After a lengthy hiatus, Grab Bag returns to Dozens Of Donuts. Here, we'll find and react to completely random songs from the depths of music's annals. There's no prerequisites, no regulations self-imposed. Anything can make this list if the site I'm using to discover these songs, RateYourMusic's random release generator, spits them out. This is a great way to discover new music with no attachment to something in your catalogue. Or, a dark reminder that truly horrid music exists in droves.
The positioning is based on the order in which I discovered them. The rating system similar to what DoD already enforces, in that 5 / 10 is average, not bad.
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By The Fire | Noise Rock | 2020
Woah. Talk about upheaving expectations. I see Thurston Moore, the 62 year-old former leader of Sonic Youth, left to stew in Noise Rock existentialism. I see 'Siren,' clocking in at 12 minutes. I immediately dread the outcome. Now? I adore it. 'Siren' is a beautiful construct, soft and welcoming. As Moore's head tilts, his eyes close, a riff from greener pastures overwhelms the senses. It carries rich fragrances and fine hopes. A movement towards Arcadia, hinting at the gentle edges of Michael Gira's Gothic Country endeavors. Though the tonal shift midway through is a tad unpalatable, the return towards warmth - with Moore's vocals in tow, amiable and affectionate - reveals why such a hurdle needed to exist. 'Siren' is a marvel. A shocking Grab Bag entry that attests to the importance of musical discovery.
9 / 10
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Riptide | Pop Rock | 1985
You know, I had a speech ready for Robert Palmer and his trend-biting, charm-driven ways. And while that's relevant, 'I Didn't Mean To Turn You On' swayed my focus instead. On the sensual cut (reduced to ashes by cheap, New Romantic synthesizers), Palmer finds a groove in the nautical. It bears a passing resemblance to Arthur Russell, of all people, in this sense. Not on the surface, but deep within the sparse layers and moody recital of the title. That being said, like much of the 80's, Palmer's brunt style and chintzy production flavor hasn't exactly aged well.
4 / 10
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Forms & Feelings | Psychedelic Rock | 1970
A short-lived Psychedelic Rock band from the United Kingdom. Haven't we heard that before? About a hundred-dozen times. In the wake of the British Invasion, a flurry of Rock artists sprung from the background, intent on capturing the wave. Love Sculpture, like many, failed to garner much traction, disintegrating under the weight of tour life. As 'In The Land Of The Few' shows, their music wasn't particularly interesting either. Conventionality, nothing seems out of place. But that, ironically, is the exact problem. They're not as accessibly and poppy as The Beatles, nor as ambitious and daring as King Crimson. Falling into quite the boring spasm in-between.
3 / 10
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A Grand Love Story | Trip Hop | 1997
Skulked 90's Trip Hop, arriving from the heart of France, where AIR were dominating airwaves at the time. While similarities can certainly be found, Kid Loco's 'Relaxin' With Cherry' constantly performs about-face tricks, offsetting the Downtempo sound with unpredictable blockades and tangled percussion. The result isn't all that appealing, sadly. These transitions are brutal, interruptive, and fail to match 'Relaxin' With Cherry's' riding tonality, which is actually quite calm and pleasant, even amidst all the patterns and loops. Clunky doesn't begin to describe these moments, which, while few and far between, are so whiplash-inducing that you can never quite shake them entirely.
5 / 10
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Air II | Ambient | 1994
Find me someone more obsessed with Space, and Space-related Ambient, than Pete Namlook. The man released 135 albums on his record label FAX +49-69/450464. Thank you for compiling that number so I didn't need to, Wikipedia. His aesthetic was uncompromising, obsessed with shades of blue, monolithian soundscapes, and the great beyond. 'Trip 5' is sandwiched between growing passages, carrying but a fraction of Air II's 60 minutes. On it, Namlook invades the primitive Ambient Trance found slathered across the Berlin School movement. It should surprised no one that Namlook is German. They love their rigid lines, austere atmospherics, and meandering Electronics. In that sense, 'Trip 5' is fine. However, there's no denying a surplus of this style would go stale rather quickly.
3.5 / 10
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Shadowfax | New Age | 1982
To be fair, 'Move The Clouds' isn't exactly the best song to find off Grab Bag. First impressions are imperative, and for Shadowfax, I believe, things could've been better. Though it eclipses the three-minute duration, 'Move The Clouds' feels like little more than an interlude for grander compositions. Or perhaps not, given Shadowfax's connection to New Age and Jazz Fusion. Those types have no problem gliding away on a float made from meandering strings, teetering pianos, and droopy brass. For that's all 'Move The Clouds' is; aptly titled and descriptively bland.
2.5 / 10
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Rapid Eye Movements | Musique Concrete | 1981
No, no, no. We aren't doing this now. You know, I hate the types that approach anything esoteric in music and say "this isn't music!" But I mean, can we please agree, Operating Theatre's 'Why Is Kilkenny So Good?' isn't music? Is it performance art? Absolutely. But nothing here entertains, excites, or tantalizes. It's a meaningless interview, devoid of point. Mixed, for the better half of the song, to your right ear. For god knows what reason. And if it's not silence filling the gaps, trivial Musique Concrète does the trick. Here, porcelain pots and pans creek along to skittish vocal samples, breathy heaves, and boilerplate Industrial noise. Left again, to infatuate with your right ear. No thanks.
0.5 / 10
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White Light White Heat White Trash | Punk Rock | 1996
Okay, I know we're supposed to lower our expectations on lyrics when it comes to Punk music, but c'mon. "When I was young, I was so full of fear / I hid behind anger, held back the tears" is what we're introduced to. The lines we'd read in journals from frustrated preteens. It doesn't help that Mike Ness' vocals feature that classic, Punk Rock gravel. Exaggerated and embittered, designed for teenagers to fight back their perceived injustices with. That being said, Social Distortion's production is killer, with giant riffs and an accessible palate. And though I dislike Ness' whole persona, one can't fault the content. 'I Was Wrong' stands against Punk Rock's machismo, with introspection, acceptance, and confession. That I can respect.
6 / 10
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Hari No Nai Gabyo | Ambient Pop | 2018
The textures on 'Nazo' are what stood out to me first and foremost. Sure, Motoomi Doi's vocals are cordial and soft, matching Ambient Pop's reflection qualities with ease. But that genre, whether the artists who're largely disguised Singer/Songwriters want to believe it, is at its best when texture invades the otherwise stale palate. Initially, twinkly acoustics play fairly with Contemporary Folk, before a subtle and elongated build invites distortion and a general sense of impending tension. This transformation is effortless, and honesty quite impressive, as it's all done through the guitar. Shifting the perversion midway through helps 'Nazo' scale, instead of whimpering under yet another fragile voice.
7.5 / 10
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