listen to by PJ Harvey, the more I'm convinced she's the true queen of rock. And it all started here.

It's like Nick Drake got properly treated with experimental anti-depressants, fell in love with a girl at a Renaissance Fair, and joined a commune/band with her near Stonehenge. Though the voices are pretty, I kind of wish this was purely instrumental so I could focus more on the intricacies of their interplay.

I am unabashedly nostalgic for this album and the era of hip hop it came from. This came out just when I was just beginning to develop my own musical consciousness apart from what my parents put on. I know every one of these songs despite never having owned a copy of the album myself. I had friends who had the cassette, and we were too young to have much money, so we'd all buy different albums and share. Plus the videos for the singles were all over Yo! MTV Raps and the video jukebox channel.

LL Cool J is severely underrated. He, and this album in particular, was a fucking juggernaut when it came out. I feel like around 93/94 any rap that wasn't overtly gangster became viewed as somewhat passe, even in retrospect, which is a shame. Dude was a pioneer and he played a big part in popularizing hip hop with a mass audience. His delivery is iconic, particularly on the ferocious title track.