It’s always exciting when bands you really enjoy but, haven’t heard from in a while release new music. Especially when the new music that is released is THIS good. Glaare have released “Mirrors” the first song and video from their very anticipated forthcoming album, Your Hellbound Heart. This darkwave, dream pop and goth-rock band from Los Angeles has been leaving quite a mark since their inception and their 2017 album, To Deaf and Day, is one of the best albums in the genre in the last decade. So, it comes as no surprise here that, on this new track, Glaare picks up where they left off but have added more compelling elements to really drive home their style and sound.
After 4 long years, Youth Code have finally released a new track in the form of “Puzzle.” This hard charging banger of a song is one they’ve played live on their last couple tours. This track is everything you’d expect from Youth Code. If this is any indication as to what their upcoming new album will be like, we are definitely in for one hell of a beast.
Back in February, before the whole world became quarantined, I saw a couple bands that rocked one hell of a small stage. Spirit In The Room was one of the bands I saw that evening (and you should MOST DEFINITELY be checking them out if you haven’t already) but, the band that played before them left a lasting impression on me. That band was Elephant Rifle. As I mentioned in my live review of the show, these guys have a really cool, psychedelic approach to their shoegazy Black Sabbath riffs along a good helping of noisy punk to make something that is enticing and provocative. I stand by that description but, I’d also like to add that they have this really cool and soulful/artsy side to them that shines through in a fun interesting way. I’m very intrigued to see what’s next for this band and where they go musically. Elephant Rifle should definitely be on your radar and when we can go back to going to shows, you should go see them.
I was talking to a friend the other day who is doing one of those post an album cover without explanation things on social media. One of the ones he posted was an album cover by The Donnas. It’s been so long since I’ve listened to them that it sent me on a little bit of a dig back through their catalog. While doing so, I remembered they did a pretty awesome and fun cover of the Kiss song “Strutter” for the soundtrack to Detroit Rock City. So for the fun of it, here’s that cover for you to enjoy.
This isn’t necessarily a “collaboration” but, it did happen and it was pretty magical. A couple years ago, The Smashing Pumpkins did a few shows to celebrate them being a band for 30 years. They invited a few people to come join them on stage, Chino Moreno of Deftones fame being one of them. They performed two classic Pumpkins songs that evening, “Bodies” from Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness and “Snail” from “Gish.” It’s almost like Chino was meant to sing “Bodies” and “Snail”when you listen to him sing them. I’d love to hear the soundboard audio of these songs but, these versions are pretty good.
I love Alice In Chains. Anyone that knows me, knows that I can’t get enough of this band. If you are in my car with me and I have my iPod on random and an Alice song comes on, chances are, it’s going to get quite loud and I might start singing along. And also the chances of me having Alice on in general (or Nine Inch Nails) is quite high. That being said, I’ve been loving the fact that my (three year old) daughter seems to have taken quite a liking to Alice In Chains. I put music on for her when she’s in bed and going to sleep. The other night while laying with her, we were listening to some Alice and the song “Acid Bubble” from their album Black Gives Way To Blue came on and for some reason, I payed extra close attention to it that night and really found a new appreciation for that song. As a deep cut on the album, it’s quite exquisite. It’s very classic Alice sounding but, also modern enough to show the evolution of the band. In addition to that, it’s got some very classic harmonies and when William DuVall gets his moment to shine, oh does he. Anyways, dig into this gem of a track.
O’Brother has released a brand new song entitled “Killing Spree” from their forthcoming new album You and I. The band had this to say about this song and their upcoming album. ““Killing Spree” wasn’t our initial choice for a first release, we had originally opted for a song with a more immediate approach, but we feel this is the most relevant choice considering current world events. Life rarely happens according to plan and the spirit of “Killing Spree” is in keeping with that. We truly hope this song brings you some level of calm amidst the chaos. ‘You and I’ will be our first independent full-length release and we couldn’t have pulled this off without the help of our friends.” This song has a really delicate and subtle way about it. It’s deep and seductive and feels right in the O’Brother catalog.
Pearl Jam since the turn of the century, has long had an interesting history when it comes to releasing new music. Their first three albums are absolute classics and are highly regarded. Then a switch happened after album number three, and things started to change. There were many different catalysts in that change and some of the material from that point on was disregarded at the time but, later became recognized for taking a chance and actually were very solid albums (No Code and Yield), while some fell flat and left people wondering what else they had in the tank (Binural and Riot Act). There were flashes though of what Pearl Jam was known for and their self titled album (or the Avacado album as many know it as) saw the band recapture a bit of what made them such a force to begin with. And then came Backspacer and Lightning Bolt. Both of which have good songs on them but as a whole, they really aren’t all that great. Which brings us to their new material and 11th studio album, Gigaton.
Gigaton is, as you’d expect Pearl Jam doing what they do. It’s got songs for everyone of their fans but, it doesn’t feel cohesive. It’s as though it was pieced together from various sessions the band has had over the course of a few years. The experimentation is welcoming but, the way it’s all arranged, doesn’t fit and leaves the listener in a bit confusion as to where this album is going. The record starts off with “Who Ever Said,” a very classic PJ rock track. This is a song that could very well have easily been heard on say VS and Vitology or even Yield. I would bet money that this song live will be one hell of a track. “Superblood Wolfmoon” is another “classic-ish” sounding PJ song but gets more into where they were experimenting. The guitar solo in the bridge section by Mike McCready is absolutely stunning though. That guy is an absolute gem and one of the most underrated guitarists. Again, this song live will go over quite well. “Dance Of The Clairvoyants” is one of the most daring songs the band has ever put out. At first it’s a bit strange but, the more you listen, the better it gets. It’s definitely out there and has a totally different vibe, venturing into almost Brian Eno territory. Lyrically, this is one hell of a song. “Quick Escape” is another solid rock tune that will again make it seem like it’s 1994 all over again. From this point though on the album is where things begin to shift and feel out of place. “Alright” provides this really interesting vibe with some introspective lyrics and a song that is very well written. “Seven O’Clock” is a very poignant song as well and could easily be mistaken for a Eddie Vedder solo song. “Never Destination” is another track that if played live, will go over extremely well. It’s got the potential to be a fan favorite for many years to come. “Take The Long Way” is a track with great guitar work and the rumbling bass gives this song a distinct vibe that feels like it could have been found on their self titled album. “Buckle Up” is a great lyrically driven song but, it’s one of the most out of place songs in terms of album sequencing. “Comes Then Goes” is a great song in terms of songwriting and arrangement abilities. It’s got this really cool “folky” sense to it with great melody. “Retrograde” is another well written song that just feels like it was placed in this spot with no proper introduction from one song to another. “River Cross” closes out the album with a deep seeded message and a bit of reassurance.
All in all, Gigaton is a solid album full of really strong songs but, it doesn’t have the cohesive feel to really make it feel whole. There is an huge sense of optimism on this album that is sure to make the listener think and when they listen again, pull other things out of it. That is something that all Pearl Jam albums have in common. They all make you get out of your comfort zone whether you like it or not. After multiple listens and then going back through the band’s catalog, I’ve come to a few conclusions about the shift that changed Pearl Jam. For one, the band is and for many many years has become Eddie Vedders. Stone Gossard was such an integral force in making Ten and VS so great but, his contributions seem to have been pushed to the side for many years. Also the drums. This is not a knock on Matt Cameron as a player but, he really just doesn’t quite fit the needs of Pearl Jam. When you go back to the albums that Dave Abbruzzese and Jack Irons played on, you can really feel the drums in a way that created a true pulse and that’s been lacking for many years. Matt Cameron plays with a sort of drag or low pulse that can’t keep up with the way things probably should sound. Another thing that Gigaton suffers from is its mix. It’s not mixed well at all. Brendan O’Brien, the man behind the boards for many of Pearl Jam’s albums, knew how to really make each instrument shine, even if the song was meh. Granted this whole album is a bit of an experiment, the final result of the mixes makes it feel a bit unfinished. In spite of all those things I just mentioned, Gigaton, does provide the rock music world a bit of something new and seemingly fresh from a band that for 30 years, has been consistently pushing themselves to deliver something more than just the same run of the mill sort of material many would just cave in to. With the right amount of time, Gigaton will settle in nicely to the bands catalog and take its own shape.
When we look back at music history, especially in rock music, there are so many bands that should have been huge but, for whatever reason, they weren’t. That’s not to say that they didn’t leave a lasting impact on those that did listen to them. Throughout the years, I’ve spent many a day and night delving deeper into the 90’s and discovering a plethora of bands that I never truly gave a full listen to when they first came out. One such band that I’ve really come to love and draw inspiration from is No Knife. This band originally from San Diego, California, was quite special. They had this very cool style of mixing, bits of post hardcore, math rock, and what we now refer to as “indie” rock. Through their career, No Knife released four full length albums and went on to influence and inspire so many other bands that in a way, copped their sound.
Going back through the bands catalog, and really listening, you come out of it not only inspired but, with an understanding as to why they are commonly referred to as a “band’s band.” Their debut album, Drunk On The Moon (1996), has this really interesting melodic sense to it that cuts through like a knife (no pun intended). It’s a very 90’s sounding album but, if it were to come out in say the early mid 00’s you’d think this was a new band from that era. Their next album Hit Man Dreams, (1997) was actually the first album I heard from No Knife. Original guitarist/vocalist Aaron Mancini was replaced by Ryan Ferguson. This album is a bit more melodic but, also seems to have more of an “edge” to it. To me, and this is just my opinion, this is the album that No Knife really found their sound on. I strongly suggest you taking a listen to all their albums but, Hit Man Dreams specifically. I think this is the one that will make you fall in love with the band. Following these two albums, drummer Ike Zaremba was replaced with Chris Prescott and the band continued on. Their next album, Fire In The City Of Automatons (1999), was another step in the bands evolution. This one has more of a “math rock” approach to the rhythms while still keeping true to its melodic undertones. The bands final album Riot For Romance (2002), really fit in perfectly for where their genre was heading but, sadly didn’t quite capture the audience that their peers like Jimmy Eat World did. Even though, No Knife was clearly the better band. In 2003, the band sadly broke up. Though in 2009 they did reunite for a few shows in the San Diego area. And most recently, they were the special guest at one of Jawbox’s reunion shows in Los Angeles in 2019.
All in all, through No Knife’s short but inspiring history, they forged a sound that would be highly touted and recognized by countless bands and their peers. No Knife are the type of band that should have been huge but, thankfully, we have four great albums to go back to and celebrate. I personally think that if they were to come back with an EP and go out on the road with a band like Thrice (imagine how amazing that tour would be), it would open a whole new door for the band and people can really get a chance to discover how great this band truly is.
AUDIOECLECTICA 