SOUND BITES

We all know that expression is the most important ingredient in art. We also know that, sometimes, the way an artist expresses themselves isn't what some would call "appropriate". Ever since the first person took offence to an artistic statement, there have been artists that revel in offending. Recently, Wakrat (side project featuring Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford) released their new single Generation Fucked, a snappy little tune with a nice groove. Oh, and 36 F-bombs. That got me thinking about this week's column, and what might make the cut on a list of the most explicit songs ever released. As it turns out, there are a lot of explicit songs, so I had to pare the list down somehow. With that in mind, the boundaries I set are as follows: a) No hip-hop or extreme metal. Low hanging fruit. b) No joke/novelty bands. Sorry, Tenacious D and Steel Panther. c) No album tracks. For inclusion on this list, a song has to have been released as ...

1991 was a really big, and kind of weird, year for rock music. The world was ushering in change in the form of technological advancements and social reforms, and the music world would soon follow suit. As the year progressed and the wave of hair metal had begun to run its course, a new and powerful force was on the rise. By year's end, it was clear that we were on the cusp of a true rock revolution, the likes of which hasn't been experienced again since. I turned 15 years old in 1991. By this time, I was already what I'd consider a music lover, but I hadn't yet figured out my musical identity. As a devoted member of Columbia House, I was hoarding cheap cassettes and quickly becoming not just a music fan, but also a collector. My tape collection was kind of impressive in size, but was stylistically scattered beyond any real sense of logic or reason (case in point: alongside my thriving collection of hair metal were albums by such classic pop/rap superstars as Vanilla...

(DISCLAIMER: The intent of this article is not to belittle the art of the double album, nor is the point to diminish the worth of the albums featured below. My goal is not to "fix" these albums, and I support the artists' decisions when it comes to how they present their art. Just so we're clear.) The double album: a career move meant to distinguish a batch of songs as something special. An artistic vision that simply can't be confined by standard definitions or time constraints. Many of our greatest musical landmarks run outside of the accepted parameters of what an album should be. Sometimes it's a grand statement, a series of musical moments strung together into something magical and cinematic. Other times, it's a way to express disparate emotions, a way to segregate when an artist is going for two distinct approaches at the same time. Sometimes it's simply a case of a creative outburst that grew too fast and too wild. Far be it for me t...

Fun fact #1: Tool has released zero records since 10,000 Days , some 122 months ago (and counting). Fun fact #2: Chevelle has released five records in the same time span. Fun fact #3: Evil Joe Baressi, who worked on 10,000 Days as an engineer/mixer, has produced the last three Chevelle records. Fun fact #4: This trilogy of records represents Chevelle's transition from mopey hard rock also-rans to no-holds-barred alt-metal juggernauts. The North Corridor takes the viciousness of La Gargola and dials back somewhat on that record's in-the-red fatigue, allowing the background flourishes that were once swallowed up by mastering to add to the music's overall feel; I can actually listen to this in my headphones without tapping out. While it makes no bones about its influences (Tool, Deftones, Alice In Chains, etc.), it refuses to be just a reasonable facsimile. It's also relentlessly heavy, with the Loeffler brothers cramming throat shredding screams, volcanic riffs and m...

It's getting harder and harder to keep track of Troy Sanders. Primarily known as bassist/vocalist for metal powerhouses Mastodon, Sanders was involved in 2014 supergroup Killer Be Killed, who released one of the finest metal releases of that year. Now, in addition to working on the seventh Mastodon record, he's released the debut EP by Gone Is Gone, another supergroup that features Troy Van Leeuwen (veteran of many bands himself, including A Perfect Circle and Queens of the Stone Age) and Tony Hajjar (drummer for At the Drive-In). This EP explores mostly non-metal territory, dealing more so in spacey, groove-laden hard rock. It's an intriguing introduction that shouldn't disappoint anyone familiar with the involved players. July 8, 2016 • Rise Records Highlights Violescent • Starlight • One Divided

Biffy Clyro deals in threes. A trio themselves, their discography leading up to Ellipsis is neatly divided into the prog-alt beginnings of their first three albums and the star-making stadium rock of the three that followed. So, perhaps by default, their seventh album marks a new beginning that would presumably set the stage for the next six to eight years of their career. The question, then, is "what Biffy era are we entering into here?" From the sounds of it, it's the glossy and modern era; Ellipsis is rife with studio trickery, from synths and vocal effects to electronic drums and children's choirs. It's a noticeably slick affair, especially when they're digging for radio gold, such as on the syrupy pop ballad Re-arrange . It's also a much more groovy, rhythm oriented record than we're used to getting from them, as evidenced by my uncontrollably tapping feet on the desert-soaked rocker Animal Style and the quasi-disco anthem Flammable . That said...

7  GOOD Now that it's been a couple years and change since Pixies' comeback bid Indie Cindy , maybe those fickle minded fans who poo-pooed the notion of Pixies without Kim Deal on bass have relaxed. For what it's worth, the first single from the forthcoming Head Carrier LP is perfectly serviceable, with a nimble and crunchy riff and some trademark Black Francis quirkiness. New bassist Paz Lenchantin (veteran of A Perfect Circle and Zwan among others) is suitable here, and her vocals gel well enough with Francis'. It's no Where Is My Mind or Wave of Mutilation , but what is? Take it for the light slice of punk-n-roll it is, and get stoked for the fall. Head Carrier is out September 30 on Pixies Music.

The raucous heavy blues debut by L.A. newcomers DOROTHY was a long time coming; its first single was released over two years ago alongside a 5-song EP (three of its songs are also included on the album). In the long lead-up to ROCKISDEAD 's release, a total of eight(!) singles were released, including three that didn't make the record's final tracklist. So as to say, if you've been paying attention there isn't a lot of new content to explore. Still, it's good to have a proper home for bombastic singles After Midnight , Wicked Ones and Raise Hell . Plus, the tracks I hadn't heard previously slot in nicely with the hits, and the album is pretty much relentless in its attack (save closing ballad Shelter ); it's nocturnal, sweaty and loud enough to warrant the ALLCAPS treatment. That said, it doesn't offer much in the way of originality, but if all you're looking for is a leather-clad dose of bluesy hard rock this will surely scratch your itch. J...

Swans' 14th record (and last to feature the current lineup) closes out a trilogy of epics that began with The Seer in 2012. The Glowing Man is certainly the least manic of the three, but its subdued nature in comparison to what preceded it doesn't necessarily make it less impressive an experience. It's on this record that the band really stretches out and, while the same sense of urgency that filled every second of To Be Kind (my 2014 Album of the Year) isn't, well, quite as urgent, this makes for a more intimate and immersive affair. Like the last two records, though, The Glowing Man requires patience and proper mindset. Its eight songs fly by in just under two hours (including three songs that break the twenty minute barrier), and yet it's a thoroughly engaging listen if you feel like getting lost in its tapestry of droning grooves and dizzying artistry. The Glowing Man wraps up this era of Swans nicely, providing a satisfying conclusion to perhaps the most...

Nowadays, the word "independent" isn't all that meaningful when it comes to music. Many so-called "indie" labels have been bought up by major labels or, in some cases, created by said major labels to manufacture a false sense of indie cred. An increasing number of major artists have their own labels, so theoretically they're independent artists, although most of them have their distribution handled by one of the Big Three labels (Warner, Sony, Universal). Hell, there's an entire genre of music we call "indie" that is majority controlled by those same three labels. While it's true that there are a good number of labels operating outside the reach of the majors, a lot of artists and labels we perceive as independent have affiliations with the same big conglomerates that force feed us cookie-cutter major label money makers. It wasn't always this way; there was a time when many artists and labels found ways to not just survive but t...