Daniel Amos – Doppelganger (deluxe collector’s edition)
Daniel Amos has put out some really quality re-releases the last few years, add this one to the list of must haves! This band has always been one of the most difficult to categorize because their music is always so unique on each release, so varied and so far ahead of their contemporaries not only in sound, but lyrically Tarry Taylor is in a class by himself. My introduction to Daniel Amos came in 1986 with Fearful Symmetry, but upon discovering this I also immediately picked up Vox Humana and Doppelganger. There is something so unique with this band that seems to really start to shine with the Doppelganger release. This album originally came out in 1983, and it was not only way ahead of its time, but it musically tilled a new ground not heard in many music circles, but especially not in Christian music circles. It sounds like new wave music floating on a magic carpet, transporting you to a time and place that you’ve never experienced before. The entire album is a journey in a world that both delights and amazes, it puts you on edge with anticipation, and the delivery and arrangements of the songs are so well done that this album literally becomes an experience.
Doppelganger is the album that I feel began DA’s journey into becoming what I considered to be a truly alternative band. For a group to have right around 40 years together is staggering, for my tastes Doppelganger is where I felt they really began to shine with a unique sound that they have carried to this day. My favorite thing about this reissue (and there is a lot of stuff here) is the clarity of the music. I recommend listening with headphones to really grasp how clear and distinct the sound is. There are so many samples on this album and various sounds that can really be heard clearly and it adds to the overall experience, I honestly felt like I was hearing this album for the first time. In addition, the second disc of alternate takes, rough mixes and live cuts that have never been released before add an entirely new dimension to the package. Hearing the second disc is like experiencing the album completely differently, and both discs sound better than ever. Check out the links below to purchase the album and read more about it, I’ll also paste in the band’s review of what this 2 disc package includes. Doppelganger is a testament to the talent these guys possess, it was an excellent choice for a reissue that is so top notch it paints the album in a new light. Here’s hoping that one day Fearful Symmetry will get a re-issue of this quality.
“Two-Disc Collector’s Edition of Doppelganger by Daniel Amos. The Stunt team has put the same care and enthusiasm into putting this project together as you’ve seen from the previous DA Deluxe Edition releases. Disc one of this collection presents the entire Doppelganger album, carefully and respectfully re-mastered by J Powell at Steinhaus. Disc two includes 17 bonus tracks, including alternate versions of album tracks – never before heard by the public, alternate mixes, early takes, and more! The beautiful 6-panel Digipak and 24-page booklet presents all of the original LP artwork, along with never-before-seen photos, DA memorabilia, complete credits and lyrics and the entire text of the Alarma! Chronicles Volume II.”
[2014 Stunt Records | Purchase: danielamos.com]Bill Mallonee & the Darkling Planes – Winnowing
I’ve been a big fan of Bill Mallonee’s music ever since Vigilantes of Love put out Killing Floor. I can’t remember exactly what song the college radio station played, it was either “Motel Room” or “Anybody’s Guess,” but I was hooked. I immediately picked up his previous releases and have been a fan ever since. It’s a rather remarkable thing I discovered recently on my birthday, I was 18 in 1992 when I discovered Mallonee, that means I’ve been listening for 22 years… for over half of my life I have found great comfort in his music and it has been a staple through many years and experiences.
His latest, Winnowing, is affecting in every sense. Mallonee’s ability to write through the eyes of the “everyday man” is so perfected and honest, and that makes it relatable and why I think it leaves such an impression. The songwriters gaze is a commentary, sometimes it’s focus is social and other times it focus is naked and introspective, but it is all about the journey that we all toil under. The heartache and the heartbreak, the struggle with being human, and yet he confesses these stories with a sense of redemption and the encouragement to embrace the experience of life.
Winnowing is a defining album in Mallonee’s 60+ catalogue. This is the real deal, the music sounds astonishing, and you can hear the dusty, road worn miles in Mallonee’s voice. For a singer/songwriter to release such a staggering amount of work that is so intuitive is a quite an accomplishment, and it is a pace that I have never seen anyone else establish.
I honestly feel that this is Bill’s best work to date, and it is a fitting thing that this will be his first release on vinyl. You can still get pre-orders, digital files and CD’s of not just Winnowing, but his catalogue of 60 or so records can be found at www.billmallonee.net There is a link there to his bandcamp page, which right now he is offering a “buy one get one” for his entire discography. There is an entire world of music to discover for people who like great Americana music, if you like storytellers and enjoy the experience of music that evokes deep sentiment, check Bill Mallonee out. This latest offering Winnowing is an absolute must, it is Mallonee at his best.
[2014 Independent | Purchase: billmalloneemusic.bandcamp.com]The Choir – Shadow Weaver
For me as a fan, The Choir has really hit a great stride starting at O How The Mighty Have Fallen and continuing on over the next few albums and on to this recent release. I’m a bigger fan than ever of the music. Shadow Weaver has a darker musical vibe akin to Chase The Kangaroo. I’ve compared it to the Cure’s Disintegration a few times over in my head, even played them back to back and they’re a nice fit. Big spacey sound scapes abound, deep poetic lyrics, tribal rhythms, and bass lines all over the octave spectrum, brilliant as ever! I like this album start to finish and believe it should be listened to in that fashion: sit down and take the time to soak it in. Each track stands on it’s own and ushers you into the next, I have no favorites. I still miss the days when these guys lived in SoCal and played the San Francisco area a lot. I lost count how many times I saw them between Circle Slide and Kissers and Killers, hope to see them live again someday. I highly recommend this album!
U2 – Songs of Innocence
I will admit – I was that weird kid that loved Art History class. The hidden messages and critiques so prevalent in great art (and poetry and prose) fascinated me. Some artists would get paid well to create art by people with political views they disagreed with, and then would mock the people that paid them in the art that they paid for. Brilliant.
William Blake was a unique person by all counts, but especially in the sense that he mixed poetry and artwork. A true early pioneer in multimedia art. Even more interesting were his politics, especially his disillusionment with the French and American revolutions and his beliefs that they had “simply replaced monarchy with irresponsible mercantilism.” In other words, France and America wanted to be huge at any costs, and how is that different from monarchy?
So what does this have to do with the new U2 album? They were paid a huge sum of money to give their album away for free as a massive PR stunt and then named the album after the most famous poem of a poet that decried irresponsible mercantilism (something that Apple is constantly accused of). They got paid well to create art by a company that has been accused of killing good music and then mocked the company that paid them in the art that they paid for. Brilliant.
And don’t think for a second that Bono is too dense to not know all of this. Love him or hate him, the dude knows his political commentary and how to work in subtle jabs to those in power while still shaking hands with them and taking their money.
But none of that should matter to the music fan. Music should stand or fall on its own regardless of political or corporate influences. I’m frankly embarrassed that so many reviewers are letting these issue influence their enjoyment or hatred of this album.
Because Songs of Innocence is not an album for everyone. I connected with it instantly and repeated listens have reinforced my love for it. There is an urgency, a passion, a drive that was missing a bit from No Line on the Horizon. Sure there, was some of that on NLotH, but it was marred by songs like “Get on Your Boots” that found the band trying too hard to not make another “Vertigo” out of a song that was obviously meant to be another “Vertigo.” That lack of confidence in their song kicked the legs out of a song that should have been the tent pole for the rest of the album.
I initially loved No Line on the Horizon and then started to fall out of love after a few listens. I still really like much of it, but see the holes and issues with it. Songs of Innocence only grows more interesting with each listen. U2 decided to go back to their roots for inspiration and it shows. This is not U2 being sadly inspired by bands that they inspired back in the day. This is U2 going back to their roots and being inspired by the same things that more modern bands are also inspired by. In other words, if you hear a sad attempt to sound like The Killers sounding like U2, you are not listening close enough to differentiate between what the real inspirations are for both bands. Which no one is requiring you to if you are a fan – I just wish people paid to write reviews at least knew how to make those differentiation. But I guess Bill Mallonee is right and true rock journalism is dead.
Songs of Innocence won’t connect with everyone, and that is okay with me. But at least let it connect or not connect with you because of how it was performed and not how it was distributed. Don’t love it or hate it just because it was free.
[2014 Island Records | Download: iTunes]The Altar Billies – Head’n Out West
I know that pretty much every review of this album is going to start off with “Yee-haw!”… but you just can’t help shouting that after listening to the latest offering from The Altar Billies. Well, “yee-haw Amen!” is more like it – Mike Stand has never shied away from the impactful spiritual lyrics that have been his staple since The Altar Boys. Stand along with Chuck Cummings and Johnny X really poured their heart and soul into this album and it shows. There are fewer Altar Boys covers this time ‘round, but the ones that are there work well. I know some people feel Rockabilly is a one trick pony genre, but Head’n Out West will proves them wrong. There are 15 songs that never get old or repetitive. Just a tad bit of the Altar Boys punk side shows through here and there, too. I highly recommend this album to fans of any good music in the rock to punk spectrum – you won’t be disappointed.
The Old-Timers – Be Reconciled
Fast, blistering punk rock with random spoken word pieces. The Old-Timers show that they can bring the punk and the variety. “The Joy of Reconciliation” even starts off with an a capella intro before slamming into some in-your-face punk. Six songs (two of which are spoken word) make for a quick listen. But I like how they are doing their own thing as well as sticking to their punk foundation at the same time.
Spy Satellite – The Time of the Dinosaurs
Seems like the best of the 80s and 90s alternative music scenes have been making a comeback recently. But not in a cheesy, nostalgic way. Spy Satellite is a prime example of this. Josh Lory and I were discussing how we heard influences of everything from 4AD bands to Violet Burning. Songs like “Horse Equals Horse” are pretty aggressive, while tunes like “A Whisper in Madness” build a nice almost gothic atmosphere. Their Michael Knott tribute cover also makes an appearance on this album and fits right in. The last song “Signals” is probably one of my favorites in the set – the underlying groove is weird and cool at the same time. Their official BandCamp bio blurb says they stay mostly in the “nu-gaze, post-rock” genre, and that is an accurate description I would say. You can check them out on BandCamp and download for the price you choose.
The Beckoning – Desolate
The Beckoning return with a two song demo that is longer than some eps. While there are only two songs here, both clock in at over nine minutes. They also change tempos and signatures frequently, so don’t expect to be bored. And I say that as someone that tends to get bored with the repetitiveness of some extreme music. This is aggressive extreme progressive gothic metal. Growled vocals combined with operatic female vocals, technical thrash metal, spoken word, 70s progrock, and several other influences that form – for lack of better words – an extreme metal symphony movement in each song. But it works, just like on their past demo. These songs are available for free on their BandCamp page, so check them out. Here’s hoping them still plan to put together a full length soon – technically they only need three more songs to make it happen.
Swimsuit Grandma – Barely There
Mike Indest returns with one of his strongest offerings to date. Mike may speak of dry spells and all that, but these songs really don’t sound like a songwriter coming off a period of writer’s block. Barely There has a flow to it that sounds like it just came together easily and naturally. Or to borrow some terms from Sean Severson of And How – airy and cohesive. The rest of the band (Eddie Parrino, Monty LeBlanc, and Glen Sigur) add a bit of rock and swagger to the mix. I’m also diggin’ the reggae touches to some of the songs. Despite the band name, the subject matter is lament, and therefore you get a bit more of a somber tone than past offerings. Or more accurately, each song is based on a chapter from the book of Lamentations. As with past offerings, this ep is free to download from BandCamp – s what do you have to lose?
Prodigal – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition 3 CD Set
Prodigal was a top-notch 80’s band that should have been huge. They were known for innovative music videos, quality song writing and production, and embedding computer code on vinyl. Yes – you read that right. That was how far ahead of the game they were. This box set is the first CD issue of their three classic albums – Prodigal, Electric Eye, and Just Like Real Life. Each album gets an individual disc, all packaged in one of those double thick old school CD box set cases. The songs sound like they have been given a pristine digital transfer and re-master. Also a nice retrospective essay by DW Dunphy. Unfortunately, that embedded computer code didn’t seem to make it (but I can’t even find it on my own vinyl, so I don’t know if it will ever see the light of day again). At some point, I hope they put out a DVD of their videos, but if not they can easily be found on YouTube. As for the music itself, while this is still 80’s stadium rock/new wave, the quality is so good that everything stands the test of time. The first S/T is slightly more mainstream rock, Electric Eye is the most alternative/progressive album, and Just Like Real Life is (of course) the most mature. Unfortunately, band leader Loyd Boldman passed away before this Set was released, but it does serve as a fitting tribute for a musical genius. Get it now before it is gone.