MiltyG565 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Yes, i've decided to review something again, and this must be a positive sign So i've been listening to AMOK which is a brand new album released by a collaboration of successful musicians, fronted by Radiohead front-man, Thom Yorke. "But Milty, who are the other guys! WHO!?" I hear you scream. Well, i'll tell ya, right after i look it up. The bassist (I know my market ) is Chili Peppers low-ender, Flea. Don't get too excited though, this is not the normal kind of Flea sound, so if that's what you want to hear, you could be disappointed, but more on that in a minute. Also in the collaboration is Chili Peppers and Forro In The Dark man in charge of ethnic percussion, Mauro Refosco, English Producer for Radiohead, Nigel Godrich, and American drummer, Joey Waronker. So those are the atoms, now let's look at the nucleus (the music) The first track on the album is a song called Before your very eyes, which as soon as it starts, you can hear the very obvious african influence, with a very clean guitar a steady beat, with other percussive sounds more in the background. The bass comes in around the same time that Thom starts singing and it takes on this very abstract, ethereal sound, which is very much the theme of the album. Don't expect any flashy bass playing, or flashy guitar for that matter, because all the flashy bits come in, in a big swell in the middle, played on a synth. It's a very beat lead song, with the vocals used to give that other-wordly feel, the bass to pin everything down, and the synth for the show-offy kind of stuff. Everything is very locked down and what i would call linear. I'm no expert, but it sounds to me like it has been very well produced, with everything in it's place as it should be. There are also a lot of sounds sitting very low in the mix from the middle of the song to the end, which contribute to the ghostliness of it. Personally, i think it was a great choice for the first track. At points, you would be forgiven for thinking it sounded like something you would hear in a club (and you will likely think that a few more times through the course of the album) but i think it's a great song. Default was the first single, which was released in 2012 (at the end of 2012 i believe) and is the second song on the album. This is a much darker song, to me, than Before Your Very Eyes, but it's in much the same vain - quiet to start with, with instruments slowly being introduced. Very much lead by the beat with effects and treatments giving a very cold, dark feel to it. It builds a swells into the chorus, which can get pretty trippy feeling at points. Thom vocals have many layers to them, and linger around, and almost surround and fill your head. A pretty cool song, but fairly dark. Ingenue. This one starts with this quite odd riff, which is played on a synth, which again, has other layers built up on top and other instruments come in as the song goes along. Expect this, it's pretty much the structure for the entire album. The bass on this one is a little more interesting. The lines have a lot of space in them, but are played with more. There's a sound that plays pretty much throughout the song, which sounds like a leaky pipe dripping in to a half full bucket in an underpass. There's a bit of an odd moment, where it nearly sounds like 2 different drum tracks have overlapped, and you get this odd clash, but this lasts just a few seconds towards the end. It seems like a more relaxed song than Default and Before Your Very eyes, but still has that darkness and etherealness. Very moody. And now we come to a song called Dropped, which just starts like many a pop song where it comes to synth. The drums at the start sound like somebody has rolled the tone knob off on them there are definitely a lot more sounds used in this for texture than the previous tracks. They can get fairly annoying, as they are pretty high up in the mix, and creating this surround of odd noises. As this song builds up, it does very much feel to me that it's too busy. There's just too much going on with it to make it very listenable to me. A fairly odd song (but they are all fairly odd). Unless is another pretty dark song, conforming to the theme of the album. The lyrics are fairly unintelligible, but give a great effect. The vocals continue where the lyrics don't, where it's mostly mindless yammering to achieve that ethereal sound again. Some fairly disgusting synth sounds make a brief appearance during the chorus (or what can be assumed is the chorus, not of the songs really have a definitive chorus/verse section or pattern). Alright, so if there is a song on this album that a bassist would like (For the bass in it) it will be this one, Stuck Together With Pieces. It has a pretty cool little riff which gets it going. the bass is sat fairly high in the mix in this one, driving the song. We get an appearance from some guitar as the synth swells up, and the guitar is pretty modest, and really nice sounding. Don't expect to hear any mad effects on the guitar. As far as i can tell, there's just some overdrive to give a more valve distortion sound, but it's not that heavy. The lyrics are more intelligible, with some actual backing vocals. The song fades out in quite a nice way. Judge Jury and Executioner. This one sounds like it was recorded in a London Underground tunnel. It's got a very distant sound at the start that nearly sounds like a train rolling past in the distance. Backing vocals are the first vocals we hear in this song, oddly enough. Again, they sound like they were recorded from 100 metres down a tube tunnel. The bass sounds like a mic was shoved above somebodies adam's apple to be recorded. I'm not picking issues with the recording, just trying to describe how it sounds. Nothing else much different from the other songs really with this one. It was the second single to be released from the album in early 2013. Track 8 is called Reverse Running. This starts a lot cleaner, with out as much of the distant sound to it. Vocals are clear and can be made out. The bass is fairly simple, and just tying together the percussion and synthy sounds really, and keeping the progression in place. It then gets odd, and kind of glitchy. At a point, it sounds like a skype call that's broken in the middle of somebody talking. It disappears after a little while, and things come back down to how they were. More guitar in this one, which is just a simple little thing which just loops for the entire song pretty much. Don't listen to this song while in a park on a nice sunny day, because you will think you are being attacked by bees, because that is what it sounds like near the end. The final track of the album is AMOK (and thus brings us full circle) What can i say? It's pretty similar to the rest of the songs. The background vocals are definitely more constant, and sound a bit like a ghost in a cathedral. Again, bass is fairly simple. We hear some piano chords, which sound very minor. This 13bit, 1990's computer game sound comes into the song, which blurs over the piano chords. Well, everything kind of melds together at this point, before a very abrupt end where a few of the instruments die out very fast and leave just the piano and bass, which don't hang around for very long. So, that's it. It's pretty cool, and i like it. It's abstract and dark and distant, which is cool, and i could definitely listen to it for a long time. If you like your songs more upbeat and poppy, or more straight out rock/heavy metal, it's probably not your kind of thing, but who knows? I can't say i've listened to many songs or albums that have this kind of ethereal feel to them, so i couldn't really give it a rating, because i would feel like a bit of a fraud, but suffice to say that i do like it. I find some of the sounds used a bit annoying at points, which would probably be the low points of the album in my opinion. The high points would be when all the instruments come together, but it's not in a big mash, they have their own separate space to work in and make it sound good, and they do. There are genuinely parts of this are very interesting, and while the individual parts might be easy to master on their own, i would dread trying to bring them altogether. That's my review of the new album from Atoms For Peace, which is called AMOK. Please do give it a listen and say what you think! Milty. 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Stan_da_man Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 The album sounds like a Thom Yorke side project to me - parts of it sound like Kid A (ish) and this just goes even further. Thumbs down from me I'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 [quote name='Stan_da_man' timestamp='1363888027' post='2019008'] The album sounds like a Thom Yorke side project to me - parts of it sound like Kid A (ish) and this just goes even further. Thumbs down from me I'm afraid. [/quote] It pretty much is a Thom Yorke side project. It's very Thom Yorke-esque. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I really liked it. Some lovely analogue synth sounds, interesting glitchy beats, some nice melodies. It sounded very much to me like a more electronica focused King of Limbs, and I think I probably prefer it to that record. It's not nearly as dark or as varied as Kid A, IMO (although I think Kid A is a splendid record it's also a very heavy listening experience for me, this was far more accessible and quite pleasant to have on in the background while I was pootling about doing other stuff). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 [quote name='Wil' timestamp='1363891400' post='2019073'] I really liked it. Some lovely analogue synth sounds, interesting glitchy beats, some nice melodies. It sounded very much to me like a more electronica focused King of Limbs, and I think I probably prefer it to that record. It's not nearly as dark or as varied as Kid A, IMO (although I think Kid A is a splendid record it's also a very heavy listening experience for me, this was far more accessible and quite pleasant to have on in the background while I was pootling about doing other stuff). [/quote] I completely agree, the sound is very accessible. and not at all distracting or needs a very involved listener. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted March 24, 2013 Author Share Posted March 24, 2013 Lead. Balloon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Great review. I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted March 24, 2013 Author Share Posted March 24, 2013 [quote name='steve-soar' timestamp='1364124781' post='2022060'] Great review. I like it. [/quote] Cheers. What did you think of the album? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 You've pretty much called it, spot on. It's something to be listened to in one sitting, so I bought the vinyl. No, seriously, I bought the LP for the sound quality but you get a copy of the album on CD anyway. The whole package, musicians, concept, artwork, invoke a meditation of the coming of dark times and a chance to change. Like all of my favorite albums it's a grower and gets better with repeated plays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted March 24, 2013 Author Share Posted March 24, 2013 [quote name='steve-soar' timestamp='1364146735' post='2022478'] You've pretty much called it, spot on. It's something to be listened to in one sitting, so I bought the vinyl. No, seriously, I bought the LP for the sound quality but you get a copy of the album on CD anyway. The whole package, musicians, concept, artwork, invoke a meditation of the coming of dark times and a chance to change. Like all of my favorite albums it's a grower and gets better with repeated plays. [/quote] BOOM! Yup, you need to listen to the entire album all at once. It doesn't flow together very well, but i find that once you start it, it's hard to stop it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 Pushing this back up on the fact that this is my favourite album of this year, and any artist will have to work hard to top it, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan_da_man Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 *Cough* Opposites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 [quote name='Stan_da_man' timestamp='1365621765' post='2042042'] *Cough* Opposites. [/quote] curses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Nice to read, I'm glad you've chosen this over the newest Marcus Miller release that basically no one but a cross-section of bass players will listen to! I like the album a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 [quote name='risingson' timestamp='1365633469' post='2042278'] Nice to read, I'm glad you've chosen this over the newest Marcus Miller release that basically no one but a cross-section of bass players will listen to! I like the album a lot. [/quote] I've never once listened to Marcus Miller. And that, my friends, is what we call social suicide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike257 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 [quote name='Stan_da_man' timestamp='1365621765' post='2042042'] *Cough* Opposites. [/quote] Disappointed me, sad to say. And I LOVE Biffy. The new material did come across better live though, and they're really growing in to these big venues, the stage show and standard of production on the Opposites tour is stunning! Back on topic, nice review Milty. Sounds like very much what I'd expect from a Thom Yorke project, which leaves me wondering how much input the other guys have had, but I'll be checking this out for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 nice review. I'll have a listen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 Cheers guys! I wondered myself how much input the other guys had, and i think you can hear a definite Flea thing in the bass. However, they have absolutely zero input in the live shows, that's just Thom and Nigel. They just use their recorded parts live, which is a bit of a downer, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike257 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 [quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1365675737' post='2042623'] Cheers guys! I wondered myself how much input the other guys had, and i think you can hear a definite Flea thing in the bass. However, they have absolutely zero input in the live shows, that's just Thom and Nigel. They just use their recorded parts live, which is a bit of a downer, I think. [/quote] I can imagine they'd struggle to get those guys schedules to line up enough to play even one or two shows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiltyG565 Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 [quote name='mike257' timestamp='1365677113' post='2042649'] I can imagine they'd struggle to get those guys schedules to line up enough to play even one or two shows! [/quote] True! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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