Alex's Top Five Albums of All Time (2)

Anathallo - Floating World - Artist Freidnship Society (2006)

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Anathallo screams fresh, the seven piece from Mt Pleasant took over my world a year or so ago, and still they do not go unheard for more than a week - which just shows they are a force to be reckoned with, especially with all the music that i have waying down my back.

Anathallo's music is the kind where, ok, let me put it this way. You are 16, you walk into your room after your mother has just yelled at you to clean it and you look at the floor. What first runs through your mind is where the hell do i start? with the clothes on the floor or the dust collecting on your turntable? well this is how i feel right now beginning this review. Although this 'clutterdness' may put the general listener off, it is this that makes Anathallo such a refreshing and breathtaking band in this modern era of...well...crap really.

There are a few things that Anathallo have done to make this, their first effort into the world of long plays, such a formidable force of aural pleasure. Let's run through them shall we!

(1) You cannot, i repeat CANNOT go wrong with Japanese folktales. The album, centred around four pieces of musicianship (entitled Hanasakajiiji) follows the Japanese native tale of a super dog (i think) and it somehow meshes with the fairytale-esque, fantastical atmosphere that the album oozes of constantly. In addition the Japanese lyrics take the listener out of the comfort zone of English - juxtaposing what you thought was predictable is now the unpredictable, something every album should encompass and this one has mastered the craft.

(2) Diverse instrumentation has propelled this band well past their physical age. The record waxes in maturity and gloates with such fantastic musical interplay. You will hear, and i kid you not, anything from trombones and trumpets to bricks (yes bricks) and velcro (serlsy wtf?). You will sit there and wonder in amazement how these 20 somethings have pulled it off, but they do in stunning fashion. The guitars are still there, the drums are still there and the bass too, but it's how the individual performances meld with each other to create a wonderful collaborative effort that form a central strength for this record.

(3) Vocal harmonies and damn catchy pop tunes. The first thing that drew me to this band was there beautiful and rich vocal harmonies. Their ability to blend chanting backing vocals with a frontman, their craft at intertwining delicate female vocals with chirpy male interplay (Dokkoise House) provides the audience with a certain elation and happiness.

(4) Piano. Used with fine delicacy, you can literally feel the keys being pressed lightly as a feather and as harshly as a mallet depending on what the troupe want you to feel. Once again, im going to drivvle on about this bands maturity, but you cannot look past the way these men and women use their art to its full effect. They certainly understand that silence within music is just as important as the sound itself, and they've tapped into this thought so well throughout the album. There are times when the listener tries to predict when the next note will eminate, leaving you feeling silly because where you thought you were going to hear a piano note, you don't, and realise that it is much better placed where the band intended. I hope you followed that.

(5) Lastly, i want to note the progressive nature of the music itself. The songs, although broken up into fourteen wonderfully ordered tracks, flow well together and play not as an album of songs, but one tale on a record. NOthing is isolated and everything is connected, it leaves you with a tremendous sense of achievement when hearing the last Japanese words ring true in your ears. The album is constantly evolving, and thus grabbing your attention in every respect. It is definately an album that demands attention to every facet, every second can and will command you and that is why this album does not fail. At all.

Although very delightful and awe-inspiring, the album does have it's darker moments. Light and shade are engulfed respectfully and it gives the record a finishing gloss that is hardly found in music today. Anathallo are easily one of my favourite bands, and i feel an extreme amount of gratitude to Luke Garnett for directing me to this bands unique and completely flawless style.

Alex's Top Five Albums of All Time (3)

Bear Vs Shark - Righ Now You're in the Best of Hands. And if Something Isn't Quite Right, Your Doctor Will Know in a Hurry (2003)

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Sorry....i have to just catch my breath after ....that ridiculously....long....album title...
But seriously, let's get things straight, Bear Vs Shark hail(ed) from Highland Michigan and they had a knack for incredibly absurd titles of albums or songs - their final release however was only a one word affair. Needles to say, when you pop this disc in there is a multitude of energy and fun waiting for you, with a few out pourings of niceness here and there. Niceness? come on Alex what does this mean? read on.

SO what do they actually sound like - well if we are to go by their wiki descript, we are talking post-hardcore (wtf is that Alex). TBH i don't really know myself, so im going to lable these guys punk rock - of the summer drive with windows down yelling at the top of your lungs variety.

Ma Jolie (the opening track) introduces the listener to a clap happy fun filled atmosphere, with a light hearted guitar underneath Marc Paffi's unmistakable vocals. Paffi's voice for some reason is unique enough to hold your attention and imperfect enough (yes imperfect vocals are a good thing) for the fan to sing along with. His uniquness also contributes to the fact that his scream doesn't mimick every other screamer out there, it is fresh everytime. As the song closes we get a nice little scope of Paffi's metaphorical lyrics,

"this is a poem, a combination of a sentence broken up to form a rhythm,
You are a poem, little pieces of my senses broken up to form an image"

"We Were Sad But NOw We're Rebuilding" is another gem that begs you to repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat...ok you get the point don't you. If you hunt the lyrics down for this album you will not look back. Track six, "Kylie" is ushered in with wonderfully toned guitar plucking, Paffi sings lightly over the guitar before the drum snare is tapped with excellent subtelty,

"Paint me a picture, a unique image of your inner kept feelings, Kylie say the words with silent ears and silent hands. Ive seen the boat and it seems to be sinking, i've seen the boat and it's stuck on dry land"

And it builds into a crescendo, with Paffi screaming for the one he loves (that's how i see it anyway). It would have to be one of the most personal and moving punk rock songs i have ever heard, in fact, it is so special that Paffi refused to play it live. Ever.

"MPS" and "Second" carry on in a slow manner, which is well placed for the absolute rockin you're gonna do in the latter half of the record. We reach the song "Bloodgiver" and it's hard to top this one, a BvS classic that is full of energy from Paffi, thick basslines, airy guitars, precise drumming and a build that would uplift a manic depressive from the lowest of lows.

To tell you the truth, i never really appreciated rock until i heard this album. This record, the first release of two from this amazing band, defined what it was to give it your all, not only on pressings but at shows and anything else in life. This record stopped me listening and made me interact with the sounds coming from my stereo. So it definately has earned it's spot in my top five.

And if you were wondering, a bear would win....easily.

Clink

Am I Exctied?

SO ask me...am i excited? you bet your ass i am.

About five minutes ago i pre-ordered my copy of Canopy Glow, the new LP from Anathallo - and even though ive heard the leak, im still fecking exctied tor eceive it in my mail whenever it arrives. I also purchased a shirt along with it whihc im equally excited about. But alas, it cost me big bucks as the aussie dollar is doing very crap against the American currency. Please dont ask me how much my order was....it makes me sad jaja.

In other news i received my full license in the mail today which is exceptional news, i have a senior first aid cours ein the works and my first management shift next wednesday, life is busy.

Stay tuned for my third fave record of all time, peace out...

Alex's Top Five Albums of All Time (4)

Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American (Self-Titled - post 9/11)

If you are a human being and experiance emotions then go out and grab this album as soon as freaking possible. Jimmy Eat World's follow up to the massive cult hit "clarity" is nothing short of perfection. You obviously have been living under a rock if you never experienced the rediculously catchy pop single "the middle" (im talking to you Ashbee!)

It was an extremely over-played single, but hey, it sounds as fresh as it did back then and damned if you don't have your stereo at maximum capacity singing the chorus badly (like i do all the time!!!)

What I absolutely LOVE (and adore) (Ling Na) about this stunning album is that one second you are singing along to the catchiest, most adorable hook and a track later you are almost brought to tears by brilliant instrumentation and sincere, heart-felt lyrics (thankyou Jim Adkins btw). JEW (what an acronym) while diverse, stick to their own unique style of emotion, pop and in a couple of tracks all out rockin.

The opening track "Bleed American" is a no balls out, fast paced anti-drug anthem (prescription in this case) and it delivers something to melt your face off straight away. JEW throw you a curveball with the sing-a-long funnessness of "A Praise Chorus", and if you thought this was the only track you could exercise those vocal chords to think again - see "The Authority Song", "The Middle", "Sweetness" and "If you Don't, Don't".

However, catchy pop/rock is not the only thing JEW is good for, they can also write and perform one hellofa ballad. "Hear You Me" invokes something within me that can't be explained. When a song affects you to a point of no return like this particular one does it is simply amazing. The song to me is an ode to a close friend of Adkins (vocalist) who had passed away, and when Jim sings the line,

"And if i were with you tonight,
I'd sing for you just one more time,
A song for a heart so big,
God wouldn't let it live"

It doesn't get much better than that. period.

The album closes with "My Sundown" - and you know you have a good album where each song just outdoes the other (when the previous was thought to be not being able to be beaten). The closing track builds a nice denoument with the most pretty female vocals accomponying Adkins (which occurs on a few other numbers on the record) it is just a delight to let pass through your senses.

I do really recomend this album, for any listneer of all sorts (my step mum put this record on to me wtf) so it is something that will touch, invigorate and affect everyone. If you are willing, fork out the 35 dollars for the deluxe edition (the 3 bonus tracks on the origninal album and 18 bonus tracks on a second disk are well worth it - its much more sexier than a jewel case too!)

-Reviewed by Alex Stretton

Battered Shoes

Yes, my famous converse made a triumphant return to the fold today as i threw them on in all their glory. Signs of dog attacks, endless graphiti and art, a million steps and emphatic laces where on show for all today, if you missed them well bad luck!

I'm listneing to Jared Micah and Hats, they have been compared to Anathallo so i thought id check them out, not bad, but nowhere near as good as Anathallo...speaking of said band, their enw album Canopy Glow leaked a few days ago and i cannot sotp listneing to it, it is absolutely amazing!!!

Talk to you soon,

AS

Death

So i woke up this morning, was laying in bed quite comfortably and i turned my stereo on. Last night i popped in an old favourite of mine - Dir en Grey's amazing album Kisou - and really really listened to it properly. Now i am not sure if it was the cathartic metal crescendos or the wonderfully emotive ballads on the record - but something was planted for the next morning. I woke up and put it in on again and thought holy shit, im back in my j-rock phase! This hasn't happened for a long time so it was a very good feeling. The only depressing thing about it was listening to that album reminded me of how good Dir en Grey once were, how creative, neurotic and beautiful they once were - ever since they started touring America with Korn they were never the same....OH WELL i still have their older albums to hold onto. So all is not lost.

Now, back to the crux of my story. I woke up, lazed for a while and got up to have a shower - and in the shower as i usually do i began to wonder what if....today's what if was a particularly revelational one. What if today i was diagnosed with cancer that would end my life in 12 months time? Morbid i know, but it made me realise how little i appreciate the things i once had, the thigns i have now, and what might come to be. Yes, its pretty hollow and its just me being contemplative, but it made me feel good.

I think i'll head back to my Dir en Grey for a while...haha.

Peace and Love

AS