Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel (Security) (1982)

"Still the warmth flows through me / and I sense you know me well / It's only common sense / there are no accidents 'round here"

Whereas the previous album Melt is his most coherent self-titled, the fourth and final album of the set is largely formless and oblique. For Security, Gabriel eschewed his rock roots almost entirely, fully immersing himself in the burgeoning field of electronic music with extensive use of synthesizers and samples, as well as the decision to record the entire album digitally (which at the time was almost unheard-of). The songs here are nebulous, seamless electronic experiments, and while there are some moments of more traditional prog to be found, for the most part this release is far removed from what listeners expect from Peter Gabriel. Security is not an album for everyone, to be sure; but for the dedicated listener it can be thoroughly rewarding. What could have easily been a clumsy attempt to aimlessly tread new ground instead ended up as a subtle, nuanced venture into territory that Gabriel had been quietly charting out on his previous albums. His years of experimentation with incorporating these sounds into rock music left him well-off to successfully take the next step, right off into the deep end. Security is an abstract, haunting and consistently beautiful piece of work that deserves just as much attention as its more accessible precursors.



1. The Rhythm of the Heat
2. San Jacinto
3. I Have the Touch
4. The Family and the Fishing Net
5. Shock the Monkey
6. Lay Your Hands on Me
7. Wallflower
8. Kiss of Life

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Peter Gabriel (Melt)
Peter Gabriel (Scratch)
Peter Gabriel (Car)

Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel (Melt) (1980)

"You know I hate to hurt you / I hate to see your pain / but I don't know how to stop"

The third Peter Gabriel album shows him retreating both from his past in Genesis as well as from the commercial, accessible sound that he embraced on his first two solo efforts. Melt is instead a dark, aggressive, unsettling album that tells stories of break-ins, political assassinations and intense mental decay. This release features his old bandmate Phil Collins on drums and backing vocals, and it's the first time Collins experimented with his gated reverb technique of pounding, punchy drums without any use of cymbals, which lends itself very well to an album like Melt. It also has Gabriel delving further into the realm of electronic rock music, which at the time was still in its infancy. Of all Gabriel's self-titled albums, this is easily the most coherent and consistent of the bunch. If you have to choose one to listen to, it should be Melt. If you're not convinced after listening to "No Self Control", well, you're a lost cause.



1. Intruder
2. No Self Control
3. Start
4. I Don't Remember
5. Family Snapshot
6. And Through the Wire
7. Games Without Frontiers
8. Not One of Us
9. Lead a Normal Life
10. Biko

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Peter Gabriel (Scratch)
Peter Gabriel (Car)

Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel (Scratch) (1978)

"I need perspective, I don't trust my eyes"

On Gabriel's second eponymous album, Robert Fripp moves up to the title of producer, and also plays guitar on half the tracks and uses his Frippertronics looping technique on "Exposure". While this record still likes to toe the line between prog and pop, it falls more often on the side of prog. Scratch is perfectly unfocused, meandering through rock, electronics, and even a little bit of reggae on "A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World", with Gabriel's obtuse lyrics managing to strike a personal chord - even if it's not one that you can quite put a finger on. It's not quite as accessible as its predecessor, but despite its experimentation and free-wheeling, it's still a pop album at heart, never passing up an opportunity to pull you in with a catchy hook or infectious keyboard rhythms, seen prominently in the closing of "White Shadow", which is the centerpiece of the album. All four of his self-titled releases are absolutely worth the time of day, but this one might just be my favorite.



1. On the Air
2. D.I.Y.
3. Mother of Violence
4. A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World
5. White Shadow
6. Indigo
7. Animal Magic
8. Exposure
9. Flotsam and Jetsam
10. Perspective
11. Home Sweet Home

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Stationary Odyssey - Sons of Boy (2009)

Here's the newest full-length from Stationary Odyssey, a DIY two-piece from the midwest that makes what most easily falls under the blanket term of post-rock; however, this music feels much more...alive, perhaps, than that term usually implies, because whether they're experimenting with trip-hop, punk, and electronic, or letting their folksy overtones flourish, there's always a lot going on with this group; there is no lazing around with uninspired buildups and unsatisfying crescendos to be found here

Link taken down by request

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Preview: "Rib Letters"

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Johnfriend

Dressed in Wires - DiWFTW (2009)

Dressed in Wires is an absolutely fabulous experimental project from North England; this album is a dense, complex, sprawling fusion of hip-hop and electronica, sometimes with smooth jazzy beats and obscured rapping, sometimes with violent, in-your-face electronic pounding and walls of distortion tearing into your ears, and always with an odd and inescapable catchiness that leads you to wonder when this is going to start getting some attention (at the moment, it is painfully under the radar)

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Hint - Portakabin Fever (2003)

Hint is a DJ from Sussex who makes chill, downtempo trip-hop laid down over subdued dance beats; he constantly genre-hops, incorporating elements of hip-hop, folk, electronica, and soul, managing to blend all this together into a coherent whole

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...some looks back.

And now, some songs that were released in 2009 that you may have missed out on, because of their limited release/exposure. None of these had a place on a full-length album (well, one was on a compilation), so it wouldn't surprise me if even fans of these artists aren't aware of these tracks.

As an aside, I'm sure you're aware the end of the year is almost here, and if you're wondering, yes, I will be doing a best-of list for 09. Touchdown is definitely imminent on that one, but don't start holding your breath just yet - there's still some time before that happens.

Thom Yorke
- "All for the Best"

Radiohead's frontman recorded this cover of jangle pop group Miracle Legion for the Mark Mulcahy tribute album Ciao My Shining Star (which, for the record, is an excellent release). Yorke's voice and talents are very suited for Mulcahy's song, which he turns into a relaxed-but-sublime electronic soundscape; what really makes it work is that he doesn't lose sight of the fact that it is, at its core, a simple love song. This cover is by far the best thing to come from the Radiohead camp in 2009, and puts Yorke's original single (as well as Radiohead's two tracks) to shame. This is absolutely essential for any fan of Yorke, Radiohead, Mulcahy, or music.

Das Racist
- "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell"

Okay, so a lot of you have probably heard this song, but I don't care; if even one of you hasn't, NOW IS THE TIME. This hip-hop duo made quite an unusual entrance into the music world, with this song that's about exactly what it says it's about; a combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. The beat in this song is some jumpin' shit, so it doesn't matter at all that the lyrics are ridiculously silly (and honestly, the singalong potential only makes the song better). Irony-fueled hipster banality, or summer anthem of 2009? You decide.

Why?
- "Close to Me"

I guess 2009 was a good year for covers. Then again, when you have Why? covering The Cure, magic is bound to happen. In an odd turn of events, Why? took a Cure song that doesn't really sound like the Cure, and turned it into a gloomy-but-pretty affair that, well, sounds like the Cure. But Yoni Wolf is no stranger to that sound, so the band seems to feel right at home here. This track kinda got lost in the mania over Eskimo Snow, so be sure not to miss it.

Stationary Odyssey - Johnfriend (2009)

"Post-rock-punk-ambient-prog-grind-rockers Stationary Odyssey have released a FREE digital EP titled "Johnfriend". The "Mud Center" Indiana-based duo of Aaron Tanner and Brett Siler released their previous full-length “Head! Foot! And The Pink Axe” on Joyful Noise back in 2006. One split with Child Bite later, they have resurfaced with the more polarized "Sons Of Boy". Featuring a host of guest musicians such as Chris Schlarb (Asthmatic Kitty, I Heart Lung), Shawn Knight (Child Bite), and Aaron Tanner’s seven-year-old son - the Stationary Odyssey boys have created an 8-track mini-opus of face-melting moments alongside crystalline spasms of beauty.

With the Johnfriend EP we get a glimpse into the new Odyssey album wrapped in feedback-laden amusement. The EP contains a new track from the album, a feedback-laden cover of T-Rex's "Children of the Revolution", a remix, and an A Capella demo."

This is quite an interesting little release, and hard to describe, hence my usage of their description instead of my own; keep an eye out for their full length to appear here soon

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Peachcake - What Year Will You Have the World?.. (2008)

I'm sure some of you remember my post a few months ago about Peachcake's amazing live show; well, the part about their recorded music not holding up in comparison needs to be taken back, because it does; I don't know why I waited so long to post this album, but here it is

This is dancey, upbeat, and just totally happy, positive, and fucking awesome electronic indie pop; I apologize for the lack of a proper description, but it's hard to not hyperbolize when talking about this band, because everything about them is just so over-the-top; all I can say is check them out

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The Octopus Project - Golden Beds EP (2009)

This is only five tracks long, but it's still an excellent addition to the Octopus Project's already-impressive catalog; this release shows them further experimenting with the addition of vocals to their unique brand of relaxed-yet-danceable indietronica, and I must say, I really like the direction they're heading (and can't wait to go pick up a copy of this tomorrow)

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Sadsic & Essue Dove - Somnolange! (2009)

I've got a few things to post today, and first up is this KILLER collab between two internet-based artists, Sadsic and Essue Dove, which was sent to me by the artists; according to them, this album is "lo-fi electronic experiments which don’t fit into any particular genre, and that even before the record starts [is] taking unexpected left-turns"; this album takes the idea of bedroom electronic recording to new heights, and never once sounds tired, generic or played-out like so many of its contemporaries

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Deastro - Moondagger (2009)

Spacey psychedelic electronic dream-pop made with (apparently) sampled children's toys and synthesizers by some crazy bastard in a basement in Detroit; this is like Passion Pit on crack

Also, if anyone could clue me in as to how to make the amount of downloads on my Megaupload files show up, that would be bomb

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The Octopus Project - Hello, Avalanche (2007)

This four-piece from Austin makes really chill instrumental indie/electronic stuff, but still manages to sound like a pop band

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Passion Pit - Chunk of Change (2008)

Debut release from these Cambridge electro-rockers, it's equally mellow and danceable, and let's just say there's a damn good reason you've been hearing so much about these dudes in the last few months based on nothing more than this six-track EP

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School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms (2008)

Experimental dream-pop and electronica, I don't have anything witty to say about it

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Free the Robots - Free the Robots EP (2007)

According to last.fm this band blends "elements of Jazz, Hip Hop, Electronica, Bossanova, Experimental, Soul, Psychedelic, and rock", come on how can you resist that

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Free the Robots - The Prototype (2005)

Jazzy electronica band, really unique, also they cover King Crimson on this album

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Saint Etienne - Foxbase Alpha (1991)

One of those funny transition albums between house and electropop, and it's hard not to like this album

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Magnetic Man - The Cyberman EP (2009)

Three track minimal dubstep collab between Skream, Benga, and Artwork

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Contropotere - CP/01 (Cyborg 100%) (1994)

Electronic hardcore music, not like anything you've heard, progressive punk if you will

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