SOUND BITES

"I declare I don't care no more." There's the battle cry for Green Day's sophomoric sophomore album Dookie , a snotty and snarling bunch of quick ditties that duped a generation. Pop in punk's clothing, Dookie 's tunes are so masterfully executed that Green Day is allowed to push the tempo as high as they want while maintaining all of its melodic punch. A lot of us have forgotten (or were beaten into submission by their three-album opus in 2012), but there was a time when the approach was fresh and exciting; in a way, Dookie opened up the door for every pop/punk band you love or hate today. Of course, they'd move on to explore new sonic territory and tackle bigger issues as they began to fill stadiums, but there's something truly refreshing about going back to Dookie , when they had no world domination plans or interest in going outside of their musical comfort zone. This is part pure nostalgia and part pure adoration; no matter your opinion on ...

If there's one thing you can depend on when it comes to Les Claypool, it's that he never releases an album that isn't interesting. Best known for laying down the foundation of Primus' funk-metal groove (and renowned as one of the planet's premier bassists), Claypool often goes after a concept most artists wouldn't dream of. Exhibit A: Live Frogs Set 2 , released in 2001 (credited as Les Claypool's Frog Brigade). It's not just any old live album, but rather a complete and total cover of Pink Floyd's 1977 album Animals . Exhibit B: Four Foot Shack , wherein Claypool and guitarist Bryan Kehoe reinterpret songs from all eras of Claypool's discography (as well as a few covers) using only bass, guitar, vocals and stomping. It's certainly an interesting idea for an album, especially given just how varied and far-reaching Claypool's discography is; this isn't just a bunch of Primus songs redone with twang, it goes deep into Claypool'...

Remember way back in early January when I expressed disdain over the idea of the "greatest hits" album in this day and age? I opined in that piece that a collection of B-sides and unreleased tracks would make more sense for most fans of a band. Like clockwork, here's a collection of Gaslight Anthem B-sides, although its presentation proves just a bit misleading. Allow me to explain. Handwritten , Gaslight Anthem's fourth album, was a breakthrough success back in 2012; spurred by the strength of singles 45 and Here Comes My Man , it got the band a slew of new fans (and lost a few hipsters). The thing is, that was their first album on a major label; their previous two albums were released on indie outfit Side One Dummy, who's responsible for the release of this compilation. So, yes, this is a collection of B-sides. However, prefacing the title with "the" implies completion, so as to say "these are all of Gaslight Anthem's B-sides". Th...

Upon its original release twenty years ago today, there wasn't a lot of hoopla surrounding Alice in Chains' second EP. A tidy seven song package designed to hold over fans eagerly anticipating a follow-up to their breakthrough sophomore album Dirt , Alice in Chains' Jar of Flies certainly didn't feel like a major event. Thought of as a sombre addendum to Dirt and a baby brother to Sap (the 1992 EP that preceded Dirt ), it didn't strike anyone as more than a place for lighter and/or weaker material. We couldn't be blamed for lowered expectations; Sap , while home to a few worthy tracks, didn't take itself too seriously and didn't leave much of a lasting impression. However, Jar of Flies was soon discovered to be no mere stopgap release. The playing, acoustically leaning is it was, had the same weight as Dirt 's best moments; it's apparent from the opening seconds of Rotten Apple that real care was taken to give these songs not just a c...

If I may qualify this review with a slight disclaimer: I realize that, as a man in his late thirties, Young the Giant aren't trying to appeal to my tastes. Crafting the kind of hooky indie rock that seems aimed with laser-guided precision at modern alternative radio, their 2010 debut was borderline offensive in the safety of its execution. Like the "extreme" young fellow in the Mountain Dew commercial their biggest hit My Body soundtracks, their music likes to hang out in high places (albeit strapped with a helmet, knee pads and a triple-checked safety harness) and has the tendency of diving headlong into sugary sweetness. This isn't meant as a slight of their abilities; they're very good at the approach, and it's served them well with their target demographic. However, it doesn't make Mind Over Matter any less frustrating to listen to. Lead single It's About Time , with its added crunch and off-time beat, signaled the possibility of an album (and...

An album review is supposed to focus on the music, and ignore the surrounding chatter. However, it simply can't be done with an album such as Transgender Dysphoria Blues ; the surrounding chatter is the basis for the album. So yes, let's get it out of the way: Tom Gabel came out as Laura Jane Grace in 2012, and has been undergoing a medically assisted gender transition since. That said, Against Me!'s sixth album sees the "debut" of Laura on record. "Let's get it out of the way" seems to be Grace's motto on the album as well; the album's opener (the title track) most explicitly references her life and the issues that have arisen since making her decision public. And explicit it is, with Grace spitting venom at those who pass judgment on the subject without so much as asking questions. Her assertion is jarring in its bluntness, with lines like "they just see a faggot" and "you've got no cunt in your strut, you've g...

Let's get one thing straight right off the top; Bruce Springsteen doesn't owe music anything. With his legacy set in stone on the back of four decades of hard work, he's become not just the epitome of Jersey work ethic, but a veritable American icon. At the age of 64, he could easily be kicking his feet up on the couch or, worse, taking up a residency in Vegas. Of course, we know Bruce better than that; he'll likely be touring until the day he dies, and still managing three hour performances to boot. With that said, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Springsteen is releasing his eighteenth official studio album to kick off his fifth decade in the business. Although he's quick to point out that High Hopes isn't a new album proper, rather a collection of unreleased tracks, covers, and other hodgepodge that haven't found a loving home on one of his albums. Indeed, a look at the tracklist reveals songs that have been lounging around the Springsteen can...

If 2011's Mirror Traffic felt like a long lost Pavement album, it wasn't exactly coincidence. Released around the time of Pavement's reunion tour, it was the closest approximation to his former band's sound on record since they hung it up in the twilight of the 90's. It would certainly seem as though Stephen Malkmus took a few things away from the acclaim and success of Mirror Traffic , though Wig Out At Jagbags is certainly a more sonically dense and genre busting affair than its predecessor. That Malkmus permanent musical stamp (if you've been listening, you know it) is still there. There is plenty of flavour in the arrangements, with keys and horns all over parts of this record. But, where the extra seasoning might have come off as a little overbearing on Malkmus' more experimental releases, it seems to know and accept its place on Wig Out At Jagbags ; the best example is second half highlight Chartjunk , a song absolutely soaked in sound but ac...

So, Silversun Pickups announced a "singles collection" today. Now, I'm no expert on "singles" or "hits" compilations; even so, I've got to say this announcement threw me for a loop for a couple of reasons. For starters, isn't it a bit early for a band like Silversun Pickups to be given the "greatest hits" treatment? I know, I know, it's a "singles collection". But, come on; it looks like a greatest hits album, it smells like a greatest hits album, so on so forth. More importantly, though, are these really necessary entities in 2014? I mean, who is this album for? Casual fans who've already downloaded the singles they like or established fans who are expected to shill out $15 for one new song?