soul junk - "1955" (1998 jackson/rubio recordings)

terrifically weird.
there's no use trying to quickly sum up the sound of soul junk.  drum n' bass, punk, hip-hop, alt rock, electronic, experimental, funk, stoner, industrial, genre hop HOP HOP HOPPING.


A1 Rebel Syphon
A2 Universal Two-Day City
A3 Pack Of Goons
A4 May My Tongue Be Stuck Up On The Roof
A5 Velodrome?
A6 Prophecies
A7 Old Dominion
A8 Straight From Neptune
A9 Double-O Javelin
A10 Blunderbuss
A11 Throw Down
A12 Cherry Stereo Chariot
A13 Moonbeam?
A14 All Men Are Grass
A15 Glowing Funeral
A16 As The Rain
A17 Transubstantial Peel-Out

AA18 See His Face
AA19 More Of The Illusory Doorprize
AA20 Gorilla In The Mix
AA21 April 42nd
AA22 Numb Live & Looser
AA23 Quasars?
AA24 Subwoof Ape Job
AA25 Yellow Tooth Yooth
AA26 THE Auriginal Manglist
AA27 Down With Sounds
AA28 All Lids
AA29 Some True Blue Gum From Seething Teeth
AA30 Turn On The Solar
AA31 Lazy Rattlesnake


A


AA

Blackball - "hope" (1997 metro one)

1. downtown

2. all god's children

3. just don't know

4. funk for breakfast

5. twisted again

6. everybody wants to get over it

7. hey man

8. here we are

9. what's in a name

10. one thousand

Ω

review by Robert Grazer:

HIGH POINTS: Here We Are, One Thousand, Downtown, Just Don't Know, Funk For Breakfast, Hey Man. LOW POINTS: All God's Children, What's In A Name.

On Blackball's follow-up to the masterpiece of Super Heavy Dreamscape Christopher Scott takes the music in more of a funk direction rather than just alternative hard rock. In places this also seems to be a more personal release for him, writing about his own experiences in a way that only a few songs showed before. It's now almost a Christopher Scott solo album (though he did write all of the songs before as well), where it seems the focus is totally on him and his music, with the other members playing their instruments just to make it all work. Not that this is superior to Blackball's debut. No, on Hope we have the presence of a few less than spectacular moments, but to make up for those are several great songs, the best of which are on par with those from the debut.

I underrated this album for a long time, and I'm still not sure why. The first time I listened to it I was shocked at how different it was from before. There was so much funk and the mood was not as lonely and depressing as Super Heavy Dreamscape. The vast majority of this is, for lack of a better term, a happy release. And that didn't strike me as something Blackball should do. Not to mention I found this in the metal section and there's hardly any metal on it at all. Maybe the chorus of "Funk For Breakfast" but that's about it. The rest is hard funk, but in many places without very very little hard rock at all.

But now, after many many more listens I can really see how great this album is. The happier mood brings in something that we didn't have as much of on the debut. Hope is a more diverse outing than before, and this means that chances are if you end up buying Blackball's two albums you'll enjoy this one more. But I don't and I'm the review so there. Not that I don't have my reasons for liking this album less than the other. First of all there's "All God's Children" which, despite a catchy melody, is far too upbeat even for this album. "What's In A Name" is just kind of a dull go nowhere song with one of the lesser choruses I've heard Scott come up with.

The other tracks are all excellent, each one giving it's little addition to the album. "Here We Are" is especially the place where Scott's personal attitude and vocals come, in a somewhat similar style to "Chasing Everyone Away." It's a song about his struggles with his family, sung with a feeling so strong and in a style that only he and Blackball could do. Another similar in style to "Here We Are" is the closing "One Thousand," another great both songs are excellent, the highlights of the album by far.

I've also grown to appreciate the more fun aspects of this album as well. "Hey Man" is a wonderfully catchy entry and "Twisted Again" is a short but fun song that fits right into the album. "Just Don't Know" is, ok, not one of the fun songs on here, but I've reached a point where the horns on the chorus don't bother me at all anymore. And it's got some of Scott's greatest lyrics too. That's one thing that hasn't changed. What he writes about is different than before, but the way he writes it is the same great stuff we've always had.

Overall Hope doesn't have the strength of melody, atmosphere, or emotion to be considered superior to Super Heavy Dreamscape, but Scott's personal touch to the album, along with more great melodies, makes Hope a great buy. Before he was telling us about ourselves. Now he's telling us about himself, and it all adds up to make Blackball one of the best obscure bands of the nineties, and Christopher Scott one of the most talented songwriters to appear in modern music as well.

Blackball - "super heavy dreamscape" (1996 metro one)

Blackball was a side project of precious death vocalist and lyricist chris scott.

this was the first of their two albums.

mostly a good bit different from precious death, definitely more 'poppy', but still excellent.

a bit lighter, but chris's awesome vocals are still here and some great songwriting throughout.

it might not have aged that well...but fuck it. it was great in 1996 and i, for one amongst many, can still appreciate it for what it was. i'm sure i'm dating myself for loving this album, but once again, fuck it :)

"wither", "super heavy dreamscape" and "not the way i want to be" are some of my faves.

enjoy:)

Ω

precious death - "precious death" (1996 metro one)

The third and final album from precious death. this was an unexpected release in some ways, as Blackball was already touring and had released their first excellent album.

It's more like a heavier version of Chris Scott's other band, Blackball. Blackball is wonderful, definitely...but "different" Speaking of Chris Scott, he had a very interesting vocal style; almost like a male version of Cher crossed with Eric AK from Flotsam & Jetsam. (ed: the last bit about the flotsam thing i'm not sure of, but he DOES have a unique vocal style)

also included here are the cd only bonus (hidden) tracks. one of which is a VERY strange cover of no doubt's 'spiderwebs'. fun fun fun

Ω

Precious Death - "SOUTHPAW" (1993 Metro One)

from "NO LIFE TIL METAL":

This album is fabulous-a masterpeace! After wearing out their "Our Stinking Demo" tape, I was anxious to get the full length disc, which only has one song off the demo ("Force Fed"). The first song starts out with a HEAVY Metallica crunch but mixes in the extraordinary vocals of Chris Scott, who is one of the most unique vocalists ever. "Shine" totally changes style, going for a heavy funk sound mixing it with California thrash. I absolutely love this album. It is one of my all time favorites.

**ed: i couldn't agree more...in fact, my review of this album would no doubt be more shining.

trust me and take a chance, this is really great stuff!

1.	Southpaw	04:15
2.	Shine	04:19
3.	Hello	05:20
4.	No-Can-Do	05:31
5.	Strange to me	04:59
6.	Talk about the Weather	06:32
7.	King of Siam	04:57
8.	Force Fed	05:33
9.	One Day to Live	04:23

Ω