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Album Club (April 1, 2007 - March 1, 2009); Like a book club, but with albums!
Topic Started: Apr 1 2007, 05:36 PM (18,179 Views)
Carpenter
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They're practically a different band on every album, but suit yourself.

I, personally, wanna die knowing I lived. So I'll stick with my BJM.
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Fine. Seeing as I'm surrounded by a bunch of lazy, nigh-catatonic cunts, I guess I'll be the first to hand in a review for this excellent album, ...And This Is Our Music.

The album begins with the track "Introesque", suitably named for the fact that it could only be the beginning or the tail end of something greater. There's nothing particularly special about this track until you listen close to it or actually use the program these guys used to compose and realize that it ain't a walk in the fucking park. The track is well-layered and about as deep and enjoyable as a 1-minute "instrumental" with no real instruments could ever possibly be. "Starcleaner", the first real song on the album, opens with another piece of electronic music: this time a stark and simple drum beat. Then the many guitars and keyboards drenched in effects of all sorts come in and, along with a beautiful vocal performance from Matt Tow (of the Lovetones) and an unexpected and rather up-front organ, lead you through three minutes of a beautiful, beautiful love song. "Here To Go" is the next song, and is possibly the most haunting on the entire album. The simple guitar riff based around D that you'll wish you came up with is even more effective with the "church bell" that accompanies it, and Anton's vocals couldn't have been performed (or mixed) better than they are here.
The first song on the album that has "hit" quality (if the BJM were part of a huge record label or existed in a different time, that is) is "When Jokers Attack". The song moves faster than usual, but not punk rock fast (basically "pop rock" speed) and features one of the catchiest guitar riffs you'll ever hear. Anton's vocals are more upfront than usual and the lyrics seem to be about love lost, adding even more to its "pop" aspects. The coolest thing about the song that you don't really even notice much on your first listen is Rob Campanella's gorgeous slide guitar in the background . In sound engineering class, they've taught me that sometimes it's better to feel a part than to really hear it, and the way Rob's slide guitar was mixed into the song is an excellent example of this (though there are many more on this album and across BJM's discography). Anton's messiah complex doesn't creep into the album until "Prozac Vs. Heroin", but the melody is so wonderful that you'll want to forgive lyrics you might conceive as pretentious. The music sets a mystical mood, as in the BJM are playing shit from another time period with instruments and methods of today (as a matter of fact, that feeling pervades this whole album from beginning to end with few exceptions). I'm not exactly sure what "Geezers" is about, but the melody and mood set with the droning keyboards and the guitars that dip in and out of your consciousness, along with the sexy bass, make it worthwhile. The horn bits throughout are the perfect touch, and along with the crazy organs are probably the main reason why this song also feels as if it belongs in another place and time. The next song, "I Never Told You So" (also known as "Maryanne" or a combination of these two names) is an acoustic song, not about love lost, but love never had at all. It should be heart-wrenching but because of the way it was recorded and mixed (as a simple song with only a handful of acoustic guitars and not much else) it feels really out of place. The best thing I can say about it is that Anton practically becomes an actor as well as a singer on this track, singing as if he is crying (or has just finished crying) about some girl he wanted to tell he loved but never had a chance to. You might find yourself skipping this track, and only this track.
"You Look Great When I'm Fucked Up", as the title implies, is the ultimate stoner track. Along with your standard drum, guitar, and piano sounds, we also get bits and pieces of electronica which, aside from that heart-wrenching sound that resembles a crying robot from outer space, don't really jump out at you the first time, like the slide in "When Jokers Attack". But just like the slide in "When Jokers Attack", the song wouldn't be half as interesting without it. "Here It Comes" is probably one of the best examples on this album of Anton's lyrical genius. He isn't really saying a whole lot, or telling a linear story in any sense, but he does manage to evoke the feelings of frustration, hopelessness, anger, rebelliousness, and the sense of impending doom that one feels as he is coming of age (and out of high school) with only a few verses and a heartfelt performance. "Here It Comes" features the standard keyboard drone and probably the best guitar work on the album aside from "When Jokers Attack". "Prozac Vs. Heroin Revisited" has more to do with "Introesque" than "Prozac Vs. Heroin", but isn't as good as either. The main problem I have with it is that it doesn't seem to know whether it wants to be the dreamy, shoegazy-type electronic song or if it wants to be something you can groove to, so it gets stuck somewhere in between. It redeems itself with its layers and layers of electronic tracks to pick apart on headphones.
"A New Low In Getting High" is probably the second catchiest track on the album after "When Jokers Attack". It's very well written and mixed and it's the type of song you can't get out of your head once you've heard it. The vocals are mixed especially well on this one. "Somethings Go Without Saying" is a beautiful track, and despite being another mostly acoustic track amongst an album of electronic and electric music, it manages to find itself a nice, comfortable spot where it fits well. "Tchusse", the next song on the album, procures the melody from the theme song of the old TV show "The Odd Couple" and does something utterly remarkable with it. Aside from the beautiful arrangement and mixing (including horns, pianos, keyboards, and strings), Anton does his best lyrics on this one. See for yourself:

"I’m staring at the stains
Of the tears on the pillow
I don’t think you’ve told me just why
There’s nothing that remains
Except for the yellow round bubbles
Yesterday's muddled goodbyes"


Brilliant. One of my favorite tracks. "The Pregnancy Test" is somewhat of a sequel to "Introesque" and is far better than "Prozac Vs. Heroin Revisited" and its spacey, hypnotic qualities make it a fitting end to the time-traveling musical epic, ...And This Is Our Music.

9/10
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GodNickSatan
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One of us cannot be wrong
Really awesome review. I've never heard anything by The Brian Jonestown Massacre, but I'd like to. So yeah, could I maybe have a link? I'm not a member of the album club, but you know, whatever. I don't think anyone really cares anymore.
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SemolinaPilchard
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Semolina Pilchard
So I have to admit I had never heard of this band before this. So I did some quick research on them before listening to the album.

I liked the instrumental intro. A Soothing way to start an album.

The transition to Starcleaner was really good. The opening is very symbolic to a couple OK Go tracks off of their debut album. At least I thought so. The track had a good feeling to it and I definitely was digging their lead singer’s voice.

Track 3 rolled around and I almost got the feeling as if this was some new age progressive rock band from the 70’s or a late 60’s psychedelic band.

During When Jokers Attack the guitar during the vocal breaks kept reminding me of a softer version of the “Day Tripper” riff. It’s still stuck in my head.

Geezers was sub par at best.

After this my computer decided it didn’t want to play anymore tracks so I was fucked at this point.

However, the third of the album I did hear was ok. I didn’t expect to enjoy them really at all but it was worth the time listening to. I didn’t get a sense of individuality between some songs and felt they lacked a real identity. Maybe it was the point or perhaps I just missed something.
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"You say you lost your faith
But that's not where it's at
You had no faith to lose
And you know it"
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LaylasGotMeOnMyKnees
Sep 18 2007, 08:15 AM
So I have to admit I had never heard of this band before this. So I did some quick research on them before listening to the album.

I liked the instrumental intro. A Soothing way to start an album.

The transition to Starcleaner was really good. The opening is very symbolic to a couple OK Go tracks off of their debut album. At least I thought so. The track had a good feeling to it and I definitely was digging their lead singer’s voice.

Track 3 rolled around and I almost got the feeling as if this was some new age progressive rock band from the 70’s or a late 60’s psychedelic band.

During When Jokers Attack the guitar during the vocal breaks kept reminding me of a softer version of the “Day Tripper” riff. It’s still stuck in my head.

Geezers was sub par at best.

After this my computer decided it didn’t want to play anymore tracks so I was fucked at this point.

However, the third of the album I did hear was ok. I didn’t expect to enjoy them really at all but it was worth the time listening to. I didn’t get a sense of individuality between some songs and felt they lacked a real identity. Maybe it was the point or perhaps I just missed something.

You make some good points, but as for the individuality thing, I challenge someone on here to find a band that sounds like the BJM (not including people who have been mentored by Anton). Everyone says "they sound like [this]" or "they sound like [that]", but when the time comes to actually compare them to someone else they are at a loss. Really, The BJM take elements from several time periods and several genres and a few things I've never heard of before and make something new with it.
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Conducting Sexual Congress
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Fuck the poeleece!
Just you watch, I totally will.
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Carpenter
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Ok, just remember BJM's been around since about 1990.

Good luck =D
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TheSmashedGuitar
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Love Will Tear Us Apart, Again
This album was a new direction for the Brian Jonestown Massacre. The fairly-standard (though still changing) "original" lineup split up, and Anton Newcombe collected a whole new group of musicians into the BJM. You can definitely feel it in the music; everything's more spacy, with more focus on instrumentation then vocals and less lyrics then before, kind-of like their first album. (Except it's not shoegaze.) Also, there's some experimentation with electronica and horns and such as well as a guest vocalist on one track. Even though Anton's sworn off drugs, a good deal of the lyrics imply drug use. The album still manages to be fresh, although some of it is recycled BJM. I feel their golden period is over, but this is still a good album. The thing I love about this band is that they're like Bach; not imposters, but great interpreters of what's come before. They give it a new flavor to make it their own, which is what so many bands fail to to. I give ..And This Is Our Music an 8/10.

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Couldn't have said it better myself.

The golden age of BJM was Give It Back! and probably would've gone over better with the ASR crowd, but I was selfish and chose this album because I'm more into it now and therefore was more eager to review it.
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Conducting Sexual Congress
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Fuck the poeleece!
Give it Back! was okay.
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Angerj
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Mr. E
No one listened to my album club choice, I guess. :(
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Rateyourmusic
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TheSmashedGuitar
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Love Will Tear Us Apart, Again
Give me the link again and I promise I'll listen/review. Your submission was when I was away from ASR for a bit, so I'm sorry I couldn't get to it.

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Angerj
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Mr. E
The link has expired.
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Two Of Us
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Ok I gave the BJM album a first listen here and I must say I was not expecting a very progressive/psychedelic keyboard driven, pompous album. Saying that I was not disappointed about it. I got lost in the music which isn't really a bad thing, but I'm gonna hold judgement for now.

As of now I give it 7.5/10
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TheSmashedGuitar
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Love Will Tear Us Apart, Again
Even though the club is kinda dead, Electric Monk is back and it's his turn to upload.

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