Booooooo...

So... no reviews right now.

I could give you a long story about how I worked all weekend, drove something like 16 hours in a little over 2 days, and now I'm either deliriously overtired or coming down with some sort head-spinning illness... but I'll spare you the excuses.

And I know what you're thinking... "Oh, it's barely been 2 months and already this guy's skipping days. I haven't forgotten about the delayed Wu-Tang review from last week, you know. What did I do to deserve this!?" Your concerns are valid, and I share in your anger, but please do not fear.

Seriously you guys, I got the reviews. The Who, They Might Be Giants, The Streets, Andrew WK... I got 'em all. I just need a few days. Come on... just a few days? You know I'm good for it, man. Just a little more time before you break my legs...

Yeah... I told you I was delirious. I'm gonna go rest now... if and when I wake up feeling better, we'll talk.

Keep listening,
matthew

Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

150-gram LP
NO digital copy included


Audio Quality: 2.25/5
Song Quality: 4.25/5
Packaging: 2.5/5


It's a given that just about everything I say on this blog is opinion only. As much as I'd like my thoughts to also function as hard facts the rest of the world must acknowledge and obey, it does not work that way. Yet. So when I say that Mule Variations is one of the best sounding records money can buy, or that Built To Spill should make Ben Gibbard hang his head in shame, you know that's just my take on it. However, some things that sound like opinion are so rooted in general public consensus that it starts to transform itself into a fact. So, when I say that 36 Chambers is one of the greatest hip-hop records ever produced, don't take that as opinion. Because it's a fact. Recognize.

What's most important about this album, more important than discussing individual songs, is discussing the overall vibe of this recording. For a mainstream rap record, it's probably the most raw and lo-fi release in the history of the genre. The beats, which sound just about as unique today as they must have sounded in 1993, sound very homemade, chopped and re-assembled complete with enough Kung-Fu samples to recreate an entire movie. At times, the vocals also sound very live and off-the-cuff, less like it was recorded in a studio and more like it was a bunch of guys passing a microphone around a living room, rapping along to their friend's cassette tape of beats he brought over on a boombox. In this sense, 36 Chambers has more character than any other hip-hop album I can think of. There aren't really any weak points on this album, but highlights are definitely "Shame on a Nigga," "C.R.E.A.M.," "Wu Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta Fuck Wit," and "Protect Ya Neck." The album has great ebb and flow from track to track, and should definitely be listened to in full, if you're looking to get the full experience. When Wu-Tang Clan are at their best, each emcee gets to showcase their own unique sound contribution to the project, and you can appreciate just how important the chemistry between these 9 individuals is. After this record, many Wu-Tang members went on to have extremely successfuly solo careers, most notably Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Rakewon, and the late great Ol' Dirty Bastard. All of them can credit this landmark release as their launching point, and it's a great indication of how much their personalities can shine in an environment that, in most cases, would be individually stifling. Not the case here... not at all.

But here's the bummer: this vinyl edition sounds really bad. I recently made a note of the fact that it's okay for some albums to not sound great, because they're meant to sound rough around the edges and that's part of what makes them feel the way they do. That's all true, and this record is a great example of stepping over that line, from the lo-fi on purpose column into the inexcusably bad column. This album is simply mastered too loud for vinyl. You have to crank the volume to get it to an acceptable level, and the whole mix starts to distort by the time you finally get there. At first, I thought to myself that this was okay, and that it's a very raw sounding album and that a little bit of fuzz on playback just adds to the character. This wound up being pure denial. By the time I was ready to turn the album over to side B (Wu-Tang Sword), which contains pretty much all my favorite tracks on the album, I almost didn't want to do it. It was downright painful. Also adding to the distortion is that it's one of the least quiet pressings I've ever heard from a brand new album. Straight out of the package it has so many pops and cracks that it sounds as if it has been collecting dust in a garage since before hip-hop even existed. Again, I wish that sound worked in this album's favor, but if I said it did, I'd be lying to you. Huge disappointment here. I hope that eventually someone re-releases this album with a higher-quality pressing. For now, this is going back on the shelf and I'm going back to the CD.

Packaging is super minimal, so I'll make this brief. The 150-gram (I think) LP sits in a generic white paper sleeve inside a gatefold package. No digital copy is included, nor is there any additional artwork, lyrics, or whathaveyou. It's the record in the sleeve. Deal with it. It's not exceptionally expensive, so at least it has that going for it. But that's not much, people.

This might be a great record to buy and then hang up on your wall with those vinyl frames. It's definitely cool to own on record, and I can't think of a better way to build up your musical credibility (even most non-hip-hop fans acknowledge how plain cool this record is) than to have this baby hanging from your wall. But when it comes to listening, steer clear of the release. It's really just all bad, and definitely not worth your time or the strain on your ears. Let's hope for a newly mastered re-issue soon, because this album definitely deserves it. Until then, your MP3s will do the trick.

Buy the LP from Amazon.com
Buy the LP from BestBuy.com (Only $10)

Monday: The Who - Who's Next? (Version comparison: standard vs. Back In Black re-issue)

The White Stripes - Icky Thump

2x 180-gram LPs
Gatefold package
Contains lyric insert
Features alternate versions of "Icky Thump" and "Rag & Bone"
NO digital copy included


Audio Quality: 4.75/5
Song Quality: 3.75/5
Packaging: 4.25/5


Anticipating this release, my expectations were sky-high. Prior to this, their 6th album, The White Stripes had done, in my estimation, something that was nearly impossible for a band with such a large catalog: Every new record they released was superior to their previous effort. Get Behind Me Satan was an amazing step forward from Elephant, which itself was way superior to their breakthrough hit record White Blood Cells, which was a distinctly more focused effort than their sophomore release De Stijl, which first started to show signs that this band had more to offer than the raw-sounding blues rock found on their eponymous debut. Some people might disagree with me on these rankings, especially putting Get Behind Me Satan ahead of Elephant, but I think any White Stripes fan would agree that the duo had been maturing wonderfully. With this record, expectations were the highest they had ever been, and I got all the more excited for it with the release of the title track as lead single. The song "Icky Thump" was their least conventional release to date, featuring a new element for the band, Jack White wailing away on a Moog synthesizer while somehow simultaneously playing his guitar (I realize this was overdubbed on the record, but I saw him live and he pulls it off pretty impressively). So, did the album live up to the lofty standards set by the leading single and the band's relatively flawless reputation?

Nah.

But don't get me wrong, it's a fine album and it has some excellent songs on it. In fact, there really isn't much on the record I could point out as being bad. However, the album as a whole just feels sub-par and uninspired. Probably because it doesn't take the massive step forward that it felt like the duo took on all their previous releases. For a band that always seems to be pushing limits, this album sounds like they're playing it safe, which takes otherwise perfectly fine songs and makes them kind of a bummer. Stand-outs on this record are definitely "Icky Thump," "Rag and Bone," "I'm Slowly Turning Into You," "Effect & Cause," and their cover of "Conquest," complete with dueling guitar and trumpet solos. These songs are all terrific. The problems lie in tracks like "Bone Broke," and "Little Cream Soda," which are decent enough, but come off sounding as though they are strained attempts at sounding like themselves. Does that make sense? It sounds like Jack White wrote them TRYING to sound like HIMSELF. They're just not natural, and they feel forced to me. A tough feeling to describe, clearly, but take a listen and I think you'll see what I mean. The rest of this album pretty much falls into the "good, not great" category, except "A Martyr For My Love For You," which I think is definitely the album's low point. Not terrible, but far below what these two are capable of.

Fear not, my brothers and sisters, because the sound on this record almost completely makes up for whatever is lacking in some songs. I bought this on CD first, and found portions of it to be immediately forgettable. After just one listen, I was skipping around from track to track looking for my favorites. However, I heard that the vinyl sounded great, so I picked it up to see what the fuss was about. WOW! What a great sounding record! The drums in this recording are absolutely massive... I don't think I've ever heard a kick drum with so much presence and depth. You can literally feel it in your gut from start to finish, most notably in "Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn" and "Bone Broke." Unlike Jack's other band, the arrangements in White Stripes songs are usually very minimal, which allows each instrument a TON of space sonically during the mixing process. The instruments in these songs are all clearly separated and tonally pure. The guitar is perfectly mixed with the drums most of the time, and during the trademark solos it screams out of your speakers. Jack's solo in "Icky Thump" sounds absolutely chilling here, and the bursts of guitar soloing and drum intensity in "300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues" literally sound like they're trying to kill you. The engineering of the horns in "Conquest" is top-notch, as is the vocal sound. Lastly, the organ in the verses and the guitar tone in the chorus of "I'm Slowly Turning Into You" make it a clear sonic highlight. Though this album isn't my favorite on CD, I listen to the vinyl quite frequently, and I always listen from start to finish. Exceptional sounding recording.

The packaging is pretty cool. It's a nice gatefold set, and there's a red and white sticker on the side of the record where it opens. This sticker is also pictured on the top of the CD artwork, but it's really there for the record, and you have to either rip it off or cut it down the middle in order to access the wax within. Personally, I cut it so as to avoid doing too much damage to their lovely presentation. The two nice and thick 180-gram albums are in the white paper sleeves with the plastic protective sheeting inside. Also included is a lyric booklet that additionally features album credits and some short of a poem from Jack White. It's just as weird as you'd expect. That's it from the package. An interesting note that I briefly mentioned earlier is that, though it's not advertised, this LP contains different versions of "Icky Thump" and "Rag and Bone" than the CD release. The "Icky Thump" here is similar to the radio cut of the song that removes some of the extended instrumental portions and adds some minor effects to the guitar track, and the "Rag and Bone" cut features different banter from Jack White in the verses. If you don't know what I mean by that, you'll just need to hear the song to understand. These alternate versions are a nice perk and incentive to buying the record in addition to the CD. I wish it came with a digital version, but what else is new?



After their old record label V2 closed up shop, the back catalog of White Stripes vinyl went out of print, and now they all fetch a pretty penny on eBay. I'm sure they'll all be re-released very soon, but for now, all I have from Jack and Meg is this and Elephant. This is definitely better of the two sonically, but I would so love for those early records to be remastered and re-released on vinyl for us. Jack is a hardcore analog tape guy, and I just know that they would sound amazing. If I could get a double LP pressing of Get Behind Me Satan that sounds as amazing as this, I would absolutely be in heaven. ::Crosses fingers:: Until then, this amazing sounding record will have to suffice.

Buy the LP from ElusiveDisc.com
Buy the LP from Amazon.com

Tomorrow / Friday*: Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) *I'm running behind this week and might not have this review ready for Thursday. If not, you'll see it at the usual time on Friday. Sorry... but I'm sure you'll live.

The Postal Service - Give Up

2x 150-gram LPs
Gatefold package
2nd LP is a bonus disc, containing non-album b-sides, remixes, and covers
Includes lyric booklet and fold-out artwork insert
NO digital copy included


Audio Quality: 4/5
Song Quality: 4.5/5
Packaging: 4.5/5


Some of my more avid readers (raise your web hand, lurkers) may remember the mild lashing I gave Death Cab For Cutie a few reviews ago for being generic, boring, bland, disingenuous, terrible, etc. Naturally, I stand by all of that, because I only said it a few days ago. It'd be weird of me not to. However, this record is a wonderfully frustrating anomaly. I am truly at a loss as to how a record this innovative and wholly enjoyable came from the same guy who has written some of my least favorite modern indie music. If anything, it makes my gripes with DCFC all the more frustrating, because I KNOW that Ben Gibbard is capable of writing great songs. He's got a unique voice and is clearly a talented lyricist, not to mention the fact that he can make "bop bada ba" choruses distinctively catchy a thousand times over. So I cannot understand why he settles for the bland music produced by Death Cab when I've heard him do so much better. It's definitely the safe route, so I suppose that could explain it. Whatever. Call me when he makes another one of these Postal Service records. Or maybe when he marries Zooey Deschanel, cause that's a damn cute couple.

As I said before, the songs on this record are all pretty solid. At this point I suppose the most notable is the single "Such Great Heights," which can now be heard in a variety of advertisements and movie trailers. There's a (terrible) cover of the song by Iron & Wine that is almost equally ubiquitous at this point. The hubub here is relatively warranted, as the song is pretty much a perfect pop experience from start to finish. If you don't know the hook to this song by now, I question your connection to the world, but you're definitely in for a treat. The highlight of the album for me is still track 1, "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight," featuring absolutely wonderful production, great vocals from Ben and guest Jenny Lewis, and the most unforgettable chorus on the album. As you listen through this 10-track debut, you find these memorable hooks and perfectly unique production aesthetics in endless supply, and I think it's worth giving tremendous credit to this album's producer, Jimmy Tamborello, aka the 2nd half of The Postal Service. Mr. Tamborello would create these gorgeous instrumental arrangements and send them via USPS to Mr. Gibbard, who would then add vocals and whatever other instrumenst he deemed necessary. In this process the name Postal Service was born, in honor of the government-subsizided organization that helped make the project possible. Anyway, it's hard to imagine these melodies existing without the inspiration that came from the incredible music underneath, from the synth-heavy "Nothing Better" and "Brand New Colony" to the unique drum-and-bass structure within "Sleeping In" all the way to the grandiose sonic sculptures of "Clark Gable" and "Recycled Air." Not to take any credit away from Ben Gibbard's great hooks (in someone else's hands, this album may have never wound up being such a perfect pop gem), but the true greatness of this record is undeniably rooted in the experimental electro-pop instrumentals crafted by Jimmy Tamborello. Kudos to him... this album is really an exceptional showcase of his talent.


The sound on this record is very nice. I think the low-end might be lacking a bit at times in terms of warmth and intensity, but in the highs and mids, there are all sorts of synth and drum articulations that leap off the wax much more vibrantly than they do digitally. It's a nice record to sit in front of J-NEX style, listening to all the carefully panned beeps and clicks that make up so much of this record's soundscape. I've heard some mixed reviews of the sound of this LP from friends who also own it, but I'm a fan of the vinyl sound, and it's actually one of the records I drop the needle on the most frequently. I'd say that at worst, it's just as good if not slightly better than the CD. For a record that retails for about $16 and includes a full LP of bonus tracks, that means that if you're a fan with a turntable, this is a no-brainer. It's worth noting that on the bonus LP (discussed more below), some of those songs don't sound quite as great, especially the Iron & Wine cover of "Such Great Heights," which sounds like complete shit. I get that it's supposed to be a bit lo-fi, but it's just really bad and distorted, and frankly I think it's a terrible cover too, so I just go ahead and flip the record when that track starts. Problem solved.

The packaging is really damn nice. It's an attractive gatefold set, and the LPs are contained in those generic white paper sleeves you've seen so many times before. You get a large booklet that contains all the lyrics, as well as a bunch of extra artwork. Also included is a nice fold-out poster that includes the artwork for the band's two EPs previously released, the songs of which are represented on the bonus LP. As I said earlier, though the sound is questionable at times, it was a very cool and unique gesture for the band to offer the second LP containing these additional songs. This alone should be more than enough motivation for some fans to go out and grab this package. My only gripe is the classic "no digital copy" issue, but I'll try to get over it. Oh, and though it says this is a 180-gram set most everywhere I look, it feels way flimsy for 180-gram. I'm marking it as 150... someone let me know if they can prove me wrong.



Ben Gibbard recently said he's not sure that the world will ever see a sophomore release from The Postal Service, as he and Jimmy are busy with their other projects and don't currently have the time to commit to it. With intense sincerity, I hope these two gentlemen clear some time in their schedule to make this album happen. The chemistry these two had in creating this record is so palpable, and it would be a tragic waste if it was never put to use again. Ben... give the Death Cab records a rest for a bit and go make another great piece of art. Please. It's time.

Buy the LP from ElusiveDisc.com
Buy the LP from InSound.com

Tomorrow: The White Stripes - Icky Thump

Radiohead - In Rainbows

Standard Edition:
180-gram LP
NO digital copy included
Retail price about $17

Audio Quality: 4.25/5
Song Quality: 5/5
Packaging: 3/5



Deluxe Box Edition:
2x 180-gram LPs
Half-speed mastered (45rpm)
Includes full album on CD and bonus CD with 8 bonus tracks
Includes 12-inch artwork booklet
Original retail price about $80, now sells on eBay for $150+

Audio Quality: 5/5
Song Quality: 5/5
Packaging: 5/5


So this is a new idea for me, and the idea is to review two different releases/pressings of the same record and judge whether one is superior to the other. With so many alternate versions of records coming out recently, my goal will be to inform people whether spending extra for a fancier version will be worth your presumably hard-earned currency. This review genre will probably not appear too often, as it's unusual that I have access to two versions of the same album. The next time it'll happen is probably whenever I muster up the coin to buy that newly remastered version of Paul's Boutique. But for now, I borrowed my friend's deluxe edition of In Rainbows to compare to my non-deluxe edition and see if one was sonically superior. You may remember this box set from when Radiohead did the "pay what you like" download of In Rainbows. It was initially the only physical release of the album offered, sold directly from the band to the fans, and it was a very limited pressing. Naturally, they sold out very quickly, despite the somewhat hefty price tag of £40, which at the time equated to over $80. I passed on the deluxe edition, and picked up the standard edition when it was released a few months later. I was recently reminded that my friend Kyle managed to get his hands on one of these limited sets, and I asked him if I could borrow it, curious of how different the sound on his double LP version of the record could be from my single LP. He obliged, and I had a back-to-back listening session, starting with the deluxe edition.

Holy shit. I was absolutely STUNNED at how different these two versions of the album sounded. I mean, I did expect there to be an audible difference, and I did expect the deluxe edition to sound superior, what with it being a 45rpm double LP and all. However, nothing could have prepared me for the amount of richness, depth, and articulation in the deluxe edition that was mostly absent from the standard. The deluxe edition contains tremendous and warm bass sound, incredibly articulate and vibrant drum sounds, and lush guitar and string arrangements. Not to mention Mr. Yorke's vocal sound, which always sits perfectly front and center, sometimes with light reverb and other times as dry and natural as any vocal performance I've ever heard. Really, there are very few records I've ever heard that play back sounding so alive. This sounds as amazing if not better than the best sounding records I've reviewed thus far.

Now, as for the standard edition (inner sleeve pictured here to the right), which as a reminder, is a single 33 1/3rpm LP. If I had only listened to this for review, I would probably have bumped it up to a 4.5 or maybe even higher. However, with the deluxe edition as basis for comparison, a 4.25 was as high as I could go. The first thing I noticed was that it plays back noticeably quieter than the deluxe edition. I had to turn up the volume quite a bit before the levels felt equal. From there, the standard edition definitely sounds nice. It plays back warmly and the individual instruments are clear and well-separated. In fact, the overall instrumental mix sounds like it's probably exactly the same as the deluxe edition. However, the extra care that went into the half-speed mastering on the deluxe edition really shows, and it gives the tracks far more depth and articulation than in the standard edition. If you can't get your hands on the deluxe edition (understandable since it's now long out-of-print), the standard is definitely a great sounding representation of these songs. But it pales in comparison to the quality you get from the half-speed deluxe version. If I had known the difference was going to be this immense, I would have happily shelled-out the $80 for the box set. But now I'm gonna have to snoop around on eBay until I find a good deal. Woe is me.

As for the songs, they are just excellent. Personally, I found their previous album Hail To The Thief to be a bit of a mixed bag. This album, however, shows the band with renewed focus taking yet another step forward musically. I can't really express how much I love this record. I'd say that of these ten tracks, my least favorite is probably "House of Cards," which is still a beautifully composed piece of music with great lyrics, and the orchestral arrangements that arise throughout the song are gorgeous. It's just the least interesting track as far as I'm concerned, but that's not even really putting it down, because it's up against a collection of incredibly compelling songs. Somewhat unfortunately, this album will go down in history less because of it's content than because of Radiohead's revolutionary "pay what you want" download system that tossed the music industry rule book clear out the window. That was a great accomplishment for Radiohead, no question, but I hope this record is also remembered for the music within. They are all fantastic songs by an incredible band who prove once again that they truly deserve a spot among the great recording artists of all time.

Ahh the package. Let's get the standard edition out of the way quickly. You get a 180-gram LP in a printed sleeve with lyrics and artwork, held within a slipcase package. No digital download, no CD, no poster... that's it. The deluxe edition on the other hand (photographed on right and below), comes in a large gatefold book that is encased in a hard outer shell. The two LPs are held in custom black paper sleeves with protective plastic sheeting. Opening the gatefold, you see the two CD's attractively held in place, one of which is an 8-song bonus disc that, to date, is available nowhere else. Quite a nice perk there. You also get a tall and narrow booklet built into the package that contains all the lyrics. There's a nice size art booklet held within the packaging in a sleeve that makes it look like it contains a third LP within, but no such luck. I considered knocking the points down a bit for this package only because of the high price, but really, the price is more than fair for such a high-quality, comprehensive set.




Truly, I'm amazed at the difference here. Copies of the deluxe edition do pop-up on eBay from time to time, so I would say that if you're a seriously dedicated Radiohead fan and a freak about great sounding vinyl like myself, nab the first copy you see that's less than $150. The standard edition vinyl is a fine sounding rendition of the record, and if you're a more casual buyer it'll definitely leave you satisfied. But for my fellow audiophile freaks, go grab this one immediately. After I get mine, that is.

Search for the deluxe edition on eBay
Buy the standard edition at ElusiveDisc.com

Tomorrow: The Postal Service - Give Up

The Strokes - Room On Fire

150-gram LP
NO digital copy included


Audio Quality: 3.5/5
Song Quality: 4.5/5
Packaging: 3/5


Man, I miss The Strokes. According to Wikipedia (my definitive source for everything), the band was slated to go into the studio this past February to start recording their 4th album. It's been over three years since the release of First Impressions of Earth, and now with Albert Hammond Jr. releasing solo records and Julian Casablancas doing Converse commercials with Pharrell, it was beginning to look like the guys might have gone their separate ways. Hopefully Wikipedia is being honest with me this time... I've been burned so many times before.

Room On Fire, their 2nd album, is probably my favorite. I loved Is This It? and though it was a mixed bag, I really loved a lot of First Impressions of Earth, but I think this one is probably their best full album. While Is This It? was a relatively straightforward throwback to old-fashioned rock and roll, this album manages to maintain that spirit while establishing a more unique, forward-thinking sound for the band. Just about all the tracks here are great, though I do think that Side B is a little less consistently impressive than Side A. Guitarist Nick Valensi really shines throughout this record, and his lead guitar lines in "Reptilia," "12:51," and "The End Has No End" absolutely make the songs and demonstrate a player with a truly unique voice. The whole album is a terrifically fun pop/rock statement that you'll find yourself wanting to repeat over and over again. Again, I love most of The Strokes' output, but when I hear a song from any of their records on the radio or when my computer is on shuffle, I always think to myself, "I should really listen to Room On Fire."

This is not a great sounding LP. It's a bit bright, especially on sections with lots of crash cymbals, and the drums sound pretty weak and in the background. In the plus column, Julian's trademark overdriven vocal sound sits around everything pretty nicely, blending into the mix without stepping on anything. The guitars also sound loud and fuzzy without overdriving the mix. There are moments when the overall mix is more clean and separated, but for the most part, this record is a bit cluttered. And you know what, I like that. I've said before that not every record is meant to sound ultra-clean, separated, and hi-fi. You can get just as much emotional response from a record's mix as you get from the songs themselves. If the Fugazi record I recently reviewed was mixed by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab so the instruments were all super clear and separated, and then it was released as a 200-gram half-speed vinyl, then you would lose SO MUCH of the listening experience. Some records are meant to sound raw and imperfect, and I'm gonna go ahead and lump this record in with that bunch. I realize it may seem like I'm picking and choosing here, criticizing some records for bad sound while others I claim sound bad in a good way. Perhaps some personal bias towards music I prefer does come into play, but I really do try to make those calls based on sound quality and listening experience only. I suppose you're just gonna have to take my word for it. Or go listen to some of these records and comment here with your take on it. Anyways, back to the album, the cluttered and aggressive sound is also pretty similar to the way the CD sounds, so it's clearly the way this album was meant to be heard. I wouldn't advise anyone to run out and pick up this vinyl, as it's not a tremendously different listening experience from the CD. Probably slightly better if anything, but nothing life-changing.

The package is a very basic one. 150-gram record is in a printed sleeve with lyrics and a band photograph on one side, and individual band portraits on the other. It sits in a single slipcase. No digital copy is included, lame. Not much else to discuss here. I need to review a record with great packaging again... these paragraphs are getting super repetitive, arent' they?

I hope The Strokes really are in the studio right now. And I hope they're being produced by Gordon Raphael again. And I hope they're recording live to 2-inch tape. And I hope it'll be released on vinyl exclusively. And I hope it'll come with a digital download, and a great package, and it'll be available for under $20. I think I'm being pretty reasonable here, Strokes.

Buy the LP from Amazon.com
Buy the LP from InSound.com

Monday will have a new kind of review... a pressing comparison.
Radiohead - In Rainbows (Standard single LP release vs. Half-speed double LP box release)

Metallica - Ride The Lightning (45rpm Double LP Reissue)

2x 180-gram LPs
Gatefold packaging
Remastered from original analog tapes by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab
Half-speed mastered (45rpm)
NO digital copy included


Audio Quality: 3.75/5
Song Quality: 3.25/5
Packaging: 3.5/5


I don't like Metallica. At all. Just wanted to get that out of the way immediately. As I said about The Jesus And Mary Chain, I think in order to fully appreciate an album like this, you really had to be there at the time of its release. Being 15 at the time of it's release was probably helpful too. Regardless, I've never cared much for their music, and my negative feelings towards the members of Metallica are primarily rooted in their destruction of Napster (bad) and their performance in Some Kind of Monster (amazing, yet also bad). This is yet another release that I borrowed from a friend, because I would NEVER spend this sort of money on a Metallica album. However, as one of five recent Metallica reissues put together by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, I felt compelled to hear this remastered, "audiophile-quality" sound. MoFi hasn't let me down in the past, so I thought if anyone could change my opinion of this band, it would be them.

I must admit, I enjoyed the songs on this record more than I thought I would. They are pretty relentlessly heavy and fast-paced, and though I think they sound pretty dated now, you can't deny that these guys have serious chops. Now, the biggest thing I cannot get behind on this record are the lyrics. I understand that as a general rule, metal lyrics are not meant to be taken seriously. However, I can't help but laugh at songs that try to sound tough while telling the history of Passover (see "Creeping Death"). Also, I think it's worth mentioning to the metalheads out there that the lyrics to "Fade To Black" are comparable with the absolute lamest modern emo lyrics you can find. "Emptiness is filling me / to the point of agony / Growing darkness taking dawn / I was me, but now he's gone." REALLY?! I'll have to remember to throw that into the face of the next metalhead who makes fun of modern pop/rock. Lyrics aside, I think most of the instrumental performances are pretty fantastic, even if they get a little repetitive as the album progresses. Even the longest songs fly by pretty quick due to all the changes and intricacies of the tracks, so that's quite an accomplishment. My only other beef is that, unlike some of their peers (::cough Iron Maiden cough::), Metallica seem to have a really tough time crafting a decent hook for their songs on this record. They seem to try for a catchy, memorable chorus every time, but consistently fall short and make something a bit awkward and unwieldy. They got better at this later in their career, but by then they lost their truly metal performances and attitude. I guess you can't have it all... at least not with these guys.

Sound quality. Now, as I said, this record was remastered at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. Usually, you can tell a MoFi release by the stripe at the top of the record that reads "Original Master Recording," but that trademark is missing from these records. I'm wondering if that was either because Metallica didn't want their precious artwork defiled, or maybe it was deliberately omitted by MoFi, because though this record sounds good and possibly even great, it is definitely NOT the amazingly clear and warm listening experience I get from my other Mobile Fidelity releases. First, the pros. The guitars on these recordings are incredibly detailed, and if you sit and listen with your head down (J-NEX Method), you can hear every single palm-muted 16th note they hit with incredible precision. It's really remarkable. The guitar tones are also excellent, sounding angry and intense without any distortion of the overall mix. The other thing that really struck me about this record was the vocal sound, which is soaked in reverb and sounds a little bit thin and tinny at times. Listening to digital copies, that seems to be how it's always been meant to be heard. Not necessarily a bad thing, just a curious production decision as far as I'm concerned. On the other side of things, this record is mastered pretty quietly. I had to crank my volume up to way louder than usual to get it playing back at a good volume. Now, to be fair, this record really needs to be heard loudly in order to be properly experienced, so I would have probably turned it up louder either way. But this record is definitely mastered at a quieter level than most albums I own, so be aware of that before you drop the needle. I also found the mids to be pretty damn intense and painfully aggressive, with the low-end not getting the sort of love it needed. By the time I was done listening to this album, I was developing a pretty serious headache from this sound, which has never happened to me with any other record. The kick drum is barely audible at times, and I can almost never hear any bass articulation and warmth. I was curious and I looked up information about this release, and actually found a few other consumers who complained about these issues as well, stating that this new release did not have the low-end punch that the original pressing did. Definitely a bummer. While it's a pretty clear and even mix from left to right, it's unfortunately lopsided when you look at it from the top to bottom of the frequency spectrum. Despite these issues, I was pretty entranced in this listen, especially considering how little I care about this band. So that's saying something, I suppose.


The packaging here is pretty nice, but not great. The two 180-gram LPs come in a gatefold set, and each of them sits in a generic paper sleeve with a protective plastic sheet. Opening the set reveals a couple photos, album credits, and lyrics to all the songs. No other inserts or anything, and NO digital version included. It's not a terrible set, but for the price, it could have definitely been better.

For me, in a way, it's kind of a relief that this wound up being the worst release I've ever heard come from the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. I would have been way more disappointed if I wound up hating the sound on their remaster of Permanent Waves or Animals Should Not Try To Act Like People. I wasn't expecting much here in the first place, but despite the sound being sub-par, I still wound up enjoying the record more than I had expected. It's a testament to how important sound quality is for proper appreciation of the music. After all, when you take something and put it under a high-quality microscope, you're bound to notice things you missed when you looked at it with just your eye.

Damn, is that a good metaphor or what?

Buy the LP ***ON SALE*** at ElusiveDisc.com
Buy the LP at MusicDirect.com

Tomorrow: The Strokes - Room On Fire

Fugazi - Margin Walker

150-gram LP
NO digital copy included


Audio Quality: 4/5
Song Quality: 4.25/5
Packaging: 4/5


Some bands are so ahead of their time it seems impossible. Forgive me for echoing an analogy I already used on Built To Spill, but I am so envious of a fan of modern punk/hardcore hearing Fugazi for the first time. What an eye-opening music lesson that must be. What I love most about Fugazi is how undeniably punk rock their music is without following ANY of the stereotypical rules of the genre. Their playing is groove oriented, their performances are sophisticated and technical, and some songs are downright slow. Hardly characteristics you'd lump in with punk bands, but I'd challenge anyone to dare question the true punk spirit that oozes from Fugazi's music, not to mention their personal attitudes and artistic integrity. They've influenced countless bands that have followed, and tragically I'd wager many of those bands wouldn't even know how to pronounce Fugazi. It's "foo-ga-zee," by the way. So, to conclude this introduction, if you consider yourself a fan of punk, hardcore, or even "emo," whatever that means nowadays, do yourself a favor and pick up some Fugazi records. Then look at the date printed on the back, and recognize that you are in the presence of the masters.

I had never heard this particular batch of songs before I listened for this review. Well, I had, but only once or twice, within the context of their compilation CD 13 Songs. That album compiled their first two EPs (Fugazi and Margin Walker) onto a single album, but that's not the same as hearing the EPs separately in their originally intended form. Not to mention the fact that I hadn't heard any of these songs on vinyl, so as far as I'm concerned, it was a fully new experience for me. The songs are all very good, and it's a wonderfully concise musical statement. It's immediately got all the elements of a Fugazi record, though it's a bit more straightforward than some of thier later releases, such as Steady Diet of Nothing and Red Medicine, which I tend to prefer. Half the songs are way fast and aggressive, such as "Margin Walker," "Burning Too," and "Lockdown," and they are clear examples of Fugazi's punk influences. On the other hand, "And The Same," "Provisional," and "Promises" go in a different sort of direction. They feel equally aggressive and intense, but now at trudging tempos and with minimalist arrangements. For me, these tracks are the most compelling, and they're the best glimpse at what Fugazi would go on to achieve in later records. But really, all six songs are great.

Sound is good, but playback is a bit hot right out of the package. Interestingly, I noticed far more of this issue on Side A than Side B. This could be a mastering issue, but I think it's more likely that the record just needs a few plays to calm down, as the sort of high-end harshness it contains is much more reminiscent of Belle & Sebastian than Fall Out Boy. Either that or it just can't be played too loudly, which would be a bit of a bummer. I'll get back to you on that. Other than this issue, there's not much to complain about. It's a raw and rough EP, and the sound suits it perfectly. At times I might have wanted a bit more presence in the drums and bass, but that's it. The guitars are clear and aggressive and the vocals sit within the instrumental mix rather than on top, which adds to the edginess and character of the recording. Once again, this is not a pristine mix, but its noisiness and roughness is a welcome compliment to the music.

Super basic packaging. The record is in a printed sleeve with lyrics on one side and a single black-and-white photograph of the band on the other, and it sits in a slipcase package. No digital download or CD, which as you know by now, is a big requirement for me. However, I'll let it slide based on the fact that this record retails for $10 or less. Oh, and it's not 180-gram vinyl. I think it's 150-gram, but as usual, when it's less than 180-gram, it's hard to find out the specific weight.

As you may know, Fugazi guitarist / vocalist Ian MacKaye is also co-founder and co-owner of Dischord Records, based out of Washington D.C., who have released all of Fugazi's albums. The label and the band have an intensely DIY ethic and a commitment to what they consider moral treatment of their fans. This includes selling their music at astonishingly low prices. For this alone, the band should be applauded. The fact that they make great, important music just makes it even sweeter.

Buy the LP at InSound.com
Buy the LP at Interpunk.com

Tomorrow: Metallica - Ride The Lightning (45rpm Double LP Reissue)

Radiohead - Kid A (Capitol Reissue)

2x 10" 180-gram LPs
Gatefold package
NO digital version included


Audio Quality: 4.5/5
Song Quality: 5/5
Packaging: 4.25/5


First things first... let's get real. This is one of the best albums released in this decade, no question. It will probably also go down as one of the most innovative and landmark recordings in history. Now, this will probably make me sound like a young whippersnapper rapscallion, but Kid A was also the first Radiohead album I ever heard, which helps explain why it holds a very special place in my heart. I saw Thom and the guys play on Saturday Night Live shortly after the album was released, and they performed "Idioteque" and "The National Anthem." I'll never forget watching them, sitting on the edge of my seat, with my jaw on the floor. I had absolutely never heard anything like this before. I had also never seen anything like it before, what with Thom Yorke's spastic dancing and Jonny Greenwood playing what looked like a telephone switch board. Some might say that Radiohead took the electronic innovations they made on 1997's OK Computer and went too far from their rock roots. However, in this writer's opinion, by putting down the guitars and picking up computers, samplers, and synthesizers, they pushed the boundaries of modern music in an irreversible way. If OK Computer is Radiohead's Revolver, then that makes this album their Sgt. Pepper. It's that good musically, and it's that important historically. Some might call that hyperbole, but they're wrong.

It's funny how feelings can change based on context. I bought this vinyl when it was first released, and it immediately became one of my favorite sounding records. When I listened again for this review, it sounded undeniably great, but compared to some of my newer purchases, it's not quite the mind-exploding listening experience I remembered. The one track that specifically bugged me was "The National Anthem," which sounded a bit small, tinny, and compressed compared to the others. Other than this arguable blemish, the album is big, warm, and crystal clear. Previous Radiohead albums on vinyl have sounded good, but this one clearly steps it up a notch. Not sure if this has to do with the way the albums were recorded (digital vs. analog), but that is definitely my guess. The processed vocal samples in the opening "Everything In It's Right Place" perfectly sit on the sides of the song's otherwise electronic piano and vocal arrangement. The whole album (save "The National Anthem") sounds great, so I won't go into specifics on each song, but the other track that's definitely worth mentioning is the last song, "Motion Picture Soundtrack." An organ and vocal performance complimented by the introduction of a full orchestra, featuring the ethereal sweeps of countless harps and voices, is absolutely one of the most beautiful moments ever captured on tape. Just stunning.

As for the songs on this record, I wouldn't even know where to begin. It's a relentlessly innovative and gorgeous collection of songs. It's also one of the most cohesive albums I've ever heard. I never put on a single song from this record, whether I'm at the turntable or the laptop. It's always a full-album listen. "Idioteque" has one of the best sounding drum tracks ever laid down, and with Thom Yorke's apocalyptic lyrics and frantic delivery, it's an unforgettable experience. "How To Disappear Completely" and "Optimistic" are probably the most similar to old Radiohead, with guitar-heavy arrangements and haunting production. However, the most haunting is definitely the title-track, "Kid A," featuring toy keyboard sounds and electronically programmed drums. On top of that, Thom sings through a robotic vocoder, "We've got heads on sticks. You've got ventriloquists." You'd be hard-pressed to find music that gets more profoundly disturbing and unsettling than this. The sum of all these parts is a truly profound listening experience. If you're open-minded and willing to give something absolutely out-of-this-world a serious shot, then there's so much to love in this record. Without question, it's in my Top 10 albums of all time.

The packaging is interesting. As you may have seen/read, Radiohead chose to release this and Amnesiac as double 10-inch 180-gram LP sets. Not sure why, but it certainly makes them more unique. You might have difficulty storing them with the rest of your Radiohead vinyl, though. This, the "From the Capitol Vault" reissue, preserves all the original artwork and presentation, which includes a very beautiful and perfectly creepy visual compliment to the music. And, as I said, it sounds really great. I have no comparison to the original pressing prepared, but I can't imagine it sounding better than that. The records come in printed sleeves, and the entire set is in a gatefold package. No digital copy is included, which is lame, but other than that, it's a very attractive set.


Die-hard Radiohead fans (and which Radiohead fans aren't die-hard?) will probably want to go out and buy all their albums on vinyl, and that's not a bad idea. The old ones definitely don't sound bad. However, Kid A is the first that sounds great, and the records that follow sound just as great. If you're looking for a starting point, try this one. Or perhaps In Rainbows, which I'll be reviewing soon. Either way, you'll be most satisfied.

Buy the LP at Amazon.com
Buy the LP ***ON SALE*** at ElusiveDisc.com

Tomorrow: Fugazi - Margin Walker

My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade (Special Edition Box)

2x 180-gram LPs
Deluxe Box Set includes two "Making Of" books, featuring band photographs and essays
Half-Speed mastered (still plays at 33 rpm) from original analog tapes


Audio Quality: 3.75/5
Song Quality: 4/5
Packaging: 4.5/5


Now this is a tough one. I borrowed this record from a friend of mine who found it for a very low price (the retail price is somewhere around $60) and was curious. I borrowed it with the same curiosity, because though I liked many of these songs on CD, the quality of the audio was really quite bad. Just filled with the sort of over-compression and lack of dynamic range that is now the trademark of most major label releases. With this in mind, I was naturally skeptical when I saw an "audiophile-quality" double LP box release from the band. As a general rule, if recorded, mixed, and mastered correctly, vinyl should always sound better than compact disc. However, if the CD is over-compressed and sounds exceptionally bad, it's hard to imagine that a whole lot of care would be put into the process of creating a nice vinyl mix. It's worth noting that in the description of this product on every retail page, it says "Half-Speed mastered by Stan Ricker from half-inch, 30 ips analog master tapes!" Now, I don't want to accuse any one of lying to me, but if this record really was recorded to analog tape and half-speed mastered, then they could have done a MUCH better job on some tracks. Either that or they're just lying and it was recorded in Pro Tools like I would have guessed. I don't know which I'd prefer.

Regardless of how it was recorded, you should know that though this record has it's weak points, it is INFINITELY superior to the audio quality on the CD. The vocal sound is stellar, and during the album's more delicate moments, the mix is very warm and eveloping. The album opens up with "The End.", a piano-laden opening singalong, and is immediately followed with a pretty raucous track called "Dead!" Both of these songs sound pretty damn good, with nice and vibrant low-end and a wide stereo image. I've certainly heard better, but the improvement here over the CD version was quite remarkable. Many of the tracks on this record sound great with this vinyl mix, especially "Cancer," "Mama," and "Teenagers." However, this album loses it's charm quickly on about a third of the tracks, and they are the most aggressive songs on the record. Some songs have lots of big distorted guitar, and the mix is just way too loud and crowded. It instantly kills the dynamics of the song and it starts to play back with some serious distortion. The worst example of this is on "House of Wolves," which sounds pretty damn abysmal. "This Is How I Disappear" and portions of "Sleep" also illustrate this reprehensible sonic behavior. In a way, what's even more of a bummer is when songs that sound great for the most part, such as the anthemic single "Welcome To The Black Parade," have moments within them where the levels rise to the point of distortion. Then you're vacillating back and forth between good sound and bad sound within the same song, all the while wondering what could have been if Stan Ricker had just taken the master volume and lowered it a bit. Sometimes I say crazy things.

The packaging here is quite impressive. And I would absolutely rave about it, but there are two glaring problems: 1. No digital copy included, and 2. It costs a freaking fortune. In fact, point #1 is made even worse by the existence of point #2. Lame. Having said that, for a fan of the band, this package is pretty intense. The outer box contains 2 separate gatefold books, with one LP held in each. Opening the package will allow you to read a very extensive "Making of The Black Parade," with one package explaining (with impressive depth) the process of writing and recording, and the other going through track-by-track, with different band members talking about what the song means and how it came to be. Also featured are lyrics and TONS of artwork and photographs. The 180-gram LPs are contained in white paper sleeves featuring protective plastic sheeting. Again, other than the troubles of high price and lack of digital format, this is a beautifully assembled collection.


I just realized I didn't talk about the songs on this record at all. But that's kind of okay. This album has been out for a while and if you follow mainstream pop/rock at all, you've definitely heard "Welcome To The Black Parade" and "Teenagers" by now. If you hated both of those tracks, the odds of you liking this record are roughly zero. But more importantly, my opinion of the songs doesn't matter here. With this price tag, there's no way anyone who hasn't already heard and loved this album would buy it. Either that or you're a huge fan of the band and you'd buy it regardless. If you love this record, and you're looking to hear a mostly better sounding version of these songs, this is definitely worth a listen. There's a standard LP version that also exists for way cheaper, and it appears to be identical other than the fact that it's not 180-gram. I'd guess the sound is pretty comparable between the two, so maybe go with that one if you're looking to hear the good stuff. This is unquestionably for die-hard fans only.

Buy the box set from ElusiveDisc.com
Buy the standard edition from ElusiveDisc.com

Tomorrow: Radiohead - Kid A (Capitol Re-Issue)

Built To Spill - Keep It Like A Secret

2x LP
All-analog recording
Includes bonus track
NO digital version included


Audio Quality: 4.5/5
Song Quality: 4.5/5
Packaging: 3/5


Oh! So THIS is where Death Cab for Cutie got all their ideas from! Seriously, what a revelation this is! This is like an Oasis fan first hearing The Beatles, or like a Coldplay fan hearing Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees" for the first time, and coming to the unbelievable realization that someone else did exactly what you like about your band years before your band even got started. And way better, too. Yeah. In fact, it's EXACTLY like that, except for the fact that I'm not a DCFC fan at all. I've always found them mediocre at best and devastatingly boring at worst. So you can imagine my pleasant surprise when I dropped the needle on this record and heard songs closely resembling the indie alternative-rock aesthetic that Death Cab for Cutie do so blandly and half-heartedly, but this time absolutely brimming with life, intensity, and originality. I can certainly see why Ben Gibbard thought it'd be wise to lift their sound and run with it, and he's been quite successful in doing so, but listening to this album proves that if you want the real thing, you've got to go to the source and not settle for a cheap imitation. Now, I'm gonna make a note that my girlfriend LOVES Death Cab, and we're gonna quickly move on before I dig an even deeper grave for myself.

When I'm listening to a new album, especially for review, I like to take little notes as I listen so I can remember which songs are which. For this album, I had my little notepad document open on my iPhone (yeah, I'm a dork) ready to go, but as I listened to this record, I took no notes. The experience was simply too consuming for even that minimal of a distraction. As such, I am not prepared to do a "highlights / lowlights" section of this review. Sorry. I know that I liked some songs more than others, but the album as a whole was just excellent. It's most important to me that you know this, and then you can discover your own favorites when you give it a listen. Because you will. And then you'll listen again. I cannot wait to listen again.

Aside from the similarities Built To Spill hold to some more modern hacks... whoops I mean acts... you can hear influences from Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, Shudder to Think, Sunny Day Real Estate, etc. For the most part, these tunes are undeniably catchy, with noisy production, lead-guitar heavy arrangements, and long instrumental sections. It has the immediate quality of sounding sophisticated and unique, even 10 years after the original release, while also clearly paying tribute to some of the bands that influenced and helped pave the way for it. When I listen to this record, I hear something that sounds transitional, like a cornerstone for a new musical movement which spawns countless new acts. This album feels like, and pretty much is, THAT important of a recording. Most modern "indie" bands owe a lot to these guys, and the proof is in the grooves.

I'm told that every Built To Spill album to-date has been recorded to analog tape. There's a bunch of articles stating that their forthcoming release has been recorded on Pro Tools, and that's a shame. Now's not the time to START using Pro Tools guys... people want wax! Anyway, this album comes plastered with an "All-Analog Recording" sticker on the front, and based on what I've read about the band, it seems like they're pretty serious about a pure analog recording and mixing process. Sweet. It's a great sounding record, no question. It's clear and aggressive without clipping or compression, and the guitar tones especially sound powerful and brilliant. As a general rule, when playing a record, I like to sit on the edge of my bed in front of my speakers, shut my eyes, and listen. It's what I perceive to be the "sweet spot" in the stereo image. This is the chosen method for me, and it's also the method that Joanna Newsom described her ex-boyfriend doing all the time. As such, from now on it shall be referred to as the "J-NEX Method". Write that down. Now, for me the J-NEX Method is the best way to listen to a record approximately 95% of the time. It allows me to hear all the nuances of the music most clearly, and absorb all the sound available to me without any obstacles. However, the J-NEX Method is definitely NOT the best way to listen to this record. I found the album sonically cluttered and almost overwhelming while listening this way. So I stood up, turned the volume up a little louder, and listened while sort of pacing around my room. It sounded excellent. The bass became clearer and more articulate, I could hear the guitar frequencies better, and the vocals settled into the mix effortlessly. So take note of that for your own listening experience. Highly recommended. But if you find a better way (for any record I review, in fact) holler at me.

Packaging is basic. The two LPs are contained in those generic white paper sleeves I talk so much about. Both of them are stuffed into a single slipcase package, which is a bummer. If it's a double LP, I want a gatefold package. Give it to me. This record retails for about $20, which is definitely too much to not include a CD/download with. If these releases came with digital copies, I'd own them all by now. As it stands, this is the only Built To Spill record I've got, though I'll definitely be buying Perfect From Now On ASAP. Also, note that these are (I think) 150-gram records, but definitely less than 180-gram. Extra points for having a bonus track previously not available on CD... but other than that this package is not great.

Of all the new records I picked up this week, this one is definitely my favorite. Great sound and great songs... this record will definitely get a lot of spin time. I'll pick up more of their albums soon.

PS: I shouldn't have been so mean to Death Cab For Cutie and similar bands earlier in this article. It's worth noting that while I would never call myself a fan of DCFC, I do like some of their songs, and I LOVE The Postal Service album. So it's not all hate. I'll also borrow my girlfriend's copy of Narrow Stairs in the next couple weeks and review that, just to prove that I'm fair and balanced. Like FOX News. But seriously, after poking fun at Morrissey yesterday and Death Cab today, I don't want to be perceived as a hater. I love it all. I really do. No I don't.

Buy this LP at Amazon.com
Buy this LP at MusicDirect.com

I have no idea what will be reviewed for Monday. It's gonna be a surprise for all of us. See you then!

Morrissey - Years of Refusal

150-gram LP
NO digital version included

Audio Quality: 3.75/5
Song Quality: 3.5/5
Packaging: 3.75/5


Oh, Morrissey. Woe is you. It's now been over twenty years, and this guy still can't find anyone to love him. Apparently he now thinks he has a better shot with some Parisian architecture. At this point, I suppose he'll take what he can get. Who knows why Mr. Moz has such trouble with love? Maybe he's tragically misunderstood, or maybe he's just a dick. Either way, hopefully he can take comfort in the fact that he's a firm lock as the king of all modern lovelorn crooners. He might be all alone, but at least there are hundreds of thousands of people, men and women alike, who would literally kill each other to just catch his disgusting, sweaty shirt that he tosses off his stage like the modern-day Elvis he is. I'm not saying it's easy living with endless sexual confusion and rejection, I'm just saying that making millions by selling it probably eases the pain a little.

That opening paragraph was a bit harsh perhaps. I'm just having a bit of fun. I actually really enjoy sizable portions of Morrissey's back catalog... most of it being Smiths material, not surprisingly. However, Morrissey has had a few solo tracks really blow me away, most recently "You Have Killed Me" from 2006's Ringleader of the Tormentors (the most metal sounding title for a wimpy sounding record in history). And I must admit that one of his cheesiest effors ever, 1991's "Sing Your Life," is a long-time favorite of mine. Personal meaning. Don't judge. Either way, though there are moments of greatness, I think his solo output tends to be spotty at best. I gave this album a listen with an open mind, hoping to find at least one or two tracks to fall in love with and add to my "Best of Morrissey" mental playlist.

Well, I didn't exactly find what I was looking for. Unlike most Morrissey albums, where I can find a couple songs to love amidst a bunch of mediocre ones, this record stays pretty consistently "good, not great" from start to finish. I have to say, I'm not sure which I'd actually prefer.

If I had to pick a highlight for this record, it'd probably be track 1, the curiously titled "Something Is Squeezing My Skull." It's a fast-paced rocker with a great vocal performance and super catchy melody. Moz rises up to hit an unexpectedly high note on the word "skull" in the choruses, and it's a great moment each time through, adding character to an intense and excellent opening cut. The surprise of this record is that, following this track, it remains pretty relentlessly peppy and aggressive throughout, which is hardly typical for Morrissey. It's definitely an interesting change of pace, and it makes the album as a whole easier to digest than some of his previous efforts, where the songs often get too dour for my taste. However, while this album consistently flirts with greatness, it manages to fall short. I can hear so much to love in almost all of the tracks, including "Mama Lay Softly on the Riverbed," "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris," and "All You Need Is Me." These tracks are all good, but whether it be a less-than-stellar hook ("Mama Lay Softly..."), generic production ("All You Need..."), or lyrics that are ridiculous even for Morrissey ("I'm Throwing My Arms..."), there's something that holds each of them back from being as great as they could be. The only track that's a complete miss is "You Were Good In Your Time," which is long, slow, and features a noise-wash outro that is WAY out of place on this album. I really do love "That's How People Grow Up," "When Last I Spoke To Carol," and the aforementioned "Something Is Squeezing My Skull," but on the first run, these were the only tracks that left a real impression. Listening to these songs again on MP3 to refresh my memory for this review, I'm less bothered by some things than I was the first run through. Perhaps it'll grow on me... we'll see.

This album has a wonderful suggestion on the back of the sleeve: "Play very loud." Seemed like a reasonable request, so I did. And yes, it sounded pretty nice, but not amazing. It was definitely recorded digitally, which is unmistakable when you listen to it immediately after playing the gorgeous analog experience of the Shelby Lynne album. It was, however, mixed and mastered very well, and the "Play very loud" suggestion represents the fact that this album isn't mastered too loud like so many modern releases. It's not crippled with over-compression and a crushed dynamic range, so it plays back without too much digital harshness. The sounds of the fuzz bass, pounding drums, and dare I forget to mention rich and unique lead vocal, are big and clear, without being dismissively smashed together by a Pro Tools compressor. However, the record still is plagued with the high and mid-range sheen that only a digital recording can provide. It's not particularly aggressive or painful on this record... just a constant reminder that you're listening to music recorded by an inferior medium. I might advise against buying this over the CD, especially since it doesn't include a digital format with purchase, if it wasn't for the fact that this LP retails for VERY cheap. It's around $10 in most places, and this should be more than enough cause for every Moz fan in the world with a turntable to grab this album, drop the needle, and "play very loud."

Before I discuss the package, I want to mention that the version of the album being reviewed is a promotional copy not intended for resale (as evidenced by the sharpie mark on the bar code in the photo I posted). However, I am told that the packaging for my copy is identical to the standard retail version. I did some snooping on the internet and this does appear to be true, but if someone else owns a copy of this record that includes something I miss here, please do let me know.

Packaging features the album held in a sleeve with artwork on both sides. One side features album credits and a still-life paiting of fruit. The other side features what I assume to be Morrissey's band posing for an Urban Outfitters advertisement. Weird, guys. The overall package is a single slipcase. Again, no digital copy included, but for the price, I suppose that's understandable. Also, I'm pretty sure the record is pressed on 150-gram vinyl, but there's nothing that specifies in the package. It's definitely not 180-gram.

An interesting effort from Morrissey this time around. Though he may still be working out the kinks in this new form, it seems that he might finally be willing to let loose a bit. It's about time. Lyrically, he's still playing the same cards, but if the music stays this lively and fun, then I'm on board, and I'll be eagerly anticipating his next offering. But even if he doesn't and he reverts back to his old ways, I'll still be waiting in line for all his new releases just the same. After all, this is Morrissey we're talking about.

Buy the LP at InSound.com (Only $9.99!!!)
Buy the LP at Amazon.com

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