December 31, 2021

KIϟϟ - Sonic Boom (2009)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: RR 7805-2

© 2009 Kiss/Loud/ Roadrunner Records
In the 11 years since their last album, the big and bloated Psycho Circus, the reunited, original, make-up wearing Kiss split once again when Ace Frehley and Peter Criss hit the door. In a shocking move that disgusted Kiss purists, remaining members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons decided that Ace and Peter's characters were up for grabs, and handed the make-up over to their new guitar-playing spaceman, Tommy Thayer, and their catman 2.0, Eric Singer, for subsequent tours. It was hardly the first time Paul and Gene were painted as an anything-for-a-buck duo -- they've licensed everything from Kiss action figures to Kiss caskets after all -- but maybe, just maybe, it was a sincere move after all, one designed to please fans. Unlike Psycho Circus with Ace and Peter, Sonic Boom with Tommy and Eric captures the spirit of the original group through simple, unashamedly macho songs that could have appeared on any of their pre-Destroyer albums. Lunkheaded lyrics like "The deck is loaded when I like what I see" ("Russian Roulette") or "Danger you, danger me, danger us" ("Danger Us") aren't so much an issue when the hooks are as solid and the songs are as exciting as they are here. "Yes I Know (Nobody's Perfect)" is the quintessential Gene song with the usual demon bass fills, plenty of cowbell, and "Baby it's time to take off your clothes" lyrics, while the closing "Say Yeah" is a sure fan pleaser, falling somewhere between "Black Diamond" and "Nothin' to Lose." Besides the underlying feeling that there's a bit more smirking than before, there's little sign the original duo have matured, which is good news, but the old-school idea of one song for the spaceman ("When Lightning Strikes") and one for the cat ("All for the Glory") should've been dropped, as both slow down the proceedings, plus Eric's number sings of "We're all for one and we're all for the glory" with absolutely no sense of irony. No one will be turned on to the band by Sonic Boom, and all the usual criticisms -- dumb, sexist, gaudy, and dumb -- apply, but the Kiss Army have waited over two decades for something this solid and fun. Pretend this is the back-to-basics follow up to Love Gun, and those 20 years of so-so albums fade away. Classic and maybe even a little awesome, Sonic Boom makes that "hottest band in the world" tag much easier to swallow.

tags: kiss, sonic boom, 2009, flac,
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KIϟϟ - Monster (2012)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: B0017219-02

© 2012 UMe/Kiss Records
As Kiss approach 40 years of ridiculously dumb rock & roll fun, it makes sense that their 20th studio album, Monster, is more self-referential than anything. Following 2009's Sonic Boom, the album marks the second set of tunes by a revamped "original" Kiss lineup, with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons joined by new guitarist Tommy Thayer and re-emerging drummer Eric Singer donning the makeup and personas originated by Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, respectively. Dressing up these semi-random players in the classic comic book costumes is just step one in re-creating the feel of Kiss' 1970s over the top heyday. Monster is a tremendous throwback to the superhuman partying and heavy metal Ragnarök of Kiss albums like Destroyer and Love Gun, with meaty riffs, hamfisted drumming, and a combination of Simmons' patented demonic growls and Stanley's interstellar party-starting, not to mention amounts of cowbell that would have been above average even in 1977. "All for the Love of Rock & Roll" is a big-hearted boogie rocker that would have fit on Frehley's stoney 1978 solo album, while the campily sinister metal riffage of "The Devil Is Me" and "Freak" fit more into the era of slick radio metal of 1992's Revenge. The muddy analog a cappella intro of "Eat Your Heart Out" sets the tone for tongue-in-cheek double entendres updating "Shout It Out Loud" with slightly different lyrics but the same bell-bottomed irreverence. It's only when Kiss stray from their most formulaic compositions that they start to falter. The remarkably dumb sex tale "Take Me Down Below" isn't just improbable macho fantasy, it's uninspired and boring. Musically, lyrically, and stylistically, it offers nothing, not even the joyful stupidity of the throwback feel of much of Monster. At this point in their career, attempts at innovation are Kiss' worst enemy. It's amazing to think that the bandmembers who once sang "My power is my age" and "Don't let them tell you that there's too much noise/They're too old to really understand" are still trotting out the same schtick as Paul and Gene enter their early sixties. These 12 songs might not score many new recruits for the Kiss Army, but for the innumerable fans of multiple generations who grew up with and lived their glory days listening to Kiss, the familiarity is what will make the record a keeper. With Monster, Kiss hit the mark best when rewriting the sound they developed as youngsters and when they keep it simple, predictable, and fun.

tags: kiss, monster, 2012, flac,
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Various Artists - 4080 Hip-Hop Magazine - Compilation Album Volume 1: Mobbin' Thru The Bay! (1996)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: G-Funk, Gangsta Rap
Label Number: SR70002

© 1996 Swerve Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

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tags: various artists, 4080 hip hop magazine, compilation album volume 1, mobbin thru the bay, 1996, flac,
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Distorted Pony - Punishment Room (1992)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Noise Rock
Label Number: BCD 4041

© 1992 BOMP!
Los Angeles phenomenon Distorted Pony released the 15-track Punishment Room in 1992 as a follow-up to the Work Makes Freedom EP. The disc's incessant rhythms are most prevalent on songs like "Death in the Turnstile," "Gut Bug," and "Castration Anxiety," while "Krank" and "Powerless" offer up the band's more melodic side. The album's release proved that aggressive punk music could be marketed across the country, as the band received critical acclaim for their pre-industrial sound, alongside bands like Big Black. Dora Jahr's ferocious bass was combined with the violent guitars of David U and Robert Hammer. Drummer London May rounded out the quartet. Recorded with Steve Albini, the disc was released by Bomp! Records.

tags: distorted pony, punishment room, 1992, flac,
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Distorted Pony - Instant Winner (1994)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Noise Rock
Label Number: tr-22cd

© 1994 Trance Syndicate Records
Instant Winner put a stamp on the recording career of the resoundingly original Distorted Pony, a groundbreaking band from California in the late '80s and early '90s. Surprisingly, this postmortem collection of songs is the most cohesive of the band's recording career. Highlights include the stirring focus of "Lamb Stink" and "Big Sprawling Corrupt," with a focus on Dora Jahr's wrenching vocals. The band's penchant for dissonance continued, and the feedback and blistering guitars, bass and drums add up to a brilliant and encapsulating wall of sound. Trance Syndicate Records unveiled the band's final creation in 1994.

tags: distorted pony, instant winner, 1994, flac,
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Lime - Sensual Sensation (1985)

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Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Hi-NRG
Label Number: SPLK-7184

© 1985 Unidisc
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

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Lime - Take The Love (1994 Reissue)

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*Reissued in 1994 by Unidisc. 
Contains 13 tracks total.
Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Hi-NRG
Label Number: SPLK-7186

© 1986-1994 Unidisc
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: lime, take the love, 1986, 1994, reissue, flac, 
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Lime - Caroline (1991)

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Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Hi-NRG
Label Number: MLPK-018

© 1991 Unidisc
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Blue Scholars - The Long March: E.P. (2005)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: None

© 2005 [Not On Label]
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tags: blue scholars, the long march, ep, 2005, flac,
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Mellow Man Ace - Escape From Havana (1989)

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Country: Cuba
Language: English, Spanish (Español)
Genre: Latin Hip-Hop
Label Number: CDP 7 91295 2

© 1989 Capitol Records
Cypress Hill, the Mexikinz, Kid Frost and Afro-Rican are among the Latinos who have made valuable contributions to rap -- a genre historically dominated by Black males. Like those MCs, the distinctive Mellow Man Ace has used his experiences as a Latino to his artistic advantage when rapping. On his debut album, Escape From Havana, the L.A.-based Cuban-American fluctuates between aggressive hardcore rap and more melodic and commercial fare. Ace, who raps in both English and Spanish, had a major hit in "Mentirosa" -- an infectious, salsa-influenced gem sampling Santana's "Evil Way." That song and the ballads "B-Boy in Love" and "If You Were Mine" show that even at his most commercial, he still has integrity -- while "Rap Guanco," "Mas Pignon" and "River Cubano" demonstrate how hard and forceful he can get. Ace, like a lot of rappers, spends too much time boasting about his microphone skills. Nonetheless, Escape From Havana is an individualistic, risk-taking work that's well worth hearing.

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tags: mellow man ace, escape from havana, 1989, flac,
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Johnson&Jonson - Johnson&Jonson (2008)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: TR396-050

© 2008 Tres Records
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tags: johnson and jonson, johnson and jonson album, 2008, flac,
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Elzhi - Lead Poison (2016)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: GLO374CD

© 2016 Glow365
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tags: elzhi, lead poison, 2016, flac,
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December 30, 2021

KIϟϟ - Revenge (1992)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: P2-48037

© 1992 Mercury Records
Despite coming off a monster ballad with Hot in the Shade's Michael Bolton-penned "Forever," Kiss was plagued by financial instability due to Simmons and Stanley's extravagance; worse, drummer Eric Carr succumbed to cancer in November 1991. But even with the grunge movement in full effect, Kiss was luckily recognized as a major influence on everyone from Trent Reznor to Lenny Kravitz -- their '70s legacy intact despite the band's often dubious choices in the '80s. And even though they, too, were on the brink of commercial extinction, being savvy businessmen first and foremost, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley fully understood the lay of the land. Not only did they need to make a definitive record, they needed to completely re-invent themselves, visually and sonically. The first step was to secure hard rock veteran Eric Singer to fill Carr's shoes; next, the band rekindled its relationship with producer Bob Ezrin. Again, never ones to ignore lucrative business opportunities, Simmons and Stanley swallowed their pride and rejoined forces with former bandmate Vinnie Vincent. Together, they co-wrote Revenge's three centerpieces -- "Unholy," "I Just Wanna," and "Heart of Chrome." Bringing Vincent back to the Kiss fold ultimately proves to be the album's coup de grâce. Some of the cuts are excellent, delivered with conviction and panache, but for all the hype, the album is also tainted with filler. On the up tip, Ezrin's mongo-enormous production galvanizes the Kiss sound, making it fresh again. The band's promotional efforts would help propel the album's first-week sales sky high, culminating with a Top Ten Billboard chart entry, but indifference once again plagued the ensuing arena tour.

tags: kiss, revenge, 1992, flac,
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KIϟϟ - Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: 314 536 323-2

© 1997 Mercury Records
Before Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley reunited with Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, they recorded Carnival of Souls with guitarist Bruce Kulick and drummer Eric Singer, intending to release the record either in late 1995 or early 1996. Once the reunion took off, Carnival of Souls was shelved and Kulick and Singer were unceremoniously given their walking papers, the final chapter of their history erased from public record. Unsurprisingly, the unreleased album became a hot bootleg in collector's circles, paving the way for its official release in the fall of 1997. In some ways, it should have stayed unreleased, since Carnival of Souls hardly captures Kiss at their best. None of the songs, either the predictable rockers or the by-the-book power ballads, stand out, and the music sounds canned, forced, and over-produced, with little of the self-deprecating humor that made the comeback tour a success. Only the dedicated -- who probably already own it on bootleg -- will have the patience to wade through the record to find the few minor items of worth.

tags: kiss, carnival of souls the final sessions, 1997, flac,
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KIϟϟ - Psycho Circus (1998)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: 314 558 992-2

© 1993 Giant Records
Since the 1996 reunion tour was a blockbuster success, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons decided to keep Peter Criss and Ace Frehley around for a little while longer -- long enough to record a full-fledged reunion album, Psycho Circus. Anyone expecting a stylistic breakthrough from a reunited (allegedly revitalized) Kiss would be unfamiliar with the band's history. Throughout the years, the only real change has been in the guitarists and drummers; the band's sleazy, big, dumb pop-metal has remained the same. The problem is, it's the kind of music that sounds more convincing when it's performed by a young, hungry band that makes records on the cheap. That way, the albums really sound as sleazy as the men who make them. As the band pushes 50, Kiss no longer sound young, hungry, or sleazy -- they sound like professional dirty old men. And since they're professionals, they can turn out some catchy hooks when called upon, but Psycho Circus ultimately feels worn out, more of a huge advertisement for an impending tour than a full-fledged record. Certainly, they're crafty enough to toss out a few anthems to please fans ("I Pledge Allegiance to the State of Rock & Roll," "You Wanted the Best"), and that may be enough to appease fans longing for an album by a reunited Kiss, especially since Frehley is a better, more charismatic guitarist than anyone else that has floated through the band. But cynics (i.e., anyone who isn't a hardcore fan) will probably view it as pandering. Which raises an interesting question: who is more cynical, Kiss for writing fan-baiting rock & roll anthems simply to sell records, or the reviewers who call them on it?

tags: kiss, psycho circus, 1998, flac,
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Madlib - Vol. 1-2: Movie Scenes (2006)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop, Instrumental
Label Number: STH 2133

© 2006 Stone Throw Records
Madlib is a man who cannot sit still. He's always producing beats for himself or for one of the numerous groups he's associated with. The CD version of Beat Konducta, Vol. 1-2 (in 2005 Vol. 1 was released on vinyl, and the Vol. 2 LP came out with the CD) is one of the few solo projects under his name, and is meant to be a kind of soundtrack for a nonexistent movie, though it's not exactly clear how the different tracks relate to one other (or what kind of plot they would be narrating!) except for the fact that they have all been very clearly created by Madlib. His style is pretty recognizable. Because he never does more than a few takes to make anything, his beats have a living quality to them, which, even though it means there are occasional missteps, is a nice change from many of the super-produced sounds of his contemporaries. He also has a particular fondness for '70s soul samples (Carla Thomas' "I've Fallen in Love with You" on "Stax (Strings)" and the Luther Ingram version of Sam Cooke's "You Were Made for Me" on "Whutkanido (Can Do It)," to name a few), but he's not afraid to dive into funk, rock, or even house if he likes the sound of it. Instead of starting from nothing and building up a piece, like many producers do, Madlib is more interested in dissecting an already written song and creating a new version of it from what he has. This is even more remarkable considering that he does everything without any use of master tapes or computers (about which he's very proud), relying instead on turntables, a drum machine and sampler, the occasional keyboard, and a ton of old records. Because of the dependence on other people's music, there will definitely be some familiar elements in Beat Konducta, Vol. 1-2, although Madlib is so adept at breaking his samples apart, distorting their sound, or completely deconstructing them (not to mention the sheer number he uses per track) that by the time he's finished they can hardly be identified. But each song does have its own feel, its own meaning, and Madlib guides his listeners with titles and subtitles that (generally) relate back to the song and to each other, either contextually or semantically, to create a very detailed, though still utterly bewildering, glimpse into the producer's musical thought process. It's a privilege to have even that.

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tags: madlib, vol 1 2 movie scenes, 2006, flac,
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Madlib - Vol. 3-4: Beat Konducta In India (2007)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop, Instrumental
Label Number: STH2177

© 2007 Stone Throw Records
As prolific as he is talented, producer extraordinaire Madlib moved east for his second Beat Konducta installment, In India. Unlike Vol. 1-2, which was themed around an imaginary film, Vol. 3-4 has no clear overarching purpose, and the 34 tracks connect to one another only because their samples were all taken from Indian records from the '70s and '80s. And it's here that Madlib's high output works both positively and negatively for him. On one hand, he's able to offer an extraordinary amount of different sounds all tabled around a unifying idea (the sitar, the tabla), from the very RZA-esque "Smoke Circles" to the percussive "Freeze" to the fuzzy, layered vocals of "Dancing Girls Theme." But he also relies almost solely on his own innate and insane amount of natural skill, without always thinking much about the finished product, too excited about the next thing he's going to create to even remember what he did a few minutes before, and this carelessness shows up now and again, weakening the overall effect of the record. Cuts like "Masala," "Another Getaway," "Dark Alley Incidental Music," and "The Rip Off (Scene 3)" seem hastily thrown together without much consideration for either the album as a whole or even the tracks themselves, a little too droney and atonal to do much more but loop around tiredly. Of course, this same kind of approach, this flexibility, can also produce some pretty great work, and fortunately most of Vol. 3-4: Beat Konducta in India falls into that category. "Accordion for Raj," for example, uses not only the title instrument, but also a nice, shaky MPC beat and an electric guitar to fill in the sound, "Onthatnewthing" plays with ascending and descending scales, while "(Variations)" is able to transition between two different musical ideas (as Madlib is wont to do) cleanly and appropriately (such is not the case, however, with "Main Title," whose lack of continuity is more annoying than anything else). The album's not without its weak points, that's to be sure, but it's still, overall, another interesting, and generally impressive, accomplishment from the master himself.

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tags: madlib, vol 3 4 beat konducta in india, 2007, flac,
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Madlib - Vol. 5-6: A Tribute To... (2009)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop, Instrumental
Label Number: STH2205

© 2009 Stone Throw Records
By the time Madlib got around to releasing Beat Konducta, Vol. 5-6, the stack of tributes to the late J Dilla was piled fairly high. Everyone from Busta Rhymes to turntablist J-Rocc -- a collaborator here -- had already said their piece through song, but Madlib's hesitation to eulogize is likely the reason this is such a rich goodbye, one filled with the more complicated emotions that come after years have passed. Of course this is an instrumental album, and one that shares Dilla's beat tape love of flipping the groove about every two minutes, so there's no direct commentary, just clues in subtitles and moods that come in different shades of blue. The lighter side of the spectrum is found in tracks like "Shades of Pete" where a crooked, Detroit soul bassline supports a reference to the collaborative Jaylib album Champion Sound. In a brilliantly subtle move the pair's mashed-name project is mentioned by the sampled words of a rasta man, while the lifted vocals on "J's Day #3" offer assuring whispers of "love" and "don't be blind." "Infinity Sound" is much less at ease, bouncing between "have no fear" and "have you lived enough today?" but it's these uncertain moments that give the album depth, plus a reason to revisit it after the smooth head-bobbing beats have sunk in. Even though the inclusion of the sloppy "Rebirth Cycle" seems counterintuitive on first listen, the irreconcilable sorrow buried inside comes to light once the difficult track is absorbed. Listeners unwilling to commit should also be warned that this is a long journey that was originally released on two slices of vinyl -- the "Dil Cosby Suite" and the "Dil Withers Suite" -- and even when divided in half, it is much less approachable than previous volumes. Still, it's the rare beat album that grows with every listen, plus it's a great artistic interpretation of all the confusion, sadness, nostalgic joy, and distress Madlib must have experienced after Dilla's early passing.

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tags: madlib, vol 5 6 a tribute to, 2009, flac,
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Shopmouse - Welcome To The Upper Class (2001)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: 0126632ERE

© 2001 Edel
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: shopmouse, welcome to the upper class, 2001, flac,
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