Heavy - It's not like it sounds

It's not like it sounds.

It took me a while to find the precise tone for this one. I knew I wanted to do a compilation of heavy music but I didn't want to fall into the trap of cliché loud dinosaur rock, or just obnoxious noise (I really wanted to stay away from bands that were just trying too hard to be heavy). As another criteria, I didn't want to abandon good hooks and melody. Even if this CD is supposed to be an antidote to pop rock, I still like a tasty tune as much as the next person. As well, it might be March but we can all still use a pick me up and I didn't want it to be a drag (man). So I've avoided all the 'bummer' songs that lurk in the deep end of the heavy category. So here it is -- loud, catchy, and oh so heavy, in the nicest of ways - a CD to start the blood pumping, get your dander up, and your brain a rattlin'.

Sincerely,
DJ Cucumbah

1) Leave Home - The Chemical Brothers

Not only did they have the coolest name in so called 'electronica' but they also had some of the heaviest and funkiest sounds. From the album Exit Planet Dust (which is a great ride from beginning to end and still feels fresh), The Chemical Brothers start us off with a little musical Redbull.

2) 23 Ghosts III - Nine Inch Nails

It seems like you can't grab a quiet drink at your local titty bar without being treated to the pounding hammering brutality of Nine Inch Nails. This is off a recent project that has front man Mr. Reznor doing it all in a home studio and releasing the album himself on the Internet without a major record label. Reports are, he's enjoying the freedom. Music that just may inspire a more intellectual and thoughtful kind of pole dance (less grind, more mind).

3) Hoist That Rag - Tom Waits

Tom Waits has always has a low growl of a voice but on this one it sounds like he's gargling gravel. The awesome Cuban inspired guitar tracks by Marc Ribot are intensely beautiful, giving this heavy tune a pleasant contrasty center.

4) Romantic Rights - Death From Above 1979

The Canadian duo that, as they rocketed to stardom, suddenly broke up. Post-post punk pop. Noisy enough to be cool but enough of a song to keep it on the play list, angry but approachable enough for the masses. I haven't bothered to listen to the lyrics - I will assume there is a woman involved.

5) Violent Pornography - System of a Down

I just love this song; it's like three songs in one. It's kind of a slick, semi-psychotic public service announcement. And like an abusive relationship, the sweet melodic chorus makes you forget all about the bad times. I tried to 'get into' the bands other music but have had no luck so far.

6) Sophisticated Bitch - Public enemy

Being raised on heavy guitar rock in a distinctly non-urban setting I was hesitant when it came to my first exposure to 'rap music'. Then I got my hands on a copy of Yo! Bum Rush the Show and I was hooked - I realized that rap could be my friend.

7) Will You Smile Again For Me - ...and You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead

I saw ...and You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead's name on a poster and was curious. Turns out they aren't a death cult and even though they have a pretty heavy sound they usually package it up with some very catchy tunes (sometimes even a Beatles influence can be detected). I also have a love of both the bombastic and epic which they seem to share. We saw them play here in Montreal and the band appeared to be having a split personality crisis - a battle of the two front men pulling them in opposite directions.

8) Southern Pacific - Neil Young

Best train song ever? Mr. Young can be a very noisy guy when he puts his mind to it and here he shows how to drop into a groove and literally chug along the track. We saw him recently, and although I went in the spirit of, 'let's see this old rock legend so we can say we saw him', he totally blew the roof off the place.

9) Pork-U-Pine - Jeff Beck

Unlike most (all) wanky old guitar heroes Jeff Beck has continued to improvise and evolve. He has produced a couple albums over the last ten years that are pretty relevant for an old dude (he played with The Yardbirds for Christ sakes). This track really makes Clapton look like the boring fart he is.

10) Break - Saul Williams

We saw Saul Williams last year and he really puts on an angry energetic show. Full disclosure - this album was produced by Trent Reznor - you may detect strains of NIN.

11) Greyhound, Part 1 - Jon Spencer Remix (Moby)

I first heard this years ago when I was doing music supervision on a film and was looking for cool soundtrack ideas and it stuck in my head. It does have that 'Moby' sound. Although I saw him play a film party at The Sundance Film Festival's parasitic alternative The Slamdance Film Festival, before he became a mega artist and it was very fast, very punky and very loud - the vodka was free and I don't remember the rest. Jon Spencer is no slouch either but I like the bigger wall of sound of this track better than his usual sound - this is just heavier.

12) Feel Good Hit Of The Summer - Queens of the Stone Age

A friend of mine took me to see Queens of the Stone Age for my fortieth birthday. There was so much young man testosterone in the room, I went bald and damaged my hearing.

13) Jazz Is The Teacher - James 'Blood' Ulmer

In the 80' when James 'Blood' Ulmer released Black Rock he was playing jazz festivals with a stack of marshal guitar amps behind him. A lot of middle aged, soft-spoken jazz fans didn't know what the fuck was going on. Nowadays, he seems to have stopped 'experimenting' and started doing a lot of more traditional blues stuff, which is too bad because he was really a maverick for a few years there.

14) Welcome To Estonia - Tanel Padar & The Sun

When we were living in Estonia a few years ago we walked by a city park filled with college aged Estonian kids who were all bouncing and rocking to a DJ set up in a gazebo. This was the song they were grooving to - it sounded familiar but yet not. Someone has to represent northern metal on this disk - it might as well be sung in Estonian and borrow from James Brown. And if there ever was a heavy country, it's Estonia. Heavy skies, heavy stone fortresses, heavy food.

15) Stop - Al Kooper/Michael Bloomfield/Steve Stills

Maybe this isn't so 'heavy' in the traditional sense but I have always thought this was one of the best guitar solos ever. Deeply groovy maybe? Verging on heavy if you fire up a blunt beforehand.

16) The Dam - Philip Glass

This really is the 'seriously heavy shit'. Part of a piece written about the Itaipu dam project in Brazil, the title says it all. What can be heavier than a hydroelectric dam? They cause tectonic plates to sag. Glass manages to get all 'uplifty' as he goes along but it is a great mix of awe and dread. In addition, this is a mega dose of bombast - I put this on the stereo when I am feeling that life is too subtle and nuanced.

17) Miss Alissa - The Eagles of Death Metal

They've got a heavy name but The Eagles of Death Metal are all fun and games. As well, it is always sound policy to end on an upswing.