quinta-feira, outubro 28, 2004

107. Live - shit town (bootleg)

This is the only bootleg I actually ever purchased. I got it in Miami for $15. It contains the unplugged show and an Amsterdam show that happened a year later. I have good memories of the unplugged show, watching it with Chad and Doug. The set is pretty good playing the highlights off of the first two albums with the band re arranging the structure of the majority songs, which is always nice when watching unplugged. The Amsterdam show isn't bad, the quality is pretty poor. If the sound were better on both shows it would be a really great disc.

6.5 out of 10

106. Live - they stood up for love

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106.Ltheystoodupforlove,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
There is no excuse as to why I own this. I got it cheap and thought that maybe the acoustic version of I Alone would be interesting. Far from it. Crap layered with crap and produced with crap.

1 out of 10

105. Live - secret samadhi

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105.Lsecretsamadhi,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
The beginning of the end for Live. With the exception of two tracks (Lakini's Juice and Ghost) the album is about as original and inspiring as a Chevy pick up commercial.

4 out of 10

104. Live - throwing copper

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104.Lthrowingcopper,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
I temporarily suspended my knowledge of what happened to this band because I remember loving this album - and when I think of them now I cringe. So I listened to this album objectively and the album seems like it came from the now cheesy Live. Some songs are still great (The dam at otter creek, I alone, t.b.d., white discussion), but others are just over produced and predictable. It's a shame they didn't just keep getting better.

7 out of 10

103. Live - mental jewlery

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103.Lmentaljewlery,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
I only used to come to the states twice a year, a month a time - but sometimes my mom would come, and besides buying us candy she would tape MTV - which we didn't have in Brasil. Anyway, one night I am watching a tape and it was a Sunday recording because it had 'the week in rock'. On that show their was a 'new release' segment that lasted 20 seconds or so, they showed the cover of 'Mental Jewelry' playing 'Operation: spirit' and I knew I had to get it. Years later in college my roommate Steve had two cats and he left for the summer leaving behind a million of fleas. Scott was kind enough to purchase flea bombs and bomb my room but I had this cd laying up and it was ruined, this was in 95 or 96 and I hadn't heard the cd until now (chad was kind enough to burn me a copy, I still have the defective one). Now to the music, for a bunch of young skinny kids the album is great, but at times it does reflect their immaturity both lyrically and musically ('the beauty of grey', c'mon and 'Take my anthem'). But with that said their greatest effort and disappointment still lied ahead, and this was a good start for such a young group, other than the New Kids.

6.5 out of 10

102. QOTSA - songs for the deaf

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102.QOTSAsongsforthedeaf,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
This album came out with a ton of hype and praise, backed by an ensemble cast including Dave Grohl and Mark Lanegan. I like the idea of a band having a revolving cast, constantly morphing its line up while anchoring itself with a couple of members. It was also labeled as a concept album, a description I can't seem to grasp or agree with. All the songs are linked by DJ's who are more annoying than real life DJ's on a fictional radio in your car. 'No one knows' plays as a loud fun ZZ Top track (or Fastball, if that was their name), and that is a good as it gets... who knew. Yes Dave's drumming is great and Mark's vocals are a welcoming change but the songs never go beyond being loud and tight. They never go a step further - they speed up, slow down, go from muffled to load, but never take you anywhere.

6.5 out of 10

101. QOTSA - feel good hit of the summer

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101.QOTSAfeelgoodhitofthesummer,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
This is an Australian tour edition cd single. My friend Chad had been praising 'R' all year long; I saw this (again on the cheap) and figured why not. I like 'feel good' musically; lyrically it's not that much further along than Motley Crue's 'Dr. Feelgood' - songs about drugs that are so literal are just stupid. Contains another album track and three b-sides.The cover 'Never say Never' is faithful but still original, 'You're so vague' is a play on 'You're so vain' and that is as clever as it gets, 'Who'll be the next in line' is um, another cover which shouldn't have been uncovered or covered I guess.

6 out of 10

100. Stone Temple Pilots - sour girl

100.STPsourgirl
100.STPsourgirl,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
I have no idea why I have this single, outside of it being cheap. Contains the single and two live tracks, 'sex and violence' loud and 'sour girl' acoustic, - that don't do anything for the songs.

3 out of 10

99. Stone Temple Pilots - number 4

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99.STPnumber4,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
I think that when this album came out Scott was just arrested, was released or was in between arrests. I remember not being excited about it coming out, nor being crazy about 'Sour Girl' - with all that said the album is surprisingly good - a darker, starker follow up to 'Tiny Music' - worth picking up for any fan.

8.5 out of 10

98. Stone Temple Pilots - tiny music...

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98.STPtinymusic...,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
My affinity for this album has baffled many of my friends - and I think that what I really like about it was the band's attempt to do something different - not radically different of course, but at least not dupe 'Purple'. Granted every band tries to do that with every release, but to me it was unexpected from these guys. I still look forward to the bass line in 'Big Bang Baby'.

9 out of 10

97. Stone Temple Pilots - purple

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97.STPpurple,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
'Purple' clearly set aside any doubt that STP was a serious, unique and talented band. Chad and Doug love this album and I often would say it wasn't my favourite - it still isn't but I recognize how strong it is. Your point is noted Meadow's, see next review.

'Conversations kill.'

9 out of 10

96. Stone Temple Pilots - plush

96.STPplush
96.STPplush,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
I got this single solely for the 'Sex Type Thing' alternate version (dubbed Swing Type Thing). Scott Weiland sounds like Sammy Davis Jr, in a good way. Also contains a mediocre live version of 'Sex Type Thing'.

5 out of 10

95. Stone Temple Pilots - core

95.STPcore
95.STPcore,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
Ahh, the guilty pleasure of STP. At first they were considered to be Pearl Jam/Grunge rip off's - obviously at that point we had not been introduced to Bush, Silverchair, Godsmack and everything else that is wrong with music past and present. While the album is somewhat dated, I have such fond memories of my life when it came out that I have to love it - and a lot of the songs still sound good.

8.5 out of 10

94. Mark Lanegan - whiskey for the holy ghost

94.MLwhiskeyfortheholyghost
94.MLwhiskeyfortheholyghost,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
Another solid album by Lanegan. By the fourth track I was convinced that I was in for an amazing album, solidly building up on what the 'Winding Sheet' had set up. But, it never quite makes. I realized while reading the liner notes that the songs were recorded by many different people - Jack Endino, Terry Date and Ed Brooks - the album also features an assortment of players; J Mascis, Tad Doyle, etc. While this mix of helpers for sure added to the album, in the long run I think it failed to establish a common thread through out all the tracks. Still a great album, but it could have been perfect.

8.5 out of 10

93. Mark Lanegan - the winding sheet

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93.MLthewindingsheet,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
I never really heard this album - I bought it along with 'Holy Ghost' used at Spec's in Florida. I was familiar with 'where did you' from Nirvana's unplugged album. The album is really great - such a great surprise. Dena picked up 'Bubblegum' and I heard it once and liked it, and I am glad that he is making sense to me now as a solo artist, I only knew him from Screaming Trees and QOTSA - he sounds like nobody else but himself. The album is dark, moody and atmospheric - the least satisfying track is actually 'where did you sleep' probably to no fault of his own the version on Unplugged is too perfect to match (and obviously this one was recorded first). Solid, solid, solid.

8.5 out of 10

sexta-feira, outubro 15, 2004

92. Screaming Trees - sweet oblivion

92.STsweetoblivion
92.STsweetoblivion,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
Considered by many as their break through album, if you listening closely it is actually a step back for the band. The songs are more accessible for the masses I guess, but only by becoming more common. Contains the radio single 'nearly lost you' - after the first verse you know how the rest of the song unfolds - nowhere.

5 out of 10

quarta-feira, outubro 06, 2004

91. Screaming Trees - uncle anesthesia

91.STuncleanesthesia
91.STuncleanesthesia,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
Well the album is better than what I remembered. It also has a lot of different sounds - at times they sound sort of Cultish, Zepplinish and 80's indie pop (think REM or Simple Minds). The overall problem with the album (outside of the fact that it doesn't break any new ground) is that Mark sounds like he singing over the band and not with them - you can hear he's in a different room.

7 out of 10

domingo, outubro 03, 2004

90. Sweet 75 - sweet 75

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89.S75sweet75,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
Far better than his collaboration with the Meat Puppets and Sublime guy, Eyes Adrift (got rid of that a long time ago). This release is exciting, interesting and non formulaic - part of this is because of lead singer Yva Las Vegas, her singing and songwriting seems to have meshed perfectly with Chris' anchored playing. A couple of steps away from being very good.

8.5 out of 10

89. Foo Fighters - one by one (sampler)

89.FFonebyonesampler
89.FFonebyonesampler,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
I got this for free in a Spin issue I think - it has three songs; All My Life, Low and Danny Says. The only track on this I had not heard of was Low, which isn't a bad one. I think though that there is no need for me to purchase the full album given the tracks I have amassed - the album doesn't seem to break any new ground.

6 out of 10

88. Foo Fighters - all my life

88.FFallmylife2
88.FFallmylife2,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
Same song different single. This one contains a cover of the Ramones' Danny Says. The other song, The One is again (sorry to be repetitive) a typical Foo Fighters song.

6 out of 10

87. Foo Fighters - all my life

87.FFallmylife1
87.FFallmylife1,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
All My Life backed by two non LP tracks - Sister Europe and Win or Lose - Sister Europe is an interesting song, it's a cover of the The Psychedelic Furs. Win or Lose is another typical Foo song: a hit or miss depending on your mood.

6 out of 10

86. Foo Fighters - generator

86.FFgenerator
86.FFgenerator,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
Another one of those numbered singles - contains acoustic and live versions of previously released songs - nothing to write home about.

5 out of 10

85. Foo Fighters - there is nothing left to lose

85.FFthereisnothinglefttolose
85.FFthereisnothinglefttolose,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
This album contains many aimless, pointless and endless melodies - and they are great for what they are - but as with every Foo album there is something missing to put it pass that point of being just average - or high average.

8 out of 10

sábado, outubro 02, 2004

84. Foo Fighters - my hero

84.FFmyhero
84.FFmyhero,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
This single contains two b-sides; Baker Street and Dear Lover (plus two videos for Everlong and Monkey Wrench). Baker Street is a cover song by Gerry Rafferty - which may mean nothing to you but as soon as you hear it you recognize it. Dear Lover is a quiet nice little tune, that I suppose he wrote to his lover - the song further shows that the Colour and Shape sessions were a good one.

8 out of 10

83. Foo Fighters - the colour and the shape

83.FFthecolourandtheshape
83.FFthecolourandtheshape,
originally uploaded by jrd550.
I think that this album is as good as the foo fighters are going to get - Dave can write shallow lyrics to decent pop songs pretty well - and i mean that as a complement. At least he knows to take a song like Monkey Wrench somewhere else besides the expected verse, chorus, verse - but still it wasn't that brilliant of a move. Everlong is a great track and so is Walking After You.

8.5 out of 10