American Alternative music reviews

Actually, Its worth it for me because i am one of the biggest mb20 fans in the world. +, like I said, you can add the bonus songs, acoustic live versions of "Long Day" and "3am" to an mb20 compilation, and comes with a free small poster. "Real World" is not one of mb20's greatest songs however, so i didn't give this cd a "5". Your money is better spent on "Bent" or "If You're Gone", which are better songs, with better live tracks on the singles.

I grew up on the Beatles and knew some groups before them and most all groups after them. MB20 and "Real World" rank up with the best of them. This song is one to really touch the soul. I especially enjoy it while doing a heavy exercise class--feeling great and hearing this song on top of it makes for a special experience. "Real World" is a Real Song by Real People.

This is such a great song. I recommend this CD.

Actually, Its worth it for me because i am one of the biggest mb20 fans in the world. +, like I said, you can add the bonus songs, acoustic live versions of "Long Day" and "3am" to an mb20 compilation, and comes with a free small poster. "Real World" is not one of mb20's greatest songs however, so i didn't give this cd a "5". Your money is better spent on "Bent" or "If You're Gone", which are better songs, with better live tracks on the singles.

I grew up on the Beatles and knew some groups before them and most all groups after them. MB20 and "Real World" rank up with the best of them. This song is one to really touch the soul. I especially enjoy it while doing a heavy exercise class--feeling great and hearing this song on top of it makes for a special experience. "Real World" is a Real Song by Real People.

This is such a great song. I recommend this CD.

I first heard the track "Glenn" in 1999, 5 years after its initial release. Without a doubt, it hit me harder than any song has before or since then. Its syncopated drums and beautiful yet sinister guitar and bass caught my attention immediately, and I still love it to this day.

"Glenn" started my fascination and appreciation of instrumental rock and is the single largest reason I got into bands such as Del Rey, Turing Machine, Golden, and Paul Newman.

"Rhoda" (the other song on the EP) is really quite good in its own right. I highly recommend you buy this EP.

When I listen to any Slint album, it never fails to amaze me how far ahead of their time this band really was and still is today.

...without this in it. Seriously, this could be Slint's greatest work on record.

This wasn't Slint's "farewell" recording as some people seem to think. Slint's first album, Tweez, was recorded in 1987, but it wasn't released until early 1989 on Jennifer Hartman Records. At that time, they recorded these two songs with the intent to release them as a 12" single on the JH label as well. But before they could do that, they signed with Touch & Go Records. T&G didn't want a single, they wanted a full album. Therefore this was shelved. Then Spiderland was recorded sometime in 1990. Slint broke up around 1991 or 92, and then a year or two after that it was decided to release this since it was just rotting on a shelf somewhere.

This really is punk rock to me (even though it's also excellent blues some times.) When I've had a bad day being something distinctly un-punk (in the white collar world), the Dicks say all the things that no one speaks of in proper society.

I had the privilege of seeing the Dicks perform in SF in 1985, and Gary had much more charisma than most punk rock lead vocalists. Put Jello Biafra to shame. This album does capture much of that energy, evn though it spans a six-year career.

Brutal, honest, aggressive, misanthropic, righteous and pissed. The Dicks knew how to bring it.

Gary Floyd fused hardcore anger with Texas blues, creating a messy, menacing yet utterly beautiful growl that is comparable to no one.

You don't really have a choice. Buy this CD. IF you wanna shell out some $$$ for the original LP of "Kill From the Heart," it's worth it.

I agree with other reviewers - this reissue would have been better if they'd just included ALL of "Kill from the Heart." I'd go further and say they should have included all of "These People" and both singles plus comp tracks as well. A band this legendary really deserves no less than a full discography reissue.

I disagree with other reviewers who don't care for the slower, bluesier stuff. This is Gary at his vocal best, honing his style, to later be part of the awesome Sister Double Happiness. Give it a chance.

And as much as it bugs the macho hardcore kids, The Dicks weren't just a seminal hardcore band. They were a seminal hardcore band led by an openly gay singer. It's not just shock value. It's real. Think about this next time you're watching yourself in the mirror singing along to "Young Boys' Feet," "Sh*t On Me," and "Saturday Night at the Bookstore."

Enjoy.

I must rock every time I hear one of the tunes on this album. Many, many happy memories of sweat-soaked delirium (it gets rather warm here in TX--perhaps you didn't know?). These guys, and the Big Boys (RIP Biscuit), made the 80s livable for me.

Gary Floyd has an unforgettable voice-raw, pissed, powerful.

If you like this, check out Poison Idea

Every time I hear Double Thriller I think about the idea that a society only gets the artists it deserves, and how the album wrecks that idea if only for the space of this--and the next, even better, eponymous--CD. The songs seem to come out of nowhere--rich and delicate, melodious, brittle, intense. It's a wonderful album; I can't believe these songs are in the world with so little fuss made about them. "Skin" is such a lovely song I keep wanting to thank someone, somewhere, for it.

You know how craftsmen are supposed to sculpt and whittle an object down a point where its soul is released to the world? Well, that's how every song on this puppy sounds. This album remains a rare thing: a non-compromising record that sounds freaking awesome.

I've had this CD since it came out and it's never left my list of favorites. It's incredible. Peaceful, heartwrenching, dopey-grin-inducing songs that won't leave my mind.

Every time I hear Double Thriller I think about the idea that a society only gets the artists it deserves, and how the album wrecks that idea if only for the space of this--and the next, even better, eponymous--CD. The songs seem to come out of nowhere--rich and delicate, melodious, brittle, intense. It's a wonderful album; I can't believe these songs are in the world with so little fuss made about them. "Skin" is such a lovely song I keep wanting to thank someone, somewhere, for it.

You know how craftsmen are supposed to sculpt and whittle an object down a point where its soul is released to the world? Well, that's how every song on this puppy sounds. This album remains a rare thing: a non-compromising record that sounds freaking awesome.

I've had this CD since it came out and it's never left my list of favorites. It's incredible. Peaceful, heartwrenching, dopey-grin-inducing songs that won't leave my mind.

The Flaming Lips are perhaps one of the greatest bands of all time.

This is the culmination of the Lips' early sound, which was a jittery and irreverent blend of neo-psychedelia and other experimental rock flourishes. This album was effectively the last of their days in the American indie underground, and it is their first major classic, in my opinion. This is also their purest and hardest album; they rock out harder and more abrasively on this album than on any other work that they ever released. That makes this collection of songs particularly original and unique in the Lips pantheon, as well as showcasing lead singer Wayne Coyne's first foray into more developed lyrics and thematic material. In fact, although this album is less epic than their late period and less diverse than their middle period, it is thereby their most unified and cohesive work. It is, in fact, a concept album that delves deep into Coyne's obsessions with religion. He would never grow this reflective again until his late period and the Lips themselves have never crafted an album with as dark and poignant of a spirit as this one.

The album kicks off with a subtly witty and carnivalesque song "Shine on Sweet Jesus", one of three mantra-like compositions called "God Songs" on the disc, which vary in storyline and musical intensity. "Unconsciously Screaming" and "Mountain Side" are headbanging and head expanding tracks, "Take Me Ta Mars" is a groovy, reflective track similar in mood to "Stand in Line", while "Rainin Babies" and "Five Stop Mother Superior Rain" are the most surprising and best songs, filled with deep emotion and mysterious, cryptic lyrics.
The album fades out, ironically, with Coyne and Co.'s rendition of the landmark "What a Wonderful World", and end up bringing a potent level of universal thought and burning question to it.

This is probably not the Lips' best album, but it's my personal favorite out of all of their releases and is the one with the most "bite" and metallic edge.

This was the 3rd Lips album that I heard (after Transmissions and Clouds) and the one that converted me from a casual fan to a diehard. Everything comes together for this album (their last for the strugging Restless Records) as future Mercury Rev frontman Jonathan Donuhue adds a huge musical punch, adding extra sonic walls of blistering guitars and scorching feedback, creating an alternate universe of joyous noise-pop/rock.
Every song is a classic hard-rocking jam, from the pounding "Unconsciously Screamin" to the deafening feedback-laden "God Walks Among Us Now". The album even adds two bonus tracks from the Screamin' EP: "Lucifer Risin" and "Let Me Be It". My favorite, however, is the downright beautiful cover version of "What A Wonderful World".
The Lips never got as head-banging as this again. Click on that Buy button right now!

If you want real music then buy this album, boycott East Bay Ray and Manifesto Records. If it says Dead Kennedys or Jello Biafra it's not worth it unless it's on ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES.

Jello with anybody is good. This is great. If you're into the punk scene, check it out.

I don't know how many years I've had this on vinyl but it's still superb. Whenever Jello Biafra teams up with other bands (Nomeansno, DOA or Minstry) they create something spectacular. This is no exception.

There is some good stuff out there by the individual artists (Fresh Fruit... Psalm69) but if you can only but one - buy this one!

I saw Robynn perform at the Fleetwood Mac show in Hartford, CT in June, 2004, just her and her guitar and she was fabulous. In fact, I wish more of the tracks on MAFG were acoustic so that you could better appreciate the skill of her playing and the beauty of her voice. I bought MAFG from her that day, and I'm glad I got it signed because she's going places. I wait anxiously for when I'll be able to hear her play live again.

"Modern American Female Gut" is an apt title for this album. Her songs, and delivery, are straight from the gut, and she pulls no punches in her offerings. When I first listened to the album, I was reminded of Alanis Morissette's work on "Jagged Little Pill." I was immediately impressed by the harmony of lyrics and music. While the lyrics are catchy and pull you in immediately, they're yet well thought out, and emotionally provocative, giving this album teeth on many levels.

To me, this album is what the female singer/songwriter experience is about. It transcends musical genres. For the few songs on this album that miss, there are others that bring me close to tears in their poignancy. The album is in my regular CD rotation, and I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fresh glance at sincere songwriting, which seems to be becoming a lost art, or at least one pushed out of the mainstream.

Robynn Ragland writes her own music and she is diverse in her abilities. She seems like the type of musician that could have done anything and been good at it. I love the song, "people you know". I couldn't stop humming the tune. I just hope she gets some play on the radio. She's so much better that Cheryl Crow or Mariah Carey that tend to sound the same on album after album. I would love to see her in concert. I imagine she is a wonderful performer with a great voice that doesn't need a recording studio to make her sound good.

I don't know how people can say that this is a great record with songs like Salambo, Whore, and Flesh Fest...they suck...BAD! I loved Sinsation and Wrecked, but this album carries the same forced, cheesy feel that made The Swining and Praise the Lard stinkers. The bad instrumentals(black brothel), the even worse spanish-influenced songs(Salambo), and the mediocre songs(Flesh Fest). There is no way this is his best work, and you're crazy if you think it is. If you like the awesome heavy industrial feel of Sinsation and Wrecked, then I recommend you get his latest album called Pigmartyr released under the band name WATTS...It's the same guitar-driven industrial, but the songs are the best things he has made...totally recommended. You should check out the KMFDM albums NAIVE, ATTAK, and WWIII. They have Raymond Watts' doing what he does best on songs like Blackball, Flesh, and Preach/Pervert....Those songs are some of his best...seriously. Of course this is all my opinion, but I recommend skipping Genuine American Monster, as well as Praise The Lard and The Swining.

This was the first pig cd that I bought. Overall I am very happy with it. The biggest dissapointment were the lyrics and instrumentals. The lyrics just seem unintelligent and rushed.

1. Prayer Praise & Profit
This is a nice catchy tune. Th lyrics are of course lame. It starts off with a cool orchestral intro. Then a drum beat kicks in. The whole song is basically this drum beat with some electronics in the background. Very cool song. 7/10
2. Riot Religion & Righteousness
Just by looking at the title of the song you can tell his lyrics are pretty bad. It is a techno song with some guitar. The song is Raymond basically saying something very repetitive in a robotic voice. The music in the song is very good though, and the robotic voice adds a lot to it. 7/10
3. Salambo
Easily one the best songs on the cd. Has a cool mambo theme throughout the song. 8/10
4. Whore
Slow song, mundane lyrics, repetitive music.
4/10
5. Flesh Fest
Another very good song. I love raymonds singing in this song.
8/10
6. Black Brothel
Lame instrumental
1/10
7. Disrupt Degrade & Devastate
Very good blend of rock and techno. Has a nice chorus with a female.
7/10
8. F.O.M.
Mixes between fast metal and slow techno. Interesting is a word for it.
6/10
9. A Fete Worse Than Death
I had no idea what a fete was so I looked it up. It's a party. I don't like the title or lyrics. The music is very cool and it's my favorite song on the cd.
8/10
10. Cry Baby
Very unique tune of a woman speaking in japanese. Not a whole lot of "music" though.
4/10
11. Inside
THIS IS THE LONGEST AND WORSE INSTRUMENTAL EVER CREATED
14 MINUTES!
0/10
12. Saved Remix
Very cool remix of saved.

This was first released in Japan, so it wasn't sure whether they were going to release it in the U.S. or not. It's a good thing they did, because this is one of Pig's more solid efforts. Plus, they added an extra track to the U.S. edition. This is the epitome of techno rock, with Guenter Schulz from KMFDM and Slick Idiot adding some assistance.

1. Prayer, Praise, and Profit - 10/10 - The best opening for any song EVER, a masterful orchestrated opening builds up to a heavy guitar rift. The chorus is simply fantastic. Put simply, this song is SWEET.
2. Riot, Religion, and Righteousness - 10/10 - An electronic song with some guitars. Raymond Watts sings in a robotic voice, except during the chorus, which is the best chorus ever made for a song. If you can't understand the lyrics, go to www.raymondwatts.com and find them out. You don't want to miss out on them.
3. Salambo - 9/10 - Bordering on Tango, this industrial Mariachi mix might turn hardcore Industrial fans from listening to it, but it's quite a treat. You'll be in a for a pleasant surprise.
4. Whore - 9/10 - Basically, the lyrics are just a lot of Pig's songs/album titles thrown together. The music is very slow and low-key, but it builds up to a rocking electronic chorus.
5. Flesh Fest - 10/10 - Mainly a rock song, but with some Jazz elements, and a Tango-like keyboard near the end. Watch out of the lyrics, some of them are quite offensive.
6. Black Brothel - 9/10 - A really short instrumental, somewhat of a rehash of Transceration from Sinsation, with some piano added in.
7. Disrupt, Degrade, and Devastate - 10/10 - Probably the most famous song off here, this had its own single. With lyrics attacking religion, awesome guitars, and skillfully placed electronic work, you can't go wrong.
8. F.O.M. - 10/10 - Just so you know, the guitar is SUPPOSED TO SKIP in the beginning. There's nothing wrong with your CD player. Anyway, most of the music is very quiet techno, but the chorus has some of the best heavy guitar on the album. Like most of the songs on this album, the chorus is amazing.
9. A Fete Worse Than Death - 9/10 - This and Salambo are the catchiest songs on the album. The cool thing about this song is that samples from a movie are used, and they actually don't sound out of sync with the chorus. This has the best electronic and guitar work on the album. The only reason it doesn't get a perfect 10 is because Raymond Watts doesn't sing the chorus. Also, a female singer gets a solo near the end of the song, and her singing is terrible. She sounds like a horrible knock-off of Patti LaBelle.
10. Cry Baby - 2/10 - It has good percussion near the beginning, but that's the only good point about this song. The vocals are done by Raymond Watts, they're spoken word vocals done by some random guy talking in Spanish. The song is very creepy, don't play this with the lights out.
11. Inside - 9/10 - A very long instrumental, it also has a New Age feel to it like Transceration from Sinsation or Watt from A Stroll in the Pork. It also has some jungle-like drums near the end. The only downside is that it's too long, clocking in at over 10 minutes.
12. Saved (Locust Remix) - 10/10 - A remix of Save Me from Wrecked, this is the U.S.-only bonus track, although it's also on Prime Evil. It's just as good as the original, although the vocals are distorted, they sound cool that way. The vocals are also chopped up and re-sequenced to actually create a rhythm. The main lyrics and chorus are still sung normally, though.

OVERALL SCORE: 8.9/10
CONCLUSION: Sadly, this is Pig's last album. Raymond Watts is now in a band called Watts. However, this is fairly recent, and won't go out of print anytime soon (hopefully). Still, you should get a copy to add to your collection.