FDF Volume 3 Issue 357 - Ministry - Psalm 69 (The Way to Suceed and the Way to Suck Eggs)

Album - Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs

Artist - Ministry
Key Players – Paul Barker – bass, programming, vocals. Al Jourgensen – vocals, guitar, keyboards. William Rieflin – drums. Mike Scaccia - guitar

Produced By – Hypo Luxa, Hermes Pan

Release Date – July 14, 1992

Overview - This is the fifth studio album from industrial metal band Ministry. Formed in Chicago in 1981 as a synth pop outfit leader Al Jourgensen decided to change directions after a few years, morphing in to the heavier band most know today. This album would break the band in to the mainstream in 1991 with “Jesus Built My HotRod”

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The 9 song 45 minute record is an absolute assault on the listener. Opening with "N.W.O"  the crunching guitars and drums hit you. You can see the strobe lights. You can smell the smoke and feel the heat of the lights. This is just one loud fucking record. There are layers of samples and when Jourgensen begins the vocals they are nearly unintelligible as he growls the lines under the wall of sound. Scaccia has a short guitar solo in the mid part of the song, but the looping assault of keyboards and drums makes it almost hard to pay attention to. An absolute assault as noted, and we've only just begun. Lifting samples from the film “Sid and Nancy” we are warned to “never trust a junkie” and
"Just One Fix" gets underway. Slicing like a buzz saw the guitars just pummel the listener. You feel dirty after this one. One thing Minstry does is they find that one riff and they latch on to it. The guitars make no change for minutes and everyone else comes in. The drums don't change, the keyboards fill it out and until the chorus its largely locked in the pummeling riffs. The sampled scream that brings the track all back is as resounding today as it was the first time I heard the tune. “TV II” is a very challenging tune to new listeners. The speed of the guitars and drums off set with breaks of heavily distorted (and shouted at you) lyrics. The shortest song on the record, a spot over three minutes the band must have been exhausted even in the studio after playing this. My arms hurt just listening to what Rieflin laid down. “Hero” is one of the cleaner tracks on the song. You get all the mix of the heaviness, and speed, but it just feels “cleaner” and a better example of what the band is all about it. The vocals are still growled at you,but it seems less busy that the prior tracks and is a song you could easily play for someone new to the band to give them a taste of what the band is about.
"Jesus Built My Hot Rod"  was the bands biggest commercial song. Gibby Haynes wrote and sings on the track. If there were a commercial song on the record this would be the one. Even with Haynes nearly indecipherable lyrics. We change gears to the 8+ minute “Scarecrow”. Still a heavy and dark song its just not as rushed as everything else on the record. “Psalm 69” has a big “church” feel to it. With the request to open our prayer books it has the big choir and heavy marching drum. After some “praise Jesus” chants the band comes in and its another brutal assault. “Corrosion” slowly builds up before it opens up. The techno loops feel extra heavy here. This could be used in any horror film ever with flashing lights and cut shots. It ends so heavy the band used the sound of speakers cutting out, almost as if you've blown them. “Grace” concludes the record. Another “horror movie” feeling track but it never seems to grow in to a song like the others. It fits the mood fine, but its a subtle let down from the whole record.

Where are they now? - The band has had numerous changes over the years as well as some set backs.

The band released, what they claim to be their final album “From Beer To Eternity” in September of 2013. There is talk, and a few confirmed live tour dates, scheduled in 2015. Scaccia passed away in December of 2012 of a heart attack

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? - There was a time I could not get enough of this record and from time to time it really does the trick.  For this reviewer they were at their peak around this time and its probably the first record I'd suggest from them.

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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 Volune 3 Issue 357 - The Beastie Boys - The In Sound From Way Out!

Album – The In Sound from Way Out!

Artist – The Beastie Boys

Key Players – Adam Yauch – bass. Mike D – Drums. Adam Horovitz - guitar

Produced By – Mario Caldato Jnr

Release Date – April 2, 1996

Overview – If you are looking for the rap and hip hop Beastie Boys this is not what you are looking for. If you are looking for three guys crafting some of the coolest jazz funk then you have come to the right place. Recorded in 1996 we were still two years away from “Hello Nasty” and the band, looking to do something different, did just that. The band didn't rush this out as some sort of statement either. Recorded over a span of four years the complexities of this record are really charming.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The 13 track 38 minute track opens with “Groove Holmes”. An organ led (played by Mark Ramos Nishita on the record) the band just keeps it low and smooth. The guitar and bass blend well and Mike D is in no hurry so you get that real finger snapping smooth feeling. Horovitz lays down a funk filled wah wah guitar line as “Sabrosa” gets going. Latin percussion once more accompanies before Yauch and D join the fold. Yauch then walks all over the track with a great walking bass line from his upright. “Namaste” is a late night sounding smooth track with keyboards and guitar lightly playing off one another."Pow" is aptly titled as the bass drums and drums come right after you. The guitar breaks and organ fills are prime for that jazz funk moniker. A stellar track that has a great tempo drop. Being a shorter track they really get right after it. “Son of Neckbone” tricks you with the slower intro, but rewards you with the deep groove. The percussion instruments really fill out the sound on the track and D seems to get the most of his drum kit on this one. The track “In 3's” is/was always the stand out for me. I'll just leave it alone and force you to listen to it to figure out why. If you've never heard, enjoy. If you have...you know why

(Listen). “Eugene's Lament” finds the band working with violin (Eugene Gore) and the band is quiet and slowly placing things together like a puzzle. The bass and drums are steady, but the slight plucking of guitar to an short run on the organ keep you wondering where it will all go. It comes back to Gore and his haunting work on the violin. “Bobo On The Corner” is a drum lead track that is just over a minute long. It feels like it could, or should be an intro to another track, but on its own it somehow works with the Mike D drums and Yauch bass line. “Shambala” opens with some throat singers and it is used for the track as an under layer. The track builds slowly around the guitar and drums. Horovitz finds his comfort on a nice repeated guitar line and the band locks in to a tight funk groove. Nishita comes back with the organ work on “Lighten Up”. The band seems to lock in to what Nishita puts down and lets him roll with it, but keeps it all tight. “Ricky's Theme” has a similar feel with much focus on the organ and drums. “Transitions” is another track that uses the slow climb of the keyboard. The bass and guitars get to show off some, but the track just wants to sit tight in the groove and make it unfold. The collection wraps up with “Drinkin Wine” which also happens to be the albums longest track (4:40) The are some back masking, reversed loops being played and it continues to be “backward” song for the duration.

Where are they now? - When Adam Yauch passed away in May of 2012 the Beastie Boys dissolved. Mike D has been working on various projects, and in October 2014 he said he was working with Portugal, The Man as a producer.

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? - This is a blast to listen to. Sometimes all you need is just that little bit to show you that you can't pigeonhole things. Maybe seen as arrogant at the time (I don't ever recall any sort of fall out) the band just went about and kept busy and creative. A band that is willing to really break the mold is a testament to their desire and abilities. If you can hang on with them you are a bigger fan than you realize.

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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 356 - Slint - Untitled EP

Album - Untitled

Artist - Slint

Key Players - .Britt Walford- drums. David Pajo – guitar. Brian McMahan – guitar/vocals., Ethan Buckler - bass

Produced By – Steve Albini

Release Date - 1994

Overview – The two song ep was recorded in 1989 before the bands now iconic album “Spiderland” was done. Intended to be a release around the time of the band debut “Tweez” it was shelved due to some record label shifting. In 1994 it was released.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – It may seem like a cop out doing a 2 song ep as part of a review, but with Slint very little can be taken lightly. Clocking in at just over 13 minutes it begins with
"Glenn" . Buckler rolls a melodic bass line before the drums and guitar come in. Everyone is held back and almost hesitant. Pajo repeats his riff and Walford rolls across his drum kit. The track is locked in to a trippy groove early on and it slowly builds steam. About 1:30 in the band bears down more and the second guitar comes in, with distorted riffs played over the melody that has been laid out. The bulk of the track sticks with this and if you listen a second time you'll hear more of whats going on with the second guitar. Then a third time what the bass line does. It changes and expands with each listen.  "Rhoda" is the second track and its a re-hash of the same tune taken from the bands debut “Tweez”. This is a louder, more in your face track than the first. The guitars really bite at you with the siren like wail and heavily distorted bottom to it all. When Pajo screeches the guitar line and Walford slaps it all back to re-connect you are taken on an heavy and wild ride. The single guitar note attack as Walford seems to find a beat outside the beat. Try to tap your feet to this one and its nearly impossible, yet its tight beyond words. Everyone is doing their own thing, yet it melds as one sonic blast. About 3 minutes in we calm down some and Buckler gets a short moment before its shouted “1-2-3!!” and the band collapses back in. Pajo and McMahon go hard on the guitar and Walford attacks his drum kit like it stole money from him. Bucklers rumbling bass works to fold it all back up nice, but the guitars swirl and battle back and forth, slicing through the track. It slows down, and you can almost envision the band taking a turn sitting down in exhaustion.

Where are they now? - Buckler left the band early on. The biggest story of the band is how they broke up before Spiderland was released. Over the years the album would grow and grow starting to appear on those “best albums ever” lists you see. Its a brilliant and stunning release that is beyond good. The band re-formed in 2005 for a tour, then did another in 2007. They will still occasionally tour (including 2014) but there are no plans for a new Slint record.

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? - Yes. You might not “get” Slint the first time you listen to them, but listen to them. Soak it in, then listen again. For such a limited output (2 full lengths and an ep) the band has left an amazing legacy. Hip before hipster the band, never mind just this ep, are deserving of your attention.

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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.