Jaye Jayle : " After Alter"

 

Jaye Jayle went from being Evan Patterson’s solo project that explored sounds outside of what he did in Young Widows, and has now become a full-fledged band. The opening track is minimalist in how it lingers on the verses. There are some interesting drum sounds, and the overall mix leans into the ambiance by giving all the instrumentation a great deal of open space, even when things begin to come together dynamically. If Josh Homme wrote songs for Queens of the Stone Age with no radio aspirations, the result might be similar. 

Things simmer with the dusky blues, not unlike the back alleys Nick Cave once took you down on "Doctor Green". The slinky drone of the song accompanies Pattereson's hushed baritone here. "Fear is Here" broods over a darker mood that still does not find the band conforming to the standard rock format, though not sure it should be called post-rock either, as it's more like the soundtrack to the smokey after-hours bar rather than cinematic splendor. " A Blackout" feels more like an attempt to rock out,  though it is more restrained, where rock music beats the chords with reckless abandon. The chorus kicks in more than the previous songs. Sections, where fuzzed-out overdrive is used, are mixed in a raw Sonic Youth-like fashion. They commit more to rocking out on this song than they have yet to do on this album. 

There is a doomier blues swagger to "Bloody Me". It's not the album's strongest song, but it works for what it is. Then they go back into a more Nick Cave mood, it's one of the shades this color alternates coloring itself with. This time around, it's darker than how it's previously been used, almost like Leonard Cohen's 90s output. He covers the Beatles' "HELP!", but slows things down into a smoky creep. It brings a more depressive slant to the old pop hit. This pace does drag the song out, but it's entertaining. The "Bloody Me" solo version sounds more like a Swans demo. I will give this album a 9, for it's vision and artistic direction, not an album that rocks out but an album that lurks within. 

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Doused in Mud, Soaked in Bleach : A Tribute to Nirvana

It's Record Store Day, since I haven't bought a physical album in 5 years, I'll at least review one that the few thousand of so of you who do might be thinking about purchasing. This is third and final Nirvana tribute from Robotic Empire takes on the debut album "Bleach" which was Nirvana's heaviest and darkest. Thou takes a blackened stab at "Floyd the Barber" which was the first Nirvana song I ever heard. The vocals are really the only change here as it's hard to make this one any heavier than it already was. Grind-coring it out would have not been a wise choice as it would have ruined the song's initial intentions. Philly rockers Beach Slang, do "About a Girl" justice, but it sounds like the Foo-Fighters covering it do to the singer's vocal range/inflections.

Boston's Basement rocks out a convincing version of  "School", one thing about album's like these I like is it gives you the chance to check out some bands that you might not have heard otherwise. One of the more mainstream band's on here is Circa Survive who cover "Love Buzz" . My band in high school also covered this song so it has a soft spot in my black heart. I think at 16 I prolly sang it in a similar tenor. Musically they ape this one almost too close for me to hear them as a band, though their emo Yes thing is toned down here and haven't listened to this band in about a decade. This Will Destroy You are not really an underground band any more, though the are closer to being than than post- My Space Circa Survive. They wised up an didn't try to make this just an instrumental or get too post- rock with it. The vocal sound like they weren't mic'ed but picked up on one of the drum mics as they recorded it. They come too close to being too hip for their own good here, but it all manages to work out at the end of the seven minutes.

Young Widows , who I have confused with True Widow more than once throw their instruments into "Negative Creep" and come across like Sonic Youth making some kind of drunken joke. The fun and games doesn't end their as Mean Jeans goes a smirking rendition of "Scoff". I suppose the irony in them scoffing at the song should not be lost.  Rob Crow from Pinback of course kills "Swap Meet".  Last year Crow said that he was quitting music so I guess not and can begin this is the gateway drug to another Pinback record. One band I'll gladly sacrifice in order to retain Rob Crow is Fall of Troy who covers "Mr Moustache". They have the right energy for this, but don't really bring much personality to the table. Speaking of energy there is a deficit of that in Big Hush's take on "Sifting" . Daughters come back and redeem this album with their on point version of "Big Cheese", which hits the right balance between being true to themselves and capturing the song. The Saddest Landscapes is more of themselves and less like Nirvana on "Downer'. Overall this album hits more than it misses, though some of these flubs I wouldn't want to listen to more than once, But I'll give this an 8.5 .


10.8
 

Various Artists : "Whatever Nevermind"

I like Nirvana. I don't put them on the same throne most do. I would throw away any magazine that use to have Kurt Cobain in their top whatever guitarists. He is nothing special in that department, a decent singer when he wanted to be which not consistent and a better song writer than actual musician. So don't hold "Nevermind" in some hallowed hall when it comes to a bunch of normally pretty cool bands covering it.

Young Widows starts off the album with the weight of the album's biggest song on their shoulder's and make it sound like they are covering Sonic Youth, a band judging by the cover they would have been more suited to handle. Torche would have been more capable with "Teen Spirit" since they hit a home run with their version of "In Bloom" . This should come as no surprise because some of their original material reminds me of the Foo-fighters. In fairness this song should have been given to Young Widows instead. Kylesa tackles "Come as You Are" Laura's vocal work really well. "Breed " is handled by post- hardcore vets Cave-in who do what they do well on this one.

Boris gets weird on "Lithium" before dooming it out. The doom parts work well, but the weirdness sacrifices the integrity of the verses. I was unsure about La Dispute getting one of the albums more melodic songs, but they handle it much better than expected. It was my first time hearing White Reaper who ripped into "Territorial Pissings" with over driven garage punk anger that was needed for the song. Surprisingly Circa Survive grew some balls and was able to not sound like gay Rush when they went after "Drain You".  Touche Amore shows that emo owes something to Nirvana. They also do a damn good job on "Lounge Act".

Another first for me was Wrong who proves themselves to me with their handling of  "Stay Away". They have a very Helmet vibe about them and their bass tone is awesome. It was also my first go around with Pygmy Lush who put their somewhat Brand New-ish sound to "On a Plain". I don't dislike these guys , but this could use some more balls, if Brand New had covered it the song would have had more balls. I know for a fact Nothing has some Nirvana influence so  this was the song I was looking forward to the most.It makes sense Thou would handle the heavier songs "Even in His Youth" and "Endless Nameless" , the first one is better than the second , but I think that is the same with the source material .  Overall it hits more than it misses. I 'll give it a 7.5