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When you loaded this page, I was listening to:

Courtesy of Kung Tunes

	Marvin Gaye - What's Going On - 35:35 - 1994 (72)
	By every account, "What's Going On" was a landmark album. Here was an album, that very passionately laid out the social woes of the day (and today): race relations, environmental issues, the economy, politics and the like. One thing that I find kind of odd, is that a couple of the truly great songs are paired with companion songs that sound like they were just early drafts of the "hit" versions. For example "What's Going On", is followed by "What's Happening Brother" which is lyrically and musically very similar. He might have done this as a way to thread the whole album together, because almost every song makes a transition into the next. Even though this is certainly a remarkable album, I would recommend the greatest hits first.

	Marvin Gaye - 15 Greatest Hits - 58:47 - 1983 (72-77)
	Marvin Gaye is on a higher plane. His voice is like the breath of an angel. There is so much love in this man and his music. His career spanned many years and yielded a plethora of hits that will live on forever. A pioneer of social issues, much of his finest work is showcased on this particular collection. The ultimate tradgity was in his bizarre life and senseless death. Boy this was a bit mushy, quick go read Sepultura...

	George & The G-Men - Caught Between The Sun and The Moon - 60:34 - 1998
	Out of respect for the artist, I have to reserve judgment on this since it's really not my bag. Why is it here then you may ask, well I'll tell you. ~pedrocom created all the art for the CD (multi-faceted aint I). Overall, they are your basic bluesy, bar band type deal, with a little bit of Alman Brothers thrown in. So if you like that kind of thing, you might want to check them out, but like I said, it's not really me (as you may have already figured out by now). Sometimes he sort of sounds like Hootie, and other times he (accidentally) sounds like Lux Interior, which gives me added enjoyment. And, if anybody out there needs some digital "art" done, I'm not cheap or that good, so give me an e won't you.

	Godflesh - Streetcleaner - 66:13 - 1989
	Godflesh have been doing the same thing for years, but what they do, they do well. Streetcleaner is what I consider to be their finest work. Godflesh are kind of like Helmet (in their use of negative space), Big Black (power nerds with mechanical band supplementation), and maybe a little Crowbar/Napalm Death (vocals & attitude). (oh, and by the way, one of the founding fathers is X-Napalm Death) One can only wonder, if they got a real drummer, would it have the Rapeman effect.

	Godflesh - Selfless - 28:20 - 1994
	I'm a little stumped about how to review this one. It's typical Godflesh, and it's good, but beyond that, I'm not sure. It's funny how two guys, a couple of computers, and a shit load of reverb can make such a simple sound be so massive. The beauty is in the minimalism. This CD is well suited for lying down with a window open on a cold fall night pondering the pain in your guts from love lost.

	Godflesh - Merciless - 28:20 - 1994
	For some reason, this was released at the same time as Selfless. This EP features four songs which, in my opinion, should have been tracks on Selfless, leaving the 23+ minute "bonus" song to be dropped and added to another EP. The songs are pretty typical Godflesh fare, no surprises. But, they are pretty good, and if memory serves, it was "value priced" (or maybe a cut-out) which sealed the deal.

	Goldfinger - Goldfinger - 37:21 - 1996
	What do you get when you cross Green Day with Fugazzi, PUSA and add a dose of ska? You guessed it, Goldfinger. Like some of the aforementioned bands, they play almost aggressively, but they sing very passively, and all happy like. And that's where my biggest conflict comes from. It's really hard for me to accept peppy sing/song vocals, especially when coupled with butch instrumentation. One good thing is, they take the higher road on the ska, and don't fall into that bullshit Sublime style which, if you couldn't tell, makes me sick. Like so many other bands, they ain't so bad, but they ain't so good either.

	Goldie - Timeless - 74:35 - 1995
	Goldie, who in some respects, is similar to another like named DJ, is a tagger turned DJ who has been involved with countless remix projects, including his closest colaborator Bjork. This guy has definetly got balls, because the first track on this CD is over 20 minutes long. If your stereo is not up to the task, don't buy this CD, because the bass he drops is almost sub sonnic, and that's what ties the whole thing together. The music is somewhat of a contradiction, while the bass lulls you into submission, the tweeters work overtime spitting out rappid fire break beat that raises your addrenalin level into the red. Although sometimes a bit too sleepy for me, Goldie has attained an impressive state of technical mastery and artestry.

	Goldie - Saturnzreturn - 151:05 - 1998
	If there's one thing that Goldie does that is take his time, which he stretches to new lengths on this doubble CD set. It takes over 20 minutes before even a minimal beat arrives, then after a brief workout, you cool out for another hour. If you subtract 10 outstanding minutes, the first CD is a total write off. The bad news is CD 2 doesn't get much better, as he continues to beat around the bush, with boring melodic excursions that tax your willpower. At his best, Goldie produces smooth, energizing and relaxing, complex jungle beats, but you only get to hear about 20 minutes of that here. As far as his mellow efforts are concerned, I'd rather listen to Tricky.

	Graham Central Station - The Best of... - 39:48 - 1996 (74-82)
	Whenever you hear about the roots of funk, you will always hear about bassist Larry Graham, and his Graham Central Station, although personally I don't see what all the fuss is about. Basically what it boils down to (out of this compilation,) is one pretty cool song that Bad Brains covered, two or three other songs that sound like Sly & Family..., then you're left wtih a handful of fairly sappy love songs , including "One in A Million You" - ack. So, yes he could tear up a bass, but there just isn't enough of it on this CD to make it worthwhile.

	Green Day - Dookie - 39:48 - 1993
	This band is always mentioned with Rancid as marking the resurgence of punk. All bullshit aside, this is one happy ass, hard rockin CD. Back when I was 13 and a member of the Columbia Record Club (yes, I still get mail from them some 15 years and many elusive address changes later) it used to piss me off no end that 9 out of 10 of their reviews were "upbeat and infectious". Well, damn it, "Dookie" is upbeat and infectious! This is good entertainment like a cheesy movie that you enjoy totally on face value.

	Grotus - mass - 39:50 - 1995
	For some reason, I always assumed Grotus was metal. Although that's clearly not the case, it's no big loss, cuz I only paid $4 and they're not too bad actually. They sort of remind me of AOC in their song structure, but they're more like Skrew or Pitch Shifter, but with some of that lame-o The The vocal styling. The music ranges from sinister to goofy, and there's a pretty smooth blend between the metal and the techno, that really bodes well for these guys. There's some really good grooves on here, and if not for some of the vocals, I think I would like this even more.

	Gun Club - Fire of Love - 40:03 - 1981
	Who remembers "cow punk"? That's a term I've not heard in a long time. As the term would imply, it's kind of like country music but you can actually stand to listen to it. There's also a few elements of blues and rockabilly thrown in. I've had this one for over a decade and a half, and I'm still really fond of it. Lyrics cover sex, death, love, murder and the like, wrapped in a seedy New Orlean air. A lot of people flowed in and out of this band, some of which are notable but I'll have to update you on that later, because they escape me at the moment.

	The Guess Who - American Woman, & Other Hits - 28:49 - 1990 (69-74)
	Before I go any further, let me just say that "Undone" is just about one of the coolest songs ever. Additionally, it amazes me that Randy Bachman, who I regard as music's anti-Christ, could be involved with such a good band. One of the contributing factors to the success of The Guess Who is the vocal stylings of Burton Cummings. That guy could really belt out a tune. One interesting thing is that, although many of the lyrics are obviously rooted in the late 60's, the music is timeless. Oddly lacking on this CD is "Sugar". The only reason this didn't get a higher rating, is because of the short length.

	GWAR - Hell-o - 38:32 - 1988
	It is with great and unparalleled pleasure that I present to you, GWAR. For the first 3rd of my life Devo defined my persona, then out of the great gray period came GWAR, and everything changed. I think this one actually was recorded in a cave in the Artic, because the sound quality is a little weird, particullary the vocals. Although this wasn't one of their shining moments it definitely foretold of the devastation and domination to come. I think my favorite is "Techno's Song", and I still can't get enough of Oderus saying "We share a cheese ball, we just do it all" . Buy GWAR, and more importantly SEE GWAR! Your life will improve ten fold.

	GWAR - Scumdogs of the Universe - 51:55 - 1990
	This is it, this is the one I'd been waiting for. I get chill bumps on just the first few notes. (Talk about a quantum leap from the last CD) GWAR is just about the coolest band of all time for about a billion reasons! If you've never heard of GWAR (and that's unlikely at this point) it's a little tuff to describe them with any sense of reality. Their a little like Kiss on steroids and genetically mutated plus an infinitely greater amount of talent. Kiss's stage presence is like a poodle show in contrast to GWAR's intergalactic chaos. I don't even know where to begin, and I'm already running over my allotted space. Not only are they unparalleled entertainers in both low brow and intellectual/socio/political humor, they totally kick ass musically! Behind the pounds of latex and gallons of blood lies one fucking talented and witty band, and it blows my mind that they can totally massacre any venue they play in both physically and figuratively at the same time. (bonus points: who can find the NWA connection)

	GWAR - America Must Be Destroyed - 47:50 - 1992
	This CD still stands as my all time favorite CD. Every note is perfect, there is not one single thing I would change. I get a hard on every time I listen to it. First and foremost, it rocks! It rocks with vengeance, passion, and skilled craftsmanship. Next, it is funny as all hell. "I don't think you can be very funny about metal" (a quote from Bad News) Well, GWAR proves that you can and still kick ass in a most serious way. I'm being redundant, I'm sorry, I get all choked up and I can't express to you how good this CD is. And on how many levels GWAR can be enjoyed. Also, like the Beatles, the sing-a-long factor is through the roof with this one. Try to get the banned version if you can, the standard CD has 12 tracks, the other one has a couple more.

	GWAR - The Road Behind - 26:39 - 1992
	"Just like a sad whale's song", The Road Behind is GWAR's tearful road song from AMBD. A high art satire, Road Behind chronicles the rigors of life on tour in the grand tradition of so many dino rockers before them: ie Journey, Motley Crue, GNR, and countless others. The other songs include an unreleased studio track and some live stuff. These oddities are both interesting and good. There's a great live version of "Have You Seen Me", one of GWAR's most ass kickin songs which oversteps (read:leaps over) the bounds of good taste in regard for missing children. But hey, GWAR's already on the fast track to hell, so who cares, it's all good fun. I recommend this EP to any GWAR fan.

	GWAR - This Toilet Earth - 44:19 - 1994
	Oh GWAR, how do I love thee. This CD marked GWAR's descent into the realm of the goofy, (only ever so slightly) but at the time I was riding so high on their previous stuff, I hardly even noticed until years later. You immediately sense a change as you hear the first song kick off with a ripping horn section. Also, there's the delightful epic of Skulhedface, which is totally unexpected yet wonderfully done. Beefcake and Oderus swap duties (not doodies) a couple of times. The only problem I have with this CD, other than the crappy cover, is it's just not cohesive, maybe a few bad or at least misplaced apples.

	GWAR - Ragnarok - 47:12 - 1995
	I've probably had more trouble connecting to Ragnarok than any other GWAR CD, other than Hell-o. Partially because I haven't really had a problem with any of the others. But that's not to say it's bad by any means, there's just something missing. It's a pretty close follow up to Toilet, and I've always considered the two somewhat similar. The pace slows down a little too much on this one (which aint much really), and their's a lot of new voices. Sleazy returns with another excellent track. ("plookin' a Shoney's hostess", that guy kills me) Slymenstra does a duet on one of the weirdest tracks.

	GWAR - Carnival of Chaos - 74:01-8 - 1997
	I don't think I've flipped flopped my opinion of a CD this much ever. But now I think I'm settling into a positive polarity, not that it ever was definitely negative, just unsure. Carnival takes a lot of chances, and as such is up to quite a bit of debate. The usual "they've sold out" argument comes up, which is basically absurd. Maybe their branching out, maybe they've run out of ideas, I don't know. But at any rate there are some great tunes on this one. Beefcake does a song and Slymenstra even has a rather odd track. It's also good to see Techno Destructo getting a little respect after all these years. There are a few tracks that really remind me of Devo, and you should hear the Slave Pit Singles, they really remind me of Devo.

	GWAR - We Kill Everything - 57:32 - 1999
	I don't mind admitting that I had grown a bit leery of our intergalactic anti-hero's bid to conquer the universe. The wrestling schtick was getting old, and I was worried they were headed down a less than graceful path. But alas, our boys pull off another pretty good, if not unexpected CD. This one is a bit strange, and I don't think I would recommend it to someone who's not familiar with GWAR already, but I think any GWAR fan will enjoy it. It's the most un GWARlike CD yet, being the slowest, and even having southern fried under tones at times. There's a simpleness that comes from the "home made" recording, that actually works in their favor. The lyrics are getting pathetic, but the music is still interesting. There's a great instrumental, and Slymenstra has a cool song.

For more on GWAR, also see X-Cops and the roots page.

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