Black Flag- Loose Nut

By 1985, Black Flag had evolved from a pioneering hardcore punk band to a punk influenced quasi-metal band. Greg Ginn grew disenchanted with the confines of punk rock in and of itself and he took the band in a totally different direction. Rather than focusing on the style of music that got them a devoted following, Ginn decided to have the band focus on slower, more melodic music. If nothing else, it showed the band to be much more talented musically then most bands of their era. Talent however, only gets you so far in music. You need to be able to create something that people would want to hear. The style shift alienated the band from much of their fan-base, who was pretty much looking for another album like Damaged. If you look for a punk album, be prepared to be heavily disappointed. As a metal album, Loose Nut (SST Records, 1985) is a mixture of good and bad.

Black Flag’s later work showed the limitations that are so often found in punk rock, threw those aside and created some very influential music. Many “grunge” bands held up Black Flag’s later style as an influence. Even for those grunge bands that did not cite Black Flag as a basis for their music, the sound of albums like Loose Nut is similar to many grunge records, almost a foreshadowing of the popular music about a half-decade in advance.

On Loose Nut, guitarist Greg Ginn built upon his unique style found on Black Flag’s previous record, Slip it In. His metal riffs mixed in with some lingering hardcore punk sensibilities are a joy to listen to…for a few songs. After a while, it just starts to sound the same, the songs blend into one another way too much. There are some definite highlights of Ginn’s style on the album, with the high point being his solo during the song Bastard in Love and the entire composition Best One Yet.

While the rhythm section of bassist Kira Roessler and drummer Bill Stevenson is competent; neither really breaks any new ground on the album. They do however, provide the backbone for Ginn’s guitar work and while nothing sticks out in their performance, they do not bring down the record. Singer Henry Rollins is his typical self, bringing intensity to the album that became a trademark of his. He could make Gospel songs sound bad-ass. If he wasn’t present on this album, it would be easily forgettable. His emotional outbursts on the album take pretty average metal songs and turn them into something much more palatable. Not for everyone, Loose Nut is an album for those looking to hear everything from Black Flag, but it’s not exactly their finest hour.

Grade---C

Love You Moon- Waxwane

Put simply, Matt Embree is among the most talented musicians in current alternative music. His work as guitarist/singer/songwriter for the RX Bandits has been groundbreaking. The band has created music that is innovative and complex while still maintaining a style that even non-musicians can appreciate. Love You Moon is the solo side-project of Embree where he plays acoustic guitar and sings. On Waxwane, he continues his musical journey with some impassioned songs that run the gamut lyrically from love to politics while showing off his ability with an acoustic guitar.

Embree has a very distinctive voice and his vocal range is pretty impressive. Due to this, the songs on Waxwane have more emotion then they would with another singer. The album was recorded live, which is one of Embree’s hallmarks, as the last three RX Bandits albums have also been recorded live. This is a vital aspect of the album, as it allows him to show that he can create a strong album without relying on studio effects. So many rock bands nowadays have such heavy effects on their records that it is a detriment to the sound rather than an enhancement. Embree shuns this in his albums and it should also be mentioned that he used analogue techniques during the recording of this album.

The music on Waxwane is relatively bare bones in that most of them are Embree, a guitar and the listener. RX Bandits band mate/drummer Chris Tsagakis makes some appearances on drums and Lauren Coleman adds some back-up vocals on some tracks. Honestly, if it was just Embree on these songs it would be enough for an enjoyable experience.

The first song on the album is Screams in a Vacuum, which sets the tone for the rest of the album. A five minute song with just Embree and his guitar contains some of his best lyrics on any album of his yet, including his work with RX Bandits and The Sound of Animals Fighting. The album does have many political statements within it, as the song The Last Words of Nicholas Berg shows. As much as the record does have a political slant at points, it’s never overbearing for those who disagree with his views. That’s worth mentioning since some bands that have politics in their music tend to be divisive.

Really, there isn’t that many negative moments on Waxwane. It’s not an all-time classic however it’s an album that wears its emotions on its sleeve. Embree released the record in 2008 on Sargent House/Mash Down Babylon Records, and if you can pick it up, then give it a shot. For someone who is looking for a laid-back album with deep lyrics and great guitar work then give Waxwane a shot.

Grade---B+

Bad Religion- Into the Unknown

When I think of Bad Religion, I think of hard, fast punk rock. Into the Unknown is the complete antithesis of that. After releasing the album How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, the band went in a totally different direction, focusing on progressive rock heavy on synthesizers. It was quite the departure from their previous work. The fans voiced their displeasure and the album’s musical direction was quickly abandoned by the band, which thankfully went back to their punk rock style on the Back to the Known EP.

The question is whether the album is any good. I wasn’t alive back in 1983 when the album was released on Epitaph Records, but if I heard it back then, I’d say it sucked. In 2010, it still sucks. I give the band lots of credit for trying something totally new and expanding the band’s musical ability. With that aside, Bad Religion wasn’t meant to create the style of music present on Into the Unknown. The album has been out of print since the early 1980s with no plans for a re-release by the band.

Most bands that completely change styles abruptly tend to have one main issue. That issue being that the band isn’t that adept at creating music in that genre. Not to say that the guys from Bad Religion are bad musicians, they are very talented…in the punk rock genre. I don’t hate the fact that they experimented, but the album sounds like a whole new band, not Bad Religion trying something new. That’s the main issue with this record, it sounds like a crappy version of Rush rather than Bad Religion.

Thankfully, this album is only eight tracks that do sound like a cohesive unit. It’s not like the tracks don’t seem to fit with one another. They actually do quite well and the album flows fine. That is probably where the positives end. Why the band decided to go in the prog-rock direction has never really been documented in interviews with the band, but as I said they smartened up quickly and went back to their original style. If I had to pick one track that stands up though many listens, it’s probably the third track Billy Gnosis. It’s a pretty good prog-rock song which proves that the album is not a total loss. Greg Graffin sounds out of place on the record, he seems almost unsure of his voice. A failed experiment to say the least, it costs a lot of money on Ebay on vinyl and isn’t even worth 10 bucks, except to hear one of the biggest let-downs in the history of punk music.

Grade---D-

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez- Se Dice Bisonte, No Bufalo

My first exposure to Omar Rodriguez-Lopez’s solo work came about a few months ago as I was researching about John Frusicante and his collaborators. I was intrigued by the experimental style of music that Lopez records, and went to my local record store (Tunes in Hoboken, NJ) and picked up Se Dice Bisonte, No Bufalo. As a fan of his previous band At The Drive In, I knew the album was going to be an experience...what kind I did not know. Fortunately, the experience was nothing but positive and the music took me on a trip as I listened to it alone in the dark in my room with my eyes closed. There are some albums that are meant to be heard in their entirety, and this is one of them. This is due mostly to the fact that the songs flow into one another and to hear one random cut doesn’t make sense a lot of the time.

The album starts with a 26 second song entitled The Lukewarm, which is basically a bunch of ambient sounds that gets you ready for the album, and it leads into Luxury of Infancy, a solo guitar piece that is just fun to listen to. It is far too short though, at just over a minute, but combined with the opening set of sounds, is a pretty good start to the record. There are very few traditional songs, if you describe a song as a vocalist with a backing band. Those songs are a breath of fresh air while the instrumentals seem to blend into one another after a while. That was probably done intentionally as the album really is an experience from beginning to end.

Along for the ride with Rodriguez-Lopez, is Mars Volta band mate/singer Cedric Bixler Zavala, who provides the vocals/lyrics to the record. His unique voice brings so much to the music on Se Dice… just as his cadence has on many At The Drive In/Mars Volta albums. He is one of the top lyricists in rock today, and his presence on the album is vital. Also making an appearance is the aforementioned Frusicante who contributes guitars to the track If Gravity Lulls, I Can Hear The World Pant. It’s not the most accessible album to those who are looking for a typical rock record. It is however, a record that shows off Rodriguez-Lopez’s talent as a guitar player and producer.

In terms of negatives on the album, there really aren’t that many. As mentioned, it’s not the easiest album to listen to if you don’t like progressive rock or music with many mood shifts. That fact alone makes it hard to recommend to the average listener. You really have to have an open mind to enjoy this record. It’s a great listen for the most part, it just gets really “busy” at times and the ambient sounds mentioned may throw off people who don’t expect it. Still, Se Dice…is a very solid release that was recorded in 2005 but not released until 2007 on his own label Omar-Rodriguez Lopez Productions.

Grade---B+

Bayside- Live at the Bayside Social Club

It’s hard to not lump Bayside in with pretty much every “emo” band out in the wilderness that is popular music. Based purely on their style of music it is pretty easy to do so. Also, being on Victory Records doesn't help their cause, as this album was released in 2008 on the Victory label, one that is known for their pop-punk acts. At the same time, Bayside has something about them that makes their music less cookie-cutter then many of the other bands of their genre. Part of it has to do with the fact that they are a great live band. This album proves that. Fans of the band say “Bayside is a Cult”. In some ways that is true, as Bayside has an extremely dedicated group of fans. Another reason that they are more unique then their contemporaries is that they have released an acoustic album which didn’t totally suck. It shows that the band can actually create interesting music outside of the “emo” genre.

Don’t get me wrong, if you are looking for groundbreaking music that pushes the limit of what can be done musically, this isn’t the album for you. If you’re looking for an album that is well-played with some great guitar solos from guitarist Jack O’Shea, then give it a shot. The fact is that Bayside is not the most original band to ever walk the earth, but they create some layered music in the studio that actually translates to the stage. This is reason enough to give the album a decent grade.

As mentioned, O’Shea really plays well on this record. He doesn’t really do anything that over the top; however his solo on the song The Walking Wounded is pretty good. To compare him to Frusicante or Matt Embree may be pushing it, but for what it is, he definitely has talent and this album highlights it. Singer Anthony Raneri has a better voice then many of his “emo” peers, and his ability to use his voice to create a vibe of emotion makes the music have some staying power once the album is over.

There are some negatives on this album besides the ones mentioned above. The sound quality was good…almost too good. It seems like that there was some studio enhancement on the record, since the crowd seemed to be at the perfect volume for the entire album. The cheering never made a dent in the reception of the instruments. Something seems a bit fishy there. The lack of originality is a bit off-setting as well. Still, Live at the Bayside Social Club is a pretty good record for the most part.

Grade---B-

Bad Brains- Bad Brains

Regarded by some as the definitive hardcore punk album, Bad Brains self-titled album does live up to its reputation. If a person is a fan of punk music, look in their collection. If this album isn’t there, do them a favor and buy it for them. It makes a great gift, as the tunes are timeless for fans of the genre. Released in 1982 on Reach Out International Records (ROIR), it quickly made waves in the hardcore punk world. Four black men playing a style of music that was heavily dominated by white bands was revolutionary. Also, the band was part of the Rastafarian movement which made their music even deeper. Not only a hardcore band, Bad Brains also played some adept reggae tunes on the album as well to show their mellow side. It was a bit of a shocking tempo change on the album, and it shows the band’s musical talent.

The main catalyst to the band’s overall sound and stage presence is lead singer H.R. Looking at tapes of the band live during the early 1980s, he was a wild mustang of enthusiasm on stage. His dancing and delivery of the lyrics are legendary. His rapid-fire delivery of lyrics is probably most evident on the song “Pay to Cum”. Even for a fan of early 80s punk rock music, I still have no idea what some of the words are, and I have heard this song probably 200 times (no joke). His scream heading into the song “Banned in D.C.” really gets you amped up for the lightening fast song that is probably my favorite track on the album. The speed of the music is still faster than most songs present in punk today, almost 30 years later.

As much as H.R. is important in the band’s style, it wouldn’t mean much if the band behind him was sub-par. The good news is that the actual musicianship outweighs the contributions from the singer. Dr. Know is probably one of the best guitar players to come out of the punk scene of the 1980s. He, along with Greg Ginn of Black Flag took the concept of punk rock guitarist and turned it into an art form. He is probably at his best during the reggae tunes however. He could play fast punk songs, but the ability to play slower songs is almost more impressive.

The rhythm section of Earl Hudson on drums and Darryl Jennifer on bass also ranks among the top in the punk genre. Like I said, the mixture of hardcore punk and mellow reggae shows that this band was about more than just playing as fast as possible. This album was among the first hardcore punk records to really define the genre. From the first cut to the last, Bad Brains self-titled album ranks as probably the best example of early 1980s hardcore punk/reggae music.

Grade---A+

Senses Fail- Let It Enfold You

It’s funny how time can change your opinion of an album. When this album was released in 2004 (my Junior Year of High School), I didn’t stop listening to it for at least a few months. I guess that shows my lack of musical knowledge at the time. Then again, I was looking for an album I could blast out of my car speakers that was loud and had screaming. Let It Enfold You fit that bill, so I figure I got what I was looking for. In terms of the “screamo” genre (if you can call it a genre), the album is mediocre at best. If you’re looking for screaming, loud guitars, and pointless lyrics…then look no further.

Give credit where it’s due. Senses Fail came about in the early part of the previous decade and was able to ride the coat-tails of the screamo movement by creating an album that pandered to the “Hot Topic” crowd. Like I said, I once enjoyed this album…sadly. To say that the studio enhanced the band’s music/Buddy Nielsen’s vocals would be the understatement of the year. Go on Youtube and find a live cut of theirs from this era. I saw them live and let me tell you…these guys were among the worst live bands I have ever seen.

There was one good point from this album however. I don’t want to say all negative things; at least the song titles are inventive. The best cut on the album is Rum is for Drinking, not for Burning. It’s less than three minutes long and is a pretty good song to be honest. It is actually one of the top 10 screamo songs I have heard. Still, other than that one song, the album is very forgettable. You can tell the album was produced to the point where all the life that was present in the music was sucked out of it. When I was 18 years old, this album would get a solid B. Oh, how times have changed.

Grade---D-

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Californication

After the disappointing 1995 album One Hot Minute, the Red Hot Chili Peppers brought back guitarist John Frusicante for their 1999 album Californication released on Warner Bros. Records. After a five year descent into a drug hell that left him near death, Frusicante kicked heroin and emotionally accepted an invitation back into the band in 1998. At that point, the Chili Peppers were at a pivotal point in their career. After the failed experiment with Dave Navarro on guitar, the next album appeared to be the one that would make or break their career. Enter Frusicante, who was the catalyst to the bands successful album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. It’s no shock that the Peppers have had their best selling albums with Frusicante on guitar, mostly because his style fit the band like no one else yet.

It’s been over 10 years since this album came out (went by REAL fast) and looking back at it, it really does seem like an album created by a band in transition. Frusicante was still in the process of recovering from his drug use both personally and professionally and singer Anthony Kiedis began using drugs again during the creation of the album/the tour that followed. Still, even with these issues surrounding the recording, the album still ranks as one of the top albums of 1999. Look past the hits and dive a bit deeper, you might be surprised with what you find.

My favorite song on the album is Right on Time. It shows off every member of the bands unique talents. Anyone who has heard the Peppers earlier work knows that Kiedis used to rap the songs as he was not the best singer before taking lessions. This song is a bit of a throwback as it combines Kiedis’s rapping with Flea’s funk-slap bass work. Chad Smith holds the beat with some furious drumming and Frusicante shows off his falsetto in the background that he would use more on subsequent albums.

Don’t get me wrong, the hits off the album are songs that will be played on the classic rock station in 20 years, but for a band coming off of/experiencing so much turmoil, it’s really a remarkable album. It was the beginnings of the band’s most successful period and really set the stage for what was to come in the years to follow. Simply put it was a great album that had very few low points.

Grade---A-

The Smashing Pumpkins- Zeitgeist

As the newest full length release by The Smashing Pumpkins, Zeitgeist is in some ways brilliant, and in others a total letdown. It’s hard to call this album a Smashing Pumpkins album since the only original members are singer/guitarist/songwriter Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. On the record, Corgan also provides bass parts, played keyboards and produced the album, along with Chamberlin. In essence, it is Corgan and Chamberlin collaborating, not a Smashing Punpkins album. Still, there is some good music to be found here, and it does show off the talent of these two individuals, if nothing else.

Say what you will about Billy Corgan but it’s hard to deny the man is a talented musician. After this album, it seems that it has become “cool” to rip Corgan for even creating this album in the first place. All Music said that “returning to his marquee name gave this reunion a sense of desperation, as if he had nowhere else to go.” That sentiment was not uncommon by music reviewers when the album came out in 2007 on Reprise Records. Still there were some positive reviews with Rolling Stone giving the album four stars. The fans have spoken, as the album was certified Gold by the RIAA in 2007.

From the opening song, Doomsday Clock (one of the heaviest Pumpkins songs yet) to the ending Pomp and Circumstances the album is a roller coaster ride. With heavy studio-enhanced guitar work, Corgan also layers the parts to such an extent where it almost becomes too much to handle. It’s like he went for the most complicated compositions he could come up with. Modesty has not been the hallmark of the Pumpkins over their long career and this album is no different.

Chamberlin shows on this album that he is still among the top echelon of rock drummers. It could be argued that he is at his best here. He sure had to be, since a sub-par performance would have dragged this album down from average to a failure. The work of Chamberlin is really what makes this album what it is. Corgan has always made grand statements with his music but it seems at this point that he has gone overboard, almost like he is trying too hard.

Grade---C-

The Clash- London Calling

As one of the most overrated albums in the history of punk rock music, the idea that London Calling is an all-time classic album is lost on me. Released in 1980 on Epic Records in the United States, The Clash created an album that reached mainstream success while other albums that were just as “groundbreaking” aren’t as heralded. The Clash was referred to by some as “The Only Band That Matters.” That’s pretentious on the part of their fans/the media/their record label to say the least.

London Calling, as mentioned, is in my book, completely overrated. At this point, it seems like most people who rate this album so high are almost looking at it from a nostalgic point of view. You could argue that other albums were just as innovative at the time. Bands coming up in the United States during that time were also creating a new movement that would change music as well.

What then sets London Calling apart from those other albums? Not really all that much. Maybe the fact that band was actually able to play their instruments competently and in a few styles was the reason. There were definitely other bands that could do that though. The art-rock scene of New York and the hardcore scene of California/Washington DC were just as vital to punk as The Clash was.

Joe Strummer was among the top punk singers of his era. Mick Jones was a very talented guitarist who created some great riffs on this album and influenced a generation of guitarists. All of this is great. However, other albums from the same time (Television’s Marquee Moon for example) have all that in their music as well. As for making political statements, you can’t tell me that The Clash was the first punk band doing that either. The reason this album is ranked so high is that it reached mainstream success. There were other albums that got great reviews at the time that didn’t reach the general consumer that were just as good or better as London Calling.

Grade---C+

Ataxia- Automatic Writing

Every now and then, an album comes along that merges different musicians of various styles who create something totally fresh and different. Automatic Writing is a great example of that. Featuring current Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Klinghoffer (on drums), John Frusciante on guitar and Fugazi’s Joe Lally on bass, Ataxia was mainly a studio band. They created about 80 minutes of music during their brief time together, half of which was released as the Automatic Writing EP in 2004 on the Record Collection label.

A mostly experimental rock album, it sounds like very few albums out there. Those knowing the band’s connection to the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be very surprised at the direction that this band takes. It shows the musical ability of Klinghoffer more than anything since he is a guitarist by trade yet on this album plays drums while contributing lead vocals on Another. Frusicante produced the record as well as the lead vocalist on the other tracks while playing guitar and Lally shows his proficiency on bass. Playing mostly post-punk/indie alternative rock with Fugazi, he plays in a style that brings to mind some of the Mars Volta bass work.

One of the best aspects of this album is the vocal job done by Frusicante and Klinghoffer. Hearing Klinghoffer on this record as a lead vocalist shows that the background vocals for the Chili Peppers is in good hands. He doesn’t hit the high notes at the same level as Frusicante, however he has good control over his voice. Speaking of Frusicante, his performance is typical of his albums from that era. A mixture of falsetto high notes mixed in with some unclear enunciation as he slurs words both sung and screamed.

Automatic Writing is not the kind of album you can appreciate song by song. Instead, it should be taken in as an experience. Hearing the album at 2 AM from beginning to end and letting the music take you into another dimension is highly recommended. I know it seems like this site is full of high grades, just know there are some low ones coming. Automatic Writing is a great auditory journey that everyone should take at least once.

Grade---A