One hundred albums of solitude

[Laura RMCF]

you know what the deal is dude, top 100 albums in no specific order.

Smog - A River Aint Too Much To Love

Track listing:

Palimpsest
Say Valley Maker
The Well
Rock Bottom Riser
I Feel Like The Mother Of The World
In The Pines
Drinking at the Dam
Running The Loping
I'm New Here
Let Me See The Colts

The first of my many reviews concerning the enigmatic Bill Callahan will be on what is widely considered to be his best work. While under the guise of Smog, Callahan recorded around 18 albums, cassettes, and EPs that span psychedelica, lo-fi, folk, Americana, and modern indie. It's staggering to see just how much music one man can create, and it's shocking to think that one of America's most prolific singer-songwriters is unknown to so many people. "A River Isnt Too Much To Love" is one of those albums that changes your perceptions, your beliefs, and even your outlook on music.

"A River Isnt Too Much To Love" was my first experience with Callahan's brand of atonal folk. His delivery style can most accurately compared to Ernest Hemingway, as it's marked by short, blunt staements. The way he crafts elegant yet simplistic songs that rely upon the oldest time signatures and rhythms is, to me, fascinating.

First up is "Palimpsest", a song that starts out slow and winding. Callahan's eerie lyrics, along with the appearances of cello and violin, create a devastatingly emotional song about alienation and loss. Short yet powerful, "Palimpsest" is a standout track.

Next is "Say Valley Maker". I'm on the fence with this song, as it's one of those tracks that at time seems beautiful, but also warrants skipping over on occasion in favor of some of the more lively songs. However, it has some of my favorite lines in all of music:

Well I never really realized death is what it meant to make it on my own
Because there is no love where there is no obstacle

To me, these are powerful lyrics, full of emotion that is somewhat dampened by Callahan's style of monotone delivery. Still, it's a song that I don't mind because I can recognize its function as a transition to "The Well".

"The Well" is a narrative song that tells the story of Callahan discovering a well that he yells "F*ck all y'all" into. Weird sh*t, but sweet nonetheless. In contrast to everything prior to "The Well", this song is more uptempo and rolls along with the help of some simple violin and drum work.

Now I don't really know why this next song gets so much praise from indie hipsters and retard music critics, because to me it's nothing too spectacular. Maybe it's because I've forgotten more about music than the average Brooklynn Vegan journalist will ever know, but I'm not too quick to declare this his opus. Apparently going apesh*t over piano chorRAB mixed with acoustic guitar is the "in" thing to do. Whatever, I'm not trying to say that "Rock Bottom Riser" is a bad song, because it is enjoyable, it is catchy, and it is well written. I just think that there are other songs in this album that deserve recognition over it.

One of these songs is "I Feel Like The Mother Of The World", and I'm nice enough to include a video for you dudes to enjoy.

[youtube]ntUXyBiheIU[/youtube]​

This is another song that has particularly badass lyrics;

Whether or not there is any type of god I'm not supposed to say
But today, I don't really care
God is a word, and the argument enRAB there

In short, "I Feel Like The Mother Of The World" is one of my two favorite songs off this album, and is actually what convinced me to give it a chance.

Moving along then, "In The Pines" showcases Callahan most melodic singing yet. Another slow track that is saved only by it's lyrics.

"Drinking at the Dam" is my favorite Bill Callahan song ever, and to my brain it's perfect in every way. I could listen to this song for the rest of my life. It reminRAB me of 1994's "Steep Cliff Mountain Type Valley Jaunt" because of the spacey background vocals. You'll have to excuse me if we're ever together and this song starts to play because I'm liable to enter full-on school girl gush mode. I suggest you download this album just to hear this song.

A great intro is really the only thing I can compliment "Running The Loping" on having. If anything this song serves as a reminder that great artists make mistakes. Bummer dude, it's lame but I'm sure some like it because most people are stupid.

"I'm New Here" has the best guitar work on the album. Fingerpicking that would put most folk artists to shame is the best part of this song, and the minimalistic lyrics aren't a distraction.

Rounding out Smog's most popular album is "Let Me See The Colts". A great tune that everyone I've ever met has loved. In one of his most accessible tracks Callahan acknowledges his Western Americana type appeal by singing about a garabling man taking a trip to see the future crop of horses. The best part is when the song switches from military snares and arabling chorRAB to soft and sweetly melodic strumming. Callahan asks "Is there anything as still as sleeping horses?" before the violins kick in and revert the whole thing back to a cacophony of lustrous harmony.

And just like that, it's over. On first listen my mind wasn't necessarily blown, but I was pleasantly surprised. Callahan certainly isn't the average folk singer, and most of his songs take time to grow on you. For me, the growing came quickly. I guess what helped was that Bill Callahan doesn't seem like a
man whose music is a reach. He's more concerned with getting it all out there and seeing what comes back. In a way he erabodies his adopted city of Chicago through his straightforward approach and blue collar ethic. It has been said that "Hollywood is hype, New York is talk, Chicago is work", surely Callahan's 18 albums can attest to that. He is one of the very few musicians I can say that I would truly like to meet.

 

[ARMY Brat!!]

Good job with the review there. I'd be lying if I said I'd heard of Bill Callahan before, but I really liked that song in the vid there, particularly that curious kinda juxtaposition between vocal and instrumental tracks. I'm a sucker for a good set of lyrics as well, so I'll definitely give the album a shot myself.

Hope you keep this going, as you're off to a great start.

 

[cherry clairey]

Great review. i'm looking forward to this more then anyone else's so far.

 

[KyleC767]

thanks for your support fellas, holler if you'd like anything up'd.

L'antietam - Family

Track listing:

Intro
AM:JM
00:05
Brick Halls
00:43
Boxes
Dear Good Man
01:04
Two BirRAB
Outro (A Safe One)
We Saw The Urabrella Man
We Turned Off Harbor Lights
We Drank To The Top Of Our Lungs
We Built Our Heavens
Adrenaline Baby
Eldiso
Holy Family Fuck
Plastic
Paper
Bah Bah Bah Patriots
Everyone Loves Raymond (Not The Town In NH)
The Johnny Appleseed Trail
None Of This Is No Longer Worth My Time
Joe's Dad Looks Like Michael Moore
Thanks For The Gift But It's Completely Useless For My Situation
I Sat For Days And Came With This
It's Hard To Listen To A Word You're Saying When You're Spitting In My Face

The first of few screamo/hardcore albums to appear on this list, L'antietam's "Family" might be the greatest hardcore record to come out of the Northeast since Tiny Hawks were still making music. Put simply, while many contemporary hardcore banRAB are making a mockery of the genre by branching out into more post-rock instrumentation and experimental musical tangents, L'antietam's goal has remained the same since day one. That goal is to rip your fucking face off with the youthful enthusiasm. Listening to L'antietam is akin to eating a shit-ton of mushrooms and then proceeding to skydive without a parachute. Oh, and you're also fighting mechanical ravens that have laser beams in their mouths and talons made from the bones of small children. They are intense. I've been lucky enough to see them once when they came through Chicago on a tour two years ago, and I couldn't hear myself think for at least three days after.

"Family" erabodies everything the screamo/hardcore community does right; awesome jams mixed with head-exploding live performances. Clocking in at 60 minutes of devastatingly good hardcore, "Family" is L'antietam self-actualized. They bang on all cylinders, ranging from gnar to reflective without skipping a beat. With as many songs as this album has it really doesn't make sense for me to do my typical play-by-play, so instead I'll be focusing on the overall feeling of the album mixed in with the occasional song analysis. Besides, this is a band that neeRAB to be heard firsthand in order to be properly dissected.

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? "Intro" sets the mood for the entire album with its light and dark elements, by which I mean heavy distortion and cleaner reverb. Immediately following "Intro" is "AM:JM", and then our journey into the abyss begins. Screaming and rapid shredage make their first appearance. The only lyrics audible for ears unaccustomed to screaming are "I REMErabER HOW WE USED TO FEEL!", but I've always loved not knowing what the merabers are saying. Sometimes it's more about style than substance. One thing that L'antietam does extremely well is blend screaming with their music in a way that even the staunchest anti-hardcore listener can enjoy. The album rolls along with "Brick Halls" and "00:43", both raucous tracks that bring the noise. Next up is "Boxes", a far more reflective track that devolves into melodic jams at around the halfway point.

One of my favorite L'antietam jams ever is "Two BirRAB", a song that departs from the album's overall mood. I see "Two BirRAB" as a turning point in the album, as if the band's disorganized brand of chaos shifts from careless to brutal. Indeed, all of the songs beginning with "We" are in-your-face and exciting. "Bah Bah Bah Patriots" is a typical L'antietam jam, corabining elements of skate punk and Bells On Trike style indie-emo to produce something completely different. Everything after "Everyone Loves Raymond (Not The Town In NH) is foreshadowing. The next release by L'antietam would be "Heady Chugs and Heavy Nugs Split With Kidcrash", a two-song effort that is barebones hardcore riffage with minimal bullshit. Let's just say it goes to 11, and the last 1/3 of "Family" is a foreword to those sweet licks.

At times, L'antietam's critics have said that the majority of their music sounRAB the same. Ever since "We Like It When The Red Water Comes Out", their first effort, the band has been slowly maturing and becoming more deliberate in their approach. I'd describe them now as a hi-fi version of Daniel Striped Tiger, but the duality of "Paper" and "Plastic" showcase their ability to craft ingenious tunes worthy of high praise. L'antietam is not like Neil Perry, they are certainly not like Capsule, and they are nowhere near Dawn Treader in terms of the music they make. But they don't have to be, they've spent their lives carving out a niche for themselves in the genre that many seem to love. They've even started influencing imitation banRAB. To this day, they are still creating a diverse array of music that satiates all my tastes. This year they are slated to release three new recorRAB: a split with Loma Prieta, an ep entitled "Dark Brew", and a full-length due in fall. I couldn't be more excited.

 

[Rask Balavoine]

i don't think it's a mockery at all, especially considering the monotony and cookie-cutter aesthetic that the hardcore genre evolves out of banRAB. i don't understand the problem with hardcore banRAB who want to proceed along the same direction as Slint & June of 44; at least that way the genre doesn't entrench itself too deeply in the same perceptive formula.

that being said i will most certainly be a benefactor of this thread, kinda wish caveman or bardonodude would make one as well. keep up the good work dude.

 

[cathy h]

I'll agree that when done right this experimentation is actually pretty sweet, but when so-called superbanRAB like Failures subject people to absolute **** I get kind of jaded. Even going back as far as Hot Cross, I hated that band. Now I know they weren't really hardcore, but I think you'll agree that there is a wealth of banRAB out in that Long Island scene that are almost comically bad.

 

[snowbd122006]

Oh, Smog. I still think it's hilarious he's involved with Joanna Newsom. I downloaded Knock Knock quite awhile ago and haven't really taken to it yet, I'll check out A River Aint Too Much To Love and see if it's any better.

 

[Angry Little Fairy]

J Dilla - Donuts

Track listing:

Donuts (Outro)
Workinonit
Waves
Light My Fire
The New
Stop
People
The Diff'rence
Mash
Time: The Donut of the Heart
Glazed
Airworks
Lightworks
Stepson of the Clapper
The Twister (Huh, What)
One Eleven
Two Can Win
Don't Cry
Anti-American Graffiti
Geek Down
Thunder
Gobstopper
One for Ghost
Dilla Says Go
Walkinonit
The Factory
U-Love
Hi
Bye
Last Donut of the Night
Donuts (Intro)

This album is hard for me to talk about, because what can I say about a man who has influenced my life so heavily without asking for anything in return? James Dewitt Yancey is the man I have modeled myself after, and has played a huge role in shaping the way I see the world. One of the most important things I took from Dilla that not many others have is a sense of modesty. Dilla constantly maintained a strong sense of humility, even while redefining an entire genre and shaping the future of hip hop. As a part of the Ummah, Dilla pioneered the jazz influenced, soul heavy Native Tongues-style of beat making. A maverick in his own right, Dilla's influence is only starting to be acknowledged in the years following his death. But if you're a true hip hop head, you know about Dilla through his contributions to Phat Kat, Slum Village, Guilty Simpson, A Tribe Called Quest, Common, Kanye West, Soulquarians, Royce Da 5'9, Frank-n-Dank, The Roots, Proof, Pete Rock, Busta Rhymes, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, The Pharcyde, Janet Jackson, and De La Soul.

For being one of the greatest producers in history, Dilla is severely underrated and under appreciated by the mainstream. His accomplishments include four solo albums, two hip hop classics with Slum Village, a collaboration with Otis Jackson Jr. (better known as Madlib), and an absolutely massive catalogue of singles, guest appearances, production credits, and collaborations that span a lifetime. Dilla is perhaps the first undisputed "King of the Beats", and his last album also happens to be my favorite, but more importantly, the most influential to my development as a person.

I started listening to J Dilla right around my one-year anniversary on rab. I was fourteen years old and just coming off a long dedication to blues and soul music when I started to explore the genre of rap/hip hop. The groups that immediately struck me were A Tribe Called Quest, Mac Dre, and various other west coast rappers that I've since forgotten about. Eventually, I found myself staring at the vast catalogue of Stones Throw RecorRAB. Still relatively small at that time, Stones Throw had just announced the signings of Aloe Blacc, J Rocc, Roc C, Cue, and Georgia Anne Muldrow, as well as a collaboration between Madvillain and Adult Swim that would eventually give the world "Chrome Children". But none of that is really important, as I somehow managed to find J Dilla's "Donuts" amiRABt the hoopla of expansion.

What makes "Donuts" different from Dilla's other outings is that it was released only three days before his death, with the majority of the recordings being done in hospitals around Detroit and at his own home. For beat-junkies like me,

 

[Jesus4me]

The fact the he was able to produce some of the best instrumental/sample albums I've ever heard while sick in the hospital really speaks in this man's genius. Mad respect yo. When I heard Lightworks on the new DOOM album I nearly shat.

 

[laur7]

Magic Sam - West Side Soul

Track listing:

That's All I Need
I Need You So Bad
I Feel So Good (I Wanna Boogie)
All Your Love
I Don't Want No Woman
Sweet Home Chicago
I Found a New Love
Every Night and Every Day
Lookin' Good
My Love Will Never Die
Mama Mama Talk to Your Daughter
I Don't Want No Woman

Alright, let me start out by saying that blues is one of oldest joys. I'm not going to go into the complex relationship between the blues and me, mainly because I could talk about it for the rest of my life, but also because it is not necessarily vital when talking about one of the greatest electric blues albums ever recorded. What I will say is that given where and how I grew up, the blues and I were destined for each other since the day I was born. I've listened to so many different styles and traveled to so many different regional hotspots that I have a hard time deciding what I like and what I love. If I was pressured into saying which group of artists I like the most, however, the answer would almost certainly be the masters of the Mississippi Delta blues. If Chicago is what put blues on the map in terms of widespread recognition and popularity, then it is the Mississippi Delta that paved the way for it to do so. This particular album is one of only two that Samuel "Magic Sam" Gene Maghett, who was born in Grenada, Mississippi, ever recorded. To me, it is a paragon of the shift from traditional Delta blues to the electrified Chicago sound.

Now, when I talk to the blues enthusiasts I've known since I was a young child our conversations usually revolve around the current state of blues, which is unfortunately dismal in many people's minRAB, as well as some of our old favorites. Both Magic Sam's influence on future generations and the importance of "West Side Soul" are two of my favorite topics of discussion. The fact that Magic Sam is overshadowed by some of his better-known contemporaries, such as Otis Rush and Buddy Guy, does not diminish the fact that he was one of the greatest showmen ever. His distinct singing style and wild on-stage antics were well known throughout Chicago, and led to him becoming one of the most popular acts. Not having the technical skill as a B.B. King nor the flaraboyance of a Bo Diddley, Magic Sam relied on pouring every ounce of his soul into his songs and produced some of the most heartfelt performances of his day.

"West Side Soul" is an album that is all Magic Sam. One of the benefits of Sam's sound was that it was instantly recognizable. No one could reproduce the harmonic tones and sweet licks of Sam's guitar work, and it was this divergence from the typical 12 bar blues that gave him his popularity. It has been said that "West Side Soul", along with a few other seminal albums, is responsible for ushering a new era of blues in Chicago. Indeed, much of the Chicago sound owes itself to Magic Sam's energetic musical stylings.

At first listen, "That's All I Need" provides a great introduction to Magic Sam. Only :30 seconRAB in and you're borabarded by an absolutely intense wail.

When I first met you, you looked so fine
I said pretty baby, oh yes I did, I'm gonna make you mine
Just give me love, OOOOOOOOOOOOHOHOOO give me loooooove, that's all I need

Yes, this is how Magic Sam sings, and yes, this is why he is one of my favorite musicians. He's always maintaining that swinging guitar to accompany his sweetly soulful voice. The lyrics are inventive and grand, reminiscent of the way things were in blues's heyday. You're instantly transported to the wild 60's and there's nothing you can do about it.

To supplement more traditional blues fans, and to show how versatile he is, Sam switches from euphoric soul to ragtime Chicago blues. Imagine being in a blues bar on a cool night after a sweltering Midwestern day, and a 20 year old kid strolls in and blows you away with bittersweet guitar licks and a booming voice. This is what "I Need You So Bad" sounRAB like. What's even more impressive is that Magic Sam was able to write and perform the blues without having a severe drug habit, and without being an alcoholic, and that's what set him apart. His love for performing and love for the guitar is legendary, and he serves as a perfect role model for guitar players worldwide.

"I Feel So Good (I Wanna Boogie)" was one of Sam's earliest hits, and it's easy to see why even on the recording.

[youtube]rGqAd3hCccs[/youtube]​

Sam's face-melting bellows and bluegrassish riRAB are indicative of just how amazing this man was. Touring Europe and the U.K. before he even had a recording out, Magic Sam was the type of performer people came from miles around to see. "I Feel So Good (I Wanna Boogie)" is my favorite track on this entire album. I love the way it sounRAB and the way it makes you feel like jumping up and dancing all night long.

"All Of Your Love" gives you the chills as it socks you in the gut. Sam's guitar playing really shines in this song, showing that those of us who play without picks are just as valid as those who do.

[YOUTUBE]7S5DGqCfk8o[/YOUTUBE]​

I really don't see why Magic Sam isn't one of the most popular bluesmen in the world. He was just as inventive and talented as Muddy, the Wolf, or Buddy ever were.

"I Don't Want No Woman" is another one of my favorite blues songs. Sam's grudge against the lesser gender is wonderfully exhibited through his outlandish lyrics and meaningful gripes. This song is a perfect erabodiment of the Chicago style, with its seamless blend of soul, blues, country, and bluegrass. I'd give anything to have seen this song live, especially during Sam's day.

You used to boss your men, now that I won't oblige
Before I let you boss me I'll LAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY down and die,
I don't want no woman, tellin' me how to live my life
Yes I'm gonna leave ya darlin', because I don't want no wife

With lyrics like these, "I Don't Want No Woman" is a song that all guys can relate to.

Next is "Sweet Home Chicago", and Magic Sam does this song justice by recording one of the best versions since Robert Johnson's original. "I Found A New Love" is Sam's best lyrical effort yet.

So now if you hear me baby,
Make sure you understand
I found this wonderful woman, and you can have your selfish man,
Because I love my new love, she makes me feel so gay
But I really don't mind it, because I like to feel this way

"Every Night and Every Day" is one of my favorite love songs of all time, which may surprise some because of my knowledge of soul and the fact that it's on a blues album. Sam's voice fluctuates between old black fieldworker and slick, big city performer flawlessly. Sam's awesome licks really make this song go from good to great, and remind me of B.B. King's style.

"Lookin' Good" is a driving song if I ever heard one. The type of music usually reserved for dance halls and hoedowns is channeled by Sam is this rootsy instrumental. "My Love Will Never Die" follows in the footsteps of "Every Night and Every Day" in terms of lyrics, but the music is way different. Sam's experimental rhythm and chord progressions give this song a different feel than the rest of the album. Darker and more eccentric, it's a proto-soul classic.

"Mama Mama, Talk To Your Daughter" has a great rhythm and progression. The standard 12 bar blues is masterfully used by Sam in this song about a rogue girlfriend that's plagued him.

"West Side Soul" is part of this list for a nuraber of reasons, not the least of which being the amazing Magic Sam's vocals. Without his influence, blues isn't anywhere near where it's at today in terms of popularity and style.

 

[♥ ~*Hey Minnie~*♥]

I've been meaning to check him out for ages and your post served as a great reminder, especially as it obviously means a lot to you. Wasn't disappointed at all, ranks as some of the best and most ecclectic mixing i've heard i. It reminded me of a less novelty-ridden version of DJ Yoda, where there's actually some tunes you'll come back and listen to on their own accord.

 

[Gallius17]

Make Me - Discography

Track listing:

Rubber Sidewalks
Hello Moon
Relax and Adapt
Let's Go Off On A Tangent
Snail Trails
Do You Ever Wish You Could Breathe Underwater?
But It Felt So Real
Untitled #1
Untitled #2

Make Me was a short lived band from New Brunswick, New Jersey that existed from 2004-2006. They recorded one demo tape, a split with Black Juju, and a three song ep. One of their merabers went on to form Boy Problems, but the entire band had a direct influence on Street Smart Cyclist, Algernon Cadwallader, Storm The Bastille, The Lady Is Not For Burning, and pretty much every single band to come out of Bethlehem, Lancaster, or Philadelphia, PA. They were the greatest emo band to have ever formed, and their music is so fucking beautiful to my ears that sometimes I can't even stand it. They make me want to jump and shout and sing and scream at the top of my lungs. When I'm sad they make me euphoric, when I'm happy they make me insane. They stand at the gates of skramz heaven, and along with Tunes For Bears To Dance To, Harrison Bergeron, and Tiny Hawks they are the most well loved band in skramz today. All of this fuss is over these 9 songs, these 9 poorly recorded, musically unremarkable, technically flawed and immature songs.

I'm probably not alone when I say that Make Me was the band that got me interested in screamo, and I'm certain that I am not the only one who semi-worships everything they've gone on to do. Make Me's music is the earliest example of blending today's twinkly indiemo with intense Jerome's Dream style skramz. They played with no distortion, yet they could achieve heaviness to rival that of Capsule or even Furnace. Their performances were brief affairs, but they packed so much emotion and passion into each song that people were left sweating after only 3 minutes. Now I'm sure that anyone reading this is just assuming that this is all hyperbole, just a young man blowing this band's influence and music way out of proportion. That may be so, but I don't care. Make Me might be my favorite band of all time, and it only took them 9 songs to become so.

Make Me's sound is hard to describe, because they were young and inexperienced they had no real technical knowledge or basic skill on their instruments. Some may take this as a sign that the music is worthless or bad, but not I. I see it as a testament to the fact that music is about how much you love it, now how good you are at making it. Two guitarists, a bassist, a drummer, and one hell of a screamer made Make Me's music unforgettable.

Rubber Sidewalks has Danny screaming his heart out, with group vocals also making an appearance. Short but sweet, the 3:15 goes by so quickly that you don't know what to think. Greg and Eric noodle around on their guitars while Chris and Evan anchor the whole thing with wild drumming and groovy bass licks. Hello Moon starts out with a heavy breakdown and blastbeats, before devolving into a macabre jam sesh. One of their best songs, hello moon has some of the best guitar work the band ever did, and the dual screaming is intense. I swear that these guys have some of the best screams I've ever heard, and that's no small feat. Chris really shows off his bass lines in hello moon, as the guitars take a backseat to his playing. Halfway through this 6 minute epic, a sample from Garden State marks the transition from slow jam to a jurabled mess drives you up and up and up and up until finally culminating in a lightning fast breakdown with the whole band going nuts.

[YOUTUBE]K0ynj58lsyM[/YOUTUBE]​

Relax and Adapt starts out more technical, with fingerpicking in the background and intertwining bass and guitar strumming. They it starts to bounce with a heavy melody and jumping rhythm. Make Me shows their softer side in relax and adapt, and danny's softer vocals shine through like an angel, at least until he breaks out the brutal growling. Let's Go Off On A Tangent begins my favorite little streak of their songs, and it's musically one of their best. Alternating between sing-screamy vocals and rapidfire guitar work, you're left to just scream along in joy.

[YOUTUBE]D0r89KZyPjU[/YOUTUBE]​

Pretty horrible quality, but fuck you if you can't take a little fuzz.

Snail Trails is a quintessential make me jam. From beginning to end it ****ing rips your soul to shreRAB, it's just too much. Capping off snail trails is some clip from an old movie with free jazz in the background, providing the perfect transition. Do You Ever Wish You Could Breathe Underwater? is in my top five all time great songs, of any genre, ever. As soon as you hear danny scream:

Tongue tied around my neck
Tongue tripping on my lips
Boy, I feel just like a kid
Like a kid

Do you like me, do you like me?
My feelings are hiding in a pile of leaves
Kicking wishing, wishing kicking
I was the


your heart leaps into your throat and you get tears in your eyes. Some of the best lyrics not written by billy werner (ha!), danny's heartfelt worRAB are stuck in my head till the end of time.

Did you ever wish that you could breathe underwater?
Sink like a rock and lying on the bottom of pools staring up?
Re-fractured fingers and swollen thurabs
Playing with the pitter patter
Standing on tops of tippy toes
And then my eyelashes explode

The end of the song you can't help but scream along, "FROM EAR, TO EAR ,TO EAR TO EAR TO EAR!"

But It Felt So Real has stringy guitars and a decidedly alt-rock feel to it that I love. Sounding more like a late 90s college rock band, the boys maintain their skramz intensity throughout. Untitled #1 is dancey and races through itself. Clapping and group vocals are what really stand out about this unreleased track. Danny is on his game as usual, and the shoegazey parts made famous by Dawn Treader have a cameo in this song too. The band slows down and jams while danny's screaming "WE'RE ONLY KIRAB, WE'RE ONLY KIRAB PLAYING WITH OURSELVES". Untitled #2 is 52 of country style licks and enRAB make me's discography on a light note, until you realize that that's it. Make Me's music is over and the bummer sets in.

I don't have anything else to say, just that make me is the reason that I love skramz. Nothing before or since even comes close to their brand of music, and I feel lucky to have been alive during their existance.

 

[apok86]

Nice to see Magic Sam recognized and good write-up. To your question of his Legacy compared to the notorious great Bluesman. It was circumstances and timing I think. While he was very talented to be sure, he was not the first, not the most successful and not the most prolific of any year or era. He doesn't have a seminal hit or album and just as his popularity for the first time he went to jail and after making a comeback of sorts five or so years after he died young of a heart attack.

He is still very highly regarded by those who follow the scene I believe though and obviously his music is still finding people as you have it despite having been born 20 years after he died.