LES PAUL - DEAD AT 94

The father of the electric guitar died August 13th from complications arising from pneumonia.
As expected everyone from Slash to Sambora has been paying tribute to one of the most important men in music history.

Les Paul
June 9, 1915–August 13, 2009
RIP

JASMINE YOU, VERSAILLES' BASSIST HAS DIED

Japanese symphonic metal band Versailles announced yesterday (August 9th) via their Official Website that bassist Jasmine You has passed away. It had been known that he had health problems and would be taking a break from the band in order to recuperate but it would seem that these problems have indeed proved overwhelming. The cause of death is still however unconfirmed as the band are awaiting consent from Jasmine You's family before publishing details. Versailles have postponed all band activities indefinitely, as they try to cope with this tragic loss.


My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Jasmine You, his friends, bandmates and fans.

SINGLE REVIEW: RADIOHEAD - HARRY PATCH (IN MEMORY OF)

STREAM IT HERE:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8184000/8184802.stm

Radiohead's new single is a tribute to the late Harry Patch who died recently, the last English survivor of World War I. The song is an orchestral piece arranged by Johnny Greenwood with vocals by Thom Yorke and it's very pretty. It's a moving tribute, if not spectacular, softly moving between moods with swells of strings and a large helping of nostalgia. It reminds me of a happier "Longing ~ Setsubou no yoru" by X Japan.

It is available to download now from the Official Radiohead website for £1 but it should be noted however that all proceeds go to the Royal British Legion. Hence i haven't bought it. I don't get this move by Radiohead. Couldn't they have picked a charity thast looks after veterans or something rather than fund the British war machine? Radiohead fans have to support the British army if they want to download the song. Sorry boys. Not for me thanks.

Verdict: *** (3/5)

ALBUM REVIEW: THE DEAD WEATHER - HOREHOUND

Jack White's latest band is another authentic blues rock juggernaut. The songs are edgy, raw and sexy. White takes a backseat, literally, behind the drums handing vocal duties over to Alison Mosshart of the Kills who's voice is very similar to White's. His gifted hand is everywhere though. From the droning "Hang You From The Heavens" to the cascading distorted riff of "Treat Me Like Your Mother", it's a Jack White album through and through.

There's a nice Dylan cover in the form of New Pony but really most tracks are memorable. They ooze authentic Americana. It's born and bred dustbowl. A jewel in the dirt. The only complaints are really that some songs get lost in the mix, failing to stand out amongst the real gems. Third Man Records has another excellent band on its books now. The Dead Weather are better than The Raconteurs and seemingly far more than a side-project for the multi-talented White.

For the iPod Playlist: "Treat Me Like Your Mother", "Will There be Enough Water".

Verdict: **** (4/5)

ALBUM REVIEW: JONSI & ALEX - RICEBOY SLEEPS

Riceboy Sleeps is an exercise both in subtlety and opulence. Stripping away the grandiose build ups and climaxes of the traditional Sigur Ros formula, the band's frontman Jonsi and his boyfriend have created an ambient album with all the flavour but little of the melody of the parent band. It's like Sigur Ros sleeping.

Riceboy Sleeps is a very deep album. You could probably listen to it for weeks and discover something new with every listen. And yet its barely an album at all, more a whisper of music, a hint of what's under the surface. In this respect its very beautiful. There's no point mentioning specific tracks because the album should be heard as one continuous piece, although Boy 1904 notably features the last ever recording of a castrati singer.

The problem with Jonsi & Alex is that they have been left pretty much alone to make the album how they saw fit and it suffers from a lack of outside criticism. Most tracks are over 7 minutes, sometimes unnecessarily so.

I don't really know how to criticise the album though. For every complaint that it lacks direction, the arguement can be made that it's not meant to have a direction. Aimlessness may very well be the goal of these two Icelandic lovers.

Speaking of which, the inaccessability of the album to the casual listener hints at a very personal album. It could very much be a love letter. At worst, its purely masturbatory.

Verdict: *** (3/5) - Self-indulgent but with glimmers of genius.

ALBUM REVIEW: THE GAZETTE - DIM

“DIM” is the sound of a band finding their sound. After the relative disappointment of 2007’s “Stacked Rubbish”, it’s good to see that instead of copying its scattergun approach of clashing styles and moods; “DIM” is much more thematically unified, stronger in identity and a gripping show of force from a band more confident in their abilities.
There is almost an hour of music here, peppered with brief interludes to give the listener a respite from an otherwise dark and bleak album. Previous singles “Guren” and “Leech” appear here in altered form, re-recorded and remixed whilst their most recent release, “Distress and Coma” remains unchanged, as does B-side “Headache Man”. The new version of “Guren” features more prominent acoustic guitar and slightly altered vocals and sounds stronger here than it did a year ago. By contrast, “Leech” redux is slightly robbed of its bite by a dull mix that numbs the guitars. It is unfortunate that the band felt the need to change this song as it was perfectly fine in its original form.
Of the new songs, “The Invisible Wall” stands out as a highlight with its pounding riff and driving rhythm, but the true star of the show is “13Stairs[-]1”. Gloriously pulsating and snarling through its slow burner opening, the song then thunders into a grinding head-banger. Positioned perfectly as the tenth track on the album, it manages to keep things interesting rather than allow itself to drift into the mid-album lull that plagued “Stacked Rubbish”. It sounds completely different from anything the GazettE has tried before and it will go down as one of the best songs in their catalogue. “In The Middle of Chaos” will divide fans with its very Western power chord structure but the album ends a little too typically with a fast heavy song (in this case “Ogre”) and an eerie but heavy slow song (“Dim Scene” - doing exactly what previous closers “Taion” and “Chizuru” did better). It’s a minor complaint in what is an impressive comeback from the jewel in the PSC crown. We will see if the GazettE can maintain this high standard with the single “Before I Decay”, due for release this October.

For the iPod playlist: "The Invisible Wall" "13Stairs[-]1"

Verdict: **** (4/5)

MICHAEL JACKSON, KING OF POP, DEAD AT 50

Its hard to comprehend the reality of this situation right now. Michael Jackson, the controversial but brilliant pop star was pronounced dead today from a suspected cardiac arrest. Paramedics tried and failed to revive him at his Bel Air mansion where he collapsed shortly after noon.

The seventh of nine children, Michael Jackson has been working in the music industry since he was five years old as a member of "The Jackson Five" with his siblings, and subsequently a hugely successful solo career. His Thriller album is regarded by many as the greatest pop album of all time and is the highest selling record of all time.

He was dogged in the press for his eccentric behaviour and ever changing physical appearace. This reached a peak in a high profile court battle in which he successfuly cleared his name of child molestation charges. The strain of this litigation took its toll on the star and he became a recluse in his later years, facing public ridicule and bankruptcy.

His comeback in a 50 show residency at the O2 in London was to be spectacular but his plans have been tragically cut short. We have lost one of the great artists of all time. The King of Pop is dead. To quote the Reverend Al Sharpton, "May history be kinder to him than the contemporary media".

R.I.P. Michael Jackson. Died Thursday June 25, 2009. Aged 50.

ALBUM REVIEW: MUCC - KYUTAI

I have been waiting for this one for a long time. MUCC are a band of consistent experimentation and this lastest release Kyutai is no exception. Tighter and harsher than last year's Shion, it bristles with energy from start to finish. After the eerie instrumental title track, the album launches into the riff heavy "Houkou" which is metal-light but thoroughly enjoyable, if completely over-shadowed by the next track: "Ageha". This is still a beast of a track and remains a standout not just on this album but in their discography thus far. There is an ever-so-slight lull until "Oz", a bouncy dance-rock number that gets the blood going like a sequel to "Fuzz" from Shion.

"Sankiba" is a slow respite from the rock and pleasant enough in its ethereal melody. Its a pause to catch breath before the album's other juggernaut single: "Sora to ito". Awesome from start to finish, the song features Tatsurou singing with an autotuner, lending an inhuman quality to his vocals. There is a simplistic monster riff and some amazing roaring from Tatsurou before a kickass solo brings the song full circle. Kick. Ass.

"hanabi" is the closing track. It starts off with a piano and sounds quite balladesque until 2:38 when it becomes an upbeat dance-rocker, then it transforms again into a Kagrra style neo-japanesque song with jangly notes and strings. Its unusual and typical from a band so capable of rocking the boat and changing styles.

Overall, a resounding success from MUCC. One of their best.

For the iPod playlist: "Ageha", "Oz", "Sora to ito", "hanabi".

Verdict: **** (4/5)

ALBUM REVIEWS: WATCHMEN: SOUNDTRACK & ORIGINAL SCORE

Two cds accompany the big screen adaptation of Watchmen, Alan Moore's acclaimed graphic novel. The first cd, Music from the Motion Picture is an eclectic mix of period songs featuring the likes of Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, and Jimi Hendrix.
The only new track is a cover and its by My Chemical Romance. Its a high energy take on Bob Dylan's classic "Desolation Row". The song is a fun, if forgettable, rendition and on a cd full of older songs feels a little out of place. Which is funny because this is one of the most jarring collection of songs ever released. Good music I suppose though.

Verdict: *** (4/5) - Can't fault the songs for quality. Time-honoured classics.

The second cd is the Original Motion Picture Score by Tyler Bates. The score is a synth heavy affair, a mix of Don Davis and Hans Zimmer. Its not very memorable to be honest. The softer moments are undercut by poor melodies whilst the bombastic action sequences tick the generic action movie score boxes one after another. The oppressive mood of the source material is alive and present but you can't help but wish the score was more impressive. They should have hired Harry Gregson-Williams. He does this type of music much better.

Verdict: ** (2/5)

ALBUM REVIEW: D - GENETIC WORLD

Please visit: http://www.askewmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=98&Itemid=43

This my first review for askew magazine.

For the iPod playlist: "Arabesque", "Yami no kuni no Alice".

Verdict: **** (4/5)

ALBUM REVIEW: U2 - NO LINE ON THE HORIZON

The twelth album from U2 was always going to pick up a bit of flak. Its very easy to shoot them down with gurning philanthropist Bono at the helm. The problem is they actually can make decent music. Go into No Line On The Horizon expecting it to suck and you will come away feeling quite guilty. The songs here are catchy and fun and despite the age gap that will inevitably distance the band from younger listeners, you have to admit they at least put up a good fight. The title track has an interesting chord progression that really sits well with me. Its almost like an Aerosmith song. Almost.

"Magnificent" is destined to be a stadium shaker. It follows the typical U2 formula of a catchy riff and anthemic chorus but with a grooving beat and bouncy bass-line. Its a great track. Its a little Coldplay-ish but you feel U2 have more authenticity with this sound.

There are quite a few slow songs on the disc that grind the album to a halt but for the most part they are very listenable. "White as Snow" is pretty and rather downbeat for a U2 song. "Cedars of Lebanon" screams epic in theory even though its quite plodding and rather short given the lyrical ambition on show. Its a really interesting and moody song though. Lead single "Get On Your Boots" will still ultimately be a love it or hate it track. It doesnt quite fit with the album's sound but it's certainly a grower.

It's not amazing but No Line On The Horizon is very much a decent effort from a band many consider to be past its sell-by-date. Never boring, it sits comfortably in the U2 catalogue and thats triumph enough, in my opinion.

For the iPod playlist: "Magnificent", "Cedars of Lebanon".

Verdict: *** (3/5)

ALBUM REVIEW: BUCK-TICK - MEMENTO MORI

At last, a new BUCK-TICK album. I really adore BUCK-TICK but there was an ebbing feeling that they were growing a little stale. As much as I loved the singles "Rendezvous" and "Alice in Wonder Underground", I found myself quite disappointed with the subsequent album Tenshi no Revolver. It had a few awesome tracks (like the amazing "Snow White") but there were so many sound alike songs that the album felt a little flat. I was also left a little cold by the recent singles "Heaven" and "Galaxy" but thankfully the new album memento mori is very good. Pinching styles from nearly all their previous albums, memento mori is at once refreshing and nostalgic and considering the overall theme running through the album, this is a good thing. "Makka no Yoru-bloody- is a remix of the "Heaven" b-side but it kicks off the album with ferocity much like "Nakayubi" from 2003's seminal Mona Lisa Overdrive.

"Galaxy" feels more at home when surrounded by the other tracks and as such I have a new found appreciation for it. This also goes for "Heaven". Some bits are a little cheesy. I can't help but cringe when Sakurai sings the words"boys & girls" or "hippy hippy shake".

There are some excellent songs on here: "Coyote" is a stripped-down western guitar song with a catchy chorus reminiscent of "Last Smile" by Love Psychedelico. "Message" is a touching piano ballad, a first for the band, and the title track is bouncy and fun with Imai's shouts of "Remember to die!".

Overall its a fun album and proof that after 25 years, BUCK-TICK can still legitimately sit with the other legends of rock.

For the iPod playlist: "Makka no Yoru-bloody-", "Coyote", "Memento Mori".

Verdict: **** (4/5)