Rammstein Ist Gut

I never thought I would listen to a Rammstein album and enjoy it. Several years ago I heard "Du Hast" and thought that it was a joke and that the band themselves weren't to be taken seriously either. It's an ignorant thought now that I mention it especially since there newest album "Liebe ist für alle da" is pretty damn good. To pass off a band simply because they sing in German is absurd and now that I can appreciate their work I know that in the future I won't be so quick to judge.

This is the band's first album since 2005 and from what I've read it's a bit of a departure for them in that it hits harder and isn't as dancey. Opening with "Rammlied" (Rammstein the song essentially) you can immediately tell that it is harder hitting with it's heavy guitars and deep vocals. I feel a bit foolish for thinking the German vocals were ruining the quality of the band's work because they actually work quite well with the music. It's a nice change listening to something and not understanding the lyrics; you can focus your attention more on how the vocals work in relation to the music instead of what they mean. Take for instance one of the bonus tracks from the album "Donaukinder", I have no clue what he is singing about but the vocals work so well with the music. Take a listen and see what I mean:



This album isn't for everyone but if you're looking for something a little different I strongly recommend you get Rammstein's latest.

Some Disappointing News

I hate to keep going on and on about Blockhead but I thought I'd let you all know that his album "The Music Scene" isn't coming out until next year now. The news is up on his MySpace blog and reads:

"yet another updatE:
you know how these things go. the album comes out in january. sorry for the push back but that's the name of the game."

If you want to hear another new song from that album it's up on his MySpace. Go now!

Arnie is Foul Mouthed

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING POST CONTAINS COARSE LANGUAGE

Another Decade Look will be posted tomorrow but for tonight I thought I'd mention the two "Fuck You Asshole" songs. If you're not a fan of foul language then you probably won't enjoy these but when you need something stupid to cheer you up these songs will do the trick. The first version was made by Stan Kovich (a follower of this blog) and though it's simpler it's definitely the funnier one of the two. Here it is now:



Not too long ago I decided to make my own version and it goes like this:



So there you have it, next time you just want to say "fuck you asshole" to someone put on one of these videos and you'll feel a lot better. You might even forget who it was you wanted to tell off because of the stupidity you just finished witnessing.

More tomorrow.

Sneak Peek of The Music Scene

On Monday I posted the album cover of Blockhead's soon to be released album "The Music Scene". It's not often that I get so excited about a new album but I cannot wait for November 2nd. Sometimes you hype yourself up so much that when you actually hear the album it fails to live up to expectations but judging from this one track on Blockhead's MySpace I think the album is going to succeed. The title track has been put up and it's vintage Blockhead, have a listen now.

Why Blockhead's New Album Will Be Awesome

*Album out first week of November

Decade Look: Part 5 - Daft Punk's Discovery

Daft Punk is one of those artists that pretty much everybody knows and likes. "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" is perhaps their most well known song (thanks in part to Kanye's West abomination "Stronger"). Despite this minor misuse the song is still one of the better ones from Daft Punk's second full-length "Discovery". Opening with "One More Time" the album immediately has a feeling of class about it and rarely does that status change throughout the album. With the opener and several others, Daft Punk have crafted the best dance album of the decade; a point which few will argue. "Digital Love" conjures up images of some strange colorful dream one might have and a few tracks later "Something About Us" repeats those images. Near the end of the album is the track "Veridis Quo" which reminds me of my childhood when I would watch the show "The Friendly Giant". Most of the album is made from samples but you never feel like the group is being unoriginal, it's quite the opposite in fact. Listening to "Discovery" one will instantly make associations to the music and on subsequent listens a sense of familiarity and comfort will come about. To me that sense of familiarity is what makes this album so classic, it's something that is rarely achieved by other artists.

Two girls with lots of time on their hands made this video:



Standout tracks: One More Time, Digital Love, Harder Better Faster Stronger, Something About Us, Face to Face

Decade Look: Part 4 - Ween's Quebec

The new blog format is coming soon but for now I think another entry in the "Decade Look" series is in order. This post concerns one of my favorite bands of the decade and of all time, Ween. Even though my interest in them has diminished slightly over the past couple years (especially after their most recent album "La Cucracha") I still hold them in the highest regard. Ween have managed to stay around all these years for three reasons: first and foremost they are one of the best live bands around, secondly they have released 10 solid albums and lastly they have garnered a large and loyal fanbase. It's not exactly surprising that they are so well liked. Think of any other band that has made multiple great albums and put on good live shows, they too have longevity.

This brings me now to the topic of my post, Ween's 2003 album, "Quebec". Those who know the band know that before the release of "Quebec" Ween had made classics such as '94's "Chocolate and Cheese", '97's "The Mollusk" and '00's "White Pepper" (which will be the topic of another post some other day). To me "Quebec" is a marriage of all three of those albums into one sprawling album. The band cover all sorts of styles: "It's Gonna Be a Long Night" is a Dean Ween sung Motorhead-esque opener, "So Many People In The Neighborhood" has an electronic feel to it and "I Don't Want It" is a rock ballad with a rare guitar solo by Gene Ween the group's lead singer. My favorite track on the album "The Argus" features some of the finest lyrics Gene Ween has ever written. No matter what the style Ween executes flawlessly on every track.



Standout tracks: Transdermal Celebration, Tried and True, Happy Colored Marbles, I Don't Want It, The Argus

Sunday Night Into Monday Morning

It's late into the night right now and sometimes thumping electronic music is necessary. At this present moment the need is being fueled by the great German producer/park ranger Dominik Eulberg. It's just an EP but his newest work "Sensorika" is quite enjoyable. Only four tracks in length it contains two new Eulberg songs and two remixes. The first remix "Sansula (Max Coopers Lost In Sound Remix)" is sensational, beginning simply with some pleasant sounding bells it changes quickly and takes on a darker feel. It's a breathtaking listen, truly making you feel lost in it's sound. Eulberg is in a league of his own but that topic is for another day.

Decade Look: Part 3 - DJ Shadow's The Private Press

The Godfather of hip-hop production, DJ Shadow, is probably recognizable to most as the creator of one of the best if not the best instrumental hip-hop albums ever made. "Entroducing..." is the album and is most definitely on my top five albums of all-time. Since that album was released in '96 I should probably stop talking about it and more about his second best album "The Private Press." Though impossible to live up to the expectations put upon it after "Entroducing...", "The Private Press" manages to avoid the sophomore slump. Like it's predecessor the album is almost strictly sample based; DJ Shadow once again makes the most of his 60,000 plus vinyl collection. Opening with a short voice track and moving into one of my favorites, "Fixed Income", you'll find yourself instantly immersed in the Shadow's vast soundscape. One minute you may be in a "... dark, but also not" place the next on a motorway at the mercy of some angry drivers. The album is a ride; a fun and thrilling trip provided by one talented producer. DJ Shadow did release one other album this decade, "The Outsider", which in my mind was a mess and though I am disappointed in the Shadow I look forward to his next effort which will in his own words "sound different than the last one". Sounds promising.

Standout tracks: Fixed Income, Giving Up the Ghost, Six Days, Blood on the Motorway, You Can't Go Home Again

Just to keep things interesting around here I thought I'd post this video of a guy performing "Fixed Income" on the guitar. It's pretty cool and he does a good job with it:



A new format for this blog is in the works so keep your eye out for it, it should be ready shortly