Alternative Rock music reviews

in that fanciful scenario where you imagine yourself stranded upon a tropical island with say 5 or 10 albums to accompany you...this one makes a strong bid for inclusion. the live aspect of john cale's art is immensely appealing, though many of his studio are masterpieces as well. his voice shouldn't be beautiful, but somehow is. listen. the songs are many of the best of his career, and the solo piano and guitar performances of them often preferable to the originals. also, the cohen cover is superb and is the model for the subsequent buckley and wainwright versions which are so frequently downloaded. for dylan thomas fans the setting of music to 'do not go gentle...' is surely of interest.

The weaker, or at least less famous, half of the Velvet Underground - bassist, pianist, singer, songwriter, composer, producer, sonic terrorist John Cale - made for perhaps his best single release with this intimate live concert from 1992. Cale never quite made it in the mainstream like his former partner Lou Reed did; though his music was always more melodic than Reed's, it was more experimental and much less accessible. Cale was also always intent on making his own music himself, without help like the one Reed got from people like David Bowie (on 'Transformer') or Bob Ezrin (on 'Berlin'). And so, his albums always sounded somewhat too underproduced and eccentric for the general public, and never reached commercial success. Not that he ever wanted them to, for that matter.

Fresh from his reunion album with Lou Reed - 'Songs For Drella', dedicated to their common friend and idol Andy Warhol - Cale returned from several years' rest with this one-time concert, which proves to be the most accessible recording of his that can be found. Cale appears with nothing but a piano (and occasional acoustic guitar) in this concert, and with all the production, noise and sonic experimentation removed, Cale is revealed as a remarkably talented performer, fantastic musician and especially brilliant songwriter, as his marvelous lyrics and melodies sound better here than anywhere else. Songs like 'Ship of Fools' and 'Thoughtless Kind'- barely audible in the original studio releases - sound incredibly new here.

The 70 minutes of this edited version (the concert, as seen on the DVD, is about fifteen minutes and three songs longer) span nearly the whole of Cale's solo career. Deliberately including no songs from the Velvet Underground, the concert kicks off with a song from Cale's fantastic second album, Paris 1919 - the gorgeous 'A Child's Christmas in Wales', and the excellent title song, one of Cale's best, appears later on. There are numerous songs from his celebrated Island Trilogy ('Fear (is a Man's Best Friend)', 'Buffalo Ballet', 'Ship of Fools', 'Guts', as well as his mind-boggling and gut wrenching version of 'Heartbreak Hotel'); 'Chinese Envoy', one of his biggest hits, from Music For a New Society; three selections from his album of Dylan Thomas poems, Songs From the Dying, which sound a whole lot better here than they did on the album; 'Cordoba', from Wrong Way Up, Cale's collaborative album with genius producer Brian Eno; up to 'Style It Takes', from Songs From Drella; all of it wrapped up with Leonard Cohen's classic Hallelujah, which was a hit for Cale long before it was adopted brilliantly by Jeff Buckley.

Fragments of a Rainy Season is probably the easiest John Cale album to get into; it's an essential for Velvet Underground fans, and is an altogether beautiful and enjoyable album, as well as covering the cream of Cale's work as a solo artist better than any compilation could. Highly recommended, as well as the DVD recording.

Fragements of a Rainy Season was John Cale's unplugged
album. He sings his "hits" with only an accoustic guitar and piano. From his first album after being sacked from the Velvet Underground to his album with Lou Reed (Songs for Drella) Cale covers his most known work. Despite using only a piano and guitar, Cale rips through Safe and Guts with reckless (but refined) abandon. Classical trained musician, Cale adds a touch of class to the avant-garde music scene. If you enjoy the music of the Velvet Underground then you'll defenitely want a copy of this disc.

Highly recommended.

Even though my favorite "World Party" song is "Is It Like Today", this is the album I like most. Overall just a great listen. The most well known song here is "Put The Message In A Box", which is incredibly catchy, and I believe "Way Down Now" was a minor hit as well. This band (or guy) has numerous obvious influences, but I think sounds most like "The Jayhawks" to me. I can't understand why all these albums are import only, I guess they're low sellers. It would be nice if "World Party" released a collection sometime too.

Hey, I'm 50 years old, and I can listen to this great collection of timeless songs over, and over, and over again, and always be amazed at how good this man is and how fresh the music sounds. Its the only music I even remember from the 90's. If you have not listened, you are missing out.

Hey, I'm 12 years old. You may think I'm some punk kid, but I'm not. My parents came across this album by chance, and I love it. EVERY song is absolutely great! A must-have for any rock music fan. Every song is different, but still extrordinary. Amazing. You HAVE to get this CD.

Anthrophobia used to be this OK kind of punk/metal band that played in my hometown (Reading,PA.).Then they got signed put out Framework (not very impressive),then Pulse...which was a lot better,but still not super-great.Now,In the Zero To 3 Movement.I hate to admit it but,this a fantastic.All the songs ROCK!It has a lot of different vibes on the CD ,nu-metal,rock,hardcore,noise,a touch of punk (Beside Myself) and a fun,crack on beening obsessed with Christina Ricci.(Ricci).This is definately worth buying.

I have been into heavy music for 8 years.I've lived in PA. for about 4 years.I discovered Anthrophobia while living in D.C ,not knowing their incrediable history and various releases( demos , 7" singles , CDs , comps. , etc.) I bought the CD ep " Framework " for $ 1. because I liked the cover art.Anyway, to my surprise , The music rocked ! Maybe,the best $ 1 I ever spent. I saw them live on Warped Tour in '98 and was blown away! Now, I just got this new CD...."in the zero....." and I gotta wonder....Why isn't this CD as big as Kid Rock or Static X or Godsmack? Because Anthrophobia on this CD kill those bands ,DEAD! Honest.It has good hooks and grooves.Amazing vocals that don't imatate any one out there in music right now.My favorites are "Mercury" , "Ricci" , and "Gung-ho".Plus their tribute to the 70's band The Cars,"Moving in Stereo" is probably the best cover I have heard in years.BUY THIS,IT RULES!

The song Ricci made me buy this BUT.....What a totally GREAT CD.It rocks through and through,different styles of hard,mean rock! Gathering Dust is a medium speed kick in the pants,while Beside Myself is a fast ,hyper ,crazy short blast of punk-hardcore noise! Rub The Buddha is a LONG repeating song that is very catchy and hypnotic tribal piece that you really need to hear to understand.But ,Ricci (about Christina Ricci)is the best song from any metal-punk band in a long time.It's mean,funny,and almost sounds like pop music! A GREAT CD. BUY IT !

Matt Johnson, aka The The, seems to eschew fame, which is a good thing because this most seminal 80's band is largely unknown outside of those who came of age in that era. Johnson's ennui notwithstanding, this is a crime; the double miracle of 1983's "Soul Mining" and 1986's "Infected" are among the most prescient and timeless works of the decade. "Soul Mining" is magnificent, make no mistake, and songs like "Uncertain Smile" and especially the caustic anthem "This Is The Day" (recently used without irony on a car commercial) are peerless. It is "Infected" however that fully showcases Johnson's startling talent, both as a songwriter and a musician. This is angry work, but not self-pitying, and it anticipates much of what the world is angry about right now, the plight of the regular guy most of all ("Heartland", "Sweet Bird of Truth", "Slow Train to Dawn"). "Infected" isn't a mere political rant, however; it is also quite personal. Relational dysfunction and disease (AIDS?) are addressed most effectively in "Out of the Blue (Into the Fire)", and the title track. It is consistently moving and varied throughout, more so than "Soul Mining"; the addition of the female vocal counterpoint in "Slow Train..." is particularly effective. The The has continued to release splendid work at Mr. Johnson's own peculiar pace; "Mind Bomb" and "Dusk" are other gems as well as more recent work, but "Infected" stands alone as a timeless testimony to adult alienation.

...and this is still an incredible album. This and 'Soul Mining' have to rank amongst the best albums of the 1980s. It still burns with intelligent anger 20 years on. Incredibly prescient (Sweet Bird of Truth), historically valuable (Heartland) and musically flawless. A classic.

Wow! We must have been so dark and broody at 17. This remains an album of such quality, I have been desperately searching for a copy since 1999. Takes me back to the days of my youth. Matt Johnson we salute your melancholic view of the US and political foresight. In the true British style of a Floyd he takes you on a ride of cynicsim and despair. Please listen to it all in one go, and then repeat.

punk / gothic

it took me about... a day to delve into the album
but about a week for all the songs to catch and transfer themselves into my head
at first i thought it was a bit boring
but i was so so wrong

01. Happy House
one of the more famous tracks from this album. mega catchy tune. the drumming really brings it out along with the high pitched synths. quite sinister but not dark. a punky, up-beat song.
not a fave on this album it's no doubt an awesome track.
8/10

02. Tenant
starts with a high pitched synth cry and a spiky synth beat. very creepy. quite a spine-tingling tune. this song actually made me jump when i was listening to it in bed. when she sings about how "the painters crash" deep background synths slide in in, spooky stuff!!
8.5/10

03. Trophy
it took me a while to get into this track but it's a typical dark siouxsie tune. when you do get into it it becomes mega catchy. her voice is sorta drugged and sleepy which works
7/10

04. Hybrid
i love the drum beat but i really can't get into this track. shame it's the longest too. it just gets sorta... boring
5.5/10

05. Clockface
i LOVE this track. it's the shortest on the album but it's so catchy even though it contains no lyics. just a clever series of "OH!" and "A-WAO-WAO!!". an up-beat, punkish charger. i love it
10/10

06. Lunar Camel
a very gloomy electro song with a gothic-arabesque sound and a trip-hop feel. no guitars here at all but it's awsome. a slower song with naive and sweet vocals. the first song i got into on this album. very melancholy
10/10

07. Christine
an amazing song about a girl with split personalities. a dark matter and a melancholy feel about it but it's quite up-beat and it has quite a charming feel to it. a siouxsie classic. "now she's in purple, now she's a turtle"
10/10

08. Desert Kisses
maybe my favourite track. another one that takes time to get into. it has a very hot feel to it, scorching, like a desert. the guitars sound very middle-eastern. i love the lyrics. i even wrote them on my college bag. the bit about cursing into the ocean. the song's an epic. siouxsie belts it out one minute and soothes it out the next. way too catchy. i could listen to this for hours
10/10

09. Red Light
a moody electronic stomper about "kodak-whores". sounds quite modern. a catch track, highlighted by the high pitched photographic sfx and the flickering of siouxsie's words where the first sound from her tongue echoes and doubles over itself. it gets really good at about 2 minutes where the beat clashes and starts echoing, tripling itself and bubbling over itself, echoing, making the song dance around your headphones
8.5/10

10. Paradise Place
this took me a long long time to get into. another arabesque-stylee one. i think it's about plastic surgery?? the bass is EXTREMELY catchy when she goes "lo-do-do-dodo".
9/10

11. Skin
okay, my favourite, tied with 'Desert Kisses'. this is some furiously twisted stuff. wouldn't seem out of place if it was in THE SCREAM. it's a very insane, high tempo, scary song. i think it's about a woman who gets so obsessed with animal fur she starts to wear human skin. dunno, someone correct me?
i like the twisted side of siouxsie. i reckon her most demented lyrics are deffo 'Carcass', this, and 'Head Cut'
10/10

whatever
it's an amazing album
get!
i reccommend, for beginners
first buy...
the scream
then this

my fave albums, tied, have got to be this, the scream, juju and peepshow.
i can't get into the much-loved tinderbox :( help!!

TAKE CARE!!
x

I bought this album when I was just a whisp of a girl. It haunts me still and she continues even after I've sprouted all the girlish curves, had my first kiss, etc. to blow my mind.

Highly recommended!!!

Forget categories like Goth or Dark Wave, this record is a classic no matter what pigeonhole you try to put it in. On this disc the band pulled out all the stops, and the quirkiness of their performances (notice for example the dizzying tempo changes on "Happy House"; it ends at least 1/3 faster than it begins), only serve to make the thing more endearing. And Budgie's drum sound--good heavens.....it's as far from the over-produced "big drum" crap that Phil Collins made famous as you can get. These drums have character and Budgie's snare never sounds the same two hits in a row. But the true charm of this disc is the songs. They are so creatively conceived and performed it is mind-boggling. Some people call "Juju" the quintessential Siouxsie record--and I love it too, my friends, but Kaleidoscope broke the mold. I had the LP, wore it out, and now I'm carrying the CD in my car and refuse to part with it. Buy this disc; you will love it.

Though I first heard INXS in the early 80's with "The One Thing, then a few years later with "What You Need" and liked what I heard, this was the album that had me hooked on INXS, not to mention put them on the map, and rightly so. It is full of great songs, though my favorites are Guns in the Sky, New Sensation, Mediate, Calling All Nations, Wild Life and one of my all time favorite INXS songs, The Loved One, which is the song that really hooked me. I am so glad that they remade it, it is great from start to finish, I could listen to it over and over and not tire of it. Of course, some of their most famous songs are on this CD, Devil Inside, Need You Tonight and Never Tear Us Apart, also great songs. The videos for these songs are equally as good and they also had great success with them. Most people now label INXS as has beens, not me. This is one of their great albums though the ones preceding and following it are great as well. As much as I miss Michael Hutchence they now have a new lead singer, JD, and I sincerely hope that they will have success again as all they want to do is play their music. I am going to see them in concert in February and I can hardly wait! Anyway, if you don't have this one already, I recommend it to any INXS fan who doesn't have it though I doubt there is one, or anyone who likes good 80's music.

Call Kick what you will, a landmark album, a definitive album, it certainly is all that. This along with 'Appetite For Destruction' provided a glimpse of the DIY musical revolution that was about to take place in the early 90's. Before Kick, INXS casually rode the crest of synth-tinged rock, successful but nothing exceptional. Kick captured the essence of a soon-to-be musical shift, music with attitude, sexuality, and non-conformist brashness...with the seductive Micheal Hutchence fronting a band of suave renegades. Alot of music in the 80's was about escapism and over-the-top hoopla, Kick signaled that the party was about to end. The album itself is a blend of shimmering guitars, funk-driven rhythms, glossed-over by keyboards, while fronted by a slinky Jim Morrison type in Hutchence. Yet it's the guitar-percussion pairing that gives Kick it's amazing bite, swagger, and groove (Need You Tonight, New Sensation, Wild Life, Mediate, Guns In The Sky) I remember when this album first came out. I also remember the sense of lure and nastiness hearing these songs, how I was captivated seeing Micheal Hutchence beckon 'Slide over here' in Need You Tonight. If anything can come out of the death of Micheal Hutchence, Kick was the musical zeitgeist, one of the the turning-points, which paved the way for a generation to slide-over to the next decade.

inxs lead by the leather and hips god michael hutchence
andrew farris as co songwriter..inxs could do no wrong in my opipion and this album only succeeds my opipion of their great ablity to write catchy as hell melodies and easy to the ear lyrics that some might call childish but there simple and affective..
inxs were a great pop rock punk band whom early albums got the world ready for this corker of an album
from the opening track "guns in the sky" and single also they made a great video were they were walking through a corrider and hutchence swagger and sexual appeal oozed like oxygen
the other singles the devil inside "never tear us apart"
"need you tonight" and "meditate" were they took a page out of bob dylan's book for the video

i've loved every single album inxs has put out..
this being in the top three with "listen like thieves"
and "elagantly wasted"

after this album inxs went on to make under-rated classic albums one being the follow up "x" and "full moon dirty heart"
inxs were great for the dance beats and rock riffs..with a swaggering golden god as the vocalist

Of all the live albums I've heard, this is easily the best. The EQ'ing and performance are top notch. If you like Face To Face (or punk rock for that matter) you have to have this album. Consider it a "Best of Face To Face" album but even more spectacular due to the fact they're actually playing this live. My favorite Face To Face album and a top 10 favorite album of all time.

Just listen to it... you will agree. I can wax poetic about what a great CD this is, but it speaks for itself. Buy this now. It's as good as music gets.

Face To Face were easily one of the most consistently solid punk rock acts of the 90's. Never compromising their sound or ideals even in the face of great popularity.
I only saw Face To Face once towards the end of their career, but it was an amazing show. It was awsome to see guys who could play great music with alot of passion and fire after 13 years!
The problem with most bands is that as soon as their out from behind their pro tools programs and over-production, they really just don't sound so good on stage. I've seen it time and again, not so for Face To Face, take away the audience noise and you have an album that sounds very close to anything recorded. A prime example of this is Face To Face's last album How To Ruin Everything, which was recorded live off the studio floor and is easily one of their top two or three albums!
The fact of the matter is, these guys rock hard and sound great doing it live!
I also recommend the new career-capping Essential series cd Shoot the Moon.

Shai Hulud is unique, they innovated a sound like no other during the age when hardcore was expanding into a new sound. AT a time when so many bands graced the scene with what many call "East Coast style hardcore" shai hulud completely redirected the path which was on a course for bland assimilation amongst its artist.
This album stood above all the rest. With songs like "For this wake which I have stirred", and "For the World" that brandished unprecedented lyrics and superb musical talent, mixing melodic guitar riffs with unique breakdowns and maintaining a hint of the two-step rhythm that makes up old-school core.
For any hardcore fan who has not heard Hearts once nourished you are missing, perhaps the greatest piece that has ever graced the scene. Shai Hulud has since folded but members have branched off to other projects that bring just as much innovation and creativity as the their former band (with the exception of Chad p**sy Gilbert). If you havn't checked out some of thier new projects check out "Zombie Apocalypse" and "The Risk Taken" and brace yourself for "The warmth of red blood".

To put it simply, I will say that when Shai Hulud were at the top of their game (1997 with this release) there are very, very few hardcore bands that can even get on the same level as they were. Aside from Poison The Well's "Opposite Of December" and Skycamefalling's "10.21", I still consider this to be one of the most important hardcore records to be released in the late 90's. The funny thing is modern day hardcore and metalcore bands for years now have been taking from what Shai Hulud pioneered on this record, particularly the emotionally introspective lyrics, and the heavy, anger-fueled music. Make no mistake this is not an "emocore" record in the least, or what you would initially think it to be like. When people refer to Shai Hulud as emotional hardcore, they are referring to their lyrics and their passion for their music. What is found on "Hearts Once Nourished With Hope And Compassion" is a collection of 9 of the most intense and amazing pieces of music ever created in any genre. Shai Hulud were definitely in a league of their own, and unfortunately not long after this release member changes and long droughts in between recordings (their next record after this didn't surface until 6 years later) would ultimately bring the band down. However "Hearts Once Nourished With Hope And Compassion" is a seminal record for the hardcore genre, and proves that Hardcore bands can indeed make beautiful music. The album saw the band with their strongest lineup, and their best effort musically, and is ultimately the essential recording from the band.

Most people can't believe upon first listen that the vocalist for this band at the time was Chad Gilbert, now guitar player for the highly revered pop-punk act New Found Glory. However Chad does an amazing job vocally on this cd, and he really knows how to relate the band's messages to the fans. His screams sound full of anguish and despair, and makes the extremely thought provoking messages behind Shai Hulud's songs communicate that much better. Listening to him scream "by defending those I love with my life" on the opening track "Solely Concentrating On The Negative Aspects Of Life" perfectly illustrates this point. If you are looking for a lot of melodic singing and lovely choruses, Shai Hulud is probably not the band for you.

The lyrics on this album are nothing less than amazing. This has always presented a slight problem for the band, because some people tend to think that Shai Hulud are just a bunch of angry guys yelling about how much they hate everything. However the real messages Shai Hulud are trying to communicate through their songs are how there are so many things wrong with the world and mankind, and only by understanding what is wrong with ourselves and our world, can we fix them. Like found on "A Profound Hatred Of Man" where Chad offers "this world will pass away/ and my emotions with it/ why should i strive for acceptance/ and piece of mind?" or on the fan favorite "My Heart Bleeds The Darkest Blood" where Chad simply screams "My heart is cold is stone/ I laugh at the pain". Very few bands in any genre can match up to the intellegiance and sensibility of Shai Hulud's lyrics.

Musically the band is just as amazing as they are lyrically. Matt Fox and Oliver Chapoy had such an outstanding trade off relationship when it came to guitar playing, and songs like "This Wake I Myself Have Stirred" and "Outside The Boundaries Of A Friend" show just that. The guitar playing is so intricate and excellently coordinated, that I often times find myself just saying "Wow" at the things these two pull out of the bag. Dave Sibler (who wrote one of Shai Hulud's most famous quotes in the linear notes of the cd booklet, which read "as a band, we make no claim to any one creed, deep philosophy or religion") and Jason Lederman give the band the perfect backbone, as they can devastate during the breakdowns, or elevate the hyper fast rhythms. With "For The World" and "Beliefs And Obsessions" the band is at the top of their game, and they show they are just as capable of devastating as they are of sounding sensible.

All in all this album is just as amazing today as I'm sure it was back when it was released in 1997. If you are a fan hardcore then you owe it to yourself to listen to "Hearts Once Nourished With Hope And Compassion". Unfortunately this would be the best offering Shai Hulud has ever given us. Their next album "That Within Blood Ill Tempered" would not arrive until 2003, and by then the only original member that performed on this record that was still in the band was Matt Fox. Despite the fact that Shai Hulud is now relatively inactive and some members are pursuing other projects, there's no denying the influence that "Hearts Once Nourished With Hope And Compassion" has had on the hardcore music world. Listen to any modern day hardcore or metalcore band, and especially the lyrics, and I guarantee you'll be hearing remnants of Shai Hulud. Shai Hulud truely stood out in their scene when they first appeared, and still continue to influence bands today, almost 9 years after this album was released. Hardcore and Metalcore fans alike owe it to themselves to listen to truly one of the most inspirational and original hardcore bands of their time. To sum it up, I can describe this album in two words: Absolutely Perfect.

Good lord, you have a guitarist/singer for a metalcore band, and 5 years later, he's in a sellout pop-punk band. Sweet mother of God, no. Well, before Chad played in NFG, he was in a metalcore band. This just shocks me. The song "A Profound Hatred Of Man" made me believe, "This is the guitarist from NFG screaming into the mic?" This is something that is hard to believe. The song is so great, yet it puzzles me. The lyrics of this song describe how the world is corrupt. Compare this to NFG's "My Friends Over You", which sings about relationships. What is going on here?

Anyways, I'll put the "Chad leaving a good band to join a sellout band" to rest and tell you how good the album is. If you like metalcore, but you want to dig deeper, this is the perfect choice.

it might be stupid to try and define the goth genre, but if there is such a thing this album should be first on the list. bauhaus has an incredible way of using their rock instruments to create great moments of pain and release. they have characteristically twangy guitars and sharp drums, and they know how to use it to inflict pain. however, even if it is artificial pain, they certainly managed to use their instruments in an immensely creative way to convey their deathly fantasies. peter murphy's voice gets on some people's nerves, but i think he's a really amazing vocalist with harmonized screams and hurls. and they kick ass for a rock band as well. this album is really essential for any punk/goth fan, especially if you like your music dark.

When I listen to this album I hear punk, glam, electronic, avante garde: yes - goth: no. I associate the label "goth" with "dirge" and "downer" and don't think I'm alone there. I'm afraid that amazon customers who'd love this one won't check it out simply because of the percieved limitations of the label "goth." That's a shame. There's so much fun in this album, so much snotty paranoia and angst and heaps of arty-farty spasmotics. I just hope that customers can wade through all the refereces to "goth" and find out for themselves how transcendent of limitations this album is!

This is probably THE most corrosive after punk/goth album ever recorded.You'll feel as if a pint of nitric acid were being poured inside your ears.Everything,especially guitars,is distorted to the point of saturating madness,yet the resulting songs are clear,tight gut wrenching power punches.Bauhaus at their very best in my humble opinion,perhaps not a song by song best (hey Bela Lugosi is earlier,remember ? ) but thebest heavy goth album ever put together by a band.

I bought this after seeing Mark Morton of Lamb of God reference these guys and Duane Dennison as worth a listen. What I heard was bad production, shoddy vocals, generic guitar, and overall dullness. Steer clear of this is you like good music.

yep, from the opening few seconds of 'boilermaker' you can tell this record is not for the faint of heart. but then none of us would have it any other way, right?
anyway, these guys first came to my attention with their split single with nirvana when i saw all of 5 seconds for the video to 'puss'. was interested enough to check it out and this album doesn't disappoint. gotta admit though it took a while for some of the tracks to grow on me. i'm thinking mainly about 'rope' and 'whirl', which are now among my fave lizard tracks. 'boilermaker' hits you instantly (violent sensations have been mentioned in a few other reviews and here they're entirely apt). and who can resist the 125mph throb of the likes of 'art of self defense', or the sinister paranoia of 'dancing naked ladies'. its yow's world, and its a scary one. fun though
yow's (mostly) incomprehensible yowls were never a problem with me (in fact i remember playing my brother 'i can learn' and he couldn't believe it was the jesus lizard). given a beautiful voice and rubbish music versus music of the lizard's calibre and its an easy choice every time.
the sticker on the cover of 'bang' has one magazine citing the lizard as 'the best f*cking band on the planet'. unsurprisingly for the music press they're wrong. but not as far off as usual this time.

It's bands like the Jesus Lizard that make me regret wasting my teen years in the mid '90's listening to FM radio-approved drivel, and Liar is one of the main reasons why. Liar is a wild, unhinged piece of punkish, metallic alt-rock, one that obliterated petty genre distinctions at the same time that it exposed the legions of pretenders that were just starting to pop up at the time. Want to know how ahead of its time Liar was? It came out before such boring Seattle knockoffs as Bush and Silverchair had even emerged, to say nothing of the ridiculous throwbacks (this means you, Puddle of Mudd) polluting the scene right now. Of course, being ahead of the curve is a virtual guarantee of going unnoticed by the masses, but then I don't think mainstream success was high on the Lizard's list of priorities.

Anyway, in the grand tradition of Steve Albini acts such as Shellac and Big Black (and yes, I know the Lizard's albums were merely *produced* by Albini, but why get picky?), Liar is assaultive, abrasive, and decidedly in contrast to all things commercial. Melody, good taste, and traditional rock-song structures are thrown right out the window here in favor of swirling collages of noise complete with twisted rhythms and the singular nasal howl of the great David Yow. Opener Boilermaker sets the tone literally from its first second, conjuring up a psychotic atmosphere out of a series of spastic drumbeats, hellish guitar riffage, and Yow's nightmarish chants. The next song, Gladiator, might be even more frightening, with Yow menacingly intoning such oddball lyrics as "You should see her use a gun," backed by a bass riff that hits with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the stomach. On slower tracks like Perk and Zachariah, Duane Denison's creepy-crawly riffs scratch against the surface of Yow's bizarre vocal impressionism, but fortunately the album loses nothing by slowing down because its oppressive atmosphere is never compromised one bit.

So, what more can be said about Liar? Well, unfortunately, not much. This is definitely one album that must be experienced to be fully comprehended. But let me leave you, gentle reader, with this: Liar is a supreme testament to a band that may not have released a classic every time out, but had a singular vision and didn't allow the temptations of fame or money to get in the way. If only more acts had their integrity, I might not have to comb the internet looking for stuff to listen to.