The Rock Thread

I consider In utero to be the perfected grunge sound, but it's not a pefect album for one reason: Rape Me, a simplistic rehash of better Nirvana songs with better lyricism and delivery of themes, effectively being the Midnight Sun to Polly's Twilight.

Yeah, I said it.

Cocteau Twins - "The Spangle Maker" E.P. (1984)

While I thoroughly enjoyed 1983's excellent duo of releases in third full-length "Head Over Heels" & the equally high-quality "Sunburst & Snowblind" E.P., "The Spangle Maker" E.P. saw Scotland's Cocteau Twins taking a clear step up into the more elite echelons of popular music with three stunning tracks that never fail to leave me feeling exhilarated through their glistening beauty & emotive elegance. The vocals of Elizabeth Fraser are as spectacular as you'll find & cement her as one of my favourite front women of all time. The first two tracks in particular have simply ruled my playlist so far this week so this should be compulsory listening for dream pop & ethereal wave lovers. 

For fans of Tamaryn, White Flowers & Cranes.

4.5/5

Night Sun - "Mournin'" (1972)

This one-off album from a relatively unknown German band is actually really solid. I first checked it out while exploring all of the underground proto-metal of the 1970's last year & really enjoyed it with this return visit only strengthening my feeling that these guys deserved more attention than they've received over the years. Night Sun's sound blends hard rock, progressive rock & heavy psych beautifully with a higher register vocalist who sounds very similar to what you'd get if you crossed Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant with Deep Purple's Ian Gillan which can't be a bad thing. The musicianship is excellent & I particularly enjoy the heavier & more psychedelic moments with album highlight "Living With the Dying: being a genuine early heavy metal classic. Despite the tracklisting tailing off a bit over the last few tracks, "Mournin'" comes highly recommended from this old metalhead.

For fans of Lucifer's Friend, Flower Travellin' Band & Sir Lord Baltimore.

4/5

Eno - "Another Green World" (1975)

I've never quite understood the appeal in the highly praised fourth full-length from English ambient wizard Brian Eno if I'm being honest so I've found myself returning to it more often than I probably should have over the years in the quest for the elusive appeal that everyone seems to inevitably find in it. I've found myself getting a little closer to unlocking its secrets on this occasion too, although I still find it to be no more than a mildly enjoyable listen. I'd describe the sound of "Another Green World" as being a combination of art rock & electronic music with the fourteen-song tracklisting jerkily offering material from both sides of that equation. The more ambient/electronic stuff interests me the most which isn't really a big surprise with some of the rock & pop tracks coming across as being more quirky than anything else which has never been my preference in music. Still... you can't deny the dude's ambition as there are very few records that sound like this one & there's certainly enough to keep me interested here, even if I do think that this might be the end of the road for me & "Another Green World".

For fans of Robert Fripp, Cluster & David Bowie's "Low" album. 

3.5/5

The Jesus Lizard - "GOAT" (1981)

I've been dipping into some noise rock related albums and artists this past week as I am getting a little worn out by new releases and metal in general.  Don't feel confident enough yet to be able to write a full review but this has been a standout release from the few I have sampled.  Got onto Big Black "Songs About Fucking" last night and also flirted with The Jesus and Mary Chain "Psychocandy" the night before but that one was not my bag.

@Vinny.

Noise Rock is probably one of my favourite genres. Back in the late 80s/early 90s Touch & Go and Amphetamine Reptile were two of my go to record labels for picking up blind purchases. I prefer Jesus Lizard's follow up to Goat, Liar, just though it's pretty close and 'Atomizer' just over "Songs About Fucking". 

My Top 10

Big Black - Atomizer (86)

Tar - Jackson (91)

Dazzling Killmen - Face of Collapse (94)

Big Black - Songs About Fucking (87)

Tar - Roundhouse (90)

God Bullies - Mama Womb Womb (89)

Steel Pole Bath Tub - Butterfly Love (89)

Jesus Lizard - Liar (92)

Unsane - Scattered, Smothered and Covered (95)

Cows - Cunning Stunts (92)

Just under this but could rise, is my favourite new noise rock release from Austrian band, Desolat ("Get Sick and Let Me Watch You Die", 2024) which definitely has an Unsane influence