Alternative Rock music reviews

this is heavy and makes me feel tough. not wussy like korn and hatebreed. after this release, cave in transformed into a bunch of wusses.

Along with Massachusetts contemporaries Converge, Cave In spearheaded the charge of thinking man's hardcore in the late '90s with this stellar full-length debut. Though the spacey adventurousness of 2000's Jupiter would arguably prove an even more momentous effort, Until Your Heart Stops showcases Cave In at their technical peak - equally comfortable rattling off dizzying breakdowns ("Moral Eclipse") as they are at injecting gorgeously lofty glimpses of melody between fits of spastic chugging ("Juggernaut"), the four-piece easily top previous release, Beyond Hypothermia (simply a collection of loose material predating this album's recording) and set the bar for all hardcore acts to follow.

Shouldering full-time vocal duties this time around (a first), Stephen Brodsky establishes himself immediately. Listeners familiar with Jupiter or Antenna would best suspend expectations of Brodsky's catchier offerings: from "Yellow turns this courage badge..." his strikingly coarse growl perfectly complements Cave In's frantic instrumental accompaniment, joined by Converge legend Jacob Bannon in the thick of the opener's barely-controlled chaos. Hurtling through three-minute slabs like "Terminal Deity" and "Bottom Feeder," Brodsky interestingly manages to place clean lines amidst full-out bellows without sounding the least bit forced, toothless or repetitive.

Lyrically, Brodsky is at his most cryptic, often channeling anxiety with an apparent nod to the post-apocalyptic. The album's very title seems to convey a distinct anticipation of a collective, planetary "final breath," a certain cleansing thematically reinforced within the album's wealth of lyrics. "The smaller creatures have the secret to pinning us down to the dirt: when they breathe, they inspire. When we breathe, we expire," Brodsky assertively screams out in the finale of "Controlled Mayhem Then Erupts," closing the album off as it spirals into sonic discord.

Guitarist Adam McGrath performs admirably as well, particularly in tandem with Brodsky. The dual assaults on "Juggernaut" and "Until Your Heart Stops" are certainly brought to mind, as are the memorable opening riffs of "Moral Eclipse" and "Controlled Mayhem Then Erupts." Not content to merely peddle the standard, low-tuned hardcore fare, McGrath seems entirely at home fusing metallic riffs together within constantly changing time signatures.

While Cave In's rhythm section seldom becomes this album's central focus, bassist Caleb Scofield and drummer John-Robert Conners lay the math-rock foundation down thickly. Conners in particular merits praise for the record's breakneck time changes, frequent double-bass breakdowns and tension-building snare fills. Again, "Until Your Heart Stops" is exemplary here. And although Scofield's apparent assignment to solidify the melodic backbone for Brodsky and McGrath is hardly groundbreaking, it is aptly executed, and even ominous, as during the calmer moments of "Halo Of Flies."

Although Cave In's sound has evolved substantially pursuant to this release, Until Your Heart Stops is a mammoth record, upon its arrival placing the band in top contention with hardcore's progressive elite.

One of the few bands that truly does stand out in the metalcore genre would be Cave In. Most metalcore bands are just a chaotic mess, not that theres anything wrong with chaos, this album is full of it! It is just DONE RIGHT!!!!! Wow, this goes up there with botch, while not exactly in the same genre, this is definitely high on the best-of list. Hmm i think drawing a Pink Floyd meets tech-metal analogy, is pretty darn close!

Now, this is the real debut album from Godsmack. Harvesting such raw passion and power, this Boston area band have something clicking quite well with this debut cd. From the opening stomp of "Moon Baby" to the atmospherically creepy "Voodoo", ALL WOUND UP has everything you'd want as a Godsmack fan. Even if you already own the re-release, if you can get your hands on this album, make sure you do. Other noteworthy tracks include the thrashing "Get Up, Get Out"; the teutonic assault of "Bad Religion", and the hard fist-pumping "Stress". Hidden track "Whatever" really shows the direction Godsmack was heading with their second album, AWAKE. But for the true origins, look no further than here.

Being from the Boston area I got to LIVE the whole Godsmack fenom. I had this CD and it was almost worn out when I heard the contract signing on WAAF, Boston. Yes, the credits in the liner notes are true, WAAF fans got them there. This is still my favorite Godsmack CD. Right from the start with 'Moon Baby' you can feel you are in for one hell of a ride. The spoken/samples that intro almost every tune add to the track and get you ready for what follows. You will notice that a song from 'Awake' is here, 'Going Down'. I like this raw version so much more. This CD does have 'Whatever' on it, the hidden last track, to close out the run. If you're like me, you will restart this, or set your CD player to repete, because each time it ends you just want more. I promise, you will not be disapointed by this one. If you can get this, and I will NEVER part with mine, GET IT!! Every true Godsmack fan needs this CD!

Godsmack as many have known,have become very popular with hard rock fans.Bringing new listeners all the time,with such songs as,"Moon Baby",and "Whatever".Expilicit lyrics are no problem with Godsmack.Many listeners can relate to such songs as the very popular,"Voodoo",and,"Get up,Get out!".Though numerous apperances in concerts and the famous "Ozzfest",Godsmacks 2 albums have hit charts with awesome ratings.Everyone that listens to hard rock knows Godsmack.And if you listen to this CD,you'll not want to listen to anything else.

This is the Bruce Cockburn at his very finest, which is something extraordinary! Cohesive, lyrically stunning, and passionately reverberate. His guitar playing is absolutely unparalled, and this set of deep subversive songs shine brighter with every listen. A true gem.

The world of Charity of Night seems one of fear and blindness, of mob hits ("Charity of Night") and prison, whether of the heart ("Pacing the Cage") or of metal ("Night Train", "Birmingham Shadows"), of police states and dissidents. But the lyrics and the music itself points to a hope beyond the darkness, although certainly one of Cockburn's intentions is, Brecht-like, to create enough angst in us to not forget that there is a world rife with....well, what shall we call it? Terror? Sin? Bad Guys? beyond our speakers. Bruce is a superb musician and his voice is haunting. A jewel among the Cockburn collection.

A few years back I was driving and had to pull over and stop the car to listen to "Charity of Night" which was playing on an alternative radio station. I wrote down the info, bought it and then just last year lent it to a friend to listen to and never got it back. Now I have to buy it again! It's money well spent and I won't be lending this one out!

Although influenced by face to face's music, The Cause...If Anything is punk rock like no other, in your face and fast as f*ck with intense melodies from hell and thought provoking lyrics, The Cause...If Anything is an all around killer band.
CHECKEM OUT!

www.thecauseifanything.com

Im a huge fan of this band. Although im older, and my tastes in music have changed...this band, never-the-less this record still is in constant play in my tape deck or CD player nowadays. Every track is awesome, you can relate to all the lyrics. Everyone benifits. Pick up Dont Turn away and youll be holding arguably the best punk rock record of the 1990's!

This was the first Face to Face album that I purchased in 1994 and I was hooked on the band instantly. This album is truly a punk classic, and I still listen to it almost every week ten years later. The lyrics are inspiring and influential and the music is fast. Every song on this CD is great; however, my favorites are "I'm not Afraid" and "I want."

This album even has a version of Disconnected for all of you KROQ (Los Angeles) people who are probably only familiar with that song. Anyway, this is an essential album for any music collection. Don't just sit there looking at the screen. CLICK "ADD TO SHOPPING CART" and you will not be sorry.

"I'm not afraid to face myself but is it me or something else?
Makes me exactly what I am, that's something I will always doubt." - Trever Keith

If Daydream Nation sounds like an album made in a semi-conscious state, Evol is made in deep unconsciousness. Some of the songs are as scary as the Beatles' 'Strawberry Fields' and could very well be the soundtrack of depression and nightmares.

Is it therefor bad? Hell no! this album, like all the SY albums in the 80's is fantastic and should be in everyone's collection.

This is not simply a "touching" album that suggests a mood. EVOL grips on from the very beginning, turns you upside down and immerses you in a somber, dark world that no other album can create. And it will keep you coming back for more and more.

The haunting guitars of the opener "Tom Violence" only hint at what is to come. "Shadow of a Doubt" is perhaps the best SY song with Gordon on vocals; her whisper backed by a sudden assault of noise sends chills up your spine. "In the Kingdom #19" (listen for Thurston throwing fireworks in the studio after one minute) and "Secret Girls" are abrasive, ethereal tracks that may take more than one listen to appreciate, but are among the band's best. The heralded closer "Expressway to Yr Skull (The Crucifixion of Sean Penn)" is an epic journey, beginning with Thurston's unforgettable cry "We're gonna kill the California girls," building to a frantic pace and then slowing down into a spacious wall of noise.

This is SY at their height lyrically. Daydream Nation may have more "masterpieces" of feedback but EVOL leaves more of an impression. Each song has its own way of leaving you breathless, and its clear that after the 39 minute adventure Sonic Youth has to be one of the greatest bands of our time, if ever.

Originally released on the wonderful SST label (check out the website), "Evol" was the first really definitive Sonic Youth album. From the ultra disturbing woman on the cover (Lung Leg, whoever that is, apparently from some indie film) to the music itself, we embark on a sonic journey through the nether regions of our minds. This is where nightmares dwell and resurface in the detuned guitars that howl, feedback, ring out and swirl about under and over the songs themselves.
"Tom Violence" is somewhat subtle, at least as the CD opens (I don't think the track listing is correct), with the guitar noize waiting until near tracks' end to take us deep into audio alienation.
A gruesome spoken word piece giving us details of a gory auto wreck, a piano playing a beautiful snippet and a storm of guitar feedback and dissonant tones that closes "Sean, Madonna and Me", or, alternately titled "Expressway To Yr Skull" give us a view of the dark side from a safe distance. Album owners of the original release may recall that at the end of "Expressway To Yr Skull", which closed the album, unlike "Bubblegum" that closes the CD, there is no outgroove to allow the needle to return to its stand. Thus, the drone continues on and on, sometimes nearly hypnotizing you before you realize what's going on. Can't do this with a binary code. A must have for SY fans.

....so I dismissed this and overlooked it. Like many punk fans, I turned my back to any band that signed with a major label. Sure, our favorite bands, The Ramones, The Clash, etc were on major labels. But ee justified it by saying independent labels weren't as viable of an option back then, and some of the "major labels" started as indies themselves. We kinda knew we were full of crap, but we pressed on. And we should have. The punk scene needs that a-hole element. It just does. But the consequences are missing some great music.
Ever since the whole Dr. Strange/Fat Wreck Chords drama of the early 90's, I never trusted Face To Face. Hearing the Victoria Manor tape (the pre-Face to Face metal band that was, well, awful and funny at the same time) made me think they were simply cashing in on this whole punk thing. Signing to a major confirmed that for me. Maybe they did, but judging the music on it's own merits, it doesn't matter. This is high quality stuff. I always liked Don't Turn Away and secretely loved Big Choice, but I was just too punk rock to get this. Well I should have. The songs on here have a sort of timeless feel to them. They sound like fully realized songs instead of 3 chord punk rock, and that's fine. "Walk the Walk" and "Blind" alone are reasons for buying this.
I guess this review is more about the band than this particular record, but hearing it made me regret not getting in in 1996. It took me almost ten years, it should take you about 30 more seconds. The "add to your cart" button is right there.

Words can't say enough about how truely great Face to Face is. A remarkable band that has sincere creativity and thoughful lyrics that don't patronize. Lead singer and guitarist Trever Keith has an amazing style to his music, his lyrics are powerful, yet simple. They put the listener into everyday life situations that anyone can relate to and hopefully gives them a powerful sense of hope and direction. Extremely catchy guitar riffs and a powerful bass guitar sound, finished off with Keith's uplifting lyrics- this album is one of a kind. I highly recommend it! I had the priviledge to see Face to Face twice, and they are truly a class act and have a damn great live show! Buy this album!!

This is probably my favorite punk cd ever. Face to Face was unbelievable. There just aren't many great straight up punk cds like this anymore.

Although I'm not a country fan, I loved the raw, spare, inventive alt.country angst of Trampoline, so I was disappointed in Fuse. With Fuse, Henry has stepped even further away from his country roots, with lyrics that are much more abstract, vocals that are largely stripped of emotion, and music that, although dark, has a quality that reminded me a lot of 80's pop -- stale and dated.

This is the album where Joe Henry stepped out of the shadows of alt country and delivered as good an album as you will find in contemporary pop music. The songwriting is outstanding, the production is superb, and this album is just plain too smart and good for popular consumption. Strip Tom Waits of sentimentality and obviousness and this is what you'd get.

What Joe Henry lacks is the ability to pose and act cool. He's just a regular guy making some of the best pop music in the country. And that's just fine by me.

I am a huge fan of Joe Henry's work and although this Album is not a patch on the excellent "Trampoline" it is still very representative of his "newer" work with some fine songs indeed so if you like your music slow and offbeat check out Joe Henry's newer Albums (his early material is different, more country-I like it as well but you might not)

Buy this album (and all other Feelies as well). This is a band that slipped by almost unnoticed by the mainstream music buying public. The fact that almost everyone that has their records or has seen them live raves about them is testament to what great music it really is. Still playing this after 20 years and all the other Feelies records/CDs too.

BTW if you want to get the EP that was released with this record go to TWINTONE site. Also have Yung Wu which was a Feelies sideproject with percussionist Dave Weckerman leading the band (its worth having also).


http://www.twintone.com/

Now, this is one of my favorite albums, period. It's perfect, I love the voice, the way it's confidential, in the back. Great guitars, fantastic rythms. I also think it's very well mixed. Different ( the accoustic feel), but as solid as any rock I know. I wouldn't want any change. I've played this music many times ( got it in 1987), and still enjoy every song .
I love it when they "swich gear" and teh way some songs end in total chaos, very well brought out, a crescendo that explodes, reaching total saturation ( not easy to do that well).
I love this album of the feelies best, but "only life " is also a great album, it just has some songs I like a bit less, but the rest is so incredible it doesn't matter.
It's incomprehensible that the feelies didn't get more recognition, though I read that they didn't want fame, which I think is wise.
I feel lucky to have bumped into their music. I hope they know how beloved their music is , by some.
For me the second half of the eighties the church, REM, the feelies and midnight oil were my main staple.

this was one of my favorite records of the time period. i bought it on vinyl in 87, one of the 21,000 who did.

This a fine collection of songs from The Cults earliest albums, beginning with "Dreamtime" through the exceptionally simple titled "The Cult" and has therefore a lot to offer, although the subtitle "Ultimate Collection 1998-1995" is not accurate, because 2 songs date from 1996. It even consists of 3 singles ("In The Clouds", "The Witch" and "Resurrection Joe") which have not been part of any of the albums spanning this period (with the exception of "The Cult Singles" album, that is, which has most of these songs also) and more, contains the scarce and unknown track "Beauty's On the Street", to my knowledge never released before. Even if you don't heard this song before you can easyly recognize this as an example of a The Cult song (which is recorded somewhere at the time when no specific album was gained for and shortly afterwards the band collapsed). Not included of course are songs from the latterday album "Between Good and Evil". But altogether this is a very good introduction to the music of this band. Recommended.

I wasn't a "Cult fan" - I just liked a couple Cult tunes I heard on the radio. Man, these guys jam. What this means is that I wouldn't be a big fan of their "Love" album style, but I love their "Sonic Temple" and "Electric" style. Which is not to say that I don't like the hits here from "Love", but that's the point of "best of" collections, no? Well, you could buy the 3 albums listed above and listen through the songs you don't like, but even then you'd be missing the first cut on this CD - "In The Clouds" - which wasn't released on album, and is in fact one of the hardest rockin' Cult tunes, and probably my favorite song. Put it on, turn it up, and drive on.....

this is the one you want. Just about every song is very good or great. One of the most underrated bands in history. Listening to this collection will make you scratch your head and wonder these guys aren't world famous yet crap like Puddle of Mudd, Nickelback and Limp Bizkit has gotten major airplay over the years.
My only quibble would be that they edit out the Indian chant intro to "Wild Hearted Son" and they fade out of "Heart of Soul" a little bit quicker than on the underrated '91 album "Ceremony."

theses guys are great live seen um with tesla but had never heard of them before, wow unreal they came very close to stealing the show, but the cds do not come close to the live sound and the best song live is not on there cds. rollin i think it was. i cant wait for the next cd i check in to see if its out. they kinda sound like tesla but more like a band called cry of love. i say buy there cds and if you get a chance to see um live lucky you.

Saw them open for KX at Slim's in SF (The show with Ty Tabor in a cervical collar), and was very impressed. Sounds like the good songs from Tesla with more substance in the lyrics, some really solid musicianship, and a lot of energy. I love this album, and will definitely buy the next one. "Wings" is extremely cool.

Like the other reviews i caught them a year ago as an opening act for King's X. All i can do is ditto most of what was already said. Blues based southern rock with great hooks and a near perfect lead vocalist. A very tight band that is extremely unpretentious. i was so impressed i went to a show a week later and brought several friends. We are all fans of King's X and were once again impressed with them but everyone was shocked at this unknown opening act. I couldn't even find their CD in any local stores. All these reviews have forecast that they will be stars. It hasn't happened and it's a shame. This band deserves it like no other i've heard in years. It would be sad if they struggled in relative obscurity as King's X has done. If you are a lover of music give this a try, you will not be disappointed.