Reviews by meemesker

Liars at their peak before they go out the window with "Drum's Not Dead." They strike a decent balance between noise and rock. I like they way they start the album with the buzz of an amp that has an attached cord being touched to metal in a melodic/rhythmic way. Would make a good soundtrack to a horror movie.

Where do I begin with this most mythic album? I learned of the great lost masterpiece when I was in college in the early 2000s. We would download stem tracks of unknown origins, and people would compile their own hypothetical approximations. The narrative and mystique surrounding SMiLE is the stuff of legend - almost sacred in certain circles, including my own. It was a thing of perfect beauty when it existed only in these little glimmers, and the rest was left to your imagination. Which is why, when Brian Wilson decided to record this version in 2004, I was hesitant to listen to it at first. I was worried it would be too little, too late - afraid it would shatter that perfect vision I had. Boy was I wrong. In fact I'd have to say it far exceeded my expectations.

This is one of the most singularly original pieces of music ever recorded, and I am jealous of all those who got to see it performed live around the time of its release. It is not only an incredibly rich musical experience, but the story behind it represents the triumph of the human spirit and creativity itself. The fact that Brian Wilson was able to finally confront, overcome, and ultimately embrace what he considered to be his life's greatest failure is nothing short of miraculous. This has to be the grandest, most beautiful catharsis ever recorded. Its complex structure is anchored by 4 absolute pillars of songwriting; "Heroes and Villains," "Cabin Essence," "Surf's Up," and "Good Vibrations," each of which is like a mini-epic of its own. Those crown jewels are situated in the surrounding material in such a way that they become almost inseparable from their context once you hear it as it was intended. When taken altogether, it truly sounds like a teenage symphony to God.

All that being said, I do have a strong preference for the 2011 Smile Sessions version, which uses the original Beach Boys recordings. Although BWPS does contain some notable and interesting differences, I wish it was Smile Sessions which was in its place on this list. If you like what you hear on BWPS, I beg you to give Smile Sessions a listen on a good pair of headphones to experience these songs in their full glory. These 5 stars are for the idea of SMiLE in all its forms. May it live forever alongside the works of the greatest composers.

People say you're the British Strokes, that's what you're not.

These guys didn't give a fuck in the most interesting way possible. Their unique context allowed them to get away with pushing the envelope further than most could at the time. The sheer intensity of the playing on this album is simply amazing. So uninhibited, with this fierce bitter anger underlying every note of their mutant garage rock, no matter how sarcastically sweet they try to make it. Sounds at once overly rigid to the point of absurdity, and like sheer wild abandonment. I'm so glad they made their catharsis into an album.

New York rap from the 90s almost always works for me, and this is no exception. DJ Premier's beats are the star of the show here. His samples are brave, almost avant-garde, even dissonant at times, yet he still manages to make everything into a head-bobber. He creates such a rich atmosphere from so few elements. He cuts the samples up in a way that calls attention to the cuts themselves and it really punctuates the songs.

Though this isn't my favorite Van Morrison album - that would be his next: Moondance, this is a very unique and brave album. I respect the faith he had in the musicians to improvise the arrangements around his wandering musings. I do enjoy the sound, but they don't necessarily feel like songs, more like emotional landscapes you temporarily immerse yourself in.

The most interesting parts of this album were the intros, especially the more industrial ones. I wish they would have incorporated them more into the songs themselves. Other than that, it's fairly exhausting stuff.

Right off the bat it has two strikes against it from me, simply for being a live compilation album, and for being way too long. It is also comprised of a fair amount of their more forgettable material. Being a live album you have to listen to all of James Hetfield's ad libs throughout, which completely pull you out of the moment each time "Thank You Baby! Yeah!" And did they really have to mic the fucking audience?

Check out those professional reviews listed on Wikipedia. This was NOT critically acclaimed in any way. Everyone knew this was a self indulgent stunt made as an entertaining stop gap during a creative nadir. It's a novelty, not something for the ages. The success of that novelty is certainly subjective, but to my ear it just makes them sound laughably melodramatic.

And feast your eyes on that album cover. It looks like they paid $30 to someone on Fiverr for the design.

Though I prefer his more experimental material, this is still a great pop record. Starts off strong with "Red Rain" and "Sledgehammer." Reminds me of being in a mall in the 80s in a positive/nostalgic way.

I'm not a big fan of the G-Funk sound.

One of the first prog rock albums and one of the best. Definitely has a schizophrenic quality, vacillating between heavy and delicate throughout the record. The opening track is worth the price of entry alone. Such a big sound.

My friend's band in college would do a cover of "I Saw The Light" as one of their signature tunes. That track in particular has a very special place in my heart for that reason, and it's no wonder Todd led with it as a single. There are plenty of other spectacular tunes here as well, but he hadn't refined his manic creative energy yet like he went on to do with "A Wizard, A True Star." I kind of admire his kitchen sink attitude, and it still amazes me how he played the vast majority of the music himself, but yes, it is too long. A classic example of what could have been a brilliant single album that gets bogged down in its own ambition.

I usually like things with a strong 80s sound, but this is where I draw the line I guess. There is an intriguing character to some of the performances, but ultimately it seems insincere. This could have been far more palatable if they had edited the tracks and album length down to a more standard 40-45 minutes, but as is, it's just exhausting. Sounds like a latter day deluxe edition reissue full of outtakes, even though it's not. I guess it was hard to show restraint when you were coked out of your mind in the 80s.

What a show! Such energy and stamina. Heavy psychedelic science fiction is a winning combination in my book.

Peak psychedelia from The Byrds. A pleasant sound despite the inner turmoil.

I'm very conflicted about this album. It's such a mixed bag. There are some tracks that I really enjoy (the first 3), and rest I can't stand. It starts so strong, but then begins to slowly unravel until I can't wait for it to be over. I appreciate their efforts to humanize electronic music, but honestly I think I prefer it served cold. Their first two albums resonate with me far more than this.

Peak Metallica.

So the day has finally come... First of all: there is nothing revolutionary about his fusion of genres. Nothing. All been done before (and better) by others. I don't understand how that's supposed to be some kind of defense for this. I find the whole bloated thing embarrassing on every level, and I'm simply baffled how he got major label backing, let alone how successful it was.

Copying Radiohead's basic aesthetic template, dumbing it down a bit, focusing on interpersonal relationships rather than alienation, and all with a much less compelling structures, textures, lyrics, and vocals. I think it's all those melodramatic forced voice cracks that finally did me in. Couldn't even get through this in one sitting.

Sayonara.