A few musical things arrived in the mail in recent weeks, so it's time to do a rundown:
A co-worker friend introduced me to Norwegian metal band Kvelertak. The raw, screamy vocals kind of turned me off at first, but as I warmed to the instrumental side of things, I found the noisy "singing" actually worked as a complement, more as an instrument itself and demonstrating a bit of a punk ethic, angry and unsavory. Besides, since lyrics are all in Norwegian, I can't understand anything anyway. So the vocals are there as sounds rather than telling any discernible story or message... for anyone not familiar with the language. There are actually very nicely sung parts here and there, in stark contrast with the lead bits.
After just one listen of my friend's CD version of Nattesferd (2016), I went online and ordered my own copy. Yes, I was that impressed. Like I said, there's an abundance of heaviness, but it's not all extreme metal... a lot of fun, catchy stuff - à la 80's metal - adds contrast and keeps things rolling. The variety of sounds and inventive songwriting make it an easy listen, songs flowing one into the next. One of these days, I'll look up Kvelertak's lyrics translated to English so I'll know what they're actually singing about. Cool stuff, I'm sure, judging by the sci-fi/fantasy artwork on the album cover.
Then I got an old classic, Revolver, by The Beatles, on vinyl LP. This was a gift... well, I bought it with a gift card... and it was something I wouldn't normally shell out so much money for. This is a modern remastered reissue, which wasn't cheap, but it sounds amazing. It makes my old CD sound like garbage in comparison. The original source recording was spruced up with the latest technology - not changed or tampered with, but cleaned up for spotless sound and clarity, breathing new life into this 60's gem. The whole album is excellent, with just the goofy singalong Yellow Submarine its only low point. Over the years, I've come to appreciate songs that I long ago didn't care for much, like Tomorrow Never Knows and Love You To. The Indian and psychedelic influences were just too much for me as a younger listener, but today, I find these tracks captivating in their groundbreaking and highly creative ways. And with this reissue's special treatment, those songs (plus the rest of them) shine like never before.
Next up, I got a real treat in the mail all the way from Schwabach, Germany. I had to search around Discogs (my favourite source for used vinyl online) for a reasonably priced recording of the 1981 album, Breaker, by German metal meisters Accept. The album generally commanded rather high prices, but a generous seller accepted (hehe) my slightly lower offer. And boy, am I pleased with the excellent condition of the record. It plays like a dream.
The average Joe might only know the song Balls to the Wall from a later Accept album, but this one, only their second release, shows the band quickly finding their sound and asserting some solid songwriting. After just a couple of listens, I find it a super strong recording, every song good in its own way. As I absorb it more fully over time, I'm sure some favourites will jump out at me. Midnight Highway stands out as the most accessible tune, but the rest of the disc is uncompromising metal, slick in presentation, yet tough and aggressive in delivery. There was a bit of controversy over some lyrics back in the day, but today, it's nothing compared to what you hear in any given rap song.
Oh, and a little further back, I got AC/DC's Highway to Hell on vinyl LP with a Christmas gift card. What can I say? This re-issue looks and sounds great... that groovin' hard rock/metal classic sounds better than ever, and the really nice album jacket and sleeve reproductions clinch this as a winner. My favourite AC/DC album, this'll hit the turntable regularly.
That's it for now... so keep on spinning that vinyl!
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