Reviews by Gary

Short & Simple Music Reviews.

[reviewsbygary]

Amok by Atoms for Peace Review

The songs on this LP are hard to tell apart from each other.  No further comment. 

Rating: 6/10

Best Songs: Default, Ingenue, Reverse Running

Worst Songs: Before Your Very Eyes..., Amok

[reviewsbygary]

Classic Album Reviews - Ramones Self Titled LP

Rating: 7/10

Best Song: None

Worst Song: None

All are average pop-punk songs.

[reviewsbygary]

Centipede Hz by Animal Collective Review

This LP reminds me of MGMT's Time To Pretend EP, which I reviewed a few weeks ago.  Very good, very solid, very electronic, very experimental.

8/10

[reviewsbygary]

To Be Kind by Swans Review

Swans is an experimental rock band led by frontman and musical genius Michael Gira.  I've been following this project for many years, but never fell in love with their albums.  UNTIL NOW!

To Be Kind is, simply put, amazing.  The first track starts off with this tiny little bass riff, so quiet and innocent, but the track builds in to an unstoppable monster with bigger and bigger instrumentation building, and building, and building on top of each other.  The layers get so intense by the end of track that I am just amazed.

Imagine this same pattern, but repeated on all ten tracks on this TRIPLE ALBUM. Who the hell puts out a triple album in this day and age? The last one I'm aware of in the mainstream music scene was George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, from like 1972 or whatever.

I distinctly and clearly hear a very indirect Pink Floyd influence on this 3xLP.  But Swans is their own band, their own style, their own insanity.  And I really Love it.

Shout out to Anthony Fantano for putting this band on my radar! #jeah

Rating: 10/10 (PERFECT SCORE!)

Best Songs: ALL

Worst: NONE GO LISTEN TO THIS ALREADY!! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU STILL STARING AT THE PAGE?? 

[reviewsbygary]

Supernova by Ray LaMontagne Review

Ray LaMontagne is a singer-songwriter who has a unique take on folk music.  Don't go into this expecting Bob Dylan or something, but this album is fantastic for what it is.  I never really got into his first few LPs, and this one really hit it off with me.  I saw him in concert recently preforming with The Belle Brigade, a band reviewed a few weeks ago.  Great singer, has a very special and unique voice.  Very good lyrics, they're real, not some shitty pop lyrics, but not poetic like Bob Dylan.  This guy is just in-between a lot of things, and thats a really good place to be as an emerging artist.  Great album, well worth the purchase/listen.  

Also, this LP was produced by none other than Dan Auerbach from the Black Keys, so more power and koodoos to him and Ray!

Rating: 8/10

Best Songs: Drive In Movies, Pick Up A Gun, Julia, Supernova

Worst Song: Airways (I can't stand this for some reason.  Everything else is excellent, however, so that makes up for this piece of crap song).

[reviewsbygary]

Classic Album Review #3: Nevermind by Nirvana

Best Song: Something in the Way

Worst Song: Smells Like Teen Spirit (Just because it's overplayed)

Rating: 8/10

[reviewsbygary]

Classic Album Reviews #2 - Led Zeppelin Self Titled Debut Album

Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin

Best Songs: Communication Breakdown, How Many More Times, Dazed and Confused, Good Times Bad Times

Worst Song: Your Time is Gonna Come (This track is NOT BAD, just not of the same caliber as the rest of the LP)

Rating: 9.5/10

[reviewsbygary]

Classic Album Review #1 - Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith

This is the first in a new series called "Classic Album Reviews".  I will not go into much detail about individual songs, but rather just give you the rating, best song and worst song, and leave the rest up to you, the reader.  I hope you enjoy this series.

Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith

Rating: 7/10

Best Song: Round and Round

Worst Song: Walk This Way

[reviewsbygary]

Reflektor by Arcade Fire Review

I love Arcade Fire.  Their latest release "Reflektor" does not disappoint.  A double album, I really love it.  My favorite Rock album of the last 2 years, easily.

Rating: 10/10

Best Songs: All

Worst Songs: None

[reviewsbygary]

Time to Pretend - EP by MGMT Review

This is a very understated EP.  It features early versions of hit songs "Time to Pretend" and "Kids" as well as 4 other tracks that weren't ever released after this.  I would love to have heard an entire full length from MGMT in this indietronica style.  The synths sound fresh and dirty, and the vocals are awkward and thin, which is a quality I love in this kind of music.  Give it a shot if you're bored of MGMT's 3 studio LPs, you won't regret it.

Rating: 8/10

Best Song: Kids

Worst Song: Boogie Down

[reviewsbygary]

Invisible (Single) by U2 Review

U2 continues to impress me, even today, 20+ years after their formation.  Love this band, and the money I spent on this track went to some good cause, though I don't even remember what.

Rating: 9/10

[already-heardmusic]

Twisted Announce Debut Album 'Utopia'

South Welsh punks Twisted have announced the release of their debut album ‘Utopia’ this Autumn on Specialist Subject (UK) and Art for Blind Records (IRL).

You can listen to the first song taken from the record, 'Felt, Enacted', by clicking read more.

Read More

[reviewsbygary]

Pumped For This.

[reviewsbygary]

I'm With You by Red Hot Chili Peppers Review

I love the Chili Peppers, and was devastated back in 2009 when I found out John Frusciante had quit.  As much as I love Frusciante's recent work, I really miss the old Chili Pepper vibe.  This latest LP From 2011 is extremely Poppy, in that it sounds like a top 40 album.  Top 40 music is everything the Chili Peppers are not.  I am not liking this new LP, at all.  Kilinghoffer is good, but not good enough.  Although, there are a few pretty good songs on here, theres also plenty of bad ones to go along with them.  Honestly, the B-Side tracks they've released up to this point are a hell of a lot better than some of these songs.  It's hard to believe this LP was produced by Rick Rubin.  

Long Live John Frusciante.

Rating: 2/10

Best Songs: Brenden's Death Song, Look Around, Did I let You Know, Ethiopia, Even You Brutus?

Worst Songs: Monarchy of Roses, Goodbye Hooray, Dance Dance Dance, The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie, Factory of Faith, Annie Wants a Baby, Meet me at the Corner

[reviewsbygary]

Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

Considered by many to be the "Perfect Pop Album".  My least favorite LP by MGMT to date.  Not much to say, but you'll enjoy this if you are a fan of "Time to Pretend" "Electric Feel" or "Kids".

Rating: 6/10

Best Songs: Time to Pretend, Electric Feel, Kids, Pieces of What, The Youth

Worst Songs: The Handshake, Weekend Wars, Future Reflections

[reviewsbygary]

13 by Black Sabbath Review

They're back! After a break that lasted about 30 years, Ozzy & the gang are back at it, and they nailed it as usual!

Considering how old these guys are, this LP is amazing.  They've come back after 30 years with a more refined sound, guided by one of my all time favorite producers, Rick Rubin.  After everything this group has been through, to include serious drug and alcohol problems, depression and much more, they were able to pull it together one more time to create what I think is the greatest metal album of the last 5 years.  

Don't go into this thinking it sounds like the Black Sabbath you may have listened to in the 70's.  The influence is still there, but this LP is much heavier, and features a lot more grooviness.  (That may sound weird, but its true! Metal has to be groovy, just like any other genre).  

Rating: 9/10

Best Song: Damaged Soul

Worst Song: Loner (not even that bad of a song!)

[reviewsbygary]

Torches by Foster The People Review

Here's a short and sweet review for you!

I like this album, but its not the greatest indietronica LP I've ever heard, so I'm going to just give it a rating and some good tracks off of it.  I recommend it overall.

Rating: 7/10

Best Songs: Houdini, Warrant, Broken Jaw

Worst Song: Pumped Up Kicks, Miss You, Waste

[reviewsbygary]

Metanoia - EP by MGMT Review

I don't understand the motivation behind this "EP".  Its not even an EP! Its basally a Remix of Siberian Breaks!  Boooooo!!!!!!

Very thin sounding, didn't like it that much. The 12 minute track has a few good things too offer, but not much!

Rating: 4/10

Best Song: Metanoia

Worst Song: Metanoia

(Theres only one song.)