Album Review

Modest Mouse is back with a new album that showcases their interesting sound. The group is known for such hits as “float on” and “the world at large” both of which have appeared on many TV shows over the years. The new album is titled “No one’s first but your next”. This album is very much the bands other albums in the sense that the have that sam eunique sound. The range of the band is incredible and can be seen on the range of instruments they use, from a banjo, to more brass instruments, and also have songs with classic guitar riffs and a violin. The range of instruments leads to that unique sound, that is quite refreshing. The group also uses very clever guitar riffs to create new sounds, in the appropriate titled whale song the group uses a riff that has a sound of a real whale. This song also has layered vocals, which all combines to make the song very unique. The album lyrics are very creative as can be seen with some of the song titles such as The Whale song. But the group has put together an album that displays lyrical talent you just have to listen to the metaphors being used there is a method to the madness. The songs do talk about real thing you just got to listen and get past the titles.

A special thing about this album is has to do with the music video for the song King Rat, the video was shoot by the late and great Heath Ledger is his music video directorial debut. Here is a link to check out the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQLhWqek7i0

Overall I give the album a 4/5, the album brings a unique sound and while it is a very short album only 8 songs they are all quality sounds. The only reason the album could not get higher is the reason is it good, the unique sound. While I find the sound refreshing I realize that it may not be for everyone. I do encourage everyone to give it a listen if you are tired of hearing the same old thing.

My favourite songs on the album are: King rat, the whale song and guilty cocker spaniel.

Lyrics in Music

Hey everyone my name is Chris Reid, you can call me Topher (I find it makes the common name of Christopher a little more unique, thanks to Topher Grace for the idea lol), Enough about my name and on to the music. My blog is as the title states is goanna be a collision course I will talk about both rock and hip hop. The first topic I want to discuss is lyrics, this is something that is very close to my heart as I have just began to write songs myself. With regards to hip hop I feel like this is a skill that is not being broadcast to main stream culture. The rap we hear now involves catchy beats and chorus’s with a dance with the intent to get you hooked not stimulate your mind. While I understand these songs are needed, because otherwise I would have nothing to dance to at a club, which means no dancing with girls which is kind of a big deal. But this does not need to be all we hear where are the songs with substance and meaning? Long gone are the days of KRS ONE, Rakim, among many others who made rap not something to just to dance to but poetry to listen to. Another example is someone most people probably know very well, the star of the flavour of love, Mr. Flavour Flav. While someone of you see him now as a foolish reality star flav use to be the front man to the group public enemy, a group whose lyrics had deep political roots which made you think. On the rock side I think a lot of people don’t know about how deep the lyrics are in rock songs. A lot of the time people who don’t listen to rock, who hear it don’t take the time to listen to it and hear what they are saying, but if they did they would see deep meanings. An example is the group Billy Talent, they create songs with meanings behind them with lyrics that are poetic in nature, songs like devil in midnight mass, and from their new album saint veronica. I want to give you hip hop fans some homework, go out and listen to some rocks songs, really listen, and you might like what you hear. Now I can’t leave the hip hop world devastated with my bash on their lyrics so I will end with a little pick me up for my hip hop fans. When I write about the state of lyrics in hip hop I don’t mean to say all hip hop is like this, there are many examples of artist with good lyrics, such as common, Talib Kweli, Lupe Fiasco, even artist like Lil Wayne and Kanye West I feel have the talent to make songs with classic lyrics but don’t always exercise that option. My point is this is not what is being heard, this is not what the mainstream culture hears when they listen to rap. I would like this to change, I want people to understand that hip hop can be poetry, that artist can write about more than money and materialism. So would all my real MC’s please stand up! I would like to end by stating this is my opinion and i realize people will disagree, so post your comments and tell me what you think. Until next time this has been your collision course for the week.