Song: "Hell On Wheels"
Artist: Fu Manchu
Album: King Of The Road (2000)

I overdid myself when I posted "Saturn III" first and then followed it up with a subtle "Neptune's Convoy". After that I couldn't decide which Fu Manchu song would be next, thus getting behind on my make-believe music itinerary because I meant to post one of their songs a day or two ago. But, I think I figured it out tonight.

Again, if you're one of the many I know who've never heard Fu Manchu, you need to start. Yes, I said "need".

Artist: sHeavy
Album: The Electric Sleep (1998)

The Electric Sleep is usually where one is introduced to Sheavy, or at least finds that they can appreciate them. It's fairly effortless to enjoy. If you've yet to hear this band, the linked tracks I've put below should give you a good general picture of what they're like (although I've skimped on some gentler tracks).

"Virtual Machine" is... just wonderful? I love this line: "You say you need me but you always disappear". It's well written, and it has an overall music tone that matches the anti-emotional, needy quality of the song. Very nice, one of my favorite songs of the last few years.

"Destiny's Rainbow" is very easy to like, very easy to put on and let play whenever. Love the guitar.

The first song I ever heard from this band was "Electric Sleep". And, I think it would be safe to say that Hennessey has had an internet/long-distant relationship before. Poor guy. Give him a hug the next time you're in eastern Canada. Then go read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick, if only for the definition of "kipple" (aka. the most interesting concept in the entire universe, ever).

"Automation"'s guitar is initially familiar to Fu Manchu, particularly the song of the last post. And then it becomes its own thing, great followed by further greatness. ...Are you human or just a robot slave?

Exercise caution: the lyrics in the middle of "Saving Me From Myself" will get stuck in your head. You will find yourself minding your own business someday in the not too distant future and suddenly feel inspired to sing that particular line and have no idea where this came from, since this is an unremarkable song otherwise. (Not saying it's a bad song - it just sounds like a lot of these songs.)

I've posted "Oracle" before. It's a band introductory track - many will find it difficult to get through the first time, but if you can get all of the way through the song you'll soon realize that you love Sheavy and there's no turning back because your mass cyberheartage for this band was natural, inborn, always there.

I think inventing words is where I'll stop.

Please give this band some love for embracing mp3 sharing - start with former drummer Ren because he is "frickin'" awesome. Nevertheless: Visit their site, listen to their songs via last.fm, check out their myspace, and buy their stuff. Also, spread the word because this band is WAY overdue for a proper tour.

Song: "Whitewater"
Artist: Kyuss
Album: Welcome To Sky Valley (1994)

"Should I waste my time in your valley, beneath your skies?"

I woke up today not being able to hear well and therefore trapped in my own world. Due to (dis)associative logic, I found myself thinking of someone who had died. Initially it was a funny reminder. But my mood changed. This song has literally nothing to do with that, but the two subjects apparently take up similar spots in my brain.

Kind of a raw, albeit musically gentle song. Definite favorite. Assuming you're 14 years late, you will also love this song.

Song: "Avon"
Artist: Desert Sessions / Queens of the Stone Age
Album: DS 3&4 / Self-Titled

Every once in a while, I feel inspired to write a parody. It's bad enough that there are several versions of this song, but it's fairly easy to lyrically mimic. I think I still need to work on the song, since I had a specific idea in mind when I wrote it that could be seen as personal, and that's no good. "My" love is vast. That said, the first line is definitely up in the air, but I think the rest fits pretty well (even having kept a line or particular words with the original song).

From Tokyo/Mexico
Though he don't speak English
We both listen
To the Queens-Of The Stone Age
I wouldn't miss him (yeah)
I'd get hung up, but I am bound:
USA

(true, true, true)

A perfect vision
Some simple ways to let him know
Too strange, no-it's all fucked up
Keep it low, playing lame (yeah)
I'll get hung up, but I am bound
USA

Song: "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"
Artist: Led Zeppelin
Album: Led Zeppelin (1969)

This song makes me feel the warm fuzzies inside.... in the sense that I find it silly and amusing. After all, WE GONNA GO WALKING THROUGH THE PARK EVERY DAY! Well, what if it rains? Are we still going to walk through the park then? And why is there so much enthusiasm about this situation? Is it really that exciting? What kind of park is this? Is this like a park in a bad side of town? And wait a sec, weren't you just talking about leaving "baby"? How can you leave a person and still walk through a park with them? Are you staying or going? I don't get it. but still, there seems to be a lot of enthusiasm over this park walkin' business... It's hard not to be curious.

It may be refreshing to note that Led Zeppelin did not originally write this song, despite it being an exceptional listen if you chose not to analyze it.

One of the cooler things to happen in recent music history occurred today. Whether you like Nine Inch Nails or not, you have to respect a $5 downloadable DRM-free album of 36 songs, 9 of which you can get in high quality format for free sampling.

Too bad the site keeps timing out, or I would have posted a song instead of just this news brief.

I may do an astrology post on this. This is the first album I've gotten a date, time, AND place for.

Song: "Dopethrone"
Artist: Electric Wizard
Album: Dopethrone (2000)

I have recently learned that the best time to listen to bands like Electric Wizard is when you're working on math. Sayeth the one who doesn't smoke in an exaggerated tone of voice. But they should start playing this song, and others like it, in schools, as it apparently aids the ability to tolerate pointless information. I suppose weed itself does that, too, but the eating of chocolate, chocolate chip muffins gets in the way of solving math problems.

Song: "International Dateline"
Artist: Ladytron
Album: Witching Hour (2005)

The irony of posts like this is that I have yet to see or know of anyone on this site who is either female or cares for electronic music. My wild guess is that this band requires at least one of these presets. However, the stoner rock and metal posting has gotten old, and I'm repeating myself too often.

Ladytron has about ten songs I'd like to post, to date. They have a new album coming out June 3rd, so theoretically that means more. Their songs tend to be simple, and for the most part are gentle or fly-by-night. In other words, they're a really easy listen. The first song I heard and cared for by them, "Seventeen" is difficult for me to discern why I liked it first since it's so repetitive, but in the cosmic sense I think that all women suffer this dilemma of going out of style. A lot of their songs are like this, simple yet universal.

If you like this post-Depeche Mode electronic stuff, even kind of, try some of their other songs out: their discography thus far is fairly balanced.

Song: "Negasonic Teenage Warhead"
Artist: Monster Magnet
Album: Dopes to Infinity (1995)

I was thinking about doing the song "I Got Id" but upon attempting to imagine what I'd say about it, I was immediately drawn to another song - ol' "Negasonic". It reminds me of the same particular group of thoughts, although is more lucrative for me to openly discuss.

"Every supersonic jerkoff who plugs into the game is like every subatomic genius who just invented pain." I love this lyric.

Quote from Wiki about NTW: "... it deals with those rock stars who, from his point of view, always seem to be negative ... and apparently hate being what they are..."

Snippet from Pearl Jam's "I Got Id":
"An empty shell seems so easy to crack
I got all of these questions, don't know who I could even ask
So I'll just lie alone and wait for a dream
Where I'm not ugly and you're looking at me"

If you read that, you just learned something.

Song: "Electric"
Artist: Boris
Album: Pink (2005)

What the hell? I haven't had a Boris post yet!

This song is amazing. If you don't listen to it and like it, you are no longer my friend. ... Oh wait, I have no friends. Well then, if you listen to it and like it, you can possibly be my friend at a time I'll be gaining in social populous. This is surely a rare privilege for 1 minute and 45 seconds of your life.

Anyhow, I've read that the band Boris is named after the Melvins song of the same name. However, Boris the band sounds little if anything like "Boris" the song. This particular song is way off.

I have also heard some of Boris' material outside of the this album, and it similarly sounds little if anything like Pink. Boris is cross-genre with a tendency to be classified as doom/drone or stoner rock, but this album seems neither to me (though it isn't particularly pure of any genre as a whole).

That said, it's been their most well-received and popular album to date. If you like anything from standard rock to metal, many songs on Pink are sure to appeal.

Song: "Pills For Breakfast"
Artist: Faith No More
Album: We Care A Lot (1985)

I like the guitars here, how they seem to quickly bounce between notes (for example, at 00:47-1:00). It seems.. less rigid.

Song: "Wet My Bed"
Artist: Stone Temple Pilots
Album: Core (1992)

More filler!

I think I was looking for one of my pets the other day when, upon wondering if she was in the bathroom, this non-song got stuck in my head and has since not left. "Maybe she swam away?" Alas... no.

This track also reminds me of a shitty piece I wrote many years ago about being trapped in endless non-reality. I totally came out of a Neptune transit scarred, man. Sounds like this guy was in a similar boat...

Song: "14 Ghosts II"
Artist: Nine Inch Nails
Album: Ghosts (II)

This album is going to be tough for me to get into, assuming I ever do. All of the tracks are instrumental, and most of them go outside of the music listening habits I keep these days. However, there are a few songs that are "easy", and this is one of them.

14 kind of reminds me of Queens of the Stone Age, in that the twangy guitar and synth(?) are similar to something Queens might use, and the beat of the song is simple and bouncy like many of Queens' songs... or just "Feel Good Hit Of The Summer". It's not exactly the same, though, since we all know Trent's a bigger fan of steroids than cocaine.

Song: "I Am The Night, Colour Me Black"
Artist: Priestess
Album: Hello Master (2006)

I think this is the loudest song I own. I own a lot of heavier songs, and a lot of other things that could out-do this song in many ways, but this is.. a very, very loud song. Especially that first bit. I am wondering if it has something to do with the production rather than the actual music. But, it is still quite loud...

It seems that these guys might be releasing a new album soon.

New moon in Pisces this morning. Since we all know Pisces is an ethereal undeveloped fetus, let's collectively consume some songs that are lyrically sense-ified.

1. Sight
And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you're going to fall
Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call
Recall Alice
When she was just small
jefferson airplane - white rabbit

2. Smell
I'll invade your demeanor
And you'll yield to me like a scent in the breeze
fiona apple - slow like honey

3. Sound
You make the sound of laughter
And sharpened nails seem softer
silverchair - ana's song

4. Taste
I want to taste dirty, a stinging pistol
in my mouth, on my tongue
alice in chains - dirt

5. Touch
There is no pain, you are receding
A distant ships smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying
When I was a child I had a fever
My hands felt just like two balloons
Now I got that feeling once again
I can't explain, you would not understand
This is not how I am
I have become comfortably numb.
pink floyd - comfortably numb

I tried to find some songs that discussed senses in a more positive format, but apparently there are none. Also, "smell" was a really fucking difficult category. Most of these apply to more than one category, so hopefully that'll make up for the near misses.

Song: "Sugar Water"
Artist: Black Cobra
Album: Bestial (2006)

This song starts off like a Monster Magnet track and builds into something like High On Fire making out with the Melvins. I don't like to see names all over the Floor, but what I'm trying to say is that this is a good song and you should consume.

I see a tinge of Big Business comparison, here, too, since there are only two members of this band. I would say that their sounds are quite different, but then how different can bands who play the same instruments under the same overall genre (metal) be?

If you like this, check out "Omniscient" from the same album. It's on their myspace.

Song: "Aeon"
Artist: Neurosis
Album: Through Silver in Blood (1996)

I was not expecting to find this song as a full track listen at last.fm. But, it is. For real. Neurosis seems to have a lot of full track listens there.

That said, this song is familiar to the one that I posted before it in overall tone/feel and genre similarities. If you like one, it's certain that you'll like the other. Strange how ten years could pass between these albums...

Song: "Love Monster"
Artist: Monster Magnet
Album: Love Monster demo (1988)

I was not aware of this demo's existence until fairly recently, and I'm not sure this album is going to appeal to anyone who isn't a fan of Monster Magnet, but the shuffle gods tell me that this is today's song so I must obey. That said, if you're a fan or you're interested in Monster Magnet, download this if you don't yet have it somewhere in your collection. It's too rare to buy, methinks.

"Love Monster" stands out pretty well on its own. In some very loose way it has a hint of metal, but it's mostly a pop-y sort of rock song ala "19 Witches" (Powertrip), "Kiss of the Scorpion" (God Says No). Even if you're more interested in heavier tracks, it might appeal for its bassline alone.

Song: "Freya"
Artist: The Sword
Album: Age of Winters (2006)

Apparently this song is more popular than I thought. Since I rarely play video games anymore, I did not know this song was a track on Guitar Hero II. I suppose to make myself feel somewhat better about my ignorance, I discovered the band before the game came out. Lucky me...

In any case, this song is better than the video game would suggest. You will like it if you're a fan of any classic form of metal, with a leaning towards stoner metal. The vocals aren't the usual amount of screaming this genre entails, but they are nevertheless muddled and second to the music. I'm going to have to agree with last.fm saying that this band is closely related to Saviours, although it's more likely that you'll have heard The Sword before Saviours.

In any case, story time!

Occasionally, I find interesting social situations for knowing things I'm not supposed to know because I'm "just a girl" or "seem too young". A few months after discovering this band, I went music-shopping to cater to my physical music collection which had been lacking (especially in comparison to how much I download). I took several albums under the overall genre of metal up to the counter, and though it was nothing too extreme, this inspired conversation with the cashier.

He asked me if I had heard the new Queens material yet. The two singles had just been released into the internet wilds two days beforehand so I wasn't 100% clear on the song names, but I had heard them.

Then he asked me if I had ever heard Witchcraft. Yeah, I said. I think they were here a few months ago, and I recall they had to re-schedule. His reaction to this was a silent "OMGZ!" He told me how much he liked seeing them.

He finished scanning the CDs, and apparently deciding he needed to sell me something, he asked me about The Sword. Heard them, too! I smiled.

I thought it was funny. Nothing like an educated consumer...

Song: "Shattered"
Artist: The Trucks
Album: The Trucks (2006)

Doing a quick scan of their online discography, this band is not really SOS material as a whole. While it's an all-girl band and has some musical similarities to gods Le Tigre or lyrical similarities to Peaches, they somehow miss the mark.

This song, though, is simple and nice. Clearly I'm a fan of bass, especially when combined with lighter sounds (in this case, her voice).

Song: "Modern Love"
Artist: David Bowie
Album: Let's Dance (1983)

This song is extremely light and dancey for being such a lyrically heavy topic. Someone worthwhile needs to cover this song, taking the drum track out of it and replacing it with some other instrument. A video search finds a lot of acoustic covers, but most aren't very good.

Song: "Back to Life"
Artist: Soul II Soul
Album: Club Classics Vol. I (1989)

Another first of its kind here. I have had this song stuck in my head for, apparently, 19 years. Having heard two seconds of it a moment ago, I decided to post about it.

When I was a kid, I was borderline obsessed with the idea of media and recording time. This later shifted to the internet and websites. As a kid, though, my means of responding to this concept was creating my own version of the media - making radio and dialog-based shows and writing fake commercials. If I would've had a video camera, I probably would have made TV shows as well. Instead, I had blank cassette tapes and a sound recorder.

I hear this song, and I'm immediately picturing these tapes. Off the top of my head, I must have used this song as a transition between an introduction and an actual show, or a transition between shows, because I don't think I would have recorded this song entirely. But maybe I actually did, being a kid and not knowing better.

No wonder I have "issues" with electronic music these days...

Song: "Ænema"
Artist: Tool
Album: Ænima (1996)

Speaking(!) of my youth (and transitioning out of pop), this album came out in my teenage years. I kind of missed it at first, and then I didn't really care when I quietly shifted from standard/alternative rock to being interested in pseudo-metal. But this or that happened, and I decided to give this band a shot because, er, "H" is a lyrical genius masterpiece of cyberlove <3. In case you didn't know.

I listened to this album, at least in part, nearly every day for approximately a year. Therefore, I've heard this song no less than 300 times in my life. This does not include radio. I dream of this song. It's too much. I'm.. full. But you may not be, and it is nevertheless an important song.

In case you missed this, this song is full of angst about living in or experiencing places such as Los Angeles. It probably says plenty about modern living in general, considering the "LA" mindset is prevalent in places outside of that particular area, albeit less pure. And that's as far as I can go without quoting the song, so here you go.

Lyrics:
Some say the end is near.
Some say we'll see armageddon soon.
I certainly hope we will.
I sure could use a vacation from this

Bullshit three ring circus sideshow of
Freaks

Here in this hopeless fucking hole we call LA
The only way to fix it is to flush it all away.
Any fucking time. Any fucking day.
Learn to swim, I'll see you down in Arizona bay.

Fret for your figure and
Fret for your latte and
Fret for your hairpiece and
Fret for your lawsuit and
Fret for your prozac and
Fret for your pilot and
Fret for your contract and
Fret for your car.

It's a
Bullshit three ring circus sideshow of
Freaks

Here in this hopeless fucking hole we call LA
The only way to fix it is to flush it all away.
Any fucking time. Any fucking day.
Learn to swim, I'll see you down in Arizona bay.

Some say a comet will fall from the sky.
Followed by meteor showers and tidal waves.
Followed by faultlines that cannot sit still.
Followed by millions of dumbfounded dipshits.

Some say the end is near.
Some say we'll see armageddon soon.
I certainly hope we will cuz
I sure could use a vacation from this

Silly shit, stupid shit...

One great big festering neon distraction,
I've a suggestion to keep you all occupied.

Learn to swim.

Mom's gonna fix it all soon.
Mom's comin' round to put it back the way it ought to be.

Learn to swim.

Fuck L Ron Hubbard and
Fuck all his clones.
Fuck all those gun-toting
Hip gangster wannabes.

Learn to swim.

Fuck retro anything.
Fuck your tattoos.
Fuck all you junkies and
Fuck your short memory.

Learn to swim.

Fuck smiley glad-hands
With hidden agendas.
Fuck these dysfunctional,
Insecure actresses.

Learn to swim.

Cuz I'm praying for rain
And I'm praying for tidal waves
I wanna see the ground give way.
I wanna watch it all go down.
Mom please flush it all away.
I wanna watch it go right in and down.
I wanna watch it go right in.
Watch you flush it all away.

Time to bring it down again.
Don't just call me pessimist.
Try and read between the lines.

I can't imagine why you wouldn't
Welcome any change, my friend.

I wanna see it all come down.
suck it down.
flush it down.

Song: "Flashback"
Artist: Tomahawk
Album: Tomahawk (2001)

I have Mars square (my) Mars tomorrow. Ooh boy, fun and games down at the emotional rape manufacturing plant. Sign up now, get a free punch in the face!

This song is great, especially for varying levels of angst. Have some.

Song: "Green Machine"
Artist: Kyuss
Album: Blues for the Red Sun (1992)

Albums like this are why Kyuss has contributed to "stoner rock" as opposed to just "post-Sabbath metal" or the whiny term "(palm) desert rock".

If you do not have this album, you are missing out so bad. It is too good to pass with ignorance or arrogance. So, please, for the sake of yourself, get it.

Looked at not as a song of gluttony, but as a general metaphor, this song sums up how I feel about many things. Especially astrology.

Lyrics:
I've got a war inside my head
It's got to set your soul free
I've got a wheel inside my head
A wheel of understanding

I'm a loadin', loadin' my war machine
I'm contributing to the system, the break down scheme
I'm a shuttin' down, I'm shuttin' down your greed for green
I am here to gun it down, I gotta do

I see pretty flowers at my feet
Cool breeze, clean air, hospitality
Pretty please, pretty please, pretty please
Get the hell away from me

I'm a loadin', loadin' my war machine
I'm contributing to the system, the break down scheme
I'm a shuttin' down, I'm shuttin' down your greed for green
I am here to gun it down, I gotta do

I've got a war inside my head
It's got to set your soul free
I've got a wheel inside my head
A wheel of understanding

I'm a loadin', loadin' my war machine
I'm contributing to the system, the break down scheme
I'm a shuttin' down, I'm shuttin' down your greed for green baby
I am here to gun it down, I gotta do

Song: "Hello? Is This Thing On?"
Artist: !!! (chk chk chk)
Album: Louden Up Now (2004)

I didn't really like this song much when I first heard it, but after a while it grew on me. Over-analyzing kind of does this song (or the band) in, though, since you can become obsessed with the different sounds they use that have nothing to do with the song itself.

Yeah, I'm on to you guys. I can just hear the process of it all coming together. "You know what would sound great right here? Jingle bells. Cuz we're totally, like, riding the sleigh of life, man." Seriously, what the hell?

Song: "The Day I Tried To Live"
Artist: Soundgarden
Album: Superunknown (1994)

Oh did I fucking hate Soundgarden when this album came out. That fucking video! Always! CONSTANT! And my teenage friends all eating it up! If you had a TV or a radio in 1994, you know what I'm talking about. It was amusing the first couple of times, but the constant pressing of this song on my life at the time was too much. They all needed to die, these idolizers of shitty music. Thankfully, before I purchased a gun (since we all know that if you're 12 and you live in a hick town, you can do that), the song's popularity died and I was, at last, freed.

It took quite some time before I returned to this band, as my hate is vast and all-consuming. I'm not sure exactly what did it, but...

I love this song. I mean, he woke the same as any other day. But this day, he was full of a sudden need to murder with righteous indignation. Gosh damn, don't you just plain relate? I know I do. Especially when I hear Audioslave.

Song: "I'm Slowly Turning Into You"
Artist: The White Stripes
Album: Icky Thump (2007)

Not the greatest start, but this song is fine once it gets going. I'm not slowly turning into anyone, but I like the idea here.

...

CAH-AHH-ON-QWEST!

Yes, I know that was an entirely different song.

Artist: Death From Above 1979
Album: You're A Woman, I'm A Machine (2004)

I was looking at videos of this band, trying to decide which song I would chose to post first... and came to the conclusion that I would have to post on their whole album.

First song, "Turn It Out". Before I knew who this band was by name or sound, I had somehow heard this song. You may have, too. It's very good, but not quite their best. The singer here has a sort of lonely, wailing voice, and the sound itself appeals to the desperation in us all, it being very bassy, very loud, and erratic in feeling. The band is qualified as "dance punk", which gives you more of a picture of what it sounds like. To me it sounds like electronic metal, although I could probably get in trouble with various half-retarded metalheads for saying that.

"Romantic Rights" is a very easy like. The desperate sounds of the track before becomes more upbeat, poppy, feminine. Watch the video, especially after 2:30 minutes in.

"Blood On Our Hands" is, somehow, a very popular song. It starts a little weird for me, but the lyricless part at one minute in is very nice, and the rest of the song afterwards is fine after.

"Black History Month" is the most mellow, quiet track on the album. Even still, it's pretty loud.

"Little Girl" is another popular song. Or it should be, if it isn't. It's upbeat and bouncy in the vein of "Romantic Rights", but slightly moreso because of the rolling sound. You will like this song most if you like this band's kind of crazy, intense sound, but only once in a while.

There are other tracks, but I will conclude with "You're A Woman, I'm A Machine" so as not to spoil the whole album. This title track is soooo nice. Or not nice, for our whiny singing ATM. But it's a great song. It even has decent lyrics (not saying any of these lyrics are bad, because they're not). If you chose to avoid the rest of these, at least get this song.

All that said, this band is sometimes classified as "indie". This band is a lot heavier in sound and feeling than that genre suggests. Similarly, you will like Death From Above 1979 even if you don't care for dance/electronic.

Song: "Silent Shout"
Artist: The Knife
Album: Silent Shout (2006)

This is a building, initially quiet electronic(a) song, so you will need to be in the mood for this gentle, introverted style in order to get through it. You will like this most if you don't need introduction to the genre, but it's a fairly simple, easy to like kind of song regardless.

I heard The Knife first via songs like "Is It Medicine" and "Listen Now", which are pretty hyper songs. Hearing "Silent Shout" was very surprising. Bands tend to stick with what they're good at (in the former case, being obnoxious), not jump off into another genre. Even the vocals are toned down with Silent Shout.

If you have stereo headphones and this song makes you want to punch a raver in the face, give "Like A Pen" a listen. Fucked up. Reminds me of Bjork.

Song: "Train"
Artist: Goldfrapp
Album: Black Cherry (2003)

This song is sort of like the The Knife post before, but more traditional. I think it's safe to say that Goldfrapp's music is pretty universally accepted, it having much personality and originality but not having anything really defined. It's "feeling"-based, atmospheric music, but without being totally ambient or obnoxiously repetitive.

"Train" and a few other tracks here have strength. This album makes me think of a girl who's completely lost her mind on a guy. "Train" being only the second track in, is sort of like a tease.

You'll like this if you like copacetic positivity and sex in your music.

Song: "You'll Rebel To Anything (As Long As It's Not Challenging)"
Artist: Mindless Self-Indulgence
Album: You'll Rebel To Anything (2005)

This song explains itself, so...

Lyrics:
You don't mean it

You need a uniform
So you won't be ignored
You are affected
And so you're accepted

It's time you invested in a bottle of poison
So we don't have to hear about your bitchin and moanin
You think you could afford a fuckin bottle of asprin

Boo fuckin hoo you're not the only one whose live's a piece of shit
And yet miraculously somehow we all seem to deal with it
Did anybody think that you would really seriously slit your wrists
In fact I think that everybody thinks you're seriously full of shit

You don't mean it

You need a uniform
So you won't be ignored
You are affected
And so you're accepted

It's time you invested in a bottle of poison
So we don't have to hear about your bitchin and moanin
You think you could afford a fuckin bottle of asprin

You think you're saying something relevant as you connect the dots
You never realized you have to get in line to suck a cock
You're telling me that fifty million screaming fans are never wrong
I'm telling you that fifty million screaming fans are fucking morons

You don't mean it
So you're accepted

Boo fuckin hoo you're not the only one whose live's a piece of shit
And yet miraculously somehow we all seem to deal with it
Did anybody think that you would really seriously slit your wrists
In fact I think that everybody thinks you're seriously full of shit

You think you're saying something relevant as you connect the dots
You never realized you have to get in line to suck a cock
You're telling me that fifty million screaming fans are never wrong
I'm telling you that fifty million screaming fans are fucking morons

Boo fuckin hoo you're not the only one whose live's a piece of shit
And yet miraculously somehow we all seem to deal with it
Did anybody think that you would really seriously slit your wrists
In fact I think that everybody thinks you're seriously full of shit

You think you're saying something relevant as you connect the dots
You never realized you have to get in line to suck a cock
You're telling me that fifty million screaming fans are never wrong
I'm telling you that fifty million screaming fans are fucking morons

You don't mean it

Song: "I'm The Drug"
Artist: The Young Gods
Album: Super ready/Fragmenté (2007)

No you're not, but thanks for playing What Inanimate Object Are You.

You're best off finding this as a download...

Song: "Empty Box"
Artist: Morphine
Album: Like Swimming (1997)

Here's another one I can't recommend enough.

This is a song you will like if you no longer give a shit... whatever the reason.

Song: "Dope"
Artist: 1000mods
Album: Blank Reality EP (2006)

More from these guys. If you've been hating most of my posts this week, or you're simply a fan of stoner rock, you'll like this.

Song: "Don't Speak..."
Artist: Eagles of Death metal
Album: Death by Sexy (2006)

I heard this song for the first time live, and it has become one of the better moments of live music for me. You may find this band or song somewhat obnoxious in their silliness, which is understandable, but I find this band to be exactly what heavy rock and "metal" is lacking: a sense of humor.

This is posted today because it looks like these guys are finally going to start touring again soon, starting with some European summer festivals. Historically speaking, I'm thinking that means they've got a new album coming out soon. Can't wait...

Song: "Reverse Thunder"
Artist: Red Fang
Album: Tour EP (2007)

I've posted about these guys once before; my first post on blogspot. I saw them "recently" and decided that they needed another post. It just makes sense. Hopefully they do some shows again soon so you, too, can enjoy them. And then wonder why nobody's compared some of their not-as-popular songs to a shorter version of Electric Wizard... til now.

Until that time, they have three of their songs on myspace and a few on last.fm as full tracks. Holy shit, and a CD that's only $6 (scroll 3/4 down the page).

Update #1: For those of you looking for proper downloads, I'll have something for you soon.

Update #2: I've uploaded a single song, "Prehistoric Dog" in 160k mp3 format.

Song: "Naked Burn"
Artist: Mastodon
Album: Leviathan (2004)

I think this will be my top track for this week... It's good, good, GOOD! As opposed to bad. As opposed to anything other than sheer yay-dom.

Songs like this are why I keep coming back to this band.

"MASTODON is tentatively scheduled to enter the studio in the spring to begin recording its follow-up to 2006's "Blood Mountain". A late 2008 release via Warner Bros. Records is expected."

EE!

Song: "You Will Be Reincarnated As An Imperial Attack Spaceturtle"
Artist: Behold...The Arctopus
Album: Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning (2006)

If you ever want to feel like an impatient moron, bands like this will aid you on your emotional ADD adventure.

I love how this song starts... and then I get distracted. I repeatedly come back to the track thinking I can get through it this time, and if I have accomplished this I soon forgot.

This endeavor is not like with Sleep, where one wants to sleep, but more akin to a clusterfuck Dream Theater. Behold sounds like they spend their downtime snorting lines. Nevertheless, these guys sound like they're having a lot of fun.

Song: "Mammoth"
Artist: Billy Crystal Meth
Album: The Buzzard of Doom Will Peck Your Eyes Out / Doktor Bitch split 2007

"Mammoth" is a Pelican cover. While I'm only vaguely familiar with Pelican, this track has most certainly piqued my interest in either band. Listen if you like instrumentals, heavy metal, doom, the Melvins, movie samples, and bands who are just getting started.

Song: "Jerusalem (pt. 6)"
Artist: Sleep
Album: Jerusalem (1999)

I get a lot of hits from people searching for Sleep material. If you use torrents, and you should, here is your problem, fixed.

Jerusalem is a re-worked version of Dopesmoker, and "part six" is the final nine minutes. The Jerusalem version is slightly better. Just slightly.

I was unconvinced about this band when I first heard them. I hate scenes and cliches, and this album literally begs to have a cult following. Further, the slow repetition can get under even the most patient person's skin. But looked at objectively, this song is fucking art; when it's over you'll feel apart of yourself missing.

Song: "45:33"
Artist: LCD Soundsystem
Album: 45:33 (2006)

Doom and electronica go together wonderfully, despite being in stark contrast of each other and 45:33 being largely commercial.

This song is 45 minutes and 33 seconds long. The first half is the best half. This is sort of like disco minus the HIV with one piece that's been redone as a single track called "Someone Great".

Song: "O.F.G."
Artist: zZz
Album: Sound of zZz (2005)

I got greedy and nearly broke my computer today. Nothing like the fear of no computer to make one load up the most difficult mp3s available and listen to them in full once said computer is available again. But this is always followed by a sudden shift in mood. After a certain hour-long Sleep track, one needs speed and organ.

This band sounds like it belongs on the Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas soundtrack.

Song: "Here"
Artist: Gravity Kills
Album: Gravity Kills (1996)

GK was a relatively short-lived industrial band of the 90s. They had a few radio hits sort of a cross between Ministry in sound and Powertrip-era Monster Magnet in feeling, namely with "Guilty".

Upon hearing this band for the first time, I thought they were just the greatest fucking thing, ever. I eventually learned otherwise, but this particular song has always rung true despite how my tastes have changed over the years.

If you're a Sagittarius Moon, or have Moon aspecting Jupiter, or have a 9th house Moon, you are particularly going to love the hell out of this song.

Lyrics:
Looking through your window, a million miles from me
My ears are bleeding from the silence, echoing like rain I cannot see
Leaping from your window, a fall to set me free
A leap of faith is all I ask. Remove myself from all that used to be.
Now I'm here for all to see, everything torn out of me
Too late to drown in all my doubt. Too much too late to sort things out
When the clock is ticking, a twisted face I see
My sight is blinded by the darkness, It doesn't mean a fucking thing to me
Turning from my window. Nothing phases me
I built this perfect little hellhole. It seems to be the perfect place for me
Now I'm here for all to see. Everything torn out of me
Too late to drown in all my doubt, too much too late to sort things out

Song: "Evil Eye"
Artist: Fu Manchu
Album: The Action Is Go (1997)

Stuck in head. That opening guitar is so infectious. Argh.

This would be the totally appropriate time to say I contracted myspace. It's pointless but it's what the kids do.

Song: "Vicarious Atonement"
Artist: The Mars Volta
Album: Amputechture (2006)

If you have never heard The Mars Volta, consider yourself lucky and I encourage you to avoid them in the future. There is no hope for the rest of us.

This album sucks. It's, just, bad. TMV falls into the category of artists who put out an album and only two songs on it are worth repeat listens. This album is particularly struck by this - the rest of the songs aren't even worthwhile filler. Between this and their stream-of-consciousness lyrics & crazy sound, this band appeals most to kids who entirely believe that anything they do is cool if it's unusual. There should be a flyer in albums like this reading "Welcome To The New Cliche".

All annoyance aside, this band does seem to appeal in a strange, disconnected fashion. They do have tracks that are very striking. This is one of them.

Song: "Dragon & Phoenix"
Artist: Black Cobra
Album: Feather and Stone (2007)

Upon further examination, I learned that Black Cobra has won my heart. For a moment there I was thinking the excessive listening of heavier albums in recent years was a practice of vanity. Training my ears for what? Apparently this.

He doesn't really need to scream like that, like a vicious toddler who's just had their favorite stuffed animal torn from hand; I think the music speaks for itself. But this is still great. Some of these songs are fucking gorgeous.

Besides what they have available to listen on myspace and a few assorted things to be searched elsewhere, you're probably going to have to download this album via a p2p program to sample it. If you're into really heavy and dark stuff, it's totally worth the trouble.

In the meantime, you get: "Red Tide" (straightforward song that comes before "Dragon & Phoenix") and another drink of "Sugar Water". Gotta love how the camera shakes in that video...

Updated: Found a sample track of D&Ph.

Song: "Let Me Take You To Chinatown"
Artist: Glazed Baby
Album: Atomic Communists (1996)

Here's another band I missed because I was too young when they were around. Nice stuff, familiar to the Melvins. Also check out "Under Nancy's Boot", and "Handgun" if you can find it.

Song: "Namaste"
Artist: Floor
Album: Dove (2004)

Another OMG track. But difficult to find thanks to this band having a common dictionary name. In addition to links above, they also have a myspace with a few interesting tracks up.

Song: "Informal Gluttony"
Artist: Between The Buried And Me
Album: Colors (2007)

This band is touring with Dream Theater right now. Because all bands secretly hate my state of residence and only the biggest can actually act on it, I learned that I would not be seeing Dream Theater. :(

However, the opening bands on the same tour have decided to grace one's presence. Those from the younger generation have told me Opeth is a great band. I have yet to understand this, although I've barely tried. In any case, I know Opeth and 3. I do not know BTB&M... so I decided to find some of their stuff and see if they had anything for me to get a base of what they were like as a whole.

So far they are failing every test of individual compatibility. Their sound seems lost behind a funneled, spoon-fed world, one in which the bored housewives have taken over and are parading us all to soccer practice. In other words, this isn't challenging or particularly artistic. I see some musical layers loosely comparable to Dream Theater, especially with this song, but... eh. Whatever people are seeing out of this band or its related genres (technical/progressive death metal?), I obviously do not have default equipped.

I've heard worse, much worse. This song certainly has its moments, but it's an accessible track as a whole.

Song: "Octavarium"
Artist: Dream Theater
Album: Octavarium (2005)

You may find this song a very painful 24 minutes the first time you listen to it, but it's a lot easier in the future. Especially since you can skip right ahead to the best part. Part III / Full Circle which starts musically about 12-13 minutes is the most obviously appealing, although it's not particularly satisfying without the beginning of the song.

Unlike doom, this song is quite varied both musically and emotionally. Unlike electronic, it is meaningful as a whole (nevermind being a hell of a lot more intellectually stimulating than electronic). There's an actual story here, and it isn't simply regurgitated.

If history has anything to say about it, music geeks will love the shit out of this song. The instrumental lead-in/out pieces between definitive emotional moments in this song are genius alone.

If you've never heard it and you have a half hour to spare, here's a link to the whole track. Totally, absolutely worth it.

Song: "Black Cat"
Artist: Ladytron
Album: Velocifero (2008)

The other day Ladytron put up a single track on their site for sampling of their new, yet-to-be-released album. If you've heard Ladytron before, it's a familiar style and sound. It's one of their non-english tracks. I'm not impressed, but singles rarely impress. We'll see about that album...

From themelvins.net:

The Melvins next full length album is scheduled for release on July 8 through Ipecac Recordings and is titled "Nude With Boots". The eleven track album was recorded in January 2008 in Los Angeles and features the same line-up as (a) Senile Animal (Buzz & Dale along with Jared & Coady from Big Business).

Nude With Boots Tracklist:
1. The Kicking Machine
2. Billy Fish
3. Dog Island
4. Dies Iraea
5. Suicide In Progress
6. The Smiling Cobra
7. Nude With Boots
8. Flush
9. The Stupid Creep
10. The Savage Hippy
11. It Tastes Better Than The Truth

Song: "Perpetual Black Second"
Artist: Meshuggah
Album: Nothing (2002)

I have learned that seeing a band live can make or break my interest and ability to tolerate their sound. This is particularly true with bands that have a very simple or complex overall sound. In this case, the latter. I was hoping a live "picture" of what was going on would help.

The music comes across as a little awkward, especially at first. Certainly cerebral. If you've never heard Meshuggah before, you're better off with the songs on ObZen which are more newbie-friendly (try "Combustion"); you might be okay if you're a fan of related bands already. I tried jumping into this band approximately two years ago in my typical hit-and-run fashion without any base; I failed miserably. As I assumed what would happen, seeing this band lived helped me understand their sound, and now another one of their songs is stuck in my head.

Regarding "Perpetual Black Second": if you don't like radio "metal", you'll like it by default.

Song: "Red Fox"
Artist: Tomahawk
Album: Anonymous (2007)

I grew up and became a Tool geek. It was just a natural progression, but I nevertheless felt that Tool was the greatest band of all fucking time, and anyone who disagreed was a default moron. Don't get me wrong, they're my favorite band, but... I grew up a little more. I started to see that maybe, just maybe, there were bands that did things better than Tool. At least some of the time.

This album is so fucking cool. It was, after all, my first post. It's difficult to explain what is actually happening with this album outside from the native american theme. The fact is that it's ridiculously creative and eccentric. The best way I can put it is that you're either ready for Anonymous or you aren't. If you don't get it, you simply don't. It is, however, an album for everybody, regardless of musical background. True genius is for all.

"Red Fox" is an alternative, progressive, experimental hard rock or metal style song. It's heavy and creepy yet has a sense of humor. I have yet to figure out the lyrics, but they're almost irrelevant; the vocals are another instrument rather than a means of definitive, logical statement. The music mostly speaks for itself. That being said, due to the lack of classic form and lyrical directives, you will either LOVE it or HATE it.

I love this album, and I'm waiting very patiently for this band to tour.