2. Fuguees - The Score
3. Orbital - In Sides
4. Plastikman - Artifaks
5. Jeff Mills - Live At The Liquid Room Vol. 2
I just opened up this text file, and one of the greatest things about it is I'd already written a few token pieces of text with respect to this month, which is great, it means even less of this crap fest I have to relive.
Naive Ted, who I really don't know that much at all, dropped this list upon me of his musical influences. Quite interesting as I did have one of his albums from Luke's list, so in a roundabout way I have "reviewed" one of the albums of one of this years "victims". From what Jimmy told me, I was hoping for some obscure jazz, but alas, that is very far from what I got. I don't think there was anything from this month that I would ever feel the need to go back and relisten to.
Dr Octagon - Dr Octagonecologyst (Blue Flowers)
This is a weird one alright, as Jimmy told me, this guy is "touched". I mean Wikipedia describes him as "one of hip-hop's most eccentric and unusual personalities." We're talking about hip hop here, I mean this is not a genre unacustomed with weirdness. To be bizare by those standards takes some fucking doing I'm pretty sure. And despite the weirdness of the lyrics that stream throughout, this is actually flows really great. It reminds me a lot of Sebs's stuff last month, it's old school hip hop, but some of the content... I'm trying to listen to this stuff as music, but when a guy is going on about ass surgeries, it can be a little difficult. That said, it really doesn't bother me that much! I love these beats, I love his vocal delivery, I will actually totally listen to this album again. I was going to make this album number two, but rethinking it I am moving it up to number one. Yep, it's better than the Fugees.
Fugees - The Score
First listen through this album didn't really gel with me, but after multiple listens it's starting to slowly sink it's hooks in. More than a little bit gangsta in some places, and the shouting and "huh yeahs" don't add to the enjoyment.
Whilst there's in particular one or two nice covers in here (Killing Me Softly being front and centre), having some homeboy give his grunts over it has little to add. Where's Lauren Hill's smooth sultry tones not enough for you Wycleaf Jean?
That said it's been noted on the net she's quite the fruitcake. And that's coming from Wycleaf Jean ..... So maybe it was her idea to have the grunting?
Some solid tracks in here, and could be well worth a listen.
Orbital - In Sides
I feel like I'm trapped in a rave filled techno soundtrack of a Playstation game here (and the game is WipeOut I've since discovered.)
The saddest thing is I'm starting to dig this album. It's got some dark thumpy vibes (technical language there), but still feeeling like I may be missing out on the full experience when I'm sitting here trying to listen to this music, as opposed to hopped up on mushrooms in some glowstick illuminated abandoned industrial complex surrounded by people with anime hairstyles, PVC pants and piercings.
I was tempted to place this above the Fugees, but I think the highs of the Fuguees soar much higher than those of Orbitals effort.
That said, this definitely the more consistent of the two.
Whilst I kind of enjoyed it to a degree, I don't see myself playing this album again in a hurry by choice, and none of the tracks stand out from each other to me in particular, so it's a little what is the point.
This to me is background music, would be good the backing of some Action B-Movie.
So in essence it's a little bit like elevator music. I may play it in the gym and see how many people complain.
Plastikman - Artifaks
This is quite trancey ambience to me. This sounds like a bad soundtrack to me, I don't really get anything from this. Why would I put this one when I could just sit quietly twiddling my thumbs in desperation? I'm not really sure. I may have to chalk this one up to more drugs. I actually don't really remember this, which is probably the more damning piece of the puzzle. At least I remember Jeff Mills. Oh god, how I wish I couldn't remember Jeff Mills. I feel like listening to Plastikman I should be hooked up to a drip whilst staring blankly at the ceiling.
Jeff Mills - Live At The Liquid Room Vol. 2
What a pile of crap.
Andy, I may have to ask you how many drugs you took in your formative years, and if I need take them to "appreciate" this "music"
I listened to this album once, and I have no notion what direction or structure it taking at any point. As Jimmy said to me "he just went up there on drugs and fucked a bunch of random records on the decks. If any of the rest of us did that we'd be laughed off the stage."
You know what I've come to realise in the last month in particular?
I've reached a new level of appreciation for silence.
I am more than just content to cruise along home from work with my depressing thoughts and the quiet rumble of the motorway to keep me company than to listen to this. Just silence, I like silence. Jeff Mills can keep his records to himself. I prefer to just alot the approximate time of the album and spend that in silence. That's my way of listening to Jeff Mills.
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