Can We Just Collectively, Once And For All, Agree That This Is The Best Album Of The 90s. I’m Sorry

Never got the hype for jagged little pill. Maybe im just from the wrong generation to understand the impact of this album or maybe im overlooking something, but is it really good enough to be considered a top 100 album? Yes, its fun, but i feel like there should be more to it for it to be considered impactful for music as a whole. Also how is it possible that the lyrics to this song are absolutely DIABOLICAL but still come across as superficial?

ALMOST FORGOT it was the 24th anniversary of White Pony yesterday as well. My second favourite album of all time and definitely the most well-produced Deftones album. A masterpiece that I’m sure I’ll continue to love deep into my adulthood. Also one of the sickest album covers to date, but that’s secondary.

DAMN this is a good album. Beautiful production, intense instrumentals, insightful lyrics, haunting vocals. Don’t know if this is their best album because I’m honestly not that into tool yet but I literally can’t stop listening to some of the songs on here, despite the uneasiness they bring. Such a great listen. Yeah, it’s not casual, but the effort of sitting down and trying to dissect the songs is so worth it omg.

Favourite song atm. Literally can’t stop listening. There’s something so undeniably transcendent about it, and this isn’t even me trying to be fancy. I legitimately think of this as a masterpiece.

Before ever trying out their music, I read up a little on tool (by that I mean I saw 3 20-minute YouTube videos). I didn’t understand what could ever be so magical about a bunch of guys that release 1 album every 10 years or so and let themselves actively hate on their fans more than any other artist I’ve seen. I also interacted with the fanbase a little bit, and that wasn’t a piece of cake either (it’s a cult guys no joke). But after actually trying them out, I immediately understood why the members get away with so much more than should be allowed and why fans are willing to pay $10,000 for a piece of merch (actually no this number is still crazy to me). I legitimately think their music is worth it.

Despite being a little too heavy (not in the musical sense, more in the emotional sense) for daily listening, tool remains one of my favourite bands. Genuinely can’t think of a better song than parabola off the top of my head, it’s just that good.

cuties

I think people underestimate the significance of Chi Cheng to Deftones. While I believe Chino’s lyrics are the perfect fit for their music and he’s an incredibly talented lyricist, let’s not forget that it was Chi that studied English, it was Chi that was a poet (if you haven’t looked into The Bamboo Parachute yet PLEASE DO it is so worth it). In other words, Deftones always had someone to fall back on if Chino couldn’t deliver (I’m not saying he ever couldn’t, but just the added security Im sure meant volumes), and the only reason Chino was the primary lyricist was because Chi believed he was amazing (lost the interview he said this in but you know what I mean). I really do believe the world lost an incredibly bright soul when Chi died.

OH MY GOOOD I ALMOST FORGOT HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO ONE OF THE BEST DEBUTS OF ALL TIME!

Appetite for Destruction, released on July 21st 1987, is what I would personally consider a perfect debut for a band such as GNR. From the lifechanging opening of Welcome to the Jungle to the concluding chord of Rocket Queen, this album is EXACTLY what it wants to be: it’s mean, it’s dirty, it’s unpredictable, and it’s completely unapologetic. While I personally don’t think any of their other material is interesting enough to dissect, I find Appetite to be engaging enough to literally grab you by the balls and keep you listening, singing, dancing, screaming, and doing whatever else this monster of an album pushes you to do. While the musical side of this record is obviously quite primitive and doesn’t reach for any new or groundbreaking heights, it’s still effective as fuck (seriously though, try to put on It’s So Easy and stay in one place). The energy it brings is unlike any other, it’s so beautifully and uniquely messy that I struggle to find the words to describe how much I love it. I wish I had a vocabulary wide enough to explain what I find so bewitching about the 80s-LA-SexDrugsAndRockNRoll vibe it creates but oh well. Happy birthday/anniversary Appetite!!

Songs of the Week (1)

1. Bodies (Sex Pistols)

Really got into Sex Pistols this week, can’t get this song out of my head. Questionable messaging aside, this song is brilliant. I rarely find myself able to separate the music from the lyrics, so being able to enjoy this so much is a big deal for me. Indescribable energy.

2. Whale & Wasp (Alice in Chains)

The Jar of Flies EP is a goldmine that just never stops giving. I don’t know what Jerry Cantrell did to make his guitar sound like an actual whale, but this song really takes me places. Breathtakingly beautiful.

3. Disintegration (The Cure)

One of the best songs off this album. I’ve wanted to make a separate post on Disintegration (the album, not the song) for a long time now, just because it’s one of those rare records that I consider to be genuinely flawless. Cried to this song multiple times, I just don’t know how to put into words what it makes me feel.

4. Estranged (Guns N Roses)

I feel like this is an obvious one but out of their entire discography, Estranged is definitely one of my favourites. Absolutely adore Slash’s solos in this one, especially the fact that at some point the guitar becomes a second voice on equal standing with Axl’s vocals. Heartbreaking. Could cry to this for hours, no joke.

5. Guerrilla Radio (Rage Against the Machine)

One of my favourites off of The Battle of Los Angeles. Had the whole album on repeat a lot recently, but this song especially is a godsend. There’s something so special about finding music that you can really call yours, that really fits you. Guerrilla Radio is definitely one of those for me.

6. Problems (Sex Pistols)

I don’t know what it is with me and Sex Pistols this week but I feel like Problems is another song that translates their energy best. It’s provocative and dirty, I’m absolutely in love with it. Anything sporting raw emotion or genuine sentiment is an instant yes for me.

7. Halloween in Heaven (Type O Negative)

The first Type O Negative song in my playlist ever, mostly because I never really liked them much if I’m being honest, but the female vocals somewhere around the middle of the song really won me over. I’ll check out some more stuff from Dead Again, we’ll see where it goes.

HEYYY IT’S MY FAVOURITE AWKWARD GUY’S BIRTHDAY

Okay real talk rn though. As cringe and corny as it may sound, Deftones, and Chino in particular, were a literal saviour for me at some point. Again, I know that so many people say this on a daily basis, but I mean it when I say that these guys saved my life. I would not have survived had it not been for something I started to love this much, developed such a passion for. I fw Deftones on another level. Did 1.5 years ago and still do now.

In most interviews, Chino is described as an overly emotional guy. He’s a little weird (in a good way), sometimes awkward (specifically off-stage), and, especially at the beginning of his career, has some trouble explaining his line of thought or what it is he means when he says something. At least that’s the impression you get when you listen to him speak in an everyday setting. Needless to say, when I saw this dude talking so softly and with so much purpose and yet still getting lost in what point he wanted to get across, I was like “oh yeah that’s my guy.” He also made the best music that ever graced my ears, but that’s beside the point yk.

What I’m trying to say is that despite all of his faults, no matter how difficult other people find him to work with or how many questionable decisions he makes, I will always cite him as an inspiration or at the very least as someone that has made life significantly easier for me, letting me see a little of myself in someone whose talent and work I admire so much.

I know it seems like I just made a point of shitting all over Chino for no reason, but I swear that’s not true. Again, on a weird level, I relate to him and that makes his music mean even more to me. Thank you Chino for Deftones and thank you Chino for being such an amazing guy. Love him sm.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHINO!!!!

I absolutely love Musora, but especially these two videos. They show that a good song is good outside of genre or form. I just love these interpretations sm, it’s so refreshing to see such creativity and talent. If you have like 15 free minutes give at least one of these a watch, you won’t regret it.

crying rn

Alice In Chains, Nutshell, MTV Unplugged, 1996