Nobody Loves Me And Neither Do I - Them Crooked Vultures

What can be said about supergroups that hasn't been said before? They usually comprise of highly talented musicians who come from various established bands, but never quite live up to the sum of their parts. Supergroups range from great (Cream,Crosby Stills and Nash) to average (Audioslave, Velvet Revolver) to just plain awful (Zwan anyone?). With a great set of talent often comes a whole lot of ego, leading to disastrous results. Supergroups are often treated with suspicion, and with good reason. Enter Them Crooked Vultures. Take one of the greatest drummers in modern rock (Dave Grohl of Nirvana & Foo Fighters fame) , a cult hero (Josh Homme, frontman of Queens of the Stone Age) and a rock god if there ever lived one (John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin) and you have, potentially at least, the greatest hard rock band to come out since perhaps Led Zeppelin themselves.So how does their self-titled debut pan out? I'll be reviewing just one song so you'll have to hear the whole thing, but I think the one song will be enough to give you a good idea.

The album opener is 'Nobody Loves Me and Neither Do I', a funky mix of 70's hard rock fused with 90's modern rock sensibilities. At 5 minutes long, the song showcases the individual strengths of each of the members. Dave Grohl pounds away on the drums adding a little cowbell for good measure (a little more cowbell never hurt anyone!). Josh Homme shows his penchant for hard rock riffs while singing in his trademark falsetto. John Paul Paul remains his usual composed self, preferring to remain in the background with his slide bass. Yes, his slide bass. This adds a nice twist to a song that very well could have stayed generic. Production wise, the song sounds a little raw. While this is not really a bad thing, the trio sound so tight, I wish there was a little less echo and more of the slide bass. The song really kicks into another level at around the 3 minute mark. The band launches into this, if I may say so, sick groove that carries on for the rest of the song. It is both hypnotizing and heavy at the same time, reminiscent of the last minute of QOTSA's 'Song for the Dead'. It finally ends in a flurry of guitar of drums, leaving the listener extremely satisfied. While the song is a little uneven at times due to its mishmash of styles, it is breath of fresh air in the crowded hard rock genre. The potential displayed by TCV is an indicator that perhaps supergroups can indeed be super.

"I know how to be lost in lust
Not because you should, but because you must"

Rating : 8/10

A Looking In View - Alice in Chains

After 14 long years, Alice in Chains released their much awaited 4th studio album in October this year. The question on everybody's mind was how the band would replace its iconic lead singer, Layne Staley, who tragically passed away in 2002. But die-hard AIC fans need not worry, as replacement William Duvall does more than a capable job, sounding eerily similar to Layne while not exactly imitating him either.
The lead single off the album is the 7 minute long 'A Looking in View'. It carries on the dark,sludgy sound that was first introduced on AIC's self titled album (released in 1995). From the moment the down-tuned, heavily distorted guitars kick in, you know that this is not some re-hashed attempt at former glory, this IS Alice in Chains. William Duvall's vocals are mixed at par with Jerry Cantrell's for most of the song, although you do get to hear his voice stand on its own. However, when Duvall and Cantrell harmonize their vocals, the song is at its best. The chorus is catchy by AIC standards, but on the downside, the song is a bit too long for its own good. Some of the riffs and lyrics are repeated too often, losing its effect. Also, I couldn't help but wish for a guitar solo by Jerry Cantrell. Overall the song is a fine return for one of Grunge music's big 4. For long time fans, 'A Looking In View' will fit in perfectly with the band's classics, a haunting and eerie rocker. For non-fans, do give it a listen, this is real grunge music, not the post-grunge bullsh*t that's being spoon-fed to the masses.

"Silence burning, hold your tongue
Keep us separate so they'll know"

Rating : 7.5/10

S.O.R.R.Y

To those who actually read my blog,

A big SORRY for the lack of updates!! My internet is heavily censored in college which means even my blog is blocked! I could have easily gone to a cyber cafe and updated it but a hectic college schedule coupled with the internet censorship has seriously hampered my access to new music. However, I plan to resume blogging after I go home for my vacations (and with a vengeance). Please be patient and enjoy the loud love life!

Kabir

Jane's Addiction - Ritual De Lo Habitual (1990)

Released in 1990, Jane's Addiction's follow up to 'Nothing's Shocking' surpassed its predecessor in every possible way. That was no mean feat since 'Nothing's...' was a classic in its own right. By this point the band had refined it's own unique and original sound of blending funk,hard rock and heavy metal and the end result was 'Ritual De Lo Habitual', a masterpiece of an album. The album is clearly divided into two distinct halves. The first half begins with 'Stop!', a perfect blend of funk and thrash metal. Dave Navarro proves that he is one of rock music's most underrated guitarists as he tears into a (quite literally) face-melting guitar solo. Bassist Eric Avery keeps up the funk sentimentalities on the next few songs, driving the rhythms with his ever-so funky basslines. Also on this half is the modern classic 'Been Caught Stealing'. The song features one of the most catchiest riffs ever written, witty lyrics and a solid rhythm section. It almost forces the listener to dance along to its beat, such is its addictive nature. The next half sees the band exploring slightly darker territory. The songs are longer, moodier and more atmospheric. On the epic 'Three Days', singer Perry Farrell deals with the time he spent three days with his girlfriend and a girl named Xiola Blue in a "haze of sex and drugs". The song twists and turns, and is emotionally charged. 'Then She Did' is just as emotional, dealing with the death of a loved one, perhaps even two. Both songs combined clock in at 20 minutes and compliment each other well. The album closer is the complete opposite of the opener with its soft acoustic nature. Although Jane's Addiction would break up soon after the release of this album (the first of two break ups), they left behind a legacy that only a few bands could have accomplished in a such a short period of time and 'Ritual De Lo Habitual' provides a testimony to that.

Song Picks :

• Stop!
• Ain't No Right
• Been Caught Stealing
  
• Three Days
• Then She Did
  

Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking (1988)

Most of today's alternative rock bands owe more to Jane's Addiction than they get credit for. Released in 1988, Jane's Addiction's debut studio album 'Nothing's Shocking' quite literally sent shockwaves through the music industry. Mixing various styles such as modern rock, progressive rock, and heavy metal, they became one of the first pioneers of Alt-Rock. With Dave Navarro's funky guitar style, Eric Avery's bouncing basslines, Perry Farrell's unique vocals and Stephen Perkins' tribal-like drumming, Jane's Addiction created a dynamic that few bands can replicate today.

The album has its fair share of Zeppelin-like moments such as the heavy hitting 'Mountain Song' and 'Pigs in Zen'. The band even has its own quirky moments as well, such as the horn-filled 'Idiots Rule' and the jazz instrumental 'Thank You Boys', but also displays a genuine penchant for hard rock styles in the form of the brilliant 'Had a Dad' and 'Standing In The Shower...Thinking'. Dave Navarro's guitar playing really shines through on these songs with funk-laced guitar lines and classic blues solos.Bassist Eric Avery must also be given due credit as many of the songs are driven by his haunting basslines.A prime example of this would be the beautiful psychadelic rocker 'Summertime Rolls'. Jane's Addiction shows off their softer side in 'Jane Says', an acoustic guitar driven ballad, perhaps the sweetest song on the entire album. However, the album's most epic song remains the seven-minute long 'Ted, Just Admit It.' Dealing with serial killer Ted Bundy, the song is a funky,disturbing free-form jam that shows off each of the band member's individual strengths. Despite the different styles displayed on 'Nothing's Shocking', the album is a thoroughly consistent affair, an album that would ultimately pave the path for future alternative bands who would come to define the 90's and remains as fresh as ever even today.

Song Picks :

• Ted, Just Admit It
• Mountain Song
• Summertime Rolls
• Had A Dad
• Jane Says
• Standing In The Shower...Thinking

Isis - Wavering Radiant (2009)

Isis' fifth full-length album starts off with a bang through album opener 'Hall Of The Dead'. Unlike their previous album 'In The Absence of Truth', the band wastes no time getting to the point and unleashes a chugging heavy metal riff. But Isis is not about being heavy, its about the ambiance, creating an atmosphere to lose yourself in. Their music can be loosely classified as post-metal, but upon comparison to their previous albums, 'Wavering Radiant' clearly demonstrates an evolution of their sound.All the songs present on the album are fluid, organic pieces. There is no verse-chorus-verse structures, just musical passages. Unlike previous albums, 'Wavering Radiant' has no over-arching theme, it may be there but perhaps not evident enough. Keyboards take an important role in the album as band member Clifford Meyer gives texture to the songs when they need it the most. The transition from heavy distorted riffs to clean interludes gives the songs a wavy, dream-like feel. But therein lies the beauty. Also of note is vocalist/guitarist Aaron Turner's emphasis on clean sung vocals. While he still employs his harsh death metal growl, the balance of the two styles is well maintained. As usual, his vocals are mixed a bit lower, making the lyrics undecipherable. Tool's Adam Jones makes a guest appearance on the album, contributing guitar work to the epic 'Hall Of The Dead'. Drummer Aaron Harris maintains a tight groove throughout along with bassist Jeff Caxide (hear '20 Minutes/ 40 Years' for further proof). Overall, 'Wavering Radiant' will be one those albums not too many people would have heard as the songs are long (the songs are minimum 7 minutes in length) and the band unheard of, but for non-Isis fans, this is as mainstream as it gets.

Song Picks :

• Hall Of The Dead
• Ghost Key
  
• Hand Of The Host
• Threshold of Transformation

Art Brut - Art Brut vs. Satan (2009)

After listening to English-German indie rock band Art Brut's 'Art Brut vs. Satan', one word comes to mind : idiosyncratic. The lyrics deal with unusual and odd topics such as public transportation ('The Passenger') and adults who haven't quite grown up ('DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake'). Lead 'singer' Eddie Argos doesn't actually sing but rather converses with the listener. The songs itself are quite catchy and there are some genuine pop-rock goodies to be found on the album. The guitars weave in and out throughout the songs and the bass is prominently audible which adds an always welcome punch. However the main weakness of 'Art Brut vs. Satan' is that it's charm wears off mid-way through. The first few songs are highly energetic and the nonsensical lyrics are quite amusing but halfway through the album the songs start to get rather annoying and similar in nature. While the childish and immature nature of Art Brut may be appreciated by some, there's no denying that there is not enough quality material on their third album to captivate a first-time listener's attention for very long.

Song Picks :

• DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake
• The Passenger
• What A Rush