Metallica- Master of Puppets

Metallica released this their third album in 1986.

About 20 years later, I got around to buying it, specifically for one song. Actually, to be exact, I bought it for the first half of one song! ... but while we're here, we might as well investigate the other 94% of the album...

Things start out very nicely with the acoustic guitar intro to Battery. Unfortunately, the rest of the song strikes me as quite disjointed.

Another gripe is the recording quality: it's like a checklist of all the bad '80s traits. Unfortunately, copping the brunt of the poor sound is Master of Puppets, which is greatly undermined by its sound. This is a huge shame, as it features a fantastic riff, tonnes of energy and brilliantly grand and bitter lyrics.

The Thing That Should Not Be works well with the nicely crunchy guitar sound and the slower tempo creating a menacing mood. Unfortunately, some of the sections are quite awkwardly composed, and what on earth is with the strange synth sound behind the vocals in the verse??

Disposable Heroes is an excellent journey into almost prog-rock territory. The chorus is a bit of a letdown for me, but the rest of the song is fantastically intricate. Damage Inc may be a technical masterpiece, but I don't find it actually that captivating.

Orion. Oh yes, the reason I own this album. The buzz of distortion guitars emerging from the misty swamp is always the start of a special experience for me. Then enters a riff to be enjoyed over and over again- possibly the most epic riff in the universe! The sound is awfully woofly, but this song has more than enough raw power to prevail. To maintain interest, the band play around with time signatures for a while and then turn the riff on its head. Then the riff returns in full headbanging glory. Bliss.

There's nothing wrong with the second half of Orion, it's just that nothing can compete with the first half! Over time, I'm beginning to appreciate the full song, the ballad section are actually very well done. Although the fade-out ending is a lazy effort.

Favourite songs

Master of Puppets, Disposable Heroes, Orion 

Worthwhile?

Maybe one day I'll mature and learn to appreciate this album for more than just one epic riff. But in the meantime, I'm still completely satisfied with the situation!

Fatboy Slim- Better Living Through Chemistry

This is the 1996 debut album that shot Fatboy Slim to fame.

And it starts out quite badly for me. The funky percussion and beats are brilliant, but the main melodic element of the song is a letdown. For example, the keyboard riff of Song For Lindy is charmless right from the outset. Similarly, Santa Cruz's cheesy glam-rock guitar riff quickly wears out its welcome and the song ends up sounding like a watered-down attempt at The Prodigy's style. I actually quite enjoy the riff from Going Out of my Head, but since it's forced to carry the whole song with very little assistance, in the end it also gets tedious.

Things improve dramatically when the phat synth melody (sounding a bit like a tesla coil!) kicks in for  The Weekend Starts Here. The menacing, slower tempo also works a treat. The only gripe is I don't like the vocal sample, but the wonderful contrasts provided by the gentle harmonica sections more than makes up for it.

As for the recording quality, I always find electronica hard to judge. The highly-processed sound of the instruments (eg drums, guitars) isn't my cup of tea, but I guess this goes with the genre.

Not relying on a lead melody allows Give the Po' Man a Break to shine through as a wonderfully layered song. With the backbone of a great percussion beat, I really dig the multitude of sounds thrown into the mix throughout the song.

First Down would have been perfect on the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack! The bebop influences are brilliantly combined with the funky beat and electric elements. The end result is a song which is uniquely mysterious and catchy.

Favourite songs

The Weekend Starts Here, Give the Po' Man a Break, First Down

Worthwhile?

For me, it is a nice addition to the small electronica part of my collection.

But the lesson from this album is that when a single riff is used to carry the whole song, it gets old very quickly. However, when the limelight is shared around more equally, brilliance ensues.

Chuck Berry- Ultimate Collection

This compilation (of perhaps the most influential pioneer of rock'n'roll) was released in 1991. 

Maybellene is more of a history lesson that a song for me, and features a strong hillbilly influence. The highlight is the lyrics, proving that a rock'n'roll song can't go wrong with a story about cars... especially when it involves chasing down the girl in a Cadillac!

Proving that rock music has been sticking it to The Man since the beginning is Roll Over Beethoven. While it's just a fun, catchy song these days, back in the 1950s, denouncing classical music must have raised some conservative eyebrows. Somehow this rebellion make the song timeless for me, sure the technology sounds very dated, but it remains a cracker of a rock'n'roll song.

Speaking of technology, the sound is... ahem... "vintage" at best. It does improve as the album moves to more recent songs, but generally the vocals are distorted, the bassline is barely heard and the guitar is very thin. I realise that ripping on songs recorded in the 1950s is a bit rough, but I don't think the age should excuse stuff like distorted vocals, weird echoes and silly stereo placement.

School Days feels more like a sped-up blues, and doesn't really appeal to me. Maybe this is a failing on my part though, that I can't appreciate a song if it doesn't have a catchy singalong chorus?! Back in the USA is more clear cut- the mintrel-boy backing vocals are a deal-breaker for me.

The wonderful interplay of the guitar, piano and bassline is used to perfection in Little Queenie. Somehow the lyrics don't resonate with me, but the groove makes it a good song nonetheless. This is proved by Sweet Little Rock'n'roller, which is elevated into the stratosphere with just a few small changes. The brilliant lyrics invoke strong images out of the movie American Graffiti, in particular my favourite phrase is:
Ten thousand eyes were watching them leave the floor
Five thousand tongues were screaming "more, more"

Sweet Little Sixteen also successfully rides this formula, although I do find that most of the song lacks the frenetic energy that makes Chuck Berry great. Somehow it feels a bit too "cruisy". Although it does make for great contrast, as the song kicks up a gear brilliantly for the chorus.

As much as I enjoy the three aforementioned songs, the elephant in the room is their lyrics represent adults fawning at teenage girls. This is a really disgusting part of rock'n'roll's "bad boy" image, and these days an awkward element of otherwise fantastic songs.

Interestingly, the sound of Promised Land is more modern, mainly due to the crisp recording of the drums (as opposed to sounding like they're in a room across the hall!). Unfortunately, this means they often drown out the wonderful guitar and piano parts, which I would much prefer to hear. And in another example of newer not necessarily being better, tales of plane trips aren't nearly as evocative as stories about interstate train trips or hotted-up cars!

As a young child, Rock'n'roll Music was one of my favourite songs (I am so lucky that my parents otherwise daggy music collection included some Chuck Berry and Bill Haley). These days, though, I find this song too self-referential and twee. On the other hand, No Particular Place to Go is very impressive that it can maintain a great groove, despite being so stop-start. And the chorus of Nadine provides wonderful contrast to the usual Chuck Berry style.

The French influence of You Never Can Tell is a masterstroke, with the crackly piano blending perfectly with the rhythm'n'blues horn lines. The lyrics are brilliant in that the events they describe are nothing special, yet the story is absolutely captivating.

For me, the "ultimate" Chuck Berry is Johnny B. Goode. The usual ingredients of brilliant guitar, piano and bassline are all present, and the song ticks along with great energy for the verses. But then it absolutely explodes for the chorus, like the frenetic call of a crazy man egging on someone who is even crazier! This is primal rock'n'roll at its mad best.

Favourite songs

Roll Over Beethoven, Sweet Little Rock'n'roller, You Never Can Tell, Johnny B. Goode 

Worthwhile?

Chuck Berry is a must-have part of any rock'n'roll collection.

The Shuffle Club- Bath Tub Boogie

Recorded in 2004, Bath Tub Boogie is Australian jazz band The Shuffle Club's first studio album. 

Bath Tub Boogie works perfectly as an opener for this album. It's a bouncy little jazz ditty to quickly establish this isn't an album which takes itself too seriously.

About a Quarter to Nine is a solid chart in the Frank Sinatra style, however it lacks the hooks of the world-famous classics. My Blue Heaven also doesn't quite grab me, sounding a bit too dixieland for my liking.

It all comes together very nicely for I've Got You Under My Skin, though. The execution is wonderfully understated, and the extended introduction features some great instrumental work.

The recording quality is is also (mostly) a good effort. The only blemish is that the alto sax sounds a bit thin. Otherwise, the recording is nicely crisp, with my personal highlight being the wonderful depth and character of the double bass sound.

A rare low point of the album is Hey Good Lookin', which is musically quite stop-start and lyrically dreadfully sexist.

And what about the more energetic songs which are driven by the piano? They're all brilliant! Goin' to Chicago has a superb rhythm n blues groove, and the vocals are also a highlight for me. Jump Jive an' Wail cranks the energy a notch higher, and seems to be bursting at the leash, thanks to the brilliant boogie-woogie piano. I really dig how the verses feel like barely-contained chaos, which perfectly contrast the "settled" chorus.

Oh Marie is another which uses this classic formula. Its great fun at the start, although wears thin eventually, due to its heavy reliance on the groove. My favourite songs on the album is Chantilly Lace. This is boogie-woogie perfection, and never fails to get me bouncing.

Yet again, I seem to have pigeonholed a band with a diverse range of styles! The rest of the jazz styles on this album are quite good, but the boogie-woogie is in another league.

Favourite songs

I've Got You Under My Skin, Goin' to Chicago, Jump Jive an' Wail, Chantilly Lace, Oh Marie

Worthwhile?

Absolutely.

Reverend Horton Heat- Spend a Night in the Box

This is Reverend Horton Heat's sixth album. It was released in 2000, between Holy Roller and Lucky 7.

On a personal note, I purchased this album a long time after the other other Reverend Horton Heat (RHH) albums. It turns out that the song which began my interest in RHH wans't actually on the other albums; my first encounter with the band was many years ago, when I heard Girl in Blue on the radio late one night. Years later, I stumbled across the note I'd scribbled about the song at the time, yet I was leaning towards ignoring it. Surely I had "enough" great music from the band, and I probably had a few songs of similar quality to the mysterious Girl in Blue? Despite this, eventually I backflipped, and bought the album.

And thankfully that purchase proved that too much Reverend Horton Heat is never enough!

Spend a Night in the Box is a wonderful rock'n'roll ditty. The cheeky story is perfectly complemented by the bouncy music, complete with some great hooks. Sleeper Coach Driver is similar, and also a favourite. Its highlights are the tale of a humble bus driver contrasting with the proud chorus. Also, the honky-tonk piano works a treat.

Big D Boogie Woogie doesn't quite float my boat. Somehow it seems like the song is building up to something musically, but it never quite gets there.

Regarding my first taste of RHH, Girl in Blue is indeed a wonderful song, one of my all-time favourites. Most obviously, the guitar riff is incredible. The style is also special- a superb mix of slammin' psychobilly and smoother jazz. I don't often find guitar solos memorable, but the interplay between this solo and the song structure in the background is really special. Nicely illustrative lyrics, too. Is there anything I've forgotten to rave about? In summary, every aspect and moment of this song is outstanding.

Speaking of jazz, Hand it to Me works well to calm things down for a little while. Although I am biased, since I'm a sucker for hammond organ! Returning to rock'n'roll, unfortunately the groove of I'll Make Love is destroyed by all the stop-starts. However, it does have a very good chorus.

It Hurts Your Daddy Bad perfectly combines flowing elements (the smooth verses) and stompin' elements (the with slammin' rockabilly chorus). The lyrics tell the tale of deception with great imagery. A highlight for me is the false ending, making us appreciate the treat of the song rolling along for a little while longer.

The recording quality is perfectly adequate unless you're specifically listening for it. Closer inspection reveals that the kick-drum can get lost underneath the double-bass and the guitar can sound hollow. On the plus side, the character of the double-bass comes through nicely the snare sound (an eternal quest for audio engineers) is punchy yet characterful, and the cymbals are particularly sweet.

The light-hearted tales return with The Bedroom Again. Just as I'm not sure whether the lyrics are serious in their suggestion of reinstating the bedroom, it's hard to tell whether the song is genuine hillbilly, or a bit tongue-in-cheek. Personally, I like the mystery. 

The whimsical tale King tells a nice story, but is slightly let-down by a lacklustre chorus. Similarly, The Millionaire is a solid instrumental, but it doesn't grab me, for reasons unknown.

I'm a big fan of stroller-style songs, and Whole Lotta Baby fits the bill perfectly. As an added bonus, it's amusingly unusual for a song of this style to have lyrics that are basically "I like big butts, and I cannot lie".

The combination of surreal circus-synth with psychobilly works a treat for Unlucky in Love. While we're down the rabbit hole, The Party in Your Head is perhaps the world's only prog-rock psychobilly hybrid! Similarly, the lyrics are nicely obscure, although I have no idea what "carpet bagger" means... and perhaps it's better that way??

Favourite songs

Spend a Night in the Box, Sleeper Coach Driver, Girl in Blue, It Hurts Your Daddy Bad, Whole Lotta Baby, Unlucky in Love 

Worthwhile?

A brilliant album, in many regards. This album is a highlight, even amongst all of the Reverend Horton Heat albums.

Green Day- International Superhits

This mid-career "best of" was released in 2001. It also signifies the end of an era, as the band moved in a new direction for American Idiot and following albums.

Maria kicks things off nicely as a generic pop-punk opener. As required by Green Day's quite strict yet highly successful formula, the chorus is of course the highlight.

The addition of folk influences in Poprocks & Coke works well, although it does verge on being a ditty. I was actually surprised to read that this song was written in 2001 for the compilation, because it sounds like an early song before the band had matured in their songwriting. However, I do really enjoy the progression through the song.

Personally, I (generally) like my Green Day big and energetic, so the "cruisy" nature of Longview doesn't really work for me.

Energetic, you say? Welcome to Paradise has it in spades! The lyrics have a good message to them, however even these are overshadowed by the fun catchiness of the song. I think what makes it so special is the "sharpness" in all the instruments and all the nice subtle flourishes in in the background, while the catchy foreground hooks have you bouncing around like a madman. This makes it one of my all-time favourite Green Day songs.

Basket Case is in a similar league. This time, the hooks are more in the lyrics than the music. The twisted outlook is brilliantly conveyed, with great irony and humour. My favourite lyrics are:
I went to shrink to animate my dreams
She said it's lack of sex that's bringing me down
I went to a whore, he said my life's a bore
So quit my whining because it's bringing him down
Unfortunately, Basket Case feels like it's running out of steam after 2 minutes, but nonetheless it is a fantastic song.

Lyrics also are most of the appeal for When I Come Around. Which is much needed to distract from the drums' sound. They sounds woeful, sounding more like a toddler's plastic toy than a rock band. While I'm whingeing, somehow J.A.R. has all the right ingredients of a Green Day classic, yet fails to appeal at all. This is a cop-out excuse... but the only way I can explain it is that it somehow feels uninspired and cliched.

Most of the lyrics of She are unintelligible to me. But this is no hinderance, I still get the mood of the song and it probably adds an air of mystique! They seem to be about love or some such emotional bollocks, therefore the energetic music (similar to Welcome to Paradise) contrasts nicely.

The dorky nerd in me really likes Geek Stink Breath. I realise its not an inspired song, but somehow they managed to hit a nerve for teenagers (and wannabe teenagers...) with this song.

Brain Stew isn't my cup of tea, simply because I prefer my Green Day to be high energy, not this type of punk-grunge. Luckily, Jaded follows up as the perfect antidote. Just simple, thrashy, pop-punk. It works a treat.

Stuck With Me is quite similar to Welcome to Paradise. Therefore it is also a fantastic song, of course. Similarly, Nice Guys Finish Last has me bouncing off the walls with its great pulse and sharp breaks. The highlight of the song for me is the pre-chorus.

Like Basket Case, the lyrics of Hitchin' a Ride are brilliantly obtuse. It's backed up solidly with the music, in particular the lead-up and chorus work perfectly. Also, kudos for the huge ending.

Despite having heard Good Riddance countless times, it remains a very evocative song for me. The only downside is the cheesy violin, but otherwise I find it similar to looking through a treasured photo album.

Redundant is a fantastic pop-punk song about becoming an old fart. Also, the addition of a 4th chord is a nice bonus! I really dig it because it manages to be both catchy and thought provoking.

Minority, Warning and Waiting all have their moments, but overall they don't appeal to me. This is due to various reasons (and this post is already quite TLDR!)

The finale is Macy's Day Parade, which is the perfect way to end this jouney. The lyrics don't really have an arc tying them together, however they form a wonderful tapestry of very powerful images and establish a spine-tingling mood. Musically, it reminds me of Every Breath You Take with its beautiful simplicity. As the song gently drifts in a timeless fashion, I always feel I could listen to it forever. And every time it draws to a close, I find myself emerging refreshed and inspired. Incredible.

Favourite songs

Poprocks and Coke, Welcome to Paradise, Basket Case, She, Geek Stink Breath, Stuck With Me, Hitchin' a Ride, Good Riddance, Redundant, Nice Guys Finish Last, Macy's Day Parade 

Worthwhile?

Absolutely... check out how long that list is! It is actually a bit surprising for me; I've never considered myself much of a Green Day fan, but looking at this long and diverse list of superb songs makes me realise how great a band they are.

Runaway Boys- Running Wild

In 2006, this Australian band released their first (and only) CD, Running Wild. Named after the Stray Cats song, they are often confused with The Living End, who used the same name at the start of their career when playing as a Stray Cats cover band.

As the bands first release, it's very obvious that they were still leaning heavily on their influences and often ... ahem... "borrowing" many elements of their songs. Starting with Fallen Down, it's similarities with The Living End's "Falling Down" go well beyond the title. Fallen Down sounds very much like an early Living End punkabilly song, unfortunately with less polish.

Sometimes I Feel Alone, has an absolute cracking opening. But then, oh, I realised it's very much "borrowed" from Stray Cats' Storm the Embassy... In isolation, though, it's a wonderful song which stands head and shoulders above the rest of the CD. All of the sections are enjoyable and they have been stitched together nicely to create a cohesive song. Very classy.

Unfortunately, this cohesiveness is a rarity on the rest of the CD. Different is often quite awkward, although the chorus is quite nice. And Temperature is a poor mishmash of Green Day and The Living End. Also, the theme of Temperature's lyrics is very odd, personally I have no interest in hearing a song describing staying in bed with the flu...

Wasting Away has plenty of good ideas, actually it has too many! These ideas could have made 2 or 3 good songs, instead they are all shoehorned together to create another awkward composition. The lyrics referring to Stray Cat Strut ("I'm flat broke and I don't care" etc) are ironic, considering the rest of the CD contains many blatant Stray Cats rip-offs.

Recording quality? Pretty much what you expect for a local garage band. It's listenable, but polished it ain't. My biggest gripe would be the vocals, since the singers unfortunately harmonise together very poorly. While I can overlook it for the odd chorus, when the whole of a song is a shouting duet, I find it pretty jarring.

Favourite songs

Sometimes I Feel Alone

Wortwhile?

Nope. There are some signs of great potential, but mostly this EP is best written off as a learning experience.

Nirvana- Nirvana

This "best of" was released in 2002, eight years after Kurt Cobain's death.

(In reviewing music, I try to give each album the best chance to impress by making sure I'm in the required mood to properly appreciate it. Therefore, as I write this, I have forced myself into channelling a teenager who's pissed off with the whole world!)

Really, though, grunge isn't my thing, since I often get a defeatist vibe from it. Therefore, songs like You Know You're Right and Been a Son don't appeal to me. And the story of Silver just sounds like a spoiled brat to me. Another thing working against the appeal of this album is Nirvana: Unplugged, because I much prefer Unplugged's simpler and rawer versions of About a Girl, Come As You Are, Pennyroyal Tea and Dumb.

Enough moaning, now for the good stuff. Years later, Smells Like Teen Spirit is as awesome as ever. There is nothing left to say about this song and it deserves all the praise.

In my book, Lithium achieves similar greatness. The lyrics and headbanging energy are great, however for me the highlight is the incredible second half of the extended chorus. Catchy and very emotive.

A quick word about the recording quality. Or rather, some ponderings. I realise that a "dirty" garage-band sound goes with the grunge territory, but does this excuse the many recording flaws (eg tinny cymbals, indistinct cheese-cutter guitar, muddy vocals)? Would a higher quality recording improve the songs, or is the imperfect sound a part of the experience?? <puts on flame suit...>

I am probably one of the people about whom In Bloom was written. Despite this, ironically I really enjoy its catchiness and the headbanging chorus! Which probably sums up my relationship with grunge music, unfortunately.

Favourite songs

Smells Like Teen Spirit, Lithium, In Bloom

Worthwhile?

Some hugely influential songs, but not my cup of tea mostly.

The Herd- The Sun Never Sets

This is The Herd's third album, released in 2006 as the follow up to An Elefant Never Forgets.

Unpredictable is to hiphop what Bei Mir Bist Du Schein is to swing! Both are brilliant thanks to the perfect integration of folk influences and the huge bouncing energy as the tempo winds up. It is perfectly described by Pandora: "hednodic beats". The highlight for me is the barely-controlled, anything-goes party madness, similar to Mischief.

Also, a quick rave about the recording quality. I really dig the meatier bottom end to the sound. Compared to An Elefant Never Forgets, it also features more layering and "smoother" basslines in many cases.

The infectious groove of Long Lunch nicely complements its wonderful narrative and message.

We Can't Hear You has fantastic "bounciness". Lyrics such as "His name is Junk John, his alias is a month long" are an amusing yet insightful tale of commercial music fame. And the following phrase about crowd heckling is an all-time favourite lyric of mine:
Don't get me wrong,
I love it when you answer.
But would you say "ho"
If I said Pauline Hanson?

Vastly contrasting this is the ballad Under Pressure. It is beautifully raw, and a particular highlight is the spine-tingling chorus. Similarly, Full Moon is a brilliant depiction of a desolate scene. The beat is quite catchy, yet nicely restrained to match the tale.

The first instrumental, Where is Everyone, is a nice chillout song. Later in the album, No Disclaimer is another nice interlude- this time a bit more bouncy.

Towards the second half of the album, my interest begins to wane. Apolyptica is a good execution of a slow, menacing style, but it isn't really to my taste. Nor are the drum'n'bass influences of Can't Breathe and Starship Troopers.

But then it bounces back in a big way with Mischief- my favourite song on the album. It perfectly captures a wonderful unplanned night of chaos. Also, the chorus is brilliantly infectious.

Another perfect combination of hiphop and folk is the cover I Was Only 19. The brilliantly emotive lyrics of original are nicely complemented with the catchy hiphop beat. However, I do prefer the recording from Triple J's Like a Version, which allows the guitar melody to shine through better.

Favourite songs

Unpredictable, Long Lunch, We Can't Hear You, Where is Everyone, Full Moon, Mischief, No Disclaimer, I Was Only 19

Worthwhile?

Absolutely. The bounciness and folk elements make this a wonderfully fun hiphop album. And the clever lyrics give it great meaning. Top stuff.

The Herd- An Elefant Never Forgets

In 2003, Australian band The Herd released this second album.

While Aussie hiphop is often mocked, personally I dig where it's coming from. Commercial American hiphop lyrics are often an egotistical boast of bitches / Bentleys / etc. However, Aussie hiphop often takes on a poetic or protest stance with its lyrics, which is fantastic. For me, it makes for wonderful background music for a barbeque with mates on a lazy sunny day. Not something you listen to intently, just a soundscape to create a good vibe. So be prepared for me to harp on endlessly about "the groove"!

The Plunderers gets straight into the activism, cleverly combining emotion with a thoughtful message, such as:
Your branding shines like gold
And hides the shit below
Unfortunately, like LG and Ray of Sun, I find the mood of the song quite depressive and lacking in energy.

States of Transit is more in line with what I love about The Herd. It has a nicely bouncing groove, which perfectly reflects the tale of skateboarding through the urban rat race.

Reggaeton and drum'n'bass are styles I struggle to enjoy. Therefore, Burn Down the Parliament, The After Party Brigade and The World Keeps Turning have no appeal to me. However, I do enjoy the smoother groove for the opening and chorus of Burn Down the Parliament; also the cheesy arcade game synth sounds of The After Party Brigade are fun.

The instrumental Hunter's Theme starts out smooth and builds up nicely. In this case, the drum'n'bass works well as the climax of the song.

Superweeds, Urban Lady Saloon and When You Thought Nothing Was Happening are too staccato for my liking. Croissant Para Zwei Na Črvtek is a nice cheesy French interlude.

77% is brilliant on so many levels. The groove is highly infectious, the lyrics are very emotive and the chorus is (expletive-laden) singalong greatness. This is a song I really enjoy cranking up loud, not least to spread the political message!

Hell epitomises the "barbeque music" style I mentioned earlier, thanks to its catchy groove and the tongue-in-cheek story. High Seas and Taki Taki also feature perfect beats to accompany the frying of sausages and pouring of beers...

Favourite songs

States of Transit, 77%, Hell, High Seas 

Worthwhile?

I try to avoid judging albums statistically (ie counting the number of Favourite Songs above). So although the count for this album is a bit low, there are still some good times and it is a nicely varied album.

Having said all that... I do much prefer their next album, The Sun Never Sets.