Hear Me Out: Degree of Difficulty
One of the year's most anticipated releases has to be the upcoming third album from New Yorker art-rockers Vampire Weekend. Their light, unassuming style of indie rock has endeared them to bloggers and TV ad execs alike; their sophomore album, 2010's Contra, actually debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts upon release (not a smash hit as it was released on a quiet January Tuesday, but a #1 nonetheless). Now, as we near the third album's spring release, a few buzzwords are being thrown around in relation to it. Darker. Organic. Nocturnal.
Whether this bodes well for the sound of the record is to be determined, but it got me thinking. Throughout modern history, bands have often made bold moves, twists in their artistic story arc that have polarized fans, critics and label heads. For many bands, this act of commercial defiance happens at a certain specific point in their careers.
The "difficult" third album.
Third albums have often intrigued and thrilled me, especially when a band is preparing it in the afterglow of commercial or critical acceptance. When a band makes a stand for their art, be it for personal satisfaction or career security, there's rarely a time in a band's career when they're so honest and upfront with their musical intentions. The proof is in the pudding, so they say; here are ten of modern rock's best examples of "difficult" third albums.
NOTE: The following albums have a supplemental "degree of difficulty" score, loosely judged on its feel and mood compared to albums by the same artist that preceded it and its overall willingness to play by traditional rock rules. It's also on a 1 to 10 scale as I don't know how these things work in diving and I'm not about to watch any Olympic replays for research's sake.
NIRVANA
In Utero
Released: September 13, 1993
Degree of Difficulty: 8.0
How do you follow a snarling punk-infused collage of abrasion that somehow, someway became the multi-platinum smash hit soundtrack for a generation? Start by getting Steve Albini's gutteral, bottom-heavy production skills on board. Then, throw on visual and lyrical references to women's anatomy and fetuses. Oh hell, throw on a song called Rape Me and try to get it released as a single. The entire Nirvana catalog is stuff of legend thanks to a fateful shotgun blast, but let's not get it twisted; In Utero was a dense, thick mess, a sonic afterbirth of blood, agony and heroin. It made people uncomfortable, and it made people who climbed on the Nevermind express with their $50 boutique flannel recoil in disgust. Its difficulty was near-perfect in its execution; just listening to the "solo" from Milk It tells you all you really need to know.
PEARL JAM
Vitalogy
Released: December 6, 1994
Degree of Difficulty: 6.5
A quick glance at Vitalogy's tracklist would lead a fairweather fan to think it's a fine, straightforward album, home to some of the band's most enduring hits. That's absolutely true; Corduroy, Better Man, Nothingman and Immortality are all radio and live staples for the band. However, peel back the layers and you'll find plenty of decidedly less straightforward songs pumping blood to the album's heart.
Pearl Jam have never been as incendiary as they were on the freak punk sprint Spin The Black Circle which, may I remind you, was Vitalogy's lead single. Not For You, Whipping, Last Exit and Satan's Bed all positively seethe; they're the vodka in the hits' virgin punch. And then, there's the really weird shit. For a band that's never shied away from an off-kilter interlude or spastic oddity, they've never gone quite as off the rails as they did with Heyfoxymophandlemamathat'sme; an excruciating collage of odd noises and samples from an interview with a mental patient, it's a mind-numbingly bizarre, wholly frightening piece of work that's a chore to appreciate even for a diehard like me.
If that weren't enough to scare off the fairweather fans, Eddie grabbed his accordion and cranked out Bugs, a song designed to piss the label off if ever there was one.
SMASHING PUMPKINS
Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness
Released: October 24, 1995
Degree of Difficulty: 7.0
Billy Corgan is probably the definition of difficulty; he's always done excatly what he's felt like, be it grunge, folk, full-blown metal, stoner sludge, baroque or electro-pop. On the follow-up to his band's breakthrough Siamese Dream, he put all these genres and more to work. A sprawling double album that comprises less than half of what was recorded for it, Mellon Collie is a marathon with more twists than an M. Night Shyamalan flick and more flavours than a grocery store. Rather than risk being pigeonholed as a grunge artist, Corgan opted to be everybody at the same time. It's nearly impossible to find someone who loves it all, but it's an equally vain task to not find something that transcends expectations on Mellon Collie. The album's difficulty lies in its massive scope, but this also makes its rewards so much sweeter to be found.
ALICE IN CHAINS
Alice In Chains
Released: November 7, 1995
Degree of Difficulty: 7.5
Long beyond the point of no return with his addictions, Layne Staley hardly sounds human on Alice In Chains' third album. Piercing like a needle into the vein, this record's relentless and unflinching sluggishness wasn't exactly marketable in the post-Cobain landscape. Even when the tempos pick up as they do on Again, there's precious seldom joy to be had from listening to Staley's addictions manifest on record. When in the right headspace, Alice In Chains is a dense, sonically superior record to Dirt. But, within the context of their careers and lives, it's the darkest and most hopeless chapter for a band renowned for being dark and hopeless.
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS
Tiny Music... Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop
Released: March 26, 1996
Degree of Difficulty: 9.0
There's a fine line between artistic breakthrough and commercial suicide; just ask Stone Temple Pilots. Riding a wave of goodwill straight into a tsunami of excess, Stone Temple Pilots' sound went from hooky, melodic hard rock to hazy, flat psychedelia in two short years. A couple of passable singles notwithstanding, Tiny Music is the sound of a band fragmenting artistically, trying to transcend their strengths by piling on layers upon layers that just can't cover up the failings associated with making a highly anticipated record while fucked up on drugs. Though it does have it's moments, Tiny Music will be remembered as the record that grounded the Pilots for good.
RADIOHEAD
OK Computer
Released: May 21, 1997
Degree of Difficulty: 9.5
In an attempt to throw off the scent to the rabid British tastemakers who heaped praise upon The Bends, Radiohead took a sharp left turn onto Difficulty Lane with OK Computer. A record filled with tension, paranoia and downright scary execution, it worked wonders to distance Radiohead from their blander Britrock peers. However, in doing so, it created a monster; over fifteen years later it's considered a disappointment when Radiohead puts out a record that doesn't redefine the rules and turn the rock world on its head. In that respect, OK Computer did perhaps too good a job at being difficult; its #1 debut upon US release in July 1997 coupled with its legendary status among fans and critics alike prove that, at least for a while, difficult was cool.
WILCO
Summerteeth
Released: March 9, 1999
Degree of Difficulty: 6.5
In an effort to get out from under the shadow of "alt-country" that was tentatively started on previous record Being There, Wilco kicked up the endeavour big time with Summerteeth. Bearing fits of noise rock and abstract lyrics that would be perfected on their next album, Summerteeth still earns its stripes as a difficult third album based on its relative inaccessibility and dark subject matter, particularly on the chilling Via Chicago. It also marks perhaps the first reference to Jeff Tweedy's then-developing drug habit in A Shot In The Arm, a song that would have sounded far less menacing on either of the band's previous two albums.
NINE INCH NAILS
The Fragile
Released: September 21, 1999
Degree of Difficulty: 6.0
The combination of maturity and drug addiction made for a fairly sombre third album by Trent Reznor. Long known for his dangerous, unhinged live shows and five years removed from his unstable masterpiece The Downward Spiral, The Fragile is the only album on this list that qualifies as "difficult" for not being abrasive. Sure, there are some menacing moments to be found, but the bulk of The Fragile's 100+ minutes is concerned with stark, simple soundscapes; the Reznor knack for instrumentation and bombast that's old hat for him now really came into focus for the first time here. The rocking numbers seemed a bit contrived, and the quieter moments seemed too plentiful. The Fragile can be looked back upon now as an important part of Reznor's catalogue, but in 1999 it cost him a legion of ripped fishnet and black lipstick wearing fans.
BRAND NEW
The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me
Released: November 20, 2006
Degree of Difficulty: 9.0
Making headway into the mainstream's affections with smart, edgy emo-tinged rock made Brand New a highly sought after commodity in the ever so rapidly disintegrating music industry of the mid aughts. When Interscope won the right to sign the band, how could they have possibly known Brand New's first album on a major would be so damned difficult? There are very few hooks to be found on The Devil And God, long devoured and left to rot by pummeling riffs, crushing despair and maddening impenetrability. Longstanding teenage themes of love and heartbreak are usurped by grown-up insecurities and an unflinching portrayal of loss and suffering. They didn't sell many T-shirts for Hot Topic, but you can be damn sure they got a career out of the deal.
ARCTIC MONKEYS
Humbug
Released: August 19, 2009
Degree of Difficulty: 8.0
Whether it was a calculated effort to distance themselves from hype or simply the aftereffects of spending too much time with Josh Homme in the desert, Arctic Monkeys' third album abandoned any sense of who they were for the four years previous and reimagined them as stoner slackers, stuffing themselves with LSD and going on a spirit walk. Deliriously awash in its own bong water, Humbug tanked commercially, forcing them to re-establish themselves as contenders on their following record. Ultimately, though, you have to hand it to Humbug; as wildly different as it is from what came before, it positioned Arctic Monkeys as a band you can never be too sure you know what to expect from.
Whether this bodes well for the sound of the record is to be determined, but it got me thinking. Throughout modern history, bands have often made bold moves, twists in their artistic story arc that have polarized fans, critics and label heads. For many bands, this act of commercial defiance happens at a certain specific point in their careers.
The "difficult" third album.
Third albums have often intrigued and thrilled me, especially when a band is preparing it in the afterglow of commercial or critical acceptance. When a band makes a stand for their art, be it for personal satisfaction or career security, there's rarely a time in a band's career when they're so honest and upfront with their musical intentions. The proof is in the pudding, so they say; here are ten of modern rock's best examples of "difficult" third albums.
NOTE: The following albums have a supplemental "degree of difficulty" score, loosely judged on its feel and mood compared to albums by the same artist that preceded it and its overall willingness to play by traditional rock rules. It's also on a 1 to 10 scale as I don't know how these things work in diving and I'm not about to watch any Olympic replays for research's sake.
In Utero
Released: September 13, 1993
Degree of Difficulty: 8.0
How do you follow a snarling punk-infused collage of abrasion that somehow, someway became the multi-platinum smash hit soundtrack for a generation? Start by getting Steve Albini's gutteral, bottom-heavy production skills on board. Then, throw on visual and lyrical references to women's anatomy and fetuses. Oh hell, throw on a song called Rape Me and try to get it released as a single. The entire Nirvana catalog is stuff of legend thanks to a fateful shotgun blast, but let's not get it twisted; In Utero was a dense, thick mess, a sonic afterbirth of blood, agony and heroin. It made people uncomfortable, and it made people who climbed on the Nevermind express with their $50 boutique flannel recoil in disgust. Its difficulty was near-perfect in its execution; just listening to the "solo" from Milk It tells you all you really need to know.
Vitalogy
Released: December 6, 1994
Degree of Difficulty: 6.5
A quick glance at Vitalogy's tracklist would lead a fairweather fan to think it's a fine, straightforward album, home to some of the band's most enduring hits. That's absolutely true; Corduroy, Better Man, Nothingman and Immortality are all radio and live staples for the band. However, peel back the layers and you'll find plenty of decidedly less straightforward songs pumping blood to the album's heart.
Pearl Jam have never been as incendiary as they were on the freak punk sprint Spin The Black Circle which, may I remind you, was Vitalogy's lead single. Not For You, Whipping, Last Exit and Satan's Bed all positively seethe; they're the vodka in the hits' virgin punch. And then, there's the really weird shit. For a band that's never shied away from an off-kilter interlude or spastic oddity, they've never gone quite as off the rails as they did with Heyfoxymophandlemamathat'sme; an excruciating collage of odd noises and samples from an interview with a mental patient, it's a mind-numbingly bizarre, wholly frightening piece of work that's a chore to appreciate even for a diehard like me.
If that weren't enough to scare off the fairweather fans, Eddie grabbed his accordion and cranked out Bugs, a song designed to piss the label off if ever there was one.
Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness
Released: October 24, 1995
Degree of Difficulty: 7.0
Billy Corgan is probably the definition of difficulty; he's always done excatly what he's felt like, be it grunge, folk, full-blown metal, stoner sludge, baroque or electro-pop. On the follow-up to his band's breakthrough Siamese Dream, he put all these genres and more to work. A sprawling double album that comprises less than half of what was recorded for it, Mellon Collie is a marathon with more twists than an M. Night Shyamalan flick and more flavours than a grocery store. Rather than risk being pigeonholed as a grunge artist, Corgan opted to be everybody at the same time. It's nearly impossible to find someone who loves it all, but it's an equally vain task to not find something that transcends expectations on Mellon Collie. The album's difficulty lies in its massive scope, but this also makes its rewards so much sweeter to be found.
Alice In Chains
Released: November 7, 1995
Degree of Difficulty: 7.5
Long beyond the point of no return with his addictions, Layne Staley hardly sounds human on Alice In Chains' third album. Piercing like a needle into the vein, this record's relentless and unflinching sluggishness wasn't exactly marketable in the post-Cobain landscape. Even when the tempos pick up as they do on Again, there's precious seldom joy to be had from listening to Staley's addictions manifest on record. When in the right headspace, Alice In Chains is a dense, sonically superior record to Dirt. But, within the context of their careers and lives, it's the darkest and most hopeless chapter for a band renowned for being dark and hopeless.
Tiny Music... Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop
Released: March 26, 1996
Degree of Difficulty: 9.0
There's a fine line between artistic breakthrough and commercial suicide; just ask Stone Temple Pilots. Riding a wave of goodwill straight into a tsunami of excess, Stone Temple Pilots' sound went from hooky, melodic hard rock to hazy, flat psychedelia in two short years. A couple of passable singles notwithstanding, Tiny Music is the sound of a band fragmenting artistically, trying to transcend their strengths by piling on layers upon layers that just can't cover up the failings associated with making a highly anticipated record while fucked up on drugs. Though it does have it's moments, Tiny Music will be remembered as the record that grounded the Pilots for good.
OK Computer
Released: May 21, 1997
Degree of Difficulty: 9.5
In an attempt to throw off the scent to the rabid British tastemakers who heaped praise upon The Bends, Radiohead took a sharp left turn onto Difficulty Lane with OK Computer. A record filled with tension, paranoia and downright scary execution, it worked wonders to distance Radiohead from their blander Britrock peers. However, in doing so, it created a monster; over fifteen years later it's considered a disappointment when Radiohead puts out a record that doesn't redefine the rules and turn the rock world on its head. In that respect, OK Computer did perhaps too good a job at being difficult; its #1 debut upon US release in July 1997 coupled with its legendary status among fans and critics alike prove that, at least for a while, difficult was cool.
Summerteeth
Released: March 9, 1999
Degree of Difficulty: 6.5
In an effort to get out from under the shadow of "alt-country" that was tentatively started on previous record Being There, Wilco kicked up the endeavour big time with Summerteeth. Bearing fits of noise rock and abstract lyrics that would be perfected on their next album, Summerteeth still earns its stripes as a difficult third album based on its relative inaccessibility and dark subject matter, particularly on the chilling Via Chicago. It also marks perhaps the first reference to Jeff Tweedy's then-developing drug habit in A Shot In The Arm, a song that would have sounded far less menacing on either of the band's previous two albums.
The Fragile
Released: September 21, 1999
Degree of Difficulty: 6.0
The combination of maturity and drug addiction made for a fairly sombre third album by Trent Reznor. Long known for his dangerous, unhinged live shows and five years removed from his unstable masterpiece The Downward Spiral, The Fragile is the only album on this list that qualifies as "difficult" for not being abrasive. Sure, there are some menacing moments to be found, but the bulk of The Fragile's 100+ minutes is concerned with stark, simple soundscapes; the Reznor knack for instrumentation and bombast that's old hat for him now really came into focus for the first time here. The rocking numbers seemed a bit contrived, and the quieter moments seemed too plentiful. The Fragile can be looked back upon now as an important part of Reznor's catalogue, but in 1999 it cost him a legion of ripped fishnet and black lipstick wearing fans.
The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me
Released: November 20, 2006
Degree of Difficulty: 9.0
Making headway into the mainstream's affections with smart, edgy emo-tinged rock made Brand New a highly sought after commodity in the ever so rapidly disintegrating music industry of the mid aughts. When Interscope won the right to sign the band, how could they have possibly known Brand New's first album on a major would be so damned difficult? There are very few hooks to be found on The Devil And God, long devoured and left to rot by pummeling riffs, crushing despair and maddening impenetrability. Longstanding teenage themes of love and heartbreak are usurped by grown-up insecurities and an unflinching portrayal of loss and suffering. They didn't sell many T-shirts for Hot Topic, but you can be damn sure they got a career out of the deal.
Humbug
Released: August 19, 2009
Degree of Difficulty: 8.0
Whether it was a calculated effort to distance themselves from hype or simply the aftereffects of spending too much time with Josh Homme in the desert, Arctic Monkeys' third album abandoned any sense of who they were for the four years previous and reimagined them as stoner slackers, stuffing themselves with LSD and going on a spirit walk. Deliriously awash in its own bong water, Humbug tanked commercially, forcing them to re-establish themselves as contenders on their following record. Ultimately, though, you have to hand it to Humbug; as wildly different as it is from what came before, it positioned Arctic Monkeys as a band you can never be too sure you know what to expect from.
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