Rate The Albums: Bright Eyes

As part of a brand new weekly feature here at Heavy Metal Mouth, we'll be taking our favourite artists and ranking their albums from first to last. So get involved, let us know your opinion, and any artists you want rated in the coming weeks.

This week, we're starting with Conor Oberst and Bright Eyes.

                                      

1. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
I'm Wide Awake was the first album I heard by Bright Eyes. It came to my attention after reading several best of lists at the end of 2005, and deciding I had to check it out. From the moment that guitar kicked in after Oberst's opening monologue, I was hooked. It felt like something I'd been waiting to hear my whole life had arrived- the raw passion of Oberst's vocal mixed with his lyrical genius was astounding, and from that moment on I began a relationship with Bright Eyes that has lasted to this day, and will continue long into my adult life.

When I later gained context for the album, it was clear to see that this was the moment Conor Oberst truly left behind the angsty teenage fuel that drove his early work, and developed his songwriting to perfection. The matured sounds of Bright Eyes saw Oberst begin the social commentary and world outlook that would dominate later releases, and it was a magnificant change. I'm Wide Awake is no doubt a watershed moment of Oberst's career, he left behind the boy and became a man, right in front of our eyes, and for that, it is a special album that should be recognised as the finest moment for the defining voice of the 21st century.

An acoustic masterpiece that perfectly captures a scene in the listeners mind (New York City in summer against the backdrop of the impending War on Terror) and personally, an album that will always stay close to my heart.

Best Tracks: Lua/Landlocked Blues/Poison Oak

2. Lifted, Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground
Lifted began the process that eventually saw it's climax in I'm Wide Awake, as Oberst began to take a different look at the world and leave behind his dramatic teenage persona. There were still traces of it though, but that's what makes Lifted so great; it was the perfect mix of both Oberst personalities rolled into one- the lovelorn youth exposed himself in ''You Will?'', ''Lover I Don't Have To Love'' and ''Bowl of Oranges'', while taking a decidely more Dylanesque outlook in ''The Big Picture'' and epic ten minute closer ''Let's Not Shit Ourselves'.

Best Tracks: You Will?/Bowl of Oranges/Let's Not Shit Ourselves

3. Fevers & Mirrors
You might think from my first two choices that I was anti teenage Conor. Far from it; Fevers & Mirrors was the soundtrack to my teenage years and a 16 year old me would have it firmly at number 1. I've grown since then maybe, but it doesn't change how important the words of Fevers were to me then and still are now. This is as dark as Bright Eyes gets, songs like ''A Spindle'' and ''Sunrise, Sunset'' being particular examples, but it wasn't without Conor's trademark humour as an Oberst parody following ''An Attempt To Tip The Scales'' poked fun at the pretentious personality of the young songwriter, showing he could take a joke sometimes aswell. And after all the anger and angst, ''A Song To Pass The Time'' brings Fevers to a close in a gloriously uplifting manner.

Best Tracks: A Spindle, A Darkness, A Fever And A Necklace/When The Curious Girl Realizes She Is Under Glass/A Song To Pass The Time

4. Digital Ash In A Digital Urn
The electronic counterpart to I'm Wide Awake didn't receive nearly the same plaudits from critics as it's acoustic twin, some even going as far as to pan Oberst's attempts at the genre, and I'll admit it took me a long time to grow fond of Digital Ash, but when I did, I realised what an electronic beauty it was. There were hints of Oberst's electronica love early on in songs like ''Touch'' and Digital Ash fully delivered on it's experimentation, creating a new side to Bright Eyes that we'd see later on The People's Key while also retaining it's human touch and affecting nature as songs like ''Take It Easy'', ''I Believe In Symmetry'' and ''Devil In The Details'' addressed the personal issues that were largely overlooked on I'm Wide Awake.

Best Tracks: Arc Of Time(Time Code)/Take It Easy (Love Nothing)/I Believe In Symmetry

5. The People's Key
Bright Eyes latest release was promoted as being their last as Oberst stated he wished to ''lock the door and say goodbye'', but if anything The People's Key sounded like a new beginning for a band still full of life and very much in it's prime. Oberst's songwriting is at it's very best on the record, and opener ''Firewall'' announces the album in much the same style as ''The Big Picture'' on Lifted, but it's heavier and with more purpose. ''Shell Games'' addressess Oberst's relationship with the media and is both insanely catchy and full of meaning, while ''Ladder Song'' recalls older Bright Eyes as Conor gets personal for a moment, allowing a glimpse into the darker side of the frontman, but for the most part, The People's Key sounds like a happy, content and settled Oberst. So while ghosts of the past may have been resolved for Bright Eyes, their muscial prowess and ability is far from it, and I for one will be truly heartbroken if The People's Key is the end of Conor Oberst as Bright Eyes.

Best Tracks: Shell Games/A Machine Spiritual (In The People's Key)/Ladder Song

6. Cassadaga
It feels wrong to have Cassadaga at 6 on this list, because it's an album that I absolutley love, which is something I know many Bright Eyes fan are deeply divided on. The sound of Conor having matured and moved on to social analysis and bigger questions was horrifying to many who grew up listening to the hopelessly depressed tone of his original work, but the times were changing and Conor Oberst was now a very different person than the one we met on A Collection of Songs. Personally, the new direction of the band was exciting and refreshing to me, and also made for some excellent music; ''Four Winds'', ''Cleanse Song'' and ''No One Would Riot For Less'' being particular highlights. But the best was saved for last- ''Lime Tree'' see's Oberst at his deepest, and most affecting, proving he could still tug at heart strings when he felt like it.

Best Tracks: Four Winds/No One Would Riot For Less/Lime Tree

7. Letting Off The Happiness
In many ways, Letting Off The Happiness was the mid point of Conor's teenage years, caught in between the bratty ranting of A Collection and the more focused, yet still angry Fevers & Mirrors. There were traces of brilliance that would soon be developed (''June On The West Coast'' would be the main contender for this) but mostly, Letting Off The Happiness was the sound of a young man who was yet to realize his full potential. That's ok though, he was 18 years old, and considering that, this was very much an exceptional record, and showcased the rapidly developing Oberst, who had come a long way in just two years from his Bright Eyes debut.

Best Tracks: Contrast And Compare/Touch/June On The West Coast

8. A Collection of Songs Written And Recorded 1995-1997
Even at 16, it was obvious he was special. Make no mistake, there are some duds here, but what could you have expected from what was essentially a child? A Collection of Songs, at the very least, showed Conor was an exceptional talent and with tracks like ''Falling Out Of Love At This Volume'', it was plain to see there was a songwriting genius inside this 16 year old Nebraska boy.

Best Tracks: The Invisible Gardener/Saturday As Usual/Falling Out Of Love At This Volume


So that's what we think, but what about you? Comment and rate Bright Eyes yourself.

Next Week: Elliott Smith

Track Listing Released For Crystal Castles III

Here at Heavy Metal Mouth, I for one am incredibly excited about the upcoming release of Crystal Castles III, the third album from the Canadian electronic duo. As previously reported, the album is set to be released on 5th November.

Yesterday track listing was unveiled for the album:

1. Plague
2. Kerosene
3. Wrath of God
4. Affection
5. Pale Flesh
6. Sad Eyes
7. Insulin
8. Transgender
9. Violent Youth
10. Telepath
11. Mercenery
12. Child, I Will Hurt You

''Plague'' and ''Wrath of God'' have already been released and are available to listen to below this post.

Here's to hoping that III lives up to the hype.

Stick with Heavy Metal Mouth for a review next month.

Looper - A Review

Looper is the third release from director Rian Johnson, known to audiences previously as the man behind Brick (in which he first collaborated with Joseph Gordon Levitt) and The Brothers Bloom. Both of Johnson's previous films had warm receptions, but Looper comes on the back of particular hype in the film world, the reasons for this likely being the general acclaim Looper has recieved following advance screenings, Levitt's recently increased status following The Dark Knight Rises and also the fact that Summer 2012 noticably failed to produce a standout Science Fiction thriller- or at least one that audiences could agree on, with movies like Prometheus receiving mixed reviews and Totall Recall falling flat on it's face. So the timing of Looper seems excellent, but does it live up to the anticipation?

Well, fortunately the hype is very much to believed as Looper is without a doubt the best sci-fi film of the year and a real treat for fans of the genre. The story follows Gordon Levitt as Joe Simmons, an assassin or 'looper' who is paid by criminal organisations from the future to murder and dispose of bodies. This is all made possible by the invention of time travel in 2074, and so victims are sent thirty years into the past where they are taken out by loopers such as Joe.
When Joe is confronted by his future self (Bruce Willis), he fails to prevent him from escaping. Old Joe is hellbent on destroying the loop and keeping himself in the present, and attempts to warn Young Joe of a destructive leader in 2074 who rules the city, but Young Joe is only concerned with killing his future self, as failure to do so will result in death by his current employers who are hunting Joe as he chases his older form.

While this may sound like a lot to take in, the film is relativley straight-forward and will not pose any problems for audiences who are in fear of getting lost in the plot. In fact, Johnson chooses to focus more on emotional depth and character development over a complicated plot structure, in contrast to recent sci-fi classics, and Looper benefits hugely from this. Old Joe has cleaned up his act and is desperate to explain to Young Joe that he is deeply in love with his future wife, and while at first Young Joe refuses to comprehend this idea, hi mind is soon changed following his encounter with lonely wife Sara (Emily Blut) and her troubled, yet strangely gifted  son Cid (Pierce Gagnon), as he hides out at their barn while attempting to escape the mob.

The romantic angle of the story is unusual for this type of film, and yet it works perfectly, tying in well with the pace of the 118 minute running time, and it never feels as though it is interrupting the overall plot. There are also some fun comedic moments which help to lighten the tone, but make no mistake, this is an action film and there are plenty of explosive scenes to take from this that ensure it stands up to comparisons to films such as The Matrix and Inception.
Another huge strength that Looper boasts is in it's excellent casting, and while the leading duo of Gordon Levitt and Willis are their reliable selves, the standout performance of the film is Pierce Gagnon as a young, confused child, who possesses powers he does not understand and cannot control. Gagnon effortlessly steals every scene he is in with an exceptionally creepy performance that will be remembered for years to come.

In conclusion, Looper delivers on it's promise with it's intelligent, thought-provoking script and stylish direction. The comparisons have been justified; Looper is a stone cold sci-fi classic and demands to be seen. A serious contender for film of the year.


8.5

''Four'' Bloc Party - A Review

Just a couple of years ago, it seemed as though Bloc Party's future was in serious doubt. A polarized, mostly negative reception to third album ''Intimacy'' (which I'm obliged to say I thought was an electronic beauty- a daring acheivement that ranks ahead of it's predeccessor ''A Weekend In The City'') led to the band taking a break as Kele Okerere decided to pursue a solo project and further his electro ambitions while rumour spread that the rest of the band were auditioning lead singers to replace their frontman. Here they are though, four years later with their fourth record and united as the four original members of the band that created Silent Alarm in 2005; hence ''Four'', I suppose.

Speaking of Silent Alarm, it's very much back to basics for Kele and co. as they return to a traditional setup- its 2 guitars, bass and drums, make no mistake. Bassist Gordon Moakes remarked around the time of ''Intimacy'' that the band disregarded ''whether a song could be recreated live in concert in the same way as it would appear on the record'' and in some ways, ''Four'' seems like a direct response to that; these songs are made for a live setting, there's no room for the synths that dominated ''Weekend'' and the drum machine sound of ''Intimacy''. As the band return to their rock roots, they've also developed a taste for a heavier, grunge like sound, which can be traced back to Queens of the Stone Age and even Nirvana, of whom Okerere admits he listened to frequently during the recording process.

It works for the most part (sometimes not so much, which I'll get into later)- ''Kettling'' is the best example, a stomping guitar track with a singalong vocal line that will sound great live. Other highlights of are ''So He Begins To Lie'', an opener which demonstrates Russell Lissack's unquestionable ability on lead guitar and announces the arrival of the band in style, while ''Coliseum'' begins with a hint of ''Grounds for Divorce'' before paying off with a typical Bloc Party riff.

The best moments however, are when the band gets quieter, and focuses on intimacy over impact. ''V.A.L.I.S'' is a soaring ballad that recalls older tracks like ''Plans'', while ''Real Talk'' slows things down to showcase Kele's vocal, but the best song of the album is undoubtedly ''The Healing'', a masterful beauty that recalls ''In Rainbows'' era Radiohead, specifically tracks like ''Nude'' and ''House of Cards''.

It would have been a fitting closer, and a far better note to end on than ''We Are Not Good People'', which I can safely say is the worst Bloc Party song I have heard to date. A hardcore punk riff that simply does not suit the band combined with clumsy lyrics makes for an awful finisher and an underwhelming end to ''Four''. Another criticism of the record would be it's lack of direction; previous Bloc Party albums have all carried a certain message within them as a whole- ''Silent Alarm'' addressed modern British youth, ''Weekend'' took on terrorism and drug use, while ''Intimacy'' examined relationships. ''Four'' feels more like a random collection of songs- a very good collection perhaps, but one without a consistent meaning throughout.

In conclusion, however, it's great just to hear them again; a band that seemed near it's end only a short time ago now feels more united than ever, and more than anything, ''Four'' makes me excited for Bloc Party's future. So while ''Four'' may not be the album Bloc Party fans will have been hoping for, it makes me believe there is potential for another ''Silent Alarm'' in this exceptional quartet, and that's enough for now. Following the conclusion of ''Real Talk'', Kele can be heard joking ''Oh I was just talking about my feelings'', but I'm inclined to suggest that the evidence (''This Modern Love'', ''I Still Remember'', ''Ion Square'') points towards this being the very thing that makes for Bloc Party's greatest strength; their ability to connect with their audience and make moving, affecting music. So my message for next time is simple; less heavy, more heart.


7

Bloc Party Announce Irish Tour Date

Bloc Party have announced a long awaited concert for Irish fans on their 'Four' tour. The gig will take place on February 12th in the Olympia Theatre and tickets go on sale Friday morning at 9.00am.

You can get tickets for the show here:

http://www.ticketmaster.ie/event/1800493AB8015A2F?artistid=953414&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1

For more information on Bloc Party's touring schedule go here:

http://blocparty.com/#live

''The 2nd Law'' Muse - A Review

From the very beginnings of their career, Muse were plauged with comparisons to Radiohead, to the point where British record companies were reluctant to sign the trio in spite of their early promise, meaning the band had to go to America in order to get a record deal. It was always a strange accusation, and an unjust one; with the exception of Matthew Bellamy's falsetto laden vocals, their brand of progressive space rock never bore any resemblence to their British peers. In fact, Muse have always taken far more influence from Queen, largely due to the band's fetish for extravagent, ambitous arrangements and their prominent use of exaggerated guitar solo's.

This is a comparison that Bellamy obviously takes great pride in, and since 2005's ''Black Holes and Revelations'' the band have taken several steps towards imitating Freddie Mercury and co., upping the grandoise themes of their work, indtroducing orchestral arrangments and embracing the admittedly cheesy nature of their work. The result of this was the largely overblown and inconsistent ''The Resistance'' in 2009, so change was to be expected, and while ''The 2nd Law'' see's the band continue in this style, there are also some interesting new additions to their sound.

The album kicks off with 'Supremacy', a typically epic opener which makes for a promising start as Bellamy screeches his trademark vocals over a shredded guitar. It all seems to be pretty standard Muse, but from here things get very stange. Lead single 'Madness' is a curious number; a song that would not sound out of place on a Scissor Sisters record, but it sounds as though Muse are comfortable with it, and while perhaps a unusual choice for lead single, 'Madness' works. While you may find Scissor Sisters to be a wild comparison, the funky disco sound of 'Panic Station' is even weirder, and inexplicably similiar to the 'Wham Rap!', which I can't believe is a coincidence. Yes, I just compared Muse to Wham.

From Wham to more familiar territory, 'Survival' recalls a more traditional Muse number that would fit into Origin of Symmetry and as such, is probably the strongest song on the album, while 'Explorers' is a track in the vein of 'Invicible', but while 'Invincible' came off as nothing more than a sappy love poem, 'Explorers' is a more intelligent and less obvious ode which fits nicely into the track listing.

For all of the fuss made about dubstep influences on The 2nd Law, we don't actually hear any of the sort until 'Follow Me', led originally by Bellamy's lone vocal before exploding into a dub feast that, much to my suprise, sounds great and works as an excellent payoff to a song that sounded as if it was going nowhere fast. Dubstep crops up again on Unsustainable, the first of two tracks paired together under the title of ''The 2nd Law'', but while Unsustainable is a ferocious, glorious beast, second part 'Isolated System' is a disappointment, leading to nothing and sitting awkwardly alongside it's far superior counterpart. It's an underwhelming end to the album, and it's not the only mediocre aspect of ''The 2nd Law''; there are average tracks in the form of 'Animals', and while Chris Wolstenhome should be comended for his songwriting efforts this time around, 'Save Me' is another dud on a decidedly weaker second half of the album.

Overall, however, ''The 2nd Law'' is a suprisingly enjoyable affair- at times it sounds as though the band are playing a parody of themselves with their up front, over-the-top cheese rock, yet it also seems they are fully aware of it, and while further establishing Muse's penchant for glamourous opera rock, it also executes it's dubstep style with conviction and purpose. The band's die hard fan base are sure to be pleased, and for the casual listener, ''The 2nd Law'' is a worthy listen that introduces a new side to Muse, and ensures many incredible live performances in the future, which after all, is their greatest strength and the main reason we keep tuning in.


6

Crystal Castles Release Official ''Plague'' Video

Crystal Castles have released an official video for the lead single from their as yet untitled third album. You can check out the video in full here:

                                  

New single ''Wrath of God'' is also due for release today and the third album is set to drop in November.

UPDATE: ''Wrath of God'' - http://soundcloud.com/crystal-castles/crystal-castles-wrath-of-god

And here's the cover of Crystal Castles (III) which was announced over Facebook in the past few minutes. It's due for release on November 5th. The band are also set to begin a UK Winter tour on 22 November.