I have a love/like/hate relationship with Metallica. Love the first four albums, the last two are good and everything in-between is an abomination.
This is a surprisingly good song that seems to be a love letter to the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. If you told me this was a long lost Savage song that they were covering I’d believe you.
On one hand I’d like them to break new ground but when they have done that it’s been a disaster. They are best when they stick to what they are good at. Aping the NWOBHM is something they are great at.
At at about 3 1/2 minutes it’s a good omen. Digging a little deeper the album is 12 songs in 77 minutes, so an average of 6 minutes 40ish seconds which is not good. One of Metallica’s issues is their inability to edit themselves.
I’m back, it’s been a while. I haven’t been able to get into the blog to edit it. I figured it out. This is from last week so there will be another for tomorrow’s play list. Enjoy.
Every week Apple Music makes a Friends Mix. Each week I will make off the cuff “reviews” of the songs in this list.
Fugazi “Give Me the Cure” My favorite Fugazi is the first two EPs. Sometimes “End Hits” comes close. Listened to it all.
Hüsker Dü “It’s Not Funny Anymore” Some of the first signs of the pop leaning Hüskers, essential. Listened to it all.
Maritime “Light You Up” Adult contemporary indie-rock. Made it through 1:19.
Guided By Voices “Striped White Jets” As I said before give me the big rock production GBV with complete songs. Listened to it all as it’s short.
Pavement “Stop Breathing” Still don’t like this band, aping a Velvets sound here. No thanks. 34 seconds.
Dinosaur Jr. “Don’t” While I usually say “just listen to ‘Bug'” but this one is not one I need to hear. Stoped at 1:01.
Superchunk “On the Mouth” This is a good one. Fast, raw, when they were fun. Listened to it all.
Minutmen “Take Our Test” Not well versed in the Minutmen, I’ve tried. I liked this one. Listened to it all.
Sammy “Possibly Peking” Finally something I don’t know. This is alright, slink, raw indie rock. I’ll give these guys another listen despite the name. Listened to it all.
Turnstile “BLACKOUT“ Keep hearing how these guys sound like 80’s hardcore, they dont. It’s not bad, the hype doesn’t help it. Listened to it all.
Soundgarden “Full On (Reprise)” Throw away from a great album. Listened to it all.
Black Flag “Black Coffee” I’ve warmed up to Rollins Black Flag recently, Still think “Everything Went Black” is my go to but I’ve been going back to the Rollins stuff. Listened to it all.
Dr. Know “Watch it Burn” Fucking this is the shit. Raw 80’s hardcore. Listened to it all.
Government Issue “Caring Line” The last two GI albums are classics. Psychedelic, Punk, Rock and some great songs. Listened to it all.
Soul Side “Pearl to Stone” The early hardcore Soul Side, love it. Just keep that new stuff the hell away from me. Listened to it all.
Rocket From the Crypt “Sturdy Wrists” When RFTC wrote a catch anthem it stuck in your head. Great stuff. Listened to it all.
Void “Who are You?” From when DC hardcore was far less sophisticated. Raging. Listened to it all.
Gang Green “Alcohol” Their signature song. Good stuff from before they became a novelty band. I’d rather fuck than drink though. Listened to it all.
Spiritualized “Come Together” I’ve tried multiple times to get into this band. Still not there. Listened to all of it to see if it changed my mind. It didn’t.
Lush “Stray” Love me some original wave shoegaze. Listened to it all.
Low “Light You Up” This makes me sad. RIP Mimi. Listened to it all.
Sunny Day Real Estate “Seven” Not sure how this ever got labeled emo. It’s arena rock, Listened to it all.
The Cure “Just Like Heaven” What the hell do you say about this. Listened to it all.
Unsane “East Broadway” Not my thing. I like noise but there needs to be something to hook me in. 10 seconds.
Ted Nugent “Queen of the Forest” Fuck this. I burned all my Nugent albums. Didn’t even start it.
Frayle – 1692 If Mykur was doom metal instead of black metal. Doom-gaze. [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2844130517 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=4088332119]
Painted Doll – How to Draw Fire A comedian/musician and the drummer from Autopsy make great power-pop. [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2876561271 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=811658820]
Hum – Inlet Surprise release that was surprisingly good. [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=3100454109 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=248517784]
Fake Names – s/t Not that this sounds like Dag Nasty but it’s what Dag Nasty should sound like in 2020. Best thing Brian Baker has been on since the first Junkyard album.
Melkbelly – PITH Sounds like the Breeders with a speedfreak drummer and a bit more noise. [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=3066901464 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=1493145712]
JG Thirlwell & Simon Steensland – Oscillospheria Epic symphonic soundtrack like music. [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=903360454 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=4211531015]
Wytch Hazel – III Pentecost Jesus jams with the NWOBHM and Wishbone Ash. [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=4061016096 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=1024024131]
Myrkur – Folkesange Euro folk. No black metal. [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2926876501 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=2982835918]
Huntsmen – Mandala of Fear Mastodon type metal with Wishbone Ash and Yes thrown in, [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2223258098 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=1367674435]
Henrik Palm – Poverty Metal Ex-Nameless ghoul makes a record that sounds like Ghost. Go figure. Great cover of Twisted Sister’s “Destroyer.” [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=2153634582 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=1503957102]
Every week Apple Music makes a Friends Mix. Each week I will make off the cuff “reviews” of the songs in this list.
Many more things to hate this week.
Pavement “Zürich Is Stained” A band that always sound like they don’t care. The anti-Archers of Loaf. 10 seconds, maybe.
Dismemberment Plan “Follow through” This band has one good song and this isn’t it. 23 seconds then skipped.
Dinosaur Jr. “See You” Passible reunion era Dino Jr. This is where you should go listen to “Bug” instead. Listened to it all.
Cymbals Eat Guitars “And the Hazy Sea” Worst band name ever contender. Sounds like a manic depressive Built to Spill but without the songs. Listened to all of it.
Decibully “Uncle Sam’s Yard” Sorry friends but I don’t do Americana. :23 seconds as I was writing this.
Japandroids “Continuous Thunder” You say thunder, give me some. Lasted 1:09 .
Nada Surf “Do It Again” Nada rock. 10 seconds of tedium.
Maritime “It’s Casual” Decent dream pop. Make me a mixtape. Made to it 1:55.
Yuck “Sunday” More dull ass indie guitar rock but with more jangle. Pass. A sleepy 35 seconds.
Pinback “Fortress” Christ what with the bland indie guitar rock. People like this? Must have insomnia. 20 seconds.
Hefner “Grandmother Dies” Probably should change the name of these post to “My Friends Like Boring Music”. 1:18 waited for it to kick in.
The French “Wu-Tang Clan” Regardless if you are referring to the hip-hop group or the Shaw Brothers movies a song named “Wu-Tang Clan” shouldn’t be this banal. :35 seconds of annoyance.
The Flaming Lips “Feeling Yourself Disintegrate” From the pinnacle of the Lips catalog. It’s all shitting the bed after this. Listened to it all.
Mojave 3 “Return to Sender” Fuck off with the limp honkey tonk shit. 41 seconds of pain.
Ex-Hex “It’s Real” Indie rock trying to be Bad Company. Passed at 1:03.
The Dream Syndicate “Put Some Miles on It” Motorik dream pop that I don’t like. Made it to 1:12.
Astride Sonne “Strong, Calm, Slow” Pointless, bland, dull. woke up at 1:26 in a daze.
Jay Som “Superbike” Wow this week is the soundtrack to the cure for insomnia. 32 seconds, reaching for some caffeine.
Pingrove “Hairpin” More americana torture. 23 seconds of looking for some Mountain Dew.
Andy Shauf “Try Again” Limp twee bullshit that appears to worship Paul Simon. 23 seconds of wondering what the hell is going on.
Brainiac “Hot 53At Can’t 51T Down” YES! This one saves the day. Go watch the Brainiac documentary. Turn it way the fuck up and listen to it all.
Les Savy Fav “The Orchard” Listened all the way through because I want to like them but I don’t.
Hoover “Distant” Competent 3rd tier Discord. Listened to all of it.
Zomes “Beckoning Breeze” An organ, a bland beat and some breathy wailing. 1:37 to see if it got any better, it didn’t.
Bass Drum of Death “Fine Lies” Another shit name, also false advertising the bass drum is rather normal. Listened to all of it but the “fake” over distorted recording really turns me off.
