Love Is All: Nine Times The Same Song

A good portion of the most interesting music coming out of Europe in the last few years seems to have one thing in common: it all sounds really dirty. Take for example Dizzy Rascal, Justice, The Go Team, and this group: Love Is All.

Unlike the others, Love Is All play dirty inside the confines of a classic guitar/bass/drums/vox rock band. The songs here have a lo-fi, overdriven quality that makes the entire album sound like you're listening to it through a stereo system with a couple of blown speakers, and that somehow, that's a good thing.

As for style, they're really quite difficult to describe. I would say they are equal parts: The Rapture, The Mamas & the Papas, Cyndi Lauper and Husker Du. I know that sounds crazy, but you'll see what I mean.

This was one of my Top 3 of 2006. Hopefully you'll like it just the same.

LINK: Love Is All: Nine Times The Same Song

Blitzen Trapper: Wild Mountain Nation

The first word that comes to mind when I hear this disc -- and specifically in the case of the first few songs -- is "blistering." Maybe it's a B-L-I thing, or maybe because it's just dirty, raw, down-home rock that sounds like it was recorded with a bunch of shitty microphones. It's not down-home in a Skynard sense, but more like the noise that comes from the basement of so many suburban homes in this country. It's just a bunch of kids having a good time, and being really loud. It's also a little country-fied. It's like a country-fied version of Slanted & Enchanted pretty much.

LINK:
Blitzen Trapper: Wild Mountain Nation

Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion Gum

No doubt this one will be included in a future chronicle of worst album covers of all-time. What's inside is pretty interesting though, and about as out-there as the cover art. I suppose I'd describe it as electronic psychedelia, with a little smidge of instrumental hip-hop thrown in for variatino. That's a pretty shitty explanation I realize. Listen for yourself.

LINK:
Black Moth Super Rainbow - Dandelion Gum

King Geedorah: Take Me To Your Leader

Here's a great, and under appreciated effort from MF Doom alter-ego, King Geedorah. Thanks to Rob for fixing me up with this one back in the day.

Leader finds Doom helming the production effort as well, and it shows some distinct flavor that combines monster movie samples with dense guitar, string and synth loops (see "Fazers" and "Krazy World"). There are also more stripped down cuts ("Anti-Matter") that pay homage to the jazz grooves of groups like A Tribe Called Quest.

DOWNLOAD:
King Geedorah - Take Me to Your Leader

Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska

So finally The Boss is getting his just due. Suddenly it's cool to emulate the Bruce, and it's high time that Bruce found a path alongside Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash and Dylan as a definitive songwriter of his time. And if you ask me, Nebraska is a HUGE part of the Boss' lore.

Key info from the wiki:

Initially Springsteen recorded demos for the album at his home with 4-track cassette recorder. The demos were sparse, using only acoustic guitar, electric guitar (on "Open All Night"), harmonica, and Springsteen's voice.

Springsteen then recorded the album in a studio with the E Street Band. However, he and the producers and engineers working with him felt that a raw, haunted folk essence present on the home tapes was lacking in the band treatments, and so they ultimately decided to release the demo version as the final album. Complications with mastering the low-peak tapes ensued but were then overcome.

DOWNLOAD:
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska

More info on Nebraska from All Music Guide