Pinback - Summer in Abbadon (2004)

~ All of Pinback's material, on and off this album, is what Modest Mouse should have become, if they were to go in a new direction from Moon & Antarctica. The transforming melodies and guitar phases, augmented by the melodic bass and the syncopated drums, seemed to be what old M.M. always strove for. Pinback, complete with a better voice and a moodier overtone, captured and tamed their sound perfectly, and showed it wonderfully on Summer In Abaddon.

The deep, pulsing tones of the guitars and bass are the hypnotic walk down an empty street on a hot day, the languid euphoria one exudes when only trying to find shade. Songs such as "Sender," "Bloods On Fire," and "Soaked" make the head nod lazily. Another type of song is spaced about this album, and that's the slightly more punchy upbeat sort, like the opener, "Non-Photo Blue," and the incredibly infectious "Fortress."

Thumping toms, an evil octave guitar line, a mischievous vocal melody, and the chanting of Protect, embrace, engulf! Remember the summer in Abaddon! Protect, enslave, in love! Remember the summer in Abaddon! And then it inhales into a beautiful bridge, and retracts again at the end of the song, where he makes a neat little reference, singing, And I miss you. Not in a Slint way, but I miss you. Easily the best song on the album.

Lyrically, the album is very interestingly modern, with lines like, "She's posting all the time, but the boards are down," and "AFK" (probably) standing for away-from-keyboard, and having a line braying, "No one uses the phone anymore!"

Except for the three more upbeat songs ("Non-Photo Blue," "Fortress," "AFK"), this album is mostly a positively downtempo beauty, good for a drive, or a headphones-walk. This is a perfect summer/California album. ~ Rate Your Music

1. Non-Photo Blue - 9.8
2. Sender - 8.7
3. Syracuse - 8.3
4. Bloods on Fire - 9.3
5. Fortress - 9.6
6. This Red Book - 8.8
7. Soaked - 8.6
8. 3X0 - 8.8
9. The Yellow Ones - 8.4
10. AFK - 9.8

Overall - 9.0 ****^

Mono - You Are There (2006)

~ Mono is a popular post-rock band from Tokyo, Japan. When first listening to Mono, you can tell right away they're from Asian descent. The Eastern strings and guitar style emanate instantly. The best post-rock bands carry distinct styles, and Mono does this successfully. They have the majestic and emotive nature of a Godspeed You Black Emperor, and the meandering transcending guitar work of a Mogwai. This proves to be a strong combination in You Are There, which may be their best work. This is the quintessential Mono album. If you're recommending someone to Mono introduce them to this album. This might be the most heavenly post-rock album ever, which is a nice change from the genre that is known to be pretty grim in nature.

1. The Flames Beyond The Cold Mountain - 8.4
2. A Heart Has Asked For The Pleasure - 8.8
3. Yearning - 8.9
4. Are You There? - 9.6
5. The Remains Of The Day - 9.2
6. Moonlight - 9.8

Overall - 9.1 ****^

Random Music Reviews

Every once in a while, when I have the time and in the right mood, I'll randomly review some music. Many of these albums will land in my "Top Year" lists in the future. Let's Start!

Number 8

8. Gas - Pop

I don't remember where or how I heard of this album and what's more - it took me years to even listen to the full thing and revel in how great it is. But it is great. There is nothing else much out there that sounds like it - even music in the often stagnant ambient subgenre of electronic music. Some tracks have a little beatpulse to them, most don't. Most sound like you're being transported through serene waterways or being transformed into dew on the ends of leaf tips. This is an album (much like all of Voigt's work) that takes time to get into, to appreciate. There's more to it than just being "pretty" - it is a dense work, one that will continue to reveal itself to me in many years to come.

1. "Untitled" - (5:13) ~ 9.0
   
2. "Untitled" - (8:38) ~ 9.0
   
3. "Untitled" - (7:27) ~ 9.6
   
4. "Untitled" - (9:31) ~ 9.1
   
5. "Untitled" - (10:52) ~ 8.8
   
6. "Untitled" - (9:24) ~ 9.2
   
7. "Untitled" - (14:37) ~ 9.7

Overall ~ 9.3 ~ ****

Number 9

9. Boards of Canada - In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country

Forget everything you ever thought was dull or ponderous about ambient music, as Boards of Canada return like Aeschylusian heroes -- unbound from a genre that often sounds like a washing machine begging for a swift kick. Pay attention, Radiohead. Boards of Canada traced a disturbed childhood in the arctic, austere Music Has the Right to Children, but here there's a slightly warmer feeling. More central, tweaked vocals add a new dimension to the "hard beats + bittersweet melodies" pattern of the past; songs like the gorgeous, ice-melting "Zoetrope" glide along on simple celestial glimmers without a single bassline in sight. It's as if the band is thawing out in preparation for something. Even when it's hard to tell what that might be. Tiny, exploratory decisions -- no matter. You'll likely want to crawl inside this EP's washing machine for a long, long time. - Allmusic

1. Kid For Today ~ 10.0
2. Amo Bishop Roden ~ 9.7
3. In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country ~ 9.2
4. Zoetrope ~ 8.5
Overall ~ 9.3 ~ ****

The Year 2000 in Music

The year 2000 was an amazing year for music. In my opinion some of the greatest albums ever recorded were released in 2000. Radiohead was coming off their critically-acclaimed masterpiece, OK Computer and many were intrigued how they would follow it up. In the end, 2000 would be regarded as the year of post-rock and ambient mastery.


10. Mum - Yesterday Was Dramatic Today Is Ok

It's hard to describe this album. Electronic, ambient, glitch, video game music. It might be all of these genres molded into one. The production is outstanding with very minimalistic beats and beeps casting their shadows on every track. Very Phillip Glass-ish. This is a very nostalgic sounding album. It's an album you would hear in your dreams as a young child. The opener, I'm 9 Today, and the closer, Slow Bicycle provide perfect symmetry for this album that flows seamlessly with no hiccups at all.

1. "I'm 9 Today" – 4:42 ~ 9.5
   
2. "Smell Memory" – 9:23 ~ 9.3
   
3. "There Is a Number of Small Things" – 6:32 ~ 9.4
   
4. "Random Summer" – 3:12 ~ 7.5
   
5. "Asleep on a Train" – 7:17 ~ 8.8
   
6. "Awake on a Train" – 9:23 ~ 9.0
   
7. "The Ballad of the Broken Birdie Records" – 5:25 ~ 9.3
   
8. "The Ballad of the Broken String" – 4:45 ~ 8.2
   
9. "Sunday Night Just Keeps on Rolling" – 8:10 ~ 8.0
   
10. "Slow Bicycle" – 8:47 ~ 9.5
    

Overall - 9.2 ~ ****