God's Father - Lil B

This is the 22nd, or so, mixtape release by rapper Lil B. I reviewed his albums 6 Kiss from 2009, and 2011's I'm Gay (I'm Happy). I have, before reviewing this, listened to it now 3 times. The reason is because I liked I'm Gay until the third listen to it. Because it got boring, but I don't think this one will be the case. Quick note, Brandon has said that everything except Choices and Flowers under the name The Based God is a mixtape. Finally I get to upload this, it's done, it's really done! The next Lil B review I'm gonna do is probably Trapped In The Basedworld, aka this ones follow up.

1. The BasedGod's Layer: This is the introduction to the mixtape. This has like an angelic feeling to it. I heard this song a bunch of times before I listened to the rest of it. I think that this is a really good intro. And I like how the style switches from this and the next track. This is a pretty neat intro for the trip to come. Sit down, put head phones on, relax, and listen.
2. I Own Swag: He raps like Danny Brown on this song. For some reason I sing along with this song, just like I would to a Danny Brown song. Even the terribly sung chorus part of the song is sick. I don't know why, but it just works for me. The beat is trap, but there is a type of thing that makes me sounding industrial. It is like a robot charging up, and computing. The beginning continues the epicness of the prior track. I also laugh at the "faggot" and "fatty" insults. He also does a Jamaican thing that's funny too. 
3. Fuck Ya Money: This is a pretty song more in line with R&B. He's actually staying on beat, which yes it is pretty slow, but still Bs doing it. He's doing it, this 
4. Febuarys Confessions: Another great sample and R&B flavored. He's sing talking/rapping here, but the whole aura of this song makes you believe he is trying to say something. Some lyrics don't 100% make sense but that's ok because it's joyous. It's a happy song, touching. 
5. Buss Em 4 Points: This has awesome strings on this song. Another joy, but instead of pretty joy it's happy joy. Upbeat joy, and the sample, 5 for 5 so far. I want to know these song in the background they are great. 
6. Tropics: The intro is great and a continuation of the joy from the previous track. 
7. Real Hip Hop 2012: This could be a Wu-Tang Clan beat. Now, me saying that sets a bar. By saying that that means you need to flow to kill this beat, and DAMN! He is living up to it. I don't ever recall him doing this good. It's suprising, and this beat is so solid. I'm running out of things to say about this other than this is great and the beat is like Asian sounding. {8/10}
8. Keep It 100: This song reminds me a little of The Lonely Island. The beat is great and part reminds me of the interludes between "The Kardashian" Show or other E! Reality Shows. The strings are pretty great, and I like the digital analog drums sounds. 
9. Fonk Ain't Dead: If the bass drum was slightly different this would remind me of old school hip-hop. This beat reminds me a little, only the atmosphere and female voices and reverb, of Outkast's 1994 debut album. 
10. Feds At My Doh: This is a pretty "gay" beat, but Lil B makes it fun. The 80's sound quality vibe of it is why people make fun of that and the following decade. This is a solid track though and I'm suprised it as enjoyable as it is. It's relatively simplistic and that's probably it's apeal. And there's one of my favorite rappers again. The ending is kind of funny sounding, and I like the added "pinball machine racking up points, arcade" sounds. 
11. Remy: it sounds like an R&B sample with a computer booting up and shutting down. The guitar in here sounds great, it's pretty seductive. I wonder what the original track it's off. 
12. Flowers Rise: This has a little flute thing in it. I could see the being on the bedroom escapades comps. I could also see it being the music to a Super Nintendo Game or Pokemon waiting music in the one for Wii. 
13. God Help Me: This starts with him giving condolences to the ones who've passed. The drums on this are ok, but the sample gives it an intresting feel. It makes me think the woman's calling through the jungle. It's a nice track, a pretty track, a touching one.
14. Breath Slow: The piano on this reminds me a little of X-Men off his 2009 6 Kiss, which I reviewed in the past. This is a trap song, but that piano still makes me think if it. This is one of the weaker songs in my opinion. The reverb on the vocals at the end remind me of The Holy Filament off 1999's California album by Mr. Bungle.
15. I Ain't Neva Won: this song I feel is a little weaker than the prior track. Trust me, the album is 100fold better when you sit the two hours through. 
16. Let It Drop: This actually reminds me more of older hop hop. The beat ad the "wind" sound and guitar sample reminds me a little of Wu-Tang or one of the solo projects. This is a pretty song, that also doubles as good too. 
17. God's Father: This has a mellow kind of sample in the chorus/hook. I feel like the sample during the verses reminds me of something like Mr. Rogers. I don't know why, but I mean that in the best way possible. I think that it has this child feeling to it. And Who doesn't like children. I like the Eminem references to.
18. Be A Star: This sample reminds me of What's Going On, the feeling of warmth  you get from it, or at least a similar one. The title track on that album has this type of introduction where it has the instrumentation come in as there are people talking. Then the strings through out the track reminds me of a song on that album. I'm not exactly sure if it's a certain track, but the style more so. This has pretty arpeggios in it. 
19. Deep Ass Thoughts: The guitar sampled here is pretty, and the theme is neat here. I don't know why, but I feel Brandon isn't lying, or bending the truth. The chorus is kind of funny here. 
20. Go Dumb Tonight: This song samples a soul song that reminds me of Motown. The way it is though   Is pretty glamorous. He is also rapping here at a pace and is doing an accent, a funny one, at party. He sounds Jamacian kinda. This is a funny song and a great sample. The horns on this sound great. 
21. Bitch I'm Bussin: I like the ambience to the sample. The beat isn't so ambient, but I think the combination of the two kind of work. It kind of sounds like underwater parts in "Donkey Kong Jr Country" or whatever it's called. You know, for Super Nintendo.
22. Glourious BasedGod: The great electronic discharges in the intro rock. I enjoy the sound of it and like the way the he's rapping on the track. This is a solid track. 
23. See Ya: This song has the type of beat that I would imagine on a Basket Ball game. Like Holy Calamity by that one Handsome Boy Modeling School. I like this and think its funny.
24. Flash: This is probably the most A$AP he gets here, even dropping his name. Except the bass might not be in an Rocky song, you know the underwater bass. Pretty epic sounding. 
25. The Deal: this intro reminded me a little of Death Grips with more minimal beats. This is very minimal, but B isn't scaring me. That doesn't mean he's doing a bad job though. 
26. Pain: This has another guitar in it. There are also doorbells, or shall I say some M3 intervals..... hahahaha. This is another good song, like I said earlier I can't find any bad tracks. 
27. Secrete Obsession: This song features an upbeat 80's sample. This song kind of talks about when he first started rapping. When he was in PE in 6th grade and they wanted to see who was better. This song is actually, though I can't relate because of the rap part, it is pretty cool that's the way it happened. Better than Last Call. 
28. Turned Me Cold: This is another fanominal Track all around and just pumps me up. In this song he samples the 2011 track Man Down by Rihanna and lowers it. I really enjoy this track and think it's pretty great. I like how it alternates between funny, kind of serious, then at the end funny again.
29. Sf Mission Music: The piano in it reminds me a little of TC. I actually really like this track a lot. This also has some pretty electronics in there.
30. I'm Just Livin: I like the fun feeling to this song, and also the welcome vibe of it. I also like that percussion sample in there, it's very pretty sounding. This is another very fun song.
31. Words Not Spoken: This track reminds me of The Real Slim Shady by Eminem. I actually wouldn't be suprised if he sampled that song in this track. This is a pretty solid track.
32. Wake Up Mr Flowers 3mix: This song has a jazzy intro, then it goes into a hip hop thing. The sample in this song is pretty cool, and I like the instrumentation there, especially the way the keys sound. This is kind of like BadBadNotGood, well at least more or less.
33. Water Is Dmg: I really think the strings on this are pretty cool sounding, and they make this epic book closer effect to the next track when heard front to back. This is the perfect way to kind of sum up the mixtape. I like that he starts the mixtape out with a dreamy song, and ends it with a louder dreamy track.
34. I Love You: This is the outro. I don't know if he is singing on this, or if he is just talking. The thing is that this is a touching song. It kind of reminds me of the ending of Sesame Street. It is just pretty relaxing, even though he can't sing very good. I can't really explain this unless you hear it. It is the, no exaggeration, best possible way he could have ended this 1 hour and 56 minute long mixtape. I was surprised to see this sampled a Final Fantasy song.

Overall I think this thing is really good. I think it's a 9/10. Part of the reason I like this so much, probably, is because I'm Gay didn't really change style. This changed styles like it was various artists. By that I mean that this seems like a 34 track record label sampler, but some artists appear on this more than once. The thing too about Lil B is that he is so fricken happy. How, I want to know your secret. Not literally, but seriously who doesn't want to love life. This thing is good because you can tell he put his heart into the more touching songs. He didn't just bs and make stuff up. One more thing, though it's two hours long, it's best when you hear it front to back. It kind stinks about it being two hours, but it is well worth it and after time 2 it went by faster each time. I have to also apologize for the 3/10 rating on I'm Gay, I took him a little too serious and wasn't as open minded and didn't know Brandon as much as I do now. But this shows that confidence is the key to making people believe in you. There isn't a single track on here where he isn't completely confident in what he's saying that. I applaud you Brandon. I want him to release an instrumental version of this, I'd like to listen to that too. But in all honesty, I can't stress the front to back aspect of it for me. It's way better that way. 

Station to Station - David Bowie

FINALLY, HERES A NEW REVIEW. This is the 10th studio album by one of my favorites, David Bowie. This is the album where he was at the height of his cocaine addiction. This is the album before the legendary Bowie/Eno Berlin Trilogy. This album was produced by Bowie and Harry Maslin. I have noticed an almost universal love for this album I like the album too, but not as much as everyone else does. It has grown on me 

1. Station to Station: This song is one of my favorite Bowie songs and one of, in my opinion, the best songs ever made. This is, in theory, kind of like Bowie's own Stairway. But this song kicks the crap out of Stairway in everything, except a complex guitar solo. At the end of the day though, you don't need to have a Jimmy Page solo to be a good solo. Look at Coffee & TV by blur. That solo fits the song, and this solo fits this song. This song is kind of a build up. It starts with a 1 or 2 minute intro of what sounds like trains chugging. I love the way the piano sounds when it kind of breaks the train off. Then after that it goes into a guitar riff that replicates, more or less, the rhythm of the train in the beginning. Then when the vocals come in this guitar arpeggios? is playing "The return of the Thin White Duke, Throwing darts in lovers eyes". I love that line of the song. The lyrics of this song are just so sick. This is one of the fastest 10 minutes of my life. The cream of the crop comes thought at about 5:15ish when there is a drum interlude for about a second or so and then "Once there were mountains". I love that part. I can't tell you how much I love it. It's a completely different song after that point. It's almost like they were written as two different songs squashed together, but it worked perfect. Kind of like Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding. The former ended in the same key as the latter started in, so he put them together. "The European Cannon is here". Damn, this is an amazing song! I just love the lyrics; but one of my favorites, and stand out for me, is "Have you sought fortune evasive and shy". I could take that more than one way. But my way of interpreting that specific line is, have you gone after fame evasive and trying to hide and sneak around people. This is nothing short of epic. I think they double tracked his vocals, but one is higher pitched. So rather than reverb it's like two different people singing. I love they way that people do this trick. And David was able to sing different enough to make it sound right. The guitar riff is kind if like a horse Gallup, at the "Have you sought fortune and fame". The bass is pretty sick to play too. I can play this song, I love jamming and playing along with it. I could go on forever about this song, but I should probably stop. {100/10}
2. Golden Years: This is a good song. Not great, but it's a quality song. This is just an odd song. It has a weird feeling to it. I know it's kind of like a song that is like a ballad, but it's just somewhat weird. Maybe it's weird chords, but I love the idea of this song. Like, a ballad with "indian chords". I know they didn't use "indian chords", but the idea of making a pretty song with odd sounds. I looked it up, it's F# to E. that's awesome. {8.1/10}
3. Word On A Wing: This is a pretty romantic song. Kind of like some of the romantic songs on Young Americans. I actually could almost see this song being on that album. According to he VH1 Storytellers he said this was written as kind of a way to cope with the darkest time of his life. There is also a theme of religion in this song he touches upon. This is a pretty touching song. You can kind of tell there is some emotions that go into this song. I didn't like it much at first, but with more listens its become a song I love to hear. This is a song I would check out if you haven't heard it before. I also like the choir thing at the ending. {9.2/10}
4. TVC 15: This is supposedly inspired when David Bowie saw Iggy Pop's wife get eaten by a TV. I don't know what that is supposed to mean, but this song is a decent song. I don't really know much about what to say. I could see, in an odd way, this being a song you can dance too. I like the "dance hall?" flavor in the beginning. I think that's the right word. The chorus part I'd just sick. It feels pretty epic and big. I also like the sax there. It's harder to hear, but if you listen you can hear it. 
5. Stay: This is another song that is a little different. Not what I expected. I do like the chorus. This is a song that reminds me of Young Americans. This is a pretty damn good song. I like the way he sings in the chorus. I also like the solo. It's more of like a guitar fill. It's not overly complex. It somewhat reminds me of, at parts, of Georgie's playing. That's probably my favorite part. 
6. Wild Is The Wind: Though I love the dozen or so Nina Simone songs I've heard, especially Save Me, I think David does it better. This is a pretty romantic song. I like that this is the ending. It fits the album perfect. It's like the book closer. This feels like a song where you'd take the woman under your sheets and just make sweet love to her. I like the acoustic guitar a lot also. Excluding YA album this is probably the most romantic he gets. I also kind of laugh at the way some of the words sound funny. Then I remember Nina's songs. I love where it starts to pick up. The sound of acoustic guitar on this song is my favorite sound. Like the "distortion?". That's not the right word, but I hope you get the point ;)

Overall I have  to give this album a 8.5/10. All the songs on this album are quality songs. No single song on this album isn't good, but they aren't like the songs on Ziggy or Space Oddity or even Diamond Dogs. The album though, I think, isn't mind blowing. As time has gone on, and this album has sat with me, I like it more and more. But you know, I know this is an important period in his career, but that doesn't make a good album. Also, I'ven't heard all of Low or Lodger yet, so I can't judge them yet. All these songs are fun to sing alone with, and the lyrics aren't that hard to remember. If you think about it Space Oddity had its parts where it was psychedelic and it's parts where it would fit on a glam album. This album is kind of like that. 

Addition 7/28/13: This album, with more listens is a damn great album. That's why I'll award it a 9/10. And it is one of my favorite Bowie albums, and is definatly the slickest album I've ever heard. I wouldn't be surprised if that 9 turns to a 10 by the end of the year. Damn! David also said something, which I could never really think of how to say it or what it was, but said this is a "dark album". Look at this Richard Corey was everyone's idol and they loved him. But he obviously was troubled and had some darkness there. Lots of times everyone's heroes have more troubles than we think. Comedians usually have some type of problem, not all, but lots historically have. 

Congratulations - MGMT

#5. This is the second studio album released by one of my favorite bands MGMT. These guys are from Connecticut, forming at Wesleyan University. They came out with their first release in 2004. At that time they were known as The Management, but when they found out someone was using that name they changed it to MGMT. They released their first studio album Oracular Spectacular in October of 2007 digitally. Then in January they released the CD and LP versions. In my opinion, they haven't released anything yet that I don't like. I first got into theses guys with Oracular Spectacular in fall of 10th grade. That was the year that I really began experimenting with different types of music. The first time I heard any song on this I liked it, but it has only grown on me. Here is the review. This was supposed to go up the 13th, but I wanted to do a fucking amazing job on this review. So instead what I did was I waited until the last week of the month and uploaded the reviews that were going up. Well that was 13 months ago, but you definitely won't be disappointed, hopefully. I know I won't. I bought the CD and picked up stuff I never did before.

1. It's Working: This is an amazing opener to this album. It is a very fun feeling song and it is upbeat and cool. It also has a fun music video. This is already much different for their last album. This is a fun song. Like I said earlier, it's kind of cartoony. You can really get into this song, and it sets up the rest of the album so well. The harmony vocals are dreamy and it's just so like great.
2. Song For Dan Tracey: This is a song that was one of my favorites the first time I heard it. It was a really cool song to listen to and it is fun. It is upbeat and exciting to listen to. This song also has a cartoony feeling to it. But after the verse it goes into a nightmarish cartoon. This song has a jungle vibe.  Part due to the instrumentation, but also the mentioning of the jungle in the song. This song is another song that could get you set up for the rest of the album. The ending is a buildup and it only gets more exciting.
3. Someone's Missing: This is one of my favorite song of all time. I love the way this song builds. This is the most tame song in the beginning, thus far on the album. Because of that fact, it's one of my favorite tracks on the album. This song is too short to be a single, but I wouldn't want it any other way. The whole. I love the way, though it's "hidden", you can hear the bass. If you listen, and the psychedelic sounds there. I love the guitars distortion on this track and it makes me get pumped for what to come next. I've heard this song about a million times and I still get pumped each time I hear it. The outro to the song almost comes in beautifully. ORGASM!!!
4. Flash Delirium: I love the bass on this track. This is a single, but its such a weird song. I don't really see how a normal person, unless you're high, or you're me, would understand this song. Now I'm not going "You just don't get art". No, I'm going, "You don't appreciate it". There's a difference. The lyrics to this song are somewhat sadistic. I'm not 100% sure if this is about the same thing, for the most part, as the line "stab you're FaceBook", and "vanity", like Andrew said how he felt about. This song has a nervous breakdown at the ending of it. This song is kind of like a painting. The same way Life On Mars? is by David Bowie. This song is overwhelming at the ending. And it progressively gets more overwhelming. More and more and more and more and more and more gets built on to it. Then it has little bits where it cools down, but not very much. The music also paints a picture too. It's just so magical. It's almost "the prefect song". The music video is something else too. Check it out, and tell me if you get it.... I did. {10/10}
5. I Found A Whistle: This song reminds me of Christmas. The synthesizers give me that same feeling, not sound but feeling, that I get from Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney & Wings. But you know, it's kind of a twisted one, with a noose. I love the white noise sounds in there. It kind of sounds like snow in the wind. This is a very sweet song to continue after the last "meltdown". 
6. Siberian Breaks: This is the longest song on the album, and it is also the best. It isn't my favorite, because I don't have a one certain favorite on this album, but it is the most well composed and put together song on the album. Ok, it may be my favorite. I'm not sure, but this song is like Flash Delirium but if that song was older and "better", and a more mature version of Metanoia (though it's shorter by around 1:30). It's hard to imagine, especially since I praised that song too. This song is just a trip from the beginning. I love the jazz chords and the whole psychedelic vibe to the acoustic part. It reminds me a little of Jugband Blues. Because it could still be psychedelic and there be an acoustic guitar. And his Rickenbacker... DAMN! The melody of this song and the "second part" where they start singing with the echo. I know it's about surfing in the arctic, and it's a great song. It song is more of a painting than Flash. The part where it sounds like a jumpy part or a skip, reminds me of Syd's Floyd. And the "Old Mary Ann" line, I believe that's an Alice in Wonderland reference to the rabbit. I might be wrong, but I think that's what it is. The next part with the echos and the "flares".... YES! Then there is the part where it kind of goes into a normal song, before going into the acoustic melody of the beginning, and then outro flares of electronic sound, it's beautiful. {12/10}
7. Brian Eno: This song is named after the producer of the same name. This song returns to the fun that was on the songs like Dan Tracey and It's Working. After buying the CD I was able to pick up on the different layers on this song. The little tiny things. Which is something he'd do. Listen to the little details on The Warm Jets and you'll understand. An example in this song is right before the last chorus the "what does he know" that's hard to understand. There is also little Enoesque layers throughout. I love how this song pretty much falls apart. With the sirens in the background. The very ending literally falls apart, kind of like And All Things Will End by A7X. There are things that I probably won't pick up on yet, since I'm getting into Eno now, but in the future it might be fun to see if there's any references that I'ven't picked up. Like how they say his whole name, that he chose Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno.
8. Lady Dada's Nightmare: This is a avant-garde song that could be fit under dada. Hence "Lady Dada's Nightmare". It is also a point to Gaga because I guess Andrew, the singer, likes her music and had a new found appreciation for it. Whatever, I still don't care for Gaga, but this song. This is a great track to go before the ending. Craziness right before a beautiful ending. ITs actually pretty beautiful. Its kind of like the ending of Siberian Breaks. This sounds like it was composed. Then screams in the background make it awesome. My cousin said that when he saw them live this year they cameout to this song playing. And it was extremely loud.
9. Congratulations: This is the best ending for the album. It is such a pretty song. It gives this album a Congrats, you guys did it, you made an amazing album and did it how you wanted to. The applause at the end of the song is so fitting because this album does deserve a round of applause. The keyboards solo brings a tear to my eye. The video is also pretty beautiful. The acoustic guitar in this song is sick, and when I learned it I was so proud. This song is a true gem,

Overall I give this a 10/10. You have to give these guys props. They made it big using commercial electronic sounds and could of continued doing that and making tons of more money, but they didn't want to make that music anymore. To think that they killed it, in a good way, doing the electronic pop stuff, and then killing it doing the neo-psychedelic/prog style. You could trip on this at the same time as this being the soundtrack for a cartoon. The album cover helps set the tone. These guys are very good at song writing. And if you like it or not there is no denying it. There are so many moments on that I still get into with each listen. When I listen to an album and there is songs that progressively grow on me. Oh, real fast, this is better than the Laming Fips. Like say Brian Eno is the only song you like, well once you have established that as a sick song, not to the point of you being bored of the song, but you want to search more. Then your new favorite songs is Song For Dan Tracey then this happens until you like every song. I call this, at least for myself, a standard. I doubt that's the right term, but that's what I refer to stuff like that. Example Nightmare or House of Balloons or Mr. Bungle self titled album or even You Are What You Is. How about Joe's Garage Vol. I or Joe's Garage Vol. II & III. These are examples of albums for me where I progressively fall for another song each listen or so. One last thing, if you want you could play this for kids and they'll probably love it, and people who love psychedelic music too. Most of the lyrics on this album paint a picture too. Hell, this album  is a great big picture. Can't wait to hear MGMT since hearing Alien Days.

Mondo Cane - Mike Patton

This is the fifth solo album credited to Californian Singer Mike Patton. I love this guy, he is actually one of my musical heroes. This guys voice is crazy, and he also uses tricks and other stuff that I haven't seen anyone even attempt to try. Now I have heard this album about a dozen times and I love it, but as you know nothings that simple with me. Especially if I love this thing as much as I say I do. Well some quick background info about this. This was recorded with Mike and a backing orchestra of about 65 people. This album is cover versions of 50's and 60's Italian pop songs. This was released May 4th, 2010. I'm pissed that I didn't upload this earlier, I was out of town

1. Il Cielo In Una Stanza: This song starts out with what sounds like a storm. It's actually really cool to hear with headphones on. There is so much more going on, and you heard the instrumentation so much clearer when you have headphones on. This song is more stings and drums. The strings on this song make it seem like this would be a song that would be played at someones wedding. This song is very clear and easy to listen to. This is a very pretty song that I have teared up before because of.
2. Che Notte!: This is a faster song. There is more more brass on this song than the last. This is a more quick song, and I could never see at someones wedding. There is a trumpet solo in the middle of the songs and it is very cool sounding. Then after that solo comes a screach by Mikie and the song sounds like it falls apart. After it falls apart there is a like horn and then the song starts up again. The ending of the song has this feel of like a '50s jazz song.
3. Ore D'Amore: This song was partially written by Bert Kaempfert. That is a German orchestral leader and songwriter. He composed a song called Moon Over Naples, which Faith No More covered the song in 1995, but the version with lyrics. The lyrics were added in 1966 and the songs was retitled Spanish Eyes. This song is ok but I'm not huge on it.
4. Deep Down: This song was written by Ennio Morricone. Ennio was a Italian composer who wrote soundtracks for movies. Some of his best word was for The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly soundtrack. This song is ok in the beginning. I am not huge on this song, but the best part is where it's like in the breakdown where it changes up a little. I think that sounds really cool. Guitar comes in and it is the only part that is, for the most part, different from the rest of the song. The ending is also pretty cool where it's him whispering the last part into the mic without any other music behind him.
5. Quello Che Conta: The beginning of this song sounds like it would be in a soundtrack to a classic Spaghetti Western. After the intro there is a fingerpicked guitar accompanied by strings and bass. Then after that comes in, what I am pretty sure is, a harpsichord and Mike's vocals. This song is beautiful and can bring a tear to your eye. This entire song is very sweat and not hard to digest. This song is one of my favorites on this thing. {9/10}
6. Urlo Negro: This is the heaviest song on this album. And it is by a landslide. The feedback in the beginning of the song is in the crossfades with the last track. Then there is a drum roll and Mike screams. "AH!!". He sounds like he is angry on this song. Like he has almost blood curtling screams on the versus on this song. But the thing is for the chorus he sings like it is a very catchy song. This is easily the catchiest song on here, because of the chorus. This song is a masterpiece and I tip my hats off to The Blackmen. That's who the song is credited to. Watch the video for this song, its actually kind of cool to see them do this. It looks like they are all having fun.
7. Scalinatella: This is another song that I could see being in a soundtrack to a movie. I could also see this being a song you can dance to. It is, for the most part, just Mike and an acoustic guitar. Strings do come in a little later. This song is also a beautiful song. This is a very, very chill song.
8. L'Uomo Che Non Sapeva Amare: This is a return to the feeling that I get from  Il Cielo In Una Stanza. I love this song because the backing vocals are awesome and this song has, what I think is, a harpsichord in it. There is also a part where there is this video games sounding thing. It kind of reminded me of The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny demo that Mr. Bungle made back in '86.
9. 20 KM Al Giorno: This is a jazzy feeling to it. It kind of reminds me of Minnie the Moocher. This song has a very slick feeling to it. The solo in this song is a keyboard solo that sounds kind of like something that Ray Manzarek would have played on a Doors' song. This song is very cool, and I mean that literally. 
10. Ti Offro Da Bere: This song has a like "piano riff". This song is another pretty song, but there is a guitar in there and it kind of sounds like a surf rock guitar. And it comes in after almost every verse on the song. It reminded me of something like the little guitar riff in The Air-Conditioned Nightmare off Mr. Bungle's 1999 album California. Not the main one, just... listen to the songs and you'll know what I mean.
11. Senza Fine: This is a very good way to finish this album. This song has this vibe that brings the song Good Night, which is the last song on side 4 of the 1968 self titled double album by The Beatles. It doesn't really sound that similar, it's just that I get that vibe from it. It's the last song, so lets say goodnight or good show, and maybe you'll comeback, but for now your tired and you want to end your "trip" fun. Lets say goodnight and goodbye. The horns and everything about this song work. The only thing that hurts the whole entire goodnight vibe is that towards the middle of the song it gets louder. But then towards the end it gets quiterer than it was before and it kind of just... ends. Well that is after the screams and noises are done, and the song goes back to the original loud feel. Then after than it is the end. And to say that's all there is a hit of a triangle and that ends the song and also the album

Overall this album gets a 10/10. This is a masterpiece and it's beautiful. This is the perfect album for just about any occasion. This can relax you, it can make you tear up, it can be something you listen to at a family party, you can even show your grandfather who likes this type of music. Patton's vocals throughout this album, for the most part, have this echo feel to it. I feel like this was recorded in a room with concrete walls when it comes to some of the quieter songs. It is best though with headphones on, but for the most part, what isn't. This was my fourth or fifth time listening to it, and I can honestly say that it has gotten boring.

Nostalgia, Ultra - Frank Ocean

This is the only, at least to my knowledge, mix tape released sole by a member of the hip-hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. This guy is the member who sings and sings pretty good. I guess that Kanye heard this mixtape and ended up collaborating with Frank and Frank met Beyonce and Jay-Z. I'ma let you finish but I think that this looks like it might be a good listen. I already heard American Wedding and Swim Good and that's it so far.

1. Street Fighter: The beginning of this song is sounds. It is just the sound of him moving tapes around and playing them.
2. Strawberry Swing: This song is upbeat and pretty good. It doesn't sound like Frank is offbeat on this song. It is also a very pretty sample going on in the background. It irritates me that Frank could have been more on beat with American Wedding because he is right on with this. I love that song, actually more than this one, but I don't think its good how he did it. The sample is a Coldplay sample and the song ends with a sample of the song where Chris Martian sings. That fades out while an alarm clock fades in. The song ends him turning the alarm clock. {8/10}
3. Novacane: This song is a song that I could see someone dancing to. Like a '90s song, not so much the lyrics, but more the song. This song is a pretty good song. This song is also intresting, by that I mean it made me want to listen to the whole song. I think that this song also reminds me of that rapist Michael Jackson. That effects the enjoyment of the song a little. But I can over look that. There is this almost over powering feel that makes me want get Straight Up with the one and only Paula. I guess this song is about a girl who wants to get throught dental school so she becomes a porn star. And the singer is in love with the girl and she goes to drugs, and because he loves her he does it to. {7.6/10}
4. We All Try: This song is a pretty cool sample. This is like his political song, I guess. He mentions he believes "that marriage isn't between a man & woman, but between love and love". I kind of disagree, but what ever. I still like this song a lot. This song is pretty solid and his vocals actually work with the entire song and it sounds good. This is one of the good songs on this album, by that it's not put together poorly. 
5. Bitches Talkin': This song is another "cassette change" song. But it does contain a Radiohead sample. And there "Bitches Talkin'" in the background.
6. Songs For Women: This song sounds like a '70s, I want to get laid song. By that I mean this is what you would play if you want to get laid. This has that old school '70s R&B vibe to it. This songs title even hits at that theme. This song is actually good, and pretty neat. I don't think this is the best song, but it is one of the better songs. I also really think that the "do, do, do, do" beat in the background sounds pretty cool.
7. Lovecrimes: This song has this classic rock/jazz feel to it. The piano actually reminds me of Van Halen's song Right Now off For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, released in 1991. It also gives me this Peter Colins/Genesis feel to it. And a little African influenced music. There is a voice sample in the background that is buried and he is on beat with this one. Towards the end of the song it slows down and it is a pretty cool idea. The way the song went was that it reminds me of a vinyl record that fades out.
8. Goldeneye: This is a "Cassette Change" song.
9. There will be Tears: This song has this type of dubstep beat. Not like the ones that The Weeknd uses, like actual dubstep. It's not extreme, but it's more powerful in the song. This song is kind of  uplifting, and it has a good vibe to it. I could see this song being on the radio. There is enough autotune and it's upbeat enough so yeah. This is a pretty cool song. I'm not in love with it but its pretty chill {7/10}
10. Swim Good: This was the first solo song I heard by Frank Ocean. I liked it the first time I heard it and it has only grown on me. This song is probably the second most emotional song in this mixtape for me. I think that it's neat that he is going to drive in the lake/river/ocean because of a girl left him. He mentions he is dressed for a funeral. That is a pretty good image of what is going to happen. I like when people make songs about suicide, but do it with taste. It obviously depends on the style, but if Frank had one and it said "I want to slit my fucking troat, chop off my cock" that'd be a little extreme of his type of music. This song is also pretty upbeat for a song about suicide. I also love that seagull ocean sound at the end, like he drove into the ocean.
11. Dust: This song is pretty cool. I think that this song is a more "normal" song. This has more of a radio R&B, Hip-hop, Rap sound. This reminds me very much so of something that I would hear if the radio was on a pop station.
12. American Wedding: This song. I think that this is my favorite on on the Mixtape. The thing about it is that it is Hotel California without vocal track and Frank's vocals instead. This is my favorite song for the fact that it is awesome. I love the way it sounds and the feel I get from it. The new lyrics give this song a new perspective to it for me. I think this song helped revive Hotel California, the song, for me. The song is really good but there are down sides. The vocals are off a little. Like the singing doen't sound like it's on temp. The lyrics aren't that good either. They don't go with the flow of the song. Look at this "it's an american wedding they don't mean too much but we were so in love, we had an american wedding, now what's mine is yours, thats american law". That doesn't work, at all. I love you Frank but don't do this to me. PLEASE! It hurts my belief that you might have a really good album coming out this year. Another things is that this really hurts trying to sing along with it, after you learn to get over the offbeat vocals. I would give this a 10/10 but because of all the negatives it gets this. {9.3/10}
13. Soul Calibur: This is the same like mix tape song switch as some of the other songs. This one has a couple seconds of MGMT's song Future Reflections off their 2007 digital, 2008 physical, full length debut Oracular Spectacular.
14. Nature Feels.: This song has a MGMT sample, and guess which one it is. It's Electric Feel, that makes sense after you see the title of the song. This song has so much potential, he's fucking sampling MGMT's song Electric Feel. But he doesn't pull it off. After many listens I still can't really get into this song. It seriously bums me out that it's like he gave two shits. This is worse than, offbeat, than American Wedding. The lyrics are ok, but the way he performs this is just.... god awful. The only good part where it flows is on the chorus. The breakdown of the song he also flows a decently. And it think that it's better that he used the outro of the song to end it until he took the tape out {7/10}

Over all I'd have to give this mixtape a 7.8/10. It was not as good as I wanted it to be. There are its moments where it is awesome, but there are downsides. This could of been so much better, and so much potential. I think that I really want to hear another solo mixtape from Frank. Either that or maybe a full lenght album or something. And also I think that he should rap more, he was very suprising on Oldie. But from my gathered thoughts I believe this isn't a mixtape set up like an album/ep. No it's just a compilation of songs he recorded. But the over all theme I get from this is that its a guy who wakes up and is singing along with his favorite songs and changing some in the process. I have no idea if thats right, but that how it seems to me. And it also seems better in my opinion if you look at it like that. Hopefully this bitch will grow on me. :(

Requiem - The Confession

This is a band called The Confession from California. I found out about these guys from the Avenged Sevenfold last.fm radio station. The first time I saw them pop up I thought they sounded cool, and I really like some of their songs, the was like a year ago in Mayish. But I found out M. Shadows produced this album. How sick is that, and you can tell too. There are sound that I can see him having something to do with. But This album has done nothing but grow on me. Because of that fact, I am over joyed to listen and review this album and it's songs and inform you of, in my opinion, one of the best albums of the 21st Century so far.

1. Burn The Virgin: This song starts out on a very strong start. This song has this overall power behind it. I could picture a guy using unclean vocals to it. It really is a more original take on music I know. I mean, it's been done, but this seems a lot different. I actually enjoy this. This song has a hard rock type of feel and it could go into this post-hardcore style, but instead of using screams the singer sticks out using cleans. He is an awesome singer to. This is a really good way to start off an album, and sets the tone well for the rest of this. The chorus is pretty, while the rest of the song is pretty bad ass. The solo legitimately reminds me of Avenged Sevenfold's song Tension off the 2008 release Live In The LBC/Diamonds in the Rough. I love this song so much and it is one of my favorite songs I can say I've heard. This song is defiantly one of their best {10/10}
2. Through These Eyes: This is the first song that I heard off this album. I think that this song is really cool, the bass on this album is a little hidden but you can feel it. There is some "unclean" vocals, but it sounds more like he is yelling. This song is more Bad Ass in the fact that it is more of a post-hardcore style song. I still like this song a lot, not as much as Burn The Virgin. I could see a band like Escape the Fate playing a song like this. This vocals are more raspy on this track. And the song is a little heavier, and the guitar riff is more of a post-hardcore riff. The solo reminds me a little bit Bat Country, but that's just one part of the song. This song is sick {9.5/10}
3. Dance With The Devil: This song reminds me of Girl I Know. That song is also on Avenged's Diamond in the Rough bonus CD that came with the purchase of Live In The LBC. The lyrical content also kind of reminds me of the song, and the whole vibe of the song. This song isn't the best on the album, but it is still good. The solo in this song has this more of a simple version of a Neo-Classical/Yngwie style solo. It's nowhere as fast or cool as Malmsteen but it just has a taste of it in there. The outro to this song also kind of reminds me of A7X's style that was on 2005's City of Evil album
4. Time is Gone: This starts out with strings and this whole orchestral, movie soundtrack feel. Then after that a sick riff comes in. I don't know if that was a sample or if it were actually recorded for the album but it is cool. during the pre-chorus of the song it sounds like a timpani, army march drum roll in the back, and an acoustic guitar that makes it pretty. The fill between the solo of this song has this sweep that is ended by a heavy down strum. The chorus is sick. I forgot about this song and it is one of my favorites now. This song like shifts genre's and it's hard to tell. I think that this is that way because they wanted to change it up, or maybe Matt had something to do with it. I don't think that this song changes to the extremes of John Zorn or Mr. Bungle (Which is my 3rd favorite band of all time, behind The Beatles, then followed by Avenged).
5. Jealousy: This is a track where he actually uses unclean vocals. The singing on this track is pretty cool. This song is a return to that post-hardcore feel of Through Theses Eyes. This song is so sick, like I could see a possible mosh to it. I think that the instrumentation is heavy and the singing on the song portrays emotions. The song ends with this arpeggios guitar on an acoustic guitar that flows into the next song. This song is still one of my favorites on the album and probably will stay that way.
6. The End Is Near: This song starts out with this far away arpeggios on guitar that sound like, production wise, something I heard on Yngwie's 1984 solo debut Rising Force. This song then goes into a sick riff and vocals. The way the chorus is sung reminds me of an "emotion" part of a song off This War Is Ours. Towards the end there is a part that kind of reminds me of  a Disturbed song because it has this drum roll and this heavy guitar. The song flows well from that Disturbed part into the rock of this song. And then goes into this acoustic ballad for no more than 20seconds. And flows oh so well into the next part of the song. The song then goes back to normal and ends with an acoustic guitar chords. {10/10}
7. Dead Man Walking: This song is good, it's not the strongest on the album, at some parts for me, but it still is good. This song also gives this Escape the Fate feel to it. It has a fricken cowbell in the chorus. The song then goes into this heavy post-hardcore thingy. The vocals on this song are really cool and neat. After the 2nd chorus, the breakdown has these medium paced scale sounding guitar part and the vocals that come in make it worth re listening to that one little part. During the solo I was just waiting for an emotional breakdown because of the And All Things Will End vibe I got form the guitar. This song doesn't end with a meltdown, but instead with feedback. {9/10}
8. Requiem: This song starts out with an acoustic a guitar accompanied with strings. When the strings end the vocals come in and he sings playing acoustic guitar chords. I picture him sitting in a chair in the studio singing and just playing the chords. The chorus brings the other instruments and it is pretty emotional vibe. The vibe of this feels like it is a requiem for a friend or family member or lover who has passed away. The solo in this song is on piano and in this mixed in with strings that build up the song and make it lead into to the next chorus. This song reminds me of a better version, and more heart felt version of Harder Than You Know.
9. Rise And Fall: This song begins like a classic heavy ass marching 80's Metallica feel. There are bells in the song and though there are little guitar fills in parts it kind reminds me of Symphony X's new albums title track Iconoclast mixed with For Whom The Bell Tolls. But there is that victorious feel that I get from this song, on that is epic and is often on song by Symphony X. The riff comes in and is a total fucking Symphony riff. The verses remind me of Set The World On Fire (Lie of Lies) and some Avenged Sevenfold mid 2000's album. This song also kind of gives me this epic feel of Wicked End. There is a bass that builds in this song to the solo. And this is a less technical and not as fast solo of one of the epics off City of Evil. This is probably the most epic song on the album. The songs ends with that same type of beginning feel it had before and fades out. It's a shame that it's only 5:47. This gets a huge ass fukings {10/10}
10. No Angel: This song picks up and kind of reminds me of Burn The Virgin a little. I think that if that was intentional it is good to wrap the album the way you started. Right before the pre-chorus there is a voice that sounds like the evil voice on City of Evil. This song also has this, "Congratulations, You Did It. You Are Victorious and you are coming home." but with that I also get this feel of "It was such a good journey that I'm setting of to start it over and relive the joy it's brought). The solo on this song is one like most any other on this album. But this song has this overall feel of victory. It is an amazing way to end this album.This also reminds me of the often Escape the Fate sounds i compare them to. But also the hard rock feel to. At about 4:15 this song goes into this thing that would be a perfect outro but it then picked up and the song goes into this overall victorious feeling is re instilled. The ending is just.... wordless {10/10}

Over all this album gets a 9.7/10. There is no doubt in my mind that this album deserves this. I can't understand why these guys would have broken up. They fucking rock, and they are better than 90% of any Alternative/Post-Hardcore band I know. In fact they shit on Epitaph records, (excluding Escape The Fate when they were still singed to Epitaph, and Falling In Reverse). I didn't really mention this but all the songs have the production feel that reminds me of Avenged Sevenfold's 2007 self titled album, with a little bit of City of Evil. I can tell there is a bunch of influences on this album and that is good. I think that these guys started strong and ended strong. Add this to my list of CD's I Want

Night On Bröcken - Fates Warning

I found out about his band through a Last.fm chat room or something like that. I visited it because of a thing for Black Tide. The first song that I heard by these guys is Buried Alive. Well I guess that these guys are a progressive metal band, which helped form progressive metal, from 1983 and Connecticut. This is the first Progressive Metal album I've reviewed. I'm not huge on progressive metal, ie  

1. Buried Alive: I've heard this song a frickin ton of times. This was the first song that I ever heard by these guys. The riff in this reminds me of Judas Priest. The vocals also remind me of Rob Halford's vocals on Priests old school stuff from the '70s. This song is a frickin awesome way to start off an album and gives a good impression on this album. The solo on this song is a heavy metal solo that in a way reminds me of Hell Bent For Leather's guitar solo. (That is one of my favorite guitar solos ever). This is a just Bad Ass song, and is one of my favorite songs I've heard, and I can think of, that were released in 1984.
2. The Calling: The riff in this song sounds like on that would be on Killing Machine or British Steel. This is a very cool sounding riff. Yeah the chorus and the vocals and everything about this song remind me of Priest. This could seriously be a cover version of a song by a tribute band, that sounds like them. There is a part where the riff and song gets more intense and leads up to the solo. This solo is cool cuz instead of all over the place it's only a few notes but strummed fast. Not super fast but fast enough.
3. Kiss Of Death: The riff in this song reminds me of something off Peace Sells album by Megadeth. The beginning is kind of don't mess around, angry feel to it. This also reminds me of Priest. I think that the drums on this song are really cool. I wish the bass was easier to hear in the mix, instead of it being buried in the back.The riff also reminds me somewhat of Barracuda by that sweet ol' Heart (get it). This song is a little different from the rest of the tracks in the matter that it is much more heavy metal oriented. And also this is, thus far on the album, the best and longest solo. It is a few seconds short of 1 minute vs the other songs solos that are probably 30 seconds.
4. Night On Bröcken: This song defiantly sound like a Maiden song. NO DOUBT IN MY MIND. That's why I like this. It reminds me, kind of, Translyvania. I know a lot of song remind me of that, but they do. I wish that this was instrumental, it would be so much cooler and powerful. This song is one of the strongest song on this album, big time. There is a power and a feel that I get from this song that pump me, like Shadowfax. There is a breakdown and they use wind chimes to go into that. This reminds me of Strange World's guitar part in the beginning arpeggios. After the arpeggios are done this goes into a song that reminds me of like a "power filled" power ballad. It almost reminds me of Scorpions 1975 In Trance except more power behind it. The second half of the song VERY much so reminds me of '70s Scorpions. It ends with that same Strange World thing. {10/10}
5. S.E.K.: This reminds me of the beginning of They Need A Million by the Scorpions off their 1974 album Fly To The Rainbow. This is a pretty song and a good way to lay back and have a break from the rest of the songs. And I think a good way to end a side on a vinyl.
6. Misfit: The riff and the drums in this song are cool. The drums are more hear-able in this track. I think that this feels like it is together. Also you can hear the bass on this song better than on one of my other favorite songs Kiss of Death. The riff in this song is right on. This has a solo that reminds me of, well what do you think. None the less it is fucking sick. There is a part in the lyrics where it says "You live by the sword and die by the sword". That whole entire verse where that is said reminds me of Iron Maiden's song Flash of the Blade, which appeared on 1984's Powerslave. {9/10}
7. Shadowfax: The instrumentation of the beginning of this song are perfect for an instrumental. It has this Medieval feel to it. It reminds me of Iron Maiden's first album. Not so much a particular track, but I could see this being on that album. The whole entire song is set up like one. After the intro just after 2 minutes the song goes on fucking steroids and goes into seizure mode. The song gets more intense than any other song on this album, excluding the self titled track. Not only is it fast paced and length wise, but it cuts. WHY!!!!!!! {10/10}
8. Damnation: There is a whole Children of the Damned feel to the beginning of this song. There is an acoustic intro to it and it sounds pretty. It is kind of touching, considering that this is like Children of the Damned, which is one of my favorite Maiden songs. When I listen to this song all I can do really is picture that song. I'm not saying that theses guys copied them, all I'm saying it that it sounds similar, but it a very good way. This song is a fucking bad ass mother fucker.
9. Soldier Boy: This song is good, I think that it is very... Consistent. I don't think that this is all that amazing of a song. I think it is a little to similar to the rest of the ideas of the songs on the album. I'm digging the solo, just not really the rest of the song. This has so much potential and it isn't met. I feel like the way this song is that it fucking take me away. I mean the solo is awesome, just not the rest of the song. There is dual harmony guitar parts, much like Iron Maiden and Priest often do on older stuff. There is also an evil laugh in the song. At the end of the song it sounds like something is collapsing. I do think that that is pretty cool sound effect and a cool way to end this album. {7/10}

Overall I think that this is 8.8/10. I liked this album. There were some duds on this album, so that hurt the score I gave it. Now there weren't a ton of those. In fact I want to get this on CD and on Vinyl in the future. The album gets a lot better after if you try to forget about track 2. I think that the album is a little consistent on the sound of the songs. There isn't that huge of a variation among the tracks and some sound similar. That isn't that much of a problem for me when it comes to this album. The only thing it does is bring down the score. By the end of this I almost want to start listening to the Iron Maiden self titled album.

Van Halen III

This album is supposedly Van Halen's forgotten album. The album cover isn't that attractive, It was released in 1998, Sammy wasn't on it and they had that singer from Extreme on it. Now I'm not a Halen addict but I do like some of their stuff. Their first album is their best, then 1984 is also good. There are various other songs off various other albums that I like but beside that, that's pretty much it. So going looking at this I thought it was a joke... until I accidentally listened to A Year To The Day.

1. Neworld: This is an acoustic piece that is accompanied by a piano. It has this type of a country/classical feel to it. It is also I think a good way to start something new. #NewSinger should bring new style. And it's more chords than soloing.
2. Without You: The drums pick up right where the acoustic guitar in Neworld's harmonics end. This is powerful song. I think that this has more power behind it than A Different Kind of Truth. This song has backing vocals that sound like they are being drowned underwater. The verses guitar somewhat resembles something like the Red Hot Chili Peppers but good. Cuz Anthony Keidas sucks major cock. This song sounds like they are experimenting a little more and I applaud them for that. It isn't that extremely different but it has a different feel. The singer sounds like a medium between Sammy and David. It also sounds like there is more acoustic electric guitar on this album than the others.
3. One I Want: The beginning of the riff sounds something like Panama. The bass in this song is more funky and it is the drums are a little overshadowed by everything else. The backing vocals are also a little buried in the mix. This song is something that I could picture Dave singing on. This is still a cool song. Though I could picture Roth on this song, they changed it to fit the singer a little more. The guitar at parts sound like a sitar. There is also picture Sammy singing on this.
4. From Afar: The beginning fades in with Eddie playing arpeggios of chords. Then the riff comes in and sounds like something off 5150. The first album to feature Sammy Hagar as the singer, and the beginning of Van Hagar era. This song feels like it has this feel of bigness to it. There is the bass that at parts makes a pounding noise. The persuasion on this song sound like it is going to get bigger. The song doesn't really get that much bigger. But the false feel of that is a good one. The pre-solo in this song sounds chaotic, by that I mean that it sounds like he was hitting random notes and put them in different channels. There is also parts in the song where the vocals remind me of Alice Cooper.
5. Dirty Water Dog: The beginning of this song starts out with drums pounding along with what sounds like someone using sandpaper. I could picture this on For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. I know that they did some weird stuff like that with Sammy but this has a different feel. The guitar in this song is just has this over all plucked sound to it where it is awesome. This also has a touch of Finished What You Started. 
6. Once: The beginning of this song starts with a piano and an acoustic guitar. The acoustic guitar has this type of distortion to it that reminds me of Buckethead's 1998 album Colma (which will hopefully go up soon). This has much more of a lounge feel to it than any other Van Halen song. This song is really cool and also has this type of 90's pop music appeal to it. This reminds me of that music I used to hear when I was younger and 90's music was still popular during the 2000's. I was 2 and a half when this came out. This also has a type of a soul feeling to it, this somewhat reminds me of, dare I say, Titanic. I could see this being on the sound track. Another thing is that the guitar solo is in the mix on this song, not over powering everything and goes to the fade. This
7. Fire In The Hole: There is a outer space sounds that are in the beginning of the song and are then followed by a riff. There isn't much difference between this song and any other song on the album. Each song sounds different and you can tell, but this one just doesn't stand out like some of the others. The instrumentation at parts are really cool and sound driving, but that doesn't mean that it's that different. There is a part right after the solo in this song that sounds evil. It lasts like 5 seconds but it is pretty cool. I like how the singer is talking to the fade of the song.
8. Josephina: This sounds like, from the chords in the beginning, an 80's ballad. One problem with Van Halen was their songs had a distinctive sound to it. This song sounds like it is a different step for them. Parts in the guitar remind me of Misty Mountain Hop. I don't know why but it does. This song just has a totally different feel to it than other Van Halen songs. This song has a guitar solo that sounds like the beginning of Panama. The distortion of animal sounds and stuff. This song is pretty cool and just an interesting way to look at them in a different light. And yes there is sounds of a Carnival at the end of the song that last past the fade.
9. Year To The Day: Now I'm not very old, I'm 16 years old. I haven't been around a long time. But I've grown up listening to classic rock and I've gone wayward musically with suggestions and my own ideas. Now I'm not a perfect person and stuff, I don't really see what that has to do with anything. But I have not been hit with a Van Halen song this hard for a couple years. They have progressively lost their edge as I have grown older into my mid teen years. This song is the exception. This song is fucking the shit. The clean Spanish sounding guitar part in the beginning of the album reminds me of any classic Eddie solo song. The thing that's different about this song is that it can make me cry. The lyrics on this song are simple but they are actually good. This song is very pretty and builds, This is kind of like Stairway to Heaven, in the way that it builds, but it stays there and continues to drive on, until the end. The solo in this song is so different than any other Van Halen thing I've ever heard. It just feels so fresh. This IS! my favorite guitar solo I've heard Edward play. {12/10}
10. Primary: This song is like a new revamped alternate Eruption but for like a sitar or something. 
11. Ballot or Bullet: This song is different. I don't recall ever hearing a Van Halen song sound this way with this distortion. The vocals sound strained. The lyrics aren't amazing, but when are they when it comes to theres guys. This song sounds like it was influenced by Extreme but with a Van Halen twist on it. This song is ok. I don't exactly know how I feel about it. There is also a type of garage rock feel to the riff of the song. Kind of like The White Stripes, the guitar sounds pretty cool and he obviously uses a slide on this song.
12. How Many Say I: To date this is the only song that Eddie does lead on. How sick is that . Eddie's vocals are surprisingly warm feeling. Though he doesn't sound amazing he sounds like his voice is fit for the piano. The way they sing the chorus sounds very cool. This song is the furthest thing away from their traditional sound I've heard. There is really no question in the matter, it is a fact. This song is pretty and shows that Eddie isn't just a guitarist. It's a shame that he hasn't sung more than lead this once. The piano is accompanied by strings from a brief stint. There is a keyboard what I want to call movement that makes me cry. This is an awesome way to end a new start and say get the fuck ready for the next album with this new sound. I am legitimately shocked at this song. Never would I think that they would do this. Ever. {9.8/10)

Overall I give this a 9.8/10. I respect that this is the lonely Van Halen album in their discography and is overshadowed by all the factor that contribute to it. There are times where I feel like they are still trying to have both Sammy and Dave on the album. But they couldn't go that far off and not lose fans. This album defiantly is overlooked. The day when this is remembered as on of their best is the day I know the world will be smart. There are parts where the vocals and backing vocals are buried in the mix, along with the drums, ore the bass sometimes to, but never the guitar. This was a fun album and it feels like they just wanted to try something new. You can't hate on them for that, look at A Different Kind of Truth they went for that 70's feeling and couldn't pull it off. Also the songs on this album don't really leave this overall sound of any of the songs. I think that worked for this album, though they did experiment a little, they did it the best I can think. The only thing that they could improve on is maybe experiment a little more to show that you are using this new singer. I also like how they use fade on this album a lot more than any other album. If you want to listen to Van Halen in a different light that I suggest listening to this album, whether you want to or if it's just for fun. I didn't realize this till I was about to upload it, This was released March 17th, 1998. So I guess this is an early 14th anniversary review for this album. To wrap it up, all I know as a fact is that I'm gonna get this on CD.

We're Only In It For The Money - The Mothers Of Invention

This album is SUPER important and I'm honored that this is my first Zappa album review. This is the 44th anniversary of this huge album. This is even more important musically to me than Dark Side Of The Moon and The Valley combine. This was the first Zappa album I heard in it's entirety, along with Sheik Yerbouti and Freak Out! Those are three of my favorite albums but three of the most important musically to me. Now I can go on forever about how this is an amazing album but, well I'm gonna break it down track by track. The original intended album cover for this was a parody of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. I don't really like that album cover much, but because of legal stuff that was on the inside instead of the outside.

1. Are You Hung Up?: This is a sound there is is a person talking and whispering. It is kind of eerie. And there is a little guitar riff in there and it is cut off by a someone making a horse sound. If I am not mistake, Eric Clapton's voice is on this song. It's either that track or Telephone Conversation.
2. Who Needs the Peace Corps?: This song is funny. I like how he brought up the problems and the foolishness of the whole hippie movement in something a hippie would probably listen to. That is the thing about Frank, he had this thing where he could make appealing songs that make fun of the people who it appeals to. Another example is Dancing Fool. I also like how the instrumentation is in the background to him talking about instructions of what he will do as a hippie. There is just something about the way they do that part of the song that is so neat. I really think it is cool that they not only do that, they also make it work. The part in the song where it says "I love the police as they beat the shit out of me" well, that is something I included in a sophomore year speech  I did on censorship. Which I bombed, why well I did pretty much everything they said no to. So I went down like a man.
3. Concentration Moon: This song is "cute". I don't know what people could have a problem with this. This is one of my first favorite songs by Zappa. I really like how the song ended and it has a couple seconds in between of sound collages, then starts over. The line where it say "American way, how did it start" is one of the coolest sounding things I've heard. The part just hits me like a rock. If you make music or even enjoy music there has to be some types of music that hit you like that. Well this is one of the many that hit me. Hard!
4. Mom & Dad: This song is so pretty. The lyrics are also very touching, if you listen to then and think about them. The lyrics talk about someone telling their parents people are getting shot by the cops. and ultimately he was shot. This song has a build at "Ever take a minute to show a real emotion" which leads into just this perfectly built up part and the song just. This song hits hardest of all the songs. This is a song that I could cry to. It is just so pretty and touching. This shows that he is himself. I don't see any other way to say that. This song makes me tear up, maybe it will make you to.
5. Telephone Conversation: I like how this flows in the album in between tracks. This is just how this album is. I kind of think of it in a way as a big commercial.
6. Bow Tie Daddy: This was also another instant classic for me. I really like this one because it is different. And this is also a cute song but if you listen to it. It will catch your attention because of its cartoon sounding to it. But it is making fun of the parents of the hippies. This is defiantly a song I could see on the radio.
7. Harry, You're a Beast: This flow to this song is great. The vocals on this track are really good. I like the instrumentation on this to. Then there is Dick Barber doing that signature growl on this track. Then it goes back to the normal part. The track gets played backwards. This mentions someone saying "Don't come inside me", but is is all sped weird so it would be censored. This song appears to be about a guy who is a beast, sexually. This song is just so great. It grabs your attention and it is super catchy. I love this, and it is one of my favorite 
8. What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body?: This song is very funny. I think this applies to everyone, the way this song is you think it's about a penis or a vagina but it states that :"Its your mind". I love at about 30 seconds it picks up and sounds pretty cool. I think that this also hit me like a rock. The way his vocals are and the drums and guitar. Perfect
9. Absolutely Free: The piano intro to this song is just cool. I also like how he took a shot at. I also think that it's funny how they had to censor the line "Flower Power Sucks!". This album in general is a masterpiece. There is are parts in this song where it remind me of a odd type of waltz. The drum roll on the chorus is how my favorite type of sounding drums are. I like the compression on them.
10. Flower Punk: There is a cut where it sounds like they are changing the channel. Then this song starts immediately after. This has a very distorted wah-wah guitar sound to it. The vocals are sped up, a technique Frank often did on songs, especially on stuff with The Mothers of Invention. The song kind of ends the starts up and has static noises and people running around in the background and in one speaker there is one person talking to you and the other speaker has someone else talking to you at the same time.
11. Hot Poop: This is another sound collage song that has a funny title. It is only 26 seconds but it has part of the song Mother People which is on this album, played backwards.
12. Nasal Retentive Calliope Music: This is a classic sounding sound collage. It sounds like someone was recording stuff and sped it up extremely fast. At the last 20 seconds of the song there is a surf rock sounding song that plays with waves in the background. That whole surf rock part is awesome. It reminded me of a more surf rock version of Lumpy Gravy the theme song. This track is cut off by other sound collage stuff and ends with a fart sound. 
13. Let's Make The Water Turn Black: This song is on of the instants. The fart sound from the track before is hilarious, especially since this track is about someone trying to start a fire with a lighter and their farts. Supposedly this was based of a real event in Frank's life. I'm not positive but I think I read somewhere that that is the inspiration. There is just something about the way this song is performed that is so embedded in my head forever, that I don't exactly know for sure.
14. The Idiot Bastard Son: This song is a song that is only like 45 seconds. After the 45 second mark it has people talking about a bunch of different stuff. At about 1:21 the song starts up again. This song is a little different and there are different lyrics and guitar parts. The drums and bass are the same. Then there is a type of part where it has a piano part with vocals and guitar. After that they have the whispering spoken words again until it leads up into the next track.
15. Lonely Little Girl: This is my least favorite song on the album. I'm not saying it is bad, I just don't LOVE it. There is parts in this song where it sounds like there is a sitar in it, which is at the end of the song. This has part of How Could I Be Such A Fool? and What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body in it. I just never really got into this track that much.
16. Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance: This song is also pretty. The thing about this is that it is just funny. With the instrumentation on it sounding cartoonish and cartoonish vocals on the track singing about lonely people gathering together and peace. Along with that peace you can take your clothes off when you dance. That is the last line of the song so you get the impression of them talking about "All the evils know to man, will be an evil we can rise above" is not as important as being able to run around naked.
17. What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body? (Reprise): This is just a shorter version of the track of the same name. It isn't all that different from the other version. The only major difference is it appears to fall apart towards the end. And after the music is done there is voices that talk and just say random stuff.
18. Mother People: This song is also very important to my Zappa music appreciation. This is part of my favorite songs by him. This song is funny and it is very catchy. It gets stuck in your head, very easily.  It starts out with an orchestral feeling to it. This reminds me of Lumpy Gravy. But then after that part it goes back to the normal song and ends. This song is a good song to start off listening to The Mothers with.
19. The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny: If not for Revolution 9 then it would of been harder to fall for this album. This song is and avantgarde, noise collage, tape loop track. The first ever tape loop song I liked was Revolution 9 by The Beatles off their 1968 self titled album. The beginning of this has some type of motor sounding thing to it. Then this evolves into piano, which evolves into a bunch of random instruments together. This sounds like Frank's take on his type of Edgar Varese composition. This also somewhat reminds me of a not so distant cousin of the second half of The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet which is off 1966's Freak Out! album. There are also cartoonish vocals laughing like they are evil or they are high. This track is 6:25 and by far the longest track on the album. The second longest track on this album is 3:24. That over 3 minutes longer that any the second longest track. There is a part where it sounds like they were just running around hitting stuff in this big empty room.

Over all this is a 10/10. I love this album. Its just so perfect and just works. I literally could of reviewed this album with out even re-listening to all but 3 songs. The rest are permanently engraved in my skull musically. I think that this should be on a list of top 50 albums ever. This is just such a perfect piece of musical history for me and it is also touching to me and has meaning. If not for this I probably wouldn't like Frank. The way this album was mixed and edited is perfection. This isn't amazing quality but it gets the job done. I think that the quality works and is perfect for what it needed on this album. Some albums need to be low quality to sound good and then the same is true of the opposite. Long story short I love this album and can't wait till March 22nd cuz then I'd doing Apostrophe and March 26th Just Another Band From L.A. check out my page at the top where it says release dates.

Goblin - Tyler, The Creator

Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All is a weird situation for me. The first time I ever heard of them was from my younger cousin and I saw Earl and Yonkers. I didn't really think twice about them and any of their stuff. Well I always hear and see people saying Swag. I didn't really get it and just thought that it was something to do with sports. Well what I didn't realize was that these guys popularized it. So I re heard about them via Needledrop on YouTube and I saw him review this album. The thing that attracted me to this was the album cover

1. Goblin: This is the beginning of the album. I really like the sampled strings on it but the rest of the songs is kind of different. This song isn't really that much of a normal rap I've heard. This is pretty much he's rapping what his problems to his Therapist. I think that the Therapist is a big part of the album, which I feel impartial about. I think its not that amazing of an idea but I do think that it wouldn't be as good if they didn't.
2. Yonkers: This song is the song that got me into this OFWGKTA. This is the first song that I heard by Tyler. It took me about a good 5 or 6 listens to actually get into the song. After that I heard some other songs and its good. I like how the Therapist voice joins in his rap. One of my favorite lines is "I'm not gay, I just want to boogie with Marvin." I don't know what it is about it but I just love that part where it mentions Hayley Williams  "Crash that fucking airplane that that faggot nigga Bob is in". I just love that 
3. Radical: the intro skit to this song reminds me of The Marshall Mathers LP or Slim Shady Lp. The song Public Service Announcement. I really like the part where it's like he is talking to you with his more emotional side. I just like the way the organ sample sounds on this and I think that the main "Kill People, Burn Shit, Fuck School" is something that High School kids probably look up at him for saying that. On their Tumblr I saw an acoustic cover of this songs sung by a girl and it was good. I also like the Japanese sounding sample in the ending of the song.
4. She: This song is also odd. I love how he's rapping about this girl and it says something like she'd rather masturbate that hook up with him. I also find it humorous that he mentions her "touch her self after hours" in a singing R&B style vocals. And on top of that he says that they watch her after she is taking a shower. When I heard the first verse it sounded like he was singing about a dildo or some vibrator. This is just funny. There is no way that they took this song serious. Tyler does say me favorite word at exactly 3:02. That is my favorite word because it is just so funny to hear someone say it. It sounds really bad but it doesn't your know. Its such a simple word... what ever.
5. Transylvania: This song is ridiculous. The part about this song mentions miss piggy and "I'm Dracula bitch, don't got a problem with slapping a bitch" and later "I Goddamn Love Bitches. Especially when they only suck dick and wash dishes". The reminds me of an attempt at one of Eminem's more over the top songs.
6. Nightmare: This is one of my favorite songs. The beats on this are different and caught my attention first time through. I like that this song isn't SO cheesy and corny. Key word is SO. This sounds lyrically like he is trying to make his own Sing For The Moment or Loose Yourself or maybe even some songs off Marshall Mathers LP. That's lyrically, not sound or beat or sample wise. This doesn't sound anything like that, but he talks about his mom and his brother and fame. It I don't exactly know how to explain it... just listen to it and have that in mind.
7. Tron Cat: This song name just reminds me of like a robot baby kitty cat. Like some type of "cute" looking kitty cat. Now I know that that's not what this is about but that's what title reminds me of. The beginning of this song also helped, until he started rapping. I like that this sounds more electronic sounding beats on it. The lyrics just don't like ruin this song at all. I just like how this song sounds like he fell into hell. And it's scary, dark and eerie. The atmosphere kind of reminds me of the video game Doom. I downloaded it for Xbox 360 but it was originally for PC. That is a really fun game to play. I also give him props "Micheal Jackson's trying to suck our dick". I also like how he ends the track with "Hows that girl your were telling me about". 
8. Her: This song reminds me of, somewhat, myself. In the fact that he is venting his problems about a girl out to someone, in the case of the album the therapist. I often vent my problems out to friends because I am very, often immature. There are parts that I can relate with on this song. Like how he things this is the perfect girl. Which is something everyone wants, no matter what you say. Deep deep down there is a person in everyone and everything. The one part that I don't think I can relate to is that he is basically saying that he is stalking her but beside that I don't have a problem. I think that there were parts where he could have used better words in certain parts, especially the part where it says he "Locking lips on the wall, her hand grabs my dick, My hands grabbing her tits". That could have been way better ways to say that and not. This song reminds me of what I somewhat want, your know except the sexual and fucking her part. And at our age there is nothing as hurtful that the girl your in love with doesn't like you back.
9. Sandwiches: There is like a chant in the beginning of this song. At first this sounds like he is angry but then it turns into seem like he is jealous about his dad and families with dads. Then Hodgy comes in and they dis music review blogs and websites.
10. Fish: I don't really like this song, I do like that the flows are flows. There is parts where it doesn't flow as well on Sandwiches in the beginning. The beats on this don't really work together, and by that I mean where its the instrumental fills. "Cuz the fisher man is raping on the loose". This is basically two different songs. The second half of the songs is awesome. I really like it, just the lyrics aren't that genus.
11. Analog: I liked this song at first, but it has progressively lost its umph on me. The Dawson's creek reference is funny but it fades on me.
12. Bitch Suck Dick: The beat on this song reminds me of Sexy Sushi. And this also reminds me of Rella which is the song of their new album coming up. The beats also somewhat remind me of No Way Josie! which is an Ep I reviewed an will upload Monday.
13. Window: This is like the big confrontation and the intervention. But this is lyrically one of the most bizarre interventions. I'm pretty sure its Domo Genesis but he is talking about how he is a stoner. You don't say that at an intervention. You just don't because that defeats the purpose of this. And also Hodgy or Frank doesn't help because "I smoke weed, cuz I go green". So in the end he shoots someone.
14. AU79: The way this music and beats in this song are I think it would be perfect as an instrumental. # it is. And thats why I like it. Its kind of a break
15. Golden: This is the melt down. This is the ending an the climax of the stress on the album. This song is good but it is a good way to end the album. This is also when they lock him up in an insane asylum. I like how the Therapist talking to him after he gets drugged has a angle sounding sample behind him.

Over all I think that this album is an 8.2/10. I think that this is either hit or miss. I am willing to listen to this and take in and digest it, but most non hip hop fans won't even rethink about listening to it at all. There are also going to be people who don't want to even think or acknowledge this because they don't like it. There are also hip-hop-seters who don't respect this. This also being 74 minutes is a lot to take down at once, in general. But this has a lot more to take down than some other albums. This sometimes feels like it drags on. The only time I listened to font to back