Babatunde Olatunji Drums Of Passion - The Beat - 40:12 - 1989
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When you loaded this page, I was listening to:
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Babatunde Olatunji Drums Of Passion - The Beat - 40:12 - 1989 |
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I got my first taste of Babatunde's music as he provided rhythmic accompaniment to a group of men that were infinitely more outspoken than Public Enemy, The Last Poets. Within the first few seconds, you find that the title "Drums of Passion" is appropriately dubbed, as Babatunde, and friends lay down beats sure to put you in a trance and get your body moving. My rating kind of puts it in the suck zone, but it really doesn't suck, it's just a little (tame?) for me. Carlos Santana is one of the players on this tripple D sonic wash of African rhythms, with a prog/jazzlike treatment. | |
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Bad Brains - Rise - 41:22 - 1993 |
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You couldn't help but be skeptical about a Bad Brains without it's original and most unique vocalist H.R., and though it just wasn't the same, the new guy filled in quite nicely, and even managed to sound at least similar. The change in personnel didn't seem to stifle the energy or creativity, as the band was still crankin out the hits. Most of the songs on Rise are so tight and melodious, there's really no reason some of them shouldn't be on the radio, other than the fact that no one seems to know what to do with a black rock band. Some of the edge has worn off, possibly due to age/maturity, but the Brains still rock, and this is one catchy CD. | |
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Bad Brains - God Of Love - 48:10 - 1995 |
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A lot of people didn't care for Bad Brains much after their distinctive vocalist H.R. bugged out to pursue other things. Although I missed H.R.'s unique voice, I'm not so sure I'm happy he's back. (Rick Ocasek also returns for production) The biggest problem is in the continuity of the rockin'. Bad Brains albums have always had stops for reggae, but this is ridiculous. They slow down after every 2 songs, and though I've generally liked their reggae bits in the past, these are pretty dull. There are some really great moments inbetwixed, like "Justice Keepers" which is a showcase Bad Brains style. (They are now known as Soul Brains) | |
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Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique - 53:11 - 1989 |
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I got an advanced "teaser" tape about a month before the CD came out, and although it only had about a minute or so of about 8 songs, I played the hell out of that tape. There's only been a few other albums I've been so anxious to hear. "License To Ill" was great, but this was on a whole other level. First, lets cover the music. Samples out the butt, done so well, that you really don't think of the original song, it just flows in with their song. Also, variety, this CD has a million styles, and changes up sometimes 3 times a song. Next, lets talk about the lyrics. The lyrics amaze me, almost the entire CD is weaved together using references that refer to references, that somehow tie in together to actually make songs that tell a story. I hate that they lump the last songs on to one track, but this CD is both a masterpiece and a benchmark standard. | |
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Beastie Boys - Check Your Head - 53:44 - 1992 |
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Wow, "Check Your Head" really meant it. After a few years in the chrysalis, The Beasties reemerged with a whole new sound. They hadn't necessarily shed their rap skin, however, they did made a drastic metamorphosis that I think had a fairly profound impact in the rap community. Some of the "new style" included a shift to more original music, and by that I mean actual instruments played by the boys themselves, and not as much sampling. Also prevalent is their retro jam session tunes, and their eclectic accents and sounds. All that glitters ain't gold, but there are some amazing songs on this CD. | |
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Beastie Boys - Ill Communication - 59:39 - 1994 |
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The Beastie Boys have always been a constantly evolving band, never hesitating to try new things. Ill Communication follows the direction of "Check Your Head", but explores more in depth, which results in their most experimental music yet. They grab sounds and textures from everywhere and everything. Two of my favorite sources are one of those cow moo boxes (whatever their called, those things they make in "Dellicitessen"), and the two tracks that take influences from India. You will be hard pressed to find another "rap" CD both as diverse and entertaining. | |
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Beastie Boys - Some Old Bullshit - 28:00 - 1994 (82-83) |
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Well, I can't say the title is misleading, it sums up the disc just as accurately as this review will, and in a fraction of the time. What you get is a measly half hour worth of old Beastie tunes. Most of them are from their early 80's hardcore period, which they've already been slipping into the last couple of CD's as fluidly as inspector Clouseau. It also has the "Cookie Puss" EP, which I thought was mildly interesting 15 years ago (damn, has it been that long) but now is well, just old. It does have a nice retro booklet, but only true collectors should bother with this thing. | |
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Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty - 00:00 - 1998 |
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You can pretty much depend on The Beasties to put out a solid product, with the exception of Some Old Bullshit, they have never let me down. This highly publicized release finds our boys rolling back a decade (from their usual 70's staples) and mixing all types of trippy 60's sounds like you would hear in many movies of that time. Not totally forgotten, you can still hear funky 70's noises, and other Moogy delights. Hello Nasty also marks a quasi return to roots for the vocal styles, that are often straight 80's up west coast raps. The single "Intergalactic" makes me want to scream it's so cool, but the rest doesn't thrill me so much, and I don't think it has the long term playability their previous works have enjoyed. | |
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The Beatles - With The Beatles - 33:24 - 1963 |
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Even the mighty Beatles couldn't avoid the catching just a touch of the Sophomore curse. Although this early release is almost identical to Please Please Me, I find the original material and the choice of cover songs to be inferior to those on the previous release. Nonetheless, the fab four were nothing short of a hit writing machine, and you just can't beat the Beatles for sing-a-long-ability. The original stuff is pretty good for bubble gummy 60's pop/surf/beat kind of rock and roll. Even though this one isn't as heady thought provoking or ingenious as their other stuff, it still stands pretty strong after 30+ years. (This CD rates a 1 on the Harrison Meter.) | |
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The Beatles - Help! - 34:20 - 1965 |
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The first half of this CD contains original songs from the movie of the same name, and the other half has a couple of horrible covers and some other great classics. The focus of the music is still on the vocals, but you can hear their musicianship starting to creep up in songs like "Help!", "Ticket to Ride" and "It's Only Love". There's probably only one Beatles song that I can't stand and that's Ringo's "Act Naturally". The timelessness of the Beatles astounds me, I'd have to say that no other band to date has been more ground breaking, prolific or as able to pack so many good songs into each album. 2 Harrisons | |
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The Beatles - Rubber Soul - 35:48 - 1965 |
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Now this is one exceptional CD. You might say that Rubber Soul marked the pinnacle of the first half of The Beatles music. This was the point just before their more "pop" sound, would give way to the Beatles more hardcore experimentations, both in their lives and in their music. I think the lyrics, as exemplified by songs like "Norwegian Wood", "Nowhere Man" and "I'm Looking Through You", are probably the best they've ever written. One oddly interesting track is the last one, in which the protagonist gleefully proclaims to his love interest, that if he finds her with another man he is going to kill her. 2 Harrisons | |
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The Beatles - Revolver - 35:01 - 1966 |
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Now admittedly, choosing a favorite Beatles disc is a pretty formidable task, thanks to their vast variety of sounds, it's kind of like comparing apples to oranges (as they say). But, overall, Revolver is definitely my personal favorite. One reason for that is, I've always been rather partial to George Harrison's contributions, and he is a lot more active on this CD. Additionally, with that comes the eastern influences that Ravi Shankar. When it comes my time to depart this plane, I should like to hear "Tomorrow Never Knows" at my funeral, which I think is one of the most wonderful songs ever written. I challenge any trance/dub DJ's out there to give me a good 15 minute version. | |
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The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour - 36:49 - 1967 |
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Lousy movie, classic CD jammed full of hits, and more cool songs. One of my favorite things the Beatles did, was their method of recording: drums in one ear, vocals in the other etc. That's so cool, people just don't utilize stereo like that any more. You can just listen to one channel at a time. It's like built in bonus tracks, as well as giving you more insight to the ingrediance of each song. Considering these albums are older than me and usually can't even muster over 30 minutes, these CD's should, at the very least, be super savers or 2 for 1s. But that's another story, see the Anthology review for more bellyaching. 1.25 Harrisons | |
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The Beatles - (White Album) - 46:21+ - 1968 |
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Perhaps one of the most valuable lessons the Beatles taught us (or the record companies) was that you don't have to follow a formula to be successful, weirdness pays off too. I know I've said it a billion times before, but this double CD is the ultimate testament to this band's vast diversity. I also don't think hardly any other band has been as proficient or accomplished in such a wide range of instrumentation. They use any and everything, and it all just sounds natural. Not to mention, 3 out of 4 are also great vocalist. (sorry Richard) | |
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The Beatles - 1967-1970 - 99:03 - 1993 (67-70) |
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I don't usually care for greatest hits records because I generally find that often times some of the most unique and interesting tracks never make the cut as a "hit". Also, you loose the natural progression of the artist and overall feel of the album. However, sometimes when you just don't have any idea if you will like the artist or not a greatest hits package can a good way to get your feet wet. This collection culls together 28 songs from a remarkable 3 year period which saw the Beatles at their most experimental and innovative. I know I've said it before, but to think that a band could just rip out so many interesting songs in so little time, is simply astonishing. | |
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The Beatles - Anthology Vol.1 - 122:54 - 1995 (60-77) |
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This double CD is a total scam, brought to you by a relentless money thirsty corporation that will use any means necessary to drain you of any money and sense of dignity. It's not enough that they sell the original albums at full price for no more than 30 minutes apiece, but to spearhead a massive media blitz to peddle this crap makes me sick. Although the songs on the first CD have some historical value, they have no reason being released or listened to by human ears. As for the "new" song, well, it's nice, that's about it. Maybe I'm over reacting, but consider how long you have to work at your job just to throw away $30. My friend says the later volumes are better, I don't care I'm done. | |
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Big Black - The Hammer Party - 57:06 - 1985 |
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Wow, who'd a thunk lil Steve Albini (the little nerd that could), growd all up n became a multi millionaire? The CD is a collection of a couple of early EPs and stuff by Big Black, which starts off pretty raw, grindy, and slow (in a bad way), but eventually picks up the pace. I think Big Black is not so much as a great band as they are an influence and catalyst to better things, if that makes sense. One of the cool things about this band is they have no drummer, and t's really neat to watch them in action. There's an interesting James Brown cover. | |
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Big Daddy Kane - Taste of Chocolate - 53:32 - 1990 |
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Who approved the cover photo on this? I think he's supposed to look like the hardcore lover, but he looks like he's just been robbed of the suit he spent his advance money on because he was too stoned to fight. Kane's got a good voice and decent style, and I think he could have been more had he not gone the way of love raps (more like Eric B and Rakim and not Jodeci). One cool thing about this CD is instead of cutting up samples, Kane brings in the source for two great duet's; one with Barry White and one with Rudy Ray Moore. | |
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Biohazard - Urban Discipline - 57:53 - 1992 |
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Biohazard was a truly refreshing band to hear, because at the time (and even still) the older New York hardcore style had kind of metamorphasized into more extreem forms of metal, which left the remaining hardcore in the straight edge relm, which often equals weak and lame music. Biohazard brought back the old, and modernized it. A small bit of this modernization includes rapping, which works sometimes, and occasionally not. One of my favorite songs, "Punishment" is done in classic Cro Mags style, a very slow intro that gradually builds to a brutal climax. (Not to mention a Dolph Lundgren sample, what ever happened to that guy) | |
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Biohazard - State of the World Address - 57:53 - 1994 |
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With the follow up to "Urban Discipline", Biohazard reasserts their dominance of the NYHC/Rap Core scene that they more or less defined. They are so over the top with power, you can't help but tense up, grit your teeth, and constrict your muscles. Their sound is heavy with fat/funky power chords, but adrenalized with blistering lead guitar, and hammering drums. The thing that really puts Biohazard above so many hard bands is their song writing: these are not lazy double bass & scream songs. These guys put a slew of tempo shifts and change ups in their music, which always keeps your attention. | |
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Biohazard - Mata Leao - 38:24 - 1996 |
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I never was really able to click in on this one: they're still rockin pretty hard, but the fire just doesn't seem to be there. Evan does a lot more "singing" than usual, which is one of the downfalls, because he often ends up hitting notes that make him sound like he's Peter Brady. Also, the music doesn't seem to be as complex as before, it's more straight up hard core, with less emphasis on the metal content, also there's more of their brand of rap. Despite all it's shortcomings, Biohazard still pack a pretty powerful punch, and given that there's not a lot of bands who are "hardcore" but spiced with metal, they're still one of the best at what they do. | |
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Black Flag - Slip It In - 39:33 - 1984 |
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Back before it was trendy to be pierced and tattooed, chances are, if you had a band tattoo it was the Black Flag logo. The perineal "punk" favorites were a staple among skaters and college kids everywhere. Black Flag has a basic yet compelling sound that is highlighted by Henry Rollins' powerful educated lyrical angst. My only complaint is the guitar. I think it sounds a little flat and the spurty little high pitched solo's they do takes away from the power of the music. Still, this is classic stuff, check it out. Cool note: a L7 moans on track 1. | |
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Black Sabbath - We Sold our Soul for Rock 'n Roll - 73:59 - 1976 (72-76) |
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Sometimes it's hard to write about something that is so good I can't find the words to do it justice, this is one such case. Sabbath is amazing, they are what I would consider the definition of heavy metal. It's not fast, but it's really, well... heavy. Kind of like the way Crowbar does it, ominous and powerful. And although the music is darker and heavy, it still has a very accessible almost (and you'll forgive my expression) pop like appeal. The riffs and hooks will infect you with their seemingly simple nature. Also considering the time frame when this stuff came out, it's almost inconceivable that something so incredible could come out of a period when free love was giving way to disco. Ozzy does the vocals for this collection of "hits". (If you get a chance to see him live, they do killer, supercharged versions of these classics) | |
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James Brown - Star Time - 74:34+ - 1991 (56-84) |
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There is nothing I can write that could do justice to Mr. Brown's work. James Brown is phenomenal. He is one of the most innovative and influential forces music, as a whole, has ever experienced. This box set is a treasure like no other, and is packed with highlights of Brown's unbelievable career, as well as including a great book to boot. There are only two artist that, no matter how bad the circumstances of my life are at the time, will cheer me up: one is Sly and the Family Stone, the other JB. His lyrics are the so uplifting, you feel like you could accomplish anything. And the music... there's a reason he's dubbed "The Godfather of Soul", James had it all: soul, funk, nobody rocks like JB! | |
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Brujeria - Matando Gueros - 32:58 - 1993 |
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I bought "Raza Odiada" first, and was so blown away that I had to buy "Matando Gueros," when I finally found it. Well, as is often the case in such a scenario, this CD aint all that. There are two or three songs that I like a lot, and the rest are just ok. It's totally different from it's follow up which is very slick and polished, whereas this one has a much more raw sound. Even the songs I like sound more like Godflesh (only just barely) than Brujeria. It took a number of listenings to get over the hump of listlessness, but I'm starting to find subtle components that I enjoy more. | |
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Brujeria - Raza Odiada - 40:20 - 1995 |
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Brujeria is a Spanish speaking hardcore band that really rocks. At first, it was a little weird getting accustomed to this man with a bad ass voice screaming in some language that I only know about 6 words in. But, after I got over that small hump, I figured out that this is a really cool CD. The sound quality is top notch, and the music has a lot of variety, which I find lacking in a lot of bands of this type these days. Brujeria is a super group of sorts with heavy hitters like Sepultura , and Fear Factory contributing. The more I listen to this CD, the more I like it. | |
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Busta Rhymes - When Disaster Strikes - 73:46 - 1997 |
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I think I like Busta's voice, style, and attitude more than his actual music, but he's so out there you just gotta love him. I think he's breathed a fresh breath of air into the rap community, by not necessarily following the formulas of the day. Also I wouldn't mind if he kept redoing the same video over and over again, (which he sort of has) because they work so well with his stop and go lyrics. (often imitated, but never duplicated) Busta's kind of like Bowie, he makes one or two songs on an album that blow my mind, but the rest are just ok. | |
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The Butthole Surfers - "Psychic, Powerless...Another Man's Sac" - 52:04 - 1988? |
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The Butthole Surfers challenge your preconceived definition of what music is, and that's not just a euphemism for they suck. I see them as the Residents on meth, without keyboards. This band has survived more on their name alone than their merits. Generally speaking, they make about 2 really cool songs per CD & the rest range from funny to mildly interesting, weird to unlistenable. "Moving To Florida" is the best song.Gibby is cool, what a freak. Excellent cover. | |
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