Post-Modernistic Paranoia, Or Just Plain Crazy?

So I've been thinking about music reviews a lot recently, especially about their ability to push someone towards or away from a certain musical genre or band. Maybe it's just paranoia, but I'm suspicious of whether music reviews colour my opinion of bands that I might otherwise feel different about. Some reviews seem to just scream “this is a fucking good band, go buy the album now!” and some reviews tend to be a little morose about it, saying “if you want to waste your money on this post-grunge crap, be my guest.” In my opinion, a reviewer’s job is not to force upon you his or her own preferences but to make reference to the good and bad qualities in an album and let you decide. That’s the common misconception about criticism.

A good review doesn’t tell you whether you should like or dislike something. It discusses strengths and weaknesses and invites you to make up your own mind based on the information and perspective given to you. But then that’s it; perspective. Two different reviewers could find different positive and negative sides to an argument and then it’s up to you which one to trust. I guess my big worry is that what if, deep within my subconscious, there’s a Good Charlotte fan waiting to be let out and I tell myself “No, Martey, don’t go down that road! There are parts of ourselves that we are never meant to know…”

I worry that I’m being a hypocrite when I write my reviews, that I’m subliminally forcing my opinions upon those who read them. But then, as long as I’m true to my own ideas, and no one argues with me or points out my mistakes, I’m pretty sure I can deal with the slight nagging paranoia!

Reviewing the new Thom Yorke album ‘The Eraser’ when it comes out, so keep an eye open for that. Release date in the U.k. is 10 Jul 2006.

Martey <3

Muse - Black Holes and Revelations

Muse are a funny band, aren't they? Just when you think you know them, they go and change just about everything it is possible to change. I'm just surprised they haven't yet changed, say, their own names, intermarried and had the ugliest children the world has ever seen. Let's be honest here, it's the only surprise left for them. The new album can be described as the mix of pre-symbol Prince or Marilyn Manson on helium with some sort of Prodigy/Queen hybrid. The end result is something of great beauty and a continued haunting infatuation with war and global destruction. That said, Matt Bellamy is certainly taking us somewhere new.

Opening track, 'Take A Bow', takes over where 'Absolution' left off with dark space age synths and Matt's "2000 AD"-like preacherish declarations of sin and hell fire. From here, we're suddenly thrown into a tangent of tracks like 'Starlight' (an Abba gig on the moon) and 'Map Of The Problematique' - a dance-floor electro impersonation of a Bond theme. 'Supermassive Black Hole' brings a turn into space funk with their lead single. Already tearing up the airwaves, it sounds even more like the pure pop genius it undoubtedly is within the confines of the album. Hardcore fans scared off by the single take note; it'll all make sense when you hear it in context.

Every Muse album is jam packed with brilliant songs, as we know, but there's always one track which stands out completely, one song which you just know the boys sat down with for 40 minutes before even writing anything down. 'Showbiz' had 'Cave', 'Origins' had 'Bliss' (in my opinion, though you can argue 'Plug in Baby' and 'New Born' too), at the helm of 'Absolution' was 'Hysteria', of course. So what about 'Black Holes and Revelations'? Will it be 'Supermassive Black Holes', 'Map of the Problematique' or 'Knights of Cydonia'? Hard to say, really, they all have the makings of a track synonymous with the other leading examples. But in the end, it's 'Knights of Cydonia' I keep coming back to time and again, when the monk like chanting and a falsetto that will send canines running for cover kick in. Backed by a brass section and completely crammed with a maddening amount of vibrato, it's the first ever space western; the kind of song that would be great in post-River-awakening Firefly. A shootout at high noon for three minutes before we get a Muse-come-Queen Bohemian Rhapsody of harmonies. Mix in a good amount of an AC/DC sized riff and the world promptly ends.

The sad thing is, the whole album is going to scare off a lot of hardcore fans who won't grasp that change is good. Whereas 'Absolution' viewed the world in helplessness at the subjugation of humanity by corrupt world leaders and encroaching environmental or galactic disasters, 'Black Holes And Revelations' calls for nothing short of a global revolution. Yet again, Muse have shown us there is no end to the change they can reap upon themselves and their fans. The music in the 60's really didn't inspire the hippies to stage a world uprising (being that stoned leaves little room for action). Muse, however, have a shot at it. The time has come and the New Muse Order is on the rise.

8/10

Martey <3

Zero 7 - The Garden

If we're talking methphorically here, as we so often do, I want these guys to come and give my garden a make over. If, in some parallel universe, Zero 7 are actually gardeners, you can expect to see their creations buzzing with warm pop plantations, lush instrumentational hanging baskets, unobtrusive electronica evening lights, and '60s-style water-feature harmonies.

The first album had me hooked. Simple Things brought with it an echoing beauty normally represented in Greek myth as a beautiful naked woman with the rough sultry vocals and acoustic stratchings in songs like Destiny and Out of this World. Add that to a bowlful of wahwah and synth piano-flvaoured grapes and we get Distractions. Ok, we're picking on the obvious bests but still, it's an overview; deal with it. Following sharply with the, if possible, even better When It Falls, the band begin to develop their musical intuition further, experimenting with more bassy beginnings, as in Home and, on my part, an almost exclusive love of the acoustic Somersault. The title track openining with a similar electronica rising creshendo to the Garden's own Throw It Away.

So yes, the similarities are there, between the first two albums and Zero 7's latest creation, but what about the differences? The Garden has a more balanced calm-to-upbeat ratio, to start with, with songs such as You're My Flame and Futures more likely to get your foot tapping than the beautiful remix of Jose Gonzales' Crosses (who, by the way, makes a number of special appearences - not to be missed). To be as unbaised as I can be (Zero 7 are one of my top 3 bands of all time), I have to admit that the band took a huge risk, changing themsleves as much as they have clearly tried to. Although thoroughly brilliant albums, the first two did have a little too much in common; put them back to back on media player, hit shuffle and watch as those infidels who know not of Zero 7 struggle to pick one album apart from the other. Try this with The Garden, however, and the fresh, edgy and more experimental new album pokes it head up above the rest.

So after the first and second great albums, the Garden is Zero 7's first really out and out amazing creation, moving their music career in a new direction. This direction is still beautifully plush and atmospheric, stimulating your sensual mood. But, what differs on the Garden is their formula; subtract some of Zero 7's more typical downtempo elements (becoming a bore over time as numerous groups copy and paste it over and over again) and add in interesting elements of classic soul and we get the 60's/70's feel to it, which is socially conscious. While I salute downtempo groups who are so damn cool (Air) and while it hurts me to see downtempo groups become stagnant and repetative (Theivery), the Garden yet again places Zero 7 as the most interesting.

9/10

Marten <3

Up and Coming

Hay there. I'm Marten and I'm here to create the musical musings of the next generation. On a weekly basis, at least at first, there will be postations of my smartass comments and sassy innuendo on my favourite albums and new releases.

On top of my favourite releases, everyone loves a good bitch, so slating will be a plenty, as well as reviews of local bands around Dundee and gig's i have had the privilage (and money) to frequent.

Hype over, read up, kids.