Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Here is what I listed to this past week, there were a lot of samples, one off songs and such that didn’t make the list, here is the good stuff that did.
Our Noise – Our Noise
I was introduced to this album by my friend Daniel Jones at Mystic Sons PR. Can I call you my friend Daniel? We only know each other through the internet portals. Regardless, I have listened to this album over and over. And again and again. It is playing as I write this, with a bit of volume, which seems fitting for the music of Our Noise.
I’ve had a hell of a time writing something about Our Noise, both the album and the band. Inspiration just hasn’t hit me. I like the album, so that’s not the problem. It has smart music and lyrics; that’s not the problem. The problem is me getting an angle to hang this album on.
Let’s start with some basic facts about Our Noise.
- They are a power trio.
- They are from Toronto.
- They are Lucy Di Santo on bass and vocals, Dan Cornelius on drums and Steve Fall on guitar.
- I can’t put them in a nice, neat genre box.
They have elements of pop, punk, grunge, rock and even bits of metal. Mix that all together, and what we come up with is the album Our Noise.
The album starts with the hard-rocking track Break You. That sounds like a revenge plot. I’m going to break you!
Track two comes out of the gates at a full charge. The grinding solo guitar sets the stage for lyrics about pressing on despite the odds and the difficulty. Tracks three and four continue the hard, edgier sounds. Track five, Hereafter shifts gear to a more pop, radio-friendly sound. Track six is F.L.A., which starts with some nice bass lines and then moves on with a guitar sound I like. I’m curious what effect pedals were used. F.L.A. is a more complex track musically. Lyrically, I think it is about being on the road and looking forward to a place to park for a while.
Seven, Soul Killer, takes us back to grunge guitar land and lyrics to match. Take a Shot is track 8, played at a blistering pace; it throws out a challenge to take a shot at me. Next to last is the song Try, a more melodic track with introspective lyrics. The album ends with the song Amends; it starts with some nice acoustic guitar that shifts to a pop-rock sound as it moves along. More pain was on the closer track, Amends, but I was ready to try again.
There we have it, a mini-review of what is, in my opinion, a decent album. It certainly held my attention for a long time and many plays.
D I S C O V E R:
www.instagram.com/ournoisemusic
www.youtube.com/@ournoisemusic
Next in line is King Crimson, and this will be a marathon. I have ten of their albums and may have more by the end of this blog. I have more on CD, but I will save that for another day, focusing on vinyl for now.
King Crimson – In The Court Of The Crimson King
Today, October 10, is the 55th anniversary of the release of In The Court Of The Crimson King. The album has taken on an almost mythical status in the world of music. I got on the bandwagon early, sometime in either 1970 or 1971. I heard the album playing in a record store in Montreal, and when I asked the staff who was making that music, he showed me the album. Seeing the cover sealed the deal, I took it home with me. I still love it. In The Court Of The Crimson King/(An Observation By King Crimson) is a deserted island album for me.
I had considered doing a full review of each King Crimson release as I went through their releases alphabetically. I quickly dispelled that consideration before the mere thought of that load bent me like Atlas carrying the heavens on his shoulders. I played this album through, start to stop, four or five times as I contemplated the movements of the music and the meaning of the lyrics. I tossed all that, and I ended up enjoying the album for the sheer joy of hearing the music, nothing else, just enjoying some outstanding music—the end. Well, not really; it is on to the next King Crimson release, In The Wake Of Poseidon.
L.S.U. – Dogfish Jones
The world lost a great musician on March 12, 2024, Michael Knott. L.S.U. was one of his projects, and Dogfish Jones was the last release under that nom de plume. While the music of Michael Knott was often jarring to some and confusing to others, he had a fan base and was respected in the circles of life he swirled about in. He released over 30 albums that took his music in many different directions, but never losing the essence of Michael Knott.
“Originally released on Light Records in 1998, Dogfish Jones is the result of musical genius and cult legend Michael Knott. Enlisting the help of such notables as Chuck Cummings and Gene Eugene, Knott’s last LSU release continues to push the boundaries of creativity in alternative rock. With Dogfish Jones, Knott creates a masterpiece by taking the dark, psychedelic, post-punk feel of David Bowie and meshing it with the aggressiveness of Jane’s Addiction. It was an album ahead of its time in 1998. Hopefully, this many years later, this classic heavy album can be appreciated for it’s musical brilliance.″ -Retroactive Records
King Crimson – In The Wake Of Poseidon
I only listened to this once yesterday, so I will have to fire up the record spinny thingy and hear it again.
It’s Thanksgiving Day in Canada, my home, so here is a song that pays tribute (mentions in passing?) to Thanksgiving Day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m57gzA2JCcM
Weathered Music 