Anathema Weather Systems- 2012
RMR Album Rating- 6 (Good)

Anathema’s Weather Systems is full of bright and sparkling sonic musical sequences, but it has just as many dim sections, which— unfortunately— make the album mostly unmemorable.

The record is filled with climbing crescendos, astonishing atmospheric moods, proficient guitar and piano filled instrumentation, uplifting male and female vocals, and razor sharp production. However, it is almost completely void of diversity, it lacks excitement, and the last 2 songs (which account for more than 15-minutes of the album) seem oddly out of place.

The album starts with the uplifting, yet melancholy, combination of “Untouchable Parts 1 & 2.” The first part is heavy and is sung completely by lead male vocalist Vincent Cavanagh. The second part features a duet of Cavanagh and female lead vocalist Lee Douglas, and the juxtaposition of their male and female vocals is simply stunning. These two opening tracks lead into “The Gathering Of Clouds,” “Lightening Song,” and “Sunlight,” which is the best sequence of songs on the album. All three tracks feature great instrumentation and vocals, yet they are all structured almost identically, especially “Lightening Song” and “Sunlight,” which are basically clones of each other, with the only difference being that “Lightening Song” is sung by Douglas, and “Sunlight” is sung by Cavanagh. Nevertheless, they are all great songs, and for me– “Lightening Song” is the true standout of the album, highlighted by a great guitar driven crescendo.

“The Storm Before the Calm” is the epic centerpiece of the album, and it is the one track from the album that shows some diversity of sound, making it easily distinguishable from the other tracks.  It is broken down into three distinct sections. It starts with great vocals from Cavanagh. It then transitions to an atmospheric instrumental section, before concluding with three vocal verses that build upon each other– creating a great emotional climax for the listener. I do think it’s strange that they conclude two of the final verses using the phrases “fucking insane” and “I’m still fucking here.” I’m certainly not offended by the lyrics; they just seem blatantly out of place, as the rest of the album’s lyrics are very universal and revolve around topics such as sunlight, lightening, clouds, and silence. Again, I’m not all offended by the language, but it just doesn’t seem to fit the tone of the album, and I think the lyrics detract from what would have been one of my favorite verses on the record. Here’s one of the verses: “This beautiful feeling soars over the skies/ Moving through my body out my mind/ It rises up and floods my brain/ This is fucking insane/ This is fucking insane.”

Lastly, the album closes with “The Lost Child” and “Internal Landscapes,” which account for more than a quarter of the album’s total run time. Both songs seem oddly out of place compared to the rest of the tracks on the album. “The Lost Child” is a slow and brooding atmospheric piece, and I just don’t connect with it any way. “Internal Landscapes” is even worse, as it starts with over 2-minutes of incredibly cliché narration about a man who experienced a near death experience. Once the narration finally ends, the song drags on for another 7-minutes without any direction, making it easily the worst track on the album. Because these two final tracks are so bland and banal, they completely take away from any energy the first part of the album created.

Ultimately, the measure of any album is how memorable it is, and although Weather Systems is filled with many excellent and even stunning songs, it fails to be overly exciting, and it is also filled with what should have been easily avoidable flaws; therefore, it fails to be memorable.

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(2 reader ratings, average: 3.00 out of 5)

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Alice In Chains Sap (EP) – 1992
RMR Album Rating- 6 (Good)

Sap is a four song acoustic EP that shows Alice In Chains taking a break from their signature metal sound.

For almost any other metal band, this would have been a death wish. But with the release of Sap, Alice Chains actually became more popular. There are two reasons for this. First, grunge and alternative rock fans are more accepting of acoustic music than metal fans. But more importantly, the songs are outstanding. Sap still sounds like Alice In Chains; it just shows there is more to the band’s sound than menacing guitar riffs.

“Brother” is a great opener that features guest vocals from Ann Wilson of Heart. She also adds vocals on “Am I Inside.” Her contribution is subtle and fits the music perfectly on both songs. “Am I Inside” features my favorite lyrics and chorus on the album. The lyrics were penned by Staley. So as you would expect, they are dark, but they are also telling. Staley was dealing with a heroin addiction and was severely depressed, and Ann Wilson had become seriously overweight and was also battling depression. Here is the chorus: “Black is all I feel so this is how it feels to be free/ Miles beside himself, miles below himself/ Miles behind himself.” They conclude the chorus by asking “am I inside myself,” which considering their personal situations is truly moving and heartfelt.

My favorite track on the record is “Got Me Wrong.” It is the only song that is not fully acoustic. Cantrell adds electric guitar that drives into each chorus, which sounds profoundly powerful compared to the rest of the acoustic instrumentation.

Although Sap is a simple 4-song release, it shows a different side of Alice In Chains not found on their full length records. This makes it a must own album for Alice In Chains fans and a worthwhile release for general rock fans who are not already familiar with the band.

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Alice In Chains Facelift- 1990
RMR Album Rating- 8 (Excellent)

Alice In Chains’ 1991 debut record, Facelift, is the heaviest of their albums with Layne Staley. Its dark and foreboding instrumentation and lyrics are driven by Cantrell’s sinister guitar riffs and Staley’s inimitable vocals. The album was grouped in with the grunge scene of the early 90’s, but it has much more in common with early Black Sabbath than it does with most grunge music. It can also be considered a prime mover to the sludge metal scene that gained momentum a decade after Facelift’s release.

The three big tracks on the record are “We Die Young,” “Man in the Box,” and “Sea of Sorrow” (the opening three tracks). They set the tone for the album right away with inventive guitar sequences and lyrics focused on death and misery. Another highlight is “Bleed the Freak,” which contains my favorite chorus on the album (“These stand for me/ name your god and bleed the freak/ I like to see/ how you all would bleed for me”). Lastly, there’s “Love, Hate, Love.” It is slower than the rest of the album, and I rank it slightly below the rest of the tracks, but Cantrell is quoted as calling it the “masterpiece of that record” (Wikipedia).

During a time when hair-metal and lighter grunge music dominated the charts, Facelift carved the way for a new metal sound– literally giving metal a much needed new face.

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(2 reader ratings, average: 2.50 out of 5)

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A Perfect Circle Mer De Noms- 2000
RMR Album Rating- 9 (Excellent)

A Perfect Circle’s Mer De Noms is inconspicuously metal at times but overtly metal at others. Similarly, it is inconspicuously calm at times but overtly calm at others. This is accomplished by subtly alternating between thrashing guitar riffs and textured orchestration that flow seamlessly together.

The album is incredibly diverse, but it is always coherent. It is a map of contradictions in style navigated by the perfect balance of Billy Howerdel’s guitar and Maynard James Keenan’s vocals.

For me, the most interesting song is “Judith,” which is also the heaviest song on the record with killer guitar parts from Howerdel and near death metal growls from Keenan. Plus, the lyrics are surprising sentimental, so the song is definitely worth listening to while reading the lyrics.

The rest of the album flows seamlessly between very heavy songs and softer songs. So, if “Judith” is the heavy weight of the album, then “3 Libras” is its reciprocal, which is soft in tone and orchestrated.  Another highlight is “Rose,” which is the perfect balance of the album’s soft and heavy parts within the same song. Lastly, I really like “The Hollow” and “Over,” which open and close the album. “Over” begins after about 30 seconds of silence that end the penultimate track; it then fades out slowly with soft vocals from Keenan.

Simply put, Mer De Noms is a stunning masterstroke.

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Yes Fly From Here- 2011
RMR Album Rating- 4 (Good)

Fly From Here, Yes’ 19^th studio album is divided into two parts. Half of the album is dominated by a long multi-part suite, and the other half consists of a group of shorter songs

The “Fly From Here” suite accounts for half the album, and it succeeds as a rock epic, but it is a “rock” epic and not a “progressive” rock epic. “Fly From Here” is a great mid-tempo pop-rock song that contains 6 sub-sections and runs for almost 25-minutes. For the most part, it’s beautifully performed, and its run time flies by, but don’t expect the complexity of “Close to the Edge,” “Gates of Delirium,” or “Awaken.” However, you can expect soaring vocals from David Benoit, intricate guitar work from Steve Howe, and some interesting key fills from Geoff Downes. In fact, most of the song’s sections are great with the exception of “Bumpy Ride,” the penultimate section of the suite. It is a keyboard solo by Downes, and simply put; it is embarrassing. It reminds me of the background music to the Super Mario Brothers video game. Luckily, this section doesn’t kill the song because it is relatively short. All in all, I like the track, and it definitely makes the album worth hearing.

Other than the title track, the only other interesting song is the album closer, “Into The Storm,” but the band sounds completely uninspired on it, so it fails to reach its potential. However, it’s not a bad way to close the album, and Benoit David reprises the main vocal section from the title track to end the song, which ties the album together.

The other tracks are all banal AOR songs that are destined to be background music in a grocery store or a dentist office waiting room. Squire’s “The Man You Always Wanted Me To Be” is the worst of the lot, and it is so sappy that it is tough for me to listen to.  Lastly, Howe’s solo piece “Solitaire” isn’t bad, but it is nowhere near the level of “Clap,” “Mood for a Day,” or “Masquerade,” so it also fails to spark my interest.

Overall, I enjoy the title track, and it is worthy of keeping in my listening rotation. However, it doesn’t seem like there’s enough gas left in the Yes engine to fuel the kind of music that their fans expect to hear.

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(1 reader ratings, average: 3.00 out of 5)

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Yes Close to the Edge- 1972
RMR Album Rating- 10 (Perfect)

Close to the Edge is the seminal Yes album, and its three songs (“Close To The Edge,” “And You And I,” and “Siberian Khatru”) make it one of the greatest progressive rock albums of all time.

The record starts with the near 20-minute title track. Although 20-minute songs were common by 1972, “Close to the Edge” is unique. While most extended tracks of that era were just a series of shorter songs sewn together, “Close to the Edge” is one coherent song that follows a very typical song format. Granted, it is not just a typical piece of music, but it is remarkable that Yes is able to take a traditional song structure, stretch it out for 20-minutes, make it incredibly complex, and somehow keep it accessible at the same time.

There are several sections of the “Close to the Edge” suite that really stand out. First, there is Steve Howe’s venomously biting guitar section that kicks in right after the intro. Then, there are Anderson’s ethereal vocals during the “I get up/ I get down” section, which transitions right into Wakeman’s organ solo that provides the perfect build up to the song’s main crescendo. Lastly, the word play used in the repeating main chorus line is wonderful. The main chorus line is repeated six times. The same words are used each time the chorus is repeated, but the order of the words is changed slightly each time. Here are the six variations of the main chorus all built around the same series of words:

Down at the edge, round by the corner/ Close to the Edge, down by the river
Down at the end, round by the corner/ Close to the Edge, just by the river
Down at the edge, Close by the river/Close to the edge, round by the corner
Close to the end, down by the corner/ down at the edge, round by the river
Down at the edge, round by the corner/ Close to the end, down by a river
Close to the edge, down by the river/ Down at the end, round by the corner

The second half of the record begins with “And You And I.” Like “Close to the Edge,” it is a multi-part suite, but it is calmer than “Close to the Edge.” The whole band shines on the track, but Steve Howe’s acoustic guitar work really takes center stage. The record concludes with “Siberian Khatru,” which is almost as instrumentally chaotic as “Close to the Edge,” and it is even more lyrically chaotic. Anderson has stated that he chooses many of his lyrics based on the sounds of the words, not on the word meanings, and “Siberian Khatru” exemplifies this (hence the name of the track). Although the track is chaotic, it is still catchy, and it has always been a staple at Yes live shows.

Yes was basically flawless during their Main Sequence of albums released between 1971 and 1977, and Close to the Edge is the epitome of these releases. Simply put, the music on Close To The Edge is magical, and it should be required listening for any rock fan.

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Yes Fragile- 1971
RMR Album Rating- 8 (Excellent)

Fragile contains 4 of Yes’ best songs; however, it is plagued by short solo songs from the individual band members.

Personally, I’m not a fan of having solo spots mixed in with the main songs on any album. To me, an album is a complete work that I listen to from front to back, and by mixing solo pieces in with the main songs (even if the solo pieces are good, which most are on Fragile), it typically puts a ripple in the flow of the album.

There are four key songs on Fragile. “Roundabout” is arguably the most well-known progressive rock song in history. It is rooted in progressive rock, but it has enough classic rock appeal to make it a crossover hit with both progressive and classic rock fans. “Southside of the Sky” is a great showcase for Yes’ technical proficiency. It has a heavy rock sound, but it also features a calming classical piano interlude mid-way through. “Long Distance Runaround” starts as a short traditional track, but Chris Squire’s solo spot “The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)” flows right out of it, forming a single 2-part song. “The Fish” section of the song is much more complex, and it is one of my favorite parts of the album, as it highlights the whole band jamming together. “The Fish” is also the only solo spot that belongs on the album. Although Chris Squire wrote it as his solo contribution to the album, it is a full band effort, so unlike the other solo spots, it doesn’t take away from the flow of the record.

“Heart of the Sunrise” is my favorite track on the record, and it is the album’s most intricate and complex song. It contains several different movements, twists, and turns. Every player shines, especially Chris Squire who creates one of the deepest most menacing bass riffs ever laid down to tape. “Heart of the Sunrise” is absolutely one of the best tracks in Yes’ catalog.

Ultimately, the solo pieces on Fragile  put a murmur in the heartbeat of album and destroy its flow, but the other four songs are outstanding and make up the bulk of the record, so although Fragile is not perfect, it is a must own record for progressive rock fans.

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(1 reader ratings, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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The Strokes Comedown Machine- 2013
RMR Album Rating- 5 (Good)

The Strokes’ Comedown Machine, their fifth record, is their most diverse album yet.

“Tap Out,” “One Way Trigger,” and “Happy Endings” could have easily been hits in the 80’s, but they still sound fresh and contemporary. “Tap Out” starts with a beat that could have launched a Michael Jackson song to the top of the charts. “One Way Trigger” has a catchy synth-pop groove, and Casablancas alternates between his normal sleaze rock snarl to a falsetto that I didn’t know he had.  “Happy Ending,” the penultimate track, is the sleeper of the album, but it might be my favorite, as like “Tap Out” and “One Way Trigger,” it also has a great 80’s groove, but it is more understated.

In addition to the 80’s inspired tracks on Comedown Machine, “All The Time” (the album’s lead single) and “50/50” could have easily fit on the Strokes 2001 debut (Is This It). “All The Time,” in particular, sounds like it was plucked right off Is This It. It is packed full of distorted guitars, and Casablancas delivers its carefree styled chorus in classic Strokes form.

There’s also, “80’s Comedown Machine,” which is the most interesting song on the record. The verdict among fans and critics is split between whether it is the true champion of the record or a complete failure. One thing is for sure about the track; it is impossible ignore. It is placed right in the middle of the album, it is twice the length of most of the songs, and it sounds completely different than the other 10 songs. For me, it is a winner.  Its melancholy, lethargic feel creates a certain mood that completely resonates with me, but I can see why it would be dismissed because it brings down the energy on the rest of the album—hence the title of the track.

Unfortunately, most of the other songs fall into the filler category. Most of them are completely unmemorable, especially the second half of the record. Plus, while I appreciate the diverse palate of songs, it makes the album sound disjointed and never allows it to get into a smooth flow. Ultimately, I think the album would have been much better if The Strokes had picked a style and stuck with it. I would have been happy with a whole album of 80’s inspired tracks, or an album of carefree sleaze rock tracks, or an album of moody atmospheric tracks (like the song “80’s Comedown Machine”), but I don’t think all these song types work well on the same album.

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Steven Wilson- The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories)- 2013
RMR Album Rating- 6 (Good)

Steven Wilson’s third solo album, The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories), is filled with jazz infused progressive rock, epic song structures, and expert production by Wilson and Alan Parsons.

Many fans and critics have commented that the record is written to be listened to from start to finish (and Wilson has always been a proponent of an album acting as a complete work), but there are certainly some stand out tracks. “Luminol” opens with a thick bass line followed by a whirlwind of instrumentation that forms a near incalculable time signature that is sure to immediately scare away casual listeners, while making progressive rock lovers salivate at the same time. “Drive Home” is the most traditional song on the album, with a great upbeat chorus: “You need to clear away/ All the jetsam in your brain/ And face the truth/ Well, love can make amends/ But while the darkness always ends/ You’re still alone/ So drive home.” Also, Guthrie Govan’s guitar solo that closes “Drive Home” is one of the most memorable moments on the album.

The last two songs are my favorites. “The Watchmaker” sounds like a perfect combination of Gabriel era Genesis and Rush’s progressive era. It opens with a classical guitar sequence reminiscent of Steve Hackett and closes with a bass crescendo taken right out of Rush’s “YYZ.” Finally, “The Raven that Refused to Sing” is arguably the most beautiful song on the album. It is drenched in sentiment, using subtle instrumentation and desperate heartfelt lyrics. Plus, I love its simple chorus of “sing to me Raven/ I’ve missed you so much.”

Each of the six songs is derived from a series of hauntingly eerie stories written by Steven Wilson and Hajo Mueller (Mueller was also in charge of the album’s artwork). Wilson could have written the song lyrics as narratives, which would make it easy for the listener to understand the stories, but Wilson rarely makes anything easy for his listeners; he always demands their full attention. The lyrics are ambiguous at best and are really just short descriptions of certain characters or events in each story, leaving an element of curiosity to the songs.

Every one of the record’s 6 songs has something special to offer, but the album is not without flaws. First, I don’t think there are enough vocal sequences on the album, especially on the three longer pieces, which are basically instrumentals with short vocal sections. Additionally, the tone in which Steven Wilson sings is almost inaudible in many cases, especially on “The Pin Drop,” where without headphones and a lyrics sheet, the vocals are completely indecipherable. My second, and main, complaint is the album’s lack of emotion. The album’s instrumentation and lyrics appeal to me intellectually, but aside from “The Raven that Refused to Sing,” I don’t connect with any of the other songs emotionally. This lack of emotion is contrary to Wilson’s intent for the album, as he stated in an interview that “the biggest thing is to make people feel. It’s easy to appeal to the intellect. I could go and write some silly, complicated shit, but the hardest thing is to hit somebody’s heart and soul. I want spirituality rather than technicality.” But, unfortunately, most of album does not hit me spirituality at all.

Overall, The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories) is a major success in terms of the album’s structure, its musicality, and its haunting lyrics, but its success is counterbalanced by its lack of emotional resonance.

Post Script:
Steven Wilson’s The Raven That Refused to Sing song meanings in Wilson’s own words are posted below in the comments section.

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(2 reader ratings, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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The Who Quadrophenia- 1973
RMR Album Rating- 9 (Excellent)

Quadrophenia is The Who’s seminal record.

It consists of 17 songs that function together in story form, but the songs are just as enjoyable as single tracks. Quadrophenia sometimes gets accused of being slow and even boring, which is a mystery to me because it features some of The Who’s heaviest tracks like “The Real Me,” “The Punk and the Godfather,” “I’ve Had enough,” “5:15,” and “Dr. Jimmy.”

“The Real me” starts with an amazing bass line from John Entwistle and then just explodes. “The Punk and the Godfather” showcases Townshend’s searing guitar proficiency, while “Dr. Jimmy” features a venomously anthemic chorus, with Daltrey screaming “What is it? I’ll take it/ Who is she? I’ll rape it/ Got a bet there? I’ll meet it/ Getting High? You can’t beat it.”  Plus, Moon is on fire on all these songs.

There’s also the back to back combination of “Dirty Jobs” and “Helpless Dancer,” which bring some interesting variety to the album. “Dirty Jobs” has a bouncy background keyboard rhythm that provides a unique hook, and “Helpless Dancer” is soaked with enough provocative anger to make you want to join the fighting the song describes.

Although the album is great from start to finish, the real tour-de-force of the record is saved for “The Rock” and “Love Reign O’er Me,” the two songs that close the album. The songs flow into each other and form a 12+ minute stunning climax to the album. “The Rock” is completely instrumental, and its structure is extremely complex. Townshend is on fire on the track, and he weaves all the key instrumental passages of the record together into a seamless banner that is perfectly accompanied by Moon’s thunderous drumming. “The Rock” is one of Moon’s greatest performances, which makes it one of the greatest drumming exhibitions in all of rock. Then, “Love Reign O’er Me,” kicks in, and Daltrey’s repeated desperate cry of the “Love Rein O’er Me” lyrical chorus brings the whole album to a spectacular conclusion of true supremacy. All in all, the combination of the “The Rock” and “Love Reign O’er Me” is one of the true hallmarks of rock history.

Quadrophenia’s songs make it a classic, but the album is also a full rock opera. And for some listeners, the concept sometimes overshadows the music, but it shouldn’t. Although Townshend ties many themes together, the concept is actually quite simple and timeless.

Here’s the simple version of the concept. First, the only 2-songs that take place in the present are the “The Rock” and “Love Reign O’er Me.”  During these songs, Jimmy (the story’s main character) is stranded on a rock at sea in the rain. While stranded on the rock, Jimmy thinks about different things that have happened to him during the last two years of his life. His thoughts are not always linear; they are just a series of flashbacks. During these flashbacks, Jimmy is trying to find out who he is, and he reflects on the different sides of his personality. There are 4-main sides to his personality (a tough guy, a romantic, a lunatic, and a hypocrite). Each of these four parts of Jimmy’s personality is also tied to the personality of one of the four band members, but that’s not really important, nor is the fact that Jimmy is a Mod, or that he rides a scooter, or most of the other details. The only thing that is important is that Jimmy is a teenager trying to find himself by reflecting back on this life, and that is a very poignant and timeless concept.

Despite going to #2 on both the UK and the US charts upon its release in 1973, Quadrophenia was not a critical success or a fan favorite right away, and many fans and critics still dismiss it. In fact, I dismissed it for the first two decades that I owned it. Personally, I focused too much on the concept, which I originally didn’t understand and couldn’t relate to. Thus, I missed all the power and emotion contained in the songs. Once I focused on the songs, I realized how great the album was, and then (to my surprise) the concept suddenly made sense, which just enhanced the record’s overall grandeur. Although Quadrophenia is not completely perfect, it is easily my favorite The Who album, and it is a pillar of classic rock.

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