skip to main |
skip to sidebar
I kinda stumbled across this group on youtube one day. I was listening to some music and one of their songs came up next in rotation before I had the chance to move on to something else I wanted to hear. Needless to say, I stuck around, listened to the song and immediately went to Discogs and ordered the CD.
Although this group would probably be lumped in the electronic music genre, they're actually more like Little Dragon in the sense they combine synths with acoustic instruments and drums. Little Dragon tends to be more jazz oriented, while Faded Paper Figures is more blues based traditional rock.
There was much cause for concern when I heard 'Not The End Of The World (Even As We Know It)'. It's the third track on the album and seems to be a response to the song REM released back in the 80's, 'It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)'. It even copies the vocal arrangement from the original. I wasn't happy to see that as I would normally interpret songs like this as unimaginative and annoying. It's just different enough to give it some credibility, but not by much. However, the rest of the album is quite stellar and I'm very happy with it.
The first song that strikes me as utterly beautiful is 'Lost Stars'. This song has the most wonderful melody and harmonizing. It's truly magnificent. However, it's not the best track on the album. In my opinion there are two that are simply stunning. The first is 'On The Line'. The acoustic guitar on this track is absolutely perfect combined with the electronic keyboards and vocals. There's a strong build that goes on just slightly too long towards the end of the song, but it resolves itself nicely and in the end, it's a great tune.
It's followed by what I consider to be the best song on the album and not surprisingly, the track I originally heard by the band is 'Spare Me'. Oddly enough, this song strikes me in a number of ways. I won't presume to know a lot about this group, but they have a few lines in this song that make me wonder if they were LDS and left the church at some point. Living in Utah, you get a great deal of exposure to the church and its teachings. You also get a lot of exposure to arguments for and against the church. I recently read an argument against the church compiled by a gentleman and many of the points he brings up as he presents his case show up in this song.
The tune discusses pre-Columbian steel claimed by the LDS church to have existed in North American before it was brought over by the Europeans. It also mentions the lack of geographical evidence for the cities and places mentioned in the Church's book of scripture, the Book Of Mormon with the line, "Geographically tied to some place you can't find, please, spare me". They also mention the seer stones the founder of the LDS church used to translate the book from ancient gold plates they believe were given to the prophet from God. But it's the chorus that really grabs my attention...
"You said some gorgeous things,
But only half the time
only half the time,
I lived your gorgeous dream,
For only half a life
only half a life"
It's this line more than any other that makes me believe this is a song written about losing your belief in your church and leaving that faith. Although I believe it's referring specifically to Mormonism, you can interpret it with any loss of faith.
The rest of the album maintains the solid material using a male and female vocalist to interplay and create lovely harmonies. I can't believe I didn't know this group before hearing that song. A little online research has shown they have other albums out and I will start adding them to my collection as I think this band is wonderful!
So if you're looking for something new to sink your ears in, Faded Paper Figures may be just the swab you need to clean your aural ports. My final words: SPARKLING PIXIE DUST MUSIC YOU CAN FLY WITH!
FADED PAPER FIGURES - RELICS
01. Breathing
02. Wake Up Dead
03. Not The End Of The World (Even As We Know It)
04. Lost Stars
05. Fellaheen
06. On The Line
07. Spare Me
08. Who Will Save Us Now?
09. Horizons Fall
10. Real Lies
11. What You See
12. Forked Paths
I learned about this CD through a podcast I was listening to. Hive Riot were the guests and they talked about their lives and careers up to this point. Mindy Gledhill and Dustin Gledhill are brother and sister-in-law not actual siblings. Both had careers in music prior to this release. Mindy has her own brand of indie pop while Dustin composed some classical albums.
This record is an attempt to branch out from those previous sounds and expand their fan base to a more pop oriented audience. The material is synth based and highly influenced by 80's New Wave. That's not a bad thing as it seems that genre of music is currently on an upswing. All musical movements seem to come around over and over. Electronic pop music is seeing a resurgence right now and it's a smart move to transition into pop with something like this.
I've already got a few songs I'm really into. In general, I like the entire record, but there are a couple I like more than others. The record seems to have the perfect ratio between songs you can really dance to and those that are more ballad based.
My favorite tracks on the album are 'Sherlock', 'Wonderwild' and 'Undercover'. I absolutely love the lyrics for 'Sherlock'. I think they're brilliant. I'm also a huge fan of the chorus for 'Wonderwild'. It's so dang catchy you just can't help but sing along at the top of your voice.
"We are wild and wonderful
full, full of wonder"
You can sing along at the top of your lungs and feel absolute joy! Now don't get me wrong, there are other songs just as great on this record. 'Kiss My Lips You Fool', 'Catch That Train' and 'Hearts' are also extremely fun to listen to and sing along with. In fact, with more listens, I may end up liking them just as much as the other tracks I've mentioned. Honestly, I was listening to my three favorite songs on youtube before I received the CD in the mail. I couldn't find a lot of audio for other tracks on the disc so I'm basically just discovering them. But my excitement for the music I have listened to is so great I just had to review the disc now.
Hive Riot have produced some music videos to go along with their CD and I've actually really enjoyed everything I've seen and heard. I'm planning on attending their show this week so this may be the very first entry I come back and add to after I've posted it.
Ok... Here's the addendum to this article. I went to the show in Provo, UT last Friday night and let me tell you, Wow! In addition to the entire album, they played two Cyndi Lauper covers - 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' and 'True Colors'. The event was electrifying and the crowd was completely engaged by the group! The first song the group performed was 'Wonderwild' and the crowd was so loud, Mindy couldn't hear the stage monitor and was off on the start of the song. After seeing 'Catch That Train' live, I've upgraded it to favorite status. I love it. Some of the sleeper tracks like 'Fish Out Of Water' are also suddenly more poignant to me and meaningful after seeing the band perform them live. I had the pleasure of introducing this band to a couple of other people over the weekend and the response has been phenomenal. I've only had one person come back and tell me they didn't like the sound.
Hive Riot is a fun and exciting band! They're just as fantastic live as they are on record and video. You won't make a mistake if you check out this band.
If you love great 80's synth pop, positive music that makes you feel good and want to dance, Hive Riot is the band for you. Pick up this disc right now. My final words: LIKE THE BIG BANG, HIVE RIOT EXPLODES ON THE SCENE WITH A SOLID RECORD START TO FINISH! IT ALL STARTS HERE!
HIVE RIOT - HIVE RIOT
01. Wonderwild
02. Kiss My Lips You Fool
03. Sherlock
04. Fish Out Of Water
05. Hearts
06. Pourquoi?
07. Undercover
08. Catch That Train
09. So I Dance
10. Her Elegy
Information Society is an American synth pop group that turned up toward the late 80's when electronic music was starting to wane in popularity. I picked up this CD at a used record store for a couple bucks. Mostly because the only music I knew by them were the songs they'd put out on the charts. I was curious to see what their other material might sound like.
First and foremost, let me say the tracklisting on this CD is the most confusing I've ever encountered. Some tracks apparently have multiple names and instead of listing them with a hyphen, they list the alternate name as a .1 in the track list. Here's an example...
1.0 - Seek 200
2.0 - How Long
3.0 - Think
3.1 - Wenn Wellen Schwingen
4.0 - A Knife And A Fork...
So the actual title for the third track is 'Think/Wenn Wellen Schwingen'. It's a bit lame trying to figure out which track you're listening to.
All of that aside, I like this CD... I mean it's ok, but I don't listen to it on a regular basis. There are a couple tracks on it I think are stellar and I sometimes include them on playlists. The first is 'A Knife And A Fork/R.I.P.' I'm not sure why I think this tune is so funky, but I do. When you stick it on a playlist, it becomes a kinda quirky and different sound right between other songs. I like the way it gives playlists an added dimension.
The other track is really love is 'Fire Tonight'. Of all the tracks on the album, this one typifies the New Wave sound and when they write this kind of music, they actually do a great job. I get the impression a lot of what they do is engineered toward encapsulating that growing urban sound at the time and blending it with the synth pop. However, they're much better sticking to the traditional format for that New Wave movement.
So I'm not disappointed with this purchase, but I'm not overly proud of it either. One thing's for sure, it's put a damper on me buying more of their material. I'm sure at some point I'll feel inspired to check up on more of their stuff, but for now, I'll leave this one where I found it... On my shelf. My final words: IF YOU WANNA CHECK THIS GROUP OUT, DON'T START WITH THIS RECORD.
INFORMATION SOCIETY - HACK
01. Seek 200
02. How Long
03. Think/Wenn Wellen Schwingen
04. A Knife And A Fork/R.I.P.
05. Now That I Have You
06. Fire Tonight
07. Can't Slow Down/T.V. Addicts
08. Hard Currency
09. Move Out/CP Drill KKL
10. Mirrorshades/We Don't Take
11. Hack 1/Charlie X
12. If Only
13. Come With Me
14. Slipping Away/Here Is Kazmeyer
15. Chemistry
"Plectrumelectrum" was the second of two discs Prince released in 2014. The first was a solo record and this album is supposed to be a band collaboration between him and his dream band, 3rdeyegirl. Although between the two, I prefer "Art Official Age", the solo record, this disc is also exciting. Some of the material is a bit standard fare for Prince. Especially when it comes to rock numbers. Still, I enjoy the disc and usually let it play through without skipping; except for one track.
The disc starts off with 'Wow' and I have to comment on this song because I think it's such a unique and interesting idea. About a year before this record was released, NPG backup singer, Liv Warfield released a solo record called, "The Unexpected". The title track was written by Prince and there's a line in the chorus that goes, "U can call it the Unexpected... Or u can call it: Wow!" And he meant that literally. 'The Unexpected' from the Liv Warfield album is the same song as the one you hear here except Prince performs it instead of Warfield. And he calls it 'Wow'. I love this track! Of the two versions, I prefer this one. Still, Warfield's version is also full of soul and rocks like crazy!
Now this isn't the only song that appears in a couple different places. In fact, there are actually four songs on this record that are "covers" because they didn't originate here. One of them is the title track 'Plectrumelectrum'. This is the one song on the record I find completely skippable. Written by Donna Grantis and previously released on one of her solo records as 'Elektra', it's a bluesy rock instrumental. It's ok, but in my mind, it doesn't fit the rest of the album and I don't like it mixed in with this batch of songs. I think it would've been better suited to an instrumental album.
Another one of the covers is from a singer named Alice Smith. She released a song called 'Another Love'. It's a strange piece. It's certainly innovative and you gotta give her credit for her unusual style and approach to music. However, in this case, I think what Prince does with the song is so much better than the original version. Prince remakes her song, changes the lyrics and completely redoes it his own way. And it sounds phenomenal. I absolutely love it. It could very well be my favorite track. This one is tricky because Prince didn't write the song, but his interpretation of it is such that he could merit a writing credit for the additional music and lyrics. Yeah, this track is conflicting for me.
The final cover track is 'Funknroll'. I know what you're going to say... It was simultaneously on "Art Official Age" at the same time. And though that is true, I consider the "Art Official Age" to be the first release by Prince and this to be the second. But I might be wrong. Anyway, even if it's not a cover, it's appearing on two records like the other tracks. This version is more band oriented and believe it or not, I actually like it more than the "Art Official Age" version. The song by its nature is a band song. It's written for parts and sounds more authentic and genuine played as such.
Band members also take over vocals on a couple tracks. Hannah steps in and sings 'Whitecaps'. It's a lovely tune and I enjoy it a lot.
Let's get right to the nitty-gritty... There's a lot of songs I really love on this record. Starting with 'Fixurlifeup'! I first heard a live version of this song and the raw energy I felt for it was incredible. The studio version doesn't disappoint. It still sounds like a band performance and the energy is still present. Both 'Stopthistrain' and 'Tictactoe' are smaller songs that seem to get lost in the hugeness of the record and yet, on their own, both are very insightful, charming and wonderful. I think 'Boytrouble' is a cute song, but to me, it's also a throwaway tune and hardly worth the effort.
'Marz' is the only other track I haven't discussed and I like it, but like 'Boytrouble', it's a bit of a throwaway for me. I lump it into the same rock oriented category I throw tunes like 'Peach' and 'Guitar' into. He could write these all day and not break a sweat.
In the end, I really like the record. I never got on board with the whole 3rdeyegirl idea. I remember him saying in an interview that one day he wanted an all girl band and with this group, he achieved that. But he also makes the same mistake with this band he often makes with others. Prince mistakenly believes the musicians he surrounds himself with are as interesting and exciting as he is. And that's just not true. Back with The Revolution it might have been true because we had "Purple Rain" the movie and other ways of knowing the band that allowed the fans access to them. The mythology he was creating around himself and his music strongly involved those he was working with. It stayed strong through the Lovesexy band at which point I think most people started ignoring the hype. His success in creating celebrity for his band members afterward is hard to measure. In some cases, he did it... But in most, he didn't.
I think over time they might have evolved 3rdeyegirl into something else, but from where it stands today, I don't really see it as more than a hyped up back up band. I have little interest in them beyond the work they did with him.
Still, you never know. 3rdeyegirl shared vocals and there might be enough material in the vault that they could release and tour as a band. Maybe I'll like them then. Who can say. My final words: ANOTHER STRONG RECORD FROM THE MAGICAL MIND OF PRINCE!
PRINCE & 3RDEYEGIRL - PLECTRUMELECTRUM
01. Wow
02. Pretzelbodylogic
03. Aintturninaround
04. Plectrumelectrum
05. Whitecaps
06. Fixurlifeup
07. Boytrouble
08. Stopthistrain
09. Anotherlove
10. Tictactoe
11. Marz
12. Funknroll
Jack Of Jill is a band I discovered at a Lords Of Acid concert in Las Vegas. They were the opening act. I thought they put on an amazing show and I bought their CD at the concert. A few months later, I found this CD at Tower Records and picked it up. "Covetous Creature" is a remix EP. It contains tracks from the original album in mix form and features mixes by Morphic Field, Lords Of Acid, Synical, Switchblade Symphony and POD.
My favorite JOJ song is 'My Cat' and along with 'Poor Impulse Control', it gets two mixes. The first is by Synical; who also mixes two other tracks on this EP. The second is by the Lords Of Acid. The first mix is a rock version of the song that remains true to the core track with all of the vocals included. The LOA remix is mostly instrumental. It starts off quiet, builds to loud and then subsides into nothing again. Very simple mix, but it's certainly danceable.
'Poor Impulse Control' is the other track with two mixes. The first is by Synical and again, remains mostly true to the original version with all vocals included. Track 7 is the other mix by Morphic Field and it's a strange mix. It uses Jungle beats with Trance synth lines to generate the mix. I'm not sure I find it particularly effective. It just sounds strange.
Switchblade Symphony mixes 'Girlscout' and transforms it into an almost greaser version of a Vegas lounge act. The vocal distortion was popular at the time thought a bit annoying. 'Cumdumpster' remix is by JOJ's own Agent Moulder and Synical. I gotta tell you, of all the mixes, this is actually my favorite of all the mixes.
Jack Of Jill is a group I really enjoy live and I'd be interested to find out if they were still together. This was some great music during the 90s. My final words: A STRANGE AND DISJOINTED BUT FUN REMIX EP!
JACK OFF JILL - COVETOUS CREATURE
01. American Made (Tweaker Remix)
02. My Cat (Meow Mix)
03. Poor Impulse Control (No Control Mix)
04. Girlscout (Sunday Mix)
05. Cumdumpster (Delusional Cannibal Mix)
06. My Cat (Automatic Speed Mix)
07 Poor Impulse Control (750 Degrees Of Separation Mix)
After listening to the 3 CDs I picked up from In The Whale, I'm guessing this is the first of the three. My reason for saying this is because the tunes, although still rocking and intense as ever, have a more demo quality to them and sound like the band was developing their sound. There's also a distinct difference in the quality of individual track recording. The most obvious of this is 'Grandpa Pete' and 'On A Roll'. 'Grandpa Pete' sounds great but you don't realize how monotone it actually sounds until 'On A Roll' kicks in and you hear the enormous depth of the track.
There's a lot happening on this disc. In The Whale combine elements of punk, alt. country, southern rock and metal to make a unique sound all their own. I can't stress enough how exciting this group is live. They've also been able to lay down the same energy on their recordings. The tracks seem like they were recorded live in the studio.
The theme on this record appears to be sin. The first track deals with the legend of blues guitarist, Robert Johnson who supposedly, sold his soul to the devil in exchange for the ability to play the guitar. Both 'Sunbeam' and 'Lake Of Fire' preoccupy themselves with damnation, and 'Grandpa Pete' has its own creepy quality one can only chalk up to severe perversion.
"Nate N' Eric" has a super raw element to it and it sounds phenomenal. As of yet, I haven't heard a single disc from these guys I didn't liked. They're a pretty solid band as far as I'm concerned and I highly recommend picking up some of their exciting discs.
IN THE WHALE - NATE N' ERIC
01. Robert Johnson
02. Wedding Bells
03. Lake Of Fire
04. Grandpa Pete
05. On A Roll
06. Girlfriend
07. Sunbeam
This is an interesting band! A friend of mine recommended I check them out. He knew I'm a huge fan of Dick Valentine and Electric Six. I didn't quite understand why he wanted me to hear this CD as much as he did until I got it. Although not mentioned by name, E6 dynamic frontman, Dick Valentine appears on the track 'I'm A Vampire' as a guest vocalist. Because I tend to be a completist when it comes to bands I like, this record would of course be essential to my Electric Six collection. However, unlike previous albums I've picked up because Valentine makes an appearance, I really like this one.
SG is a band that combines the pop sensibility and sound of 80's new wave genre with innovative lyrics, catchy melodies and a challenging approach to just about everything they stick their hands in. Photos of the band on the back cover and in the CD insert look like a drag version of glamour shots. But instead of evoking a cringeworthy response, it comes across colorful and expressive. Part of what made the 80's so interesting was the fantastic ways people would dress and wear their hair. Like many of their glam rock compatriots, SG use costumes and make-up to create an image that's youthful, fun and brimming with gender bending sexuality.
I've actually got a few songs I really love on this disc. The first one to end up on repeat for me was '19th & Lexington'. I'm absolutely curious about the origin of this track and what inspired it. There's a story behind that tune and I wanna hear it. The second song I've completely flipped for is 'The Collection'. This is one that might end up on a playlist I post online. I love the "Roll call role play" chant in the song. It's super catchy, tongue twisting and intentionally complicated.
'The Apple Falls' is another track I'm utterly enchanted with. I love the line, "...circle fruit undo my made up world..." One of the things I find myself really loving about this group is the lyrical content and the way they arrange the vocals. It's unique! 'Socially Activist' is another blasting track with an amazing vocal performance.
There's the electronic element throughout the album, but there's also a strong California rock sound as well. At time's I hear The Red Hot Chili Peppers and on 'Now Unthinkable' I hear some drumming that reminds me of the drummers Prince used towards the end of his career in the New Power Generation. That's some serious funk chops they're laying down.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this blog is when I find a new up and coming band I think is doing something different and interesting. Shitting Glitter fits that description and I see them as a vital musical force with the potential to start a new musical movement in California and beyond. Their amalgamation of musical styles and queer culture make them a force to be reckoned with. If they survive their time in obscurity as a new artist trying to crossover, I predict they'll end up fronting a whole generation of new bands ready to push the boundaries of conventional thinking. If you want this record, click HERE to contact the band on Facebook and order it directly from them. My final words: JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE TO GO BACK IN THE 80'S... SHITTING GLITTER ERUPTS LIKE A DIAMOND PIMPLE ALL OVER YOUR DISCO MIRRORS! BUY THIS RECORD!
SHITTING GLITTER - OPEN FOR BUSINESS
01. Legalese
02. 19th & Lexington
03. Milk Money
04. Idiot Light
05. The Collection
06. Hopeless Romantic
07. The Apple Falls
08. I'm A Vampire
09. Socially Activist
10. The Red State
11. Now Unthinkable
12. Treasure Good Things
I want to say this was an exclusive item from Target, but I'm not entirely sure. I seem to recall reading something about this CD being produced and released through Target because they were sponsoring her tour or something at the time. I might be wrong.
Any way you look at it, the cover doesn't transition well as it is a sparkle cover that doesn't photo copy. She looks more like the walking dead in the pic I'm posting than the disco beauty queen she does when you look at the pic in real life.
This is more of a promotional item than an actual EP. It features her big 80's hits like 'Private Dancer' and 'What's Love Got To Do With It' as well as an edit of her chart topping smash, 'The Best'. There's also a couple live tracks taken from a home video she'd recently released.
The only rare or interesting track on this release is a cover of a Prince track. The very first track is a cover of Prince's 'Baby I'm A Star' from the "Purple Rain" soundtrack. This particular track is unavailable anywhere else. You could only buy it on this release. Of course, that's the reason I own it. But everyone is different and I do like me some Tina now and again.
I think if I were to label this CD, I would call it a Hits EP. The chart toppers are there along with some live material and an unreleased b-side. As a single, this disc would be well above average. As an EP, it's also great! But as anything else... it's more of a let down. This is definitely one of those items you buy just to complete a collection. Whether you're collecting songs by Prince covered by other artists or Tina Turner releases, this is one item that should be on your shelf.
My final words: AN INTERESTING AND OBSCURE RELEASE!
TINA - ALL THAT GLITTERS
01. Baby I'm A Star
02. Let's Stay Together
03. Private Dancer
04. What's Love Got To Do With It
05. When The Heartache Is Over (Live)
06. Hold On I'm Coming (Live)
07. The Best (Edit)
More than any other band, Devo typifies the New Wave sound of the 80's. Synth driven, simple musical motifs, futuristic lyrics and bizarre costuming all add up to make Devo a shining example of everything we loved about 80's electronic music. The embracing of technology and strange fashion also helped their image as rebels.
In essence, Devo was the nightmare of an aging generation who couldn't figure out how to program their VCRs. Their approach to music was somewhere between the robotic industrial sounds of Kraftwerk and the driving energy of the Sex Pistols. It's hard to imagine hearing soulful vocals in such sterile music, and yet somehow, Devo could convey a sense of organic progression in their songs.
I'm always skeptical when bands release greatest hits packages. Usually, the compilation is made up of their single releases. And that's highly questionable as to whether or not all of the tracks were hits. Devo have a number of songs they are strongly associated with. Songs that are iconic. 'Whip It', 'Jocko Homo' and 'Through Being Cool' are examples of these tunes. They were also popular for their covers of other classic tunes like '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' by The Rolling Stones. With so much of this music present I will agree this is a greatest hits package. The likes of which I prefer to see.
As cool as I've thought Devo was, I've never owned a lot of their material. I have the odd album here and there but I didn't buy everything they put out. Still, I quite like what they do and I'm intrigued by their music. They're a group I always meant to buy but never did.
And that's part of the reason I picked up this disc. When I found it, I knew I'd have all the songs I loved in one collection. The downside is I'm not hearing the additional music from the albums. For example, the very first track, 'Here To Go' is from "Shout" and my favorite song on this record is the Jimi Hendrix cover, 'Are You Experienced?' I've always thought it was brilliant. That's the other downside to compilations. You miss all of the other stuff.
Still, I'm happy with this purchase and I look forward to a time when I can experience Devo more fully. My final words: AN EXCELLENT REPRESENTATION OF THIS BAND'S BODY OF WORK!
DEVO - GREATEST HITS
01. Here To Go (Go Mix Version)
02. Through Being Cool
03. Big Mess
04. That's Good
05. Jerkin' Back 'N' Forth
06. Peek-A-Boo!
07. Beautiful World
08. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
09. Whip It
10. Girl U Want
11. Freedom Of Choice
12. Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA
13. Gut Feeling
14. Gates Of Steel
15. Working In The Coalmine
16. Jocko Homo
