The Nicsperiment's Top Songs of 2018 (From Albums Not On My Top Albums List)
Though once again I've spent most of the year behind a desk, living a near-straight edge lifestyle (I'm not bragging about it...just giving context...I've never even listened to Minor Threat!), most of the music I enjoyed features Youtube comments beneath describing how great the songs sound while under the influence of chemical stimulation. Perhaps, this is the result of me rejecting the lifestyle of my hippie parents' youth--I skipped out on all the drugs, but due to osmosis, I absorbed the music involved...and judging by the way my hands shake all the time like I'm trying to rush my Polaroid, probably some of the drugs. Whatever the case, here are some songs I vastly enjoyed, listed in no particular order, either from albums that didn't quite make my top albums list, from EP's, or that are singles. Music is my drug?
Red Lama -- "Awakening (feat. Bjonko)"
Red Lama take their positive progressive rock in a decidedly more mystical direction, riding a kinetic bassline like a wave under a starry sky of sweet, sweet saxophone.
Bog Wizard -- "The Wizard in the Bog"
A couple of buddies with a love of thick, sludgy riffs, and Black Sabbath learn to play guitar and drums together, then recorded a fun, contagious EP borne of their ten years of jamming. On this title track, their enthusiasm is contagious.
Mecha Maiko -- "Bike Night"
Hayley Stewart applies her retrofuturistic dreamy synth textures to this swoony, three-and-a-half minute song to fall in love to.
MuN -- "Incline"
Polish stoner doom had a banner year, with MuN among their army, and "Incline" a brilliant display of sweet start-stop riffs, chanted vocals, and sweet, sweet space.
Savagery -- "Siege Engine"
Skinless tell you what they're about with their album cover, but their brutal hardcore peaks for me when they inject some atmosphere into their sound, like on the still vicious, yet roomy "Siege Engine."
Weathered -- "There Is One"
Weathered show some pretty exciting potential on their not-at-all-metal Facedown Records debut, conjuring an earnestly sweet, early 00's...emo sound, mixed with modern indie rock sensibilities. This is all on full display on the cathartic album highlight, "There Is One."
Hidden Haze -- "Devour the Light"
What's in that water, Poland? Here's another great stoner doom band, Hidden Haze, a sludgier, heavier act that nonetheless enjoys some Dredg-like leads, and anthemic bursts of power chords. Despite the monstrous vocals, the surging final two minutes of "Devour the Light" could soundtrack a Rocky montage.
Amy Klein -- "Nothing"
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Until U2 gets really nostalgic for 1983, Amy Klein's "Nothing" is the closest we'll get to War's atmospheric, driving art-punk.
Forming the Void -- "Ark Debris"
Baton Rouge's own sludgy doom band manage to aurally articulate their album cover, mammoth riffs plodding through space and time, though the album peaks for me when some psychedelic Egyptian woodwind announces the meditative "Ark Debris."
Voyagers -- "Cave In"
If Weathered reminds me of early 00's Deep Elm Records, the contemplative, yet driving rock of Voyagers reminds me of early 00's MVP indie-Christian rock label, Floodgate Records, particularly their standout band, Denison Marrs. The creative alternative rock of "Cave In" leads me to hope there are great things in store for Voyagers.
Sleep -- "Mariuanaut's Theme"
Though in the past, Sleep have been able to engage me for a full hour with just one song, the stoner doom pioneers' The Sciences just doesn't hold my interest--maybe in the long interim since their last album, they've been on too much of their famously favorite substance. However, The Sciences does have its moments, particularly "Marinaut's Theme," which makes me bang my head so hard, I barely even notice the lyrics mentioning a "hashteroid field" and the title character splashing down on the "TH Sea."
Grandpa Loves Rhinos -- "The Ministry of Aquaman"
Weathered--early 00's Deep Elm Records, Voyagers-- early 00's Floodgate Records, Granpa Loves Rhinos--turn of the century Tooth and Nail Records. Yes, Grandpa Loves Rhinos' positive pop-punk, with its heavy doses of lyrical nostalgia and pop-culture references (the E.P. "The Ministry of Aquaman" is taken from is titled Better Eat Your Wheaties!) would sound right at home on one of T&N's Songs from the Penalty Box samplers, and I mean that as the highest of compliments. I only bestow those kinds of run-on sentences on things I like. Just check out "The Ministry of Aquaman"'s gang-vocal intro, up-beat first verse, sweet harmonies, quieter, more thoughtful second verse, heavier second chorus, and double-time final chorus, and be transported back to a breezy day in the year 2000.
Red Lama -- "Awakening (feat. Bjonko)"
Red Lama take their positive progressive rock in a decidedly more mystical direction, riding a kinetic bassline like a wave under a starry sky of sweet, sweet saxophone.
Bog Wizard -- "The Wizard in the Bog"
A couple of buddies with a love of thick, sludgy riffs, and Black Sabbath learn to play guitar and drums together, then recorded a fun, contagious EP borne of their ten years of jamming. On this title track, their enthusiasm is contagious.
Mecha Maiko -- "Bike Night"
Hayley Stewart applies her retrofuturistic dreamy synth textures to this swoony, three-and-a-half minute song to fall in love to.
MuN -- "Incline"
Polish stoner doom had a banner year, with MuN among their army, and "Incline" a brilliant display of sweet start-stop riffs, chanted vocals, and sweet, sweet space.
Savagery -- "Siege Engine"
Skinless tell you what they're about with their album cover, but their brutal hardcore peaks for me when they inject some atmosphere into their sound, like on the still vicious, yet roomy "Siege Engine."
Weathered -- "There Is One"
Weathered show some pretty exciting potential on their not-at-all-metal Facedown Records debut, conjuring an earnestly sweet, early 00's...emo sound, mixed with modern indie rock sensibilities. This is all on full display on the cathartic album highlight, "There Is One."
Hidden Haze -- "Devour the Light"
What's in that water, Poland? Here's another great stoner doom band, Hidden Haze, a sludgier, heavier act that nonetheless enjoys some Dredg-like leads, and anthemic bursts of power chords. Despite the monstrous vocals, the surging final two minutes of "Devour the Light" could soundtrack a Rocky montage.
Amy Klein -- "Nothing"
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Until U2 gets really nostalgic for 1983, Amy Klein's "Nothing" is the closest we'll get to War's atmospheric, driving art-punk.
Forming the Void -- "Ark Debris"
Baton Rouge's own sludgy doom band manage to aurally articulate their album cover, mammoth riffs plodding through space and time, though the album peaks for me when some psychedelic Egyptian woodwind announces the meditative "Ark Debris."
Voyagers -- "Cave In"
If Weathered reminds me of early 00's Deep Elm Records, the contemplative, yet driving rock of Voyagers reminds me of early 00's MVP indie-Christian rock label, Floodgate Records, particularly their standout band, Denison Marrs. The creative alternative rock of "Cave In" leads me to hope there are great things in store for Voyagers.
Sleep -- "Mariuanaut's Theme"
Though in the past, Sleep have been able to engage me for a full hour with just one song, the stoner doom pioneers' The Sciences just doesn't hold my interest--maybe in the long interim since their last album, they've been on too much of their famously favorite substance. However, The Sciences does have its moments, particularly "Marinaut's Theme," which makes me bang my head so hard, I barely even notice the lyrics mentioning a "hashteroid field" and the title character splashing down on the "TH Sea."
Grandpa Loves Rhinos -- "The Ministry of Aquaman"
Weathered--early 00's Deep Elm Records, Voyagers-- early 00's Floodgate Records, Granpa Loves Rhinos--turn of the century Tooth and Nail Records. Yes, Grandpa Loves Rhinos' positive pop-punk, with its heavy doses of lyrical nostalgia and pop-culture references (the E.P. "The Ministry of Aquaman" is taken from is titled Better Eat Your Wheaties!) would sound right at home on one of T&N's Songs from the Penalty Box samplers, and I mean that as the highest of compliments. I only bestow those kinds of run-on sentences on things I like. Just check out "The Ministry of Aquaman"'s gang-vocal intro, up-beat first verse, sweet harmonies, quieter, more thoughtful second verse, heavier second chorus, and double-time final chorus, and be transported back to a breezy day in the year 2000.
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