Introduction
Five Songs, 12/18/2019
Five Songs

Five Songs, 12/18/2019

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Gorillaz, "New Genious (Brother)"

Gorillaz, the band featuring Damon Albarn (Blur) and Dan "The Automator" Nakamura (Dr. Octagon, Deltron 3030, others), is one of the weirder success stories in popular music. The icy, detached compositions don't scream out "radio success", and the big radio hit of "Clint Eastwood" was a particularly strange song to get huge. This song is a typical example of what you find on the record, which is interesting primarily by managing to not really sound like anything else.

Vertigo, "King of Terror"

If I had the time, energy, skill, and connections, I would absolutely write a book on the history of Amphetamine Reptile Records. As it stands, alas, that just isn't going to happen. All I can really do is bring this up here and say "this was good", which feels futile. But here we are: this was good.

Shudder to Think, "Pebbles (Live)"

The Your Choice Live series documented various underground rock bands, with the records I've heard all being pretty solid live records, although subject to the usual caveat that live albums are inherently a little questionable. Shudder to Think mostly sound good, but I'd also rather listen to the studio stuff.

Cypress Hill, "A Man"

Skull & Bones was a comeback record for the band, with a return to the lineup that had made their classic records. However, they also decided to make a double album, which is usually a bad idea. And it gets worse, as the second album was a rock record! And it's just not good.

Squarepusher, "Anstromm-Feck 4"

After the breakthrough of Music Is Rotted One Note, which brought Squarepusher quite a bit of press and attention, Tom Jenkinson spent the next several records restlessly wandering around. Do You Know Squarepusher is in that line, featuring as it does very little stylistic similarity from song to song. Hell, there's a Joy Division cover in here! There aren't any bad Squarepusher albums, so this is worth listening to if you like him, but it's also hard to recommend specific things without knowing why somebody is listening to Squarepusher.

Joshua Buergel
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