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theroundtrip · 5 years

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THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2018

77. Polish Doom. Just those two words should be enough to consider it good. Intense and everlasting.

Moon Wedding by Shine

76. Demonauta are synonym of quality, sweet warm fuzz and great vocal harmonies.

Temaukel, the spirit before time by DEMONAUTA

75. Groovy and fuzzy rock, with stoner, psych and punk mixed all together.

Licancabur by Red Sun Atacama

74. Fantastic blend of doomy retro rock with folk and psychedelic. Tunes for fans of Jess and The Ancient Ones, Blood Ceremony, etc.

Blues for a Dying Planet by Spiral Skies

73. Covers of zamrock artists, MC5 and Hawkwind done in an ecstatic way.

ECSTATIC VISION - Under The Influence by HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Records

72. Fully instrumental Stoner Doom, atmospheric and enjoyable.

Deus Ex Machina by Cloud

71. Another great heavy rock band emerging from Peru, carrying with them excellent riffs and even better solos.

Cosmos by Rito Verdugo

70. Heavy blues rock with superb jam moments, mad solos in here.

THE GRAND ACID by THE GRAND ACID

69. Cosmic boogie rock! Amazing debut record.

Activation Immediate by Freebase Hyperspace

68. Ethereal Doom Metal coming from the masters who started it all.

Eternal Return by Windhand

67. I've seen somewhere the term "doomgaze" applied to Easy Death...it seems to fit.

Welcome by Easy Death

66. Amazing 70's inspired rock coming from Spain. From the same vein of Prisma Circus

Resurrect the Dead by Electric Monolith

65. The only artist out there mixing psychedelic, drone, ambient, space, synthwave and krautrock this good.

ego therapy by Surya Kris Peters

64. A fresh breeze of bluesy rock, with enough groove to make you move.

Love Jail by Dommengang

63. Eastern scales and heavy psych rock merge so well together

Electric Dream Demon (LP) by GNOB

62. Heavy blues doom with one foot in the 70's era and another in the modern times.

Hazemaze by HAZEMAZE

61. Extraordinary heavy psych rock n roll coming from one of the best Israeli bands. I've probably heard the title track 100 times.

Red Eyes Blues by Heavy Stone

60. Hazy doom, hazy riffs, catchy tunes, superb album.

Calm Black Water by REZN

59. Heavy metal delight. Maybe the most interesting band emerging within the Heavy Metal/NWOBHM scene in these last years.

Burst Into Flame by Haunt

58. Heavy blues rock masters! On the prowl since 2008, always releasing killer albums.

Death's-Head Hawkmoth by Lonely Kamel

57. Amazing stoner doom with saxophone? Count me in.

The Wizard by Merlin

56. Psychedelic, blues , krautrock and stoner make a hell of a blend. One of the best debut full-lengths this year gave us.

Krautrocker by Zen Bison

55. Fantastic released of doom heavy rock, filled with enormous riffs and sludgyesc vocals, kinda unique

54. The quality of the doom metal in here is incredible, carrying echoing vocals, obscure riffs and majestic solos.

Tomb Of Doom by Tar Pit

53. Well, Satan's Satyrs really don't sound like anything else happening right now. They managed to create their own sound, based on all their previous influences

The Lucky Ones by Satan's Satyrs

52. Psychedelic doom metal, with great garage rock touches. Another outstanding record.

Mindtripper by Magmakammer

51. Hypnotic psychedelic krautrock coming from the land who gave it name.

We Are Not in California by Black Voodoo Train

50. Fuzzy Heavy Rock with galloping Heavy Psych, addicting grooves and fully Spanish lyrics.

Ritual en Carcosa by Kamadeva

49. Wicked Doom Metal, perfect for fans of Electric Wizard and similar stuff...

Kult Of The Wytch Goat by wytchgoat

48. The Californian fuzz masters can't be stopped. The classic of fuzzy stoner rock, with the magnum opus "Il Mostro Atomico".

Clone Of The Universe by Fu Manchu

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47. Retro hard rock sang in Swedish, with that illustrious Swedish quality.

Oblivious - När Isarna Sjunger by Gaphals

46. A monstrous bong arrives with monstrous riffs. 420 Doom!

Light the Dankness by Belzebong

45. The best garage punk rock record of the year. Dear Satan, I write you..

Bison Voodoo by The Graveyard Groupies

44. Psychedelic hard rock with sax jams and Hendrix'ean vocals you can't forget

Get In The Van by BearSloth

43. Superb heavy rock with Laura Dolan singular vocals

Helltown by Electric Citizen

42. Fantastic fem fronted heavy psychedelic hard rock!

Paradise & Nadir by Willow Child

41. Exceptional organ-driven doomy heavy rock with two kinds of vocals.

Act One by Alms

40. Most good motorcycles run on gasoline. This is a bad motorcycle, it runs on blood.

✠ I Tread On Your Grave ✠ by The Death Wheelers

39. Filthy and nasty sludge doom. Super heavy. Extra points for the cool song names

TONS - Filthy Flowers of Doom by HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Records

38. Amazing progressive rock band, heavy without a guitar, only bass, drums and a hell of an organ.

Tube Alloys by Blå Lotus

37. We knew how good Crypt Trip were with their previous releases but this is their breakthrough album. First rate heavy rock

Rootstock by Crypt Trip

36. Heavy blues influenced doom with amazing vocals, their best one yet

Holy Grove II by Holy Grove

35. Freaky and creepy space psychedelic punk! My mind of garage punk rock

Night Fight by Flying Hair

34. Occult doom metal, tending towards the epic side. Absolutely amazing

Midnight Mirror by Tempelheks

33. Immense doom metal soaked in horror and synth sounds, always fuzzy and haunting

The Golden Dwarf by Satori Junk

32. Extraordinary debut album, featuring fascinatingly blends psychedelic rock with blues and stoner rock, carefully driven by a krautrock atmosphere and some drone inputs.

Hormonizer by Sex Blender

31 . Astrodome reached a new composition level with this record, drawing influences from heavy psych, jazz or stoner, creating a fully instrumental trip of soundscapes.

II by Astrodome

30. Crushing doom with seriously groovy heavy riffs, doomy atmosphere and mighty vocals.

Wicked Worlds by Birnam Wood

29. Dada garage rock n roll, with plenty of psychedelia and weird noises to keep you satiated.

Lotka-Volterra by Hoodooed

28. Excellent 70's organ driven hard rock extravaganza, superb playing in here

"Blood's thicker than love" by BLOOD OF THE SUN

27. Heavy rock/metal with NWOBHM and lots of classic rock hints, a perfect mix.

Set Fire To The Sky by Hypnos

26. Majestic church organ hard rock, with grunge and punk influences. Great debut work!

Cake! by Ozymandias

25. Classic rock with lots of NWOBHM influences, killer twin guitar harmonies and brilliant compositions.

II: Sojourn by Wytch Hazel

24. Unbelievably great desert rock coming from the godfathers themselves. Mind bending tunes

YAWNING MAN - The Revolt Against Tired Noises by HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Records

23. The masters of the fuzzy afrobeat, groovy and catchy.

You Will Know Nothing by Here Lies Man

22. The acid Punk Rock, the sonic psychedelic destruction. Grab a chair and feel the gain.

More Hearing by OGOD (Over-Gain Optimal Death)

21. Magnificent blend of heavy blues and heavy rock, with a beautiful organ presence and western touches.

Seven Storms by Mountain Dust

20. Psychedelic stoner doom, fully instrumental and loaded with fuzzy psychedelia

Solar Hawk by Saturno Grooves

19. Skate heavy psych rock coming from San Diego's marvelous world

Smolyk by Petyr

18. Riffs after riffs..crazy good Speed Rock, punk, thrash, whatever, just bang your head

Hashteroid by Hashteroid

17. JIRM did really a number with this one, combining the force of heavy rock and the mind bending power of psychedelic in a singular way

Surge Ex Monumentis by JIRM

16. Inventive heavy psych rock that seeks new ways of putting different sounds together, a stunning debut

Halcyon Daze by River Cult

15. Proto doom, hard rock, doomy rock, whatever you want to call it. Amazing unique sound that follows the steps of the doom origins.

Dunbarrow II by Dunbarrow

14. Dark psychedelic heavy metal with a wide range of excellent influences, including prog and black metal, couldn't be better

Torchlight by New Light Choir

13. 70's influenced heavy rock, with lots of psychedelic vibes going on and a huge godzilla devotion.

Blast by Sons of Geezora

12. Exceptional rock album, with psychedelic, experimental and doom touches. It would work great as a movie soundtrack

Hymns by Jack Harlon &The Dead Crows

11. Doom metal meets dark jazz. Absolutely amazing record from start to finish.

Feast for Water by Messa

10. Instrumental heavy psychedelic rock coming from Puerto Rico veterans. Let yourself loose in these jams

Gran Muro de Coma by La Iglesia Atomica

9. Fans of speedrock, you got another fast train coming right at you muito

Cheated Death by Against the Grain

8. Heavy rock inspired by the 70's golden era, with amazing guitar work and awesome organ sounds.

Path of Virtue by Vvlva

7. Tropical heavy psychedelic rock, fully instrumental with prominent bass grooves, playful guitar and a constant joy throughout the record.

Psilocibina by Psilocibina

6. The doom album of the year.

Slave To The Grave by Alastor

5. Excellent heavy rock, you will not hear anything like this.

Hard Wish by PUSHY

4. Dreamy heavy psychedelic rock coming from one of the best Spanish bands emerging in the last years.

Moon by Holy Mushroom

3. Heavy metal with hints of progressive, thrash and doom, what a blend. Their best record yet.

Livin' Oblivion by BLACK WIZARD

2. Rock n Roll never sound so heavy! Loud and fast, metal and punk, killer with no fillers.

Under The Influence by Anguish

1. The slutch metal returns! No more words are needed.

TRANSCANADIAN ANGER by DOPETHRONE

#best of #doom metal #stoner metal #stoner rock #heavy rock #hard rock #psych rock #instrumental rock #fuzzy socks #punk rock #heavy metal #hardcore punk #sludge metal #stoner doom #psych doom

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moonsandmelodies · 5 years

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My Top Albums/EPs of 2018

I'm pleased to report that I’ve found quite a few enjoyable new releases this year. It's hard to have a 'definitive' outlook as there remains so much for me to catch up with, but here are the highlights from what I've heard so far.

(To keep things from getting redundant here, my 2018 halfway list's honorable mentions won't be featured here. Read that list here if you're curious about them.)

Top 8 Albums

8. Steve Hauschildt - Dissolvi

ambient techno / progressive electronic / ambient

Hauschildt is known for his role in the defunct drone/ambient group Emeralds. I'm yet to 'get' the appeal of Emeralds, but I've enjoyed a great deal of songs from Steve's solo career, which veered away from his droney roots into more melodic territory. Dissolvi is more transparent/airy in texture than his last few albums, and often less inconsistent. This is great knowing how one of my main issues with his other albums was the lack of consistency. There's a mild techno element here through the subtle use of rhythms, which gives the songs an interesting aquatic pulse.

Dissolvi may be my favorite album of his besides the popular Tragedy And Geometry from 2011. While some songs loop or repeat too much, most of them have plenty of evolving layers to keep this a fluid and hypnotizing listen. This is most apparent on the 7-minute "Alienself", which goes on about 1-1.5 minutes too long but also contains some of Dissolvi's most impressive textures and atmosphere. Also notable is the title song, by far the most rhythmic and tense but retaining some needed subtlety through soft synth hums. A promising step up.

Listen to "Lyngr"

7. Tess Roby - Beacon

art pop / gothic / synth pop / dream pop

Balancing folksy vocals, synths and Durutti-like guitar, Tess Roby is like a lost 4AD/This Mortal Coil collaborator. It's not the most surprising she's on Italians Do It Better, but at the same time it's a bit different from what I expect from the label. These songs are moody and elusive, with a semi-gothic tone save for one or two more tender moments like "Ballad 5". They drift along subtly, but not without shifts in tone or instrumentation. At eight songs long it ends pretty quick but at the same time this keeps it digestible and interesting. My favorite has to be the sinister folk/synth combination of "Borders".

Listen to "Borders"

6. Noname - Room 25

jazz rap / hip hop / neo-soul

Noname is someone I've been meaning to listen to for some time now. And my first thought, of course, is 'why didn't I listen to this sooner?' Room 25 is full of blissful jazz groove, even subtler in execution than the likes of Nujabes and Digable Planets (check this out if you like either one). The excellent live band she assembled for the album enhances this effect with it's free-flowing style, one that tends to disobey common verse-chorus structure. The smooth keyboards (piano, e-piano) and Noname's own unique delivery are sure to lull you into a peaceful daze.

I do think Noname tends to mutter a little too much, which can obscure the lyrics, but she has a great flow that blends in very well with the music. She includes plenty of guests and sung sections for these songs, but they don't disrupt the album's flow. They're fitting and natural rather than thrown-in. One great example of this is the way "no name" begins with one brief rap verse before 2.5 whole minutes of singing. If someone else tried that, it could've wound up boring, but this may be the loveliest moment on an already rich album. 'Your life is your life / Don't let it pass you by', the voices repeat over strings and piano until it (and thus the album) ends. I'll be very interested in Noname's next move.

Listen to "no name"

5. Music House/Various - Scandi Disco

electro-disco / synth pop / electropop / synthwave

'If you’re bored of the sheer quantity of 80s retro music out there, maybe don’t listen to this. But if you’re like me and love this music enough to still give the continuous new releases a chance, I recommend this recent library album. I enjoyed almost every song on this one, a bit surprising seeing how there’s no hype at all surrounding it. I found it only because I was looking through other, older releases by this label, Music House, and this happened to be their most recent album. Everything about this album is shiny, stylish and fun with plenty of energy and melody. The production is impressive as expected from a stock music label, and while it has a prominent modern polish they tap into the huge potential and legacy of electro-disco very well.'

Listen to "I Can Feel The Fire"

4. Reni Jusis - Ćma

dance-pop / electropop

If you've followed me for long enough you may know I've become a big fan of this semi-obscure Polish singer/producer. However, her '16 album BANG! was a let-down. It hopped on all of the worst mid-10's mechanical bass-drop trends I hoped she would evade. I sighed and moved on. But that's when a single ("Tyyyle Milosci") popped up in May. A GOOD one, too, a reflective ballad-like song lacking BANG!’s pitfalls. A great surprise, but I didn't know what to expect from an album. But the press release claims the album is Reni's return to dance music after the 'experiment' of BANG!...

And like I hoped, the album is much more uptempo than BANG!. Shimmering pop anthems, hypnotic melodies, and of course, the abundant synths are all here. All kinds of pleasant textures pop up, forming some great transitions and grooves. Even in more 'experimental' moments (e.g. "Ćma"'s dizzy end cool-down; tracks #6 and #9) there's the kind of spacey atmospheric touches that popped up in her 2000's heyday. It would've been fine if she didn't bring that part back. I thought it was too much to ask for - but there it is!

Ćma has plenty of flaws. A few songs are inconsistent, the huge repetition lowers replay value, and her delivery gets bombastic at times. Many areas would benefit from some tweaking. But I finished Ćma feeling relieved. She did come through with some jams, and she revived the sound she does best. It's a big step up from BANG!, and for that I'm grateful. I recommend this to anyone looking for good modern electro-pop this year.

Listen to "To Tylko Podróż"

3. U.S. Girls - In A Poem Unlimited

art pop / psychedelic pop

As I wrote in the 2018 halfway list:

'While I did find the previous U.S. Girls album Half Free a bit inconsistent, In A Poem Unlimited feels like a step up. There were only about 2 or 3 tracks that I didn’t enjoy here. The album has a warm semi-70s feel thanks to the band put together for it. There’s also a sense of eclecticism that’s executed better than on a lot of other albums with similar ambitions. The voice of Meg Remy, the one true ‘member’ of U.S. Girls, can be quite twangy and takes a bit of getting used to at first, but it’s somewhat grown on me since then, and it got some time to shine here. This is most often when she does a kind of nervous falsetto like in two of my favorites, “Rosebud” and “L-Over”. While the many styles that Remy explores here aren’t much new (70s funk, jazzy rock, general quivering psych weirdness, a bit of synth pop), the variation of it all and the will to experiment helps keep things interesting, and most of them evade the boring cliches that tend to pop up in so much music lately.'

Listen to "Rosebud"

1/2. Suiyoubi No Campanella - Galapagos

j-pop / electronic / art pop / downtempo

Cult J-pop group Suiyobi no Campanella released this 'EP' in June, though I don’t get why it’s considered an EP, since it’s the length of an album. It did receive some deserved acclaim upon release but since then, I've heard little about it - seems it didn’t stick. I’m wondering if the promotion as a mere ‘EP’ is part of it - were they wanting to keep a lower profile for this? If so, why, when it’s this elaborate?

The first thing I noticed was how much these songs morph and change, often in unexpected ways.��“Bamboo Princess" sets the scene. It begins wistful and hushed but soon evolves into a thrilling chorus of strings and horns. The song also seems to reference an ancient Japanese folk tale. "Matryoshka" relaxed mallet groove mutates and evolves many times through it’s duration. Despite all this, the last two songs calm things down. "A Cat Called Yellow" is a gorgeous end to the album that sounds like both a farewell and a lullaby, covered in this blanket of thoughtful ambience.

Matching the creative song structures is a wide-ranging palette of sounds. There's percussion, sampling, aquatic keyboards, mallets, clean guitar, synth bells, some kind of keening violin ("Bamboo Princess") and even hang (a recent creation similar to the steel drum). It's cold and tropical all at once. Listening is like dipping into the water at a beach resort, watching all these colors blur into the water.

Galapagos has some of the most impressive production I've heard all year. These are more tapestries than songs, and I mean that in the best way possible. This album is an ideal summer-evening mood piece. It may be winter now, but you should listen to it ASAP anyway.

Listen to "Matryoshka"

1/2. Fishdoll - Noonsense

wonky / dream pop / electronic / downtempo

'Fishdoll, an exciting new artist from China, manages to recall everything I miss about electronic music of the earlier 10′s. First I thought of ‘wonky’ producers like FlyLo and Teebs who had such interesting and creative taste in electronic production and samples. Take a gander at the amazing operatic vocal/harp sample that ends “Beijing Well” or the spacey fluttering chords on most of the songs, for example. Secondly, Fishdoll adds subtle effects to her own voice that say, Grimes or Washed Out became popular for, creating a similar kind of airy surrealism.

It doesn’t do enough justice to Fishdoll to make so many comparisons, though, since this album really does feel unique. Which is exactly why it's one of my favorites of the year - it’s an electronic artist doing something unique and doing it well.

I’m looking forward to Fishdoll’s next musical move, and I’m convinced Noonsense deserves more than a bit of Bandcamp popularity, which seems to be all it got upon release.'

Since writing this in the first halfway list, I was also asked to write a brief review of Noonsense for the Rateyourmusic front page in October, which you can find here.

Listen to "Bubbling Bop"

Top 5 EPs

5. Barker - Debiasing

minimal techno [?]

A lot of the hype around this one deemed it 'techno without the drums'. Sounded like a nice idea on paper, but I didn't expect Barker to pull it off this well. I guess I'm too used to the tedious repetition so many techno producers tend to throw into their creations. But while these songs may lean a bit on the minimal side, their steady evolution help keep this EP sounding interesting at very least. Barker also puts a lot of emphasis on my favorite part of techno, which is all the hypnotic synths and chords and effects.

Every song revolves around thoughtful-sounding arpeggios, graceful in a way. "When Prophecy Fails" and "How Hard I've Tried" are almost shy. They sound like the sensitive core of a giant mechanical structure. Overall this is one of the better examples of techno I've come across for sure. I recommend this if you're like me and looking for techno that's not so grounded in repetition+bass drum overkill.

Listen to "When Prophecy Fails"

4. Ravyn Lenae - Crush

contemporary R&B / pop / neo-soul

A brief but warm and breezy EP from an up-and-coming R&B vocalist, who happens to be hardly any older than me. My very obvious favorite is the dynamic and catchy single "Sticky", but the other songs keep up that song's pleasant retro soul style and with such a short length it's very digestible. I'll be interested to hear her next project.

Listen to "Sticky"

3. D A V I I C I - W sercu pozostaje tylko to co wypalone ogniem

synth pop / hypnagogic pop

'His sound is similar to that of Adonis listed below - a kind of lo-fi trippy synth pop, but it makes sense since they’re on the same label. This EP is a bit more ghostly and empty, though - D A V I I C I puts his voice through what sounds like autotune to a very weird, bordering-on-creepy effect. This is most noticeable on the songs “Skruszone serce“ and “Czas przez pryzmat“ which are also my favorites of the bunch. I have to say that while I like the idea of ‘hypnagogic pop’, it’s often bored or disappointed me; D A V I I C I and Adonis, though, have impressed me to an extent I didn’t expect.'

Listen to "Skruszone Serce"

2. Elysia Crampton - Elysia Crampton

latin electronic / huayno / folktronica / experimental

I'm not familiar with Elysia Crampton's previous work but judging from this I'll have to change that. This EP has a wild mixture of layers and styles thrown in, ensuring that it never gets boring. There's complex percussion, fuzzy distortion, a varied choice of samples, the occasional regular synth ("Orion Song") and, oddly enough, a bit of airhorn.

These are windy, intense sounds, anchored by the kind of frenzied rhythms that suggest a journey on horseback. "Orion Song" is my favorite for combining this with simpler but still majestic synth patterns and a surprisingly peaceful outro. It ends quick at six tracks but it's obvious from the get-go she packed a lot of creativity into this EP. It has an ear for adventure that I love to hear in electronic music.

Listen to "Moscow (Mariposa Voldora)"

1. Adonis - Wiosenna Ofensywa Nie Trwa Dłużej Niż Do Letnich Wakacji

'I only came across Adonis through Bandcamp recommendations and he’s still a bit of a mystery to me [Update: though he did thank me for including this on the halfway list in a Tumblr message!]. This is in part because all the info and lyrics are Polish. But I’m glad I found this EP, since I enjoyed every one of these five songs - while I’ve been blasting the incredible title track all June. In a similar situation to Scandi Disco, it may not be very new, since it’s pretty much a collage of 'alt 80s’ sounds, but if you love the sort of music that entails (e.g. synth pop/shoegaze/dream pop) like I do, I certainly recommend it.'

synth pop / hypnagogic pop

Listen to "Wiosenna ofensywa nie trwa dłużej niż do letnich wakacji"

Honorable mentions

Ariana Grande - Sweetener

pop / contemporary R&B / pop soul

Listen to "Breathin"

Angelique Kidjo - Remain In Light

afro-funk

'I was very intrigued when I learned Angelique Kidjo from Benin was to revamp the entire Remain In Light album by Talking Heads. According to her interview in LA Times, she heard “Once In A Lifetime” long ago and recognized the African influence in it’s sound, which is what eventually led to this cover album. Although part of me wishes some covers were a bit closer to the originals than they are, most of the interpretations are still very interesting and enjoyable with an excellent sense of energy and rhythm.'

Listen to "Born Under Punches"

Empress Of - Us

synth pop / electropop

Listen to "When I'm With Him"

George Clanton - Slide

synth pop / chillwave

Listen to "Make It Forever"

Lena Raine - Celeste

video game music / electronic / chiptune / downtempo

I forgot to mention this game OST in my halfway list somehow, but it's worthy of honorable mention at very least. It has a distinct style that reminds me a bit of the BGM you hear in Steven Universe - very colorful and spacey at the same time as varied; sometimes relaxed, other times epic. 8-bit bleeps and more modern synths blend with the twinkle of piano often. The best example of this mixture, to my memory, is the bright and productive "First Steps". With so many songs it's hard to evaluate how well it works as an album, but it's more understandable for a game soundtrack as I figure some of these sound better in context. Whether it works that way or just misses the mark, there's no doubt this is an impressive piece of work.

Listen to "First Steps"

Pastel Ghost - Ethereality

synth pop / dream pop / gothic

Pastel Ghost doesn't tend to explore new ground with her songs. It's not surprising and I don't think she needs to do that all the time, per se. The issue here is more that those same cliches are even older now than they were in 2015. Read: excess 808 hi-hats, your usual stompy goth-club bass patterns...

But I realize this was more of a grower for me than Abyss. While the vocals and rhythms were disappointing, the synths only got better. Here, PS does a great job of layering distinctive timbres together and forming rich textures and harmonies out of them. I love those twinkling aquatic tones in songs like "Tears" and "Underwater" in particular. She hasn't lost the more distinct part of her sound that first drew me to Abyss, evolving it all at once, which is what matters most in the end.

While Abyss was all about being spooky and sinister, Ethereality is murky and bittersweet. You could say the 'pastel' caught up with the 'ghost' (ba-dum-tish!)... It's not a huge change but it takes you elsewhere, like the depths of an ocean rather than a gloomy forest. Songs like “Emotion” and “Possession” just wash over you like a waterfall thanks to the production - there’s a crystal-clear quality to it that makes this an easy listen even in the lesser moments.

Ethereality, right down to the silly title, could be less predictable, especially in 2018 after there's so many others doing this sort of thing. A lot of the vocals are too breathy and twee, moreso than before. But it's hard for me to ignore the skills on display. Her ear for melodies, synths, etc. continue to distinguish her from the pack and I continue to enjoy her take on this music.

Listen to "Sakura"

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pupuplatters · 6 years

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DANNY KIRWAN :: Second Chapter ~ 8.7 | Midnight in San Juan ~ 8.0 | Hello There Big Boy! ~ 4.5

DJM | DJLPA-1

DJM | DJF 20481

DJM | DJM-22

Even before Danny Kirwan passed away, I thought about reviewing his albums because I consider them to be obscure gems. Now seems like a good time to pay tribute to a musician who always seemed to be unfairly overshadowed. Although Danny was never a prolific lyricist, his melodies stick in your head and his songs were always a cut above thanks to the unique touch of his guitar playing and the magical mojo that Fleetwood Mac laid down on albums such as Future Games and Bare Trees. "Sands of Time," "Tell Me All the Things You Do," and "Bare Trees" are perfect studies in economical songwriting, and Danny also excelled at heartbreakingly beautiful instrumentals, as "My Dream," "Earl Gray," and "Sunny Side of Heaven" prove. He was able to establish an atmosphere with music like no other.

Danny's solo albums are a natural continuation of where he left off in Fleetwood Mac, dropping the emphasis on the hot bluesy guitar solos of early Mac and honing the streamlined pop he began to explore before leaving the band. Second Chapter is a carefree romp and marks the beginning of what should have been a more fruitful era in Danny's career. His guitar is never really showcased as it was in Mac: it's typically low in the mix, and solos are brief. A struggle between pursuing what he was incredibly gifted at and not wanting to be a "rock star" is apparent. Second Chapter is certainly his most musically diverse solo album; a lot of colors are thrown at the wall and they all blend well together. One thing that strikes me about this era is a lyrical shift towards nature: water, fish, birds, rainbows, and seasons are all observed in the lyrics. The album cover is overflowing with grass and blooming flowers. Clearly Danny was inspired by the world around him, but this new focus also hints at isolation. As the title and album artwork suggest, Second Chapter is a bit of a story through different vignettes of love, and his affection for the natural world seems to win over interpersonal affairs as the album’s second half turns more quiet and inward. The soupy production is Spector-ish with soothing strings, honking horns, ragtime pianos, and down home banjos creating a garden in springtime where the listener's mind is free to wander. A tasty lead fiddle welcomes you to a great big hoedown in the opener "Ram Jam City,” a song that contains the spark that makes Kirwan’s best songs so magical. As it unfolds, Danny playfully chases a frisky filly while guitar and fiddle dance with percussion that sounds like horses clomping in time. The joy of the moment can almost be touched as a choir of harmonized aahs leads the parade home. I don’t think Danny sounded so exuberant before or after. It’s a magnificent production, courtesy of Martin Rushent. The playfulness continues with some wonderfully weird scat singing punctuating the vaudevillian "Odds and Ends," a quick little snapshot of an eccentric junk shop. "Skip a Dee Doo" contains some fine country guitar pickin' during the break and strengthens the case for Danny's versatility (see also "Sometimes" from Future Games). The title track is a very British-sounding easy rocker that Al Stewart could have brought to the Top 20. “Lovely Days” and “Silver Streams” both showcase Danny’s skill with gentle, folk-influenced ballads. I'm not sure why "Best Girl in the World" was omitted from the US pressing of the album (the version I grew up with), but it’s a bit of a trifle and removing it from the record accentuates the attention toward nature. "Cascades" contains a gorgeous weave of acoustic, lead electric, and what sounds like a baritone guitar with a lyric in the chorus that suggests loneliness, a theme that would continue on the next albums. I've always wondered about the strange oscillating panning on "Hot Summer Day" and a couple other cuts. It sounds like someone's kid snuck into the control room and started turning knobs without anyone noticing. The production borders on overkill (one or two less string arrangements would be nice), but Second Chapter is the strongest representation of Danny standing tall as a solo artist. Released in 2000, Ram Jam City collects raw mixes and alternate takes from the Second Chapter era. For fans, it's a real treat to listen to, containing false starts, clearer vocal harmonies, and instrumental parts that didn't make the album. The CD presents its title track in two different forms and confirms its status as a brilliant little nugget. The instrumental version sounds just as good as the album cut, and the second version sounds like an alternate mix of the original recording at the correct speed, a touch slower and less manic than what appeared on the record.

Midnight in San Juan is Danny's best sounding solo album: bright, natural, and uncluttered. Other than the occasional bongo and keyboard, the instrumentation is strictly drums, bass, and guitar. It's a bit looser too: you can hear Danny count off in a song, and in another, it sounds like he's humming to himself. The quality of the material is not far from its predecessor, but the lack of any bells and whistles shines a light on the lyrical thinness of the songs. The sonic cleanness of the breezy opener "I Can Tell" is as refreshing as its numerous hooks, and Danny harmonizing with himself on the vocal is wonderful to hear. It may be his attempt to write his own “Take It Easy.” "Life Machine" evokes a heavy, late '60s psych vibe, while "Rolling Hills" and the title track continue the haunting mood of Kirwan's Mac-era instrumentals, although they aren't quite as impactful. The latter sounds like funky movie music with some very '70s synths as the focal point. His reggae cover of "Let It Be" is OK and confirms his McCartney influence, but I would have preferred a Danny song. It happens to be in the same position in the track listing as Second Chapter's "Mary Jane," another reggae exercise that is superior to my ears. The gently swinging waltz "Angel's Delight" is truly a delight, containing some essential Kirwan poetry and beautiful interplay between bass and lush guitar in the instrumental breaks. The introspective "Misty River" opens with an acoustic guitar playing the melody, but oddly, synth takes over for the solo section. Although Danny didn't seem to want the spotlight, he still made all the pieces fit. The remaining songs are generally strong, but I get the sense that Danny went on autopilot at this point. The balloon of inspiration lost some air. The outro of "I Can't Let You Go" contains some of Danny's final hints of lead guitar brilliance on record and the track fades far too quickly. He seems to be on even footing for the duration of the album, but the hallucinogenic closer "Castaway" veers off the course. I've always found this track to be disturbing and its placement on the album metaphorical, a tumble off of the wagon after a period of stability. A creepy droning synth is featured heavily, and Danny's almost freaky guitar vibrato is used to maximum effect. Tension builds as the beat goes to double time before skidding into a manic refrain: its screaming guitar part and confrontational vocal sound like a genuine descent into madness. The song may have been intended as an official sign-off by Danny. It certainly feels like it, even though he owed DJM one more record.

Midnight in San Juan was released as Danny Kirwan in the States, and this version of the album contains some thoughtful liner notes by Richard Hogan. An excerpt:

A consummate pop craftsman, Danny couples layers of instruments with poetic conceits depicting the magic of a world many are too busy or jaded to notice. His new songs couple spring-clean the airwaves - you forget you're indoors when you're listening to them. Shafts of sunlight, forest creatures, romantic encounters surface and re-surface as emblems of hope on the singer's horizon. But the nature imagery isn't artificial, doesn't become frozen in a still-life tableau - rains fall, winds blow as if Kirwan knows he has no control over the things he finds idyllic.

1979 was a weird time for the Fleetwood Mac family. Tusk was a brave double-disc curveball from the corporate headquarters. Jeremy Spencer went hippie disco-folk on his album Flee. Bob Welch tried sparse new wave on The Other One. According to various reports (including an anecdote in Mick Fleetwood's autobiography), Danny Kirwan was homeless. His last album, Hello There Big Boy!, is an unintentional portrait of mental illness. He doesn't look well on the album sleeve, and the record itself seems to represent giving up: side 2 is rather brief and just sputters and dies at the end. Danny musters all the emotion that he can, but he seems detached and less focused. The record contains only four new Kirwan compositions. Producer Clifford Davis was likely the mastermind of the album's vibe: a more straightforward, smooth late '70s sound with background singers, electric piano, and the occasional string arrangement. The backstory of Danny's struggle is hard to ignore and makes the album an uncomfortable listen, but I treasure its highlights. "Wings of a Dove" is signature Kirwan, deceptively simple (only one verse and chorus, repeated) but completely enchanting. Even at a low point, he was capable of magic. Equally intriguing, "Spaceman" cruises in a similar vein and sounds like it was written and recorded in the same session. Danny's hope circles the drain in "Caroline," a painful dirge about a failed relationship (reportedly, his marriage) that's oddly followed by a goopy ballad that opens with "You are the one who makes me happy." Continuing the awkward track sequencing, "You" is followed by "Only You," a high-octane blues-rocker from the Fleetwood Mac days that's given the neutered yacht rock treatment here with wah guitar and Vegas horns. Compared to the fire of the original and lacking the killer guitar hook it contained in the refrain, it falls rather flat and was a poor choice for a single. I wonder if recording the song was suggested by Danny or a tactic by Clifford Davis to keep Kirwan engaged in the album. Hello There Big Boy! is rounded out by material from a few of the musicians who played on the album. The best of the outside material is probably "End Up Crying," a convincing lite rocker that would have had a decent chance on the radio. For me, the highlight of "Gettin' the Feelin'" is the very obvious bass guitar bobble at the top of the 2nd chorus. "California" is a simple little ditty contributed by Clifford Davis and vocalist Dana Gillespie. That's an odd collaboration. When Gillespie made her vocal contributions to the album, Davis could have asked her if she had any song ideas because he was so starved for material, and they may have patched "California" together on the spot. A rather lovely homage to the Beach Boys, "Summer Days and Summer Nights" is a duet with Gillespie and it concludes the record somewhat strangely. At the close of the song, Danny ends his vocal phrases quickly, as if he was dying to get out of the studio. The final repeated line "Now it's time to say goodbye to the magic in your eyes" makes the album's finale (and the end of Kirwan's career) that much more sad. It would have been nice to have Christine McVie instead of Gillespie on the track to provide some closure and give the album a bump in exposure, but at this point, it may have done more harm than good. It seems Kirwan wasn't equipped to deal with fame, and unfortunately, it either caused or irritated his personal problems. Clifford Davis claimed to have utilized 87 musicians to get the album done, but the credits list only one rhythm section with several additional musicians on vocals, guitar, and keys. I have to think that it's a fairy tale because he has been quoted as not liking the album and it makes for a funny story in that context (unless he was referring to string players who are heard on several tracks), but it's worth noting that his own work on the project didn't exactly elevate it. The mix at the beginning of "You" is head-scratchingly bad, and several production choices on the album are highly questionable. The album is such a far cry from the euphoria of "Ram Jam City," which kicked off Kirwan's solo era with great promise only four years earlier. After his third solo album, it was clear that Danny was not coming back. I was very sad when I heard that Danny Kirwan passed away. It was odd to see the online articles about a seemingly sensitive and private man who hadn't been heard from in decades alongside the shallow media fodder of today. I'll always remember many years ago when my dad and I were driving around my hometown in December looking for a Christmas tree with my cassette dub of Danny's music providing the soundtrack; around the same time, being complimented on my developing drumming skills as I played along to "Midnight in San Juan"; a bit later, being thrilled about hearing some true rarities on Ram Jam City. My record collection has experienced quite a bit of turnover through the years, but I've never considered parting with my Danny albums (including my highly treasured test pressing of Hello There Big Boy!). Everyone holds certain artists in high esteem because their music means so much more than a faceless tune you whistle along to in the car, and Kirwan is one of a few of those top-shelf musicians for me. To this day, I consider his body of work to be very underrated, but thanks to being part of one of the most popular bands in history, his obscure solo work will be in a good position to be found and loved by curious fans.

July 5, 2018

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kickdownthewalls · 7 years

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Top 20 Rock/Metal Albums of 2016

Looking at a lot of other 'TOP ALBUMS OF 2016' lists, I rarely see any albums that made my list. Now, I don't think this indicates that I'm out of touch with the current metal scene - I am, sure - but I think it is more a reflection of the incredible wealth and diversity of metal releases we saw this year. Plus, my tastes are more old-school than ever so I'm just more likely to gravitate towards bands like High Spirits and Spellcaster rather than critical darlings like Vektor and Khemmis (even though those bands are great, too). These are simply the 20 records that made the biggest impression and elicited the most repeat spins for me this past year.

20. HERMAN FRANK - The Devil Rides Out

Accept has long been one of my favorite bands and I was sad to see Herman Frank exit the fold a couple years ago. Still, it meant he was able to focus more on his solo work and this is his best album yet. It has a very classic, melodic heavy metal vibe without sounding dated or all that much like Accept, which is pretty impressive. Lots of great guitar-work and some really memorable songs are what led me to rank it in the top 20.

19. ARTILLERY - Penalty By Perception

These Danish thrashers have been releasing quality albums on and off for over 30 years and still remain criminally underrated. This is among their best albums, too, with a wide range of styles from melodic balladry to out-and-out thrashers, very much in the same style as their classic By Inheritance. Artillery deliver great riffs and leads but, first and foremost, great songs.

18. ALCEST - Kodama

Here is a great example of how many releases are coming out these days. Alcest is a band I have been following since the Écailles de lune came out and yet, until yesterday, I had no idea that they had released a new album last year. Not only that, it is one of their best and a real return to form, walking the perfect balance between post-black metal and shoegaze rock.

17. BLOOD CEREMONY - Lord Of Misrule

This band's previous opus made #1 on my list in 2014 and for good reason. Their unique mix of 60s occult rock and doom metal (with some well-placed flute) is still fully intact on the follow-up. The songs here didn't strike me initially quite as powerfully as the last one but they are growing on me and this would probably rank even higher a few months from now.

16. TESTAMENT - Brotherhood Of The Snake

One of the few here that seems to be making a lot of lists, it is really hard to fault this record at all. The last two albums have been quite good, too, but this one just feels like a new level of quality all around. The songs are more diverse, more memorable, better produced and feature some great performances from everyone, esp. Gene Hoglan. The Bay Area thrash scene is on fire this year.

15. DEATH ANGEL - The Evil Divide

With the exception of Killing Season, I have loved every Death Angel album (and even that one was okay by most band's standards). The Evil Divide is not their absolute best but it is really solid and has the usual superb combination of melody, speed, emotion, and clever songwriting. While it was sad to see them lose original members over the years, the current line-up is absolutely killer and they really deliver here.

14. OCCULT BURIAL - Hideous Obscure

Another great band emerges from Canada, this time playing raw and brutal first wave black metal with hints of Bathory, Venom and early Sodom. The production is lo-fi but absolutely works and you can actually hear all the instruments remarkably well. Cool, unexpected guitar solos and drum fills help fill out the wonderfully primitive songs. A lot of bands attempt this sound but few succeed this triumphantly.

13. DEATHSTORM - Blood Beneath The Crypts

This is one of those albums I almost overlooked, even though I am a fan of their previous work. This is pure, hi-energy thrash circa 1985, with elements of of Hell Awaits, Endless Pain and Morbid Visions mixed together quite nicely. Powerful, raw, and brutal, with enough variety in tempo and killer riffing to make it a standout.

12. MOONSORROW - Jumalten aika

Moonsorrow has long been my standard for epic pagan metal and their latest is yet another gem. Composed of four 12-16 minute tracks and one 'short' one (7 minutes), it is not a quick or easy listen but is highly rewarding. The balance of black, viking and folk metal elements is perfect and seems to come so naturally to Moonsorrow.

11. STRIKER - Stand In The Fire

This Canadian lot has been around for a few years now and, as far as I'm concerned, have never done a bad album. Lots of soaring vocals, memorable riffs and pummeling double-bass drums are served up with a top-notch, modern-sounding production job.

10. SPELLCASTER - Night Hides The World

Portland is home to many a hipster 'metal' band (some of which are actually quite good) but there are also some die-hard old-school metal acts calling it home these days. Spellcaster started off as a good if somewhat unorginal US power metal band but quickly took off on a journey all their own. Their third record has hints of speed metal, NWOBHM, 70s hard rock, 80s AOR, 90s power metal, and everything in between. There is a haunting quality to the band's sound that is rather intoxicating.

9. EXUMER - The Raging Tides

This is like the greatest Bay Area thrash album to ever come out of Germany. Seriously ripping material in the vein of early Testament, Exodus and Vio-lence. In thrash it is all about the riff and Exumer deliver some great ones that more than makes up for any lack of originality.

8. PRIMAL FEAR - Rulebreaker

After two decades pumping out quality metal, I kind of take Primal Fear for granted sometimes. Rulebreaker isn't their greatest album and it sounds very much like the last couple but, taken on its own merits, it kicks some serious ass. Ralf Scheepers is one of my all-time fave vocalists and Mat Sinner still comes up with great, super-heavy riffs and the combination is just magic.

7. LUCIFER'S HAMMER - Beyond The Omens

Despite a cover that puts one in the mind of black or doom metal, this Chilean outfit play a very old-school brand of metal that could have come out on Ebony or Neat Records back in 1982. Imagine a mix of Chateaux, Crucifixion, Tyton, and Warlord and you won't be far off. Lots of melody and upfront basslines mixed with judicious use of speed make for a refreshing sound that doesn't sound like anyone else out there right now.

6. BRAINSTORM - Scary Creatures

These Germans have always had their own mix of heavy riffs and melodic vocals that is powerful metal without really being power metal. They also seem to have been somewhat on autopilot after the awesome Downburst back in 2008. Happily, the fire has returned and Scary Creatures ranks up there with the band's finest work, combining top-notch musicianship, punchy production, and ten highly memorable tunes.

5. METALLICA - Hardwired...To Self-Destruct

I'm sure I will end up writing a much longer review of this long-awaited album (like I did with St. Anger and Death Magnetic), but I generally was quite pleased with it. Surprisingly so. There were only a couple tunes on the whole thing that I didn't care for (Halo on Fire, Am I Savage?), but even those had some moments that are worth the listen. Mainly, it sounds like a cross between Justice and the black album but there are also some bits of Kill 'em All and Load thrown in, too. The biggest improvement over Death Magnetic is in the arrangements, which sound much more like the finely-crafted and well-balanced songs that made Metallica famous than the somewhat haphazard DM songs. Best album since Justice, hands down. Also, worst album cover since like ever, sadly.

4. BABY WOODROSE - Freedom

One of my fave psych/garage bands ever since the Love Comes Down album hit me a decade ago. While I have enjoyed some albums more than others, they all have their moments and Freedom has some real classics like "Reality" and ultra-trippy "Termination" that capture the same magic that the 60s tunes that inspired them had.

3. DELAIN - Moonbathers

While much of my list is old-school metal, there are some more modern bands doing some cool stuff and Delain are one of my faves. Though clearly at the pop end of the symphonic metal scene, they deliver such good, memorable songs, I find myself returning time and again. Charlotte Wessels has one of those great voices that makes even the less memorable tracks highly listenable. Super psyched to finally see these guys with HammerFall this year.

2. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM - Flotsam And Jetsam

At one time, F&J were rising stars on a major label with two killer thrash albums under their belt. Then the 90s hit and the wheels came off. After several mediocre albums and a truly awful attempt to remake No Place For Disgrace, I had lost hope but then this album came out and DAMN! The intensity and quality songwriting of those first two records were back, along with a kick-ass production, great solos, and Eric A.K.'s best vocal performance in a couple of decades.

1. HIGH SPIRITS - Motivator

When I heard the Another Night album a few years back, I was blown away and hooked right away. Somehow, the magic didn't return on You Are Here in 2014 but holy hell it sure has on Motivator. All the classic hard rock and metal elements from the 70s and 80s are assembled in a very distinctive manner here on nine highly memorable songs. Right up there with The Night Flight Orchestra and The Dagger as one of my favorite no-frills, retro-minded bands.

As much as 2016 was a disaster in terms of losing great actors and musicians (not to mention that fucking election), it did produce quite a number of great albums. Beyond the twenty above, I also had much love for new releases from SAVAGE MASTER, SODOM, AXXION, SPELL, ATTACKER, ZODIAC, SUMERLANDS, PRETTY MAIDS, DARKNESS, ROTÖR, ABBATH, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS, CAUCHEMAR, BURNING POINT, BELLA D, TREES OF ETERNITY, KATATONIA, SERIOUS BLACK, and probably a bunch more that I’m forgetting or just haven’t heard yet. Plus, some great EPs and demos from SUBSTRATUM, SOURCE, CANDLEMASS, CROSS VAULT, TAARKUS and VOIVOD.

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