quarta-feira, dezembro 27, 2006

574. Grandaddy - the sophtware slump


Grandaddy no longer exist but they did leave behind this little prize. While not perfect from beginning to end, it's hardly a slump. Having come out in 2000 (I think) it's exactly what you would have imagined the future of music to sound like back in 84'... beeps, blips and beets mix with vocaders and layered synths to create a perfectly human robotic melody. If you have a friend who owns it, borrow it - you'll have a good time.

7.1 out of 10

terça-feira, dezembro 26, 2006

573. Grandaddy - alan parsons in a winter wonderland


A single non album promo featuring the title track only. Why did I get it? Why not.

4.5 out of 10

Alan Parsons in a Winter Wonderland

segunda-feira, dezembro 25, 2006

572. Grandaddy - signal to snow ratio


Merry Christmas all! And Happy Hanukah! And everything else!
If Grandaddy was around in the early eighties they would have been massive - they were once labeled as America's Radiohead - a distinction I wouldn't have gone so far to give. But they do sound like a soundtrack to Omni magazine, or something you'd hear in Carl Sagan's elevator... this ep features some sub par material but in between the glitches there is a moment of mainframe bliss.

6.4 out of 10

Jeddy 3's Poem

domingo, dezembro 24, 2006

571. Beck - nyc, sony studios 1997 (bootleg)


Again thanks to endless internet searching this recording was uncovered... I'm not sure why this show was captured, but it's a soundboard quality show with Beck basking in the success of Odelay and deservedly so. The band is tight and Beck leads both his mates and crowd perfectly showing what a great entertainer he is.

7.9 out of 10

sábado, dezembro 23, 2006

567/568/569/570. Beck - kcrw sessions (bootleg)


Ahh the internet. If it exists you can someday find it online. When I first moved up north my freelance work was spotty so I had a lot of time on my hands and I stumbled upon these on a peer to peer thing... my lack of employment allowed me to break all the tracks down onto four discs and make covers for them. These were at the time all of Beck's KCRW sessions beginning with 93-94, 95-96, 98 and 02. The quality gets much better once we start hearing his session in 98 for 'Mutations' but the early recordings are worth all the hissing and pops. It's great to be able to hear Beck develop musically through the years and personally too - the actual interview portions are all included and hearing a 23 year old Beck play "MTV makes me want to smoke crack" was pretty amazing... but to me the real gem is on the same disc - hearing a very, very, very early version of "It's all in your mind" that would later re appear in a more fleshed out version on 2002's "Sea Change". Hopefully these will be officially released someday in pristine quality with the interviews intact.

8.1 out of 10

566. Beck - guero


Not only can Beck seamlessly shift through styles and tempos he can also do so at an amazing rate... with almost an album out a year now I was hesitant to pick this up because well, sometimes you just get bored of the notion of certain artists for no particular reason - in Beck's case it was just over exposure. After hearing Guero though you're quickly reminded why you liked him in the first place. The songs are still funky, sample heavy meditations on just about everything but they are also a little more serious sounding - less goofy and kitchy.

8.7 out of 10

sexta-feira, dezembro 22, 2006

565. Beck - sea change


An amazing album from start to finish. Sea Change is a complete 180 from his other material, it's slow, deep and laced with melancholy. Becks voice is sturdy with hindsight and the melodies ooze hope and reflection. Sounds silly but it's so much more than his break up album, to us at least it's about going in a new direction. Brilliant.

9.6 out of 10

domingo, dezembro 10, 2006

564. Beck - mixed bizness cd2


I know, I know, I have a problem... same single but this time backed with two Mixed Bizness remixes and a new track, "Arabian Nights". That last track makes the single worth owning, it's part psychedelic, part hip hop and all very much Beck.

4.3 out of 10

563. Beck - mixed bizness cd1


Another one of my HMV bargain bin grabs... disc one contains the lead single plus two remixes and the video for Mixed Bizness. Cornelius does a fine job of remixing the tune but, is it really needed? Not really.

3 out of 10

562. Beck - sexxlaws cd2


This companion disc features the great retro flavoured 'This is my crew' and a worthy remix of Sexxlaws, the Malibu version...

5.8 out of 10

561. Beck - sexxlaws cd1


I got these two singles back when HMV would have their $1.99 sale... well HMV isn't around anymore and I wonder how much longer cd singles will still be released... Contains the lead single plus 'Salt in the wound', a solid track that could have easily made it onto Vultures, and a remix of Sexxlaws by 'wizeguyz', who really don't add much to the existing track.

4.3 out of 10