MC5

It's Thursday and it's time to kick out the jams. The MC5 were a rock band from Detroit that formed in 64 and unleashed a Live debut album in 69. 'Kick Out The Jams' remains as an influential album for many bands today. The album was recorded over Devil's Night and Halloween in 68. The influential and controversial title track, is still more widely known for the opening line, 'Kick Out The Jams, Motherfuckers!' than perhaps the band as whole. Great slice of American rock that burned out way to quick.

This is one of my favorite records. There's so much energy and passion here. And seriously a live debut record, who the hell even has the balls do do that?! Led by vocalist Rob Tyner, and backed by the sonic duo of guitarists, Brother Wayne Kramer and Fred 'Sonic' Smith, MC5 launched an assault on the Hippie movement of the time.With their far left political ties and anti-establishment lyrics, the band was definitely part of the counter culture at the time. The band flamed out by 72. Time took it's toll on the band, both Tyner and Smith both passed away from Heart Attacks, and Bassist Michael Davis passed earlier this year due to liver failure. However the band has continues to play live, Handsome Dick Manitoba from The Dictators now handles vocals, but with Davis' passing the future is up in the air. Amazing band with some amazing songs.

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Legend

Mid week and time to shake the blues off with some Bob Marley. Everyone is familiar with Bob Marley in one way or another. Nowadays his name alone is synonymous with pot and pot culture. Far cry from what the man believed in. "Legend" is the definitive best of collection from Bob Marley & The Wailers. While there are a few other boxsets and collections that chronicle the music of Bob & The Wailers. I've uploaded the deluxe edition of "Legend" which includes two bonus tracks. One of the better best of collections out there for any artist. Worth the download.

"Legend" for me will always have a special spot in my life. This is the only Bob Marley release I need, hands down. Every year growing up the family at Thanksgiving would pack up and leave the desert for a few days and head out to the mountains. It was always a time for eclectic music, but the one standard was "Legend". Everyone knew every song and after a few it became one giant sing-a-long. I can put this album on and any bad vibes just seem to go away. It's a great best of collection and belongs in everyone's collection.

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Mary Beats Jane

Day behind so jumping back into it with some out of print metal from Sweden. Mary Beats Jane was the band that gave us Peter Dolving. Peter of course went on to front The Haunted and a handful of other projects. The self titled release is a mix of thrash and hardcore metal. Released in 94 the album actually won a Swedish Grammy. Not bad for a band who would only put out one other record before dissolving. The band gained some airplay here stateside but not enough for an underrated band. Peter would leave in 97 to join The Haunted. The band is dead and good according to Peter and it we won't be seeing anything new from the band.

As I've stated before I'm a fan on The Haunted, more so I'm a fan of the ever outspoken Peter Dolving. Peter recently gave his first interview since leaving The Haunted and it's always a great read when he opens his mouth. In addition to The Haunted, Mary Beats Jane is Peter's next well know band. The albums have been out of print for years and have been somewhat of a challenge to find. Mary Beats Jane almost feels like a natural transition into The Haunted. His other projects have been really good and varied as well. Worth checking out if you find yourself wanting something different.

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Mind The Acoustic Pieces

New week and back to the A-Z format. Kicking it back into form with M's. This run should last a few weeks and there's lots of diversity thrown in. Starting things off is Maiden United. A side project from Rudd Jolie, who plays guitar for symphonic power metal giants Within Temptation. 'Mind The Acoustic Pieces' is an all acoustic reinterpretation of the classic Iron Maiden album 'Piece Of Mind'. While it doesn't exactly stick to the same tracklisting as the original, all the songs are here. This is definitely a different take on Maiden. Musically it's stripped down and rearranged in a haunting way. Vocals are handles by Damian Wilson of Threshold, with the exception of 'To Tame A Land', which features Anneke Van Giersbergen on vocals. Overall this is worth checking out if you're a Maiden or a Within Temptation fan.

I stumbled upon this album recently by accident. I've seen it being talked about in the metal community. I'm glad I did too, this is really just a relaxed version of a classic Maiden record. The thing with bands covering songs is you never quite know what it's going to be like. Sure there's a handful of covers that are better than the originals. And there are some that are just really terrible. This falls into the really good category. It's different from what one might expect from a side project. And I think that gives it it's charm. The band has become a bit more than a side project now with a second album being released soon. Really hoping the second record is just as good.

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The Craving

Little late on Friday's posting. Was debating what to upload, so I settled on a Big 4 related side project of sorts. MD 45 was a side project from Megadeth's Dave Mustaine and Fear's Lee Ving. 'The Craving' was the only album released from the project. On drums is future Megadeth drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who at the time was playing in a variety of rock/metal bands. The music here isn't all that different from say 'Risk' era Megadeth. Lee's vocals make it more tolerable than expected. For fans of FEAR is a little less gruff vocals then you may be used to. The album had been out of print for some time before Dave decided to reissue it along with the Megadeth albums a few years ago. One small problem, the master tapes had been lost. No problem, Dave goes in and re-records the vocals himself. The result, possibly a lost Megadeth album. If anything, it's worse than the original. Having mercy on you folks here and uploaded the original version for you to enjoy and or loathe.

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The Mighty Met

And sort of closing out the week is Metallica. The mighty Metallica are the most successful out of The Big 4 bands. Known for questionable albums and being road dogs. This performance sums up what the Big 4 is about. Solid setlist, but the crowning moment is the 'Am I Evil' jam with everyone.It may have taken some years to get everyone on the same page, but trust me it was worth the wait. Metallica continues to go down their own path, evidence of that is with their upcoming movie in 3D, and the recent 8 show run in Mexico City. Say what you will about Metallica, but they've done it their way and it's paid off really well.

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Slayer

Mid week and time for something to make you forget about the crappy week. It's time for some Slayer. Never a band to shy away from controversy, Slayer has been bringing their thrash attack for thirty plus years now. Classics like 'Reign In Blood', 'Angel Of Death' and 'Seasons In The Abyss' are all classics in every sense of the word. Slayer is one of those bands that really haven't changed much over the years. You pick up a new Slayer album and pretty much now what to expect. Not a bad thing sometimes. I will say that Slayer has some of the most rabid, insane fans around. That speaks volumes. The Big 4 show here is start to finish straight up no apologies Slayer. Definitely somethings to make the head bang.

I saw Slayer over a decade ago and was more astonished at the giant mosh pit that erupted during the first song then I was with their performance. Slayer fans are just nothing short of insane people.  Never really got heavily into Slayer, I do appreciate their first few albums, and I'll be damned if I don't hum 'Raining Blood' every so often. Great band who has stuck to their guns and refuse to shy away from controversy.

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Megadeth

Continuing on with The Big 4, today it's Megadeth. Metal fans know the story of Dave Mustaine and the many ups and downs he and the band have had over the years. After getting the axe from Metallica, Dave went on to form Megadeth, a band which was supposed to outdo Metallica. Over the years it's been close and there's been plenty of talk between the camps, but all has been put to rest. Now if Dave can stop rambling about politics we'll be set. The Big 4 lineup sees the return on David Ellefson on bass and newcomer Chris Broderick on guitars. I've gotta say this is a pretty solid lineup here. Chris has shown he can shred with the best and with Junior back in the band it just feels right. The setlist here is pretty standard, focusing on the hits and some older material. Sound wise the mix is a bit rough, not entirely sure why, and there have been many complaints over the past few tours about it as well. But as with the other bands you can see Megadeth can still play some thirty years later.

Along with Metallica, Megadeth was another metal band I got into early. 'Sweating Bullets' is still one of my favorite Megadeth tunes and it kinda brought my attention to the band. Of course the history of Mustaine is always entertaining. From the many many trips to rehab to the whole born again thing to the foot always in the mouth of late, it's really never a dull moment in that camp. I got to see Megadeth a few weeks after 9/11 in a small club out here in St. Louis. Dave was in rare form, spitting the fire and shredding like an animal. Short time later the band would call it quits. I saw them again a few years back right before Junior joined the band again. This time in the rain in Arizona. Solid set, crappy sound. Really impressed with Broderick and his playing. Of course loved his work in Jag Panzer, so I knew we he joined the band things were gonna get good. For all the crap Mustaine gets, Megadeth is still a force to be reckoned with.

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Big 4

New week and once again changing the format up a bit here this week. This week it's The Big 4. And just albums from the bands, but the live discs from The Big 4 gig a few years back. So to start things off it's Anthrax. The only East Coast based band out of the Big 4, Anthrax have been thrashing it up and breaking down genres for thirty years now. The band has gone through their share of vocalists. Two of the four have had second stints with the band. In most cases fans prefer one era over the other. My vote goes for the John Bush era. While some of the albums may not have be classics, his voice really fit the band and perhaps appealed to a bigger audience. And that's no disrespect to Joey Belladonna, 'Among The Living' is still one of the best metal records made. The Live show here showcases the return of Joey on vocals and him singing a Bush era song in 'Only'. Solid set here, with a nice snippet of 'Heaven And Hell' in between songs. Proof that Anthrax are definitely a live band.

Decided to take another break from the whole A-Z thing. Figured maybe it's time to listen to the critics and change things up a bit. I'm finding the theme format is refreshing and somewhat easy. Digging through stacks of CD's isn't though. The Big 4 have been a critical force in shaping my music palette. All four bands were bands I got into early in my metal journey. I've seen everyone but Anthrax and with their resurgence in the scene, I'm fairly certain I'll still have time to catch them. In a way this week is like a history lesson on the Thrash genre.

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Solved

Wrapping up this week with the latest release from MC Frontalot. 'Solved' is a natural progress in the line of Nerdcore Hip-Hop. Once again feature a number of guest appearances including MC Lars. Standout tracks here include, 'Captains Of Industry', 'Critical Hit' and 'Stoop Sale'. The video for 'Critical Hit' is epic and features fellow metal head nerd Brian Posehn in it. 'Solved' is one of Frontalot's better records so do yourself a favor and grab it.

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Powerglove

You can have a week dedicated to nerd music without throwing in some Video Game Metal. Yes that's another silly little sub genre. Powerglove is a power metal band that metals up some video game and TV music. Named after the old NES accessory The Powerglove, the band has released two albums and an EP to date. "Saturday Morning Apocalypse' is their latest effort and it blends power metal and speed metal with such classics as 'The Simpsons' theme and the Pokemon theme. Yes it's a total cheese factor, but it's oh so amusing.

Granted bands have taken the video game music in different directions over the years. Zelda and Final Fantasy have gotten the orchestral treatments. While struggling power metal guitarist will doodle around with various themes. There's been some great video game music over the years, but this just makes it fun and cheesy.

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MC Lars

And finally with wrap up the Nerdcore rappers with MC Lars. MC Lars is known for coining the phrase 'iGeneration' in reference to Gen Y kids. Having worked alongside MC Frontalot and MC Chris, he's also worked with Weird Al and bands like Bowling for Soup, The Aquabats, Simple Plan, and many others. 'This Gigantic Robot Kills' is his fifth release and features appearances by Weird Al, MC Frontalot, Paul Gilbert, and Brett Anderson of The Donnas. This album features some tongue in cheek tracks like 'Hipster Girl' and 'Guitar Hero Hero', but also hits a literary note with 'Hey There Ophelia'. Overall this is a somewhat smarter approach in Nerdocre Hip-Hop. Worth a listen to expand upon on the genre.

I just got into MC Lars not that long ago. I really dig the approach he takes to the genre, incorporating literary themes and nerd culture into the mix. I mean he's got an EP coming out solely based on Edgar Allen Poe. Smart people rapping, who'd of thunk it?

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MC Chris

Few days behind on postings so time to knock a few out. Up next is some MC Chris. Some may recognize the name from Adult Swim. MC Chris has voiced a few characters on Adult Swim. Most notably Hesh from Sealab 2021 and a trio of offbeat rappers on Aqua Teen Hunger Force. You know the ones, MC Pee Pants, Sir Loin and Little Brittle. Each attempting to do the devils work and failing. In addition to his voice over work he's made several albums over the years. You may have heard his music actually being used in a Honda commercial. 'Hoodie Ninja' is being used to hawk a Civic. Not a bad way to earn some cash and the boos of nerds. 'MC Chris is Dead' is the fifth album released by MC Chris and it does feature 'Hoodie Ninja'. But also included are raps about Reese's, Nerd Girls, and wanking it. Typical nerd culture things here. One of my favorites in the Nerdcore genre.

MC Chris was the first Nerdcore rapper I got into. I actually got into him via ATHF and Sealab. I picked up 'Life's A Bitch and I'm Her Pimp' a few years back, Of course that release featured his big hit 'Fette's Vette', a song about bounty hunter Boba Fett and his method of transportation. The man in addition to all his music and touring also does some charity work for fighting Cystic Fibrosis. He sells nerd stuff on eBay for it in addition to collecting money through his website and tours. Nice to see musicians being unselfish for once.

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Nerdcore

I'm changing the blog up a bit for the next few weeks so don't be alarmed. This week I'm gonna focus on the genre of Nerdcore. You may wonder what exactly Nerdcore is, well it's a genre that combines Hip-Hop with Nerdy things. I.e. rapping about D&D, video games, and whatever our nerdy hearts so desire. So starting the week off is some MC Frontalot, one of the leading rappers in the genre. Currently billed as the worlds 579th best rapper in the world, Frontalot started out writing the theme for the popular webcomic Penny Arcade. His debut album 'Nerdcore Rising' is 16 nerdy tracks. Standout tracks here are 'Goth Girls', 'The Pr0n S0ng' and 'Nerdcore Rising'. The title track features a guest visit from MC Hawking. This is a solid album for someone wanting to explore the realms of Nerd Culture.

I got into the whole Nerdcore culture via a movie called 'Nerdcore Rising'. It basically follows MC Frontalot and other Nerdcore artists around. It's a interesting watch and available on Netflix, worth a watch. Being somewhat of a nerd myself I find it great that the nerd culture is finally breaking through. This week is dedicated to all the nerd girls and guys out there. Let your freak flag fly.

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The Craig Machine

As we close out the L's I've decided to take things in a lighter mood with some Comedy. Stephen Lynch is somewhat of a double threat. A talented musician and a damn funny comedian. Mix the two together and you have a wonderful blend. Stephen has appeared on a couple of Comedy Central specials as well as on Broadway, starring in the adaption of 'The Wedding Singer'. Multi talented guy here. I've decided to throw up his Live CD 'The Craig Machine'. Recorded in May of 05, this captures what Stephen Lynch is all about. The best track though is the bonus track, 'D&D'. Nerd jokes are always great. Good album to get the week started.

Speaking of nerd jokes, next week on the blog I'm gonna break from the norm and dive into some nerdy stuff. Next week is going to feature some Nerdcore music. If you're unfamiliar with the genre. It's nerd music set to metal or hip hop or whatever. There will be some interesting stuff up and it's all to help you embrace your inner geek.

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Fex Urbis Lex Orbis

Finally getting around to rounding out the last of the L's. Cheap beer and work are such a distraction some days. First up we have Ludicra. Another one of those fine Bay Area bands. The music here is 'black metal' if you will, and if you want to further dive into silly sub genres, try 'progressive black metal'. The band recently split up leaving behind a promising future it seemed. The band like most out of the Bay Area were a supergroup of sorts, consisting of members from Agalloch, Impaled, and Hammers Of Misfortune. While it is black metal in sorts, the thing to keep in mind is, the band is fronted by a female vocalist. 'Fex Urbis Lex Orbis' was the band's third album. Short and to the point really, the album is only 5 songs long. Any record from their catalog is solid, however this stands out as my favorite. Good album for anyone who says there's no good American Black Metal bands.

I'm not a huge black metal fan. I do enjoy the first and second wave of original bands, i.e. Venom, Mercyful Fate, Emperor, Mayhem, Burzum, etc. After the whole Norway scene things just kinda got silly. For me it became who can don the most corpse paint and spikes whilst screaming about nature and murder. Oh and who can make a record that sounds like complete and utter shit didn't hurt either. For me it's become some what of a joke. Ludicra established themselves as the opposite of that. They are one of the fewer modern era bands that did Black Metal well. Shame they split up, but as they say the music lives on.

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Forever Changes

More classic rock tonight. The rest of week will be a little off key musically so to speak. Love was a band out of Los Angeles that was one of the most diverse racially as well as musically during the late 60's. Led by vocalist/guitarist Arthur Lee and guitarist Johnny Echols, Love left their mark on rock with the album 'Forever Changes'. Originally released in 1967, 'Forever Changes' is widely regarded as a landmark album. So much in so in May of 2012 it is now on the National Recording Registry. Not to mention the countless five star reviews by the press over the years. This is a record that a lot of people talk about, so do yourself a favor and give it a spin. Doesn't hurt that this is the deluxe edition either.

This isn't an album I break out often, but I genuinely enjoy playing it when I do dust it off. The album is a melting pot of musical styles. From folk rock to psych rock it all blends together in a wonderful harmony. It's easy to see why this is such a landmark album. This is a good record to mellow out to after a long day at work.

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Get The Led Out

Time for some classic rock. And it a sense a stepping point in the evolution of Heavy Metal. Led Zeppelin, the name alone brings up so many great songs. Everyone has their favorite track and album. Undoubtedly if you've ever tried to play guitar and some point you've tried to play the intro to 'Stairway To Heavy'. The name also brings up the images of Plant on stage oozing sex and Page just playing like a man possessed. Meanwhile John Paul Johns stands quietly by keeping things nice and tight, while the crazed madman known as Bonzo, John Bonham seems to destroy a drunk kit nightly. Fusing rock and the blues, Zeppelin created a monster. In a sense a lot was lifted from the early blues men of the day. But perhaps that got people seeking out the originals. Whatever the case, Zeppelin were rock gods in the 70's. I could post any number of albums here from them and they'd all be classics, well save for 'Coda'. But I am gonna post 'Led Zeppelin II' for some ear candy. Hands down my favorite record from them. Start to finish not a bad track in there. In particular the great part of the album is 'The Lemon Song' in through 'Moby Dick'. Those two tracks with the addition of 'Thank You' are some of my favorites. The sheer amount of sex Plant emits during 'The Lemon Song' is just enough to get ya worked up a bit. 'Thank You' remains one of the best love songs written, even though it is borrowed in a way from Hendrix. And damn ' Moby Dick', simply one of the best examples of what a good drummer should be. This one is you should turn up to 11 and do your best Plant imitation to 'Whole Lotta Love'.

Led Zeppelin were another of the bands I grew up on. There was always a healthy dose of it being played. 'Stairway To Heaven' remains one of the most known rock songs of the modern era. And while most people love 'ZOSO' solely for that reason, I feel there are better albums, like 'Led Zeppelin II' or 'Physical Graffiti'. Hell even 'Led Zeppelin III' gets a lot of flack and I really dig that album. While John Bonham's death nailed the coffin shut, it leaves a lot of what if's questions open. Would Zeppelin continued into the 80's or would they have folded? While their career lasted over a decade, they remain another band the achieved legendary status in such a short time.

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In A Reverie

New week new letter. Into the L's we dive into. Another short week of material and another week of varied material. Starting the week off with some metal from Italy. Lacuna Coil have been around since the late 90's, emerging out of Italy as a band to watch. Signed to Century Media, Lacuna actually is one of the biggest sellers for the metal label. The band employs a male and female vocal delivery on top of modern metal. The band in their early days drew comparisons to bands like The Gathering and Theater Of Tragedy. Over time the band has evolved and adapted a more mainstream modern metal sound.The band has gained some mainstream attention in recent years, touring the states with the likes of Rob Zombie and Megadeth. However for me their best album is their first. 'In A Reverie' is the bands first full album, releasing only an EP previously. The album is a classic for me in the genre of female fronted metal. Tracks like 'To Myself I Turned' and 'Falling Again' are prime examples. Perfect album for a moody Monday.

This is the album that turned me onto this band. More specifically the track 'To Myself I Turned' is what got me hooked. There was something haunting about the music and the vocals. Granted after the release of 'Comalies' the band became somewhat of a mainstream success. Their later albums haven't been anything of note, almost seeming to forget where the band has come from. Still this album is a great album to introduce someone into metal. It does have it's heavy moments, but the beauty of the overall record should speak for itself.

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Karkelo

Closing out the week of K's on a band that is fitting of the drinking weekend. Korpiklaani is a Finnish Folk Metal band who write about nature and booze. It's a winning combo. 'Karkelo' which loosely translates into Party, marks the bands 6th album. Not a whole lot has changed for this band. Nature and Booze remain the two central themes here. Cuts like 'Vodka' and 'Bring Us Pints Of Beer' pretty much sum up the record. It's folk metal and party metal. Perfect album for a Friday full of drinking.

Korpiklaani is another one of those bands you either like or loathe. Same boat say as Finntroll. It's drinking music, I mean lets deconstruct the opening track, 'Vodka'. A sample of the lyrics..."Vodka, you're feeling stronger, Vodka, no more feeling bad, Vodka, your eyes are shining Vodka, you are the real MAN Vodka, wipes away your tears Vodka, removes your fears Vodka, everyone is gorgeous..." Simple enough message right? It continues til we hit pay dirt with, "Drinking is good for you, and you will feel awesome". There's really not much more to tell here. Drink and drink often.

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Second Hand Wonderland

Little behind with the postings so we are gonna close out the week with some off beat stuff. First up is some crossover metal. For those unfamiliar with what Crossover is, it's basically taking a few different genres and lumping them together to create something a little unique. Kontrust is exactly that. Combing rock, metal, polka, and even some reggae in there. What comes out is a little odd yet really fun. 'Second Had Wonderland' is the band's second album. It's a mix of things and worth a listen if you like something different. This is the expanded edition with a few extra bonus tracks, including my favorite, a polka version of 'Bomba'.

I just recently found out about this band. Signed to Napalm Records, a label who doesn't shy away from the norm metal acts. The band hails from Austria, and some of the lyrics are in German. The band also is known for playing live in lederhosen. Their videos are worth checking out, especially for 'Bomba'. Definitely an interesting band who appears to have a promising future.

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House Of God

Moving forward with a day late mid week post of something a little evil. King Diamond is the legendary mainman of Mercyful Fate and his own solo band under his name. Continuing working after Mercyful Fate split up in the mid 80's, King formed his own band and began telling tales of horror. His early albums are classics in every sense of the word. 'Abigail' and 'Them' mark the high point in horror storytelling. Even after Mercyful Fate got back together in the mid 90's, King continued with his solo band. 2000 marked the release of 'House Of God' a story about good and evil, god and the devil. Loosely based on a Church in Southern France, the story revolves around the struggle to believe in God. Oh and there's also this bit about Jesus not being dead. This album does have it all, love and death, inner struggles and the such. Always controversial in some sort this album doesn't skimp on that aspect. This is one of the better albums from the recent years for him. Worth checking out if concept albums intrigue you.

This album was oddly enough the first King Diamond record I bought. I was into Mercyful Fate and was eager to expand into the solo stuff. The thing about this album is it deals with a lot of us question. While not forcing the listener to lean one way or the other, it conveys the message through wonderful storytelling and amazing musicianship. King was an early purveyor of using corpse paint. In the early days wearing corpse paint which featured an inverted cross. Taking cues from Alice Cooper and Arthur Brown before him, King brought Shock Rock into Metal in the early 80's and made it more evil. Each release tells a story that takes the listener on a journey. Tales of Grandma and Them, to spiders, to child abuse and even to human puppets. While some call the music a gimmick, the King is very smart and defends the concepts behind the stories. I got to meet King a few years back in LA during the opening night for 'The Puppet Master' tour. A genuinely nice guy, stopped shook my hand, exchange a few words, and was more than happy to sign whatever for the fans. His influence in metal is ever growing and more bands like Metallica pay their respect to the King.

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