Mojo's Music reviews- Broken Frame, Middleman,Son of the Sun

[mojophilter]

I realize this is probably the height of arrogance to assume that anybody cares what I think, but I usually have time to kill at work and enjoy the exercise. Actual blurbs can be tough to get, especially for newer bands, so I thought I'd throw it out there. This is a pretty well-established forum, so it might be a little more substantial than just saying, "My friends like it".

I try to actually write something a little more interesting than, "This is cool" or "God these guys suck". You can check out a bunch of my reviews here:

http://wnymusic.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=54229

I also did some stuff at garageband.com (user name is "mojophilter") and wound up having 7 of 19 as signature reviews.

I'm not looking to feed my ego, kiss up, or take potshots at bands. Generally, I'm pretty positive regarding bands, but I've got my tastes. Not a big fan of death metal, hardcore, fratjoke, or the second coming of Pearl Jam. Love power pop, good hard rock, clever wordplay and a great hook. I'll review anything, but I'm not predisposed to like Bauhaus with screamed vocals.

My computer at work doesn't play stuff off of myspace, so I probably won't get to it if you just send me a myspace link. Regular band site links are fine. You can post your link here or pm me.

If I'm completely out of line here, please feel free to axe this, moderators.

[Amnesty Box]

Hey, that's cool.
Review Amnesty Box anytime you'd like.
Our song, "Swerve", has been posted to the MP3 section on this site. The production is a little thin, but it's been our most popular song so far. The rest of our stuff is on [url]myspace.com/amnestybox[/url] , which apparently doesn't help you any.

I like doing the review thing on garageband, too.
http://www.garageband.com/user/DrPlatypus

[Jack Topht!]

My new album the Americana Update is the first 20 songs on my soundclick music page

http://www.soundclick.com/jacktopht

if you are not a member of soundclick choose the hifi or lofi option not the mp3 so that it doesn't prompt you to become a member

[journeyoflife]

Reviews are excellent! The more the merrier.

Mojo, can I send you an e-mails with mp3's (rather than send you to Myspace)?


~C

[zeppelined]

Reviews are cool, everyone loves having their own stuff reviewed in an objective manner. Even criticism is something to build on. I don't think anyone would accuse you of inflating your own ego unless you review the Transonics.

"Clearly the most stunningly brilliant album ever recorded, particularly the bass playing. Better than the Beatles and Jesus combined and dipped in peanut butter and fudge. Every note is like an orgasm for the listener. Given the choice between World Peace, Angelina Jolie in my bed, and this album, I wouldn't even hesitate to choose this album, mainly because it's so good it's bound to bring about World Peace, and I'll bet Angelina will like it too."

[Ida]

I'm glad someone is picking up the torch where I left off! Have fun!

[mojophilter]

Reviews are excellent! The more the merrier.

Mojo, can I send you an e-mails with mp3's (rather than send you to Myspace)?


~C

Absolutely. I can do Myspace as well, just not while I'm wasting time at work. (I know Heather's stuff already and have a pretty high opinion)

I apologize to Amnesty Box for not getting on it. I'm trying to get a feel for the genre as it's not really what I normally listen to.

[Amnesty Box]

I apologize to Amnesty Box for not getting on it. I'm trying to get a feel for the genre as it's not really what I normally listen to.

That's cool. No pressure. Maybe you could tell us what genre you think we belong in. Knowing how people perceive our style is just as helpful as any review. All four of us in the band have varied musical influences, so I just say our sound is somewhere between a rock and a hard place. I suppose some may say we're in some sub-genre of "metal", but I can't keep track of what those categories are anymore, lol.

[mojophilter]

On the Mp3 thing Amnesty Box is described as rock/metal/alternative.

Amnesty Box "Swerve"

I recently saw Syriana. Throughout the brilliantly made movie, I'm on the edge of my seat until the end where I'm left feeling incredibly depressed at the realization that the malevolent forces have won and all that's left is ashes and the scattered flesh of hope.

The movie serves as template for Amnesty Box's "Swerve". The opening back-tracked guitar line sets a mideastern tone that is carried throughout the song, similar to Zeppelin's "Kashmir". But Amnesty Box owes more to Nine Inch Nails than Page, Plant, and company. There is a definite undercurrent of malevolence throughout and, although I can't always catch words, the repeated scream of "Flatline" alternating with heart-monitor guitar line at the end is remarkable.

I found the vocals, especially on the chorus very compelling despite my usual aversion to this kind of screamed angst. The use of disembodied whispering, which usually sounds gimmicky and cliche', works surprisingly well.

Most bands mining this territory depend on the raw agression and emotion of the singer over a constant throbbing distorted guitar to get their vision across. With their attention to the subtleties of arrangement and controlled vocals, Amnesty Box's "Swerve" is the rare exception to put a diamond polish on the buzzsaw.

[Amnesty Box]

On the Mp3 thing Amnesty Box is described as rock/metal/alternative.

Amnesty Box "Swerve"

I recently saw Syriana. Throughout the brilliantly made movie, I'm on the edge of my seat until the end where I'm left feeling incredibly depressed at the realization that the malevolent forces have won and all that's left is ashes and the scattered flesh of hope.

The movie serves as template for Amnesty Box's "Swerve". The opening back-tracked guitar line sets a mideastern tone that is carried throughout the song, similar to Zeppelin's "Kashmir". But Amnesty Box owes more to Nine Inch Nails than Page, Plant, and company. There is a definite undercurrent of malevolence throughout and, although I can't always catch words, the repeated scream of "Flatline" alternating with heart-monitor guitar line at the end is remarkable.

I found the vocals, especially on the chorus very compelling despite my usual aversion to this kind of screamed angst. The use of disembodied whispering, which usually sounds gimmicky and cliche', works surprisingly well.

There are a ton of bands out there doing this sort of raw emotion over throbbing distorted guitar, and usually the screaming vocals and guitar are the default of a singer who can't sing and a guitarist who can't play. Amnesty Box's "Swerve" is the rare exception with the arrangement skills and musicality to put a diamond polish on the buzzsaw.

Thank you, Mojo! I'm a little slow, just having read this now. However, this was definitely one of the most insightful reviews we have ever received - not just because it was positive, but you actually "got it" with respect to the approach we were going for! Thanks for taking the time to write this.

[havana3am]

On the Mp3 thing Amnesty Box is described as rock/metal/alternative.

Amnesty Box "Swerve"

There are a ton of bands out there doing this sort of raw emotion over throbbing distorted guitar, and usually the screaming vocals and guitar are the default of a singer who can't sing and a guitarist who can't play. Amnesty Box's "Swerve" is the rare exception with the arrangement skills and musicality to put a diamond polish on the buzzsaw.

One suggestion - avoid the "I've gotta dis most bands in the genre to praise this one" trap.

[mojophilter]

Point taken.

Not as well worded as it should have been. I'm going to change it - you've basically done the QFT thing, but most people will just read the initial.

[Jack Topht!]

My new album the Americana Update is the first 20 songs on my soundclick music page

http://www.soundclick.com/jacktopht

if you are not a member of soundclick choose the hifi or lofi option not the mp3 so that it doesn't prompt you to become a member

[my name is panama]

http://www.josephmulhollen.com

and if you want a cd, give me your address, as my website only plays the first 2 minutes of each song...

[mojophilter]

My new album the Americana Update is the first 20 songs on my soundclick music page

http://www.soundclick.com/jacktopht

if you are not a member of soundclick choose the hifi or lofi option not the mp3 so that it doesn't prompt you to become a member

All right already!

Talk about being out of your element.

The Americana Update -- Jack Topht

What is art? While a great deal of art is off-putting and weird there’s usually something to be found beneath its initial repulse, a calculated construction to that draws you back. There’s very little accidental about great art. Jack Topht’s “The Americana Update” is probably art, if not great.

Equal parts dirty joke, political rant, and non-sequitir, The Americana Update is rather uneven. It seems Topht is trying to be the new Lenny Bruce. Or the new John Cage. Or the new Alan Ginsberg.

Bruce railed against the ridiculous of our daily life, assailing hypocritical politicians and the dirty little secrets of the prudish America. In songs like "Their God is Their Stomach" and "Cheney is a Propeller", Topht skewers the current admin, while “Hey Girl” is a snide backhand at bullshit hippie intellectualism found on the college campus and “We Can’t Go Back Now” seems to be aiming at the pretension of the DIY rock crowd. Finally, “I Want to Be With You” is basically Bruce saying, “Fuck”.

If John Cage expanded what we regard as music (even if that includes silence or noise) Topht takes it farther. Melody is a useless appendage; timing is nothing more than an approximation, and pitch is of no concern. Even traditional intrumentation is held in utter disregard for the most part. Cage gave us the idea of music as equal to the music itself and there are similar moments here. For example, "Gnisruc dna Taehw Nietorp eht Lla" is simply "All the Protein, Wheat and Cursing" backtracked. A bit of deconstructionism along the lines of Cage, I suppose, but once you explain it, you don’t really need to hear it. “What Will We See” is really just noise. Occasionally, however, it works. Specifically on tracks like “If I Could Hold You in My Hand Forever”, “I’ll Kill Your Dog” and “Chicago's the Only Continental City Colder” Topht’s anti-music ethos works with an odd collection of sounds and spoken word.

And the words are what this is all about. "Their God is Their Stomach" has a bit of beat poet to its meter as does “80% of Indians”, Bob Koop and Carol Jasen notwithstanding. But the Beats understood the power of a pause. Much of what Topht is throwing out there is recited monotone as if reading from a 3 X 5 card rather than believing with utter conviction that what’s being said needs to be. Nowhere is this more evident than in “Brickface”, which although possessing some nicely turned phrases (although undercut by its silly chorus), reads with as much conviction as a graocery list. Sampling Dylan Thomas on “Dung Hill Sky” is a very interesting idea but seems delivered with more of a giggle than anything else. “Cool. There’s this effeminate Dead English guy talking about a girl with honey on her breasts lying spread eagle” “He said, ‘dung’”.

Ultimately, my favorite cuts are found when Topht veers closest to the mainstream on cuts like “Come On Nike”, which echoes the Violent Femmes, “I Wanna Be in Your Pile of CDs”, and “Tadpole”.

While this stuff is not really my bag, there are enough interesting ideas that shortened down to ten songs and with more attention to crafting each cut to full effect, this could become a compelling listen.