Celtic Frost, Monotheist

Celtic Frost, Monotheist (Century Media-2006)

Come back albums can be at times pretty horrible. Sometimes a band you love coming back is not really what you may want as the chance is the album may well be crap. Or even worse ok!

But this band really can't be pigeonholed so the album was really an open door. What you do not expect is one of the best albums of 2000s. This band is a first for this blog as it is the second for an artist (previous here). I did try not to do this but the band have moved through so many styles they really can not be pinned down. This album is a real mix of doom metal and Gothic styles. The album has nothing new but it is all done so well. With a big production and all out band sound it really gets you by the throat.

But it is not all just noise the music is so well composed. Track four "Drown in Ashes" has more of an operatic feel to the start of the track, female operatic vocals accompany what is a speech style vocal track. All the time the band playing in the background. It really makes you wonder what is going on.

First track "Progeny" is the classic start to a metal album, really not giving much thought to the listeners possible mistake in having the Hi Fi too loud you may well need to turn it down. As I say there is more to the album so do not be fooled, this is not a run of the mill metal album.

Much of the bands previous output really did change minds and turn heads as they were labeled metal by the people who looked on without listening. Now the band have taken on a sound that can really attract more music fans as the whole alt metal and rock market is now so big. Noise and sludge are all here to a point but done in a way you can never rip off.

"Ground" has the riffs and it is all done very slow, those riffs that you feel moving the fillings. Music that you can feel when it is loud enough. The sound is so hard to describe as you really can't fix a band to it but as I say noise and metal are of very few words we can use. Almost feels like it is a lesson in how to be a sound as the vocals are so strong you wonder if someone is in the room with you live. Bass lines are simple and sound kind of detuned, chugging along, what a great album.

Back in 1999/2000 nu metal was the big thing, baggy trousers and baseball caps and all the kids had a new sound and look. But listening to this I have no idea what to wear! I do not think you can wear anything to this, a Slayer T Shirt would be over dressed.

No fucking about with song titles "A Dying God Coming into Human Flesh" as a title and repeats it in the song over and over. When it is done you feel it was cut short at 5:39.

Talking of track lengths "Synagoga Satanae" comes in at over 14 minutes and again you feel you want it to last a whole cd, how about a triple album. I could bang on about each and every track for pages but this blog is more to get you to listen and enjoy an album you may have missed. In 2006 you may have dismissed this instantly now it is 2014 you need to hear this. If you like heavy music listen to it and if you do not I really mean give it a go. The underground metal press went bonkers for this album but that is as far as it went.

A great new sound and great production mixed with immense song writing makes this one of the best albums in the 2000's for me. The album took four years to make and you can really feel it.

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Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska

Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska (Columbia-19982)

So back to business in classic albums people have missed and another big name. Many (if not all) have heard this mans output before. But have you heard the best stuff?

I rate three albums he has done as his best the River (1980), Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) and this album. All were done very close to each other. But this album was very different in many ways.

Much of the output Springsteen has done after his first couple of albums were severely agonized over in the studio. Some albums taking six months or more to make but this one was done in a month. Not only in a month but on a home studio device. Very new technology back then here used to lay down his ideas before hitting the studio. The E Street band did get a chance to record this album but it was felt the demos were better. So what this album is at the end of the day is a demo tape that was released on a major label by a major artist. Big risk after the previous multi platinum selling albums.

The gamble did pay off but more for fans of music as many artists have gave this album credit. Based  mostly around a folk style music it tells tales in a first-person narrative style.

Mostly in a very bleak and real tone the music is basic with Bruce only using guitar, harmonica, mandolin, glockenspiel, tambourine and organ. And even then very sparsely. "Nebraska" kicks sets the albums whole pace with a very bleak story of a serial killer that was taken from a true story. Aged only 19 you can be forgiven for feeling a little bit uncomfortable. More stories follow till my highlight.

"Highway Patrolman" rings bells with me as I do have a brother but the story of a patrolman who's brother is on the wrong side of the law. Bruce is fantastic at telling you the story in a way it feels like you will never forget it. Little bits of info portray the life the men have. His voice is very controlled and direct as are all the instruments on the album, the harmonica sounds at times like he did record it as he was playing the song.

"Open All Night" is the only song to move from the folk style and has more of a rockabilly guitar riff to it. Electric guitar makes an appearance here and it does feel fresh to get a track that shows a little positivity.

One thing the Springsteen is one of the best in the world at is taking a song or tune from his head and placing it into the studio. He is one of very few in th world who can do this THAT well.  But this album is everything as far away from that you can get. All these songs could be adapted to a country style and sell millions. But his heart wanted this out as it makes most sense to him and to most others. Give this album a try and get an idea that he is not just a stadium rocker.

This style of album really can't be done by many, listen to many big bands who split and go solo this is what they hope to be able to accomplish. Again this was done on a four track studio at home with a little mixing for a commercial release. He had the balls to do it so you should have the courtesy to give it a go.

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Classic Album Review, PJ Harvey, White Chalk

PJ Harvey, White Chalk (Island Records-2007)

I have always enjoyed all of the output that PJ Harvey has done and also loved her side projects with John Parrish (Check out 2009s A Woman A Man Walked By). But this album commands respect from me. 

Not simply just a good album to me but as someone who plays musical instruments I have to respect how she really went out of her comfort zone on this album. A very risky thing to do. Away with the classic drum, bass and guitar band set up and move onto learning new instruments from scratch. Also add in a real change in vocal style and you have the makings of what could be a bad album.

But what did happen is Harvey committed herself as much as she could to the piano and other instruments to gain just what she needed to write an album. Now she can call herself a multi instrumentalist with credits outside of guitars including zither, harmonica, harp and cigfiddle.

How does it all sound? Well it is a simple album as you really can't do that much in a studio all on your own. But it is well done and written so well. She really evolved her songwriting skills here. "The Devil" has the blueprint for this album. Simple piano chords and her voice singing just a little too much higher than she may like. But it seems to work. The harmonies help to give the music stability but they are rarely used showing her control of the sound so well. Any producer would have put many on this to fill it up.

Second track 'Dear Darkness' has bleakness at the heart. The music is moving and also very gloomy so not one to play on a summers day at a BBQ. 'When Under Ether' is a real stand out track telling story of an unborn child, no reason given from what I can hear. Very much a thinking album. Title song and again another highlight 'White Chalk' makes you wonder why you have this on at all. But nice little acoustic passages and her voice convince you this is well worth the listen.

This album was made with much the same people as all her others but it really does sound that much removed from her past albums. Many artists try to do this and fail very badly, this album back when it came out made some new fans but I do remember fans being split on this one. Even her live performance was changed dramatically with PJ removing the traditional band format even from the live performance. Wearing a Victorian style, full length dress and playing many of the instruments live while sitting down is as close to folk you can get. It was more of a one woman show, but simply so much different than the busker you cross the street to get away from.

The album was a hit in the UK and sold ok but really it should have been bigger and people know that. The next album was four years away and on a similar style as this and BANG! people got it, Mercury Prize winner and praise that should have happened in 2007. So people were a little late, so what but those who were late missed out on a better album.

White Chalk is easily available on CD and LP from Amazon

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