Vinyl Spotlight: The Mountain Goats - Satanic Messiah

The Mountain Goats - Satanic Messiah

Previously reviewed album available in a physical medium as a double 7" vinyl only on The Mountain Goats fall tour. It is out of a pressing of 666. A few copies were previously available at 3 Beads of Sweat, but no longer.

Review: The Mountain Goats - Satanic Messiah

Don't let the album title scare you. The Mountain Goats are not some Norwegian death metal band. The Mountain Goats are a folk rock band led by singer/songwriter John Darnielle. I had not heard much about the band before hearing this album.

Satanic Messiah is a series of four low-key piano rock songs. John will throw in an acoustic guitar here or there, but these are very simple songs for the most part. The music is simply a vehicle for John's great songwriting. He can tell simple stories or intense narratives, but both are delivered in his own quirky style.

The album starts off with a strummed acoustic guitar and single piano notes. John then draws you in with his unique staccato delivery. It's just different enough not to be boring and leaves you wanting more. Then the next song starts and you do get more, but it's more of exactly the same sadly. It starts with a simple, strummed guitar this time backed with a simple synth line. It's not bad, but it doesn't grab you like before.

These songs are not bad. They are all quite pleasant actually. It's just that they sound like the continuation of the same song and when John's songwriting isn't grabbing your attention, it can get boring. On the last song, "Gojam Province 1968", John's songwriting takes over and finishes the album with anthemic lyrics that draw you in.

The best part about the album is that you can get it for free or with a small donation here in MP3, FLAC, AAC, or AIFF (apparently the domain name satanicmessiah.com wasn't already taken).

Highs: "Sarcofago Live", "Gojam Province 1968"
Lows: "Wizard Buys a Hat"

Mp3: Album (.Zip)

Rating: 6.8

The Black Angels - Spokane, WA (10/26/2008)

The Black Angels were force to be reckoned with on their first ever concert in Spokane. They brought their psychedelic sound to the surprisingly spacious Big Dipper. The played a healthy dose of songs from their newest album Directions to See a Ghost. They even had copies of the 3 x LP for sale. It is part of a limited pressing that has been sold out on Light in the Attic records for some time.

There set included some 13th Floor Elevators covers. Makes sense since they will be opening for Elevators frontman Roky Erickson beginning in Seattle on Oct. 28th and for four shows following.

Flickr, Last.fm

Setlist

1. Mission District
2. Sniper at the Gates of Heaven
3. Black Grease
4. Empire
5. Better Off Alone
6. Haunting at 1300
7. Science Killer
8. Young Men Dead
9. Bad Vibrations
10. Splash 1
11. You in Color
12. You on the Run
13. Snake in the Grass
14. Rollercoaster

Tracks 1, 7, 11, 12, 13 - from Directions to See a Ghost
Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 - from Passover
Track 6 - Unreleased; previously played at WOXY lounge session
Tracks 10, 14 - 13th Floor Elevators covers from The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor
Elevators
Track 9 - ?

Lost!!!

I noticed a striking similarity between two songs from completely different bands. Take a listen to Coldplay's "Lost!"

.

Now take a listen to this song by... Blue Oyster Cult



I'm not saying Coldplay stole their song, but I am saying they have a very similar style. Coldplay has been accused of stealing songs before.



Either way, Coldplay has the Prospekt's March EP out in November. Which includes a remix of "Lost!" with Jay-Z called "Lost+". The song "Glass of Water" from the EP was performed for the first time recently in Antwerp. The live performance includes a guest spot by Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes.

The Art Of The Scream

So this is what it's come to? Screaming is an artform now. Apparently, there are two schools of thought in modern metal music; inhale versus exhale screaming. I can't for the life of me understand what has become of "metal" music. There is an article over at Metal Inquisition (Yes, a link from a blog to a blog) with a number of youtube videos illustrating what inhale screaming is. It sounds like a bad parody to me.

For me, metal music has always been about one thing: The Riff. Unless you're Rob Halford, you're vocals should just stay out of the way. I can't count the number times I've listened to a new death-grind-doom-funeral or whatever metal band that is supposed to be the new thing, when the "singer" comes in growls out his personal poetry book in an incomprehensible cacophony. It doesn't help that whoever is mixing these albums feels the need to jack up the snare, bass drum, and vocal levels so that the guitar and bass become an annoying buzz.

Here are some songs that might be cool if they were instrumental:

Top 903 Albums Of All Time

KEXP Seattle is counting down it's top 903 albums of all time right now. The albums were chosen by listeners via online submission. The albums lean toward the indie side because of the listener base, but we'll see how it pans out. The list is due to finish up on Friday at the end of their pledge drive.

My submissions included:

Neil Young - Live Rust
Pink Floyd - Meddle
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
Band of Gypsys - Band of Gypsys
The Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground & Nico
Metallica - Kill 'Em All
Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables
Modest Mouse - This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About

Live Rust already came in at #513 and Dead Kennedys came in at #415.

You can keep tabs on the list here.

Vinyl Spotlight: Man Man - Little Torments

Man Man - Little Torments

New "EP" (It's only two songs) from Obey Your Brain. Out now.