Playing Catch-Up, Part VI

Another ten artists down, another chance to play catch-up with some albums from artists who have come before. Let the fun begin!

Artist: Lady Gaga
Album: ‘ARTPOP’
Year: 2013
Previous Post

Lady Gaga has few surprises left up her sleeve, but she is slowly finding she doesn’t need all of that to satiate her legions “Little Monsters” and even casual fans like myself. With ‘ARTPOP,’ she put out a solid club-pop album that didn’t leave much room for her to play coy (like she ever would) or to leave anything unspoken (which she rarely does). The beats pulse and entrance while the infectious hooks make this a very listenable album from beginning to end. With her next album I expect the pomp-and-circumstantial wrapping to be taken off making the music the centerpiece–right where it belongs.

Track of Distinction: “Dope,” the cool glass of water needed to keep the album from causing whiplash to any listener, is a beautiful track taken from the words of an addict trying to make things right with the people in their life. It’s bitter, sad, and all too real.

Artist: Live
Album: ‘Live at Paradiso – Amsterdam‘
Year: 2008
Previous Post

Yeah, with this one I totally fucked up. This was part of the original line-up when I went through Live’s catalog the first time. But, after listening to it again, it made me appreciate what they put on stage during this recording and how they, like every band, have tracks that work well live in front of a screaming audience and some that just fall flat. Though Live has resurrected itself with a new lead singer a couple years back, it was nice to hear them once more as a cohesive unit before Ed hopped aboard the Dickhead Express into La-La Land.

Track of Distinction: “The River” is a song that, not only sounds good live, but it sounds better than it did in the studio recording. The beat and feel of this song is only intensified and made better use of the live audience and the collective adrenaline of the crowd to make it memorable and truly spectacular.

Artist: Mastodon
Album: ‘Once More ‘Round the Sun‘
Year: 2014
Previous Post

Mastodon returned this year with an album that learns from the mistakes (if I am qualified to categorize it as such) and tries to make a more cohesive album than an album they hope will sell. Sure, fans and critis felt that ‘The Hunter’ went a bit too soft and this was a disturbing trend for a band that was prized for being hardcore about the music without requiring the stereotypical amount of heavy metal showmanship. This album is an up-tick in the band’s efforts to return to their roots but it might cost them some casual fans. The album, as good as it is as a single, cohesive offering, does not have a single stand-out hook to drive casual fans wild. The hardcore fans should thank them for that.

Track of Distinction: “Halloween” was chosen, not for the time of year, but because it is a solid track on an album full of solid tracks. This one distinguishes itself marginally from the others with a solid bass line and a gripping lyric lineup.

Artist: Matt & Kim
Albums: ‘Sidewalks‘ and ‘Lightning‘
Year: 2010 & 2012 (respectively)
Previous Post

Matt & Kim have kept themselves in musical relevance because they are something very different: they are a band that has pop sensibilities, lyrics that go under-the-radar, and some kitchy appeal that often expands itself past their hippie-pop demographic, but not that far. These albums follow up the infectiously catchy ‘Grand’ with efforts that mirror it while creating their own senses of self through the duo’s ability to grow as artists. What’s missing was a hook, and that makes this a fun listen but not as memorable as their freshman platter.

Track of Distinction: “Now” from ‘Lightning’ is the closest thing to a really catchy track on these albums. It’s vintage Matt & Kim, which seems odd to say for a band in its fourth year.

Artist: Various Artists
Album: ‘Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash‘
Year: 2002

Our love affair with Johnny Cash will likely never end. His posthumous following will never rival that of Elvis or John Lennon; but his passing reminded everyone, regardless of their musical affiliation, how large an icon and how indelible his mark truly was. Tribute albums prove this by who shows up to participate. Sure, there’s the obligatory contemporaries, but when you get the likes of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen stepping up and paying proper homage to Johnny, it finally hits home for even casual fans how important he was to music history and how nothing will ever be the same again.

Track of Distinction: Roseanne Cash’s rendition of “I Still Miss Someone” is heart-wrenching and inspired; a fitting tribute to her dad.

And since all of you have been good boys, girls, and Ad-Bots, here is ‘These Things I Have Heard Catch-Up Mixtape, Vol. 2‘ ready for download and your eager ears (or USB ports for you Ad-Bots).