Today’s Track: Calva Louise – ‘Euphoric’

December 28, 2021 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Cover Art for ‘EUPHORIC’ (LP) (Released on August 20, 2021) (via FRKST Records/300 Entertainment)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, of course, and thanks for joining me today as we fill up the awkward post-Christmas and pre New Year’s slot with some music that got a little underrated during 2021 with yet another daily track on the blog, since it has always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Formed in 2016, Calva Louise are a Manchester-based indie punk and post-grunge band who take their influence from many variations of Noise-Rock and Synth-Punk between both UK and US outfits, while also getting in touch with their Latin Rock heritage throughout the two albums to their name so far. Fronted by the bold creative vision of vocalist/guitarist Jess Allanic – the trio have supported the likes of Razorlight, Highly Suspect and Albert Hammond Jr in their time together. Earlier in the year, they released the ambitious multi-media project of ‘EUPHORIC’, which was fronted by a concept album about the duality of being human and the different perceptions of reality. The band have stated that the lyrics detail episodes of the dreamer’s experiences in the form of an inner conversation with his other self – the counterpart of the human being – that seeks to experience freedom and have an encounter with the unknown. The sophomore album was produced and mixed by Bobby Bentham of Strange Bones fame. Moreover, the album was accompanied by a 45-minute Animation short film that was entirely created by Jess Allanic, who used software like After Effects and Blender to bring the Graphic Novel-inspired visuals of her band’s creative record to life. For now, let’s have a sample of the title track below.

Released digitally in late August and finally manufactured on physical vinyl copies in December by Blood Records, Calva Louise collectively say, “Our passion for audiovisual production is constantly intertwined with the concept of the album and that is why each new step to take becomes a new challenge, it is as if each completed experience gradually reveals the signs that guide us on our way”, noting, “The perception we have of this adventure shows us horizons that seem to be beyond our rational understanding as artists, and in order to see clearly we try to express these experiences through visual effects, as a complement to the music and the lyrics of the songs”, to their LP’s product description. ‘EUPHORIC’ feels like an expository title for the project, bolstered by a title track that is filled with meaty hooks and soaring melodies that hints about how you may feel after completely listening to the album in a single bingeable session. With eruptive drumming and partially processed vocal peaks, lyrics like “I wait in line, Your head is on fire, Ahead we cry in a simple way” and “When you and me are nothing, Only one of us will be euphoric” that set a fiery temper for the underground feel of the track, Allanic powerfully backs her vocals to some thrashing electronic melodies – including some gradually bubbling Synth riffs in the opening that become more acidic throughout the first verse – and some old-school Punk personality that complements the moody tone of the lyrics. The vocals are partially screamed at different intersections, but the pacing is fairly even, as Allanic uses some slower guitar notes towards the end to give the vocals just a little space to breathe. Meanwhile, the electronic production of the single goes heavy and hard by trading some twinkling keyboard riffs for a hefty amount of grit instead, with plenty of glitchy bass riffs that sweep in for a futuristic tone and Allanic concentrates hard on making her ferocious vocals feel as knife-edge as she can, and she even recites some non-English language lyrics towards the latter half to remind us of her Venezuelan upbringing, and the heavy dancehall influence of this particular touch reminds me of Arca in a few ways, especially with the audio-visual medium of the project hanging in the balance. Overall, while the more Noise-Rock based riffs get a little repetitive at times there is no doubt that Calva Louise explore decent ideas on this project altogether. It is very interesting to see the band expressing their ideas with intriguing ways by leaning into the sci-fi themes that audio-visual side projects can enhance for them. As well as giving them a unique selling point, it gives them more space to create their art, and I certainly like how there is more than just music to this. The sound, meanwhile, is an energetic one that becomes very unrelenting and combines qualities from Nu Metal and Prog Rock with dramatic results. Overall, this is an exciting band and a fresh project that, while not perfect, are certainly worth a look.

Pictured: Jess Eastwood (Vocals/Guitar), Alizon Taho (Bass Guitar) and Ben Parker (Drums) (2021) (Photo via PR)

That’s all for now – and thank you for reading about the euphoric melodies highlighted in today’s post. I’ll be back tomorrow with more content that concerns an operatic Conneticut-based indie rock band with one of the longest names in the business. Their discography includes a key collaboration with the Spoken Word artist Christopher Zizzamia – and their influences include Battles and Explosions In The Sky.

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Scuzz Sundays: Slipknot – “Duality”

October 3, 2021 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Corey Taylor (Lead Vocals), Mick Thomson (Lead Guitar), Shawn Crahan (Percussion/Art Director/Photographer), Craig Jones (Keyboard), Jim Root (Bass Guitar), Chris Fehn (Backing Vocals), Paul Gray (Backing Vocals), Joey Jordison (Drums/Mixing) & Sid Wilson (Turntables) (2019) (via PR)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and it is time for us to listen to some quite un-church like music before we head to church for ‘Scuzz Sundays’, the part of the week where we revisit some of the ghosts of Pop-Punk and Nu-Metal’s past. This is Spooky Season – after all. One band from the late-90’s to mid-00’s who fits that bill is Slipknot, the Iowa-based Alternative Metal band fronted by Corey Taylor, who once appeared on an episode of BBC Two’s ‘QI’ on UK television and seemed like a likeable guy all-around, to be fair. Slipknot still seem to be immensely popular, scoring a UK number one album with ‘We Are Not Your Kind’ as recently as 2019. One of the most interesting albums to come from the crossover stars is ‘Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses’, a record that deals with “the healing process” of the band’s themes of decay and decapitation from the previous record. To meet these ends, Slipknot changed their style very discreetly by incorporating more traditional, melodic song structures as well as brooding guitar solo’s and a splattering of acoustic instrumentals. The album was a large success, despite the band’s initial unproductive struggles over the record, where Taylor was found drinking heavily to comfort some very personal issues. The record was praised by AllMusic for its “dedication to making it a Slipknot album” and Kerrang’s readers rated it as 31st in a poll of ‘The 50 Best Albums Of The 21st Century” taken in 2009. One of the best-received singles was ‘Duality’, which peaked at #5 on the US Rock Chart and Slipknot’s record label, Roadrunner Records, listed the music video for the single as the best one in their history in 2010. Refresh your mind below.

Slipknot have now found pretty staggering crossover success with combined sales of reportedly up to 30 million records globally, but these metrics didn’t always seem to be within their mask-wearing grasp. Until ‘Vol 3: The Subliminal Verses’ was issued in 2004, Slipknot’s future seemed bleak. Taylor’s battles with alcoholism worsened over the years, and the other members of Slipknot decided to work on a few side projects – like Stone Sour, Murderdolls and To My Surprise – but the band eventually decided to enlist Rick Rubin as the producer of their album and cracked down to work in the studio together, before releasing ‘Duality’ as the comeback single. ‘Duality’ felt like a volatile soft-reboot for Slipknot at the time, giving them a harsher edge and a more catchy sound, while appreciating the raw style of their prior work. The guitar riffs are sharp and disjointed enough without feeling clunky, and the Spoken Word style of the verses is quite intriguing since it gives refrains like “I have screamed until my veins collapsed/I’ve waited as my time’s elapsed” and “Tell me the reality is better than the dream/But I found out the hard way, nothing is what it seems” a vibe of toxicity and a feel of cinematic dark poetry that does stick out a little more compared to their contemporary peers of the era. Taylor uses a grumbling, dark croaking vocal delivery to complement the down-tuned, screeching guitar riffs and emphasize the horror atmosphere of the percussion. I think that it is easy to find their costumes and masks to take things a little too far for some audiences, but I don’t mind that aspect of their live performances and general visuals too much since it shows me they can simply be bothered to create a compelling visual companion piece to the art they create, and that is enough for me. On the whole, while I can’t say that I’ve ever really cared for Slipknot by a great amount, I really enjoyed my time with ‘Duality’, and not really in a ‘guilty pleasure’ way that plagues some releases. I felt there was plenty of genuinely well-crafted material here. The chorus was sharp and filled with some very punchy hooks that feel melodic enough, but fits the terrifying and gory imagery of Slipknot overall. There’s a couple of well-written lyrics here that match poetry with pain, and the extra layers of tension are paced decently, with the more subdued vocal style of the verses being counteracted with a more patented style later on with some solid guitar work that creates a surge of tense rhythms for the chorus. A spiked thumbs up!

Pictured: Slipknot in an official photoshoot for ‘We Are Not Your Kind’ (2019) (Photo via PR/NME.com)

As one of the more popular US heavy metal bands of our time, Slipknot have been worthy of a mention on ‘Scuzz Sundays’ before, albeit over a year and a half ago. Still, if you want more content, you can find out what I thought of ‘Before I Forget’ here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/02/23/scuzz-sundays-slipknot-before-i-forget/

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Vol. 3 The Subliminal Verses’ (LP) (May 2004) (via Roadrunner Records)

That’s all for now! Thank you for your continued support regarding the blog, and I’ll be back tomorrow to kick off another week’s worth of daily music picks. Join me for an in-depth look at a British Columbia-born singer-songwriter who, after working as a restaurant line chef in his teens, turned to a life of music where he played with Jason Corbett in Speed To Kill. He is now known for his bob wig and androgynous make-up.

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Today’s Track: Iron Maiden – “The Writing On The Wall”

July 31, 2021 — Leave a comment

I’ve got two tickets to see Iron Maiden, baby. Come with me Friday. It’s new post time!

Pictured: Cover Art for ‘Senjutsu’ (Available from September 3rd, 2021) (via Parlophone Records Ltd.)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s finally time to shake up your Saturday with an intriguing track on the blog, because it’s always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Iconic purveyors of all things audio-visual Metal, Leyton’s gods Iron Maiden are making a bold comeback with the highly anticipated release of their seventeenth mainline album, ‘Senjutsu’, a Samurai-influenced record which releases on September 3rd via Parlophone Records. This will be their first new material in six years, and a highly-anticipated entry in the library of a pioneering group whose career has spanned across 40 releases, including albums, compilations, EP’s, live albums and remix albums. According to data from MD Daily Record in 2021, Iron Maiden have sold over 200 million copies of these releases globally. It is bizarre, then, to think that Iron Maiden never seem to get a great deal of radio or television support for their new releases, and I only got the memo about ‘The Writing On The Wall’ due to my uncle making a post about it on Facebook. He is an absolutely huge fan of this new one, by the way. Let’s check it out for ourselves below.

Lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson teamed up with former Pixar executives Mark Andrews and Andrew Gordon, along with director Nicos Livesey and other animation studio Blinklink to create the detailed video for ‘The Writing On The Wall’ that finds Eddie (The band’s mascot) being converted into a 3D audio-visual nightmare. Fitting collaborators for a band whose 1982 LP, ‘The Number Of The Beast, was voted as the ‘Best British Album’ by the public in a poll related to the Diamond Jubilee ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II in 2012. I’ve read from a few critics that ‘Writing On The Wall’ sounds a little different for Iron Maiden, although I’m not knowledgeable enough to make too many comparisons myself. The party starts off with an Acoustic element created by the mid-tempo Spanish guitar riffs, before the sneering delivery of Bruce Dickinson’s vocals swoop in for forceful lyrics like “Now we are victorious, we’ve become our slaves” and “A land of hope and glory building graveyards for the brave” that drives the main riffs to a more intense delivery. The layering of the different instruments is cohesive and detailed, with the distinctive bass guitarist joining the fray for a Southern Blues feel towards the chorus. Later in the seven-minute affair, we get a beautifally controlled lead guitar solo, and the Drums kick into a higher gear as Dickinson sings “Have you seen the writing on the wall?” and “Can you see the riders on the storm?” for the final repeat of the chorus. The pacing of the track nicely mimics the ‘rider of the storm’ who is the protagonist of the high-budget Metal epic, with careful layers of Drums and Bass gradually building in a methodical way as the guitars gradually start charging to the home stretch of the ballad. It never feels too frenetic, and it feels like more of a rock-oriented Country track on steroids for the most part, but there is a beautiful control to the technical production of the ballad, and the fantastical elements of the narrative manage to still come across as fairly original and inventive enough to satisfy both die-hard fans of their discography, and those, like me, who require a re-introduction to the band’s modern style. On the whole, this is a wildly enjoyable new single that takes Metal down some interesting avenues, while also providing solid entertainment for their pre-existing fanbase. As sturdy and robust as the long-served longevity of the story of ‘666’ still being the Number Of The Beast.

Pictured: Bruce Dickinson (Lead Vocals/Piano), Steve Harris (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals), Dave Murray (Lead Guitar), Adrian Smith (Keyboard/Backing Vocals), Janick Gers (Rhythm Guitar/Unclean Vocals) and Nicko McBrain (Drums/Percussion/Occasional Backing Vocals) (2021) (Photo via PR)

That’s the end of the road for today, and thank you again for your continued support for the blog. We’re doing it all over again tomorrow with another new entry in our ‘Scuzz Sundays’ line-up of revisiting the Pop-Punk anthems of the past. This week’s catchy pick marks the second appearance on the site from a famous Swedish Garage-Punk Quintet who have become acclaimed by critics as one of the genre’s top tier live acts. In 2005, they issued a live concert DVD to make the claim – ‘Trussels In Brussels’.

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Scuzz Sundays: Korn – “Freak On A Leash”

January 31, 2021 — Leave a comment

All I have got to say to you is: Da-boom-na-da-noom-na-na-me-na. It’s Scuzz Sunday!

Pictured: Cover Art for “Follow The Leader” (LP) (Released on August 18th, 1998) (via Epic Records)

Good Morning to you – my name is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for another entry into our weekly Scuzz Sundays feature on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! The last seven days have really flown by, and it’s already time for us to revisit a classic from the Emo-Rock and Pop-Punk genres from the late-90’s to the mid 00’s to see how they hold up, named in honor of the long-lost Scuzz TV channel. Korn’s “Freak On A Leash” was released over 20 years ago, and the track had got to #24 in the UK Singles Chart. Released from the California-bred Nu Metal band Korn, this was the lead single from their third studio LP, “Follow The Leader”, which has been certified as 5X Platinum by the RIAA of the US. Although the album was their first not to be produced by Ross Robinson, with that mantle being taken up by the duo of Steve Thompson and Toby Wright instead, it peaked at the #1 spot on four charts, and it sold over 14 million units worldwide, thus remaining to be Korn’s most commercially-oriented album. In fact, this single is most notable for it’s music video in particular, where the lines between computer animation and live performance were blurred. The video itself garnered wins and nominations for both the Grammy Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards, and it’s twinned to the ‘Family Values Tour’ of the LP. Let’s mosh to “Freak On A Leash” below.

One fact that you might not know about Korn’s “Freak On A Leash” is that Korn once included an instrumental section of the track which they used to call the “noisy guitar break”, but this interlude had been edited out by Korn, as per their fans request of removal, yet it had still managed to hit #6 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart and #10 on the Mainstream Rock Songs chart in the US. With a simple “Boom-na-da-noom-na-na-ne-ma”, a crossover hit was born. Don’t get them wrong, “Freak On A Leash” is still a distorted and aggressive track, as dissonant guitar breaks mesh with rapid drum beats to craft the heavy, angry tone. The lyrics are opened by a grunge-driven Synth line and a delayed pedal effect to the bass guitar, as “Something takes a part of me” and “Every time I start to believe/Something’s raped and taken from me” are crooned in a low pitched delivery by vocalist Jonathan Davies. The harsh distortion of his voice, later on, leads to a more anthemic guitar riff and a line of static noise, which is submerged under heavy reverb effects. The structure is quite well-narrated, with the distortion effects signaling for stadium-sized rock instrumentation, and the lighter verses implying a more internalized quality. The iconic refrain is screeched by Williamson, and it is met by an unusual mix of scatting and psychedelia. The breakdown has a more darker and melodic feel to it, and the chorus is your typical state of Nu-Metal affairs, as the high guitar notes in the build-up lead to an explosive lead guitar hook that pays off nicely. The vocals are pretty nonsensical and the experimentation is daft, but the backing track is creative and the unusual vocal breakdown is still memorable – whether that is for better or worse. To conclude, although the track is undeniably dated, you could get a lot worse. The vocals break the immersion for me a little too much for me, but the instrumentation is well-paced. Silly – but it is heavy, it’s crazy, and it’s a bit catchy. Boom-na-da-noom-na-na-ne-ma!

Pictured: Jonathan Davis (Lead Vocals/Bagpipes/Programming), James Schaffer (Lead Guitar), Reginald Arvizu (Bass Guitar), Brian Welch (Rhythm Guitar/Backing Vocals) and Ray Luzier (Drums) (2015) (Photo Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

That’s all I have got for your Alternative Metal wrap-up for this week! Scuzz Sundays will be back at the usual time again next week. Before we get to that point – we need to ring in the new month. Join me again tomorrow as we turn to a familiar face – who we have previously covered on the blog – to review a piece of his work from his latest EP, which was released back in September via Friends Of Jagjaguwar. This electronic producer has been played on 168 episodes of programmes on NTS Radio, where he used to host a weekly radio show. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Scuzz Sundays: Deftones – “My Own Summer (Shove It)”

January 17, 2021 — Leave a comment

You don’t hear Deftones, or a heavier band, in the media very often. It’s Scuzz Sunday!

Pictured: Cover Art for “Around The Fur” (Released on October 28th, 1997) (via Maverick Records)

Good Afternoon to you – I’m Jacob Braybrooke, and we’ve finally reached the end of the week – where we pay our debts to the dead Scuzz TV channel with a stroll down the cemetery of Emo-Rock and Pop-Punk releases, between the years of the late-1990’s and the mid-2000’s, to see if life is still kicking beneath their graves in the modern day. That’s a lovely thought, isn’t it? Deftones are a surviving name of the era, who some critics have credited as being “The Radiohead Of Metal” for their continued experimentation within the Alternative Metal and Prog-Rock genres. They’ve certainly become associated with “Cool Emo” music, and they have since gone on record to sell over 10 million albums worldwide, after their formation in Sacramento, California in 1998. The Nu-Metal heavyweights are still going on strong, with their latest album being 2020’s “Ohms”, a record which received widespread critical acclaim from the music press. “My Own Summer (Shove It)” was released during, arguably, their height of fame, in 1997. A single from their second LP, “Around The Fur”, this track got to #29 in the UK Singles Chart. Via the Warner Vault, you can watch the original video below.

The first international hit for the now 5-piece group, “My Own Summer (Shove It)”, gained further mainstream exposure for the Sacramento natives through it’s licensed use on the soundtrack of the cinematic masterpiece “The Matrix”. The album was a success too – with positive reviews and sales success. After being certified as Gold by the RIAA in 1999, it eventually went Platinum in 2001. Chino Moreno alters his lead vocals between a minimalist, whispered vocal delivery and an aggressive, loud pitch. Bold lyrics like: “I think God is moving it’s tongue, There’s no crowd in the streets, and no sun” and “Hey you, big star/Tell me when it’s over” hit hard, while the shouted delivery of “Shove it aside” in the post-bridge remove the melodic undercurrents of the anthemic lead guitar riffs and the pounding drums, which add a bleak and somber quality to the more brooding and calculated pace of the two slowly progressing verses. It has got it’s influences rooted firmly within Prog-Metal and Nu-Metal, and if you ask me, the bulky bass guitar chords make for a rather unusual sound for a radio chart hit. Nevertheless, I think that it struck a chord with audiences because it grabbed their attention with it’s unusual production work, and they felt like a fresh addition to the genre that was trundling along without Nirvana or Guns ‘N’ Roses. Overall, I think it’s probably quite difficult to recommend if you are part of the mainstream audience, but it’s interesting for people who typically listen to Metal or are more familiar with the Nu Metal style already. Though I prefer System Of A Down, it’s still characteristically unique, and it cannot be disputed for the success it enjoyed.

Pictured: Chino Moreno (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar), Stephen Carpenter (Lead Guitar/Acoustic Guitar), Abe Cunningham (Drums), Frank Delgado (Keyboard) and Sergio Vega (Bass Guitar) (2017) (Photo by Jo Hale/Getty Images)

Thank you for checking out my latest blog post! It’s back to the daily drill tomorrow (and another day closer to my looming assessment deadlines) with another track from the archives of 2020. This next one comes from an emerging, energetic UK punk rock group who are originally from Cardiff, and they’ve been signed up to Clwb Creative Records. They are currently set to perform a live set at the FOCUS Wales 2021 live music event, so I’ve got my fingers crossed for that to go ahead. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Scuzz Sundays: White Zombie – “More Human Than Human”

December 6, 2020 — Leave a comment

In your head, In your head – is gonna be White Zombie… Zombie… It’s Scuzz Sunday!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Astro-Creep: 2000 – Songs Of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head” (Album/LP) (Released in 1995) (via Geffen Records)

Good Evening to you – I’m Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s finally time for me to get typing up about your new entry in our weekly Scuzz Sundays series, where I take you back to the Emo-Rock and Pop-Punk movements of the late 1990’s, up through to the mid-2000’s, with an ancient gem that I’ve dug out from that era of rock, named in tribute to the now-defunct Scuzz TV channel from my childhood years. It’s almost time to cap off 2020 – and this is going to be our last regular installment of the ongoing series until the new year of 2021, because we are getting more festive with the theme from next week onwards. Last, but not least, we have White Zombie – the trailblazing NYC-based Alternative Metal group most famously comprised of the rock goddess Sean Yseult, the lead guitarist Jay Yuenger, the drummer John Tempesta, and – of course – their frontman, Rob Zombie – who has since gone on to direct a wealth of B-movie horror flicks. Although disbanding in 1998, the band were still ranked highly at #56 of VH1’s “100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock” list that was published in 2006. “More Human Than Human” was one of their signature tracks – and it was included on the group’s fourth and, what proved to be, their final album – with the shortened title of “Astro-Creep 2000”, which was released in 1995 by Geffen Records. It landed the 4-piece group their most commercially successful album – reaching #6 on the US Billboard Top 200 albums chart, which was a really successful feat for an Alternative Heavy Metal record at the time. A few interesting facts about the track is that it features a repeated Slide Guitar figure, which is more commonly used in Blues music. Moreover, Zombie sampled the moaning vocal effects in the intro from “Cafe Flesh”, a Post-Apocalyptic pornography movie, of all items. Let’s hear the results of this below.

“More Human Than Human” quickly became White Zombie’s most recognizable single in their storied career, earning the band their second Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance, and being ranked on PopMatters’ list of “The 10 Best Alternative Metal Singles Of The 1990’s” list. The title of the track, as well as the lyrics themselves, also derive from the Phillip K. Dick poem “Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep”, as Zombie wanted to infuse more elements of Sci-Fi Horror and Industrial rock themes into the band’s output for the LP. It was the single that tipped Rob Zombie over the edge to the mainstream of American radio, built around the toe-tapping Funk guitar rhythm that evokes qualities of Groove Metal. After the electronic intro with the witty sample, we get into the consistent Sliding guitar riff that forms the melodic basis of the track. Rob Zombie has a distorted vocal style, and he sings; “More Human Than Human” repeatedly over the top of the steady guitar instrumentation, with bass guitar riffs that are chugging along to the delayed pedal effects and the undertones of Post-Grunge. Zombie also proclaims the likes of “I am the Jigsaw man” and “I am the ripper man” above the crushing drum patterns and the Whammy-accentuated guitar work with a snarling vocal delivery that makes it a good fit for every over-the-top action flick that came out in the late-90’s. The vocals are pretty difficult to decipher and there’s not really a great deal of substance to them, but it’s the laidback Funk sensibilities and the Hip Hop-inspired placement of the quick samples that made the track stand out amongst the pack since there’s a decent amount of varied influences going into the composition. This lives up to it’s status as an, albeit cheesy, 90’s classic. It’s great to end our feature on a high this year.

Pictured: Rob Zombie (Lead Vocals/Producer/Writer), Jay Yuenger (Lead Vocals), Sean Yseult (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals) and John Tempesta (Drums) (1995) (Photo by Mick Hutson/Redferns)

Thank you for reading my latest blog post! As usual – I’ll be back tomorrow – although it will be a pre-written one since I’m making the travels back to my non-university home for the festive period tomorrow. There are only ever so many hours in a day, after all! I’m going to continue to shout about a certain Kansas-based singer and songwriter who describes herself as a “Girl who makes music in her living room”. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: System Of A Down – “Protect The Land”

November 9, 2020 — Leave a comment

Get your Chop Suey ready at the double – IT has finally happened! It’s new post time!

Pictured: Serj Tankian (Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Keyboard), Daron Malakian (Lead Guitar. Backing Vocals), Shavo Odadijian (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals) & John Dolmayan (Drums) (2020) (Photo via PR)

Good Morning to you, I’m Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for me to type up about your daily track on the blog, because it’s always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! WELL! This took 15 years, and a war between Azerbaijan and Armenia to happen, but… IT HAS! SYSTEM OF A DOWN ARE BACK! The Alternative Metal icons played a major role in my upbringing – as with countless others – in getting me into the Alternative music scene for the rest of my life, and after the band fell out 15 years ago due to ideological and artistic creative conflict, they have bonded together in the studio once again in an effort to raise awareness of the war going down in their native country, as every member of the group is of an Armenian descent. The Nu Metal icons had crossover hits with the likes of “Chop Suey”, “Toxicity” and “B.Y.O.B.” back in their heyday, and it’s easy to argue that they are one of the most influential groups, not just of the metal genres, but of Rock music in general. As mentioned, the band have released their first new output, after years of rumors and speculation that seemingly was false. “Protect The Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz”, both of which are available to purchase now on their Bandcamp page, with the proceeds from sales going towards the Armenia Fund, and it was recorded to raise awareness of the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict that started in September. “Protect The Land” has it’s own full music video. Let’s check it out below.

Shavo Odadijian, the band’s bassist, said the new music was “bigger than our ego’s” in relation to the band re-uniting after creative difficulties caused their original split in support of their country’s armed forces amidst a “dire and serious war being perpetrated upon [their] cultural homelands”, as the 4-piece dropped the two new tracks onto the unsuspecting public on Friday. Whereas “Genocidal Humanoidz” wouldn’t feel very out of place on their “Toxicity” output back in the day, “Protect The Land” feels more alike to the Prog-Metal style the Nu Metal icons explored on “Mezmerize”, back in 2005. Built on a towering bass guitar riff and a propulsive drum timing signature, “Protect The Land” sees the outspoken, Political Alternative Metal musicians go back to what they know, and seemingly reveling in that experience. Serj Tankian plays off a swaying lead guitar riff from Daron Malakian, as he sets big lyrical hooks like “The enemy of man is his own decay” and “Would you stay, and take a stand?” over the top of a concise bass guitar rhythm and a well-delivered, straightforward lead guitar riff that permeates through the track at a quick, sharp pace that doesn’t let up. The chorus is very anthemic, as Tankian chants: “Our history and victory and legacy we send” and “From scavengers and invaders, Those who protect the land” above a fragmented, but melodic, lead guitar riff and a climactic drum part. The instrumentation is heavy, but the vocals and the interplay between the members of the band manage to convey an emphatic sense of warmth – one that we haven’t quite heard in Metal for quite a while, I think. This just emphasizes what a great moment this really is for Metal and for Music in 2020, with vocals that feel expressive and political, just as we’re used to hearing from the band. There are some nice vocal harmonies throughout, and the switch-up of tone, with a more somber pace and a larger focus on the messages of the vocals, in the bridge are a good touch. The track is perhaps a bit reliant on repetition, but it mostly feels well-written and old-school. Does it represent their best ever work? Probably not – but it works really well overall because of the element of the suprise and the underlying warmth which expands the Heavy melodies well. For a first go in 15 years – The results are essential!

PIctured: System Of A Down at an awards ceremony (2014) (Photo Credit: Lester Cohen/Getty Images)

Thank you for reading my latest post! Please feel free to join me tomorrow, once again, where we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the brand new single from an emerging independent Dallas-based Dream-Pop singer-songwriter which REALLY made me think “Wow” – You will not forgive yourself if you decide to miss this next one out tomorrow! All will be revealed, then! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Scuzz Sundays: Drowning Pool – “Bodies”

August 9, 2020 — Leave a comment

Let the bodies hit the floor. Let the bodies hit the FL-OOOOOOOOR! It’s Scuzz Sunday!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Sinner” (Released on June 5th, 2001) (via Wind-Up Entertainment Ltd.)

You know what time it is! Good Morning to you, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! It is Scuzz Sunday, which means it’s time for us to dig out an Emo-Rock or Pop-Punk relic from between the late-1990’s to the mid-2000’s to see if it can live up to modern standards, named in tribute to the defunct Scuzz TV channel. “Bodies” was an absolute staple of the “Scuzz” rock era. The track was credited to Drowning Pool, an American Heavy Metal band from Texas, and the track was the lead single from their debut album, “Sinner”, released in 2001. “Bodies” is the track that Drowning Pool are primarily known for, and bizarrely, it has been featured in plenty of TV shows, commercials and films. An interesting, fun fact about “Bodies” is that despite it’s growing popularity in the mainstream at the time of it’s release, the track was banned from radio airplay, being taken off radio stations, in light of the 9/11 attacks because it was considered to be “Inappropriate” in the wake of the terrorist events – Let the bodies hit the floor below.

If you hit play, then you can expect a significant amount of screaming. This track was considered to be “Drowning Pool’s finest moment” on “Sinner” by Rolling Stone, and the lyrics are often misinterpreted as being linked to the 2011 Arizona shooting of congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, but it’s really just about the brotherhood of a ‘Mosh-Pit’, as the band issued in a statement. “Let the bodies hit the floor” is obviously the main hook, and it’s vocal delivery gradually increases in aggression with key changes which get telegraphed by vocalist Dave Williams as he counts up from one to four, as it reaches a dramatic conclusion. The guitar riffs feel rickety in the verses, at a high energy with an exciting tension. The vocals in the verses are fairly more clean, as Williams recites filler lines like: “Beaten why for?, Can’t take much more” and “Push me again/This is the end” over a whispered delivery above a screeching bass guitar riff and a static drum pattern, as we build up to the chorus. Speaking of the chorus, it’s loud and brash in equal measure. Williams feels broken in his lyricism, shouting “Let The Bodies Hit The Floor” to mark a contrast to the softer vocals in the verses. There’s a delayed use of a “Wah Pedal” and a harsh, rumbling drum signature, to make up the melodic structure of the heavy, unadulterated sound of the chorus. If we’re being honest, it’s incessantly cheesy and it’s inherently stupid, but, I think it’s a relatively fun song. The problem is there’s a time and a place for this kind of music, and 9:53am (at time of writing) on a Sunday Morning is not really the intended time and setting for the listening of a track like this. At least, the guitar work is energetic and Williams puts in a fun vocal performance for what it is, but the sound wares rather thin as we reach the ending stages of the piece. Sadly, it’s been relegated to silly memes in the decades since. Now, I’m off to Church – odd as that likely seems!

Pictured: Dave Williams (Lead Vocals), C.J. Pierce (Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals), Stevie Benton (Bass Guitar/Rhythm Guitar/Occasional Backing Vocals) and Mike Luce (Drums/Percussion) (in 2001) (via The PRP/MetalSucks.net)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at the brand new single from an English Indie Rock 3-piece who are making their highly-anticipated return from an 11-year hiatus! The trio began their reunion period with a charity concert in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust at The Royal Albert Hall in London on 29th March, 2019. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Scuzz Sundays: P.O.D. – “Alive”

June 28, 2020 — 1 Comment

Pinch, Punch, it’s the last Scuzz Sunday of the month – and a kick for flying so quick!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for P.O.D.’s “Satellite” (Released on September 11th, 2001) (via Atlantic Records)

You know what time it is! Good Morning, Afternoon or Evening – I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing your new weekly edition of Scuzz Sundays on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! Scuzz Sundays is the day where we take a listen back at an emo-rock or pop-punk classic from the late-90’s up to the mid-00’s to see it holds up to this day, named in tribute to the defunct Scuzz music video TV channel. P.O.D. are a band of which I’m surprised I have not covered as part of the weekly feature yet, since the California Nu-Metal 4-piece were huge, critically and commercially, back in the day. Their name is an abbreviation for Payable By Death, and the group are of Christian faith. An interesting fact about P.O.D. is they composed the “619” theme song for the famous Mexican wrestler Rey Mysterio, and they performed the song live at Wrestlemania 22 before Mysterio’s world title match against Randy Orton. “Alive” is one of their most popular tracks taken from their second album “Satellite”, which was released in 2001. The album went on to sell seven million copies worldwide and it was the 26th best-selling album in the US in 2002 after a sustained marketing push, with the album eventually receiving a Triple Platinum certification late that year. The band have gone on to receive three Grammy award nominations and they’ve sold over 12 million records worldwide. Have a listen to the 2006 remaster of ‘Alive’ below.

Ignore the terrible cover artwork, and what you get is what you’ve heard – a nice little pop-driven nu-metal track revolving around the soaring feeling of finding Jesus. The track opens with a strong bass guitar hook, with Sandoval chiming: “Everyday is a new day/I’m thankful for every breath I take”, over the top of an energetic lead guitar riff that repeats over blaring drum notes. The chorus continues the upbeat mood and pop-punk-driven melodies, with Sandoval howling: “I feel so alive, for the very first time, and I think I can fly” over a hook-laden chorus of a heavy lead guitar riff and a symphonic bass guitar solo, mixed in with some more fairly heavy and quickly paced drumming parts, with some backing vocals from Daniels and Curiel to add a gospel-like touch. There is light synth work in the post-bridge, as Sandoval declares: “Now that I know you/Now that I see you, I can never turn my back away” to add variation to the chorus, while keeping the Christian lyric devices intact. I’ve actually found that I like the song more than I thought I would, as it captures a soaring feeling quite well with the high-tempo guitar melodies and the fairly heavy, but still pop-friendly, instrumentation and song structure, as a whole. The chorus gets a bit repetitive towards the end, with a very clear-cut meaning and not a whole load of replay value, along with a certain cheese-level, but I feel these religious themes amount up to a decent level of expression, and the band’s different parts feel cohesive. You can do a lot worse by mainstream standards and the harmonies sound solid. Amen to this one!

Pictured: Sonny Sandoval (Leading Vocals), Traa Daniels (Bass Guitar/Unclean Vocals), Marcos Curiel (Lead Guitar/Programming/Occasional Backing Vocals) and Wuv Bernado (Drums/Rhythm Guitar) (in 2018) (via PR)

Thank you for reading this post! In regards to #BlackLivesMatter, we endorse the peaceful protests on One Track At A Time. Please go and check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. I’ll be back tomorrow for a second look at an English singer, songwriter and musician who has just released her second album “Kitchen Sink” on the Infectious Music label. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Scuzz Sundays: Box Car Racer – “I Feel So”

June 14, 2020 — Leave a comment

A band who sadly didn’t get the chance to land in the Pole Position! It’s Scuzz Sunday!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Box Car Racer” (LP) (Released on May 21st, 2002) (via MCA Records)

It’s time for a new weekly edition of Scuzz Sundays! My name is Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog, as it’s my day-to-day pleasure to do so! Scuzz Sundays, named after the now-defunct Scuzz rock music video freeview TV channel, is the time of the week where we look back at an emo-rock or pop-punk classic from between the late-1990’s until the mid-2000’s to see if it lives to modern standards! “I Feel So” was a single released by San Diego alternative punk band Box Car Racer in 2002 for their self-titled debut album. The band featured two former Blink-182 members in frontman Tom DeLonge and drummer Travis Barker, who led the project with guitarist David Kennedy, formerly of Hazel Street, and bassist Anthony Celestino. Their self-titled album, based upon DeLonge’s post-hardcore influences, is a concept record detailing an Apocalyptic event, told through a range of sonically-directed tracks that feel bleak and grim in tone. MCA Records, their label, were looking for a commercial hit from the band, so they deemed it to be an experimental project and gave it little promotion, as a result of this. Despite this, the album was a mild commercial success off the back of positive reviews from fans and critics. Sadly, the band’s success was very short-lived, as creative disagreements between DeLonge, Barker and the remaining members of Blink-182 during the production of the album, along with a lukewarm A&R relationship with MCA Records, led to the band’s split soon after the album’s tour, meaning they only released the one album, making it their eponymous debut LP. Time to have a listen to ‘I Feel So’ below.

A track which reached #8 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Chart in the US, Box Car Racer’s “I Feel So” is one of the more accessible works to come from the quick project, but even so, you can still hear a decent inkling of the album’s less conventional approach in this more pop-punk driven single. It starts off with a piano intro which feels delicate and fragile, that is, until the blast of an explosive bass guitar groove cranks up the pressure a notch. The extra layers of distorted noise-rock lies beneath the early lyrics: “Sometimes I wish I was brave/I wish I was stronger/I wish I could feel no pain”, as Tom DeLonge emotionally punishes himself while the electric guitar harmonies congregate their way around percussive drum breaks and minimalist piano melodies. The guitar riffs sound intentionally unrefined, in comparison to power-pop releases of the time, as Tom DeLonge blames himself for his own wrongdoings: “I feel so mad/I feel so angry/I feel so callous/So lost, confused, again”, in the chorus, which is filled with grunge-led arrangements patched together by indignant acoustic guitar riffs, fast-paced drum notes and brief piano lulls, with a lack of a focus on synths. The vocals are a bit of a minor letdown, as the songwriting could have done with a bit more depth and variety: “I wish I was shy/I wish I was honest”, DeLonge’s voice is a bit cheesy and fairly alike to commercial pop-punk favourites like Blink-182, funnily enough, and Sum 41 too – So your mileage could vary on this. Personally, I feel they establish the apocalyptic themes of the album in a reasonable way. Overall, it feels expressive – it might have just been the right record in the right place at the right time, but solid effort has been put into the contrasted instrumentation and the visual design. DeLonge and Barker walked away from it relatively unscathed, as the two reconciled with their former Blink-182 bandmates, and the cult success of this record led to the two writing parts of Blink-182’s next album in 2003, which was heavily influenced by Box Car Racer in it’s experimental, post-punk approach. From time to time, it’s great to have a little side project like this!

Pictured: Tom DeLonge (Lead Vocals/Lead Writer/Producer), Travis Barker (Keyboard/Drums/Piano/Percussion), David Kennedy (Lead Guitar) and Anthony Celestino (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals) (2002) (Photo Credit: upsetmagazine.com)

Thank you for reading this post! As always, in regards to #BlackLivesMatter, we endorse the peaceful protests on One Track At A Time. Please go and check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. I’ll be back tomorrow to kick off the week with an in-depth look at a brand spanking new track from an English Electronic Neo-Soul duo, one of my personal favourites, who are signed to Tatemae Recordings and the project’s name translates to “True Feelings” in Japanese! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/