FDF Volume 3 Issue 294 - Thrice - The Artist In The Ambulance

Album -The Artist in the Ambulance

Artist - Thrice
Key Players – Teppei Teranishi – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals. Eddie Breckenridge – bass. Riley Breckenridge – drums. Dustin Kensrue – Lead vocals, guitars

Produced By – Brian McTernan

Release Date – July 22, 2003

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I am not even really sure to be honest. Sometimes when you are unsure of the last time you listened is usually the indication.

Overview – This is the third full length album (and first on a major label) for Irvine California band “Thrice”. Formed in 1998, the band would make a name for itself with hard, fast and sometimes complex songs. As the band grew in popularity they began to donate a fair amount of their revenue towards a charity. Each albums charity would go to a different place (this record in particular went towards a breast cancer fund). The albums would actually peak at #16 on the Billboard top 200 chart and the band would begin to play larger concert venues.

FDF Comments (aka the songs). As a note since Eddie and Riley share the same last name I'll use their first names when needed in this section.

Twelve tunes in under 40 minutes is always a good sign if you are looking for a speedy and rowdy record. Opening with “Cold Cash and Colder Hearts” the band sets the tone. The guitars are bright, but the bass and drums find the deep groove. Kensrue as a strong voice with a decent enough range to battle the music with him. Teranishi is solid on his guitar and complements the playing Kensrue has been doing. Kensrue barks himself nearly hoarse but they end as a string section seems to play it out.

“Under A Killing Moon” gets things right back to the rocking mood. Riley is quick across his kit on some of the fills and the band seems to be all together. If they are anything to this point, they are tight.  “All That's Left” is Riley alone before the guitar come in and it then takes off. When the band all comes in it hits pretty hard and Riley really hits them hard. Kensrue and Teranishi share some vocals to fill out the chorus, and parts of the verses as well. For the first time you really seem to hear Eddie in the mix as “Silhouette” begins. You get those big chugging riffs at the start before the vocals begin. The tempo doesn't match the intensity as much as you'd think, but it holds up fine. Eddie gets a work out again on “Stare At The Sun” working all over his bass. The guitars all come in nice and Kensrue has a particularly strong feel to his voice. Teranishi compliments Kensrue on the vocals nicely. The intro to “Paper Tigers” is sort of the feel that the whole record should have. Its just that mix of heavy, but a solid stroke of melody. Kensrue is angry at something as he seems to have an even heavier howl to his voice, but the guys play along. This is a hard one. (oddly enough its the first track with notable keyboard work). Eddie and Riley get to work in tandem as “Hoods On Peregrine” begins to swell. Kensrue and Teranishi then come in, but everyone pulls back some as the vocals start. “The Melting Point of Wax” has a similar vibe “Blood Clots and Black Holes” with the great swirling and grinding guitars and the band takes off. The guitars are really the focus on this and then Eddie and Riley take it over. The track has the continued urgency of prior tracks. The title track follows (“The Artist In The Ambulance”) and its similar. Riley opens up “The Abolition of Man” and we get that rolling along. He is the focus here, just hammering at his kit but late in the song we get a short guitar break down and Kensrue just really gets angry. Its a frantic ending. The album concludes with “Don't Tell And We Won't Ask”. A solid closer that keeps the same speed and tenacity of the prior tracks, they go out on a high note.

Where are they now? - The band released their last studio album (Major Minor) in 2011 and they did tour for it. During that tour the band announced they'd be taking a hiatus “as a full time band”. They'd play a final show in May 2012 and the set list was chosen by fans. A live record was also released in 2012.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I have never seen the band live.

FDF Overall Take – Its a pretty solid “rock” record. There are no flashy solos or extended jams, its pretty much straight at you. Soundtrack for an X-Game clip or the like is where this style of music falls for me personally. That is not a bad thing, just think of any extreme sports video you've seen and the music from this record could easily be used.

Links

Official Site

Facebook page

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

All That's Left  

Paper Tigers

The album is still in print, you can grab it here

Disclaimer – I am just a music fan. Feel free to comment about something that may be written incorrectly about the band/members etc. I strive to have a fun and enjoyable site. This site used to post mp3s but ran in to many issues. The audio clips provided are usually from YouTube. No copy write infringement is intended. Please alert me if something should be pulled. Finally, support the artist featured, or your favorite artist by purchasing their music, seeing their shows if possible and saying hi. They need your support.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 293 - Rachel's - Music for Egon Schiele

Album – Music for Egon Schiele

Artist - Rachel's
Key Players – Wendy Doyle – cello. Christian Frederickson – Viola. Rachel Grimes - piano
Produced By – Jason B. Noble and Rahel Grimes. Recorded live by Bob Weston

Release Date – February 20, 1996

What caused me to blow off the dust? - Sadly it was the passing of a band member, but also rumblings of new material being worked on.

Overview – Fromed in Louisville, Kentucky in the early 1990's the “Rachels” was actually started as a solo outlet. Jason Noble, who was in the band Rodan referred to his work as such. He'd slowly build collaborations with others and would work strings, pianos and percussion to form an unique style that was post rock meets chamber music. The band would rotate members, but a core of five persons would hold the band together.

What we have here is a soundtrack album for a live theater/dance production called “Egon Schiele”. It was produced by Stephan Mazurek and presented by the Itinerant Theater Guild at the University of Illinois Chicago during May 1995.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – Once I started listening to this I realized it would be hard to really break apart an album that has the “chamber music” feel as well as one that tells a story. First the tracks.

“Family Portrait”
“Egon & Gertie”
“First Self-Portrait Series”
“Mime Van Osen”
“Second Self-Portrait Series”
“Wally, Egon & Models In the Studio”
“Promenade”
“Third Self-Portrait Series”
“Egon, Edith & Wally Meet”
“Egon & Wally Embrace and Say Farewell”
“Egon & Edith”
“Second Family Portrait”

 

Overall its a quiet and pretty collection of songs. Grimes piano work in particular seems to really stand out and its amazing to think this was recorded live, it sounds flawless. Please see overall take.

Where are they now? - Jason Noble passed away on August 4, 2012. Although the band is listed as active until 2012 it has been a few years since anything major has come from the band.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – I have never seen them live.

FDF Overall Take – Some of the reviews on sites are very mixed. Being one of the best chamber music/hybrid type collections to pretentious and lame. It is just a pretty and unique record. I don't really see it as “classical” though. There is something about it that just seems to take it out of that realm for me. Toss this on early morning, or late in the evening when the right people are around and you'll get some cool questions as to “who is this” as it really doesn't sound like you'd think or expect.

Links

Official site

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

 

First Portrait Series

Egon, Edith + Wally Meet

The album can still be bought in stores easy enough.  On line, try here

Disclaimer – I am just a music fan. Feel free to comment about something that may be written incorrectly about the band/members etc. I strive to have a fun and enjoyable site. This site used to post mp3s but ran in to many issues. The audio clips provided are usually from YouTube. No copy write infringement is intended. Please alert me if something should be pulled. Finally, support the artist featured, or your favorite artist by purchasing their music, seeing their shows if possible and saying hi. They need your support.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 292 - The Jesus Lizard - Show

Album - Show

Artist – The Jesus Lizard
Key Players – Duane Denison – guitar. Mac McNeilly – drums. David Wm.Sims – bass. David Yow – vocals.

Release Date – June 14, 1994

What caused me to blow off the dust? - I've been reading here and there about the Jesus Lizard and I haven't really paid a ton of attention until now. Its been my loss, its been a lot of fun getting in to them.

Overview - This album was recorded live at CBGB in New York on December 19, 1993.  Apparently it was released without the bands consent.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – After some stage announcements McNeilly gets things counted off on “Glamorous” and it slowly all begins. The big riff from Denison is accented off Sims bass. The full band comes in for a noisy intro. Yow has a muffled vocal delivery, off set with howls and screams and then back to a beat poet delivery. It all seems to end abruptly and Sims gets “Deaf As A Bat” rolling. His four note baseline rumbles along with the machine gun tempo fro McNeilly. Denison fires off some guitar portions that are neither complex or lengthy. Sims the is most constant on the tune, keeping a rock solid bass line intact throughout. You hear some light claps in the background and then “Sea Sick” has its rowdy intro. The song is a heavy tune, with the tempo seemingly scattered all over the place. McNeilly gets to start off “Bloody Mary” with a few moments alone on his kit, (its very short). The tune then falls in to place with Sims attaching his bass. Yow doesn’t have the wild vocal range, but his stage presence makes up for much of it (hard, even on a live record to capture). Denison chops at his guitar, but then tune then falls back to 4/4 time. “Mistletoe” has a really industrial feel to it with the distorted guitars and everything seems to buzz around you from side to side and back and forth. “Nub” continues with the same energy. The band seems to be really falling in to place at this point, with a certain intensity. Sims bass work continues to be really fun to listen to and McNeilly just seems to speed up on this one. Denison gets his chance to really fire off as well. There are never big guitar solos, but you can tell he gets his turn on tracks like this. Before “Elegy” Yow dedicates the song to his mom and dad who are at the show. Its a little slower at the outset than other tunes so far on the live collection. The band seems to slowly plod along at times and then it builds up in intensity as it goes on. The band never really unloads, but it gets more intense. Before “Killer McHann” starts Yow screams at the audience, asking “why you people have to be so god damn violent?” The band provides the soundtrack to whatever might have been happening in front of them with a wildly intense track.  “Dancing Naked Ladies” is delayed in starting as the band continues to argue with the audience. It seems to only fuel their intensity. “Fly On The Wall” is introduced with Yow saying “David Byrne is here”, or “Debra Harry is over there”. McNeilly is on task and Denison keeps the guitar line pretty simple, but Sims just gets the production kick for the bass line. Its RIGHT in your face. Somehow the band finds a way to get even more intense “Boilermaker”is just the key. Continues to go right after the listener. Sure Yow might not be the easiest to listen to, but the band is all business. The business is intensity that is for sure. “Puss” brings the heat with McNeilly and Sims working in tandem. Denison waits for the chorus to play his chords and Yow seems to be in command. You can almost see him pacing the stage like a crazed man. “Gladiator” has the chug of the bass found in many songs from around this time, but the loose cymbals of the drum kit give it more of that bite. Denison, who seems to have been a little quiet the last few tracks, suddenly attacks it. Going right after the listener. Sims and McNeilly continue with the solid wall of back beat. “Wheelchair Epidemic” follows the same pattern as the bulk of the songs, a heavy bass and frantic drumming. The collection concludes with the track “Monkey Trick”. Yow never says a word as the song begins and again Sims attacks the bass line. The song feels like a slow rumble to get going, but McNeilly pushes it and the band seems to try various tempos and stop breaks which adds to the intensity. It all ends and Yow says “Thanks, stick around there is a band from England on next”.

Where are they now? - The band, as noted was signed to a major, and after being dropped they disbanded in 1999. They'd reform in 2008 and tour until 2010 to positive reviews.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) – The band was part of Lollapaloosa in 1995. July 25^th is when I saw them. More than anything I recall David Yow really trying to work the daylight crowd. They had the energy for sure, but the bulk of those that stuck around seemed impartial to what was going on.

FDF Overall Take – I don't know a lot about the band and I found this live collection to be unbalanced. I am sure seeing them live (again) might make it all the better. I have much to learn. Please make suggestions of what is their strongest (or weakest) in the comments. I'd love to explore them more!

Links

Official Site

Curious? Check out some MUSIC!

 

You can listen to the whole thing right here

It is out of print, but you can track it down pretty easily.  Right here for example.

Disclaimer – I am just a music fan. Feel free to comment about something that may be written incorrectly about the band/members etc. I strive to have a fun and enjoyable site. This site used to post mp3s but ran in to many issues. The audio clips provided are usually from YouTube. No copy write infringement is intended. Please alert me if something should be pulled. Finally, support the artist featured, or your favorite artist by purchasing their music, seeing their shows if possible and saying hi. They need your support.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 291 - Primus - Sailing the Seas of Cheese

Album – Sailing the Seas of Cheese

Artist - Primus
Key Players – Tim Alexander – drums, water jug.  Larry LaLonde – guitar, banjo.  Les Claypool – bass, clarinet, lead vocals.
Produced By - Primus

Release Date – May 14, 1991

What caused me to blow off the dust?  The band recently did (or still ar on) a “3D” tour and I just thought it had been some time since I listened to much from them other than the occasional songs that pop up on radio.

Overview – This was the second full lenth and major label debut for San Francisco based band Primus.  Formed in 1984 by Claypool and LaLonde they'd go on to release a series of experimental, funk metal that met prog rock.  Claypool seemed to redefine the roll of a bass player and found his way in to many jam band friendly circles.  Always surrounding themselves with state of the art gear and players Primus continue to push the musical boundaries of the “power trio”.  This album would be only one of two albums of theirs to go platinum (selling more than 1 million units).  The band is also well known for writing the theme song to the animated TV show “South Park”.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – A creaking ship sound is quickly over taken by a deep bass as “Seas of Cheese” kicks off the record, its just a 40 second intro and then “Here Come the Bastards”starts off.  Claypool is the master of the bass, but don't let him take the only credit.  LaLonde and Alexander are well up to the task.  There is a mathy and progresive feel to the track.  Claypool won't ever win an award for being a big vocalist.  Part of what makes them unqiue is the delivery from Claypool.  “Sgt.Baker” starts with Claypool slowly working it up, and Alexander finding his slot on the drums.  Random stricks and splashes on the cymbals before Claypool seems to nod and off it goes.  LaLonde puts on the riffs, with a sharp attack.  The whole band seems to be more active with the backing vocals here.  There is a false ending on the track and when they come back in, it full bearing.  Claypool gets the intro on “American Life” with a simple bass line (well for him) before everyone comes in.  LaLonde gets his first real run at a solo and the band seems to be a little on the downside tempo wise here.  It is still a complex and interesteing track, but its just slower than you are used to.  One of the bands bigger songs, and more well know comes in “Jerry Was A Racecar Driver”.  The bass work is impresive and the Alexander drum line is something else to marvel at.  Outside the chorus the band really explodes and its hard to sit still.  A frenzied moment in live shows.  “Eleven” has Alexander taking the leads working around his kit and Claypool dropping big bass notes, keeping more to simple notes and complex runs.  This goes on for about 40 seconds before LaLonde comes in as well and the vocals beging.  There is a little much of the cymal that goes “sploosh” for me on this, but LaLonde has such a great solo I end up not caring much.  Claypool wants his turn and off to the races we all go when “Is it Luck?” takes off.  To this point, the fastest song overall on the record.  How Claypool can play this quickly and sing is a feat unto itself.   “Grandads Little Ditty” is a 37 second track of a person singing in the shower.  Skippable for sure.  “Tommy The Cat” follows and we are back to that sound that makes Primus so impressive.  Everyone just going after their instrument.  Tom Waits guests on the track as the voice of “Tommy”.  The band is on fire here.  “Sathington Waltz” is an odd track, clocking in about 1:42 it sounds like a band trying to find “anything”.  Random notes, slow drum strikes, a bass chord.  Skip it.  “Those Dammed Blue-Collar Tweekers” starts with LaLonde doing a series of dealyed guitar chords.  This is one of those pay off songs, the band really comes in to their own I find on this track.  They are great players, but this song just feels “complete” for some reason.  Each player has that pivitol role, but the breaks their mold.  It all keeps together though.  A really solid track.  “Fish On (Fisherman Chronicles, Chapter II) is the longest track on the album (7:42) and it starts with Claypool working his magic on the bass.  More particular on it, just not wailing away.  It gets towards the fomula of a song (verse/chorus) but the band is spreading its wings here.  It  might be a hard ride for some to follow, but the payoff is pretty great.  The album closes with “Los Bastardos”.  A lot of yelling “bastard” and general chaos.  It is not the finest closer.

Where are they now? - Tim Alexander left the band in 1996.  He would rejoin in 2003 but again say he'd had enough by 2011.    He played in the band “Laundry” that released two records and he also joined Blue Man Group.  Primus has taken a few “breaks” during their time.  During downtimes Claypool has played as part of Oysterhead (with Trey from Phish and Stuart Copeland of the Police) and a series of his own solo and group formations.  Primus is still writing and playing live.  In 2012 they did the first ever “3D Tour”.  The show was enhanced with 3D video and quad surround sound.

FDF Personal Comments (aka the Live experience) –  August 20^th and 22^nd I saw the band open for U2 at Foxboro Stadium.  They played even before “Disposable Heros of Hypocracy”.  Claypools' bass did rumble the stadium, and those smart enough to show up early enough were treated quick and rowdy sets.  July 17, 1993 they were part of Lollapaloosa.  The band played mid-day and seemed to be at home for this slot.  The last time I saw the band was August 8, 1997 the band was part of the H.O.R.D.E fest.  They were in their finest form this night (the festival had Beck and Neil Young as well).  I can't believe its been that long since I've seen them.

FDF Overall Take – Primus is an interesteing band in they seem to split fans right down the middle.  From what I can tell, if you appreaciate what they are doing musically you can sort of look past Claypools vocals.  Others see that as just what comes with liking the band.  All three are musically amazing so there is always something to challenge you.  Keep in mind, Bob Dylan has a crappy voice too.

 

Links

Official Site

Curious?  Check out some MUSIC!

Jerry Was a Racecar Driver

Damned Blue Collared Tweekers  (Live from Woostock 94)

 

You can fetch a copy for yourself right here

 

Disclaimer – I am just a music fan.  Feel free to comment about something that may be written incorrectly about the band/members etc.  I strive to have a fun and enjoyable site.  This site used to post mp3s but ran in to many issues.  The audio clips provided are usually from YouTube.  No copy write infringement is intended.  Please alert me if something should be pulled.  Finally, support the artist featured, or your favorite artist by purchasing their music, seeing their shows if possible and saying hi.  They need your support.