Best Album of 2004

[Thorngrub]

Well I know what ain't the Best Album Of 2004:

*Song by Song breakdown of eMOTIVe* [1st Impression]:

1. Annihilation
This song doesn't do much for me. It doesn't even qualify as a "song", just an oddly whispered intro.
*thumbs down*

2. Imagine
One of the 5 tracks I really like on eMOTIVe, despite, or maybe because of, its mournful tone of hopelessness.
*thumbs up*

3. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love And Understanding
I do not really like this version, nor how Billy sings it. Much prefered Keenan & Cornell's acoustic take.
*thumbs down*

4. What's Going On
This is an inspired version of the original, IMO. One of the disc's standout tracks.
*thumbs up*

5. Passive
Here is a class act of a song, pure APC, even if it is yet another cover ("Tapeworm")
*thumbs up*

6. Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie
Finally, a bit of the old agression some of us have come to expect from APC/Maynard related projects.
*thumbs up*

7. People are People
What a terrible version of a song that was already kinda gay, & the original blows this away.
*thumbs down*

8. Freedom of Choice
Here is a cool cover of a cool DEVO song, gotta like it.
*thumbs up*

9. Let's Have A War
Whatever this is . . .it is not a song; it is just kind of a dumb joke.
*thumbs down*

10. Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums
Nice remix of a song we already know from APC's previous album. Would rather have heard something new.
*one thumb up / one thumb down*

11. When the Levee Breaks
Loathed this "version" of a public domain blues number which Zeppelin "owns". Despite my understanding
of the originality of their take on this tune, I'm sorry, but I'm not on Heroin, therefore, find it
difficult to enjoy: I'm simply not that high.
*thumbs down*

12. Fiddle and the Drum
What a crappy ending to an incredibly disappointing album from APC *shudders*
*thumbs down*


*thumbs down* = 6
*thumbs up* = 5 or 6

With half the songs simply not doing it for me, I have to look at the re-mix of "PET" as the tie-breaker, or really actually the "tie-maker". In the sense that it's actually a pretty neat re-mix, that would make the official tally 50/50; in the sense that it is a rehashed tune, that would make 7 bad songs + 5 solid songs, not the sort of breakdown an APC fan such as myself would expect from them. All in all, I find this album mediocre at best, and only wish Maynard would have included some heroin crystals in the CD-case spine so we could enjoy this muddled array of (mostly) stupidly covered songs. I highly recommend this album to anyone under the age of 20; young kids simply don't have the years of "musical baggage" that old farts like me have, and therefore might stand a chance of appreciating the ambient, slow jazziness of their LEVEE-cover, and maybe even appreciate the "message" behind such sleep-inducing boredom as the Joni Mitchell cover at album's close, along with some of the other "political statements" made in various other numbing renditions. Me, it only makes me shudder & want to fall asleep.
A disappointing release, to say the least.

By the way, there is not one original song on this album; NOT ONE. "Counting Bodies Like Sheep" is a remix of one of their own songs, so simply cannot count as one of the professed "two originals"; and "Passive" is really a cover of the now-defunct TAPEWORM project, so therefore, is merely yet another cover on an album of uninspired, hit-or-miss, cover tunes.

All I can say is, this APC-fan is a Sad Panda.

[Thorngrub]

Someone recently asked me if Coheed & Cambria are "nu-metal". Absolutely NOT!

Coheed & Cambria are the FARTHEST thing from "nu-metal". They are nearly impossible to describe, but I'll try: first off, if I were to try and lump em into a subcategory or genre, I'd call em . . . *thinking* ... um, "Geek Rock", or something . . . they're really a strange, unique hybrid of prog- + pop + Their Own Thang; think THE MARS VOLTA meets RUSH as visualized by Pink Floyd hopped up on amphetamines. Their name is derived from a comic-book series they produced themselves, which parallels the narrative arc of their first 4 albums, of which only 2 have been thus far released. In essence, rather than releasing 1 "concept album" after another, the band itself is a "concept band". Their music explores intimately a vast psychotropic terrain of moods jampacked in intricate layers and sessions of rabidly alternating choruses and singalong verses, one after the other, so that each and every song is like a miniature, epic jewel with so much going on that all you have to do is wait 10 seconds before something different emerges from the sonic maelstrom. The singer, Claudio Sanchez, may have a voice that "annoys" at first listen to some, but after careful consideration of the astonishing range his vocals are capable of, not to mention some brilliant, raw emoting on a level rarely heard these days (if ever before), the ultimate consensus is that THE GUY CAN SING. The lyrics, because they follow this absolutely epic science-fictional premise of something like 86 solar systems in league of this huge federation in some alternate future earth, can become quite perplexing until the listener has a)Read the first issue of the comic book, and b)heard all their songs enough times for it to start cohering into some kind of narrative sense.

All in all . . .the more you listen to In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3, the more you won't be able to STOP listening to it! Their more charming aspect is the utter vitality of pop-influenced melodies and singalong choruses, which makes them especially appealing to the younger crowd. I, thoRny, being of young mind & body despite the fact I'm careening into my 40th year here soon, had the best time right up front amidst all the lil munchkins screaming out their devotion to the lead singer, while the band carried us all away into the deepest realms of emotive musical jamming any of us have practically ever heard.

Coheed & Cambria: perhaps the single most original band I've ever encountered in all my years. It definitely takes time to begin appreciating what they do . . . but rest assured: what they do, they do damn well, and no one else is coming even close.

Watch for them.

[ScottsyII]

Thorny, harsh, but well backed up with rationale... so i can understand your point of view.

I didn't really evaluate eMOTIVe as a full APC release, and hence it was more of a suprise packet for me than anything else. I didn't think I'd even end up buying it until I was in the store today and I thought "what the hell".

I think they were successful in their "APC - ization" of alot of the covers, and the songs I'd previously not heard were quite good, the remixed song from Thirteenth Step sounded quite good as remixes go, but yeah, I agree, something totally new would have been good.

Annihilation was a good opener, and I kinda liked the gloomy version of Imagine as well. I have to disagree with Thorny on Peace Love and Understanding, I found it quite mesmerising and even a little bit "Church - esque". Gimme Gimme Gimme I could take or leave and the same goes for People are People, which isn't really one of my favourite Depeche Mode songs. Freedom of Choice and Lets have a War are both quite listenable. When the Levee Breaks is a bit on the sleepy side, just a little too dozy and a bit too straightforward and ordinary for an APC album. I expect a little more of them.

The Fiddle and the Drum is a nice closer. Very simple, kinda gets to you with it's stripped back vocal only approach. I like it.

So no top album of this year for this one, but a good listen nonetheless.

[pattentank24]

The Countdown is Coming Oh Yes Beware

The 60 BEST ALBUMS OF 04

One Man,One List someone had to hear too much damn music

All the Humor,Serious,Uncreditble Music Opinons you can't even understand

The List this Thanksgiving

[ScottsyII]

I think I'll be doing my best of 2004 listing some time in early 2005, I'll probably post it up on my website in my usual style!!!

I have MUCH bigger plans for December, however.... namely taking a trip to the states to be with Meliie for Christmas.... can't bloody wait!!! Going to be absolutely awesome!!!

(for those not in the know... Mellie is my American love of my life!)

[Thorngrub]

Well guess what - ? I have finally descended past my prejudices towards the new APC "sound" on eMOTIVe, and have decided quite firmly that it is nothing short of brilliance, through and through.

It just took me awhile to "get it", is all. Now I really enjoy putting it into my stereo; it has a distinctly soul-searching mellowness to it lacking from the prior 2 APC albums, and as such, I believe it goes a long way towards cementing their status as a deservedly-recognized "super"group.

It really is a beautiful disc.

[Proud]

flipflopper.

[ScottsyII]

So Thorn, you'd recommend I give it a few more spins and really pick up on the spirit of the disc??!!

I was reasonably happy with it on first listen, it seemed kinda cohesive in terms of theme and approach, but a little patchy material - wise...

Perhaps added listens will get me to the point of satisfaction that you have reached... I will put it on the listening schedule this week a few times and let it open up for me a bit more... we'll see how it goes!!! :-)

[Thorngrub]

Yes Scottsy, definitely give it a few more goes. I particularly enjoy my mornings waking up to it, while I'm brewin my coffee and gettin ready for work. It's a nice "wake up" album, and I'd bet the more you listen to it, the more you'll catch the spirit. Even the "When The Levee Breaks" cover has won me over. At first I had the original brooding heaviness of the Zep version branded into my soul, which is why I reacted with a "WTF?!" when I first heard APC's version. Now I realize they have turned that song over on it's head, giving it a unique "ambient jazz" sound which I now find to be rendered in starkly beautiful terms. And that version of "What's Going On", damn!! It really hits me right *here*. *wipes away a tear*

[ScottsyII]

I'll definitely give it a few more listens... might pop it on when I get up tomorrow morning! (It's night time here!)

[Ryosuke]

You guys are all wrong. This is the best album of 2004:


Koyoi Mo, Utakata Sagashi - Gymnopedie

[Thorngrub]

Would that I could hear it. Is it anything like Melt Banana?

I have recently decided that Coheed & Cambria's In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth:3 is the best album released in the 21st Century, thus far.

[Proud]

i'm listening to velvet revolver's album some more, and this time not just the singles. it seems like random guitar noise, but i'll tell ya what... i like it.

[Ryosuke]

Velvet Revolver blows.

thoRny said:

Would that I could hear it. Is it anything like Melt Banana?

Haha. Nope, I'm afraid that they have nothing in common with Melt Banana other than their nationality:). I actually have no idea whether people here will like Gymnopedie or not. I'd say that ekul and Drum might, since they liked Mayumi Kojima and Gymnopedie share some attributes with her, but I can't say anything about the rest. I wouldn't be adverse to sending you a burned copy of the album though, if you're interested.

[Thorngrub]

Why, I'm afraid I'm in no position to refuse such a gallant offer as that.

This could be a fine opportunity for me to hear some music I would otherwise never get the chance of stumbling across. Why not. In addition, it will allow me to return the favour by responding to your generosity with what I would consider an appropriate recording given to you in exchange. I would be eager for such an adventure as that, regardless of where I had to mail it. Are you actually living in Japan, Ryosuke? I'm down for this. Since I have a feeling that you & I occupy quite seperate & altogether different listening worlds, I will utilize the disc(s) you send me as my only direct evidence as to the type of music you enjoy listening to. From the clues inherent to the music you send me, I will be able to infer which of the various types of music I'm into you might stand a chance of appreciating. I'll private message you with my address, and we can take it from there.