LOST HIGHWAY - LOST HIGHWAY

"Lost Highway" is the soundtrack of the movie with the same name.  How I came to own this little gem is a story in itself and I think I'll share it with you.

I can't remember the exact date but I was at a Marilyn Manson concert and he played 'Apple Of Sodom'.  I'd never heard the song before and I absolutely loved it.  The performance was eerie and compelling at the same time.  I couldn't take my eyes off him.  I couldn't understand the lyrics, but a little bit of research online and I eventually found a message board where some kid who'd seen the same tour in another city posted his feelings about the tour and he mentioned the title of the song and how surprised he was to have seen it in the live set.  Once I had the title, I was able to find out where I could get the song and as luck would have it, I found this disc in a used music store on my first attempt to find it.  If I recall, it only cost $4.

The album has since taken a more esteemed place in my music collection as I discovered Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails produced the project and was largely responsible for the sound.  It also features tracks by a number of bands I was into at the time including The Smashing Pumpkins, Rammstein and David Bowie.

A couple of composers are also featured on the disc interspersed between band tracks with pieces of film scoring they contributed to the film.  One of them writes a form of unconventional Vegas Lounge jazz.  There's a lot of dated instruments and the horns are right out of a 50's stripper song catalog.  The other composer's pieces are just as creepy, but take on the sound and feel of old time country western films; if they were spooky as hell.

The album starts off with an edit of David Bowie's 'I'm Deranged'.  Right around this time, David Bowie's "Outside" was one of my favorite albums.  I was utterly enthralled with it and played it constantly.  When Bowie started working with Trent Reznor on some mixes for 'The Heart's Filthy Lesson', I thought I was in heaven.  I would eventually see them share the stage at a concert they played together in Vegas.  As an "Outside" track, 'I'm Deranged' was already a favorite of mine.  It's inclusion here only makes the soundtrack that much more satisfying for me.  As the last track on the album, it reprises and takes the listener out on the same note they came in on.

You know, I've never actually seen this movie, but based on the soundtrack, I'm guessing it was bizarre and strange.  I feel confident that guess is accurate.

Although I'm tempted to break the disc down track by track, many of these songs appear on other albums and I'm sure I'll discuss them at length on those reviews.  So I'll focus on the highlights.  Manson's 'Apple Of Sodom' is a disturbed number that absolutely lived up to my expectations.  I find the studio track just as interesting and thought provoking as the version I saw live.  Manson is also featured on 'I Put A Spell On You', a song he covered on one of his earlier records.  It's inclusion heightens the dark themes of the compilation and simultaneously introduces a supernatural element to the mix.

Rammstein appear on two tracks.  Both are edits of songs from their albums, "Sehnsucht" and "Herzeleid".  The tracks in question, 'Rammstein (Edit)' and 'Heirate Mich (Edit)' are right at home on this moody assemblage.  Till's deep growling vocal delivery adds to the tension of the overall feel of the disc.  The Smashing Pumpkins, ever the masters of genre bending composition appear on one track, 'Eye' and somehow, even though I would say it's the most different sounding number on the disc, it still blends and adds to the mystery.

Lou Reed appears on a cover of 'This Magic Moment' and again, his unorthodox vocals take a perfectly innocent song and bends it to a sinister end.  One of the most interesting things about this album is the tracks Trent Reznor contributes to the film score.  If I'm not mistaken, this is his first attempt at writing score material.  Whether or not I'd call his additions a success is irrelevant to one thing...  and that is simply that as the musical director of this project, he succeeds in creating an artistic, moody combination of music that initially would seem musically at odds, but somehow finds a resolution that creates an intense feeling of anxiety and paranoia as you follow along.

I should also point out Reznor's popular music moniker, Nine Inch Nails, is also part of the mix with the track he also released as a single, 'The Perfect Drug'.

This is certainly a disturbing compilation of material and it's definitely worth exploring if you're into any of the artists and bands featured on the disc.  If you can track it down, experience the strange for yourself.  My final words:  REZNOR'S FIRST FORAY INTO FILM MUSIC IS A DARK AND STORMY SUCCESS.

LOST HIGHWAY - LOST HIGHWAY
01. David Bowie - I'm Deranged (Edit)
02. Trent Reznor - Videodrones: Questions
03. Nine Inch Nails - The Perfect Drug
04. Angelo Badalamenti - Red Bats With Teeth
05. Angelo Badalamenti - Haunting & Heartbreaking
06. The Smashing Pumpkins - Eye
07. Angelo Badalamenti - Dub Driving
08. Barry Adamson - Mr. Eddy's Theme 1
09. Lou Reed - This Magic Moment
10. Barry Adamson - Mr. Eddy's Theme 2
11. Angelo Badalamenti - Fred & Renee Make Love
12. Marilyn Manson - Apple Of Sodom
13. Antonio Carlos Jobim - Insensatez
14. Barry Adamson - Something Wicked This Way Comes (Edit)
15. Marilyn Manson - I Put A Spell On You
16. Angelo Badalamenti - Fats Revisited
17. Angelo Badalamenti - Fred's World
18. Rammstein - Rammstein (Edit)
19. Barry Adamson - Hollywood Sunset
20. Rammstein - Heirate Mich (Edit)
21. Angelo Badalamenti - Police
22. Trent Reznor - Driver Down
23. David Bowie - I'm Deranged (Reprise)

SHINEDOWN - US AND THEM

This was a CD my baby sister, Annie gave me a few years before she died.  She wanted me to listen to it because she thought I would like it.  I kept it around but never played it.  When she was gone, I listened to it non-stop for days.  Even now, when I listen to this record, I think of her and it breaks my heart.

Shinedown aren't a band I'd heard of prior to Annie's suggestion.  I see them around now on friends' Facebook feeds or sometimes people discuss them when we talk about music.  But for me, they were a virtual unknown.  They sorta fit a genre of music I dabbled in, but never fully embraced.

Shinedown wear their influences on their shirt sleeves the way some people wear their hearts.  They obviously came up in the 90's when Grunge was a huge movement.  I wouldn't lump them in that category though, because they sound more like bands that happened afterward.  It's in the way the lead singer arranges his vocals.  There are moments when I feel like I'm listening to The Smashing Pumpkins and at other times, Soundgarden.  The music is generally aggressive and more rock than anything.  They're definitely more of a straightforward rock outfit.

I usually put the disc in and let it play, but there is one song I will listen to over and over.  The last track on the album is called 'Some Day' and although it's not about my sister, it feels like it is.  For me, the song is about the distance between two people.  The space between life and death.  Not being able to see her, talk to her or listen to her.  I don't know how else to describe what's become such an internalized and personal song.  It's a tune that captures something inside of me and transforms into an essential part of how I view certain memories and feelings.  For me, it's a part of what remains of her around me.  In both my heart and mind, I feel her in the sound.  This music was her favorite.  

And you hear her in it.

My final words:  A GREAT ALBUM WITH DEEP PERSONAL MEANING.

SHINEDOWN - US AND THEM
01. The Dream
02. Heroes
03. Save Me
04. I Dare You
05. Yer Majesty
06. Beyond The Sun
07. Trade Yourself In
08. Lady So Divine
09. Shed Some Light
10. Begin Again
11. Atmosphere
12. Fake
13. Some Day

RAMMSTEIN - STRIPPED

This is another interesting single from Rammstein because it's a song they didn't release on one of their albums.  It's actually taken from a tribute to Depeche Mode CD called "For The Masses".  It includes DM covers by other bands like The Smashing Pumpkins and The Cure.

Rammstein delivers one of the better covers on the disc and this single is packed with mixes and a surprise bonus multimedia track.  Their cover is mixed by a number of people including Charlie Clouser who was working heavily with Nine Inch Nails at the time and was a member of the touring band.  KMFDM also contribute a mix.

The first mix is from Goth-Metal band Tiamat.  It's a dark and slow grind mix that really devolves the track into something seething.  It's followed by two mixes from Clouser who famously takes metal tracks and turns them into club friendly rock outs.  He delivers on both of his mixes.  The first being more accessible than the second.  He takes the vocals on the second mix and gives them the midi treatment.  Still, the beat is there and the song is simply groovy!

The final mix by KMFDM is more industrial than the previous mixes.  Not only does it sound more industrial, but it's also stripped of most instrumentation going for a minimalist approach.  Finally, there's a live multimedia clip accessible through your computer.  You can watch the band play 'Wollt Ihr Das Bett In Flammen Sehen' from their first album "Herzeleid".  The track was recorded live in Berlin in 1996.  It's an awesome performance and gives you an idea of what the band are actually like in a live setting.

This CD is packed with cool stuff and comes in a slim case.  It is worth the price.  I think it's loaded with value and you shouldn't feel even slightly guilty about adding it to your collection.  My final words:  A CD WORTH STRIPPING FOR.

RAMMSTEIN - STRIPPED
01. Stripped
02. Stripped (Psilonaut Mix)
03. Stripped (Heavy Mental Mix)
04. Stripped (Tribute To Dusseldorf Mix)
05. Stripped (FKK Mix)
06. Wollt Ihr Das Bett In Flammen Sehen (Live Arena, Berlin '96.5.01)

THE CRYSTAL METHOD - TWEEKEND

The Crystal Method are a Vegas band who went to LA to get famous.  They came out of that same electronic music movement that spawned The Chemical Brothers.  In fact, they are most often compared to The Chems.  I remember the days of Napster...  And Limewire...  People used to list TCM tracks as Chem tracks and vice versa.  Always somebody who wants people to think they've got something no one else has.  Or to trick people into listening to a different group.

I discovered TCM on the local Las Vegas Alternative Rock station.  Xtreme Radio actually played them back in the 90's right alongside Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and Nirvana.

Over the years, I've purchased a lot of their material.  My opinion of them is a bit skewered.  Because they're so heavily compared to the Chems, I get caught up in comparing them as well...  Which, is stupid because they're actually very different bands.  I think the only thing they might actually share in common is the equipment they use and the fact they're both mostly electronic bands.

The Chems seem to be influenced by math and anthem stadium rock.  They're psychedelic.  TCM is another creature entirely.  With TCM, I hear the distant influence of house music floating in the background, but what really sets them apart is the fact this band is focused on the beat.  They're songs are written with rhythm in mind and the beat is often the biggest part of the song.  Everything else takes second place.  On the other hand, what sets them apart is the soul I hear when I listen to them.  They incorporate a lot of R&B/Soul sounds in their songs.  From vocalists to beats, you can hear it bubbling up.  Let's face it, they're funky.  And that's where their edge comes from.

The first song on "Tweekend" is 'PHD' and it's a groove if ever there was one.  I think this is a great opening track because it doesn't overload you, but it reeves the engine and gets you going for something more substantial like track #2, 'Wild, Sweet And Cool".  This is one of the funky numbers and they don't so much play the song on the album so much as blow it up in your face!  This is the game changer song.  It immediately flips you on your ear and sets up the rest of the disc.  'Roll It Up' keeps the beat rolling along.  This is another great tune and one you could imagine yourself blasting out the window of whatever vehicle you're driving.

'Murder' features former Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver frontman, Scott Weiland on lead vocals.  It's a decent track.  I feel like it sorta drops the bottom out of the momentum though.  Still, it's got a deep bass sound if you pump your speakers up.  The next track is probably the strongest on the disc.  'Name Of The Game' is the reason this disc gets a parental warning sticker so if you're listening to the disc with your kids, you might want to skip this one.  Even though the song is kicking and the best on the album.

'The Winner' is a track that starts off slow, but has a decent build and eventually gets the sound back on target.  I actually think this song would've been better if they'd put it right before 'Name Of The Game'.  You'd have the breakdown bit where everything seems to slow down.  This track would gradually bring the tempo back up and the punch of NOTG would've been much more exciting.  'Ready For Action' pounds in like a military maneuver from Call Of Duty.  It's just so dang funky once the beat solidifies.  'Ten Miles Back' tones everything down and actually starts off sounding like TCM are sampling sounds from old Casio Keyboards, but then their rich, textured beats jump up and you're deep in the track.  I love this one too.  The female vocalist is subdued and her levels are perfect for the track.  She's singing about something left behind and her vocals can sometimes sound distant.  At the pace this track moves, it's not hard to imagine you've left something behind.  It's followed by 'Over The Line' and this groove is one for chillin'.  You can listen to this number while relaxing and it will get your feet stomping without making you move your butt.  It's just a nice, calm groove.  Sometimes, these are the best kinds.

'Blowout' is up next and it starts off sounding like the opening theme to a science fiction series.  There's some drawn out keyboard notes playing over and over until Boom!!!!  The beat drops in and suddenly, you're off!  This is another one of those funky beats that make TCM so groovy.  It's a driving machine of a beat.  'Tough Guy' is the last track on the disc and as it starts you suspect it may also be the only ballad on the disc.  And you'd be partly correct.  The track is ambitious in that it's constructed of a series of movements rather than a straightforward beat or song structure.  And each one has its own tempo.  Still, it's probably my least favorite track on the disc even though I appreciate it the most.

"Tweekend" throws you a final curve in the form of a remix of 'Name Of The Game' as a hidden bonus cut.  That's always a treat and I like it when groups do stuff like that.  Bonus tracks are always awesome!

I quite like this disc and I like TCM so it's not a huge surprise.  I don't think they're doing anything unique or different in electronic beat music.  But they are the best at what they do.  They're out to make you dance, not challenge preconceptions and that being the case, I think they succeed famously.  My final words:  GOT NOTHING TO DO THIS WEEKEND?  TRY TWEEKEND!

THE CRYSTAL METHOD - TWEEKEND
01. PHD
02. Wild, Sweet And Cool
03. Roll It Up
04. Murder
05. Name Of The Game
06. The Winner
07. Ready For Action
08. Ten Miles Back
09. Over The Line
10. Blowout
11. Tough Guy
12. Name Of The Game (Remix)