The Useless Critic 2.0

First of all, happy Pride! I think this year, we need it more than previous years (well, the past several at least). I volunteered at Phoenix Pride earlier this year (it's in the spring because the summers are dangerously hot). It was a good experience; I hope to do more of it in the future. One of my all-time favorite favorite FAVORITE singers is putting out a new album entitled "The Bride." Yes, Natasha "Bat For Lashes" Khan. And honestly, I feel like this might be her best body of work to date. !!!    The album deals with the idea of a bride who loses her groom on the way to the chapel. From this point, she embarks on a quest through grief and self-discovery. It seems to be one of those albums you need to listen to from start to finish. That's not really a thing anymore, you know. Albums aren't tailored to be these cosmic experiences (Gwen Stefani, lookin' at you). CONFESSION: I have listened to "The Bride" already. NPR was ...

Initial impressions:  The Serpent's Egg by Dead Can Dance (1988). The strength of the first Dead Can Dance record is the tribal percussion that is disappointingly absent from most of The Serpent's Egg.  Literally the first 4-5 tracks have no percussion, and when the percussion kicks in it is an improvement but won't necessarily get your toes tapping.  Instead we are treated to vocal masturbation over organ reminiscent of church but dialed slightly towards the occult.  If that sounds appealing to you, I'd suggest The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath a Cloud instead.  The album does pick up later on, with the most standout track being Echolalia.  I will hang onto it and see if it is a grower.  If you want my recommendation, buy the 1984 self titled record instead.

Remember The Offspring before The Offspring became a weird parody of The Offspring?   Pretty sweet headbang moment where it picks up around 0:55. I don't know what this song is about but it's got a vibe that's kinda like wringing your gut out like a wet towel. When I was a kid I thought It's Raining Men was depressing as fuck before I tuned in to the lyrics so take that for what it's worth. This album (Ignition) and more so Smash occupy a little corner of my heart despite how embarrassing it feels to dig this band.