What's a Listening Log? Well, the idea is quite simple. It's a weekly segment that consolidates all the mini-reviews Dozens Of Donuts has given on RateYourMusic over the past week, split between the Past and Present. A straightforward grading scale has been put in place, ranging from A+ to F-, with C acting as the baseline average. There is no set amount of reviews per week, just however many I get around to reviewing. And don't expect week-of reviews. I wait one month - with at least three listens under my belt - before I rate and review an album. Enjoy!
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Notarized as The Beatles' first uncontested classic, Rubber Soul found the quartet inviting the idea of psychedelics in an effort to alter the otherwise tame Pop Rock that stagnated recent albums. The result? An influential tour-de-force on the brink of invention. There's a clear duality between past and future on Rubber Soul, as The Beatles faltered affairs ('The Word,' 'What Goes On,' 'Run For Your Life') sour moments of exceptionality that occur periodically ('Norwegian Wood,' 'Nowhere Man,' 'In My Life'). Finally a Beatles record that isn't front-loaded, though the five-track run that kickstarts the album ('Drive My Car' through 'Think For Yourself') is the most apparent gap of consistency.
Interestingly enough, it's a track that doesn't so much as look ahead as refine the peak that takes the cake for me; 'You Won't See Me.' I'm a sucker for good Doo-Wop, and the melodious backing vocals invoked by the Beach Boys' success that warms my heart the most. 'Nowhere Man' and 'I'm Looking Through You' are two other excellent cuts that hone in on what makes a good Beatles Pop song click which, in accordance with the psychedelic fanfare elsewhere, make Rubber Soul their most diverse to date. Speaking of forward-thinking ideas, the LP's two runaway success stories ('Norwegian Wood' and 'In My Life') both create the infrastructure of what would become Psychedelic Pop. They lean towards Folk, with the shimmering acoustics and downtempo grooves, but would amalgamate with The Beatles' Pop distinction to essentially create an entirely new genre of music. Vampire Weekend owe everything to 'In My Life.'
There's enough highs on Rubber Soul to warrant the abound praise it has received, though I can't go without mentioning some truly errant ideas in the process. 'What Goes On' continues The Beatles' baffling attempts at formulaic Country, an erroneous decision and one that glaringly reveals their marketing ploy towards Americans. With their weeping, romantic heart, 'Michelle' and 'Girl' abate their own success by striving for such a similar sentiment. One that's outdated, even by The Beatles' standards. Lastly, 'Run For Your Life.' What in the hell are those lyrics, Lennon? "I'd rather see you dead little girl / Than to be with another man" should tell you all you need to know, the fact it's the chorus should make it even more alarming. Jealous and abuse are not traits to parade freely. Here's to hoping Revolver rids them entirely.
B-
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2003 | Glitch Pop | Listen
MAKING THE MOST OF A BAD SITUATION
Calling Velocity : Design : Comfort an ambitious explosion rife with euphoric sensation would be an understatement. Sweet Trip's cult classic, an album that somehow never received much attention upon release, culls intoxicating genres with a panache for optimism and subsequently bridges the gap from the 90's to the 2000's, existing in a world where 9/11 never happened.
Talk about an apt title and cover. The three words that define Velocity : Design : Comfort precisely explain Sweet Trip's goal of satisfaction, all the while representing such states of being visually as beams of rainbow dart across brutalist architecture and monochrome grid paper. Apply Sweet Trip's three primary genres of conflux here - IDM, Shoegaze, and Glitch Pop - and one can clearly see the influence: Sporadic, breakneck IDM intersects moments of tranquility, representing Velocity, Shoegaze's fertile wall of sound illustrates the artistic edge of Design, and Glitch Pop's warm melody and dreamy vocals eases the listener into Comfort. This composition, this makeup, that seamlessly merges such contrasting elements into engulfing ecstasy, is nearly flawless.
Weak points do hit, and in the 73-minute duration they happen quite frequently. Of those three aforementioned genres, IDM holds Velocity : Design : Comfort back the most with its perceived limitations centered on purposeful discordance. 'Tekka,' 'Velocity,' and 'Design : I' are marred by this delusory state, existing less as harmonious kin and more as belligerent heretic. Frustratingly so, IDM is still crucial to the LP in moments, such as 'Fruitcake & Cookies' and 'International,' when it's used in conjunction with the other genres. Pacing is key in the structure of Velocity : Design : Comfort and deviating from that, by overtaking the senses with a chaotic splurge, weakens the ephemeral experience.
Thankfully there are far more highs, due in large part to the other genres. The combination of frail, fuzzy vocals and dizzying riffs ascending to the stars makes for some fantastically-memorable Pop music; 'Dsco,' 'Chocolate Matter,' and the latter half of 'Fruitcake & Cookies' being the key examples. It's as if Fishmans, múm, and Quickspace had a baby. Three acts who cherish the warmth of human companionship in each of their own distinctive, quirky ways. That alone should exemplify the aspirations of hope and exigence of happiness on Sweet Trip's Velocity : Design : Comfort.
B
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Over two years I listened to Daydream Nation off a whim based solely on its boundless praise. It earned a respectable score from me, though returning efforts were minimal. At a point before extremity takes over, dissonance joined with standard Alternative Rock fanfare rarely achieves a satisfying yield. It's the reason Dinosaur Jr., Pavement, and Hüsker Dü have struggled to maintain prevalence in my library; Talent abound, they're just not enjoyable. Sister answers that call, though not by an overwhelming margin. The raw energy and guttural disfigurement Sonic Youth proudly preserve is in full force, seen most prominently on 'Stereo Sanctity,' 'Pipeline / Kill Time,' and 'Pacific Coast Highway' with their use of rambling, crescendoing guitars. The tactic is overused, though okayed due to Sister's concept that depict manic bouts of schizophrenia.
But as with Daydream Nation, my favorite efforts are those that stray from Sonic Youth's patented cacophony and revel on more melodic ground. The first of which is 'Schizophrenia,' Sister's best cut by far. On it, a closed and apprehensive Thurston Moore discusses the detriment of mental illness and how correlatively-similar it is to his own misfortune. This lies at the crux of Sister, an album that seems to resemble the life of a schizophrenic whose sane life spells just as much doom. However, 'Schizophrenia's' greatest success is the production, providing gorgeous riffs and a sublime tone that bridges the gap between Joy Division's Post-Punk and Modest Mouse's Indie Rock. As for other standout moments on Sister we have 'Cotton Crown,' a slow-moving love song about drugs with greenhorn duet performances from Moore and Kim Gordon. The structural shift alone is enough to force the hand of 'Cotton Crown' as a standout, though the same can't be said for 'Beauty Lies In The Eye;' Sister's definite low point. Yes it stands out, but more as a sore thumb revealing Gordon's exposed shortcomings as a vocal leader.
Overall, when Sister fades from my peripheral I'll likely have the same thoughts towards it as I do with Daydream Nation. The talent is there, the promise of something great is too. But too often it's marred by an edge that felt impervious to the styling's of mid-80's Alternative Rock.
C+
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1991 | Shoegaze | Listen
SISYPHUS BEARING THE WEIGHT OF MELANCHOLY
A name like Kitchens Of Distinction doesn't exactly exude quality, yet here we are. Strange Free World is a prime conflux of early 90's Alternative stylings, used and conjoined with eloquence and passion. Few albums merge Shoegaze, Jangle Pop, and Post-Punk with such thoughtful tenacity, eschewing dated 80's motifs with an uptempo pace and bombastic gravity towards hooks. Influence can be found all over Strange Free World, as we hear most prominently Ride ('Drive That Fast'), Echo & The Bunnymen ('Within The Daze Of Passion'), and Pale Saints ('Polariods'), artists known for inserting lissome flair into crushing and momentous walls of sound. Other artists include Cocteau Twins' Dream Pop ('Under The Sky, Inside The Sea'), Brian's Jangle Pop ('Quick As Rainbows'), and even R.E.M.'s Alternative Rock ('Aspray'). Suffice to say, Kitchens Of Distinction embrace the quality surrounding them to effectively make something consummate.
The withered vocal performance on 'Within The Daze Of Passion' is the only weak point I find on Strange Free World, even in spite of the general congruity sonically-speaking. The prurient, multi-layered hooks on 'Quick As Rainbows,' the gargantuan intensification encompassing 'Polariods'' second half, the propulsive guitar riff on 'Drive That Fast,' and the serene reflection of 'Under The Sky, Inside The Sea' quickly and assuredly discredit that one misstep with irresistibly pure Shoegaze. Consistency abound, Strange Free World should, in my eyes, join the ranks of essential listening material for a genre rich in poise, opulence, and grit.
A-
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1989 | Baggy / Madchester | Listen
CONTRIVING THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS, COCKSURE REVIVAL
An argument could be made that The Stone Roses' self-titled debut is the first unmistakable instance of a revival in the music scene. By the late 80's, the United Kingdom - and the world, by extension - were inundated in grim morose, with Post-Punk, Gothic Rock, and New Romantic dominating the alternative scene, and hedonistic chutzpah, with Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, and cold Electronica, powering the mainstream. It's why, despite The Stone Roses' rather tame ex post facto, the band and the boiling Madchester movement were initially labelled independent vagabonds; Rock as blithely as this was considered taboo. By invoking the 60's Pop Rock of The Beatles, The Monkees, and early Pink Floyd, The Stone Roses essentially guided an ensuing decade of conviviality that the 80's sorely missed.
Interestingly enough, with enough research to boot, one could make an argument that much of the distinction between Madchester and the contemporary genres it refuted came down to a variation between one thing; Drugs. The former, experimented with psychedelics like MDMA and LSD. The latter, cocaine and heroin. The result could be heard in not only the tone, mood, and general demeanor, but also the approach towards music as a form of entertainment. That's where The Stone Roses thrives: It is fundamentally organic, a result of one's usage for fun over pain. The one commonality? Spewing confidence that any arrogant Rock N' Roll star needs. Despite being a debut, one would be hard-pressed to find a record as self-assured as The Stone Roses, as if the musicians themselves were fully aware of the lightning in a bottle they captured.
Consistency runs the gamut on The Stone Roses, to the point of enjoyable exhaustion. While some songs, like 'I Wanna Be Adored' and 'Made Of Stone,' quantify the guitar-oriented prowess of the 80's, eliciting the sulky vanity of The Cure on the former and the schmaltzy romance of The Smiths on the latter, The Stone Roses' true claim to fame is how influential it would become for the 90's. Alternative Rock, Britpop, Neo-Psychedelia, Big Beat, even Ska are just a few direct descendants captured on songs like 'She Bangs The Drum' and 'This Is The One.' In my eyes, it sits alongside Pixies' Debaser as the father of a decade yet to come. This could perhaps best be seen on the genius, two-song tandem of 'Waterfall' and 'Don't Stop.' The former, for obvious reasons that amount to nothing more than the dreamy, clandestine vocals and trippy guitar riffs, recalling acts like Spiritualized and Mercury Rev. But the latter, bafflingly known as The Stones Roses' worst track on account of the over-indulgent gimmick of reversing 'Waterfall' with a coy shadow, could be the most influential piece here. It encapsulates Britain's ensuing addiction to hallucinatory dance music, with acts like The Chemical Brothers, Primal Scream, and Fatboy Slim hailing the combination of euphoric psychedelics and multi-layered rhythms. It's also my favorite here.
Apart from the brief and unnecessary 'Elizabeth My Dear,' the only song that doesn't wow in some way, shape, or form is '(Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister.' It's a bit too familiar to the already-grounded Jangle Pop scene, failing to add its own identity which every other song declares triumphantly. Nowhere is that seen better than on the closer 'I Am The Resurrection,' an eight-minute journey that acts as a celebration of The Stone Roses' percipient accomplishments. It oozes confidence, as if the band had known their debut would soar to incredible heights. The structural craftsmanship - especially impressive given the ludicrously straightforward percussion work - unfolds with such wild liberation. It veers on Jam Band, but with a level of ardor and devoir that would make that genre cower. A miraculous album through and through, The Stone Roses is one of the best culturally-bridging projects known to man.
A
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There's one compliment I can lend Herbert; Around The House is original. Not the House music itself, but the way it's processed and delicately handled. In the infinitely-wide gap between The Future Sound Of London and Gas lies Herbert, reinterpreting Downtempo prevalent scene in the United Kingdom for nocturnal ascetics who're to afraid to leave their house; pun intended. Despite introducing some preliminary Microhouse techniques, Around The House's real curiosities is just how quiet the darn thing is. It borders on Burial in terms of distant atmosphere-building, as if one's second-handedly relishing in a party's vivacity from their apartment dwelling a city block down. One normally associates an urban aesthetic with sociality, with uniform rhythms that subconsciously satisfy large masses. Yet what Herbert's done is take that desideratum and comment on the self-imposed isolation of an introvert. This is best seen on 'In The Kitchen,' a twelve-minute trudge that merges aquatic Downtempo with literal Musique concrète of someone cleaning a kitchen. It's oddly comforting, especially for a fellow introvert.
Unfortunately, that's where the praise stops and the disparagement begins. Like many dormant and opaque atmospheric House albums of the 90's, variability is nonexistent. Even the songs utilizing female vocals - which, seen best on 'So Now...,' evoke Arthur Russell's buoyant minimalism - fail to transport Herbert's limited percussion knowhow to new heights. It's as if he knows how to craft one song, and decides to stretch it over 73 lugubrious minutes. The patterns, structures, lack of evolvement, tonal inertia, everything is mimed ad nauseam. As stated before, only 'In The Kitchen' provides minor context and, despite overstaying its welcome (like every track on Around The House), I can respect it in that regard. Essentially, the lifeblood of dance music - which is, to provide vitality through charismatic panache - is treated as a discredited belief here. Even with the constant, multi-layered percussion I'm more inclined to call Herbert's brand of Microhouse Ambient, for it feels content as sedentary, background fodder meant to be ignored.
Gas is an apt comparison, though Herbert never retreats that far into oblivion, sans the totally unnecessary opener '"..."' and closer 'We Go Wrong.' In terms of manufactured Dance, Around The House's worst has to be the eleven-minute 'Never Give Up.' One, because it comes at the tail end of an album that saps you of all energy. Two, because despite releasing in 1998 when Electronic progression like Trip Hop and Big Beat were defining enriched aesthetics, 'Never Give Up' sounds dated a decade too late. It's mall music Vaporwave would ironically decontextualize. There's only two tracks I genuinely enjoy; 'So Now...' and 'This Time.' The former, for its playful benevolence that nears sedated Electro-Disco, and the latter for Around The House's only sporadic moment: "Even if I, even if I, even if I, even if I, even if I, even if I..." provides an unexpected ear-worm that piques interest amidst the sea of languor.
F+
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