I know there are going to be some hardcore AFI fans out there that’ll trash me for saying this, but I liked this album. I mean, in comparison to decemberunderground, you have to admit Sing the Sorrow at least retained the punk roots that garnered AFI’s cult following over the years. Continue reading →
Posts Tagged: the earth sings mi fa mi
16
Sep 09
Beggars (2009) by Thrice
Thrice
Beggars
2009, Vagrant
alt rock, post-hardcore
If I were to crown any modern band as Most Surprising With Every Album They Put Out, Thrice would be it. Listening to their earlier albums, one doesn’t expect anything remotely close to brilliance from them. Yeah, they’ve always had a great sound and yeah, their lyrics have always been rife with meaning (unlike most so-called ‘rock’ bands), but I’ve been so disappointed before that it’s hard for me to actually hope for something great anymore. Thrice did that with Vhiessu, then The Alchemy Index, and now with Beggars.
Lyrically, this is the strongest that Thrice has ever been, and that’s really saying a lot considering how lyrically evolved Alchemy Index was. I really urge you to Google the lyrics for the album and just read through them before you listen to the music. It will give you a whole new perspective on the band and on the album. Vocally, lead singer Dustin Kensrue pushes his limits, which is a FIRST – listen to “Wood & Wire” and “At The Last.” As a band, their music is continually evolving, turning more melodic with each record than remaining in the same post-hardcore rut. This is a revelation and a whet to the aural appetite, all at once. I want these guys to be making records for the rest of eternity if we expect pleasant surprises like this one.
“At The Last,” “Doublespeak,” “Wood & Wire.”
myspace, last.fm
Brand New’s The Devil and God…, The Receiving End of Sirens’s The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi
6
Feb 09
Violator (1990) by Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Violator
1990, Mute Records
synthpop, new wave
½
While writing the review for this album, I was shocked to find out it was released in 1990. Considering how much influence Depeche Mode has had on recent artists/band in this century, isn’t it amazing that this came out right when most of these artists/band members were barely old enough to comprehend it? Violator is the seventh studio album for Depeche Mode, but it is The One that spawned the oft-covered single “Enjoy the Silence” and one of their most famous (due to a Marilyn Manson cover) “Personal Jesus.”
What makes this album so memorable and so ‘cover-able’? Interestingly, it is the utter simplicity of every song. ‘Simplicity’ isn’t normally an adjective that you’d see with a synthpop album, but Depeche Mode does it so masterfully that you can’t question it. The lyrics are above average, but the almost-stark production quality elevates them to near dogma. By going ‘back to basics,’ Depeche Mode has succinctly proved the cliche ‘less is more’. Considering how much influence this band and this album has had since its release, that’s a lesson particularly apt for artists/bands looking to make it big today.
As a side note, if you’ve heard all the covers and love them, you must listen to this album. It will give you a whole new perspective on the lyrics.
