Decree #26

I decree

All Cough drops(A.K.A Devils Candy)  be outlawed! Bleh... Nasty little smelly things... 

-Me

Axis: Bold as Love

Anger, he cries towering in shiny metalic purple armour.

Queen Jelousy, Envy waites behind Her. Her fiery green gown sneers at the grassy ground.

Blue and his life giving waters are taken for granted, But quietly understand.

Once happy Turqoise armies lay opposite ready, but wonder why the fight is on.

Red is so confident he flashes his trophies of war, and ribbons of euphoria.

Orange is young, full of daring but very unsteady for the first go 'round.

Yellow in this case is not so mellow. In fact im tryin to say, hes frightened like me.

And all of these emotions keep holding me back from a rainbow like you but im bold as love.

-Jimi Hendrix

I absolutely fell in love with this song 12 seconds ago. I would love to talk colors over coffee with Jimi. Sounds like a great afternoon to me =)

-Me

Really??? Reaaaallyyyy???

My life is like a gigantic irony...

#7 - Hella - Hold Your Horse Is

 Hella - Hold Your Horse Is

Hellaaaa!!!! Awww man. This album is basically me, in my old truck, with the speakers so freaking loud. Rocking. Out.

And its OK if you cant hear for 20 minutes afterwards cause it was freakin awesome!

For those of you who dont know what Math-Rock is, look it up on wikipedia before you listen to any of this or you will dismiss it as obnoxious noise.

 

'The D. Eckan/Biblical Violence' is the first track. Starts off with Nintendo beeps and such as a sort of intro to the album. 40 seconds in your face gets blasted with Zach's intense drumming style. Hella is an american band consisting of Zach Hill(left) on drums, and Spencer Seim(right) on Electric guitar. Yeah. Thats all. These two are masters of thier respective instruments, able to switch between time-signatures like an emo kid changes hairstyles. 

'1-800-GHOST DANCE' is exactly like it sounds. A phone hotline for sweet ghouly dance moves. The beginning is a rave party.

This album taught me that, no matter how rediculous your music is, there will always be a tiny group of people who cant get enough of it.

If you are one of the fortunate few who are reading this and enjoy really technical music that rocks; Then this, my friend, is for you.

Your welcome.

#8 - Tortoise - TNT

Tortoise - TNT

What can I say about Tortoise and their post-jazzy goodness...

This album is pure fun to me. Its a journey spanning several time periods and sounds. The opener song, titled after the album, is a perfect sunny day jam song. Two drummers, in perfect syncopation; so perfect, you would think it was one really good drummer. 'Swung from the gutters' is that mellow, pulsing, poor man, alley jazz. Depressing, but hopefully optimistic. 'Ten day interval' and 'Four day interval' are both bell chime, in slow drone odd time-signature. 'I set my face to the hillside' is the soundtrack to a western film. simple acoustic guitar, shaker, and the sound of children playing in the background. 'The Equator' and 'Suspension bridge', among others are sample driven drum tracks with plenty of pep and content anyone can enjoy.

This album is probably gonna be the least 'serious' album on my list. Its light, fun, and fruity. Always a pleasure to my eardrums. 

Plus, who can resist that awesome drawing??

#9 - Sigur Rós - ( )

Sigur Rós - ( )

Sigur Ros' third full length spanning 8 tracks. Sigur ros is huge on personal subjective interpretation so here is mine. The first 4 tracks are heavily optimistic like the beginning or ' ('. The later 4 tracks are solem and slightly darker and bittersweet like the ' )'. This album is like 2 sides to the same coin. Light and airy, or Heavy and bleak. 

The instrumentation consists of Jonsi on bowed guitar, making full use of everything reverb has to offer. Jonsi's vocals are somewhat consistent with that droney quality in thom yorkes voice. The language Jonsi sings is a sortof skewed gibberish of Icelandic that the band created called 'Hopelandic'. It adds to the overall 'dreamy' quality of the band. 

All the songs in ( ) are untitled. If you were to purchase the CD, you would find the booklet contains blank pages in which you can name the songs and draw a picture as an interpretation.

Im a pretty big sigur ros fan, and I didnt want to clutter my favorite albums list with 'Agaetis Byrjun', and 'Takk...' which are all 3 a great listen if you have the time. Highly recommended. This album, to me, is able to soar above the other music sigur ros has made. Its accessable music, but at the same time, requires a few listens to really soak it all in. Its worth it.

#10 - Music for 18 Musicians

Steve Reich - Music for 18 Musicians

 Steve Reich is an american composer who notably invented the genre known today as 'Minimalist'. Its classified by its repeating and subtly evolving movements. This album has the ability to take you to a place youve never been, and has the endurance to help you find your way around this new world it creates.

Music for 18 Musicians was written back in 1974 and recorded several times since. Basically, its a cycle of 11 chords played by an 'orchestra' of 18 musicians who are all constantly switching between different instruments.

It starts with 'Pulses', The main theme if you will, Followed by Sections I-XI. My favorite being Section IV.

Reich has a way with introducing these dissonant riffs that start with a single strike. Then two strikes in a measure. Then 4. Then before you know it, the instrument is fully integrated into the song and another is right behind it.

One of the things that drew me to loving this album is the 'rush'. The rhythm of which Reich carries his music from the stillness, to the abrupt, to the quiet, to the grandiose. Its something that must be experienced on a personal level.