Back to Back Albums: Violet Cold - Desperate Dreams

Euphoric black metal from Azerbaijan?

Seriously, what kind of a fucked up description is that? Black metal shouldn't be euphoric, should it? It should be grim and cold. Which is the opposite of what Azerbaijan is like.

And you know what's even more fucked up? The fact that Desperate Dreams is actually a really good album. This type of thing should not work, not on paper and not in practice, but somehow the whole “euphoric” element of this album not only succeeds, but establishes Violet Cold as a unique musical entity that can get international acclaim, a metallic entity which Azerbaijan has hitherto failed to produce.

I'm not the biggest fan of jolly music; I typically like mine with loads of aggression or dripping with despair. But the thing is, I don't always feel like running through the streets, shoulder checking the slow moving people who block the metro entrance, nor do I always want to sink into the bowels of an introspective nightmare. And that's where Violet Cold comes into play.

Back to Back Albums: The Outfield's Play Deep

Summer songs are to be despised. This is my position and I'm sticking to it.

Now, summer albums are a different matter. Play Deep is, for me and many like me, a testament to all that is good and wholesome about the hot months of the year. Each song is an ode to beaches, sun, and fleeting romance. In fact, if you're feeling cold in the bitch months of a freezing Wisconsin winter, Play Deep will raise the relative temperature of your domicile by at least 5 degrees Farenheit.

Nate JacobsJuly 3, 2015back to back albums, nate jacobs, the outfield, play deep, summer, matingComment

(Almost) Back to Back Albums: Genesis - Invisible Touch

Few things are as synonymous with the 1980's for me than Genesis and Phil Collins. I remember hearing many of the hits from this album plyaed from the garage at my uncle's house as my cousins and I ran around in the orchards surrouding it, or heading out to the Donegal Bay beach.

In my college years I checked out Genesis' early stuff, when they were still fronted by Peter Gabriel, and found it fascinating for the most part, and at times mindnumbingly bizarre. Though they were never as far out there as Syd Barret-era Pink Floyed, even well structured masterpieces as Foxtrot and Nusery Crime had moments that were simply beyond comprehension. Apart from the debut album, Trespass, the power trio of drummer Phil Collins, guitarist/bassist Michael Rutherford, and keyboardist Tony Banks had remained the sole constant to this point in Genesis' history. Following the departure of Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins stepped out from behind the kit and took up the mic.

While the change from avant-garde rock group to the space age pop present on Invisible Touch was by no means an overnight process, it was evident by the time of their 1980 album, Duke, that they were destined for radio glory. Abacab and the self-titled 1983 album furthered this tradition, but kept the prog rock firmly in place, with odd keyboard flourishes and complex drumming. Invisible Touch is where the process is fully streamlined to the extent that the songs flow like poppy shit from a duck's ass...at least for the first half of the album.

N.P. YuggothApril 22, 2015n.p. yuggoth, genesis, phil collins, invisible touch, back to back albums, in too deepComment

Back to Back Records: Heartbeat City by The Cars

Recently reading another article on this site which mentioned the Cars, I knew I had to write about this great album. The Cars were, and are, a pretty weird band. Just look at frontman Ric Ocasek's gaunt, goofy image, the simple album covers, or the super cheesey synth provided by Greg Hawkes. While they are probably known best as a New Wave band and their eponymous debut, The Cars' 1984 album, Heartbeat City, is easily my favourite, and a quintessential 80's album.

On previous albums, the Cars' sound was rooted in simple rock and roll structures, sometimes borrowing from 50's and 60s bubblegum pop, and given a unique spin with Ocasek's trademark stuttering delivery and Hawke's goofy keyboards. Here, the Cars enter the pseudo-space age of the 80's, with a massive production courtesy of Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who also produced Def Leppard's smash album, Hysteria. You will find a lot of similiarities between the two albums, particularily in the programmed drums and synth.

Heartbeat City really shines with this seemingly bizarre combination. It's like I Love Lucy drinking milkshakes on a space station imagined by Andy Warhol--exactly what the future sounded like in 1984. Music videos from this masterpiece feature freaks, 1980's cutting edge technology and even input from Warhol himself. And let's not forget Ocasek's bizarre lyrics, which he never explained. Unlike output by fellow 80's groups like the Talking Heads and the Police, the Cars always knew how to balance the poetic and artistic with accessibility.

Nate JacobsJanuary 2, 2015back to back, back to back albums, nate jacobs, the cars, heartbeat cityComment

Taste testing the forbidden fruit.