Fresh Squeeze – Tower of God
I was in the supermarket today, unable to avoid the pop hits being played on the store radio. Don’t judge me! I was hungry. Suddenly, after what felt like an endless selection of vacuous nonsense a very serious voice broke through. It was the vice a DJ announcing the radio station’s plan to play 5 minutes of classical music on the hour.
Naturally, he didn’t bother telling people what they were about to hear. He just assumed it couldn’t possibly ring any bells, and the tone of his voice seemed to suggest that this wasn’t their program wasn’t really created for the benefit of those that love classical music, but to forcefully infuse some culture into the thick skulls of the rest of us.
In some way, I feel that way about Fresh Squeeze’s Tower of God. This power-trio is Cream on steroids. Every time I hear the song, I remember I have to practice my guitar and start a workout routine. I know that those activities as well as the music are good for me, but my tiny brain keeps resisting it. If you are unlike me, you will be able to enjoy the complex orchestration, the great playing, and an incredible capacity to use rhythm.
Nomotion ft. Rob Coffinshaker – Something Out There
Some folks are born to endless nights, I suppose and try as they might, they can’t convince anyone of their humor and capacity to lightheartedly deal with life’s pressures. The song that this review is concerned with is made by these kinds of people, I reckon, even if the state of the art production and the expensive video might attempt to disguise them as fresh pop stars.
Something out There reminds me of the Sisters of Mercy. This is a great thing, not only because they’re a great band, but also because they are a great band that has refused to release any new music for decades. They, too, had a penchant for writing goth that touched a chord with pop audiences. Still, the moment that Andrew Eldritch decided to change his attire to white and proclaim his band to be an alternative-rock band, few were those that believed him.
Something Out There is, as record execs I am sure will have noticed, a tune with great commercial potential. It manages to do this while, all the while, remaining faithful to slow menacing grooves, baritone vocals, and lyrics straight out of a Nick Cave revenge-fantasy. The age of goth-pop is once again upon us, we hope.
