Live Album Review: Live in Astoria EP by Interpol

1st post of the decade. I know I didn't do any of the reviews in the "to do" list but I was bussy, you know, with xmas and stuff. My first review of the decade is... not on that "to do" list I did last year (of course), It's Interpol's Live in Astoria EP. And another thing the "Final Ranking" is now called the Verdict, and instead of the normal 0.0 to 10.0 ranking I have a 0.0 ot 5.0 ranking:

0.0 to 0.9 - Horrible

1.0 to 1.9 - Bad

2.0 to 2.9 - Still Negative

3.0 to 3.5 - Positive

3.5 to 4.5 - Great

4.5 to 5.0 - ??? (this one's a secret)

Info:
Released: 2007
Genre: Post-Punk/Indie Rock
Label: Capitol
Lenght: 31:36

Actual Review:
At 2007 Interpol entered the London Astoria to perform and recorded one of my favorite live albums (sarcasm): Live at Astoria EP . Since it's a EP, it's short... only 6 songs which is a bit of a shame, because this one of best live bands today.
I know that this is from their Our Love to Admire tour, but they chould have recorded a songs from their previous album ("Antics"), although they featured some two songs from their first album: Obstacle 1 and Stella of which were great choises.
Remember this a LIVE EP not a LIVE DVD, meaning that it's doesn't make you completly feel like you were there, thats a rule! Track 4 to 6* of Live at Astoria is one of the exceptions to that rule, I can praticly close my eyes and I feel like I'm right in front of Paul Banks while he is screaming the last chorus/verse of Mammoth.
I actually prefer listening to the live version of Mammoth, Rest My Chemistry(of which I didn't like), Stella than the album version. They just have a different energy. And Obstacle 1 didn't fall to far behind. Pioneer to the Falls and Heinrich Maneuver, in the other hand did. These two songs were just plain boring compared to the other tracks and theire too much alike with their respective album recordings, this also goes to Obstacle 1, but that songs is amazing on both live and studio version. Pioneer to the Falls and Heinrich Maneuver are great on their studio version but mediocre on the live version, in spite of being praticly the same.
That means that the album is unbalanced, and that's just not good.

Best Tracks:
1. Stella
2. Mammoth
3. Rest My Chemistry

Worst Track:
1. Pionner to the Falls
2. Heirich Maneuver

Shouldn't Have Been Missing:
1. Slow Hands
2. No I Threesome
3. Evil
4. Leif Erikson
5. Who do you Think?

Veridict:3.1/5.0 (Positive)
Live at Astoria EP by Interpol is a short but just plain perfect... from Tracks 4 t0 6*.Actually pretty good at Track 2 (Obstacle 1). Just Plain boring at Tracks 1 (Pionners) and Track 3 (Heirich Maneuver). Overall but it's unballenced and missing some great songs from Antics, but still... it's not bad

*- Tracks 4 to 6 are Mammoth, Rest My Chemistry & Stella was a Diver...

What's Next?

There are a lot of albums I want to review befour the end of the year and I dont have time to review them all.
These are some of the albums IM THINKING of reviewing still this year:
+This is War by 30 Seconds To Mars
+Kid A by Radiohead
+OK Computer by Radiohead
+Our Love to Admire by Interpol
+Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth
+Slanted and Enchanted by Pavement
+Ignore the Ignorant by The Cribs
+Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails
+Ramones by The Ramones
+Road to Ruin by The Ramones
+Substance by Joy Division
+Nevermind by Nirvana
+In Utero by Nirvana
+Ten by Pearl Jam
+Minuts to Midnight by Linkin Park
+Ride The Lightning by Metallica
+Is This It by The Strokes
+Raw Power by The Stooges

1st Compilation Review: Foo Fighters – Greatest Hits

Info:

Year: 2009

Genre: Alternative Rock/Post-Grunge

Length: 63:48

Label: RCA

Unreleased Tracks: 3

Actual Review:

Foo Fighters, a superb band, their greatest hits, close… not quite.

Every person who likes Foo Fighters like I do will love most of the album, it’s such a trip to listen to, while remembering the past when the Foos released their first album or even at 2007 with their most recent studio album, remembering songs like: “Everlong”, “The Pretender”, “Big Me”, “I’ll Stick Around”… wait a minute! Where’s “I’ll Stick Around”? And “For All The Cows”? And “Low”? These are some of the Foos most well known tracks and they forgot to put them on their Greatest Hits compilation? What the ****? Alright those aren’t their most well known tracks EVER, but their still the favourites of a lot of fans, including me. But it’s still good choices, their just not the best ones. By the way adding the track “Skin and Bones” and an acoustic version of Everlong with out cutting off the original were… actually great ideas. I’m not giving to many extra points for having the Foos 1^st single (“This is Call”- something you should know if you were really a Foos fan), why? Because that track is an absolute must!

On to the new songs, Wheels is… annoying, repetitive, uninspired, vague, a track I want to forget and never remember again, it’s what I call the black sheep of the compilation, and of all of the Foos songs. I might be over exaggerating; I actually founded it “fun” and only started to find it annoying at the 20^th replay. Alright it’s “NOT BAD”!

But Word Forward is just plain Awesome! The song is a scream of beautiful emotions and in my opinion the “highlight of the compilation”.

Overall the Foo Fighters Greatest Hits definitely well over mediocre but not superb, good choice of song whit a few… a big few of missing tracks, but still good choices with decent and memorable new tracks.

Best New Track:

Word Forward

Everlong (Acoustic)

Worst New Track:

Wheels (not bad isn’t better than awesome)

Missing Songs:

The One

I’ll Stick Around

For All The Cows

Low

DOA

Final Ranking: 8.0/10

Album Review #4: Funeral

Info:
Band: Arcade Fire
Year: 2004
Genre: Indie
Length: 47:55
Label: Merge

Actual Review:
This album is… probably the most beautiful album I’ve ever heard! Harmony between the vocals of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne are so mystical and deep! The variety of instrument are incredible, they used accordions, xylophones, organs, cellos and even harps making the album so very different from everything that everybody “throws” at us these days, and that’s what makes this album so special for many people, the original, fiery, humbled sound of the album. You feel at the whole album that it’s is small and has perception of his size turning it into such an emotional album and the fact that family members of the band died originating some kind tension through the album that creates a bittersweet feel to it by being both epic and modest of which is definitely a thumbs up as far as I’m concerned. In spite of the tension nearly disappearing at about the 6th or 7th track it is followed by a more cheerful sound that can stop the depression of the loneliest man on earth. As you can see… read there is a structure in the album instead of a bowl of musical spaghetti of which is something that I always liked in music albums (No offence to the bowl of musical spaghetti). Overall the album is more than solid, it’s a near perfect wonder in a time where music not favorable with this beautiful and varied style that is indie rock. Astounding, from beginning to end, sad to happy, guilt to acceptance.

Best Tracks:
1. Laika
2. Haiti
3. Rebion (Lies)
4. Tunnels
5. In The Backstreet

Worst Track:
Crown Of Love

Final Ranking:9.6/10

Album Review #3: Backspacer

Info:

Band: Pearl Jam

Year: 2009

Genre: Alternative Rock

Length: 36:38

Label: Monkeywrench (Independent and only in the US); Universal Music Group (International)

Actual Review:

This album is ninth studio album by Pearl Jam… NINTH! Most bands stop making music, good music by second, third album. In Pearl Jam’s case that isn’t going to happen not even on their ninth album. Backspacer is their shortest album yet and by god! One of their best. Their chemistry is has amazing has it was in freakin 1991, those astounding melodies, those soulful lyrics.

Has most people should know Pearl Jam have been doing “slower” and “less aggressive” songs lately… but backspacer contrasts with that by most song being probably their most punkiest and noisiest works ever.

But Pearl Jam still haven’t completely abolished those slower song they just put less of them in the album that with the appearance of elements of pop and new wave, gives the album a satisfying variety. In the other hand that that variety might become a bit annoying. I can’t say the calmer song as great as the more intense songs although their good, and if we see it in different perspective its kind of strange having this heavy music vs. light music match in the album.

Sorry for talking… writing a lot about the negative parts of the album but I have to talk about negatives and for the exception of that MINOR negative (not sarcasm) the album is full platinum positive (expression that means great, if your… slower to figure that out).

Overall the album has aggressive, electric and even rebellious songs opposed to the other laid-back songs, this variety works has double edge sword, inspite of the negative edge being practically harmless.

Best Tracks:

1. The Fixer (Like you didn’t saw that coming)

2. Just Breath (My absolute favourite of their calmer songs of this decade)

3. Supersonic

4. Amongst The Waves

5. Got Some

Worst Track: (Something New)

Unthought Known

Final Ranking: 8.6/10

Album Review #2: In Rainbows

Info:

Band: Radiohead

Year: 2007

Genre: Alternative Rock

Length: 42:34

Label: None (Self-released)

Actual Review:

As stated in the albums info, it was released at 2007. That’s 4 years after release of their previous album (Hail to The Thief). That means that Radiohead made their biggest gap between albums and because of that a lot of people have been waiting impatiently for those long 4 years. And the wait was worth it, Radiohead’s album In Rainbows is in my opinion their biggest album of this decade. It’s mature, serious, in some occasions depressing. sad and dark in contrast with the relaxing environment on the rest of the occasions. These change of emotions might not be new for Radiohead but it’s not like it’s getting old or anything (or is it?). What is new about this album is as it was mentioned earlier the maturity of the album, did Radiohead really evolved that much in just 4 years? The answer is yes.

Radiohead also used were able to utilize a vast variety of instruments including pianos, celestes and even the ondes martenot creating a kind of hybrid rock album.

And let’s face it a band releasing an album independently is just plain amazing and deserves respect for sharing this masterpiece for the world for at what ever price we see fit. Rock On!

Best Tracks:

Nude, Reckoner, Jigsaw Falling into Place & House of Cards.

Final Ranking: 9.5/10

Album Review #1: Turn on the Bright Lights

Info of the Album:
Band: Interpol
Year: 2002
Genre: Post-Punk (Revival)
Length: 48:49
Label: Matador (Independent)

Actual Review:
Amazing, start to finish! begining to end!
In spite of that, there actually 5 tracks that stand out from the others: Obstacle 1, Obstacle 2, NYC, Stela & Leif Erickson.
Paul Banks has an astounding baritone range voice, Simple but Addicting rifts from Daniel Kessler creating a overwhelming atmospher when combined with Paul's Distorded Guitar.
Overall the atmospher is dark, the quesmistry is exceptional, but in the other hand the songs are a bit monotone, but that for some reason sucks you in the album even more.
These Post-Punk Revival Band is great and there debut album even greater.

Final Ranking: 9.1/10