#15 - Foo Fighters - Something from Nothing
Dave
Grohl and the Foo Fighters don't need much of a backstory from me. We
all know the band formed after Kurt Cobain committed suicide, and
exploded into mainstream history with their 1997 offering, The Colour
and the Shape. The band has gained a ton of momentum in their 20+ years
of existence, and are one of the biggest rock'n'roll bands in all of the
world these days. Sonic Highways is one of the more ambitious albums of
the 2010s, with the band recording each of the 8 songs in different
locations across America, incorporating different musicians on each
track and adding a little flavor from each locale. The album debuted
(and peaked) at #2 on the Billboard 200, while taking the #1 spot in the
Alternative, Hard Rock and Rock Albums charts in America, while
knotting a #1 over in Australia. The band did an 8 part HBO special
chronicling their travels, and my favorite tracks on the album include
"What Did I Do? / God as My Witness" and "I Am A River".
The
biggest charting single from the album fell on the Chicago-influenced
"Something from Nothing". Amusingly, the opening lyrical theme seems to
be the Great Chicago Fire. The song reached #1 in Canada, on the US
Bubbling Under chart, as well as the Rock/Metal, Alternative Songs and
Mainstream Rock charts. It has such a basic intro and bridge that you'd
swear it would never be a huge hit on your first listen. The chord
progression is almost too simple, but as usual the band kicks it up a
notch and drops down some Stevie Wonder-esque keys in the second half of
the song. Once Dave starts screaming, the song explodes and by the end
of it, you're convinced you've heard a piece of rock'n'roll perfection.
As only the Foos can do it, of course. The video features the band
playing in a darkened room with Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen throwing
down delicious licks with the boys. With 3 albums released during the
countdown history, it's about time the Foos made it, and I'm hoping
they'll be here again with their next release!
Title:Something from Nothing
Artist:Foo Fighters
Album:Sonic Highways
Previous 15s
2014: Five Iron Frenzy - I Am Jack's Smirking Revenge
2013: The Features - This Disorder
2012: A Plea for Purging - Heart of a Child
2011: Texas in July - Magnolia
2010: Day of Fire - Lately
2009: Silversun Pickups - It's Nice To Know You Work Alone
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Saturday, December 5, 2015
The 2015 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #16
#16 - Ghost Ship Octavius - Silence
Ghost Ship Octavius was one of those band names that I just couldn't pass on when I saw them on the list of new metal bands in 2015. The name is derived from an 18th century "ghost ship" that was doomed at sea; it's crew frozen below deck. As it turns out, the band are the brainchild of former Nevermore drummer Van Williams and God Forbid guitarist Matt Wicklund. When their respective bands called it quits, the boys came together and found a singer in newcomer Adōn Fanion, and kickstarted the hell out of a project that came together with a thundering self-titled effort. Fanion is able to work his way around the higher notes and help lay down crushing riffs with Wicklund, who shows no cease in churning out heavy riffs all over the album. It definitely isn't much of a mix of the two previous bands, but it does sound like the trio had been working together for years. The musicianship shown throughout the album is second to none, and it definitely falls as one of my favorite metal albums of the year. Other standout tracks include "In Dreams", "Saturn and Skies", "Bloodcaster", and "Epitaph".
But for me, the standout track is absolutely "Silence". The haunting piano intro is immediately blasted by a guitar riff that will break your neck clear off your shoulders, with Williams pummeling alongside throughout. The song is creepy and crushing and poetic, all wrapped together in one brilliant metal track. The future looks bright for GSO, and if they put out anything as delicious as this album, I will be all too pleased to rock the hell out of that disc, as well.
Title: Silence
Artist: Ghost Ship Octavius
Album: Ghost Ship Octavius
Previous 16s
2014: Winds of Plague - Say Hello To The Undertaker
2013: Colossus - Beacons
2012: Imagine Dragons - It's Time
2011: Amaranthe - Hunger
2010: Gorillaz - Superfast Jellyfish
2009: Chris Isaak - We Let Her Down
Ghost Ship Octavius was one of those band names that I just couldn't pass on when I saw them on the list of new metal bands in 2015. The name is derived from an 18th century "ghost ship" that was doomed at sea; it's crew frozen below deck. As it turns out, the band are the brainchild of former Nevermore drummer Van Williams and God Forbid guitarist Matt Wicklund. When their respective bands called it quits, the boys came together and found a singer in newcomer Adōn Fanion, and kickstarted the hell out of a project that came together with a thundering self-titled effort. Fanion is able to work his way around the higher notes and help lay down crushing riffs with Wicklund, who shows no cease in churning out heavy riffs all over the album. It definitely isn't much of a mix of the two previous bands, but it does sound like the trio had been working together for years. The musicianship shown throughout the album is second to none, and it definitely falls as one of my favorite metal albums of the year. Other standout tracks include "In Dreams", "Saturn and Skies", "Bloodcaster", and "Epitaph".
But for me, the standout track is absolutely "Silence". The haunting piano intro is immediately blasted by a guitar riff that will break your neck clear off your shoulders, with Williams pummeling alongside throughout. The song is creepy and crushing and poetic, all wrapped together in one brilliant metal track. The future looks bright for GSO, and if they put out anything as delicious as this album, I will be all too pleased to rock the hell out of that disc, as well.
Title: Silence
Artist: Ghost Ship Octavius
Album: Ghost Ship Octavius
Previous 16s
2014: Winds of Plague - Say Hello To The Undertaker
2013: Colossus - Beacons
2012: Imagine Dragons - It's Time
2011: Amaranthe - Hunger
2010: Gorillaz - Superfast Jellyfish
2009: Chris Isaak - We Let Her Down
Friday, December 4, 2015
The 2015 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #17
#17 - Big Data - The Business Of Emotion (ft White Sea)
Big Data, which is the work of producer Alan Wilkis, burst on the scene in 2013 with the song "Dangerous" featuring Joywave. The song was a major hit, and in early 2015 he dropped their his debut LP, 2.0. All but one of the songs features guest vocals from other big indie acts, including River Cuomo of Weezer, Kimbra, and Bear Hands. The album jumped up to #75 on the Billboard chart and features other fun tracks like "Snowed In", "Sick For Me", and "Clean". The synths are heavy and well layered, and almost all of the guest vocalists provide a special twist on each song. I did not expect that I would enjoy this album as much as I did, but it was a pleasant surprise for the spring season.
The track "The Business of Emotion" has a quick build-up and pounds you with heavy bass and distortion throughout. The vocal harmony of Wilkis and White Sea (Morgan Kibby of M83) flows on the chorus, which is perfect for sing-a-longs. I remember hearing the song in my car driving home from work on a snowy evening and being shocked that it was the same band that brought me "Dangerous", which was a song that I did not particularly enjoy. Kibby's vocals go perfectly with the up-tempo beat that pushes the song forward. The video is a bizarre dance scene where the "sexy dancers" are glitching out until they end up with digital Big Data faces... hooray special effects!
2015 was a big year for DJ's and producers like Wilkis, Mark Ronson, and others. This might be a trend in music going forward, but I enjoy the dynamic of having multiple singers on an album with a single producer guiding them.
Previous #17s
2014: Foster The People - Coming of Age
2013: Sevendust - Decay
2012: Morning Parade - Headlights
2011: Lonely Island - Jack Sparrow (Ft Michael Bolton)
2010: Slash - Baby Can't Drive (ft Alice Cooper + Nicole Scherzinger)
2009: DevilDriver - Another Night In London
Big Data, which is the work of producer Alan Wilkis, burst on the scene in 2013 with the song "Dangerous" featuring Joywave. The song was a major hit, and in early 2015 he dropped their his debut LP, 2.0. All but one of the songs features guest vocals from other big indie acts, including River Cuomo of Weezer, Kimbra, and Bear Hands. The album jumped up to #75 on the Billboard chart and features other fun tracks like "Snowed In", "Sick For Me", and "Clean". The synths are heavy and well layered, and almost all of the guest vocalists provide a special twist on each song. I did not expect that I would enjoy this album as much as I did, but it was a pleasant surprise for the spring season.
The track "The Business of Emotion" has a quick build-up and pounds you with heavy bass and distortion throughout. The vocal harmony of Wilkis and White Sea (Morgan Kibby of M83) flows on the chorus, which is perfect for sing-a-longs. I remember hearing the song in my car driving home from work on a snowy evening and being shocked that it was the same band that brought me "Dangerous", which was a song that I did not particularly enjoy. Kibby's vocals go perfectly with the up-tempo beat that pushes the song forward. The video is a bizarre dance scene where the "sexy dancers" are glitching out until they end up with digital Big Data faces... hooray special effects!
2015 was a big year for DJ's and producers like Wilkis, Mark Ronson, and others. This might be a trend in music going forward, but I enjoy the dynamic of having multiple singers on an album with a single producer guiding them.
Previous #17s
2014: Foster The People - Coming of Age
2013: Sevendust - Decay
2012: Morning Parade - Headlights
2011: Lonely Island - Jack Sparrow (Ft Michael Bolton)
2010: Slash - Baby Can't Drive (ft Alice Cooper + Nicole Scherzinger)
2009: DevilDriver - Another Night In London
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