Sublime- self titled (disk 2)

This is the second disk of the 10 Year Anniversary release of Sublime's self titled album. It contains mostly alternate versions of Sublime's songs, plus a couple of new songs.

Starting at the end, the instrumental versions of Doin' Time, April 29 1992, Caress Me Down and What I Got are interesting deconstructions of Sublime's style. While they would perhaps make for good ringtones, for me they show that the vocals are a key ingredient in creating Sublime magic. Without lyrics, Doin' Time (Uptime Dub) becomes even more chillout than the original- if that is even possible. Although the choice of vocal samples makes it sound like a song about drowning your girlfriend, which is quite disturbing...

I Love My Dog is another example of Sublime's ultra-cool reggae groove. Unfortunately, it's undermined by some awkward stop-start moments, and lyrics which go nowhere at all (dog lovers might disagree with this!).

It is a mystery to me why the infectious bouncy ska of Superstar Punani never made it to the album. Similar to some Dance Hall Crashers songs, the subtle variations in walking bassline and drums work brilliantly to enhance the structure and keep things fresh. And the lyrics, mad as ever, are perfectly suited to the immature style. It all goes a bit strange strange at end, but I find it quirky and amusing. This is actually the song that originally got me hooked on Sublime, and possibly still my all-time favourite Sublime song.

The more hip-hop influenced alternative version of April 29 1992 shows that the band chose the right version for the album! Harsh, but true...

And personally I find the acoustic versions of Saw Red, Little District and Zimbabwe quite generic, because they don't make much sense without knowing the original versions.

Favourite songs

Superstar Punani, April 29 1992 (Instrumental Version)

Worthwhile?

For me, Superstar Punani alone makes this disk worth having. Which is just as well, because the rest of the CD doesn't hold much appeal.

Sublime- self titled (disk 1)

Sublime's third album and final was released in 1996, just a few months after the lead singers' death. This review is of the 10th Anniversary Edition, which features a slightly different track order and a 2nd disk of B-sides.

It is a hugely significant album, not just for being a hit in its own right, but also as being a key influence for many of the ska-punk bands that followed it. Many of the albums that I've previously reviewed probably would not exist if it weren't for this album. So while I took my sweet time to discover Sublime, really they've been with me ever since I got hooked on my an Area-7 song many years beforehand.

Trenchtown Rock is perhaps a declaration/warning that things are gonna get weird! While I wouldn't really listen to it in isolation, it never fails to whet my appetite for the rest of the album and I do appreciate the weirdness.

If George Gershwin was covered in tatts and was partial to a bit of surfing, Doin' Time is exactly the song he would have written! The groove works perfectly as a beach chillout song. And while the lyrics are actually quite melancholy, I find they just add a reflective edge without dragging things down. A minor hifi whinge is that the bass guitar is quite boomy on this song.

This dub-reggae style is a common theme on this album, and Pawn Shop is one of my favourites. Thanks to the rock-solid groove, I feel this reggae trance could go on for hours, without ever becoming boring. Jailhouse achieves similar success. On the other hand, somehow Under My Voodoo doesn't appeal to me, and that's before we get into the stupid ending. And even though Caress Me Down was a few years ahead of Shaggy, that doesn't excuse the cringeworthy style that just screams "white boy tryhard".

The chorus of The Ballad of Johnny Butt doesn't really work for me, but I'll give them kudos for trying something different, as well as for yet another brilliant reggae groove. The rocksteady style all comes together perfectly for Get Ready, though. With the subtle menacing groove perfectly complemented by the paranoid lyrics.

While they sound very different on the surface, Get Ready actually uses a similar approach to April 29 1992. The minimalist groove and paranoid anarchy lyrics are used by both to great effect. The difference is mainly that the offbeat guitar takes on a sharper edge for April 29 1992. This style of guitar is quite unique, yet the way it manages to be both bouncy and aggressive at the same time is brilliant. While I'm not an arsonist, my favourite part of the song is the overlapping lyrics of "Riots on the streets of Miami, riots on the streets of Chicago, ..." and "Wanna let it burn, let it burn, let it burn".

Another timeless classic is Santeria. The bouncy instrumentals hold it together nicely, allowing the lyrics freedom to go on whatever brilliantly mad journey they fancy. But actually, the lyrics perfectly walk the line of being just comprehensible enough to understand the story, yet wonderfully illustrative though delusional mad genius.

Listening to Wrong Way, I struggle to understand why I enjoy it so much. The sound is thin, the groove is not particularly strong and while I always thought the song had a great structure using subtle build-ups throughout, I've discovered it's actually quite flat and I had been imagining most of the ebbs and flows. But the overall verdict is still the same. While it may be a dog's breakfast of a song, somehow I still think it's brilliant.

The single version of What I Got never really did it for me. While it had a cool chillout vibe, I felt all the production heaped on it was making too big a deal of a humble song. Luckily, this version of the album also includes a less produced version, which I think suits the song perfectly.

Cranking up the tempo and intensity, Seed is a reggae song, a ska song and a punk song all awkwardly shoehorned together. But in the immature ska spirit, these ridiculous abrupt jumps appeal in their own right- a rebellion against musical convention. Since the three sections are all appealing in isolation, it works well.

On the other hand, Burritos follows all the rules, resulting in a run-of-the-mill 3rd wave ska song. But there's nothing wrong with that in my book! Highlights for me are the immature lyrics and general "bounciness". Same In The End is similar, yet even better. Its headbanging chorus is a highlight, as is the lyrics which are at a million miles an hour and jump all over the place.

Sorry, this post is getting quite TLDR. To quickly wrap up, Garden Grove is quite aimlessly rambling, but for me that's kinda the appeal. And it works well as the final song on the album.

Favourite songs

Doin' Time, Wrong Way, Pawn Shop, April 29 1992, Santeria, Seed, Burritos, Same In The End, Get Ready

Worthwhile?

Sublime? Yes, it really is.

Pearl Jam- Rearviewmirror (down disk)

This is the second disk of Pearl Jam's mid-career Best Of.

As per the Up Disk, unfortunately Pearl Jam's signature style doesn't really appeal to me. It's solid riff-rock, but I find myself soon zoning out to songs like Breathe, Immortality and Nothing As It Seems.

There are some distinct highlights, though. The lightness of the acoustic guitar gives Daughter unique appeal for me. I also dig the nice catchy chorus. Also, Wishlist has incredibly touching lyrics, perfectly complemented by the simple instrumentals and subtly wonderful audio quality.

Of the heavier stuff, my pick is Given To Fly, thanks to the opening guitar and drum melody. For me, this song isn't about the lyrics, but the instrumental "backbone".

And then there's Better Man. This song has been played to death on commercial radio, yet I still love it. The lullabye beginning is spine-tinglingly brilliant. Which is followed by a build-up into a wonderfully catchy pop song. It's an all-time favourite song of mine.

Favourite songs

Daughter, Better Man, Given To Fly, Wishlist

Would I buy it again?

As per the other disk, the overall mood isn't really my cup of tea, but a handful of masterpieces that get this album across the line.

Pearl Jam- Rearviewmirror (Up disk)

This mid-career compilation was released in 2004.

Pearl Jam falls a long way from my normal listening taste, so for a song to rate highly here indicates it is very special indeed. In other words, if I'm overly critical, then "it's not you, it's me".

A fundamental problem here is I often struggle to distinguish the lyrics. This reduces many songs to riff rock. And while the instrumental side would be fine in a supporting role, as the centrepiece I find it gets stale after a couple of minutes. Examples of this problem are Hail Hail, Animal, Go, Do The Evolution and- dare I say it- Even Flow.

Overcoming this problem is the song Rearviewmirror. What I really dig about this song is the way the chorus hints at something big to follow. And when the promised unleashing arrives at the end of the song, it works a treat. This suspenseful structure is rare for Pearl Jam, but it is a real highlight for me.

Speaking of progressions within songs, Not For You has a wonderful energy pushing it along. Combined with the simple, yet effective chorus, it's one of my favourite Pearl Jam songs.

Save You has a standout chorus, unfortunately I feel that the rest of the song doesn't provide enough contrast, dulling its appeal. On the other hand, Corduroy shows that the band is able to use light-and-shade masterfully. Combined, of course, with yet another massive guitar riff!

Audio quality interlude: quite varied (pretty common for a compilation), but a common trend of being mildly flawed.

I am reminded of Screaming Jets for the song Spin The Black Circle. Unfortunately, it is a reminder of their mindless thrashy songs that I don't like. Another whinge is Jeremy, which feels like spoken word with token instrumental backing.

State Of Love And Trust turns up the energy and tempo a notch, and the result is fantastic. I find it works perfectly to inject some upbeat fun into proceedings.

The opening track, Once, kicks things off brilliantly. While the structure is a bit "verse, chorus, rinse, repeat", the nice scratchy guitar work and memorable chorus more than make up for it.

Saving the best for last, Alive is the quintessential lighter-waving classic. The singalong chorus and poetic storytelling are Pearl Jam in a nutshell. But the icing on the cake is the timeless guitar solo, with the rest of the band slowly working themselves into a frenzy in the background. It all leads up to an epic ending to a wonderful journey.

Favourite songs

Once, Alive, State Of Love And Trust, Rearviewmirror, Corduroy, Not For You

Worthwhile?

I must admit I really struggled to get through this album, because the overall mood isn't really compatible with me. But there are some great exceptions, so this handful of songs does make it an album I'm glad to have in my collection.

Kasey Chambers- Carnival

In 2001, the album Barricades & Brickwalls shot Kasey Chambers into the mainstream pop market. Two albums later, the band released Carnival in 2006.

I won't go so far to cry "sell out", but this is very much a pop album. Much of the country music style and whiney vocals (which I really dig) are gone, replaced by a smorgasboard of influences.

One aspect that hasn't changed, though, is the recording quality. All of the instruments have great character and balance, and there is a wonderful feeling of airiness to the sound. This airiness also creates headroom, which certain songs (stay tuned) use to great effect, to create hugely powerful choruses.

For example, Sign On The Door, Nothing At All and Dangerous could well be songs by the Dixie Chicks. I don't mean to be a music snob, but the style doesn't appeal to me at all.

The opening song, Colour Of A Carnival, has a superbly engaging chorus. Perfect for waving cigarette lighters in unison at a concert! Unfortunately, the verses drift along aimlessly with annoying repetitive lyrics. And the pre-chorus just feels like it's awkwardly filling time. I guess it makes the chorus more appreciated, though...

On the other hand, the verses of The Rain are brilliant lullabyes. Humble and endearing, like much of her first album. Unfortunately, the chorus a big letdown for me, especially the awkward falsetto cameos. Perhaps if the verses of The Rain were combined with the chorus of Colour Of A Carnival, the result would be a masterpiece...

As for the "pop album" thing I mentioned before, Light Up A Candle, Railroad and Surrender all suffer from feeling like they were cobbled together by a producer, rather than being organic artistic expressions. I do like the creeping feel of Light Up A Candle's verses, and the "James Bond theme" style of Surrender, though.

I Got You Now takes on the heavier stuff and hits the nail on the head. It has fantastic energy, and good bite; making it a very good 2 minute punk-rock song. Unfortunately the song happens to go on for 3 minutes, and that last minute is flogging a dead horse.

The potential masterpiece I mentioned earlier (combining The Rain and Colour Of A Carnival) actually does exist, and it is called You Make Me Sing. The sparse verses and uplifting chorus are fantastic in their own right. And their synergy with each other makes the experience even better. Then there's the bridge, which takes the already infectious chorus and takes it a notch even higher. Fantastic.

Favourite songs

Colour Of A Carnival, The Rain, You Make Me Sing

Worthwhile?

There's a couple of great songs, but overall the album feels more like a sampling menu, rather than a proper meal. Kasey Chambers first two albums are a nice unique mix of country and pop, unfortunately this album is not.

Berlin Calling- Soundtrack

This is Paul Kalkbrenner's soundtrack to the 2008 movie.

The opening song, Aaron, is unfortunately a bit conflicted. On one hand the groove is nicely chill, but the staccato melody is quite tense.

Speaking of strange sensations, somehow the bass of Torted feels like it's sucking at your ears. It may sound like I'm going mad, but it's true! And quite unpleasant. While I'm on my recording quality high-horse, many songs have a strange effect in the mid-bass which feels oppressive and fatiguing to me. If you're unable to dial it out, this could make the album unlistenable on some speakers or headphones. Some other songs have a strong sharpness to the treble, so overall it's quite a... ahem... "challenging" album to listen to.

Azure is nicely captivating, despite the lack of a standout melody. It just hangs off a simple groove, a lovely synth sound and wonderful layering. And, as per much of this album, the genius is in the timing. The rhythm is repeated over and over, then just before boredom sets in, a subtle change is made to keep things fresh. It is perfectly executed.

Since minimalist techno is already at the edge of my musical taste, the more experimental songs (such as Queer Fellow and Bengang) are a bit much for me. I'm a bit surprised that Queer Fellow is the 2nd track on the CD, its contrasting style seems better suited to mix things up later in the album.

The pop song of the album, Sky and Sand, hits the nail on the head, with great hooks and a strong chillout/feelgood vibe. Train has wonderful layering and a fantastic melody. These are my favourite songs on the album.

Altes Kamuffel, QSA and Castenets all have a great upbeat feel, which reminds me of Moby (although this might be a completely uneducated statement from someone barely familiar with electronica!)

Favourite songs

Azure, Sky and Sand, QSA, Castenets, Train

Worthwhile?

Aside from a couple of songs, the overall effect for me is that it isn't an album I would concentrate on or find memorable afterwards. This isn't a criticism, because it works well as a chillout album or for watching the world flash by (eg while staring out the window of a train).

However, as the token "minimal techno" album in my collection, Berlin Calling hits the nail on the head.

Richard Cheese- Aperitif For Destruction

Richard Cheese's fourth album was released in 2005, a year before the Sunny Side Of The Moon compilation.

For me, the Richard Cheese appeal isn't just the comedic absurdity of his covers, it's that the lounge arrangements are top notch and would hold their head high as "serious" music. Me So Horny, You Oughta Know and Add It Up are great examples of this. In particular, the chorus of Add It Up is absolutely cooking.

Welcome To The Jungle kicks off with a fantastic instrumental opening. The song jumps around a bit, but that can be excused for a comedy song.

Been Caught Stealing doesn't appeal to me as a song, but it's still worth it for the gag about Phil Spectre's gun. Similarly, I'm not really a fan of We Are The World (the original is a very mediocre song IMHO) but the Michael Jackson joke makes it worth it. And Do Me solely exists for the "dome" joke, but I totally dig it.

Sorry to go politically correct here, but I'm a bit uncomfortable with the Stephen Hawking impersonation on The Girl Is Mine.

Rather than being a one-trick pony, the album keeps things fresh with a variety of musical style. Man In The Box pulls off the latin style nicely, which makes for a very amusing juxtaposition to its disturbed lyrics. Speaking of disturbing lyrics, the jazz style makes it obvious how the lyrics of Let's Get It Started are completely ridiculousness. Exhibit A:
Bop your head like epilepsy 
Up inside your club or in your Bentley
Also, the song's melody works really well as a horn line.

The use of a gentle choir for the timeless riff of Enter Sandman is a masterstroke. However, I find the chorus a bit lacklustre and the bass is boomy sounding.

Finally, Somebody Told Me re-arranged as a piano ballad works a treat. I really dig how it makes you realise that the singalong lyrics hidden away in the bouncy original are actually quite dark.

Maybe I'm immature (ok... there's probably no doubt...), but the comedy of hearing "motherfucker" in a smooth lounge style never gets old for me. And this album does a great job to keep this joke fresh for 16 songs.

Favourite songs

Me So Horny, Welcome To The Jungle, Let's Get It Started, Man In The Box, You Oughta Know, Do Me, Add It Up, Somebody Told Me

Worthwhile?

I love Richard Cheese!

(And despite the slight overlap with the compilation album, I'm still glad to own both of them)

Frank Bennett- Five O'Clock Shadow

This is the 1996 debut album from Frank Bennett. The theme of jazz covers of pop songs makes it somewhat a predecessor to Richard Cheese. However Frank's approach is more of a quirky re-interpretation rather than the overblown comedic style of Richard Cheese. Let's see how it goes.

Pearl Jam's Better Man is a pop classic, universally appealing yet strongly emotive. Maybe I feel that it's sacrilegious to mess with the song, because this cover doesn't do much for me. The arrangement feels a bit cobbled together, and just going through the jazz motions, rather than injecting any real interest. Similarly, Disarm has limited appeal for me, being novelty value only.

The version of Radiohead's Creep is built on the same foundations but this time it hits the mark perfectly. It manages to preserve the dignity of the original, while adding the novelty of a new genre. The backing instrumentals are very good in their own right, thanks to some great hooks and layering. And the icing on the cake is the contrast of the bouncy style with the achingly lovesick tale.

The Frank Sinatra-esque style is a great fit for The Way You Make Me Feel. As does Poems fit nicely into the latin style. So it's a shame that neither style really appeals to me in general. While I'm whingeing, Love Is Back To Stay is ruined by poor musicianship. The horns are out of tune and the playing is quite sloppy at times. Which is really disappointing, because otherwise it would be a nice little instrumental.

Speaking of audio quality, most of the time it's pretty good. On a couple of songs, however, listening with headphones has a lack of overall envelopment and poor cohesion between instruments (like they were recorded as separate tracks).

You're Just Too Hip is fantastic. The cool, understated style works a treat, particularly the way the song briefly swells, before returning to the wonderfully laid-back groove.

The soul groove of Black Stick sets a very cool scene. Somehow it makes for a fantastic oddball combination with The Cruel Sea's lyrics.

Another brave re-interpretation is Constant Craving. Before hearing the cover, I wasn't familiar with K.D. Lang's original, and thought Frank Bennett's version was "just" a fantastic instrumental. It has completely turned the song upside down, and it works a treat. The saxophone melody is totally 1980s cheesy, and brilliant!

Under The Bridge brings a great twist on the funk-rock classic. While the style is completely changed, the same emotions are still loud and strong. I really dig the ending, which is brimming with energy.

Favourite songs

You're Just Too Hip, Creep, Black Stick, Constant Craving, Under The Bridge

Worthwhile?

(Next in the playlist for this blog is a Richard Cheese album. I've deliberately avoiding listening to it before this post is finished, because they're different styles and shouldn't really be compared... however...)

When browsing through albums of swing covers to listen to, there is no doubt that Richard Cheese's over-the-top approach is more tempting most of the time. However, this is still a great album of swing songs (that just happen to be covers).

True Live- The Shape Of It (album)

In 2006, True Live released their debut album, a year after their debut EP.

A viola cadenza to start a hiphop album? Yes! It works brilliantly, both in its own right and as a lead-in to the next song. As good as it is on the album, hearing Improvisation On A Theme played live takes it to another spine-tingling level.

Keep Myself Awake continues the brilliant melody of the intro, and adds a fantastic groove, great lyrics and a nice simple singalong chorus. A wonderful combination of catchy and emotional.

Speaking of catchy, the chorus of TV is dripping in catchiness. Great stuff. The experimental style of the chorus is a bit of a dilemma for me: on one hand I dig the jazz experimentation, on the other hand it does disrupt the feel-good pop energy at times. However what definitely works a treat are the lyrics, keeping it "real" with some nicely biting social commentaries.

The beatnik influences on Be That Cat don't really appeal to me. Carry Yaself has a great story about a wannabe Eminem, although the staccato groove doesn't really do it for me.

Evolution isn't a song I'd listen to in isolation, but here it works well as an interlude. This is one of four songs that also appears on the EP, and unfortunately I can't help but comparing these album versions to the EP, In the case of Evolution, the extra cameos and effects of the album version detract from the beautiful simplicity of the song.

Question This is just as brilliant as on the EP, in fact I think it's the same recording. And Try Walk Left surpasses the EP version, thanks to somehow having even more vehemence crammed in. Brilliant.

Bounce unfortunately suffers in comparison with the version on the EP. On the album, the laidback tempo at the start compares poorly cousin to the start-to-finish energy of the EP version. And while I'm not a fan of excessive profanity, neutering the rallying call of the crowd from "shut your fucking mouth and throw up your hands" to "shut your damn mouth..." is a terrible compromise of artistic purity. Shameful! In all seriousness, though, it's still a great song.

Audio quality rant incoming: Conventional wisdom would be that the bass sounds are flabby and bloated, robbing the choruses of tightly-controlled hits of the kick-drum. However the benefit is a double-bass just dripping with character, so I think it was an excellent decision. Looking at the higher-pitched sounds, the strings in particular are a pleasure. It all adds up to a unique and highly enjoyable sound.

Side Steppa introduces a fantastic "mad professor" element. Primal and insane, with the ego on overdrive. The rap put-down of "Fuck man, I freestyle better than that" sums it up perfectly. To me, it sets the scene of a tribe psyching themselves up before battle. Rather than just describing it, the song manages to make you part of it, creating a fantastic experience.

Let Out pulls off the same incredible stunt as Side Steppa, this time with a more electronic style, to keep things fresh.

Favourite songs

Improvisation On A Theme, Keep Myself Awake, Question This, Try Walk Left, Side Steppa, Let Out

Worthwhile?

Hell yeah! Even given the overlap with the EP, this album has plenty to offer. The band has been described as having the novelty of "hiphop with strings", but actually it's "self-aware hiphop with intelligence (and strings)".

Kate Miller-Heidke- Little Eve

This is the debut album from Kate Miller-Heidke, which was released in 2007.

First up, I must admit that gentle acoustic-pop songs are not my thing. Unfortunately, this the majority of the album is lost on me. On the bright side, the down-to-earth storytelling in I Got The Way and Delay is enjoyable. And Shoebox has great energy, thanks to the guitar melody.

But the highlight for me is the crazy mad-woman antics, with random cameos from harpsichords, hammond organs, etc. Words pulls it off well, complete with a tongue-in-cheek yet infectious pop-hiphop groove. Great fun.

Mama and Adam aren't as outright bonkers, but the combination of pop sweetness and occasional madness works a treat. With the random opera shrieking in the background of Adam as the icing on the cake.

Speaking of random opera shrieking, I really dig how the incredible vocal abilities are used as a silly plaything, with some incredible technical achievements just thrown out there to have fun with. The covers of You're The Voice and Psycho Killer are great examples of this. Not to mention the arrangements of the band, which often a highlight in themselves, rather than merely supporting the vocals.

Favourite songs

Words, Mama, Adam

Worthwhile?

Despite not really being into the main style of the album, the 3 songs I do like are a wonderfully unique style. So I'm definitely glad I bought this album.