Okay, here’s the thing: I don’t like Big Beat. I don’t like the sound and I don’t particularly like any of the songs. At least, I think I don’t. The thing about disliking an album is that it doesn’t get listened to all that much, which makes it quite difficult to a) remember accurately and b) discuss. So what I am going to do, in this extremely-delayed next instalment of my Sparks reviews, is listen to Big Beat and then develop and share my opinions on the matter. Here we go.

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It is a serious, serious shame that…

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Shout it Out
Hanson

Critical opinion from reviews I have read so far have two main points:
1) Shout It Out is a fun record (or album, depending on where they are from)
1b) The “fun” does not translate into any lasting impression or sense of progress for the band
2) The lyrics are trite and/or corny and/or juvenile

They are both pretty solidly on the mark. Luckily I am a Hanson fan, so I have trained myself to like songs in spite of these failings. So here is my review. Reference has been made to my Stand Up…

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ALERT BLOG PROMOTION ATTACK
http://suburbanhomeboy.wordpress.com/
That is my blog where I put album reviews as well as other miscellaneous posts I like it better than last.fm journal but I stay here as well because I'm just that generous.

A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing is a huge step up from Sparks, even though I guess technically not much has changed. They have found a bigger, more assured sound, and much more variety in styles. Russell is less adolescent-sounding, and he finds a few new voices to play with, but mostly the songs are just better. And here they all…

I feel that for thoroughness' sake I should finish the early Sparks records before moving on to the late ones, so where better to start than Sparks, or Halfnelson, as it is more puristically called?

Back at this early stage of Sparks history, they were a five-piece band called Halfnelson, as can be seen on this album cover:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ae/Halfnelson-sparks-cover-lp.jpg

Look at Ron in his corner, peering in the back window, shades and tache in place. Then look at Russell, gazing idyllically into the distance, every bit the bashful maiden. And then look at the other three! My…

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Nothing Without You

Carney are one of the few bands from the 00s (and by that I mean originating in the 00s, not just continuing into them) that I can really get into. No surprises that they have a pure heavy classic-rock sound, but for them it sounds organic and natural, definitely not an attempt to cash in on nostalgia or just ape other bands (I was going to put in a jab at Wolfmother here, but I haven't heard enough of either them or Zeppelin for it to be warranted. Hell, why should that stop me, I'M LOOKING…

Flipper was a band I really thought I would like, just from the little bits of information about them I'd read around the place. The catalyst for actually getting me some of their music was a handy site www.nexterlizer.com, where you type in something you've recently listened to, watched, read or played, and it comes up with what it thinks you should tackle next. I typed in "Wipers", and Nexterlizer suggested Album: Generic Flipper aka Generic. I liked the album cover when I looked it up, and critical opinion over most of the internet made me optimistic…

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Fun House - The Stooges

Rarely have I encountered an album whose artwork so perfectly describes what it sounds like. I'm going to say some words about it now, but it truly has to be heard to be believed.

Down On the Street opens with a sedate drumbeat, heavy blues-y guitar, a perfectly sleazy bassline and a series of deranged yelps. Iggy narrates in that trademark drawl no one else can come close to touching and the guitars keep pace dutifully. When it revs up for the second time (the first really being just a teaser), and lyrics descend…

I like the Replacements. I like them very, very much. They are one of the very few bands I know who started hardcore-ish and developed a different sound as they went on whose later sound equals or betters their raw beginnings. This post is dedicated to those raw beginnings. Well, as raw as a debut LP can get, anyway.

There is just something about the Replacements that elevates what they do to being more than just some guys getting smashed and making noise. I haven't had the "pleasure" of seeing them live, of course, but I have had reports…

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“… that’s right, your stereo is fucked up.”

Screeching Weasel

Because of my muchlike for 999 and Buzzcocks, and my like for Dude Ranch, I went trawling the web to find pop punk bands that were generally liked by people whose opinions I respected. The consensus seemed to be the Ramones, and Screeching Weasel. I have the Ramones’ self-titled, and I can’t even get all the way through the thing without getting bored and annoyed. So with hope in my heart, I checked out these Screeching Weasel fellows.

With core members going by the names…

Psychobilly!

I came across Reverend Horton Heat through the allmusic article on The Living End, which cited them as the rockabilly cats of the 90s, which immediately endeared them to me. I am a sucker for people being called cats, and my especial favourite is hepcats. My enthusiasm was dimmed when I got The Cramps as well and didn't really feel it, but right now I am listening to If You Got 'em, Smoke 'em for the first time and loving it.

Recently it seems I have been edging into weird country-related genres (cowpunk (!) courtesy of Meat…