Extra! Extra! Hear all about it!
Yeah, we have some news this week. Actually, most of it is some industry discussion regarding some of the changes we have seen in what’s selling (or not) and we are going to see in Billboard charting. We also rip apart Revolver magazine’s recent lists (because how could you not?) and jealously discuss how every band ever is playing at a single open air festival next year. This all takes place in the middle of the show, sandwiched between our four new reviews.
Reviews:
Job for a Cowboy – Sun Eater (Metal Blade)
Ne Obliviscaris – Citadel (Season of Mist)
Saille – Eldritch (Code 666)
SSS – Limp.Gasp.Collapse. (Prosthetic)
Job For A Cowboy – Sun Eater
Ne Obliviscaris – Citadel
Sallie – Eldritch
SSS – Limp.Gasp.Collapse
The Sideshow Podcast 
Let me clean out my ears and listen to that again. Did Nick say the bass is too out front on Sun Eater by Job For A Cowboy? Is this the same Nick that I’ve been listening to on this podcast for 3 years? To me, that statement is a bigger surprise than Job For A Cowboy’s progression into a legitimate band that we all want to listen to. The bass on Sun Eater doesn’t seem any more out front than on Beyond Creation’s latest, yet Nick didn’t seem to mind it on the Beyond Creation album.
When Ne Obliviscarus’s first album Portal of I came out, I was a little surprised that each of the three hosts of the podcast (at the time) liked it. It seemed to have a strike against it for each of you. Long 10 minute songs? That’s a strike against it for Nick. Progressive? That’s an albeit small but general strike against it for Brian. And it prominently featured a violin, which is a huge strike against it for a certain former co-host.
You don’t know what these new pop songs on the radio are? Welcome to your 30s. I haven’t had any insight into the pop music scene in 10 years. It’s called getting old.
I know, it’s weird. As I think I said in the episode (maybe I made the comparison but didn’t finish my thought): Beyond Creation is SO bass centric that not only deserves to be out front, but I kinda needs to be there. While the bassist for JFAC is certainly no slouch, the songs themselves aren’t really improved any by having him be way forward in the mix. I just felt that it unnecessarily drew my attention away from what the rest of the band was doing.
So have you had a chance to spin Citadel yet? I’m wanting to know where you come down on this album compared to Portal of I.
That’ a very good question as to where Citadel by Ne Obliviscaris comes down in relation to their last album, Portal of I. I’ve listened to Citadel maybe three times so far and I don’t yet know the answer to that question. Complex, progressive music usually takes a long time to sink in with me. But if I had to answer the question right here and now, I’d say Citadel comes in just a hair behind Portal of I. Citadel may be more concise and consistent, but Portal of I provided more high points, most notably the track “And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope.” Portal of I ended up being my number 7 album of 2012. In a few weeks, we’ll see where Citadel ends up on my 2014 list, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it falls somewhere very close to where Portal of I ended up in 2012.