Rosetta - The Galilean Satellites (2005)

I don't think I've posted two albums by the same band in such rapid succession before but there's a first time for everything, I suppose. Philly's very own Rosetta produces some of the most spaced-out, sludgy and brutal metal I've ever heard. To be fair, I don't listen to too much metal at all. This is because I never hear much metal and think to myself, "This is refreshing and new sounding!" This is not the case with Rosetta. I just recently got their first full-length, perhaps one of the most ambitious debut releases I know of. Each CD is just about an hour long and the first one is more of their space/sludge/post metal style while the second one is more dark ambient stuff. I was initially intrigued by the concept because apparently, they are supposed to be listened to simultaneously. I have for you all a version where they are already combined and then the 2 CDs separately. When they are combined it is the musical equivalent of the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Megazord and will blow you away. The first CD on its own is great too and I suppose the more ambient CD is good for what it is but thats not really my thing. I hope you can all muster the patience required to listen to all of this, I assure you, it is well worth the 3 hours.

Disc 1


1. Departe
2. Europa
3. Absent
4. Itinerant
5. Au Pays Natal
   
   Disc 2
   
   
6. Deneb
7. Capella
8. Beta Aquilae
9. Ross 128
10. Sol

The Galilean Satellites (Combined)

The Galilean Satellites (Disk 1)
The Galilean Satellites (Disk 2)

Owls - Owls (2001)

Yet another Kinsella project. This one is probably my favorite post Cap'n Jazz incarnation with spectacular tappy guitar and some of the happiest, bounciest drums around. Unfortunately this band really didn't last long. They went on one tour and broke up shortly after (or during, I don't remember) back in 02. They all had other stuff going on like Owen and Ghosts and Vodka. Even though this is the only thing they really got around to releasing, I think its great and I can really get lost in the hypnotic guitar stylings of Victor Villareal. Tim's vocals can get grating after a while for some but I usually enjoy it. Just go for it.


1. What Whorse You Wrote Id On
2. Anyone Can Have A Good Time
3. I Want the Quiet Moments of a Party Girl
4. Everyone Is My Friend
5. I Want the Blindingly Cute to Confide In Me
6. For Nate's Brother Whose Name I Never Knew or Can't Remember
7. Life In the Hair Salon-Themed Bar on the Island
8. Holy Fucking Ghost

Owls

Rosetta - Wake/Lift (2007)

This is some really heavy stuff. I mean like neutron star matter heavy. The thickness of the atmosphere in this music is so eerie and breathtaking that I don't know if I'm floating in Neptune or walking through a foggy abandoned lumber mill in the dead of winter. If you don't like long, atmospheric songs or vocalists that sound like bears, this is not the band for you. They add so many elements together like post-metal, sludge metal, spacey psychedelic rock and technical, almost math rock-like elements every now and again that the sound is always evolving within the songs and makes it a very enjoyable thing to immerse yourself in. Definitely check it out if it's cold where you live.

1. "Red in Tooth and Claw" – 12:15
2. "Lift (part 1)" – 5:06
3. "Lift (part 2)" – 3:19
4. "Lift (part 3)" – 6:08
5. "Wake" – 9:27
6. "(Temet Nosce)" – 14:56
7. "Monument" – 13:30

Wake/Lift

The Black Keys - Rubber Factory (2004)

Annino, this one's for you. Believe it or not I've been busy lately so I've been unable to update this as much as I've wanted to. Enough of that, though. This album is something I bought on a whim back in '04 when it came out. I heard the song "10 am automatic" on MTV2 at 4 am on one of their underground music shows and decided that the raw energy, badass fuzz guitar riffage and Dan's amazing voice were more than enough reasons to check them out. I'm sure glad I did. I posted Thickfreakness on here before and it seems a little lesser known but I've decided that even though this is the album that kind of thrusted them out in the open, it is far superior and warrants a listen from anyone who likes gritty, intense, heartfelt garage/blues rock.

1. "When the Lights Go Out" — 3:23
2. "10 A.M. Automatic" — 2:59
3. "Just Couldn't Tie Me Down" — 2:57
4. "All Hands Against His Own" — 3:16
5. "The Desperate Man" — 3:54
6. "Girl Is On My Mind" — 3:28
7. "The Lengths" — 4:54
8. "Grown So Ugly" — 2:27
9. "Stack Shot Billy" — 3:21
10. "Act Nice and Gentle" — 2:41
11. "Aeroplane Blues" — 2:50
12. "Keep Me" — 2:52
13. "Till I Get My Way" — 2:31

Rubber Factory

Panda Steps In Chocolate - Paper EP (2008)

My latest Last.fm buddy, Christian Filardo of AZ is Panda Steps in Chocolate. As a bonafide one- man-band of the 21st century, Christian composes and programs all the infectious, synthy goodness and hearty drum beats as well as the catchy vocal melodies which he then sings the harmony parts over. His lyrics range from being sincerely poetic to some very tongue-in-cheek humor and really brings all the elements of each song together depending on the feeling of the particular track. I'm not even sure what other music I listen to could be compared to this in any way. The happy-go-lucky overall vibe of this album paired with the memorable melodies and blazing beats will certainly warrant multiple listens and you will most likely catch yourself humming "Sign Language" or "Porcupine" on the bus. I'm also well aware of how many hyphenated phrases im using in this post and I don't care. I mean, just listening to this album makes me hyphen-happy and how could that be a bad thing? Snag this EP and start using more hyphens. Also, stop by his myspace or last.fm and say hello if you like what you hear:
www.myspace.com/pandastepsinchocolate
http://www.last.fm/user/CFilardo

Paper EP