I see you've posted this multiple times now. Am I the only one who doesn't like this album? I'm a huge Spiritualized fan, and their show at Sasquatch last year was outstanding, but most of the songs on the new album sound like different interpretations of other songs. Everything sounds familiar, just a bit different.
It didn't make my top 20 of 2012, and I hear what you're saying about everything sounding familiar, but the good songs (about half of them) are really fucking good. I've never seen 'em and am especially stroked for some live 'I Am What I Am', 'Headin' For the Top Now', and 'Get What You Deserve' on their upcoming tour.
Oh dude, Heathen is fucking excellent. And not just from the standpoint of the kind of Bowie apologist who swears by Earthling. It's really, really good.
Been Doing My Homework! (instead of my real homework)
The Residents- Mark of the Mole The Residents- Eskimo The Residents- Demons Dance Alone The Residents- Gingerbread Man The Residents- Animal Lover
So, none of these babies dissappoint. But, if I had to pick, I'd say Mark of the Mole, Demons Dance Alone and Animal Lover are my favorites- OH GOD YEAH. So, where do I go from here Granny?
Hmmm. If DDA and AL are working for you, I might suggest The Bunny Boy. It's from roughly the same era (mid to late 00's) and, like those two, is more song-based than some. It's relatively melodic and has several of those lovely moments that typify Demons Dance Alone and Animal Lover. For something kind-of-but-not-really in the same vein, check out the recent Lonely Teenager, which contains studio recordings of the live versions of a couple of songs from their last tour. Current guitarist Nolan Cook is at the top of his game on both of these.
If you have a hankering for more Mole music, don't forget that there is in fact more Mole music. The Intermission EP is a fan favorite; it's lean and mean, and it has what I think are some of their most interesting textures -- as well as one of my personal favorite Rz chunes, 'Would We Be Alive?'.
The chunes of Two Cities is also a fascinating thing and tends to click with many Rz noobs (for reasons that I don't claim to understand, but hey, what do I know?). It's an instrumental album; the tracks alternate between the music of the two warring cultures represented on the Mark of the Mole album. The music of the Chubs is airy and slight, and showcases the compositional prowess of the Sound Architect -- particularly 'Smack Your Lips (Clap Your Teeth)', which boasts a blistering guitar solo from the dear departed Philip 'Snakefinger' Lithman. The music of the Moles expands on the sound palette explored on MotM -- it conjures the image of titanic machinery turning and turning deep underground, and it features some mind-bending multi-timbral vocals (headphones not optional).
I should also mention that, when listening to The Gingerbread Man, it's important to remember that that is music from one of their pioneering experiments in the CD-ROM format; by its nature, Gingerbread Man is meant to be a more open-ended listening experience than a CD will allow. There's some powerful stuff (particularly 'The Aging Musician' -- that spare, spectral guitar solo electrifies my spine every god damn time), but a lot of the material there can be difficult to make heads or tails of without the benefit of the corresponding visuals.
Sufjan Stevens - Come On Feel the Illinoise! Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz Yo La Tengo - Fade Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass Yo La Tengo - Summer Sun Serafina Steer - The Moths Are Real
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