2016
was filled with amazing gifts of recorded music. Far, far too many to
list in detail. Yes, 2016 had it
share of tragedy, but it as an abundant giver of great albums.
So
here we go good readers, here’s the ones that Count Robot digs the most from
2016.
Number 3
Opeth: Sorceress
This
is their statement of awesome. There is a lot of grandiose wild guitar metal
and classical playing that speaks to my love of Queen. The title track
Sorceress starts with a great funky jam before turning into an epic heavy jam
with Mikael Akerfeldt’s operatic soaring voice steering the song in every
direction it needs to go. This song is a pure classic and it could carry an
entire bland album but the rest of the tunes on this album are far, far, from
that at all.
Another wonderful
standout track is Will o the wisp. Blending acoustic guitars with keys and
twistingly wistful lyrics, this tune brings out some of the best of Opeth. This
song has a burning sense of yearning. Another great track, Strange Brew has
inspiringly macabre lyrics to match its deft time changes. Yes, this is going
to be a hard album for them to top.
Here’s the title track for you.
Number 2
Trance to the Sun: Via Subterranea
Many
of us waited at least three years for this crowd-funded release to come to
fruition. Was it worth it? Yes. This is a stunner of sound art. Is this the
best Trance to the Sun recording ever made? Perhaps. A little more time will
tell because that is a big feat. It’s tough to judge yet as it only came out in
December of 2016, but it climbed to the number three spot of the best cds of
the year after only one listen. A third spin brought it to number two. Further
listens didn’t get it to the number one spot of 2016. Sorry Trance to the Sun.
This
isn’t just a collection of unique songs, this is an addiction. I want to do
nothing but listen to this record for months.
Max
Mystic opens the set and takes us to a hazy dreamland between pop, psychedelia,
goth, and the indescribable. It has beautiful alluring sonic spaces, guitar
wizardry and freaking finger snaps! The drumming (not a machine!) is tasteful
and not overwrought. Yes a real drummer by the name of Daniel Henderson is now
in the band and what a great addition he makes. Off and through the wall lyrics
zigzag around this tune. Wow. If I could eat this song I would be sated for
years.
Another
amazing track that must be singled out is Lost Garden Gnome Hotline. Yes, that
is really the name of an incredible song that you should listen to right away.
The words are so insane they would make Syd Barrett’s ghost jealous. This ditty
booms, blasts, lulls, soars, crawls, and messes with your headspace in a
delirious manner.
Ashkelon
Sain’s production and guitar playing are all delivered with a masterful stroke.
What also is amazing about Ash here, is his bass playing. Sure there’s been
tasty bits of bass playing on prior Trance to the Sun releases but nothing that
sounds as deep and bouncy as on this audio tome.
Before
moving on, it is necessary to mention the force known as singer Ingrid Luna
Blue. This record would not work if she didn’t deliver such a haunted nuanced,
childlike, torch burning, wailing, rocking, monument to the power of the human
voice. It’s all there in each breath and note.
Here’s Max Mystic
Number 1
The Claypool Lennon Delirium:
Monoliths of Phobos
The
two masterful musicians involved in this project are Sean Lennon and Les
Claypool. They play every note on this stunning gem of a recording. I had no
idea Lennon was such a great drummer until I heard his attack on the skins contained
herein.
This album has
some of the best of the best of Les Claypool’s bass wizardry on it. Check out
his playing on Bubbles Burst. It’s solid groove oriented and unlike his usual
self in a perfect way. Yes, he also gets showy but not in an obnoxious way at
all. His interplay with Lennon’s spacious psych guitar soundscapes conjures up
the best of the acid/prog rock vibe. There’s perfectly balanced grit and
perfection on this album. Raw where it should be and smooth as silk when
required. Discordant key fills here and there but just when needed.
The lyrics to all
the songs are fried in a great way; stories of chimps, pills, fairies,
perverts, and more pills. Oxycontin Girl is a damning railing chilling story
song about a woman getting sucked down into an opioid world. “Who’s going to be
the one to drive her to the ER?” That line hits me every time I hear it.
Let’s discuss the
standout track a bit more. Bubbles Burst is a psychedelic classic. This song
could have been written last year, next year, or 1960-70 whenever. It has deep
roots of space rock. There’s reverb swarming through the core of this slow
burning track. Lennon’s guitar playing on this track is monstrous. He rips
through a powerhouse of an acid drenched stretch of wails, notes, distortion
and sonic booms. A tie-dyed blast of magic.
This
disc came out early in 2016. On the first listen I had no doubt it would make
the top of 2016. It has held that spot despite so many amazing cds being born
that year.
Hopefully this
will be an ongoing collaboration. More please!
Here’s Bubbles Burst.
There were so many great songs and
albums in 2016 that I could go on and on about. Maybe some other time I’ll rant
about them.
Yours in the amazing world of
sounds,
Count Robot
