Priestess - Hello Master

I remember when bands like Wolfmother and Velvet Revolver came out everyone was screaming about this new revolution of Hard Rock. They were supposed to be the new Sabbath or Zeppelin or something and for a while it seemed like they were going to dominate rock music for years to come (although now, I can't even recall any of their hit songs). I remember not finding anything extraordinary about them, but I never thought anything bad either, they were just some rock bands playing some rock songs, but as far as being a new rock revival, I always felt like something was missing.

I am still not sure what it was, but I'm pretty sure Priestess figured it out and then recorded Hello Master.

Rock and Metal drummers are a dime a dozen. Everyone loves to chime in on how they taught themselves to play drums by playing along to Metallica and Gun's and Roses records, but ninety percent of them never take it any further. When they do, you get a guy like Vince Nudo.

I have had the pleasure of seeing Priestess twice, once opening for Motorhead, and once while I was on tour in Hamilton, both times for free. I intended to pay, but once they found out who I was and what blog I wrote for, they couldn't possibly charge me*.

Vince is one of those guys who is just a solid all around rock drummer. The first track, I Am The Right, Colour Me Black is a good start. It's a bit more agressive than the rest of album and it has a slight hardcore feel to it, especially at the start. Vince loves to crash the hell out of his cymbals, but he always maintains a groove to his playing.

He also plays massive drums which is kind of refreshing, nowadays with kick drums getting smaller and toms following the trend it's nice to see a guy sit behind some 16 inch toms and 18 and 20 inch floor toms (this I am trying to recall from memory so it may be wrong). The size of his drums and the way he plays give the songs a lot more power than most hard rock records. While some guys try to hard to have finesse, Vince kind of takes an AC/DC approach, throw in a few rolls once in a while but mostly just keep your beats moving forward.

This is not to say he doesn't have his moments, but they are just well placed. Take for instance the sixth track, Time Will Cut You Down. It's a much slower number than the rest, but during the chorus there is a time skip that throws you for a bit of a loop. It's as if the chorus is 3 and a half beats instead of 4, but it works.

It may not be the most technical display, but maybe that's what is wrong with most hard rock bands, too much noodling, not enough rocking. Priestess stay true to form, and it makes for much more repeat listens.

*This statement is most likely false, I got in for free because I have more awesome/important friends than you do.

Audio/Video Evidence : I Am The Night, Lay Down

Supertramp - Breakfast In America

Oh, how I wanted to add Crime Of The Century here. Artistically and dynamically it is Supertramp's best record. I listened to it back to back with Breakfast In America several times, and despite my personal preference I just couldn't do it. While Crime Of The Century works better as a whole album, there are so many parts without any drums it wouldn't have been right.

The more Bob Siebenberg, the better, and Bob is all over this record.

When I listen to Supertramp I hear a band that spent way more time arranging and organizing their songs than I ever will. There are intricate parts buried under pop hooks and a Wurlitzer organ, its really quite impressive. They were all extremely talented, musically minded people, and drummer/percussionist Siebenberg matched their attention to detail and skill.

Siebenbergs patterns on songs like Goodbye Stranger work well on a rock level, but if you listen closely he is playing lots in between the rhythms. Snare trills, and high hat flourishes give his playing a texture that really has gone missing since this era in music.

People seem to have a misguided image of Supertramp thanks to stupid Gap commercials and the fucking Gym Class Heroes. I could spend months discussing how they aren't seen as the technical masters that they were. They bridged the gap between art, progressive rock and pop music better than anyone else from that time. The end of Goodbye Stranger completely changes feel and bursts into a guitar solo with th drums and keys flourishing from time to time. Basically it was like if the Bee Gees all of a sudden started listening to Yes and kept writing songs.

The seven minute epic Child Of Vision displays more of the dynamic, thought out playing we heard on Crime Of The Century. Siebenberg is an expert at knowing when to not play at all, and even when he starts to get technical he never makes the music feel crowded.

I'm not the only one who thinks that Siebenberg was a genius. In 1989 he was commisioned to write the music for Sierra's Space Quest III. Not only is he a better drummer than you, but he is involved with video games on a deeper level too.

Might as well pack in in.

Audio/Video Evidence : Goodbye Stranger, The Logical Song

BDK Update

Everyone who is reading this (and by everyone, I mean Andrew Sisk) will notice that for the next month and a half posts may slack off, or possibly get updated in bunches. I am on tour until mid July and while that gives me lot more free time to do this, I will probably be spending most of it rocking and rolling (and doing everything that comes with that). I may get an urge to post once in a while, but don't be alarmed if I go a week with nothing being posted.

I'm sure no one cares anyway.

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

This is a fairly recent album but it is the perfect example of a growing trend I have noticed with modern drummers.

Because of the Digital Media craze the way music sounds has changed drastically. The warm sounds of vinyl were replaced by CD's, which have now been replaced almost totally by cell phones, Ipods, and computers, basically anything with a speaker and an input jack. Since recorded music loses most of its texture once it's digitized it has had an effect how how bands play (and also record) their music. I am not saying that listening to music in a digital format is a negative thing to happen, I think that in a way it forced people to change the standards of music that had been in place for years, in order to sell records.

My point is that as a drummer you can ignore the obvious and continue to play and record music the way it always has, and when you're final product comes out compressed and digitizied and your drums sound flat and lost under a heap of sound you can complain about how all the new technology is ruining everything. This won't solve anything, you'll just get lost in the shuffle.

The right thing to do is demonstrated on this album, Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. The drummer seems to play in a way that suits loads of compression, instead of fighting it. He rarely hits more than one thing at a time, but everything he does play is up front, driving the songs. It's very stripped down and straight.

Now, I looked (but not very hard) to find out who played drums on this record, and I couldn't find anything. This means that the band used either a few different guys, or one studio musician or possibly, no drummer at all. In today's modern musical climate it is getting easier and easier to replace us with samples or drum machines. Regardless of whether or not a real person played on this album, it is still important to note the way the drums interact with the music.

It may be a sign that we're a dying breed, or it could just mean that we have to modernize our playing. Besides, it's probably easier to deal with samples than a real drummer anyway. Samples can't sell your amps for beer money.

Audio/Video evidence: 1901, Listzomania

Radiohead - In Rainbows

This isn't my favorite Radiohead album. Actually, it's not even in my top 3. However, it does have it's own charms and I chose it for one specific reason. Before it was released I ordered it off of the Radiohead website for free, and the morning of it's release I woke up to a nice e-mail from Radiohead themselves saying "Good morning Pinky! Here's our new album!", and I promptly added it to my Ipod, legally, for free.

Ok, I'm kidding. That actually happened, but it's not why I chose it.

Up until In Rainbows Radiohead always felt like the Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood show to me. Their albums were always fantastic, sometimes stellar, and the other bandmates were always impressive but there was something missing. The other guys always seemed to be in the backround while Thom made his bleeps and bloops and Jonny jangled around with all of his snazzy effects.

I mean, lets be honest, Kid A is probably my favorite record, but drummer Phil Selway plays on roughly 35% of it (maybe even less). It was Thom's record. He showed tremendous ability on OK Computer, but that was really Thom's record too. Jonny really comes through on Hail To The Thief, so that's his record.

In Rainbows is Phil's record. Or at least, it's as much of a record as Phil is going to get.

In Rainbows is the first Radiohead album that feels like it was written and recorded as a band. They were always a great live band, but this time it really transferred onto a record. Songs like Weird Fishes play out over a long time, with Phil playing a steady beat but changing his dynamic ever so slightly. He really has a graceful touch on the drums and it gets explored fully all over this record. He can still keep the energy up (like on Bodysnatchers), or maintain slow, steady time while building up to a climax (All I Need has him making a slight shift in his right hand, crashing the ride, but it makes a world of difference). Every other member of Radiohead seemed to hold back on this record, they toned themselves down. This left a lot of space, and Phil was there to "Phil" it (cheesy pun intended).

If I had to choose one song that showcased Selways ability, it would have to be Reckoner. He has a ride bell that cuts through everything, and really gives the song it's momentum. At the same time he is playing in 4/4 but he plays a slight skip that throws you off, it feels like it's odd time. Some people try and play odd time and make it seem straight, Phil has the ability to play straight time and make it feel odd.

This was Radiohead's Seventh album, but seeing as how it's the first where they feel truly comfortable in the studio as a band, I look at it as a second debut album, the beginning of a new era.

Let's just all hope this era doesn't have a Pablo Honey in it.

Primus - Frizzle Fry

Music elitists are always fun to argue with, and one of my favorite points of discussion is Primus. Primus are a very divisive band. Either you think they are immortal, masters of their trade, or you think that it's the worst schlock ever put down on tape. They have a strange fan base, the skaters like them (which I have yet to understand), the potheads like them (which is completely obvious), and any musician with an appreciation for technical ability mixed with the absurd (or a Monty Python fan) will at least find them slightly interesting. However if you go to a guys house and look at his CD collection and you see Belle & Sebastian, Mogwai and the Fourtet remixes, the chances are Primus aren't next to them.

The music snobs love to put them down as being a cheesy band. I hear them lament about how they cannot stand to hear Les Claypool sing. His nasally drawl sends shivers up their spine.

Listen.

This is not a newsflash. I am pretty sure that Primus know they are cheesy. I think they are OK with it. They have an album cover of a boat SAILING A GIANT SEA OF CHEESE. You don't have to be a Rhodes Scholar to put that together. I don't mind people criticizing albums but what pisses me off is when people don't take intention into consideration. Talent does not give you an obligation to be serious with what you do. Primus were weird, kooky, silly guys, and they made weird, kooky, silly albums. Les' voice, well that had to come with the package. Someone had to sing.

You're just pissed off because they can play better than you (and everyone you know) and they use their collective genius to write songs like Professor Nutbutter's House Of Treats instead of composing film scores.

Just because it's silly, doesn't mean it can't be awesome. I have listened to Primus my entire life, and while some albums don't age as well as others, Frizzle Fry is as impressive now as it was then. I still have no idea who the hell taught Tim Alexander how to play the drums, but I think there was something wrong with them. Like, mentally.

Tim Alexander interprets music in a way that can't be understood by anyone other than Tim Alexander. When I listen to Primus I feel like the three weirdest guys from three different high schools somehow found each other and started a band.

Tim had to sift through the insanity of Claypool's basslines, ignore the guitar (which was pretty much always out of time, and usually made no sense), and come up with drum parts that would make a bunch of stoned teenagers want to jump around and lay on top of each others hands (as in crowd surfing, you perverts). I still can't believe some of the shit he pulls of on this record. He has a smooth, fast kick drum foot (Mr Knowitall, Pudding Time), he can throw drum rolls in anywhere (Spaghetti Western), and he can go from rock, to funk, to metal to anything else in one song (Harold of the Rocks).

Tim always seems to be fully, completely aware of what he is doing on the drums. Everything feels proper and thought out. His kick drum is always dead on with Claypool's bass. Maybe it is just the ultimate bass player/drummer relationship. Claypool and Alexander just had so much ability that they created this partnership and took it to much further places that it had ever been (or should have gone, some would say). Tim manages to tap into a part of his brain that most musicans don't have (or avoid), and it gives him a very unique touch on the drums.

I am just glad that Primus were around at the same time as Celine Dion so that they could distract teens from the real world for minute or two.

Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen

Not just anyone could have played drums for Ben Folds. Folds' serious talent as a pianist and quirky, modern style of writing pop songs would intimidate even the best. You had to be able to rock like Bohnham, swing like Roach and keep up with Folds' quick changes in feel and style. Ben Folds Five were always inspirational to me because they seemed to be completely regular dudes who just happened to be phenomenal musicians with a style of songwriting that was fresh and new but maintained the quality of all of those rock songs from the glory days.

Darren Jessee not only killed it on the drums for Ben Folds, he had a hand in writing two of their biggest hits (Brick, Song For The Dumped), and he did it all with a regal approach to rock drumming.Whatever and Ever Amen has the highest percentage of great songs (the best weren't even singles), along with the most varied styles caught on one record.

I always think that if Dave Grohl had studied Jazz he would sound like Darren Jessee. Jessee's approach has the same power as Grohl (album opener, One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces kicks in with a loud, in-your-face snare roll and a pumping kick drum, giving Fold's Ragtime-esque piano more beef than expected), but he can be very graceful with his time (Brick has some great light snare/cymbal work) something Grohl seems to avoid. He can play up tempo Jazz (Selfless, Cold and Composed), he can give a throwback to the thirties with Big Band style shots (Stevens Last Night in Town), or simply rock the fuck out with the rest of his band (Song For The Dumped). Folds had a counterpart in Jessee and we got 3 great albums of the pairing.

No matter what style of music Jessee got thrown he always had an authentic feel, he was never out of his element. If I could play like that, I sure as hell wouldn't be spending all day posting albums on a drum blog.

Audio/Video Evidence: One Angry Dwarf, Song For The Dumped, Stevens Last Night in Town,

The Clash - London Calling

The main difference between The Clash and every other 70's punk band was that The Clash could actually play their instruments. In fact, I would argue that the only thing The Clash had in common with other 70's punk bands was their attitude. The music was well arranged and orchestrated, with some songs being heavily produced with horn sections, hardly the off the cuff riff rock that was coming from all the other bands The Clash get lumped in with. While drummer Topper Headon had the speed and endurance to match guys like John Maher (of the Buzzcocks) or Tommy Ramone (Ramones, duh), he had much more finesse and ability, and was a major part of The Clash's success.

When London Calling kicks in the with title track Headon is playing a simple, standard rock beat, kick on 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4 beat. When the vocals come in and he double times the high hats he give it this slight dynamic that keeps the song moving. Later on in the song during a pause he accents certain parts with snare rolls and trills, but he always comes back into that first beat, right on time. That was the beauty of Headon, he never lost his place.

On songs like Lost In The Supermarket he plays a variety of patterns, but he always keeps his kick drum pumping. If I was a General in the military, I would make everyone march to Clash records. In fact, he keeps his kick drum pumping through most of this record (Koka Kola, Clampdown) but it never gets tiresome.

I wish The Clash had hired Headon from the start, it would be interesting how he would interpret some early Clash songs, like Remote Control or I'm So Bored With The U.S.A, but I guess I'll just have to be happy with what we did get from him.

I just wish he hadn't been a pioneer of Ska drumming. That stone would have been best left unturned.

Audio/Video Evidence: London Calling, Working For The Clampdown

Indie Spotlight : The Inflation Kills - S/T

I really like making bold, unverifiable claims on the internet. It's what makes doing this worthwhile, so here is another one. The Inflation Kills' self titled album is the most underrated Canadian album in probably the last 10 years. I am basing this on my estimation of how many copies of it they sold (lets say, probably at least 500 but definitely no more than 1000), compared to how many albums (everything, including shitty CD-R's of your local high school bands) released in the past 10 years it is better than (definitely 75%, possibly 85%). If I gave out awards pertaining to my personal life, this album would win longest run on my 2 gig Ipod (going on 3+ years, beginning the day I got it). It would also win the award for album my band(s) listen to the most on the road.

Do me a favor, if you have this record, and you agree with me, even just a little bit, leave a comment. It does'nt even have to be much, just a little nod or thumbs up so I don't think I am a complete moron. If you are on facebook, don't leave me a comment there, go to the actual blog HERE, and leave a comment that will be forever cemented into the internet (instead of dying away in my old high school friends' facebook feeds).

I could talk forever about this record, the guitar tones, the awesome lyrics, how it's probably the only melodic math rock pop record in existence, but this is a drum blog started to talk about drums so lets talk about how awesome the drums are.

It all starts with Nick Daleo.

He has an interesting set up (he plays with his ride cymbal directly next to his high hats, giving him serious ride bell control), he comes up with awesome, original beats (there is a rhythm in Children where he does this super fast stick clicky/snare rim thing that I had never heard before or since), and he has super long dreads that flap all over the place as he flails around (but not anymore, as of a couple weeks ago).

Nick also manages to hit the drums really hard, regardless of speed. He has a confident ability, every hit seems sure and accurate. A lot of Inflation Kills songs have these jarring stops all over the place, little drum and bass shots that can be easy to lose track of, but Nick is bang on every time. This album was recorded live (except for vocals I think) so it goes to show how tight this band was.

When you meet Nick (and you will, trust me), you realize that he gets his enthusiastic, energetic way of playing drums because he is an enthusiastic, energetic person. He plays in multiple bands, has better taste in music than you ever will, and knows at least one person that you know. I'm serious, if there was a Six Degrees of Nick Daleo most Canadian people would only need 2 degrees. He is a professional, national talent who still hasn't gotten proper recognition for his ability, but I am still certain that he will.

I have heard talk that there is a reunion tour coming up. Maybe these guys will finally get the attention they have long deserved.

Audio/Visual Evidence: When Clones Come

Death From Above 1979 - You're A Woman, I'm A Machine

Oh how the hipsters wet their pants over this one. I remember when You're a Woman, I'm a Machine came out, I had just moved to Halifax and all the trendy folk seemed to really dig it. They said it was one of the greatest Canadian records in years. It was metal and it was punk but you can dance to it and it justmakesyouwannafreakout!and party! I heard so much about this record that I avoided listening to it for 2 years. DFA1979 came, they conquered, and they even played in my city, and a few months after they broke up I finally decided to give their album a chance, the hoopla was over and I could get an actual sense of the music rather than the hype.

That's the problem with hipster hype, you can't trust it. Sometimes they are bang on (Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, MIA) and sometimes it's like they don't even have ears (Fleet Foxes, Pavement, The Decemberists). You have to let everything go away to really get to the core of a record. So I ignored the commercials, the videos and the Conan performance. I had nearly forgotten about Death From Above 1979 until I saw it on my roommates CD rack and decided to finally give it a shot.

Those pesky hipsters were right.

When you put out an album like this one, that's it, you're done. You completed the Rock and Roll level of life, congratulations, now move on. Try curing cancer, or maybe stock broking, just not rock and roll. I like to think DFAq979 broke up because they knew this, they knew they had done something special and would just be chasing it for the rest of their careers. In reality they broke up because they bickered more than a married couple, but that's besides the point.

After their breakup, Jesse Keeler did the right thing and stopped playing instruments, he is now 1/2 of a super successful electronic music act (MSTRKRFT). He did the right thing, he stopped making rock and roll, and tried his hand at something different. Drummer Sebastien Grainger however, felt that what the world needed from him was another plain ol' rock band. Current projects aside, Grainger was still 1/2 of an awesome band and 2/3rds of what is so awesome about it (drums and vocals), so I have to give him 'spect.

Grainger plays drums like he is in a fight with them. I always picture him with this terrified look on his face smashing away at the kit like its trying to eat him. His kick drum foot is mega fast and he throws a lot of double hits on it, keeping the momentum going. Songs like Black History Month have him playing with a little more groove, but with the same power as other songs. Sometimes he just flat out beats the hell out of them, like on the opening track, Turn it Out. It would take an impressive amount of energy and endurance to play these songs live, and the fact that Grainger sings lead as well makes it twice as difficult.

Tight pants and funny mustaches aside, sometimes the hipsters know gold when they hear it. Grainger is an important part of Canadian music because of this album. It is impossible to follow this up with anything better.

I just wish he would have realized it.

Audio/Video Evidence: You're a Woman I'm a Machine, Romantic Rights, Little Girl

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

I know that this is Jeff Tweedy's album. We've all seen the documentary. Jeff Tweedy was dealing with band turmoil, an evil record label and various personal demons, all the while creating this somber masterpiece, which catapulted him into the upper echelon of music greats that had dodged him for so many years. It was a musical Cinderella story, a triumph much deserved. That's what this album represents for most people, hope.

For me, it represents something else. It represents Jeff Tweedy finally ditching drummer Ken Coomer and getting someone who knows what the hell he is doing.

Enter Glenn Kotche.

You can say that the success of this record belongs to Jeff Tweedy all you want, but let's look at the facts.

- Wilco albums with Ken Coomey that sold over 500 000 copies - 0
- Wilco albums with Glenn Kotch that sold over 500 000 copies - 3

Kotch kicks Coomey's ass, and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is where it first happened. He had the experience (he had been Jim O'Rourkes drummer for years), he had the skill (he was in the drumline for the University of Kentucky, where he earned a bachelor of music), and he had a genius songwriter who was going through a deep personal transition, resulting in creative, interesting songs (Tweedy was struggling with an addiction to pain killers, as well as the drama of kicking out your whiny, less talented, grudge holding songwriting partner). Every piece was there, Kotche just had to keep 'em together.

Because of Wilco, I am convinced Glenn Kotche can make drums breathe. He manages to give Tweedy enough space in his compositions, coming through with a dirty drum sound that gives the album this classic sort of rustic sound. He is perfect at playing simple yet interesting rock patterns (like on Heavy Metal Drummer) or holding back with sparse flare ups (like on I am Trying To Break Your Heart). He fills in his space without drawing too much attention away from Tweedy, who is shining in his own way.

Without Kotche this record would have had the same loud, predictable drums that every previous Wilco album had, and Tweedy wouldn't have come through as prominently, which would have been a shame.

I guess sometimes you just have to let the turd drop.

Audio/Video Evidence: Heavy Metal Drummer, Jesus Etc

CAN - Tago Mago

Submitted by Megadan Nightengale (of Tomcat Combat)

Every decade has its band of art school kids turned musicians that were innovative and changed the way people thought of music. The 60's had The Velvet Underground, the 80's had Devo, and the 70's had CAN.

Some art school students spend their time behaving in a way they think artists should, they adopt certain eccentricities (you know, because artists are supposed to have them), they socialize with other artists like them, regaling each other in what projects they are working on, bands they are in. and they love talking about all of the interesting things going on in their super interesting unique artist life that will be made into a documentary someday, then finally people will understand them. They spend so much time talking about everything they are doing that they don't actually do that much.

CAN were'nt like that. CAN were the real fucking deal. Ahead of their time is an understatement, CAN were ahead of my time too. And yours.

It would be impossible to have a blog centered on neglected, underrated drummers and not have Jaki Liebezeit. It was almost impossible for me to pick what album should go on here. They are all amazing and important in their own way. Jaki was a human metronome, he could play the most complicated rhythms and never lose his place in time, and he could keep it steady for hours.

I forgot to mention that CAN recorded their albums in a different way than most bands at the time. They would record long improvisational pieces, sometimes lasting for hours, and then their bass player would find the best parts and edit them into a seamless chopped up song. So Liebezeit had to keep his tempo steady for extremely long periods of time, if not, then once the song gets edited down, the tempos would be all over the place and the song would be unuseable. This is something only highly skilled musicians could pull off, and CAN pulled it off constantly.

Tago Mago was the first record with their new vocalist, Damo Suzuki. Their old vocalist Malcolm Mooney suffered a nervous breakdown after their first record and was replaced. While Mooney's vocal improvisations were good, I feel that Suzuki mixes better with Liebezeit and they play off of each others intensity a lot. Songs like Mushroom and Halleluwah have a lot of give and take between the drums and vocals. It gives the record more momentum than the others.

CAN were also known for extremely long winded performances (some lasting between 4-6 hours). Even if Liebezeit wasn't a machine programmed to play drums, he should get credit for endurance (and withholding pee breaks for a seriously long time).

Audio/Video Evidence : Halleluhwah, Mushroom

Ride - Nowhere

If I was to sit down and interview Lawrence Colbert and ask him what inspired the way he plays drums on this record, I would hope he would lean back in his chair, take a long haul off of a cigarette, release a plume of smoke over his head and in a hazy, British voice tell me, "Thunder, man. Thunder." This is obviously never going to happen (I don't even know if he smokes) but there really is no other way to describe his playing.

It sounds like rolling, crashing thunder.

When Ride released this album, I was six years old. I was spending too much time watching sesame street, annoying my sister and (sometimes) pooping my pants to care about the shoe gaze rock scene going on in Britain. My musical reach stretched to my mothers Michael Bolton cassettes, and that's about it. I don't even know how I discovered it as an adult, but I like to think that as a drummer these things just find me because they are supposed to.

On this record, Colbert is never not going crazy (double negative, I know, I have a bad habit). Even on slower songs like Dreams Burn Down he is smashing cymbals, soaring over the loud, squealing guitars. On the first track, Seagull, it feels like one giant drum roll with a few rhythms thrown in just to keep the other guys locked in. He must have been loud as hell in concert, I don't think he even fully closes his high hats anywhere on this record, all of the cymbal playing gives it this wishy washy effect, perfect for early 90's rock (a la Blur, or early Pumpkins).

The funny thing, is that the only song he seems to try to play a steady beat in, Vapour Trail sounds forced and a little wonky. He wasn't meant to hold back.

The beast cannot be tamed.

Audio/Video Evidence : Seagull, Dreams Burn Down, Nowhere

Boris - Pink

Boris have been making albums for years, but up until Pink most of it was noisy, doom-y, experimental drone metal. Not the most fun stuff to play if you're a drummer.

Then something happened.

With a preview of what was on the way on 2002's Heavy Rocks, Boris made some changes. Not wanting to linger in one genre too long they decided to kick it up a notch. It's still heavy (not jun jun heavy, but it would be appropriate if the world ended while you were listening to this album, heavy) They kept their guitars at the same fuzzed out levels they always have, but this time they played some actual riffs. Really fast ones. They also gave their drummer the opportunity to wail. Really wail.

Atsuo must have had years of pent up drummers rage to pull off this album. He has incredible endurance, speed and power, and it sounds like he is just destroying everything in his path. I like the fact that he goes from playing very slow doom metal (決別) right into Fu-Manchu-ish stoner rock (Pink), into Melvins-esque noise rock ((free food)), into Zeppelin style riff rock (Painted with flame), but it's all done with more energy than their predecessors, a little more zazz.

Any metal drummers out there need to hear this record, but don't listen to it with headphones in public, it just might make you feel like running around screaming and punching people in the face.

Audio/Visual evidence : Pink, (The Woman On The Screen)

The Flaming Lips - Soft Bulletin

Before The Flaming Lips came along, I didn't know it was possible for music to sound like it was bouncing. Now I know, and I want to find out how. It mostly has to do with the ways the producer recorded this album, lots of compression and snazzy effects. It also has to do with the way Steve Drozd plays drums.

Steve was the only member of The Lips with any formal musical knowledge. He is admittedly the most talented musician in the band, and he plays a multitude of instruments, not just drums. His playing on this record is pretty fantastic, he seems to have complete independence with his 4 limbs, giving him a leg up over most rock drummers.

It's hard to describe the way Steve plays drums. It is very subtly unique. He played percussion in his High School Band (giving him some sweet snare chops) then began playing in his fathers polka band (which gave him sweet polka chops, which I am sure we could all use), then he got into loud ass 70's rock and roll (giving him these bombastic surges of energetic playing).

Then he started doing lots of drugs.

Lots of them. Mostly heroin.

While most junked out musicians can't get out of bed to eat or use the bathroom, Steve managed to put down on record one hell of a performance. The best musicians can express themselves through their instrument in a way that words cannot. I like to think of this album as Steve calling from the depths of hell the best way he knows how, with music. Music was either going to save his life or drugs were going to kill him. I never have to do heroin, I can figure out what it feels like just by listening to Steve Drozd play drums. Everytime I listen to this record I notice something new and intricate that he is playing, its like rhythms hidden inside rhythms.

Steve eventually cleaned up and is a successful, well respected musician touring the world and sleeping on piles of money, and since he doesn't do drugs anymore, he probably saved up his money and bought a nice house.

Audio/Video Evidence : Taps/Superman, Race For The Prize, Do You Realize/Waiting on Superman