./monroec

The Cure - Greatest Hits

This is, in my opinion, the definitive greatest hits collection. The tracks were chosen by Robert himself to showcase the band. While “Galore” gets better reviews, I find this release to be more complete.

Orbital - Don’t Stop Me/The Gun is Good

After six years, Orbital is back with a new single. The style has changed slightly and purists might complain. I feel the same with this as I do with the most recent Underworld single: I hope the album is better.

Lost 80’s Live
I plan on going to this event in August. Some great 80’s bands will play together for a series of one-off concerts. The band that sparks my interest the most is Gene Loves Jezebelle. A friend of mine loaned me a cassette eight years ago, and I was blown away. 80’s goth rock at its finest!

New Underworld album seems to be close. Here’s the new single featuring High Contrast:

I’m not sure how I feel about it yet.

I got a chance to cruise over to Huntington Beach after finishing up my wireless project in Buena Park, California.

I swam for a bit and walked up and down the boardwalk. Near Main street, there was a random group of people playing music. The tribal sound and its impromptu nature was awesome.

Doubting Thomas is a defunct, instrumental, side project composed of Dwayne and cEvin. As far as side projects are concerned, “The Infidel” is one of the best to come out of the bunch. cEvin and Ogre’s solo work are not easy to digest,  so I highly suggest picking this up. Dark electronic music flat out fascinates me.

The project is Industrial at heart but incorporates elements of Ambient, Break-Beat, and IDM. In fact, it is not far off from a “Download” album.

The new Massive Attack LP is a long awaited return to form. Their previous effort, “100th Window”,  was received as a bland solo effort. To be quite honest, it was. Two of the founding members had bailed, and the sound was significantly different.

With “Heligoland”, the duo brings back the sounds and textures more akin to “Protection” and “Mezzanine”. While the album is fantastic, it is no “Mezzanine” killer. It took three members to create Mezzanine, and we’re still one short.

If you don’t know Massive Attack, think again. You’ve already heard their music.

I talk an awful lot of shit when it comes to music. So I’ve decided to put myself to the test. Let’s take a look at my 25 most played:

What we see here is somewhat of an identity crisis. For a self hating Chilean, I’m doing a terrible job at avoiding one of their most popular bands - La Ley.

La Ley (Spanish for “The Law”) was a Grammy Award and two-time Latin Grammy Award-winning Chilean pop rock band formed by Andrés Bobe and Rodrigo Aboitiz with Mauricio Claveria, Beto Cuevas and Luciano Rojas. After a failed first album, Desiertos (1989), they released Doble Opuesto (1990), which appears as the official first album of the band. Singles like “Desiertos,” “Tejedores de Ilusión,” and “Prisioneros de la Piel” made them stars in Chile, Argentina and Mexico, especially after the release of La Ley, their second recording (1992). –WIKIPEDIA

Next, we see too much Assemblage 23. Ten years ago, I loved Assemblage 23 more than anything. Today, I’m sick and fucking tired of them. Every album is the same with the same god damned single.

Disappoing

“Did I disappoint you?
Did I let you down?
Did I stand on the shore
And watch you as you drowned?”

Collapse

“I’m suffocating with guilt
Asphyxiating on panic
And I can’t shake off this fear with which I’m bound”

SOMEBODY PLEASE GET THIS MAN AN OXYGEN TANK!

Lastly, I’m VERY disappointed (perhaps even asphyxiated?) that Paul Oakenfold is even on my list.

“Paul Oakenfold’s career was set to be a chef, after having hopes of becoming part of a band.” — WIKIPEDIA

Maybe that is why his cuts don’t mix. Early Oakenfold was smooth as butter. The later CD’s felt like random mash ups to me. Take a look at this POS. The TRUE milk and potatoes are right here: A Voyage into Trance or even Live In Oslo.

The only conclusion I can come up with are:

1. I’m full of shit
2. I love to hate music.

I think #2 is the winner. I start hating artists because I look too deep into the whole music making process. I’m far from a musician or authority, but certain elements of design are universal. When that fourth wall is broken, the illusion goes away and pisses me off.

With the new year, I’m cleaning out some of the stale music on my file server (shitbox music == Media Center music) and replacing with other notables. I believe it’s no longer the “shuffle” feature that’s broken, rather my lack of new music loaded onto the iPod.

As I search through my music, I see that there are multiple albums I’ve yet to listen. For example: what the fuck band is called 7VWWVW? In parenthesis it says “mammal”. What the fuck does that mean? When and why did I get this? I sit here in shock that there are over 50 Fabric releases. That shock is quickly followed by fear that I’ve forgotten to keep up with the Global Underground series. I never know how much Tiesto I really have. Do I file it under  Tiesto? DJ Tiesto? VA? Case logic 92 CD holder or ripped onto MP3s? Why can’t I find my Leftfield CD? Oh wait, was that a Sasha’s Xpander CD? Why do I have so much Laibach?

This whole thing is retarded.

As 2009 wraps up, I’d like to comment on my top three albums for the year. I’m purposely avoiding compilations and remixes.

Hip-Hop

Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon: The End Of Day

Kid Cudi broke out onto the mainstream with his mix tape “A Kid Named Cudi.” His popularity was already growing after having worked with Kanye West and Common. Overall, he’s a great rapper with an alternative Hip-Hop sound. Highly recommended.

Industrial/Noise

HEALTH - Get Color

HEALTH is an American Industrial/Noise-Rock band from LA. What makes them memorable is their use of haunting monotone vocals. Apparently this is their second album, and they have opened for NIN.

Psychedelic/Electronic

The Tear Garden - Have A Nice Trip

Essentially, The Tear Garden is Skinny Puppy meets Legendary Pink Dots. In this particular album, there is a stronger influence by Cevin Key (My opinion….). Overall, Edward Ka-Spel is as mystical/awesome as ever.

It’s a shame that 2009 did not have more notable releases. Here’s hoping for a better 2010!