5 comments about Fear of Music.

1. A brief survey of the musical landscape from about 1963 until the present yields the following results:
   
   1. There are a lot of people who write and perform songs that are about nothing;
   2. There are some people who write and perform songs that are about something;
   3. There are precious few people who can write songs that are essentially about nothing and in constructing and performing them, turn them into songs that are about something.
   
   David Byrne's unique genius, as far as I can tell, is his ability to slot himself (with band in tow) into the third category. Now perhaps this isn't quite a fair, accurate assessment of his body of work, because in a sense the songs he wrote during this period are indeed about something, in fact they are about a lot of things. But the jumble of ideas is essentially nonlinear, and the stories these songs tell are more in the performance and arrangement of ideas than via a standard narrative. This was something almost unprecedented for the "pop" music world, and I think this album was where it reached its apex for Byrne and co.
   
   On songs like "Air," "Animals," and "Drugs," for example, it's hard to determine what the message is. But the way these songs are performed is gripping and provides them a weight you'd never suspect from a cursory read through the lyrics. Take for example the absurdist lyrics to "Air":
   
   Air...Air
   Hit me in the face
   I run faster
   Faster into the air
   (I say to myself)
   What is happening to my skin?
   Where is that protection that I needed?
   Air can hurt you too
   Air can hurt you too
   Some people say not to worry about the air
   Some people never had experience with...
   
   Air...Air
   It can break your heart
   So remember when the weather gets rough
   (You'll say to yourself)
   What is happening to my skin?
   Where is that protection that I needed?
   Air can hurt you too
   Air can hurt you too
   Some people say not to worry about the air
   Some people don't know s*** about the...
   Air...
   
   Ok what the - ? But give this a listen, Byrne's lyrics channeled through his one-of-a-kind high-pitched vocal performance and set against a tight, edgy guitar-driven white-boy funk workout. The paranoia and claustrophobia are virtually palpable. It's as if the air is pursuing, attacking the narrator. Or perhaps the narrator is only perceiving this to be the case? Is the danger all in the paranoid's head? Or is it real? The song offers no resolution.
   
   This album is varied as well, some lyrics almost telling something of a semi-linear story ("Life During Wartime") or making a point about everyday existence ("Heaven"). The common theme is the examination of small things, details in our lives that we might miss if we weren't careful to pay attention to them. "I got some groceries, some peanut butter, to last a couple of days," intones Byrne about halfway into "Life During Wartime," and it's easy to believe that this mundanity would be of significant concern to a man hiding out in a building during a war. On "Animals," Byrne scolds non-human creatures for "living on nuts and berries," setting a "bad example" for the rest of us. I like to think of this as a statement of supreme irony (after all, the animals are surviving quite well but look at humanity!), however the lyric leaves a lot to the listener's imagination. It takes a mind like Byrne's to think of concepts like that, and enjoy it or not it does provoke a reaction from most people. That's art. The very definition.
   
   The album is also a relentlessly edgy, herky-jerky tight funk workout which remains one-of-a-kind no matter how many other bands try to emulate it. If it weren't so overtly weird, it might even play well as a party record. I was born two years after its release so I have no idea how it was received by the public at the time. Honestly, compared to a lot of new wave stuff from that era, it's really not that extreme in some ways. A matter of context I suppose.
   
   In sum, this is a brilliant work and holds up just as well now as it ever did. I love all of the music that this band created, through their final few (poppier) albums, but this one remains the most striking to me. A rare moment in history where depth of performance and attention to compositional detail transformed abstraction into something concrete and tanglible.



2. This album will never replace Remain in Light for me as the ultimate Talking Heads experience. But then, nothing will. Nonetheless Fear of Music is very audiophile, not unlike Remain in Light. There is a lot going on through each track, and much of it goes undetectable without the use of high frequency headphones. "Memories Can't Wait" is no doubt a great example of this. But unfortunately, despite all the cool arrangements, sounds, samples, and grooves on Fear of Music, there just isn't enough in the songwriting department. I feel like this album is very well produced, and I think the musicianship is prevalent. At times, Byrne is very witty. But there is no "Once in a Lifetime" on this album, even if "Air" comes fairly close. "What is happening to my skin?....Some people say not to worry about the air....but Air can hurt you too!" lol. It got a laugh out of me anyway.
   
   This is a very worthwhile album. It really is worth listening to, just for all the ear candy injected into the stomach of this album. Especially on the stronger tracks, you can tell in the direction (Remain in Light) they are headed. Lyrically, we see Talking Heads near their best on "Air," and "Heaven." When listening to "Drugs," for the first minute and a half I have to remind myself that this is not a Brian Eno record. Because until David Byrne starts in, "Drugs" could easily fit in as an instrumental in Before and After Science. Unfortunately, the vocals ruin the ambiance of this track. Good thing Eno did solo work.
   
   Best tracks: Air, Life During Wartime, Memories Can't Wait, Heaven.



3. Summer of 1979. I just graduated from high school. I was into The Who and Led Zep during those years and then I listened to this album. Fear of Music instantly changed my listening preferences much like in the scene from Taxi when Jim, as a college student, eats a pot brownie and changes immediately into the stoned Reverend Jim. Fear of Music introduced me to Eno, Bowie, early Roxy Music, and alot of the new wave music that was coming out at that time. David Johansen's first album stayed on my turntable for a long while. Today Luna and Wilco take up alot of space on my iPod, and I thank Fear of Music for this.



4. David Byrne always passes off the "Fear" angle/theme here as a joke -- but I don't buy it. These songs are anxious, clautrophobic, and twisted -- and legitimately so to my ears. They're also poppy as a laundry basket full of poppyseed muffins, and this aural culture clash has been known to lead to vertigo -- don't look down....



5. Buy it, definitely. Every song is great (except Animals - I never could get into that one). It's dark, it's funny, it's artsy (in a good way), it's 100% unique, like the Talking Heads in general. Best cuts: I Zimbra; Cities; Life During Wartime; Air; Heaven (my favorite of the bunch) and Drugs. Buy it, and pick up More Songs About Buildings and Food, Remain in Light and Speaking in Tongues while you're at it.

5 comments about Fox Confessor Brings the Flood.

1. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood is a wonderful example of a brilliant singer. Neko Case gets the nod as one of the most gifted American singers with a voice like silk and a delivery that is welcomely unusual. The album is painfully short, though, clocking in at just under 38 minutes. One has to wonder why.



2. As always, a couple of cuts I could live without. Overall, a very enjoyable CD, with "Hold On" being outstanding. Great new artist with room to grow.



3. Basically, her songs are very short on this album... most are two minutes. Or even less. She reaches the top of her range, and then her song is over. If the song was longer, like Roy Orbison did, her crescendo would make sense. But the songs simply are not developed or long enough. My attention flagged. The brevity of the songs were what took over, for me.
   If only she could do a cover, I kept thinking, so I could really enjoy that voice at full tilt for more than ten seconds, or even three.
   The album art also did not satisfy. There were many drawings, and admittedly I wanted to look at pictures of her instead. There was not a single photo of her inside the fat booklet. Pictures of billboards, stacks of tape reels, drawings of semi-trucks, instead.
   Many people I'm sure would enjoy this album, but I did not care for it.



4. When I got this CD, I wasn't familiar with Neko Case, but soon I found I couldn't stop playing it back to back in an endless loop. Now, a year and a half later, even my 3 year old loves it and knows all the words since I subjected her to it constantly.
   
   It's dark, it's lovely, it gets in your bones and just won't stop. Try to turn away...I dare you.



5. This CD grew on me over time. There's several excellent tracks that will hit me immediately but then I began to realize that all of the tracks are worth _many_ repeated listens. Easily one of my favorite CD's of that year. Ms. Case's singing is impressive -- strong and clear at all times. Her musicianship is just as impressive. Her lyrics have a dark streak to them and I suspect this will turn some off but they are missing out.

5 comments about Mignonette.

1. Wow. Emotionalism is such a beautifully sad album. Four Thieves Gone is raw and urgent. This one is kind of bland. No songs really stand out. Some of the lyrics are a bit trite. Sounds like a bunch of leftovers. The other albums are so great that this one just doesn't even compare. I almost feel like the boys should be apologizing to me.



2. Great title, great album, but pales in comparison to the other knock-outs from this band.



3. One of the Avett Brothers' earlier CDs, I return to this one repeatedly for the craftsmanship and the rough-edged but lucid voices of Scott and Seth Avett. Two songs, "Swept Away" and "Signs" appear twice as separate recordings (the second recording of "Signs" is uncredited, sung by a voice not recognizable as an Avett brother) which is interesting because each offers a unique take on the song. All four songs are terrific. I rate this whole CD terrific, with the exception of "Complainte D"VN Matelot Mourant" and "The Day That Marvin Gaye Died". I don't get the first one - its creaking noises sound like a day-old shipwreck (maybe the Mignonette spoken of in the foreward?). "Marvin Gaye" sounds like the bass player Bob Crawford might be singing, and his voice isn't as pleasing as the Avetts themselves. Sorry Bob. You're still really good-looking.
   
   Anyway, I've just ordered "Four Thieves Gone" to round out my Avett Bros collection of five CDs. BTW, Avetts, if you ever get stuck on the side of Route 2 in New London, North Carolina again, I will definitely pick you up!



4. I first heard of these guys when my cousin's band opened for them at the Soiled Dove Underground. I had no idea what I was in for, but they played about three hours of the most refreshing bluegrass I'd ever heard. Granted, they pretty much only know the chords C, G, and D (If you don't believe me, look up some tabs), but you'd be amazed at the variety of songs you can get out of those three chords. Their songs are all sweet without being sickening, and even a few tortured love songs thrown in. They played a concert so spirited that it left Scott bleeding from his chin... and then played a much anticipated encore. When someone from the audience shouted out, "What happened?" Seth shouted back, "Rock and roll, that's what happened."
   
   These guys are going to save music.



5. Just as rap can (charitably) be considered a crude, debased version of Delta and Chicago blues, so the Avett Brothers can be considered a crude shadow of the highl, lonesome glory that is traditional bluegrass.
   
   Trad bluegrass, and for that matter traditional country (I'm thinking Haggard here) requires facility with one's instrument (banjo, fiddle, mando, slap bass, guitar, pdeal steel voice) honestly beyond the reach of most of us weekend, parking-lot pickers. But let's say you still want a career in music. How do you overcome your technical limitations? One thing to do is practice a lot. Another thing to do is call yourself "alt-something" or "Americana" or a favorite for the Avetts, "unclassifiable." You'll get plenty of gigs in college towns and probably many, many opportunities with girls to which a tuneless, braying racket like Swept Away represents some sort of essential workin' class Ahmericun simplcity and honestly.
   
   And all that's finel. it's better the Avetts, ot Jay Farrar, or Jeff tweedy, or any of the other idiots that came out of the alt-scenes, do this instead of, say rob gas stations. And many people find the music meaningful. But when I hear the Avetts bellowing their nonsense, and listen to their crude noodlings on trad string instruments, I think back to when I saw Ralph Stanley and BIll Monroe, the sorts sneeringly labeled "old school" by Avett acolytes, and despair for the future of this land of ours.

5 comments about The Autumn Effect.

1. decent album debut. the singer has a great voice that fits perfectly with the band music...... this band has a lot of potential
   best songs: cast it out, half life,insects,waking up



2. This c.d. is amazing. I'm the kind of person that hates to spend money on a c.d. that I've never heard before, but this was definatly worth it. The band is awesome, and Jesse Hasek has a fantastic voice. It's music that makes you think and that leaves you with a feeling, rather than just empty lyrics.



3. i got this cd after their new cd division and i have to say i like this one better. division has some good songs but isnt as complete as the autumn effect. every song on this cd is good. you can listen to the whole cd without skipping a song. my favorites are wasteland, through the iris and fault line. they sound a bit like a perfect circle but i like 10 years better than apc. the singer has a great voice and these guys should be around for awhile. great job



4. You want a change? Want some tunes that will pump through your veins and inspire creativity in your soul?
   Go buy the autumn affect...
   Then wait till may 13th and buy their new album "division"
   
   Get ready to feel your heart pounding through your chest....



5. I immediately heard the Maynard Keenan vocal.But what was so surprising is how this vocalist pulls it off so smoothly.WHo else can sound almost identical to Maynard?Not many.Who can sound just like Trent Reznor?Not anyone I have heard.I think the music is thought provoking and effective.
   
   I do think of APC and Tool,however who else can copy these two bands this well? and at the same time?I dont think anybody else can do it as good as this band.Their music is good maybe not totally original,but hey I wish I could pull this off like Jesse does.I sing and I can pull off Daughtry,Matchbox and Creed pretty well,but there is just something about Maynards style and tone and vocal quality.And this guy nails it!

No comments about Guaranteed to Satisfy.

5 comments about Complete Discography.

1. It might sound cliche, but yeah, this album changed my life. Until I bought this (a couple months ago) I hadn't really given old-school punk or hardcore much of a fair shot. I was never impressed with the music, and the lyrics were always too immature and self-centered. This was probably the first real hardcore album I bought, and I only bought it because so many people were saying that I had to hear it. They were right. This album totally changed my opinion on older punk and helped introduce me to what are now some of my favorite bands (namely, Discharge). I found that I could completely relate to what Ian was talking about and the whole album is incredibly inspiring. The lyrics are intelligent, the music is high energy, and the songs are really catchy. The best on the album are, in my opinion, "In My Eyes", "Guilty of Being White", and "Minor Threat". But there isn't any song on here that I would really say is bad, some just don't quite stand up to the very best. Essential for anyone who wants to get into this style.



2. if you like music anymore powerful then barry manilow, or more significant then insync, and you don't own this CD yet, there is something wrong with you.
   Among all the hardcore/punk albums ever made, this and bad brains are simply in a league of their own.
   A fan of rock/punk/hardcore/or metal not owning this, would be like a rock guitarist never hearing Jimi Hendrix.



3. one of the best hard core punk releases ever. it ranks higher than s.o.d's speak english or die which is a personal favorite of mine. another disc for anyone who likes their music hard fast and uncompromising. minor threat inspired many of my fav bands like slayer and vio-lence.



4. What can I say about this album that has not already been said? If you love music or even simply have a fascination with culture and society, this album is a landmark in its century. Many albums can be remembered for creating a genre, or for catapulting a social movement, or for coining a subculture, or for inspiring so many others, but not many albums can be credited for doing all of these things and more. Minor Threat - Complete Discography is one of those albums. This album changed my life. The lyrics are angry, but not negative and they are positive, but not happy. All of the songs are short, fast, and hit you like a ton of bricks. The lyrics deal with straight-edge ideals, friendships, loyalty, and social issues. If you are new to this kind of music (80's hardcore) and are looking at this album as a sort of stepping-stone into the genre, let me give you some advice. These songs were recorded and produced by a group of poor musicians from between 1981-1985. If you are not used to this, you can be distracted by the poor sound quality. As are most great things, this era of hardcore is a very acquired taste. Listen to the songs, read the lyrics, and research the culture. If you are new to hardcore, don't get caught up in hearing every band that every old-timer says is the best. Listen to this album. This is THE album for 80's DC hardcore, THE album for straight-edge lifestyle, THE album for hardcore inspirations today. If you need to know one thing about hardcore, know Minor Threat.



5. I became aware of Minor Threat and hardcore in general rather late in my life,and thank goodness i found em. The complete discography is a hardcore masterpiece. Great for quiet evenings at home or just drivin real real fast, enjoy a classic

5 comments about Rocket to Russia.

1. It's so passe to give favorite reviews glowing reviews - it seems that if an album is beloved, it deserves some kind of classic status.
   
   With Rocket to Russia, the Ramones earn this album's classic status from the first groove. This captures the humor of their first LP and melds it with punk cum Beach Boys feel. Their sound is completely original, but warmly familiar, and all of the tunes are written rightly and cleverly. This isn't hardcore, but it certainly seemed hardcore when it was released (not even Saturday Night Live would touch them), and it's completely unpretentious. Even people who weren't initially fond of the Ramones have slowly come to appreciate their special genius - and Rocket to Russia captures that genius as well as any of their records. My signed copy is a prized possession.



2. Their debut may be more historically significant, but this is still the better album. Rocket To Russia, the Ramones' third record, is one of the greatest punk records ever waxed, and a watershed moment in the tortured history of rock 'n' roll. Here, the group's signature mixture of Chuck Berry, The Beach Boys, Black Sabbath, Iggy Pop, and Phil Spector is at its absolute zenith. These songs are pure gutter angst, burnt-out bursts of emotion that ring with hilarity and hatred, joy and spite, love and confusion, apathy and honesty. And you can dance to it! The end result is a package of pure, unfiltered goodness, full of meat 'n' cheese masterpieces like "Cretin Hop" and "Locket Love." "Rockaway Beach" and "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" are metallic bubblegum-surf ravers, and "Teenage Lobotomy" is an irresistible, ferocious anthem. "I Don't Care" is quintessentially bemused teenage sneer, and the cover of "Do You Wanna Dance" is just plain fun. And then there's the rollicking cynicism of "We're A Happy Family," and the bounce of "I Wanna Be Well." So, a punk classic then...



3. Simply put, this album is what rock'n roll fun is all about. For those of you who don't really get it, it is futile to try and explain it to you.



4. I bought this album because I owned it approx 30 years ago and had a vague memory of it being good. I was not dissappointed, in fact it seems to have improved with age, or maybe my taste has. Whichever is the case Rocket to Russia is in my humble opinon the best ever Ramones album. Cretin Hop is an all time classic not to mention Teenage Lobotomy, Sheena is a Punk Rocker and the best ever version of Surfing Bird. there are also 5 ripper bonus tracks. Long live the Ramones.



5. Unlike some reviewers here, I didn't exactly grown up in the punk era of the late 70s/early 80s. Yeah I was around, but the diaper rash kinda hampered my appreciation for the genre. I kind of backed into the Ramones in high school after wondering where Green Day got their ideas from (and I am happy to say that once I heard the real thing I dropped Green Day and started buying albums from the likes of the Ramones, Talking Heads, The Clash, Devo, etc. etc.). This music wasn't really THAT old when I first discovered it, and it has really stuck with me through all my phases.
   
   Anyway, in this era of emo, mall-punk, sloppy pseudo-hardcore and the like, it's refreshing to throw this one on the player and remember that punk rock can be far from the cheesy and awkward "devolution" which has occurred. Perhaps this fact alone shows the limitations of the genre as well. I mean, there is by definition only so much you can really do with a few chords and a lot of nervous or angry energy. That potential was largely maxed-out by around 1986 (although you never know, some would have said the same about 50s rock n roll). The point is, nothing that has happened since the release of this album takes anything away from its superior quality and the absolute pop PERFECTION of these rock n roll nuggets. It's got an angry Beach Boys sound that was stunningly unique for its time, and it's just so much fun to listen to nearly anywhere. If you like punk rock, this should be the first stop you make.
   
   -HW

5 comments about Foiled.

1. I absolutely love this album as do my kids. We listen to it over and over. Can't wait for their new release to come out.



2. This is a pretty good cd with a lot of good songs , very good album to add to your collection , highly recommended.



3. This is a pretty good CD, not as good as their HISTORY FOR SALE (which is my very fave) and CONSENT TO TREATMENT...but not bad at all. A tiny bit more rough than those two.



4. Foiled
   
   My late boyfriend got me into this band. We both could relate to it very well since a lot of the songs are about dealing with madness. What drew me in was the lyrics. I find this album very comforting to listen to, especially 'Into the Ocean' and "X Amount of Words' since both songs parallel current life events.
   
   I normally don't listen to 'mainstream' music, but Blue October is truly exceptional in a lot of ways, not the least of which is the uncomfortable subject matter dealt with in a heartfelt way.



5. From the opening lyric of "Into the Ocean," Blue October grabs you with its unique sound, the throbbing beat and complex lyric, "I'm just a normal boy that sank when I fell overboard. The ship would leave the country. But I'd rather swim ashore. Without a life vest, I'd be stuck again; Wish I was much more masculine." The catchy hook is addictive. My other favorite on this disc is "X Amount of Words" that is lyrically jammed with Justin Furstenfeld's breathy vocals and stadium crowd sound effects, "Systematic, sympathetic, quite pathetic, apologetic, paramedic, your heart is prosthetic." The tracks are so original that they jump out of the speakers. "Let It Go" & "She's My Ride Home" also capture attention. "Foiled" is a great disc! "Enjoy!"

5 comments about Summerteeth.

1. Rarely do you own an album where you like every track. Maybe those days are gone. But this album certainly fits that description for me. This is an amazing album.



2. There were maybe 2 or 3 tracks on this CD that were even close to "good". The remainder was like Herman's Hermits meets the Beatles meets Moody Blues and ran the gambit from bubble-gum to downright sappy. A true multi-layered, overproduced effort with none of the small studio-jam feel of, say, "AM" or "Being There". Bring Back Wilco!



3. In my opinion Summerteeth is overrated. In it, Wilco's music has changed from something unique and beautiful into average pop music. I prefer Yankee Hotel Foxtrot far better than this. Many of the songs are the type that have a melody which is hardly memorable.
   
   Also, the sound quality isn't that good. While it is better than other popular albums, it sounds too trebly and the levels are a bit too high.
   
   Yankee Hotel Foxtrot beats this in every single way in my opinion.



4. It might not be Wilco's best album (many would argue Yankee Hotel is), but Summer Teeth is my favorite by the band. As far as the musical arrangements go, it's their most keyboard-heavy release. It has piano, organ, harpsichord, and Magical Mystery Tour-like synthesizers. It also has banjo, strings, horns, harmonica, and bells. No whistles, though. Unlike the band's last two albums, "A Ghost is Born" and "Sky Blue Sky," it has no extended guitar solos. And throughout, there's very little dissonance. Here, Wilco is more influences by the Beatles and solo Lennon material than--as they would be on Yankee Hotel--Radiohead.
   
   The songwriting is among the band's best. Highlight's include "She's a Jar" "Shot in the Arm" (containing the great line, "The ashtray says, you've been up all night") and "Via Chicago." Wilco strikes an interesting balance here between warm musical arrangements and sometimes disturbing lyrics such as "She begs me not to hit her" ("She's a Jar") and "Dreamed about killing you again last night and it felt alright to me." ("Via Chicago"). A well-paced album that stands up to repeat listening.



5. I got this when it was originally released and just listened to it again recently. It isn't particularly good or bad - and certainly not in the league of "Being There". This was the point just as Tweedy was gaining the reputation that even his flatulence was regarded as "genius".

3 comments about Naive.

1. I don't know much about these guys. They play clubs around Texas and record in Austin. I heard some of their stuff on the radio, then sampled some of their music on Amazon.com. After buying and listening to their 2004 CD "Ain't In It For The Money", I was hooked. I bought "Careless" (2006) and "Naive" (2008). I wanted to enjoy them in chronological order, but this new CD is so good I can't take it out of my player. If you like Cross Canadian Ragweed and Randy Rogers Band, you will love this disc. Buy it now and play it a lot!



2. I have yet to find a MATMC album that I do not like. Naive is good, and has a few tunes that I especially like, but I do not think it is their best album. Both "Careless" and "Ain't In It For the Money" are higher on my list of favorites.



3. Hey all, bigtime MATMC fan here. This one is good. Real good. I didn't know if they would ever do anything that could top Ain't In It For The Money - one of my favorite albums of all time - but this one has potential.
   
   Mickey's voice is stronger and the lead guitar is massively improved (not that it was bad, just needed a little time/practice). The production is excellent, very high quality, props to the studio and producer(s).
   
   If you like classic country, X-Country (on XM satellite), or good old fashioned rock/country, you're going to like this album. FYI I bought this album using the Amazon Download thingy and it was flawless.