What music are you listening to?

[METALMAN]

That is good!

Anyway, I have recently listened to Clube da Esquina by Milton Nascimento and Lo Borges. It's lovely summer listening. Lush 60s pop with a Brazilian twist.

Ragged Glory by Neil Young. Probably his last great album.

Dukes of Stratosphear! Really good fun, and my favourite pastiche of psychedelia. Mainly because they remembered to leave the humour and playfulness in.

Hank Williams! Dizzy Gillespie! Thelnonious Monk! Charlie Parker! Billie Holiday! Ella Fitzgerald! Count Basie! Duke Ellington! Big Joe Turner! For some reason I have wanted to pretend like it's the 1940s recently.

New Cribs album! Great fun!

Caravanserai by Santana! Still! Very mystical and atmospheric.

Calexico! The one that's a little bit mariachi!

Hugh Maskelela! Afrojazz!

Keith jarrett - My Song and Survivor's Suite!

John Coltrane! Alice Coltrane!

Josh Rouse!

Cher Lloyd and Lana Del Rey remain constants as well obv.

[SRN]

Peeking behind Battles to see what makes them tick. First stop had to be Tyondai Braxton's solo work, where I came across this neat little ditty from his latest album. You can see that he gave Battles their more off-kilter effects and was definitely the stamp that gave "Atlas" its charm. Hate to see him leave, but if it means we get "Gloss Drop" and more albums like Braxton's "Central Market", I think I'll be okay.

I never found it fair to compare "Mirrored" with "Gloss Drop" because both albums are so different. However, I heard somewhere that when Braxton left just as they where finishing up the "Gloss Drop". So whether the whole thing was planned to sound like that from the start or if Ian, John and Dave just sat down recorded an entirely new thing in a matter of days, I don't know. I should have asked them when I got to talk and drink a beer with them after their gig last year but I was too drunk and all I wanted to know was why in the fuck John Stanier has his cymbal raised that high. He told me it was just for fun. I still don't know if I believe him.

But yeah, Braxton's solo stuff if pretty cool and I also have Helmet on my list of stuff to hear. Ian Williams I already knew from Don Caballero (which is an amazing band that everyone should check out, especially "What Burns Never Returns"), so yeah. Unrelated, Tomas Haake of Meshuggah that some of the best drumming he has ever heard is from Don Cab, more specifically on the record mentioned.

Anyways, tonight I've listened to The Von Duesz "Dynamo" from 2010. To me, it sounded like BADBADNOTGOOD covered the entirety of Miles Davis' Tutu and it was awesome. Now I am listening to Tales of Murder and Dust's "Hallucination of Beauty", which is rapidly becoming my favorite release of this year; it is basically shoegazey folk with distortion and noise thrown in and it sounds so dreamy and distant and awesome.

[Liam]

I'm currently checking out 40 Watt, Tombs and the new outings from Paradise Lost and Anathema.

[SRN]

40 Watt Sun? I have their "The Inside Room" debut from yesteryear. I found it a refreshing doom metal album albeit a bit less enthused about it on multiple listens.

[Liam]

That band, and that album. Enjoyed what I've heard of it so far, but had fairly limited time with it tomorrow.

[thatshortguy]

Peeking behind Battles to see what makes them tick. First stop had to be Tyondai Braxton's solo work, where I came across this neat little ditty from his latest album. You can see that he gave Battles their more off-kilter effects and was definitely the stamp that gave "Atlas" its charm. Hate to see him leave, but if it means we get "Gloss Drop" and more albums like Braxton's "Central Market", I think I'll be okay.

I never found it fair to compare "Mirrored" with "Gloss Drop" because both albums are so different. However, I heard somewhere that when Braxton left just as they where finishing up the "Gloss Drop". So whether the whole thing was planned to sound like that from the start or if Ian, John and Dave just sat down recorded an entirely new thing in a matter of days, I don't know. I should have asked them when I got to talk and drink a beer with them after their gig last year but I was too drunk and all I wanted to know was why in the fuck John Stanier has his cymbal raised that high. He told me it was just for fun. I still don't know if I believe him.

But yeah, Braxton's solo stuff if pretty cool and I also have Helmet on my list of stuff to hear. Ian Williams I already knew from Don Caballero (which is an amazing band that everyone should check out, especially "What Burns Never Returns"), so yeah. Unrelated, Tomas Haake of Meshuggah that some of the best drumming he has ever heard is from Don Cab, more specifically on the record mentioned.

It's not so much a comparison as it is knowing what Braxton brought to the table as his own musician. There's a less playful feel to Gloss Drop. It's more focused while not being dark or overtly serious. Whether that's because Braxton was going away from his ensemble style or because his efforts were sometimes left out, I dunno.

Stanier used to do that while in Helmet. Fun fact, Kris Kohls (drummer for Adema) once claimed he caught a Helmet show where Stanier did that. He copied it because a.) he's tall as hell and b.) to pay homage to Helmet.

Edit: Methinks Caballero is next in line, as I'm already quite familiar with Helmet. I think you may have some shock when you get to Helmet. Not because of the heaviness, but by Stanier's relatively simplistic style. Paige Hamilton runs a tight ship musically; frills be damned.

[SRN]

Don Cab are awesome, definitely give both "What Burns Never Returns" a shot and "Don Caballero 2".

I know that Helmet is perhaps nothing like Battles, in that I know they are much heavier. Also, Mirrored more playful that Gloss Drop? I've always found Gloss Drop so simply a canvas where Dave, Ian and John just painted what they wanted whereas Mirrored was Braxton holding the brush and structuring a more coherent painting.

[thatshortguy]

I could see that. Braxton definitely brought in the crazy voicing, the sound effects and pitch alterations that gave what was a pretty driving tune like "Atlas" an almost pygmy-like vibe. Yeah, they're chanting pygmies, but they're just so damn cute. LBP certainly didn't help that notion. Even when looking at songs outside of "Mirrored", like "The Line", Braxton's voice almost betrays him. His inflection belies his energy...it's almost as if his voice just can't not be upbeat.

Perhaps the best segue from "Mirrored" to "Gloss Drop" would be "Tonto". Focused without being one-dimensional, everything bringing a very different dynamic to the table.

[Skummy]

I had no idea him out of Battles was in Helmet. Learn something new every day.

Lately, I have been listening to Willie Nelson, Childish Gambino, David Bowie's "Stage", Mazzy Star, and The Stalin.

[METALMAN]

the new Willie Nelson? I had it on at work, didn't get to hear the song with Snoop Dogg though.

[thatshortguy]

Decided to give the new Santana a shot today. Standard fare, really. If you like Latin music with flamenco flourishes, give it a go. Otherwise, just think back to any of his other Spanish albums in your head and you'll be most of the way there already.

Since the new Willie isn't exactly blowing up my radar, I've decided to go back and revisit Miles Davis' classic "Bitches Brew". As someone getting my feet wet in regards to songwriting, I feel like there's a lot to learn from this record.

[SRN]

If you are a guitarist, you should take note of everything John McLaughlin does on that record. Honestly, take note of everything that happens on that record. "Bitches Brew" is my, without a doubt, my favorite jazz album ever.

[Skummy]

the new Willie Nelson? I had it on at work, didn't get to hear the song with Snoop Dogg though.

I haven't actually got round to listening to the Snoop track yet. Most of it has been underwhelming, though.

Although it does give me a choice to recycle one of my favourite jokes.

Willie Nelson isn't just a country singer.

It's also an illegal wrestling hold.

[thatshortguy]

If you are a guitarist, you should take note of everything John McLaughlin does on that record. Honestly, take note of everything that happens on that record. "Bitches Brew" is my, without a doubt, my favorite jazz album ever.

Indeed. As a guitarist, the harmonies and flow are exceptionally intriguing. Plus, as a percussionist, well...c'mon, Jack DeJohnette is on this wax, m'friends. As Miles once said of Jack, "...he drums like a drunk man falling up the stairs." Wonderfully true.

[KONGO]

Truckfighters. Reminds me a lot of the fuzzed stoner grooves I jammed to when I was in high school, which means awesome.

[SRN]

I'M RUNNIN' OUT OF FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL~

Fucking hell, I love Truckfighters. Just so you know. They inspired Kyuss, you know.

[KONGO]

What do you think is their best? I'm on Gravity X right now, proper righteous.

Also, Truckfighters has reminded me of this band I Decline that I got from the stonerrock.com radio ages back, zero press, and they're on Spotify! Looking forward to revisiting The Ides of Riffdom, I recommend "Raze Lazurus (You Know Who's the Thief)".

[SRN]

Personally, I think "Gravity X" is there best effort but "Mania" and "Phi" are worth checking out too. On those two albums however, they sort of gravitate towards a more progressive sound than just flat out fuzzed up stoner rock.

[KONGO]

Slightly disappointing. Great album, but I always prefer to start on a band's subpar work as then there's room to grow. Will have to check the other stuff out, though.

[MalaCloudy Black]