B+ (78%)
The Verve
Forth
Parlophone/EMI
From the depths of Brit Pop and mid-90s alternative comes The Verve’s fourth studio album—its first in 11 years—simply titled Forth.
Although the band broke up in 1999, after the simultaneously soaring success and crashing failure of their best-known single “Bittersweet Symphony,” they reunited in 2007 for a tour before getting back in the studio.
Never the phenomenon in North America they were in the U.K., Forth is unlikely to change that. The album will, however, provide old fans with a more mature take on the pseudo-psychedelic, cerebral rock Brit Pop that plagued the 90s.
On the album’s third track “Rather Be,” Richard Ashcroft sings in his sneeringly rough voice, “There’s no need for introductions, no dark corridors of fame / you’ll find your fortune, you might find some pain,” an opening theme that seems to encapsulate much of the band’s history.
Riddled with drug problems and the controversial sampling of a Rolling Stones’ song in “Bittersweet Symphony”—a song for which, it’s alleged, the band has never received a penny in royalties—The Verve’s turbulent past is very much a part of their present.
But rather than being a cautionary tale of the dangers of the ego, drugs and rock ‘n roll, Forth offers a portrait of a band that has come most of the way through their shit and doesn’t necessarily regret any of it.
Forth is a concept album, taking the listener through the highs and lows of a continuous musical plain. The instrumentals, which were always a strength, soar in accompaniment to Ashcroft’s vocals. Although the lyrics aren’t always easy to make out, the music keeps the songs listenable and when Ashcroft does want you to know what he’s saying, the meaning is clear, borne out in both the words and backing music.
Eleven years in the making, Forth was worth waiting for. It just remains to be seen whether the notoriously troubled band can keep it together to offer its fans a Fifth.
—Angela Hickman
A- (82%)
Melvins
Nude With Boots
Ipecac
On their newest record, sludge-metal pioneers the Melvins sound more like their influences than any of their previous recordings while continuing to sound decidedly sludgy. Triumphant vocal harmonies, prominent guitar solos, reverb-y vocal effects and faster tempos give Nude With Boots a little bit more of a late-70s feel than most Melvins records. This comes as a surprise given their recent experimental material and the tongue-in-cheek romps of The Trilogy of 10 years ago.
The opener, “The Kicking Machine,” features a Jimmy Page-esque riff, an energetic drum line from Dale Crover and vocals chanted in harmony by all the band members, giving the track a very Led Zeppelin and upbeat feel.
Thankfully “upbeat” to the Melvins is not upbeat to those in the realm of pop. There is enough growling and shrill guitar work to remind us whose song this is.
By the third track we begin to hear some classic Melvins. “Dog Island” harkens back to Ozma’s chant-y vocals, fuzzy guitar riffs and tribal percussion. Then come the spacey instrumental “Dies Iraea” and the multi-tempo “Suicide In Progress.” My favourite track on the album has to be “The Savage Hippy” if only for the lyric: “Another window-washing nightmare” combined with outbursts of noise and ghoulish moans.
For a Melvins record that sounds less classically Melvins-esque, the disc still manages to keep the Melvins’ swan song in tune—one so slow, loud and abrasive that it’s incomparable with that of any other band. While not as jagged or ferocious as they were nearly 20 years ago, Nude With Boots marks a step back and in the right direction for the Melvins.
—Tyler Ball
B (75%)
You Say Party! We Say Die!
Remik’s Cube
Paper Bag Records
While dance punks You Say Party! We Say Die! are away making a new album slated for 2009, they’re still at play with Remik’s Cube.
On this disc, the previously released, bouncy, riff-heavy and danceable Lose All Time is remixed into cut-up, collaged and expanded variations on already used themes, proving that the beat never really dies and can always be built upon. The result is not unlike that of an inspired and early morning second wind. The various takes also demonstrate how remixing really depends on the ear of the DJ. The remaking and re-interpretations are as jumpy as the band’s own energy but pack some more stylized twists. The album echoes and blurs trance, punk and trip hop, keeping definitions at an arms’ length all.
The Re-Styled by Camp America remix pumps up the adrenaline by turning “Teenage Hit Wonder” into a manic romp of “yeah yeah”s. Although it’s energizing, unless you’re in the mood to move, the song’s upswing can get a little grating. In contrast, the Wallpaper Remix of “Moon” is smooth, drawing on an almost 70s funk-inspired pallet of guitar and keyboard. “Giant Hands” maintains a trip hop beat and oozes with urgency without floating too high on electronic helium.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise but YSP! WSD!’s electroclash material lends itself well to drums and bass sounds, especially on “Downtown Mayors Goodnight, Alley Kids Rule!” where backing vocals from the original track writhe and gleam once placed in the audio spotlight over top of a basic thumping background.
At times it feels like the album was probably more fun to make than it is to listen to. As far as remixes go, the album is inspired, but it just requires the right kind of mood and, perhaps, addled enthusiasm.
When songs stretch past the six-minute mark, such as on the opener “Five Year Plan,” remixed by vitaminsforyou 6th year, the novelty kind of drags. The album would serve a better purpose if played at an extremely high energy party.
—Adèle Barclay
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