Via Coma - "Bridges" EP (2009)

87%

The Bridges EP by Via Coma is a delightfully quick little foray into the field of experimental rock and the studio debut of Lafayette, California-based Via Coma (meaning “by way of sleep” or “to travel through sleep”). The group delivers a textural, sensual sonic experience while still managing to avoid sounding too soft or unaggressive over the course of the EP’S five tracks. The solid opener “Turn” offers the most textural sounds on the album, while “Aquanota” is a slower, more contemplative follower that provides a perfect canvas for the chilling strains of “I, The Sovereign”. “Charlotte Parker” goes through several strange rhythmic permutations that may seem a bit distracting to the song, but ends on a more tired note, allowing for the calm intro to the brilliant “Architects”, arguably the album’s strongest song. “Architects” makes good use of falsetto and repetition, features powerful lyrics, and truly makes the EP complete.

While the songs of Bridges may seem to sound similar to each other at many points, each has its own enjoyable details and its own distinctive mood, separating this album from many of the single-dimensional albums that smother the industry at present day. One could also argue that the lyrical themes and the way in which they are presented are inexcusably pretentious, and I would have to agree, but to enjoy this album, you must embrace the pretension and simply listen.

tl;dr: A short but thoroughly passionate EP from a little-known experimental rock band that deserves to get signed.

Best Tracks: “Turn”, “I, The Sovereign”, and “Architects"

-Zhaboka

1. Turn

2. Aquanota

3. I, The Sovereign

4. Charlotte Parker

5. Architects

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Queensrÿche - "Queensrÿche" (1983)

85%

Boring. Inconsistent. Pretentious. All these negative adjectives and more have been used to describe Queensrÿche at some point in their long and prolific career. It is unfortunate for the listener that these adjectives are usually applied fittingly. However, none of the aforementioned adjectives can be applied to Queensrÿche’s self-titled debut. Instead, Queensrÿche is a down-to-earth, exciting, and fun ride through 80s heavy metal. The one negative aspect of the album is its unoriginality.

Queensrÿche's influence are easily recognized From Geoff Tate’s soaring vocals to Chris DeGarmo and Jack Wilton’s dual guitar solos, everything sounds like in imitation of The Number of the Beast/Piece of Mind-era Iron Maiden. Hell, even the lyrics are clearly influenced by the fantasy and science-fiction style of Bruce Dickinson. What elevates Queensrÿche above the herd, and, in this reviewer’s opinion, above Iron Maiden, is their incredible songwriting talent. To put it simply, Queensrÿche do Iron Maiden better than Iron Maiden does.

Every aspect of this album is dead on. The production is warm but a bit muddy, though this suits the album’s raw atmosphere. The vocals have a wonderful Dickinson-esque quality. The instrumentation, while not as intricate as it would be on later albums, is tight and well done, especially the guitars; some of the riffs on this album (especially on “Blinded”) are absolutely vicious, and the solos, while not incredibly technical, are incredibly catchy.

Though this is a great album, it is marred by its length and its lack of originality. One can imagine Queensrÿche getting together in a member’s basement and figuring out how they could rewrite The Number of the Beast. Oh well; that doesn’t stop Queensrÿche from being an absolutely essential EP.

tl;dr: Classic speedy heavy metal. Recommended to fans of Iron Maiden and people who can bear exceptionally cheesy lyrics.

Best Songs: “Queen of the Reich”, “Blinded”. It’s short, though; just download the whole EP.

~Turkeyballs

1. Queen of the Reich
2. Nightrider
3. Blinded
4. The Lady Wore Black
5. Prophecy (1988 Bonus)
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5ive Style - "5ive Style" (1995)

84%

5ive Style is an indie funk-rock band from Chicago. The songs on their self-titled debut are structured like mainstream rock songs in that they switch from verse to chorus repeatedly with few solos. It would seem that this would become horribly repetitive; it does not. The repetition allows the listener to sink even further into the cavernous grooves presented on each track. Moreover, the songs are of suitably short durations, so that each riff or rhythm stays fresh. The textures used are delicious: fat synthesizers, clean electric guitar, and basslines that emphasize the band’s deep-funk style.

The most important difference between 5ive Style and other “post-rock” groups is true musicianship. Guitarist Billy Dolan wields formidable technical power as leader of the band, interweaving melodic lines and triple-stops into extremely catchy riffs. Also, 5ive Style has a group dynamic in their music. The songs sound as if each musician is working toward a final product with the same conceptual goal. From the ambient (at least relatively) experimentation of “Sure Is Hot” and “I Told Ya” to the upbeat (again, relatively) rhythms which drive “Hard Afro Rubalon” and “Once Around the Park,” 5ive Style offers excellent funk-rock to any interested, with a grin on its little album face.

tl;dr: 5ive Style is a funk-rock album with a winning personality and some excellent music.
Best Songs: “Apple Pie", “Once Around the Park", “Hard Afro Rubalon" and “Deep Marsh”

~Nilla

1. Deep Marsh
2. Hard Afro Rubalon
3. Once Around The Park
4. Round Up
5. I Told Ya
6. Outta Space Canoe Race
7. Apple Pie
8. Waiting On The Eclipse
9. Freddy Flakeout
10. Sure Is Hot
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Rob Swift - "The Ablist" (1999)

81%

DJ Robert Aguilar, working under the pseudonym Rob Swift, teamed up with a number of rappers and a slew of live musicians to record The Ablist, a journey through stylistic variations on hip-hop that is truly focused on the music. This is rare on the rap scene, to see an artist bent on laying down the tastiest grooves or the cleverest rhymes rather than using the album as a vessel for their culture and political views. Swift and his crew succeed in making a thoroughly satisfying auditory experience. Swift himself specializes in the craft of turntablism, sampling voices and instruments in a smart way, not to mention performing on the “wheels of steel” with a style that augments the flow of the beats.

Phone messages from Swift’s friends and snippets of in-studio brainstorming constitute eight spoken-word interludes, which are included in the interstices between the songs. These add a feeling of the work and enthusiasm that went into the album’s creation, and they include. Every MC featured has both chops and lyricism, whether on the true posse cuts (“Modern Day Music,” “Turntablist Anthem,” and “Musica Negra [Black Music]”) or on the solo and duet tracks (“I’m Leaving,” “Night Time,” and “Gangis Khan”). On an interesting side note, Swift proves his authenticity with “Gangis Khan,” as it was recorded acapella, on speakerphone, and live from federal prison. Every other track on the album is an infectiously laid-back instrumental groove in which vocal samples play an important role. The Ablist is a compelling hip-hop album and has a profusion of genuine musical energy.

tl;dr: An excellent experiment in hip-hop. Recommended.
Best Songs: “Dope on Plastic”, “Modern Day Music" and “All That Scratching Is Making Me Rich”

~Nilla

1. Day One
2. Dope On Plastic
3. What Would You Do?
4. Night Time
5. Modern Day Music
6. Two Turntables And A Keyboard
7. Fusion Beats
8. Alma's Message
9. Turntablist Anthem
10. Let's Talk Relationships
11. I'm Leaving
12. Brainstorming
13. All That Scratching Is Making Me Rich!
14. Ben Fee The MC
15. Musica Negra/Black Music (Remix)
16. Gangis Khan
17. This Is Our Day
18. The Will To Do Something Different
19. Something Different
20. Gangis Khan Returns
21. The Ablist
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