Concert: Phish (11/27)

When Phish announced the tour dates for their 2009 Fall Tour, I immediately requested tickets for the two Albany shows since they were the two that I could feasibly get to. I was hopeful that we would get tickets to both shows and worried we wouldn’t get any. Thankfully I lucked out and won tickets to one of the shows, the first of the two nights. So last night my Dad, Charlie, and I all got together for the 2 and a half hour drive to upstate New York.

The venue, by the time the show started, was absolutely packed and the energy was palpable. Our seats were located directly behind the stage. At first I thought it would suck being behind the stage but it was actually a very cool experience that I had no problems with. Sure it’s not as exciting as being on the floor 20 feet from Trey, but it was still a blast. I had an excellent view of the whole band, especially Page.

The band opened up the first set with “AC/DC Bag” and “Maze”, which together made up a killer opening. The last three songs of the set were also incredible (a great jam in “Limb by Limb”, “Cavern”, and “Light”). “Light” in particular was interesting, with the band creating essentially a huge wall of sound and letting it drone for the last minute of the song.

As fun as the first set was, the second set is where things got really interesting. The highlight for me was an impressive “Fluffhead” into “Piper” that together made up some of the most interesting jams of the night. The crowd went absolutely crazy during “Suzy Greenberg”, which was another highlight of the night (and I believe the picture at the top of the page is from that song). Page gave us a great treat during “The Squirming Coil”. The band had left the stage for the encore break but Page just kept playing. And playing. And playing. He jammed for at least a couple minutes before the rest of the band finally came back on stage to play one more number with him before leaving together for the encore. They ended the show with a cover of the Jimi Hendrix song “Fire”.

All in all it was an incredible night. The setlist was quite interesting, playing some songs for the first time (like a cover of the TV on the Radio song “Golden Age”) and bringing out some rarities. That coupled with excellent jams and an excited audience made this a night to remember.

Set 1:

1. AC/DC Bag
2. Maze
3. Driver
4. My Mind’s Got a Mind of Its Own
5. Gumbo
6. Bouncing Around the Room
7. It’s Ice
8. Two Versions of Me
9. Timber
10. Limb by Limb
11. Cavern
12. Light

Set 2

1. My Friend, My Friend
2. Golden Age
3. On Your Way Down
4. Fluffhead
5. Piper
6. Tomorrow’s Song
7. Prince Caspian
8. Harry Hood
9. Suzy Greenberg
10. The Squirming Coil
11. I Been Around

Encore: Fire

Review: “Addicted” (Devin Townsend Project)

Devin Townsend has won a sizable and devoted fanbase due to the eclectic nature of his releases. He’s released progressive metal, extreme/industrial metal, and even ambient under the various projects he has spearheaded. The Devin Townsend Project was formed after he took a brief hiatus from music writing, and it has promised to combine all of the various elements of his sound under one name. The first release earlier this year, Ki, was a soft progressive rock album. Addicted on the other hand, while still being described as “melodic”, was also promised to be “much heavier”.

And indeed it is, “Addicted!” starts off the album with Devin’s trademark wall of sound production and some pretty heavy riffs that chug along for most of the five minute song. This isn’t as extreme as his work with Strapping Young Lad, but it still has quite a bit of chunk. “Universe in a Ball!” continues this heavy, thick, almost groove metal like sound and it isn’t until “Bend It Like Bender!” that the pop element really started to shine through. As strange as it is to describe, it really does feel like a metal song that one could move to on a dance floor. The female vocals done by Anneke van Giersbergen are well used and add to this unique atmosphere. “Supercrush!” continues this dance metal theme, with such blatantly popish elements that one can’t help but smile.

“Hyperdrive!” is a re-recording of a song from one of Devin’s other albums that I haven’t listened to, so I can’t compare it to the original. I can say, however, that it is one of the highlights of Addicted. Anneke’s voice really shines here, and the song as a whole has a very anthemic quality to it. “Resolve!” continues this heavy sound, while “Ih-Ah!” provides a very welcome change of pace by slowing things up and bringing in the clean guitar and piano. It’s a standout track that is definitely one of the highlights of the album. Devin and Anneke harmonizing each other is truly a beautiful thing to here.

“The Way Home!” builds off of the previous track while still remaining less harsh and more melodic than the opening songs. “Numbered!” is of the same style, and “Awake!!” (yes, that’s two exclamation points for a change) ends the album in epic fashion by slowing things up near the end with an electronic/ambient section to end the album.

Overall I found this release to be a little bit weaker than Ki, simply because for the most part it sticks to one sound throughout. However, that being said, it’s still a solid album. Even though the songs my blend together, it’s still a fun and interesting sound that he has found for this album, so it’s definitely worth a listen for any Devin Townsend fan.

Rating: 3.5/5

1. Addicted!   [5:36]
2. Universe in a Ball!   [4:08]
3. Bend It Like Bender!   [3:36]
4. Supercrush!   [5:11]
5. Hyperdrive!   [3:34]
6. Resolve!   [3:11]
7. Ih-Ah!   [3:44]
8. The Way Home!   [3:13]
9. Numbered!   [4:54]
10. Awake!!   [9:44]

Review: “Axe to Fall” (Converge)

Frequently cited as being at the forefront of the hardcore/metal scene, Converge has attracted my interest as of late. However, I found their “masterpiece” Jane Doe hard to sink my teeth into. I enjoy it, but I find myself coming up short as to why it’s so praised. Nevertheless, my interest in the band was great enough that when I heard Converge was preparing to release a new album, I took notice. To say the least, Axe to Fall has convinced me that Converge deserves every ounce of the praise they enjoy.

There’s a wide variety of sounds on this release. “Dark Horse” (one of my favorites of the album) and “Reap What You Sow” are pummeling slabs of metalcore that start off the album fast and furiously. This isn’t just a 42 minute shredfest, however. Plenty of slower numbers change things up and provide the album with a progressive tinge. “Worms Will Feed/Rats Will Feast” is the first track to employ this slower style and it does so to great effect, impressing the listener with its grinding brutality. “Damages”, another highlight, is also on the slower side of things. And then there’s the closer, “Wretched World”, which ends the album on an extremely high note with its unique feel and structure.

The playing ability of the band members is undeniable. Look no further than the furious shred on the title track to experience some breathtaking fretwork, while the drummer manages to throw in some great fills while sustaining the breakneck tempo throughout the album. The rest of the musicians in the band also manage to impress. The only really gripe I would have would be is with the singer. His shouts are undeniably brutal and usually suit the music well, but they do become slightly monotonous after a while. Overall though they are completely tolerable and do not take away from the experience.

To be blunt, this is essential listening for any metalcore/post-hardcore/hardcore punk/mathcore fan. Axe to Fall is an exhilarating album filled to the brim with aggressiveness, talent, variety, and impressive songwriting. Not to be missed!

Rating: 4.5/5

1. Dark Horse   [2:55]
2. Reap What You Sow   [2:39]
3. Axe to Fall   [1:41]
4. Effigy   [1:43]
5. Worms Will Feed/Rats Will Feast   [5:53]
6. Wishing Well   [2:50]
7. Damages   [4:26]
8. Losing Battle   [1:47]
9. Dead Beat   [2:36]
10. Cutter   [1:40]
11. Slave Driver   [2:48]
12. Cruel Bloom   [4:02]
13. Wretched World   [7:11]

Oh…wow

It’s been a full week since I’ve posted, hasn’t it? Ugh what can I say, life is miserably busy right now and I’m doing very little music related stuff (whether it be listening to new releases, practicing, recording, or writing). Maybe I’ll write a review this weekend, since I have Monday off and not too much homework so I therefore shouldn’t be too busy for the next couple of days.

Personal life is kind of all over the place right now, which means that my mind isn’t really thinking much about music when I have free time (everyone was in high school at one point…I’m sure you know what I’m talking about). That being said I’m hoping things will work out in the next week or two, which would stabilize my mood and let me concentrate more on other things.

And of course…PHISH CONCERT IN THREE FUCKING WEEKS!!! Honestly, I’m looking forward to this so much. It’s nice knowing that no matter how much crazy shit might happen in the next couple weeks, I’ll have something to look forward to.

So yeah, sorry about the lack of anything interesting happening.