Fu Manchu “Shake it Loose”

by teabog on May 8th, 2007

Fu Manchu
“Shake it Loose” (From the album We Must Obey )

Woah. Been a while. Swore I had updated since the middle of April but I guess you just tend to forget stuff when you’re living in an alcoholic haze, don’t you?

This here some metal. Or it’s some stoner rock. I’ve heard it called both. Stoner Rock, it turns out, isn’t just Pink Floyd or whatever kids listen to while they’re high, it’s actually a whole subgenre of metal/hard rock that’s spawned from Black Sabbath. I honestly don’t think it’d be that great to listen to while high.

Anyhow, Fu Manchu’s one of those band’s that been around for decades but no one seems to know about them but their small group of devoted fans. This is off their new album, and I found it surprisingly accessible. Metalheads might find it a bit tame, indie kids might find it a bit harsh, but I think it’s juuuuuust right.

Buy the album at Amazon

Acoustic Ladyland “Glass Agenda”

by teabog on March 4th, 2007

Acoustic Ladyland
“Glass Agenda” (From Skinny Grin)

A few things about Acoustic Ladyland:

-They started out as a Jimmie Hendrix cover band. This explains both their silly name and their silly level of technical proficiency.

-Since stopping playing Hendrix covers, the band released a couple of jazz fusion albums that were a little metal influenced. If such a mélange of styles sounds difficult to pull off, it’s because it is, and their previous albums weren’t that great.

-Skinny Grin, the group’s latest LP which is yet to be released in the U.S., blends some elements of electronic Brit Pop in with the Jazz, Rock, and Metal. What’s left is something that sounds like a mixture of Passport, Herbie Hancock, Squeeze, Isis, Pulp, and early solo Zappa.

-I haven’t posted anything from this album until now because every track sounds so different from the rest. The one I’ve posted here, “Glass Agenda” is very Brit-Poppy. Go to their myspace to listen to more. And buy the album, even at the import price. It’s worth it.

Acoustic Ladyland’s official website

Myspace.