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Ask most serious bands about the recording process, and if they dont compare it to giving birth, they'll likely tell you that making an album is akin to psychotherapy. But lets be real here: How many of those bands actually take the album-as-therapy idea literally? For Atlanta quintet Norma Jean, who for all intents and purposes should be some of the most content dudes in underground music right now, the recording sessions for their third album, Redeemer, packed group therapy, boot camp and endurance test into one gnarly package. Produced by Ross Robinson (At The Drive-in, From First To Last, Sepultura), Redeemer is at once the heaviest and most personal album in this bands arsenaland thats saying something: With their 2002 Solid State Records debut, Bless The Martyr And Kiss The Child, Norma Jean established themselves as one of the noisiest and most adventurous young bands in metal today. With the 2005 follow-up, O God, The Aftermath, drummer Daniel Davison, bassist Jake Schultz, and guitarists Chris Day and Scottie Henry welcomed new vocalist and Arkansas native Cory Brandan to their lineup and took their artful, technical noise to the proverbial next level, earning critical acclaim and a 2006 Grammy nomination (for Asterik Studios awe-inspiring artwork) in the process, and embarking on a grueling tour schedule that most recently found them on Ozzfest 2006s second stage. And now, with a new, expanded edition of Aftermath in stores, the obvious question follows: When you still have past glories to coast on, why make a new album at all? Basically, we had too much material brewing inside us, and we wanted to get it out, says Davison, laughing. We probably couldve waited to record until after we cut back on what we had, but when the opportunity to work with Ross came up, it just felt like, Man, being in the studio with this guy is something Ive wanted to do since I was 12 years old; Im gonna do anything I can to make this happen now. After practicing, in Davisons recollection, pretty much ever day, for about 50 days solid, and going through rigorous pre-production at home in Atlanta, the band decamped with Robinson to Radio Star Studios in the tiny mountain town of Weed, California, to start work on Redeemer. Though some of the songs were still works-in-progress (as Brandans recalls it, Songs were changing up until 20 minutes before we tracked them) the lyrics, again written collaboratively by Brandan, Henry and Davison, really took shape once the band got into the studio. Wed rehearse a song till we felt we had it worked out, and then wed bring in Ross and sit down for another hour or two just to discuss it, Brandan says. He had us all in there as a group, talking about each songwhat the lyrics were about, where they came from, what the song meant to us personally and spiritually. It was really intense; so much stuff came out during those sessions, and in the end, it was really unifying for us as a band. While rehearsals took place in a beautiful, open-stage environment inside the studio, tracking itself was another storyall part of the intense process that would eventually shape the songs. I tracked my drums under the stage, Davison remembers, laughing. Wed get done talking about the song, and then wed head down below the stage into, like, this little dungeon. It was really small, and the drums were set up with mikes all over them; there were hot water pipes, ventilation, everywhereit was really intense. We could barely stand up because the ceiling was so low, but Ross was there the whole time, coaching us and keeping us in that mindset. Just one listen to Redeemer confirms the ferocity of the bands performances. From the discordant breakdowns and jarring time changes of The End Of All Things Will Be Televised to the newfound melodic intensity of Blueprints For Future Homes, the album packs some of Norma Jeans most unhinged, soul-baring playing into the span of 11 songs. And though the weird angles and difficult guitar figures that comprised Aftermath are still prevalent, that albums refined, very-much-studio feel has given way to raw atmospheres in which you can practically see the sweat running onto the instruments. Brandan, whos already proved himself a formidable vocalist, fully comes into his own on Redeemer with a style that veers between unhinged screaming and down-on-his-knees melodic belting. As has been the case with Norma Jeans previous albums, fans will interpret Redeemers title in a number of ways: Theres the obvious (its their shortest album title ever); the semi-obvious (the band members are Christian; the albums called Redeemeryou follow?); and the not-so-obvious (look up Redeemer in Websters Dictionary for even more possibilities). All of these, says Davison, are valid readings, but as before, its better just to listen to the whole album before settling on an opinion about what it all means. We just wanted a title that was short and simple, but also really powerful, Davison explains. Redeemer was the most powerful word we could think of, and obviously, for us, being a spiritual band, it takes on special meaning. Brandan agrees. We didnt call it Redeemer and then try to make the lyrics work around that [idea], he says. Theres some really personal stuff on this record, and even though Im seeing in hindsight that the title ties into some of that, Ive always thought its best just to let people come up with their own ideas about the songs, rather than say, This is our concept; this is what the records about. No matter how you interpret it, one things for sure: Slide it into your player, and you will feel Redeemer more than any other Norma Jean album. Emotional, spiritual, visceral, physicalthis isnt just the third album Norma Jean wanted to make; its the career-defining statement they had to.
Known both as the guitarist/producer in Death Cab for Cutie and as an in-demand producer of other independent-minded artists (Tegan & Sara, Decemberists), Walla brings a refined aesthetic and melodic ear to everything he involves himself in.
Jean Baudin delivers a sick rendition of Mario's theme song.
This year's Worldwide Developers Conference opened with a surprising announcement by some guy in blue jeans and a black turtleneck.
This year's Worldwide Developers Conference opened with a surprising announcement by some guy in blue jeans and a black turtleneck.
Ying Yang Twins feat. Wyclef Jean:
Ying Yang Twins producer Michael "Mr. Collipark" Crooms has teamed with rapper/producer Wyclef Jean and his cousin Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis to executive produce the newly renamed fifth Ying Yang Twins album, CHEMICALLY IMBALANCED. Ying Yang Twins (D-Roc and Kaine) have changed the album title to CHEMICALLY IMBALANCED. "We renamed it [that] because we're totally opposite, we are never on the same page but we wind up in the same place. It has everything to do with chemistry and how we interact with each other - individually we are imbalanced but together we equal each other out," says Kaine. Look out for the video for the first single, "Dangerous."
Dwight Yoakam: "Intentional Heartache"
A song about hot-blooded love from "Blame the Vain", the L.A.-based country star's 2005 album and his first without longtime producer/guitarist Pete Anderson.
Loose Cannon: "Who Do U Think U R?"
This is from the long-awaited and highly anticipated debut album, "Who Do U Think U R?" on 6-5/KGB Records distributed by Warner Music Latin. The album features ten Loose Cannon originals with three skits as well as guest appearances by Terror Squad?s Fat Joe and Tony Sunshine and fellow Brick City native, Rah Digga." Who Do U Think U R?" also features production from Scott Storch (Lean Back), Nick "Fury:, Dame Grease, Sedeck Jean, and many more.
I love how you look with your white jeans on, it's turning me crazy. Me gustar verte con tu mahon blanco.
This animated gem was directed by Jean Luc Chansay. It is part of the "WarpVision: The Videos 1989 - 2004" DVD, released by Warp Records.
