Bob Dylan Collection

Top, left to right: Another Side of Bob Dylan
Blonde on Blonde 2xLP
Blonde on Blonde CD
Blood on the Tracks
Middle, left to right: Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits
Modern Times 2xLP
Slow Train Coming
Bottom, left to right: Bringing it all Back Home
Desire
the Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Highway 61 Revisited
I'm Not There Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

As i mentioned in my last post, Bob Dylan is one of my favorite artists of all-time. Again, as is the case for a lot of the bands i listen to, i was into the artist before i was into vinyl (really, before i had a turntable), so much of my collection is on CD. Once i started getting into vinyl, one of the first purchases i made was Bob's "Greatest Hits" LP for $3. Good purchase. After that, i bought a bunch of CDs with a gift card i received last Christmas. Then came "Another Side" and "Blonde on Blonde" and on and on. Of course, Mr. Dylan is one of the most prolific artists of all time, and collecting all of his official releases (not to mention bootlegs, live shows, etc.) is quite a hefty task. Perhaps one day in the future i'll have the privilege of having them all. For now, i can listen to "Blonde on Blonde," "Blood on the Tracks," and "Another Side..." until the grooves wear flat and produce nothing more than muffled tones of poetry and still be content. Picking a favorite album will still be difficult, though. 

Bob Dylan Show Review

November 6, 2010

Gordon Field House- Rochester Institute of Technology

 

Set List

Although i attended RIT (don't even ask me about it; the school is terrible, but somehow has a good reputation), i never went to a show there (still kicking myself about missing the mewithoutYou, Thrice, and Brand New show a few years back, but alas...). i should mention that i have grown weary of going to shows, as i find the crowds more and more annoying. i tire of people pushing their way to the front, blocking your view, pushing and shoving, fighting in the pit, etc. It's just not as fun now that i am a little bit older. Thus, i have only been to four shows this year: Coheed and Cambria (2x), Maylene and the Sons of Disaster (with Saosin?!), and now Bob Dylan. i think my girlfriend and i may have seen Lovedrug, too, but we left early due to boredom. i can't remember which year that was, honestly.

 

My girlfriend purchased a pair of tickets to see Bob Dylan for my birthday, which was a pleasant treat. Mr. Dylan is one of my favorite artists, and GOD willing, i will post a picture of my collection of his recordings soon. 

 

The line outside the venue was long (much bigger than i had anticipated, but it IS Bob Dylan, so i guess i should have expected it). It was also very cold; jackets would have been a good idea, as November in New York is always crappy and this night was no exception. So, we stood in line and waited with some friends for a good twenty minutes, but the lines did move relatively fast. Once inside, we found an awesome spot to stand along the walkways, such that we had a direct and elevated view of the stage. i didn't feel like going into the "pit," as we were seeing Bob Dylan, not Converge; there would be no moshing.

Once the show started out with a rendition of "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35," i knew we would be in for a good night. i'm not a great fan of that particular song, but i love "Blonde on Blonde," so i was hoping he'd play more material from that album; he did not. He did, however, play my favorite song, "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues," albeit in a re-arranged form which made it hard to recognize. In fact, he played quite a bit of material from "Highway 61 Revisited," another favorite album of mine. One thing that was immediately apparent, however: this was not to be simply a recital of the album versions of his songs. Instead, every song took on a new life and sound of its own this evening. Having never seen Bob, i've heard this is one of the draws of seeing him: hearing how old familiars will be re-invigorated by a man who's been writing music for over 40 years. 

 

Bob and his band played a good mix of old and new material, which was a nice surprise. i'll admit i am not too familiar with Mr. Dylan's more recent work, although i do listen to "Modern Times" (and "Christmas in the Heart!") fairly often. One criticism of Mr. Dylan these days is that his voice is gravelly, weathered, and worn. However, i find it to be quite unique and an honest representation of emotion and passion. Of course, i like mewithoutYou and Harvey Milk, so apparently i don't care if your singer can even sing; i just like the lyrics.

 

The crowd for this event was quite boring, but i don't really know how they should have reacted to the performance. Again, it is not metal or hardcore where there would be moshing, nor is it rap or dance where there would be dancing; it is folky, rocky, Americana. i did see a few couples dancing along to the more-upbeat numbers, which was nice, but other than that, we all just sort of stood around.

 

After the last song, "Ballad of a Thin Man," the crowd began chanting for an encore, and Mr. Dylan returned to play "Jolene" and the obligatory "Like a Rolling Stone." Overall, it was a fun night of remembering the past triumphs of a great musician and writer, and of celebrating his continued relevancy and passion for performing, one that is nearly unrivaled, even among his peers who are less than half his age or even younger. He is a man who has seen it all, written about it, warned us about it, and whose voice is still as important today as when it was singing those politically-charged songs in the early 1960s. GOD bless you, good sir. 

MP3 Download Codes are a Good Idea

As someone who works in an office for eight hours a day, five days a week behind a desk and a computer, i have a lot of time to listen to music. Due to the nature of my work (data entry/analysis), i spend a lot of time alone and need to focus intently, and i find that music helps me to do so. Now, even though i have a large collection of CDs (113 at last count), i still would like to listen to the nearly 200+ vinyl albums at work. Now, as a pseudo-neo-Luddite (?), i would be fine dragging in a turntable and slamming that onto my desk to enjoy a record or two at work, but i feel as though this move would not go over well. Thus, i am left to enjoy my records as mp3s played in Windows Media Player at work. Although i love the sound quality of vinyl and generally avoid mp3s as a general rule, i do enjoy being able to hear the records i paid $20 or more for outside the comfort of my cozy living room and its turntable, albeit in an inherently inferior form. i am of the opinion that muffled, scratchy, poor-quality music is still better than silence.

This being said, i quite enjoy it when a record company understands this and includes a coupon for a free download of the vinyl record you purchase. Deathwish and Saddle Creek are two labels that seem to include these coupons with all of their releases, wish is very, very awesome. The best download offer came with my copy of Minus the Bear's "They Make Beer Commercials Like This," which included 3 free downloads!
Unfortunately, the majority of the releases i purchase are either too old to even have seen the arrival of mp3s, leaving me to go without while on the job or to seek out an illegal mp3 copy of the album through the powers of the internet. i have mixed feelings about this manner, as it is still illegal, but i did purchase the album, so i feel as though i should have the right to hear it whenever i want to, but that is probably just my materialistic sense of entitlement as a result of living in America all of my life rearing its head. i don't know. i could also purchase a USB turntable, but i am opposed to doing so, mostly because i am cheap and like to use my dad's 30 year-old Technics table. Perhaps one day. For now, hand over the oil-burning lantern and the hand-pushed plow and get out the vinyl, baby.

Favorite re-issues/re-presses/re-releases of 2010

Not everything is new. Some things are old. Some old things are new and vice versa. That's the way life goes. A circle of re-packaged and "re-imagined" products designed to squeeze a few more dollars from your pocket. Usually, these things contain some bonus material to further entice you. Here are the five albums i was suckered into buying (again?)

 Morrissey: Bona Drag - This one, the most puzzling, is probably my favorite. Let me get this straight: you're re-issuing a collection of b-sides and singles in a new format with a new (worse) cover as a double LP? i'll bite. i am a Morrissey fan deep down and this collection of songs contains many of my favorites. i'm not even sure if this is available in the states; i had to get it from old England, but it was worth the wait and the conversion to the Euro. If you don't like Morrissey, you won't like this; if you do, you'll love it.

Copeland: In Motion - Just in time to have seen this band come and go, Academy Fight Song is pressing this album (my favorite by the band) on vinyl for the first time. i love what AFS did with "Beneath Medicine Tree," so i can't wait to see how they do with this release. The pre-orders go up on Monday the 15th of November at noon.





mewithoutYou: Catch for Us the Foxes - This is my favorite album by my favorite band. i was into the band when this album came out, but not into vinyl, so i missed out on the original press. i kept scouring eBay for an original copy, but had no luck. Fortunately, Gilead Media announced a re-press this year and did not disappoint. 180g, transparent red vinyl with my favorite album pressed on it? Yes please! If you have not heard this album, please do so at your earliest convenience. It is a unique and memorable album brimming with truth and honesty.

 Harvey Milk: Harvey Milk (The Bob Weston Sessions) - After checking the Hydra Head webstore (via Blue Collar Distribution) every day for a good three months, i was finally rewarded this week when this record went on sale! Available in three different colors of vinyl, i ended up choosing the aqua color. Although i have the tour press of this record, i wanted to see what Hydra Head could do with a "proper" release of this record (as they called it). Hopefully this means that the audio quality is improved and there are some sort of liner notes associated with this thing. Perhaps even lyrics? It'd be nice to know what Creston is howling about in some of these songs. Anyways, this is on sale now and is supposed to ship the last week in November.

Refused: The Shape of Punk to Come - Finally, the legendary album by Refused saw a re-issue on vinyl which included some bonus stuff and a concert DVD. What can you say about this album? If you like hardcore/punk, this album is something you are already familiar with, whether you know it or not. This album influenced everyone. If you haven't picked it up yet, you're an idiot. Really, though, just listen to it and know where your favorite bands started out.

Best of 2010

Well, we still have a month left in the year, but for me, i have already heard many good releases which i would like to mention and bring to your attention in case you somehow missed them:

 Harvey Milk: A Small Turn of Human Kindness - Well, we all know i love LOVE this band and this album is another reason why. It is slow, sludgy, heartbreaking, spiritual, secular, bluesy, metallic, droning, a dirge worthy of the funeral for a forgotten man. It is my favorite album to come out this year and i cannot wait for it to come out on vinyl next January.

The Chariot: Long Live - Another one of my favorite bands. Honestly, i didn't think this would be that good, as they just released the killer Wars and Rumors of Wars last year. Boy, was i wrong wrong WRONG. This album is weirder, heavier, more memorable, rawer, more emotional and just all-around better than anything this band has done previously, and i've loved everything they've done. Not available on vinyl yet. Heck, it's not even released yet, but it leaked about a month early (yes, i did pre-order, too). Buy this when it comes out on 11/23/2010.

 Intronaut: Valley of Smoke - A sludgy, proggy, experimental album that caught my attention and forced me to listen. Just an all-around good album that plays long and is strong throughout. Available on vinyl from Century Media.

Salome: Terminal - Yet another sludgy, doomy metal disc that caught my attention. Only a trio, but heavier than a whole orchestra of metal musicians pounding away with sledgehammer fury. Kat's vocals rival that of any male metal singer and her lyrics speak of spiritual struggles and humankind's failings. An awesome disc that needs  the vinyl treatment.

Torche: Songs for Singles - Torche take their "stoner pop" sound and bring it up several notches from their already masterful take on it, crafting an entertaining and solid disc that should bring in new fans and keep old fans sated. Another trio that rocks harder than they should. The vinyl is available in several different colors and a cool letter-style package. i previously reviewed this album here.





Those are my top 5 albums for the year of 2010. i didn't get a lot of new releases this year, but these 5 made me stop and take notice, forcing me to purchase and enjoy repeatedly at high volumes. If another release makes me do this between now and 2011, i'll be sure to let you know!

Between the Buried and Me-the Silent Circus

 The last piece of my Between the Buried and Me vinyl collection is "the Silent Circus," the band's second album. i was able to win this in an auction on eBay a few weeks ago and received the record in the mail the other day. The packaging for this album is very sparse and basic, consisting of a cardboard sleeve and a (seemingly) photocopied lyric sheet. The vinyl is a beautiful gray-green color with rainbow colors mixed in.
 
The album begins with the schizophrenic series of "Lost Perfection," parts A and B. These songs mix together metal, hardcore, southern rock riffs, a brutal breakdown, a hand clap/drum interlude, and vocals that remind me of a velociraptor. These songs kick the album off with a kick to the head, mixing brutality and creativity.

The third track is "Camilla Rhodes," a song which lyrically speaks about the role of image and how it affects our world, where style is emphasized so strongly. Although the song explicitly uses the context of sexuality in the music industry, the main message is applicable to all ares of life and is just as relevant, if not more so, today as it was when BTBAM recorded this song. A sweet breakdown is featured in this song with some bendy, slidey bass work and rapid double bass action. Another really strong song that continues the flow of great songs to start this album.

Next is the legendary "Mordecai," a staple in the band's live repertoire for years. i love the first two seconds of this song with the double bass and clean guitar stabs, just before the ensuing chaos is unleashed. The frantic pace of this song continues while Tommy wails "Why should i sit in your chair and satisfy your standards?!"
The tempo then slows, ever so slightly, for a continued heavy assault. Finally, a bit of relief is thrown our way when the guitars go quiet and the vocals follow suit. The song then builds to its epic conclusion, showing Tommy's abilities to actually SING and the band's ability to match his moods and whims. A guitar solo takes us out and keeps us amazed. An awesome, incredible song. "Keep the notes coming."

"Reaction" changes things up, bringing in quiet guitars and keyboards with simple, yet effective, clean vocals which speak of dreaming and sleep. A nice interlude and another example of the band's ability to play different styles of music and to play them well.

"(Shevanel, Take 2)" is a song from way out in left field, perhaps even out of the ball park. It is a quiet, soothing, and powerful acoustic and clean guitar-driven song. Another strong point on the album.

After this period of rest, the band goes in the complete opposite direction with "Ad a Dglgmut," a noisy song written in honor of noise and its beauty and use in music. In fact, the beginning of the songs features vocals which are basically just noises, not words. For once, our parents are right: it IS just noise! Anyway, just to through our parents off, the band throws in a pretty part in the middle singing that "it all makes sense: we're capable of beauty" which is preceded by an incredible guitar solo. Then, we get more noise and pummeling to end the song. Yet another highlight (!).

 Keyboards and electronic blips bring in "Destructo Spin," an opinionated song about George W. Bush. Musically, it is another pummeling piece. i would still call this a good song, but it doesn't really stand out to me.

Up next is "Aesthetic," which features a really interesting start-stop introduction. This rhythm continues for a bit into the song before the band decides to change it and make things even more chaotic and technical. The lyrics speak of the band's love of music and how they will play until they die. i love the passion the band has.

"The Need for Repetition" starts out slow and heavy, with Tommy doing his best death metal vocals. The guitars do an interesting dual-direction sliding riff which sounds pretty cool in this song. The tempo then increases and keyboards creep in underneath to take the song towards its end. A clean guitar interlude is then thrown in before one last blast of chaos and brutality. The clean guitars and keyboards return before noisy guitars, bass and feedback take the song to its conclusion. There may or may not be a secret song to end the album. It's a secret.

"The Silent Circus" is not silent, but it could be a circus of daredevil drumming, gymnastic guitars, backflipping bass, and violent vocals. Yes, my description is silly but the album is not. Listen to it. Be amazed. Thrill at the risks the band takes! Marvel at the songsmanship! Hear the human rubber bands stretch conventions and genres to create a fascinating mixture of melody and morbidity! "The Silent Circus" is coming to town!






 

Between the Buried and Me-Alaska

As you may or may not have noticed, it is BTBAM week-ish time here on the b-side. Today we have their album "Alaska," which, in my mind, is the album where the band moved from a technical metalcore sound to the more random nature of music they currently play. My copy of "Alaska" is on clear vinyl, as it was the most available for purchase at a reasonable price. 

The album begins with a highlight, "All Bodies." The song itself is unrelenting and technical, recalling "the Silent Circus." The next track, the titular "Alaska," features a guitar player's dream of an intro, with sweep picking galore. The lyrics are written in a stream-of-consciousness style which shows a uniqueness in Tommy's writing. i always enjoyed his lyrics, as they are straight-forward, but at the same time, not overt or simplistic, leaving room for interpretation. This song is another favorite of mine.

The third showcases the band's myriad influences, featuring many different brands of metal, hardcore, whatever thrown together in a convincing and downright listenable manner. "Croakies and Boatshoes" is a song lampooning, in my opinion, the party culture and clique mentality of my vapid and meaningless generation. The song really stands out to me due to Tommy's use of near-pig squeal vocals throughout parts of the song. Another favorite is the breakneck speed of the double-bass drumming underneath the music. Then things slow down, bringing in a sludgy feel to the song, before picking things back up and building to the end.

The epic "Selkies: the Endless Obsession" follows. There is a reason that this song is one of the band's most well-known and loved songs: it rules and shows their instrumental and songwriting talents. An off-time keyboard and guitar riff start the song out, then we have a clean vocal portion before the band blasts in for more technical trashing which picks the speed up. We trash for a minute or two and then bring in a lone piano and some drumming. We get a nice reprieve with clean vocals and atmospheric guitars before an EPIC outro guitar solo. This song exemplifies many of the band's influences: metal, electronic, i don't know, alternative rock, and even jazz. It's the BTBAM amalgamation that we have come to know and love.

The instrumental "Breathe In, Breathe Out" follows. This is a short clean guitar number which serves as the (airy, spare, and refreshing) eye of the hurricane, to use a cliched analogy for a band which usually avoids said cliches.  

"Roboturner" starts out with a frantic scream and the band blasts in at full speed. The beating continues on for a minute and a half before slowing briefly, only to punch with the other hand, the few feet of flat track before the roller coaster car drops again, leading to a breakdown which would be at home on any number of metalcore releases, before giving out to a mini-bass solo. The band then slows it down for the ending, a nice break from the mostly-flat-out pace of the song. Still heavy, though. And, another bass solo!

 "Backwards Marathon" starts heavy and fast, speeds up and features Tommy spitting (i think) words like a madman. Then, the bands slows it down for Tommy to let us know that "it feels weird." Again, the lyrics stand out to me, as they are words i wouldn't think about using in a song. Not specifically poetic, but not obvious or cliched, either. The band then breaks it down for a Southern-metal sounding portion before bringing in the clean guitars and vocals for a beautiful and haunting refrain of "it's raining." The band then begins to bring in the guitars and build back up to repeat the intro to the song before giving way to another "pretty part" with a guitar solo(!). Another highlight of the album.

A second instrumental, "the Medicine Wheel," follows as track 8. This track is similar to "Breathe In...," but features drums, keyboards and bass, as well. Another airy, moody, organic piece that can easily be called "beautiful."

The ninth song on the album is "The Primer." Beginning the song is a great piece of guitar playing, which is then replaced with another piece of pummeling metal by BTBAM. Again, as with other songs, this piece moves between sections and parts, showing influences and originality at such a fast pace that you don't have time to figure out if they like Dream Theater, Black Flag, Black Sabbath, the Beatles, Converge, Bob Dylan, or Minor Threat. Or all of them. Or none of them. Either way, another ripper of a song which really shows off the guitar playing. In fact, the ending of the song features dual lead guitars and a vocal refrain of "2005: welcome to perfection!"

"Autodidact." Riffs and breakdowns, baby.  Also, weird, nearly-inaudible backing vocals at one point. Then, a quiet part with a galloping bass line which then descends and brings in the guitar. Keyboards, too. Full band roar for a while. Frantic drumming bleeds into a slooooww, HEAVY breakdown.

The instrumental, Latin-flavored "Laser Speed" closes out the album on a mellow note which belies the heaviness of this album: it's heavy, alright. Diverse enough not to be just another "metalcore" album, though, and a sign of things to come for BTBAM to be sure. Check it out!