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When you loaded this page, I was listening to:
Courtesy of Kung Tunes

The Haunted - The Haunted - 41:03 - 1998
The Haunted are kind of a throw back to older (early 90's) metal styles, similar to bands like Nuclear Assault. I could do without the vocals, which sound a little like Meshuggah's, but don't hold up as well in this environment. Most of the music, albeit fast, is built on very simple 1,2 - 1,2 beats, that do little to hold my interest. The whole thing is just to simple, and reminds me of an era in music that wasn't too good to start with. This is the kind of music the paint huffing kids with the ratty Metallica shirts that are in the background while their drunk and shirtless stepfather is getting arrested on Cops listen to. (I hope I'm not alienating my fan base)

hellbender - footprint of the american chicken - 46:11 - 1996?
This CD was a gift, and it's not really my "style", so given that, here's the review. I'm not adversly annoyed by this band, but I find scant few redeeming qualities. The most imediate compairson would be to Fugazi (another band I have never liked), which may be due in part to their geographic proximity. I imagine these guys are pretty popular with the frat croud who think their listening to alternative music. Did I mention the vocals suck? I would rather listen to these guys every day for the rest of my life if my only other choice was country music, but fortunately that's not the case.

hellbender - con limon - 40:04 - 1997?

So I'm struggling for something to say about this band, when all of a sudden, and with out warning they start busting out "Paid in Full" by Eric B. and Rakim.

 

one day i will return to this review

Helmet - Meantime - 36:56 - 1992
I've referenced Helmet a lot on this site, and with good reason. Although Helmet didn't really invent this style of music, they definitely defined it. They basically fall in that Fugazi (who I hate, and is not the best example) gray area of being kind of a crossover band that is strong enough musically to get the interest of metal heads like myself, yet often soft enough lyricaly to grab the college kids. What Helmet does the best is their wonderful use of negative space, and they've got great bass to boot, which always makes me happy. And the award for worst reference: "Downtown Julie Brown."

Herbie Hancock - Headhunters - 41:48 - 1992 (73)
This classic CD originally released in 1973 is not to be missed. Herbie is definitely a jazz master, and the four songs on this CD prove it. You will hear the oft-sampled material in a new light that proves that more often than not, that you can't copy an original. This is not pointless jazz that just rambles around with nothing to do and no point to accent - this is the real. It's not too often that you can sit through a 15 minute song and not look at your watch or for your remote, but with these, you don't even notice. This should be a super-saver: buy it.

Herbie Hancock - Sound-System - 38:00 - 1983
For many people this CD, and more specifically the song "Rockit" introduced a cool new trend that would run strong for about the following 10 years: scratching. But for myself, this was my first purchased exposure to modern Jazz, albeit not traditional by any means. I've enjoyed this CD for many years, and it still sounds fresh to me today. Hancock merges the latest technology with traditional and unconventional instruments and produces a fusion of Jazz, Progressive, African, and Pop/Rock (sort of) music that embodies the future and the past at the same time. If not for one dud, and the brevity this would be a gem unblemished.

Herbie Hancock - Sound-System - 33:55 - 1984
Like Future Shock before and Perfect Machine after Sound System follows the same general formulas: electrified synth jazz, with a touch of scratching thrown in. These albums also share both D.St. and Bill Laswell as collaborators. Just like Future Shock, there is one crappy song where a guest vocalist provides voice to one of the tracks. There are a lot of really nice African rhythms in the music, which I think is one of the things that really draws me to this music, as well as the seamless integration of high tech, computer aided technology. This also makes the liner notes interesting to read as there is a mix of both exotic instruments and state of the art electronics. (Yes samples can be heard.)

Herbie Hancock - The New Standard - 72:04 - 1996
It's back to basics for Herbie, or is it? Well, sort of. Here we have traditional contempory jazz arrangements of various cover songs. It's a pretty wide and strange assortment too, including Beatles, Prince, Peter Gabriel, Simon and Garfunkle and Nirvana to name a few. Don't really expect to notice the songs much. The interpretations are very loose and for the most part, you really only recognize the chorus. The pace is pretty quick and I like the music ok. It's good jazz for the uninitiated.

Isaac Hayes - Live at the Sahara Tahoe - 108:65 - 1986 (73)
After the excitement of the first song "Shaft", you are left in the lurch with the ballance of songs being somewhat less than thrilling. The overall majority of the tracks on this doubble CD are coversongs by the popular artist of the day, like Carol King, Burt Bacharach. One of the most bizare covers is "Light My Fire" by the Doors. The show has a very Vegas lounge feel to it, and I can't help but wonder what it must have been like seing this man, who's image closely resembles Mr. T's, up there singing sensitive love songs. Hayes, who was quite the entertainer/showman frequently "raps" to the audience, which is pretty cool.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced? - 41:05 - 19 (67)
Hendrix really was something special, and it's not so much his technical ability as it is the soul and expression he exudes. His guitar wasn't just the tool of his trade, it was the medium for his mind and an extension of his soul. There's something spiritual in the way he plays that you have to hear to understand. He also has quite good, generally blues based lyrics. Another thing I like about this power trio is Mitch Mitchell's drumming, very unique and somewhat like that of the eccentric Keith Moon.

House of Pain - Same as it Ever Was - 49:25 - 19
I really wasn't expecting a whole lot from House of Pain's follow up. I thought they would pretty much play out, but it actually turned out to be pretty descent. Basically, their style is somewhat lifted from Cypress Hill, which might be the reason for the period of heavy friction between the two, I don't know. Maybe it's me, or maybe it's the music, but even though I never was really excited about this CD, it definitely sounds pale now. The beats are pretty good, and the raps aren't bad, but there's a perceptible lack of energy. I can visualize them in the studio rappin' tough, which is something that should never happen.
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