Headphones In: ...Like Clockwork

It's hard for me to get excited these days when albums come out by musicians I'm interested in.  I still do some times but the past few years have led to more disappointments than not.  It may take a while for me to actually let an album sit with me and therefore, I may ultimately like something months after release as songs grow on me.

That said, I might still anticipate a release with some form of giddiness.  There are few bands I may actually run out and buy a physical copy of their album the moment of release.  Then there are the bands I am apprehensive about.  I'll wait to hear a song on the radio.  I'll do my 30 second sampling on Amazon.  And then there's the band I'm about to address: Queens of the Stone Age.

So Far

So Good.

Of course, I've only really listened to one song so things can change.

But damn it, is it a great song!

And now I'm listening to another and it's different...Origin of Symmetry Different?

OoS is my favourite.

I think I'm going to be just fine with this album...

And if nothing else, the LE boxset is beautiful.

Currently listening to: The Resistance by MUSE.

Count so far:

"Unnatural Selection" - great. Love it lots!!!!!!

"MK Ultra" - Better than okay but not greater than that on first listen.

"The Resistance" - This albums KoC. I hate that song. I might be inclined to say I hate this one too. Or maybe just the beginning and the chorus. The verses are fantastic. Chorus...ignore, ignore, ignore the line about "love".

"Guiding Light" - Can't get any more 80's-put-up-your-lighters than this. Fail! Oh, H1. This is number 5 too. Epic Fail.

"I Belong to You (+Mon Coeur S'Ouvre A Ta Voix)" - hilarious and kind of a wtf moment. Then followed by more hilarious. Ahahahahaha. They plugged their own band name in there. That's classic right there. Followed by...French? Actual French? And not cool like "Psycho Killer"? Meh, in Matt's defense, no French will ever be as cool as "Psycho Killer" but way to butcher the language there, Bells. Way to butcher. Matt? Stop going to the opera.

"USoE" - Queen all the way and they know it. I like it because they made it a joke. But will my face be red at the concert when they play it? Yes. Embarrassment awaits.

"Undisclosed Desires" - Guilty pleasure song of the year. It's so bad! Muse does R&B. That alone is greatness but they have no business doing things they have no clue about. Awww, I like this stupid ass song. And stupid ass it is. With a touch of Depeche Mode.

"Uprising" - has really grown on me. I'll sing it proudly next Wednesday and salute bears and all.

"Exogenesis" - ...I have to really listen to the three part symphony that my boy composed on his own. I'm not ready to take in a symphony, so I'll rant about it when I do. I'm expecting pure greatness though. Um, minus...the slap bass I keep reading about?

End of 2008 Year Review I - Music

It's that time of year again - It's the End of Year Music Review for 2008. Once more, we listened to things released not only in 2008 but last year as well, or whenever else past because there's always something missed and new to take a chance on.

Takeharu Ishimoto - Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core Original Soundtrack



The 'new' guy, manages to create a great Theme to Crisis Core but then remixes it so many damned times that it gets repetitive and lazy in some instances. The tracks that were originally created by Nobuo Uematsu are still great from way back in 1997 and they've all been given a make over to suit the mode of the game and they rock both literally and figuratively. The bottom line is that most of the original tracks on here are better heard in game than out as nothing is truly memorable save the one piece of music that will live for me as the song I associated with that horrible day in May when The Hochies lost something important. It was sad in game and even more tragic now. I dedicate "The Burdened" to my Brian. We love you, Brian and we're sorry we didn't get to tell you so before you left.

Takeharu Ishimoto and various artists - The World Ends With You Original Soundtrack



Listening to this soundtrack outside of playing the game, makes me remember why I don't usually like J-Pop. It can be damned terrible. The fact that most of the songs are in English are even worse because at least if it's Japanese I can remain in ignorant bliss for some time before looking up translations. By that time, I usually already like a song and it isn't as bad when I realise the lyrics suck. In game, the music fit perfectly but on the street, does NOT make me want to visit Shibuya! Well, the raps are surprisingly cool but you know, I'm on a Japanese rap kick this year which is semi-embarrassing.
Listening to this soundtrack that does not include the vocal tracks, allowed me to hear it for what it really was - another soundtrack by that Crisis Core composer. Again, while not horrible it's not entirely fantastic either. In his defense, the tracks on here are short with a few seconds to show case an emotion, so it's okay but not terribly memorable.

Album Cover Review: A. I loved the art of this game 'cause I love Tetsuya. Joshua's my favourite character and he's on the cover making it cool.

Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I - IV and The Slip

One $5 dollar instrumental album and one free legit download of Trent's studio album later, NIN's continuing to make me angry but after last year's Year Zero, I'm not as angry with 2008's music (as much as I am with the man) than I was at 2007's effort.



In fact, it could even be said that Ghosts I - IV is fairly good. It's not unexpected because beats and various noises are the things Trent's good at but I can't say it was terribly clever either or without bits of boredom.

The Slip on the other hand suffers from a bout of laziness. Some things in life deserve to be free and well, thank goodness this one was. A non-too-coherent album that was probably given for free because it was in a file on Trent's computer under 'rejects', The Slip is really not all that horrid save the uninspired drum machine usage in parts but again, it also proves that Trent could bottle his fatigue and Reznorians everywhere will hail it as the Law come down from the Mount.

I'm happy I'm no longer an active cult member. Really, I am.

What Sariel REALLY destroyed this year: "Head Down". Other noteworthy tracks: "14 Ghosts II" and "21 Ghosts III".

Album Cover Review: Ghosts I - IV. C. It's alright and that's all it is because I refused to get the deranged $75 copy that was not worth it. The Slip A+. I was duly impressed with my free copy of this album. Every song has a different bit of digital art for it, and lyrics were provided to boot. It's everything all Itunes and other MP3 copies of albums/songs bought should have but do not.

Suga Shikao



I know he's probably THE J-pop king but I am admitting right now that I enjoy his music a lot after listening to his 7 studio albums.
I'm sufficiently embarrassed but do not take it back and I will say no more.

Favourite albums: "Clover" and "Parade".

Taniuchi Hideki - Death Note Original Soundtracks I & II, Death Note Tribute, Death Note Movie OSTS.



My beloved L... Slaughtered but not forgotten. The osts from this series though…hm, not on heavy rotation. I was obsessed with this series last year but ask me what it sounded like and I've flashes of Parasite Eve. Which, while not a bad thing, is sometimes forgettable when you're trying your best to put that horrible game in the back of your mind. The reverse is here - Parasite Eve was a failed game with a great soundtrack save the one track that played over and over again making it unlovable, to my dismay sounds like the one track used over and over and unlovable in Death Note as well but a brilliant series it was.

The Death Note: A Movie Tribute OST seems to be a collection of crazy jrock which might work out for me. I'll have to listen in full.

Albums Covers Review: B, because Light's on them. Curse you Light! but he's balanced by L.

Tracks Sariel may have played?: "L's Theme", "Light's Theme" and still the most rockin' song ever by Maximum the Hormone "What's Up, People?!".

Hitoshi Sakimoto - Final Fantasy XII Original Soundtrack.



Much of the same from Sakimoto since his style is so distinctive but nothing less than epic for a game as grand as FFXII. Sakimoto always manages to create the ideal sound for fantasy based war ridden land in the Final Fantasy world.

Sariel liked: as always, anything that involves a boss fight! "Esper Battle" stands out.

Album Cover Review: A for Awesome. A Judge made the cover and Judges are bad-assed.

Toshio Matsuda - Naruto Soundtracks

Just going by memory of what I hear weekly for Naruto and Shippuuden...the Shippuuden soundtrack has been really good. I don't own it (yet! heehee) but the Naruto soundtracks are pretty good as well. It's kind of rock sometimes, which sometimes can be fairly annoying because it's overdone but the mixes with traditional Japanese sounds are always fun. I love ninjas!

Shiro Sagisu - Bleach Soundtracks, Beat Collections



I've been watching this series since 2006 (why not sooner? Because I'm stubborn!). The various soundtracks for the series and movies are amazing. Musical compositions are a huge part of any anime and gaming series and can make or break it sometimes. In games, the music sets the moods in an otherwise none vocal piece of art, and as such it has to speak volumes.
The only other experience I've had with Sagisu was a good one and it resonated throughout Neon Genesis Evangelion and I can hear his style in Bleach. NGE was one dark, religious based theme, mech war series that did not leave much room for banter save the little penguin named Pen Pen and a drunk Misato so in contrast, it's good to see Sagisu has a sense of humour because Bleach is full of that.
In this case, the music sets up the tone - ridiculous, serious or otherwise that lay the background for the intense fights and intensely funny characters and situations of Bleach. It's incredibly well done and never before have I anxiously waited for a soundtrack like I have with this.

Also surprising are the seiyuu character songs. The Japanese, I've noticed, are obsessed with making their voice actors sing their own theme songs. From my limited experience and opinion, they mostly suck and there I was not expecting anything from this set either and I'd be right listening to some of the characters but pow, in comes a Rangiku and Gin combo and it's great. Musically, the pieces are strong and sometimes, vocally they fit just right making the beat collections a welcome addition to my collection.

And of course, there are tons of opening and ending themes by various artists which led to the discovery of new bands and jpop artists. Of the lot, Orange Range (featured in Naruto amongst others Naruto as well) are great.

Sariel loves Bleach! The favourites are: "Turn The Tables" (Bleach: Memories of Nobody Movie Ost), "On the Precipice of Defeat" (H1's favourite), "Catch-22", "Heat of the Battle" and basically all of OST I, "Breakthrough Even" (Bleach: Diamond Dust Rebellion), "Phenomena", "Here To Stay", "A Requiem", "Shadow's Masquerade", "Back to the Wall", "Rage of Lunacy" (Bleach OST II), "Gallop" by Pe'zmoku (Bleach 16th ED), "Kansha" by RSP (Bleach 14th ED), "Asterisk" by Orange Range (Bleach 1st OP), "Ichirin no Hana" by High and Might Colour (Bleach 3rd OP), "Orange" by Lil'B (Bleach 15th ED).

Album Cover Review: All Great. They all have Ichigo or some sort of Bleach symbol on them. What's not to love?

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank



Not a bad album at all, actually. I saw them in concert this year and was totally amazed by their performance, after hearing horrible reviews from their tour for the previous album.
With new respect for them and not being a rabid fan from the beginning, I am not one to argue that they've 'sold out' because I haven't heard much from their earlier works.

Sariel's favs: "Fire it Up", "Dashboard" and "Steam Engenius". This isn't from this album but "Trucker's Atlas" is the best damned song ever.

Album Cover Review: Meh. D.

Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell



After loving the release of their "A Lesson in Crime" EP, I anxiously awaited the full length album. And it was a disappointment. Where was the wit? Where were the insane lyrics about robots and a bleak future? And why did the lead singer's voice sound even more nasal and annoying?! What I got instead was a studio album that was kind of bland and 'tween' sounding. Yeesh, anything but that...
Refusing to accept that, and refusing to admit it's more hipster-ish than I want to let on, I'll just blame this mess on their being Canadian. Sometimes, I get confused.
Overall, as I listen now (because all albums need a good 6 months to simmer), it's not so bad actually. It's not the album I was expecting and no where near as cool as "A Lesson in Crime", but there's some stuff I enjoy still and they're still kinda funny I suppose.

Sariel played more than I remembered: "Listen to the Math", "Nursery, Academy", "Your English is Good", "The Harrowing Adventures of..." and "The Baskervilles"

Album Cover Review: E. For Elephant Shell and because it's horrible.

S.E.N.S Project - xxxHolic Sound File and Original Soundtracks



"April Fool" is one of the greatest tracks ever and with so much meaning behind it for Kimihiro Watanuki, who just happens to be one of my favourite characters in anime of all time, this track fits his mood and personality while keeping in line with the show's quirkiness perfectly. The music is everything this anime is - fun, dark, scary, light, odd, depressing and charming all the way through.

And I blame this series for my love of Suga Shikao.

Most played on Sariel: "April Fool", "Hyakkyagyou", "Nobody Knows" and "19Sai" by Suga Shikao

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell, Show Your Bones, IS IS EP



You can hear the sounds of a band being a band - sometimes safe, sometimes insane, sometimes annoying, sometimes brilliant. They're an experience in another regard with Karen O's nonsensical lyrics, howling and eerily beautiful voice; Nick Zinner's riffs (I love Nick!) all made complete into a full sound with Brian Chase's drumming.

I've grown to like them a little more everytime I listen and would appreciate the value of a concert put on by them to do the albums more justice and I will admit that the LPs did not grab on first listen. I was hooked on one of the best set of songs I've heard all year with the release of the IS IS EP.

Of the two LPs, I prefer Show Your Bones but Fever to Tell has a few winner tracks as well. All albums listed here are solid listens and I look forward to the release of their new album in 2009.

Tracks Sariel rocked this year hardcore: All of the IS IS Ep with a special love for "Rockers to Swallow" and "Down Boy"; "Black Tongue", "No No No", "Date With The Night", "Maps" and "Y Control" (Fever To Tell; "Honeybear", "Turn Into", "Sweets", and "Gold Lion".

Album Cover Review: D. They're hideous.

Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs



It's a Death Cab For Cutie album. What more is there to say? It's good but there's no doubt this album just didn't move me as their last effort and in fairness, it would have been hard to top the greatness that was Plans. Still, it's a very solid listen with Indie quirkiness and Indie heartache intact, a few dashes of experimental that needs to be refined but could be potentially awesome if explored in the future and also provided one of my favourite songs for the year.

Sariel loved: "Grapevine Fires", "Long Division", "Bixby Canyon Bridge", "Your New Twin Sized Bed", and "Pity and Fear".

Album Cover Review: C. I don't care for it but it doesn't totally offend either.

Cold War Kids - Loyalty to Loyalty



The sophomore album from Cold War Kids was not very good. There were a few songs that were CWK great but the rest were half-assed songs that got stuck on there, some being truly annoying.

Sariel's favourites: "Relief", "Dreams Old Men Dream", "Welcome to the Occupation" and "I've Seen Enough".

Album Cover Review: Ugh. Even the cover's half-assed. F.

Menomena - Friend or Foe



Weird is my favourite track off this album and subsequently the feel of the album itself. Plenty dark, plently mystifying and a genre that I'm not quite sure how to peg. With no lead vocalist and all members contributing to the musical and the vocal, it's kind of hard to build a love for personality. I feel a little bit removed but that doesn't make it a monstrosity. You love this or you hate it. Friend or Foe is right. I am a friend.

Sariel rocked hardcore: "Weird", "Wet and Rusting", "My My", "Air Aid" and "West".

Album Cover Review: Since I got this album digitally, I read that that does it no justice. It looks crazy as the songs on there but I've read that it's even cooler in hand due to some kind of decoder business going on the sleeve and the design by one of the band members. I think I love this album enough to invest in a hardcopy some day.

The Rascals - Rascalize



Ah yes, Miles Kane's day job when he's not side-projecting with The Last Shadow Puppets. I like this album a lot. I like the arrangements - they're interesting and a throw back to that time he and A.T. are obsessed with. What's good about this album? The rock, the 60s rock, the lyrics and I love Miles. He's cool, the band's cool, and the songs are cool. The only true complaint I have is that he tends to deliver lyrcis and sing things a certain way that's the same throughout the album. There's nothing truly offensive about the album. The only thing that's offensive associated with Miles is that X keeps dreaming about him and leaving me out of the dream. That ass! Though, unbeknownst to her, I dreamt about Alex and Miles and left her out too. Ahahahaha.

Songs Sariel Rocks: "Stockings to Suit", "Rascalize", "People Watching", "Fear Invicted into Perfect Strangers", "The Glorified Collector", "Freakbeat Phantom", "I'll Give You Sympathy"

Album Cover Review: Lame. D.

The National - Boxer; Alligator



This band opened for R.E.M @ MSG, and I decided to go prepared. After hearing a few tracks from Boxer and reading rave reviews for the first album, I went ahead and purchased both albums.
I really enjoyed Boxer but not Alligator that much. The latter sounded a little dated to me. Boxer, has a strong collection of songs. The lead singer's voice is deep, the lyrics are a bit on the meh side sometimes but the delivery coupled with the music make for an easy, satisfying listen. I worry a little about my choice of adult contemporary sometimes... eep! I might be getting old! Ha ha. Ooh, scary.



Sariel killed from Boxer: "Mistaken For Strangers" and "Brainy", and played these a bit "Guest Room", "Racing Like A Pro", "Start A War", "Fake Empire" and "Slow Show". And from Alligator, "Secret Meeting" and "Friend of Mine".

Album Cover Review: Ugly. F. Both of them.

R.E.M. - Accelerate



In all the years that R.E.M. have been active and all the years I've been a fan, this year was the first I saw them live. I could not have seen them at a better time as I did for when they were on tour for this album because it is fantastic. The opening track is loud, fast and energetic and sets the mode for the most of the rest of songs. The album is called what it is because that's what R.E.M. wanted to do - play loud and fast like the true rockers that they are but also sticking to what makes R.E.M. great - it's not fluff, very thoughtful and very rock.

Sariel played loud!: "Sing for the Submarine", "Living Well is the Best Revenge", "Horse to Water", and "Supernatural Superserious".

Album Cover Review: B. I kinda like it.

Beirut - The Flying Club Cup



This year I credit TD5 for introducing me to Beirut. He knew I'd love Zach Condon's voice and he was right. TD5 loved Beirut's sound for the layers of instruments and musical arrangements and it's that European charm that has me loving tihs album as well. H1 found Zach's voice a little bit 'put on' or forced but we agree that "Nantes" is a beautiful song. Other than "Nantes", the rest of the songs are mostly enchanting and an interesting fuse of a musical culture I've only a vague perception of.

Sariel played the following lullabies for me: "Nantes", "Guyamas Sonora", "A Sunday Smile", "Cliqout", and "Forks and Knives (La Fete)".

Album Cover Review: Lame. D.

4. TV on the Radio - Dear Science



With a name like TV on the Radio, it's no surprise I passed this band up many times in 2006 and 2007 for their name reminded me to much like Panic at the Disco, therefore making me believe they were such - emo trash.
One jaunt to Metacritic looking for a review of another album blared that this one got a 9.0/10. "What? Can emos even get that high a rating?"
I did some Wiki research and because Wiki never lies, I discovered the truth - they're not emo at all. They're experimental. Is that a trick word for emo? Only one way to find out and that was to preview the tracks after being encouraged by reading that the lead singer and guitarists are quiet accomplished and have meddled in affairs that include Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner.
User Review after user review said, "incredible! Every song is different! They must be aliens because the sound is like no where else on earth!" Aliens? So I listened. As Bughie J. cleverly said, "everything's new! You know, it was new when that other person we ripped it from did it! But it's new to us, so it's new to you!" Yeah.
It's certainly dancey, experimental and 'new' but not really. I feel like I've heard something similiar before but it's still pretty fresh and a damned good album. It's better than expected but I don't agree with a 9/10. Still, it's more than half good and I find it on heavy rotation, so it was totally worth the gamble. It even made the fourth best album I've heard all year.

Tracks Sariel's been rockin': "Red Dress", "Dancing Choose", "Stork & Owl", "Crying" and "Crying (Telepath Remix)", and "Love Dog".

Album Cover Review: F. Really, an "F". I'd be lying if I gave it anything other than it.

3. Mindless Self Indulgence - If



Without counting the tracks that were created years ago and stuck on this studio album, If does not stand that strong as far as MSI albums go. They've gone as mainstream as MSI can go, which is a disturbing thing for a fan like me. It's mostly droll and uninspired and that spark of insanity that makes MSI who they are is just not quite there.
Some of its retained but fitted in a way that is secure sounding. For some reason the arrangements and Jimmy's vocals are just not as clever. It's a bit more club/house sounding and less 'jungle'/rock sounding. I blame marriage to emo and crap the downfall of MSI.
An album that should have been number 1 on my list by the mere fact its from MSI got beaten by a few but bad MSI is still better than most (H1's always saying that about Bleach).

New songs Sariel enjoyed: "Lights Out", "Due", "On It", "Evening Wear". Older tracks that were created in the past 2 years but fixed and officially released that Sariel enjoyed playing back then and now: "Bomb This Track", "Mark David Chapman", "Pay For It".

Album Cover Review: Stellar. A+ because Jhonen Vasquez always gets an A+.

The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement



Alex, Alex, Alex. Here he is again, a wealth of talent at 22 years old and no hint of slowing down ever since he was writing songs for us on the first Arctic Monkeys album. Here he is with his talented friend Miles Kane of the Rascals and they're taking a stab at creating music they 'have no business knowing given their age': the likes of David Bowie, Scott Walker and others. "Wouldn't it be great if we could make music as great as those people?" Yeah, so they try and succeed.

OMG, amazing. They prove that no matter what the genre, the time period or the person - if a song or artist is great, it'll stand the test of time and be influential to whoever listens. That's not to say I enjoy every artist who tries the same - attempts can often come off as arrogant, overdone, lame but not the case with TLSP. There may be two songs on there that piss me the eff off and are downright unlistenable but then there's Alex's and Miles' rich lyrics and an ability to sing with an undeniable coolness and cleverness making them way too old for their time and way too charming. It's a valiant, productive and a most often beautiful collection of songs.

Sariel played: "My Mistakes Were Made For You", "Calm Like You", "Separate and Ever Deadly", "Standing Next To Me", "The Chamber", "The Meeting Place" and "In The Heat of the Morning".

Album Cover Review: U. It was unnecessary and ungradeable.

2. Shiro Sagisu - Bleach Original Soundtrack Volume III.



Truthfully, if all Bleach albums came out and were acquired this year, it'd be number one on the list. The Bleach soundtrack is one of the best soundtracks I've ever listened to and even weekly, it never gets tired. There are so many great pieces that are just done right for the anime, which too is one of the most enjoyable series I've ever seen.
This year, after over a year and a half of waiting, Volume III of the music of the Bleach universe came out. I stressed for that long for this thing to come out. Every time a new piece was played in the anime, it was like torture. It all began when my favourite Ulquiorra bitched slapped Yammi. The art was sharp, the scene was great and it was just damned coral! And it was only made better when the Spanish infused music started up.
Week after week of Spanish influenced music came through as Ichigo and the Gotei 13 fought Aizen's bastardly Arrancar/Espada army. And just when you thought Aizen couldn't get any more awesome, he creates a good looking army of hollows.
Sagisu created music for Kubo's obsession with Spanish culture and did a fine job of mixing those classical violins with spanish flamenco.
And then he manages to throw in some sleazy, gambling music for the Vaizards as well that suits their personalities to a tee.
This soundtrack is nothing short of amazing making Sagisu nothing short of amazing.

Sariel cannot live without: "Nube Negra", "Escalon", "Can't Back Down", "Hollowed", "Scoundrels", "La distancia para un duelo", "Clavar la Espada", and "Soundscape to Ardor". The whole things pretty much great but those are some special mentions.

Album Cover Review: A+. This is by far the best soundtrack cover for Bleach.

1. Taku Iwasaki and various artists - Soul Eater Original Soundtrack



I. love. this. soundtrack.

It's probably the most embarrassing thing since I don't know when but it's pure greatness. It's filled with jrock songs I actually like and what's worse, JRap! Never did I think the day would come when those words would actually form and fall out of my mouth.
Jrap still confuses me if I see it but the anime is very stylistic and a soundtrack fitting of that hyper energy was created.
I actually look forward to the opening and ending themes and really hope they release the second soundtrack soon and hope the series gets picked up for a second season.
The non-vocal pieces are great as well and Taku Iwasaki manages to blend traditional sounds with rock when needed, or moody piano pieces when those are needed.

Sariel is constantly playing: the whole soundtrack but rocks like nobody's buisness "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Have a Nice Dream", "Kreig", "Bakosou Yume Uta" by Diggy'Mo, "Blitz", "Death the Kid (So Crazy)", "Mifune", "Resonance" by T.M. Revolution.

Album Cover Review: B-. It's cute but I can't wait for Justin Law to be on the cover. Heh.

Currently listening to: "People Every Day" by Tsuneo Imahori, from the Trigun 1st Donuts Soundtrack.

The End of Year Review I

It's the 2007 music list - both from old and new bands to us, acquired by The HoChies.

In no particular order (or are they?), save the final 6 in the "best for the year" category, here's what we listened to, the 'reviews' and our favourite songs:

Lily Allen - Alright, Still

While not my forte, an attended concert gave me some appreciation for Lily and then this album until she opened her mouth and spoke unnecessary ill against Radiohead. That atrocity aside, I can understand her popularity being she's one of those Brit. stars with sharp tongues about "real life" situations (like Mike Skinner), but the overwhelming pop sound leaves me with little desire to hear Alright, Still more than the one time I did listen.

Sariel has played (and I've kind of liked out of the lot): "Littlest Things", "Shame For You", "Knock 'Em Out".

Album Cover Review: Cute to B. but not to me.

Maximum The Hormone - Koi no Megalover, Kusoban, Mimi Kajiru, Niku Cup, Ootori, Rokkinpo Goroshi, Zawa... ...Zawa... ...Z... ...Zawa... .... .Zawa

Thanks to Death Note, I now have a fascination with the rapping, intentionally nonsensical lyrically charged, nu metal (and quacking - Beetchie rather enjoys the quacking) Japanese boys and girls (who, to us, seem to constantly change band members) of Maximum The Hormone.

There are a lot of albums but here are the songs that made quite a few rounds on Sariel: "What's up, People?!", "Rokkinpo Goroshi", "Haiyani Spain".

Album Covers Review: Frightfully funny, much like this band.

Ah,yeah...Had their concerts not been sold out by the time Beetchie and I decided to literally hop on a plane and fly off to Japan, I would have been at one in Tokyo.

Speaking of Tokyo...

Tokyo Police Club, that is. A Lesson in Crime EP

From Tokyo? No, not quite. This band is actually from Canada. I saw the name one day, saw the EP for cheap, did a swift preview and here we have it. They've a quirkiness to them, citing oddities about a weird grim future and other such things I'm not sure about, under the cover of happy catchy tunes and clapping. Looooots and lots of clapping. Sadly, they're also kind of forgettable for me. Perhaps though, I had an AM concert to blame for TPC's lack of lasting playability (distractions by AT), followed by a slew of new music to get to.

Sariel played for two weeks or so: "Be Good", "Nature of the Experiment".

Edit: I recently decided to listen again seeing as I didn't give fair enough play and discovered two new songs: "If It Works" and "Citizens of Tomorrow", the latter cracks me the hell up. They have personality and I look forward to what they will bring in the future.

Album Cover Review: A burning building and a robot, what's not to like?

From NME, MUSE's The Supermassive Selection:

So, with close to 180,000 crazy fans in attendance at the MUSE at Wembley Stadium weekend fest, NME magazine got together with the band to release this cd of what the boys claim to be some of the songs they listen to while on the road and "definitely" some they'd be spinning before the WS gigs.

The special edition M@WS NME was out while I was in London (I, being one of the Crazy 18(8),000s picked it up at Tescos) and with it, this free cd.

...yeah. It really needed to be free. Sometimes, I forget they're British with questionable taste. I blame Dom. Okay, it's not all bad and amongst other things, I did get CWK out of it but better still, I got a new MUSE track recorded just for this compilation and it was played at WS and no where else.

I know what you people are hearing - you're hearing that I got robbed out of three pounds. Yeah? Well, screw you guys!

On constant rotation on Sariel: "Man of Mystery" by MUSE, "Hang Me Up to Dry" by Cold War Kids,
and then Sariel played some the times"Battle Royale" by Does It Offend You, Yeah?, "Magic Mountain" by Lightning Bolt
and then Sariel plays occasionally and shamefully?, "Generation Y (We Got It)" by Shy Child (a band I'd actually like to check out sometime... shamefully?)

Album Cover Review: Uninspired. I know it was a rush job but geez. Not to mention, wasn't this done before by them? Hm. Lame!

But before all that, before I was reminded that the Brits sometimes confuse me with their musical tastes, I invested in this -

MOJO Magazine's Made in Britain 2007:

Back in April, what was going on in Britain's up and coming music scene (per Mojo's radar) that I was missing out on?

A whole lot actually and then some which I already knew and are going places but in my opinion should not be. Not to be an ass but I really can't stand The Noisettes. I saw them last year and enjoyed their music but couldn't stand their vocalist. Female and sings, I usually hate it. Yes, yes. Sue me.

The View - another hot mess that needs to stop being pushed in my face, literally. I got an EP of theirs for free while standing in line for Arctic Monkeys, tossed it after the show someplace in my room and never looked back. It hurts me they're doing so well! Maybe I should find it and try listening again? But then again, assholes like Fall Out Boy get to play MSG so maybe that mf-ing cd can stay wherever the fuck it is.

So yes, back to the cd. I don't think I'd ever buy any of these people's albums but the collection itself is decent. None of the songs are particularly inspired in sound or originality but not god awful horrendous either.

Sariel plays once in a while, every few months: "Steam Comes Off Our House" by De Rosa, "Another Hollow Line" by the Young Knives, "I'm Alive" by Vincent Vincent and The Villains (because it cracks me up though I think I saw them listing themselves as religious rock but I'd like to think they're kidding - and the opening line reminds me of Sting), "Dead Man's Suit" by Cherry Ghost, "Elouise" by The Maps (another might be overrated band but this song isn't horrid - kind of).

But oh yes, one noteworthy mention is "Horses and I" by Bat For Lashes. And look! I'm not a biased asshole, the lead vocalist is female and I actually like this song. Well, maybe she sounds a little like Bjork so she already has a plus in her favour. That and the opening sounds like a toned down opening of "Map of the Problematique".

Huh, seems like I listen to a lot from this collection...So getting a magazine with Arctic Monkeys on the cover and this cd wasn't such a bad deal after all.

Edit: And I discovered the 1990s. I might want to invest in that album sometime soon.

From Stereogum Presents: OKX A Tribute to OK Computer

I was very into collecting collections this year (apparently) for various reasons.
This one, well, it's self-explanatory, really. When Stereogum put out this thing for free on their website, I really had the urge to torture myself by hearing Radiohead potentially butchered.

And Jeebus were they ever, but not entirely.

This was a half/half collection but always left me with the feeling to run and listen to the original. That's not necessarily a good thing because it made me nostalgic... no, rather, I was mostly running to drown awful noises out of my head. Some "re-interpretations" were quite surprising though while others, I felt, didn't know exactly where to go with the musical arrangements. These either made me laugh like Vampire Weekend or made me cringe upon hearing that version of "Paranoid Android".

CWK wins this one though. I actually look forward to their version coming up on my playlist. It's a very hard collection for me to critique and not be biased about because Thom Yorke's voice is one of the best in the business. It's beautiful and often times, no one understands a gd thing the man says but it's so enticing that no one really cares. His voice is not one anyone else can copy and is so unique that anyone else's vocals on a Radiohead track (with their bastardized music arrangements - 'cause Radiohead owns there too) just leaves you confused.

Still, it was a valiant effort and a very cool project undertaken.
And if there's one more thing I can say about this, it's that if you didn't know the lyrics to these Radiohead songs before thanks to Thom's gurgled singing, listening to this a clear way to finally make sense of anything.

Sariel killed this: "Electioneering" by Cold War Kids,
and played sometimes or once?: "Lucky" by My Brightest Diamond, "Climbing Up The Walls" by The Twilight Sad, "Karma Police" by John Vanderslice, "Fittier Happier" by Samson Dalonoga, as it is just damned hilarious to me, "The Tourist" by Flash Hawk Project, "Subterranean Homesick Alien" by Mobius Band, "Exit Music (For A Film)" by Vampire Weekend.

Musically "Airbag" by Doveman impresses me some but I despise the forced vocals on this track.

Album Cover Review: Hard to look - H1. I don't think it's right they would put only Thom on the cover. He's not the only member of Radiohead! - Or 2

Editors An End Has A Start

The unclassy version of Interpol? Like I said earlier this year, I really do not like to compare them as such and that Paul's voice was nothing like the lead's of this band.
I gave this album a chance and was not overly impressed (yes, I did this without being biased in Interpol's favour, honest).
There are a few tracks I do enjoy but overall, the lyrics may just be too cheesey for my liking. They actually come across a little too pretentious sometimes. Oh wait, I know what the word is! It's "hipster-ish". Yeah. I think that's it. Ah well. Whatever it is, it's awfully boring an album.

That makes me kind of sad, since I discovered "Munich" by them earlier this year and I really like that song. They have potential... but they mucked it up this album!

Sariel played more than thrice: "When Anger Shows", "The Racing Rats"

Album Cover Review: What is that thing?

Kenna: Make Sure They See My Face

::sigh::

Here I was hoping for a repeat of the greatness that went down in 2003.

I am sorely disappointed by this album. I was hoping the weak singles released did not signal a weak album. Alas, that is exactly what I got here.

I feel that Kenna has some good ideas running here but is not quite sure how to spin them to a delivery that would land it as the underrated gold such as his previous album.

It was hard to categorize the genre of "New Sacred Cow" and while similiar in certain aspects, "Make Sure They See My Face" comes off more for the masses that I don't associate than not. There's a gd song on here that sounds eerily like a Justin Timberlake song gone slightly better but nonetheless, a rip-off and boring.

We need to stop bringing back forms of disco...really.

I'll still have the goo'd time memories of "Hell Bent", "Vexed and Glorious" and "Sunday After You"

Sariel found some semi-precious gems: "Sun Red Sky Blue", "Baptized in Blacklight", "Phantom Always" and "Face The Gun"

Album Cover Review: Two Ks that are dear to me. There's even a video showing how to make the symbol. I don't love this cover but I can't forget it either.

Nine Inch Nails: Year Zero

Another year, another NIN album. This is not what I'm hoping the mantra will become as Trent releases new material on a yearly to 2 year basis, as he wants to. This, however, is my least listened to NIN.

I noticing a trend starting ever since With Teeth and that's 1. I have to let NIN albums simmer for a few years before I actually appreciate 2. I might just be shying away from them due to changes in musical tastes 3. I might just be refusing to admit that NIN's not as great as they used to be and that scares me that I could even think it.

I know I'll never truly give them up because NIN has yet to make me cringe but I think the problem is (someone hold my hand while I make a confession!!!) I no longer feel that NIN's has anything new to offer since their "new" direction after The Fragile. There! I said it! It's a winning formula that makes them platinum but to me, it's becoming the downfall. I actually miss the raw emotion, not that Trent can be angsty forever and I understand that but...Forgive me, NIN. I blame the sore throat for my crazy talk!!!! And I say this to stop any lynching that may fall my way.

Sariel spun a few times: "In This Twilight", "The Great Destroyer" (best track but not perfect), "Me, I'm Not", "The Warning", "Zero Sum" (surprisingly sounding like a 'do they know it's Christmas after all' deal one might find a bunch of goody two shoes bands singing happily together but it's nin, so it's lyrically dark about god forsaken people and a forsaken god. Nice.) , "Survivalism"

Album Cover Review: I don't know how I feel about this other than angry. Damned dirty aliens messing up a perfectly clean car windshield!

Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

Ever since I discovered this band on Veronica Mars, (and shamefully I admit, considering they're VERY well-seasoned - this album being their 6th or something?), I've been partially obsessed. Well, maybe not obsessed but I have liked them and give them quite a bit of play.

It's one of those bands though, whose album I never buy in its entirety. I preview and select. However, from what I do choose, I really love. This, much to my dismay, confuses H1 and she'd rather not talk about it. In fact, I'm sure she outright refused to read this part of the blog while skimming through the rest.

I like Spoon. Britt Daniel's fun. And that's that.

Sariel happily played on a regular basis: "Finer Feelings" and "Rhthm and Soul". Don't worry, H1. Sometimes I worry about myself.

Album Cover Review: Is it Britt? Then it's okay by me.

The Shins: Wincing The Night Away

Sometimes I wonder about this hardcore…Indie that I happen upon and listen to. I listen to at least one band a year, I suppose. Last year it was Death Cab For Cutie, this year it's The Shins. I'm well-aware that AM's considered Indie because of how they got discovered but I throw their genre of music in Alternative rock, so they do not count for me.

Back to The Shins - very Indie (as far as I perceive Indie), very gddh-ish and the kind of soundtrack I'd play when exterminating said GDDHs. It distracts them. Makes them love happy in a field some where.

As far as the music goes, it's really good for what it is. It can be a little too "artsy" at times but an overall non-harmful to the ear listening experience.

Oh, why did I get this album, you peeps are wondering? Well, for starters, they were plastered all over the place at the time of album release and b. let's just say "myspace", "cache" "entire album" "bored". I did buy a few of the tracks myself though. And I say this to cover my ass. Thank you.

On Constant Rotation on Sariel: "Sea Legs" (a song that's as funky as Indie can get, I suppose - go ahead, H1, shake your head!) and other songs noted "Spilt Needles", "Phantom Limb", "Red Rabbit".

Album Cover Review: I like those weird animal islands. I've no idea what they mean but something tells me it's best I don't investigate further.

The Fratellis: Costello Music

This album was full of too many noises of the oo's and ahh's persuasion for me to like (I can only do one a year or something. And that quota was filled by Klaxons). Sure it'd be good in a UK pub, at a football game or a stadium filled with people waiting in between concert sets for everyone to start singing in unison but for the most part - no. This was a disappointing buy for me. Once again I was tricked by an Ipod commercial into taking a chance and it turned out I hated the album. I found myself not being able to listen for an extended period of time as each sing-songy track went on for way too long.

That being said, Sariel did play quite often: "Henrietta", "Flathead", and sometimes"Creeping Up The Backstairs".

Album Cover Review: Meh.

And while The Fratellis failed my expectations, these guys didn't...

Illinois What The Hell Do I Know?

I'd say you know quite a bit, Illinois, amongst other things - the banjo. However, you guys need to brush up on your state identities!
I jest but I saw this band this year open for the Fratellis and I was wow-ed. I actually had no expectations of them, being that I had only listened to them briefly before the show.

The EP itself is kind of low quality in sound, making the songs not as great as they could be or rather, they're just not as fantastic as they are live, but I'll have my concert memories and thus, I love them hardcore!

On a random note, did I mentioned their song was used in an episode of "Weeds" recently? They're going places!

Constant Rotation on Sariel: "Nosebleed" and "Screendoor".

EP Cover Review: A scary white torso and it's not even from Dexter. That is so uncool.

Klaxons: Myths of the Near Future.

They won the Mercury Prize this year. They've received critical acclaim all over the place. They had a chance to open for MUSE at WS (and turned it down due to some drunken stupor-idity). They're highly overrated in my opinion but you know Europeans and their Euro Trash. And they're my guilty pleasure, dark secret 'like' for the year.

Why the f. do I even listen to this? Like I said sometime this year, I've no business liking this s. yet I do. I think it's the music itself (goodness knows their lyrics are just s.) that keeps it interesting. There are enough sounds in there to keep it fresh but not cacophonous. It is mostly rubbish but there are a few tracks that have been in constant rotation for me.

Sariel loved him some: "Atlantis to Interzone" and to a lesser extent but liked well enough, "Magick", and "Golden Skans"

Album Cover Review: It's god awful.

The Horrors: Strange House

I was listening to BBC Radio 1's "Legends" the evening Arctic Monkeys became DJs for the night. Of course, I was. Anyway, the boys have eccletic tastes in music. The songs they selected for the hour ranged from the bizarre, the way too old and made decades before they were born, to the WTF.

It made for an interesting listen and I pretty much came out of it first of thoughts schemes to hang out in the arcade, of dirty 'boys' and bubbly baths and second, "wow - that was like listening to a Quentin Tarantino Soundtrack". I liked some of it and this is a band I was introduced to. The song was "Draw Japan" and I was highly impressed. I got the track and let it simmer for a day. I decided to purchase the album after previewing on Itunes. Musically, I love it and understand why AM love it (I can only really guess). It sounds like them a bit but on a weirder scale.

There are a lot of sample, strange noises all over the house (or was that an organ?) and coupled with heavy bass lines in abundance and fast beats, this album makes for some fair amount of craziness. Vocally, I'm having a hard time with the lead singer's voice but it's growing on me some. Lyrically - it's ridiculous for the most part, leaving the album feeling a little too tiresome at times but it's fun for those days when all I need is that soundtrack to getting off the train at night, after a long day, amongst others rushing to get home - and the excitement that goes with it.

The album reminds me of a retro B-horror movie sdtk that I might listen to on Halloween Night. Apparently, these guys are also very young - 21 and such.

Thanks AM.

Tracks on constant rotation on Sariel: "Draw Japan", "Count in Fives", "Gloves", "A Train Roars", "Sheena Is A Parasite" and "Gil Sleeping".

Album Cover Review: I actually like this one for no real reason.

THE TOP 6:

06. Hot Hot Heat: Happiness Ltd.

The bottomline: HHH for the most part without the danceability.

Hot Hot Heat had me scared that they were going to fail with their release of Happiness Ltd., the third album from (and I admit) the only Canadian band I truly enjoy and blame nothing on.

Or at least, would that have changed with this? Would HHH too, fall victim to a HOchieS berating of all things Canada?

Not at all.

This album has taken a slightly different turn from the usual fun and spirited HHH we know. It's 'heavier'. I use that term loosely, as I'm not quite sure how that's possible for HHH. It's slower in arrangement, that's for sure. I do not love this as much as Elevator but its enjoyable regardless - Even though it gives me the minature cringey cringies at hearing the overwhelming '80's beats on certain tracks. But, it's HHH and that's to be expected, I suppose.

The best of the lot that Sariel took a liking to: "My Best Fiend", "Harmonicas and Tambourines", "Give Up?"

Sidenote: Should I be a little concerned that they revamped an old song from an old EP and stuck it on here?

Album Cover Review: They could have left themselves off of it and done me a kindness.

04. Queens of the Stone Age: Era Vulgaris

I hang my head in shame as I write this only because I vowed never to listen to Queens of the Stone Age. I really hated music from their previous albums and was never a fan. Then came "Guitar Hero III" and the track "3's & 7's".

I now have an appreciation for Josh Homme and this particular band line up he has formed.

Era Vulgaris has everything I love - great drumming, pummelling guitar work, and a song that frequently uses the word "pig" in it.

What's not to love? Other than the fact that J. Homme is a very dirty looking ginger, that is.

On Constant Rotation and Proudly Played on Sariel: "River In The Road", "3's & 7's", "Turnin' On The Screw", "Run, Pig, Run", and "Running Joke".

Album Cover Review: I don't know what's up with the light bulbs (they've names too) but they look like they can kill me yet I am beginning to feel oddly attached.

04. Cold War Kids: Robbers and Cowards

Ah, the CW & Co. Haha. Ah, H1, you slay me.

Discovered back in June, this album is one of the best I've invested in this year. No. 4, actually.

They confuse me terribly - from their name and their style. They're a bunch of boys from California but they've New Orleans style music going. What the hell do they know about Death Row?
I should probably research but all I know is that I love what I hear on the daily.

This album is strong and surprising in every aspect and maybe even a little lyrically cruel as H1 has pointed out... "...robbing from the blind is not easy, you see...".

I'm particulary impressed by their lyrics that I can only describe as incredibly engaging story-telling. From tales about an alcoholic's life, to a man on Death Row and how he got there, to a scary story of a kid talking to God about the unfairness of his life as he's had "...one hundred years of solitude and only twelve years old..." all ending with a song about the end of the world all played and sung in an eerie upbeat, pressing way fittingly like a useless escape and if that wasn't enough, there's a 4 minute silence followed by a hidden track that's a questioning and pleading "prayer" of sorts.

It's sheer brilliance.

The depth of this album is unreal and I discover new things about it all the time. It's rich in hidden histories of American literature, music and culture and beautifully so. And they're not without that certain quirky uniqueness that makes them stand out from many bands in my recent history.

It's just wow for this one.

It only took about 4 years but Kenna no longer holds the record for best chance taken/best $9.99 CD bought.

Almost on daily rotation on Sariel: "Robbers", "Passing the Hat", "We Used To Vacation". It's great, this album, and almost every track is noteworthy.

Album Cover Review: It seems fairly simple but maybe there's more to it ooorrr maybe it's just a band setting up. I don't know.

03. Interpol: Our Love To Admire

I made a discovery this year - And that was that I haven't listened to Interpol nearly as enough as I should have been for the 3 or so years I've been introduced to them.
I almost let them slip past me this year. On the radio, "The Heinrich Maneuver" didn't appeal to me but at Wembley Stadium, with it blaring at Zane Lowe's DJ set and H1 singing happily next to me along with our 'friend' who sat next to me, "How are things on the West Coast?", it got my attention.

The bass playing of Carlos D. has always impressed me but now I've gotten to really love The Kessler's guitar playing and of course, my Paul Banks - whose sexiness of voice and underlying dirtyness in lyrics makes me swoon. Okay, maybeeee that's not why I should love Interpol, and it's not completely the reason. They're not number 3 on this list because of some swooning. They're on here because this album, while not as wholly fantastic as their debut Turn On The Bright Lights, it's pretty damned fantastic in its own right.

There's some humour, although anything that comes out of Paul's mouth is just kind of scary, and the delivery's always deadpan.

However, it's his dreary, mournful, sharp vocals along with the haunting sound produced by the band that makes this a very worthy listen, while sending shivers down the spine.

Not attending their concert at MSG is our biggest regret for the year. Next year, we are certainly not going to let that go down again if we can.

Sariel plays all the damned time: "Pioneer to the Falls" (which is one of the best songs this year and of all time for me), "All Fired Up" and "The Scale"

Album Cover Review: I have no idea what Interpol were going with this time around but I've decided I hate it.

02. Radiohead: In Rainbows

No contract, no record label, and initially no hard copy - I downloaded my 40 pounds copy of In Rainbows at 2.30 something on the morning of October 10th. I listened - my initial reaction of bliss of having new Radiohead material was quickly turned into an overwhelming feeling of "WTF". It was way too early to listen to the barrage of noises assaulting my little brain. 5 hours later whilst on the train, the rain pattering and the sky all grey set the stage for a perfect listening experience. Again my ears were struck with oddities of sound but this time, I could process better and found that the richness of the album was incredible.

A bit on the slow, relaxed side in most cases but always haunting, Radiohead have created something that I can only describe as a bit more personal, raw emotional experience wrapped up in a series of complex musical compositions that only this band knows how to execute.

In Rainbows's got the experimental mix of "Kid A" with the sentiments of "Ok Computer", and "Amnesiac" equating to something previously experienced and familiar yet applaudingly new and welcomed.

And that is good times.

After four years of waiting and ten+ years in the making, Radiohead remains Radiohead by maintaining and creating a dynamic that's undeniably theirs.

Favourites of Sariel: "15 Step", "Jigsaw Falling Into Place", and "Reckoner"

Album Cover Review: There was none at the time and it was probably better that way.

Arctic Monkey: Favourite Worst Nightmare

H1 dreams many things. Some of these are unwanted and some involve Arctic Monkeys. Unfortunately, they've been avoiding her lately in sleepland but I've been blessed on occasion.

Sullied content aside, the title's kind of fitting for H1's dreams as of late but "Favourite Worst Nightmare" is the wrong title for this album. It's certainly our favourite for the year but far from any nightmare.

This album ROCKS.

The opening track is one I've played hundreds of times since mid-February. The brilliance of drummer Matthew Helders shines on this and throughout.

Musically, our favourite lads from Sheffield play furious, fun and never with a dull moment even from the slow driven "505".

It is, however, Alex Turner's heavy accent, wit, dreamy vocals that make you forget he's 21, and his ability to string words together and tell a story so natural and interesting, that packages the deal as the greatest thing since their first release.

Despite not being on any of US Magazines or Itunes top downloaded albums, (you damned Americans do not know what you're missing!!) this album has every right to hold a spot on a top 10 list somewhere.

Sariel played all the damned time: the entire damned album.

Album Cover Review: seedy looking. A warehouse in Sheffield or Matt's house? JK. It's not a bad cover. Much better than their last and much better than most others I've seen this year.

Arctic Monkeys: Singles (2007)

Fans of Arctic Monkeys know that when the lads release a single, you're about to get a ton of new music in addition to the song you already know and love.

Thus far for the year, in addition to Favourite Worst Nightmare, AM have officially released 11 other new tunes. That's an entire new album! And yet, I still can't get enough. Luckily, I know I won't have to settle for just those because those young, brilliant minds are always creating new pieces. It's good to be young and Arctic Monkeys. And it's good to be a fan.

Each b-side has been stellar. "B is for believe" - Alex Turner. But what he meant to say was that "B is for brilliant" - Or 2.

Tracks on constant rotation on Sariel: "Too Much To Ask" (just reminds you how brilliant a boy Alex Turner is), "What If You Were Right The First Time", "If You Found This, It's Probably Too Late" and "Matador"

And to the albums I did not get this year but wanted to and will and the ones I got yesterday but have no time to listen properly - It's too late to include in the end of year review but there's always next year or a little thing called editing:

Liars, The Kooks, Menomena and The Cribs.

Special note to Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I'm loving their EP right now and will finally invest in their albums this upcoming year.

Another Edit:

Previewed the Liars' "Liars" album on Itunes and not loving it as of now.
The same goes for the Cribs' "Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever".
The Good, The Bad and The Queen on the other hand is sounding pretty good but that may be due to it sounding a bit like a toned down Gorillaz album.