Slime Girls - Vacation Wasteland

kurtkurtkurt:

Holy shit this album is so awesome.

Really I don't know what to say. This is a chiptune album (featuring the occasional guitar and real drums). I listen to it and get a warm feeling in my soul that tells me everything is okay.

RATINGS:

kurtkurtkurt: 10/10

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World by Various

Stuckski:

And lo it was November, the month of giving thanks, and verily the masses did so for Subjective, inc had arisen from the grave to once again tell them exactly why all the music they like sucks.

Seriously though guys, I hope we're back again for another spell of music reviews, and to kick it off I'll start with this mistake of an album. Just to be clear, I'm not saying I think this is a bad album, just that I am royally pissed that I got it, because I totally thought I was getting The Scott Pilgrim video game chiptune soundtrack by the consistently awesome Anamanaguchi and instead I got this..this...real music!

In a chronic case of diminishing returns I loved the Scott Pilgrim comics, I liked the Scott Pilgrim movie and I'm okay with the soundtrack, I guess.  It's not bad, a pretty eclectic mix. I kind of like the Beck covers of the Sex Bo-Bomb songs (or maybe they were Beck originals, as a dedicated musical journalist I can't be bothered to look up which it is). I got a kick out of Teenage Dream by T-Rex. Those were probably the highlights of the album. Other than that, to quote my entire useless generation, meh.


kurtkurtkurt:

Well SHiiiiiiit! I wasn't expecting this to start up at this time.

Matt is dead on about one thing. This is definitely not chiptune. Also I guess about it being pretty meh.

We Hate You Please Die and some of the songs that are "By" Sex Bob-bomb from the movie aren't that bad though. I mean anytime something has a punk feel though somehow I'm okay with it.

RATINGS:

Stuckski: 6/10 (mildly enjoyable, definitely not chiptune)
kurtkurtkurt: 58/100 (What now Matt? I'm using a 100 point grading system.)

Reggatta de Blanc - The Police

kurtkurtkurt:

This album is also know as one of the only two cassettes in my car for a long time (the other was Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols). The hits on it are Message in a Bottle and Walking on the Moon, however I think the real highlight of the album is actually On Any Other Day. The song tells the tale of a middle aged husband/father who has all this shit happen to him on a one day.

As a whole I enjoy the album (I've heard it enough). I think that they have a few songs that drag on too long (Message in a Bottle and Walking on the Moon I'm talking to you) but the album still stays strong despite that.

Stuckski:

So only three months behind the times on this one, but better late than never right? Right?! RIGHT?! Ahh, it's ok, calm down guys, I forgive ya.

The Police are good. That's about all I'm willing to say. They have some nice sounding songs, plenty of  'em on this album. But I just never find myself thinking "Man, I really want to listen to some Police right now!"  I just don't think they are too memorable or ( a few obvious songs aside) iconic, All of that goes for this album as well

RATINGS

kurtkurtkurt: 7/10
stuckski: 5/10

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band - Big Damn Nation

kurtkurtkurt:

So the first time I ever heard these guys was when they opened for Flogging Molly. They're a fantastic live act, just so full of energy. They play a bluegrass of sorts and the wife plays the washboard. Anyways you can't understand the lead singer at all when he sings. I don't what else to say really. They're not the best bluegrass I've heard but they're something unique.

Here's them playing My Old Man Boogie

RATINGS:

kurtkurtkurt: 5/10

Check Your Head by the Beastie Boys

Stuckski:

Despite being a nineties kid, I never really paid too much attention to the Beastie Boys. I vaguely remember hearing Fight for Your Right (not on this record) as a kid and thinking it sounded kind of silly. Then I hit college age and I found out that a lot of my friends really liked them. I decided to give them another try, and discovered some tracks of theirs that I really liked. I still don't love them, but I do understand their appeal, and there are a few tracks that I do love.
Check Your Head seems to be a mixture of styles, and a lot chiller than Licence to Ill. There are a lot more instrumental segments, and the vocals are a lot less 'Beastie-Boyish'. So Watcha Want is the closest it gets to classic BB rapping. Another highlight is Time for Livin' which is takes me straight back to their hardcore punk roots.

kurtkurtkurt:

I've fallen behind on my Responsibilities.

Time for Livin' and Funky Boss are my two favorite tracks of the album. I don't know why but Funky Boss always made my head bob and put a smile on my face. Also Beastie Boys are actually not to bad at being a punk band (Here's their EP Polly Wog Stew).

RATINGS:

kurtkurtkurt: 6/10
Stuckski: 4/10 (Some decent tracks, but not a fan overall)

Modern Guilt by Beck

Stuckski:

For the life of me I can't stay awake long enough to actually pay close attention to the music here. This album is like fuckin' NyQuil on my brain.  All the beats are slow and plodding, dragging me down farther and farther into drowz.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

RATINGS:

Stuckski:  5/10 (10/10 if you want music to play before you go to bed)

Tongue N' Cheek by Dizzee Rascal

Stuckski:

Wow..sorry Kurt.

As a rule I prefer UK Grime to most anything the U.S. hiphop scene produces (I say 'as a rule' because there are definitely exceptions). Dizzee Rascal has a great lyrical style, and I love his faster songs. There are not enough of them in this album for me to really enjoy it. The highlight is the Armand van Helden produced Bonkers, which is one of my favorite tracks ever. Aside from that it's a struggle to find something positive to say about this  album. I guess Dance Wiv Me has some nice little riffs..meh.

RATINGS:

Stuckski: 4/10 (Almost completely earned by Bonkers)