Discogs Update 1

Okay so I uh got the discographies of Tarkio, In Flames, Ensiferum, Korpiklaani, and Turisas.  I was listening to a lot of Eluveitie and thought “hmm maybe I can listen to some bands that are similar.”  They toured with Ensiferum, Korpiklaani, and Turisas on Paganfest I think.  I got In Flames because the comment thread on last.fm said Eluveitie is really Gothenburg inspired and I’ve been meaning to listen to some more Gothenburg melodeth.  More than Blinded By Fear on Rock Band, I guess.  So far I sort of popped around on the albums, listened to a few tracks here and there. Left Rasputin on repeat for hours.  But the other day I listened to the first two In Flames albums and they are pretty unremarkable. I like the Jester Race way better than Lunar Strain.  The growls were much more approachable.  I really dont like that whole screechy black metal scream.  Give me solid death growls please.  I’m also starting to dislike cleans over metal. Unless its like Beauty & the Beast Epica stuff.  Turisas is an exception, but they’re basically power metal and if you are growling power metal you are doing something wrong.

I think the real draw of Turisas is how even though they’re trying to throw this pagan, viking appearance of raping and pillaging etc, they’re really a family friendly band. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its a real boon to me when I find good metal that isn’t Fistfucking God’s Planet with Christraping Black Metal. Sometimes I don’t want to compromise my morals when I listen to music I love.  I just want to sit back and enjoy the riffs. I think its important that a Young Mormon in today’s world have the chance and opportunity to sit back and enjoy a moment immersed in music that, while maybe not as spiritually uplifting as say MoTab, isn’t utterly repulsive to the Spirit. I’d play Rasputin for President Monson if he wanted to hear a cool song.

Music I Care About at 2am on a Thursday

JC Chasez made the best album ever.  Seriously, music should have just stopped in 2003.  Schizophrenic is a collection of songs that are jaw-dropping in every possible way.  A mix of dancy electro-pop, mellow electro-pop, electro-funk, and full on boy band, its astounding the absolute groove you get into when spinning this disc.  All Day Long I Dream About Sex (AD[L]IDAS) is like the catchiest song I have ever heard.  Apparently JC is supposed to release a new album this year??? If its anywhere near as good as Schizophrenic, it will be Album of the Year 4shure. And the real jimmy on this sundae is JC being an ex-member of N*Sync. I was not a fan of N*Sync back during the glory days. I called them N*Stink whenever I got the opportunity, including the one time I got on the air on Radio Disney. I was a diehard Backstreet Boys fanboy, I had all their albums, I had posters, I had VHSes, I saw them live for goodness sake. I feel dirty, like I’m betraying the Boys, but Schizophrenic is so amazing. Part parody of Justified, part sincere solo work, part over-the-top, Gunther-level sexual grooving, its too good to let pass by.

Okay just read the JC Chasez article on Wikipedia.  Apparently he worked on Unbreakable with the Backstreet Boys and his new album, Kate, is due out in 2008 after being postponed from last year.  I hope the intervening years havent corrupted him, since Unbreakable totally blew.  Listening to Treat Me Right (the JC/AJ team up track off Unbreakable) and really its unmistakably Chasez influenced.  The claps and the goofy synth that are his trademarks are pretty strongly present here. These Backstreet harmonies are really hurting the track though.  The synth melody sounds a lot like With or Without You P:,’

There is one (1) good track on Soviet Kitsch by Regina Spektor.  Sailor Song.  But it is such an amazingly bright gem in the otherwise boring gravel pit that is Soviet Kitsch. Yeah, Regina, you’re right.  Maryanne is a bitch. Why doesnt she just take her dress off, I mean she’s kissing til her lips bleed as is. Americana, Tropicana.

I uh Procured like six gigs of Van Morrison the other day, and let me just say I long just to hold you tight so i can feel you, sweet lady of the night.  I shall reveal you.  Turn it up, turn it up, little bit higher, radio.  Turn it up, thats enough, so you know, its got soul. Radio, radio, turn it up, radio.

So I Totally Forgot About This

As hard as i tried, still forgot.  Oh well.  In the mean time, since the last post i have:  Seen Eisley, The Myriad, and Regina Spektor, downloaded like 50 more Rock Band tracks, and very nearly finished high school. I also got a first place on a hard vocals track, broke 100 on an on-disc expert guitar track, and got myself banned from SH.  All in all a good couple of months.

I’m using Windows Live Writer which is v.jizzworthy at this point.  Still figuring out how to use it, and i doubt ill be taking most of its significant features into use but hey its pretty slick.