Greatest Hits

Greatest Hits is an attempt to analyze a music library, exploring the music within it. Sometimes this is in the form of reviews, personal stories, music or videos. Bottom line is that everything gets reviewed, for better or worse. Nothing is skipped. Everything is exposed. There are no guilty pleasures.
Radiohead | The King of Limbs (2011) // I can’t say this album is amazing, but its not terrible either. The first four tracks feel a bit hit-or-miss in all honesty, with hints of better songs just beneath the surface. “Lotus Flower” is decent, and “Codex” feels like a highlight - a pinch hitter coming in at the last minute. Likewise “Give Up the Ghost” feels good, while the finale of “Separator” feels forgettable. Had this been an EP, which seem better places for experimentation, it could’ve faired better. As a full-fledged album it seems to fail as about 50% of it is good. But I guess it’s not worthless.

Radiohead | The King of Limbs (2011) // I can’t say this album is amazing, but its not terrible either. The first four tracks feel a bit hit-or-miss in all honesty, with hints of better songs just beneath the surface. “Lotus Flower” is decent, and “Codex” feels like a highlight - a pinch hitter coming in at the last minute. Likewise “Give Up the Ghost” feels good, while the finale of “Separator” feels forgettable. Had this been an EP, which seem better places for experimentation, it could’ve faired better. As a full-fledged album it seems to fail as about 50% of it is good. But I guess it’s not worthless.

Photo
Avicii | Levels (2011) // Once again, here’s your jam for the summer. Mother-fucking “Levels”.

Avicii | Levels (2011) // Once again, here’s your jam for the summer. Mother-fucking “Levels”.

Photo
…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead | The Secret of Elena’s Tomb (2003) // For an EP this has some of my favorite Trail of Dead songs on it. “Mach Schau” is a good opener, and “All Saints Day” is a good follow-up. Still, the core of the record hits with “Crowning of a Heart” and “Counting Off the Days”. The former is a sparkly sort of love song which hits all the right notes without being sappy or overly dramatic. The guitars swirl in the best way, and resonate with a great sense of emotion. Its simple yet effective, as the best pop songs tend to be. Still, “Counting Off the Days” hits an even higher emotional plateau, starting off with an acoustic guitar and some accompaniment (couldn’t say exactly what), but its immediately heartfelt. Most of the time I can’t go without debating whether or not to cry, especially because it triggers several memories - as music tends to do. You have to stop and appreciate heartfelt songs like this, ones filled with a mysterious honesty. At three-minutes it feels so much longer, and I wish it went further, just because its so moving. The final minute or so sees a string/horn instrument springing forward and its a perfect coda. As a closer “Intelligence” is a sort of electro-rock piece, and it feels a bit out-of-place. It’s not a terrible song, it’s catchy and different from what Trail of the Dead usually do, but it stands out against the previous four tracks. I go in and out with this one. The Secret of Elena’s Tomb is worth getting and feels like a good filler between their albums and hints at the progression. Also the backstory behind “Elena’s Tomb” itself is pretty creepy and almost unreal (Wikipedia it).

…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead | The Secret of Elena’s Tomb (2003) // For an EP this has some of my favorite Trail of Dead songs on it. “Mach Schau” is a good opener, and “All Saints Day” is a good follow-up. Still, the core of the record hits with “Crowning of a Heart” and “Counting Off the Days”. The former is a sparkly sort of love song which hits all the right notes without being sappy or overly dramatic. The guitars swirl in the best way, and resonate with a great sense of emotion. Its simple yet effective, as the best pop songs tend to be. Still, “Counting Off the Days” hits an even higher emotional plateau, starting off with an acoustic guitar and some accompaniment (couldn’t say exactly what), but its immediately heartfelt. Most of the time I can’t go without debating whether or not to cry, especially because it triggers several memories - as music tends to do. You have to stop and appreciate heartfelt songs like this, ones filled with a mysterious honesty. At three-minutes it feels so much longer, and I wish it went further, just because its so moving. The final minute or so sees a string/horn instrument springing forward and its a perfect coda. As a closer “Intelligence” is a sort of electro-rock piece, and it feels a bit out-of-place. It’s not a terrible song, it’s catchy and different from what Trail of the Dead usually do, but it stands out against the previous four tracks. I go in and out with this one.

The Secret of Elena’s Tomb is worth getting and feels like a good filler between their albums and hints at the progression. Also the backstory behind “Elena’s Tomb” itself is pretty creepy and almost unreal (Wikipedia it).

Photo
Mogwai | Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003 (2005) // I saw Mogwai live once (almost twice, but the show was cancelled), and it was amazing. Performed in the right atmosphere, a somewhat cramped space with people everywhere, their music really shines. There’s a power to it, and a majesty. It doesn’t hurt that as a band Mogwai know when to change their sound. Sometimes you listen to live recordings and see little difference from their album counter-parts; bands afraid to step too out of line. This isn’t the case with Government Commissions as almost every song is either rawer, more intense, or quieted down even further than normal. One swears you could hear the rattle of the drums against the guitars. Several things work in favor of this album; 1) The studios at the BBC (and their engineers) pull out the best sounds from a band. Almost every session I’ve heard sounds alive and shimmers, bordering between studio and live-recording. Often they’re done quicker, and the band performing must simply go at-it. This means you’re listening to a good quality recording from the start, and its well mastered. So Govt’ Commissions sounds great; 2) The song selection is varied enough that it presents a great picture of the band, and offers twists and turns. Hunted By A Freak R U Still In 2 It New Paths to Helicon, Part 2 Kappa Cody Like Herod Secret Pint Superheroes of BMX New Paths to Helicon, Part 1 Stop Coming To My House As a live album this works wonderfully, and it showcases off the strength of a band who know themselves quite well and can change and adapt their sound as needed. An essential part of any Mogwai fan’s collection. I adore it.

Mogwai | Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996-2003 (2005) // I saw Mogwai live once (almost twice, but the show was cancelled), and it was amazing. Performed in the right atmosphere, a somewhat cramped space with people everywhere, their music really shines. There’s a power to it, and a majesty. It doesn’t hurt that as a band Mogwai know when to change their sound. Sometimes you listen to live recordings and see little difference from their album counter-parts; bands afraid to step too out of line. This isn’t the case with Government Commissions as almost every song is either rawer, more intense, or quieted down even further than normal. One swears you could hear the rattle of the drums against the guitars.

Several things work in favor of this album; 1) The studios at the BBC (and their engineers) pull out the best sounds from a band. Almost every session I’ve heard sounds alive and shimmers, bordering between studio and live-recording. Often they’re done quicker, and the band performing must simply go at-it. This means you’re listening to a good quality recording from the start, and its well mastered. So Govt’ Commissions sounds great; 2) The song selection is varied enough that it presents a great picture of the band, and offers twists and turns.

  1. Hunted By A Freak
  2. R U Still In 2 It
  3. New Paths to Helicon, Part 2
  4. Kappa
  5. Cody
  6. Like Herod
  7. Secret Pint
  8. Superheroes of BMX
  9. New Paths to Helicon, Part 1
  10. Stop Coming To My House

As a live album this works wonderfully, and it showcases off the strength of a band who know themselves quite well and can change and adapt their sound as needed. An essential part of any Mogwai fan’s collection. I adore it.

Photo
Mogwai | Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (2006) // From the beginning of their career Mogwai has always been about atmosphere, and developing a sense of beautiful brooding. Not an evil brooding, but one where songs will lay in wait, then explode into a wall of sound. Sometimes they never reach that wall of sound, instead crescendoing into swells of guitar and synths, or dropping that away all-together. Calling this album a soundtrack seems wrong, it’s more of a score - one that works with or without its film counterpart. The film itself is an oddly intense experience, following the exploits of a single man during a football game - one which he doesn’t even complete (he’s ejected). As such there are times within the movie where nothing happens, and we simply see Zidane move from place-to-place, waiting for his turn. Much of the music reflects this, showcasing a slow pace with minimal noise; there is no track which explodes with a great amount of energy here. Instead the guitars are restrained, and the piano and drums become focal points. What Zidane does is take Mogwai’s softer interludes, their quiet comforting moments between storms of noise, and gives them an albums worth in which to shine. You’re relaxed during the listening experience, if not somewhat on-edge. Our sense of a football game is hectic, but that’s when looked at as a whole. Focusing on a single player limits our window and slows the game down, and its nice to see Mogwai venturing into more ambient territories with this album. It’s only in one of the bonus tracks, “Untitled” that we hear sounds from the game itself, mainly whistles and the roar of a distant crowd. Like many of Mogwai’s best tracks its nearly 18 minutes long - swirls of noise tread throughout. Only here does the band let out some pent-up energy. Zidane is stands out from the rest of Mogwai’s discography and feels more like early This Will Destroy You records, or Sigur Rós in their best moments on ( ). The idea of a slow Mogwai record seems strange, but perhaps that’s the wonder of the thing. It works for the band, and its an interesting soundtrack/score to the film itself.

Mogwai | Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (2006) // From the beginning of their career Mogwai has always been about atmosphere, and developing a sense of beautiful brooding. Not an evil brooding, but one where songs will lay in wait, then explode into a wall of sound. Sometimes they never reach that wall of sound, instead crescendoing into swells of guitar and synths, or dropping that away all-together. Calling this album a soundtrack seems wrong, it’s more of a score - one that works with or without its film counterpart. The film itself is an oddly intense experience, following the exploits of a single man during a football game - one which he doesn’t even complete (he’s ejected). As such there are times within the movie where nothing happens, and we simply see Zidane move from place-to-place, waiting for his turn. Much of the music reflects this, showcasing a slow pace with minimal noise; there is no track which explodes with a great amount of energy here. Instead the guitars are restrained, and the piano and drums become focal points.

What Zidane does is take Mogwai’s softer interludes, their quiet comforting moments between storms of noise, and gives them an albums worth in which to shine. You’re relaxed during the listening experience, if not somewhat on-edge. Our sense of a football game is hectic, but that’s when looked at as a whole. Focusing on a single player limits our window and slows the game down, and its nice to see Mogwai venturing into more ambient territories with this album. It’s only in one of the bonus tracks, “Untitled” that we hear sounds from the game itself, mainly whistles and the roar of a distant crowd. Like many of Mogwai’s best tracks its nearly 18 minutes long - swirls of noise tread throughout. Only here does the band let out some pent-up energy.

Zidane is stands out from the rest of Mogwai’s discography and feels more like early This Will Destroy You records, or Sigur Rós in their best moments on ( ). The idea of a slow Mogwai record seems strange, but perhaps that’s the wonder of the thing. It works for the band, and its an interesting soundtrack/score to the film itself.

Photo
Single A Theme :: Version 1.3.2 :: By Storyware