Customer Reviews

Alive Records 2009 Sampler

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Alive record label specializes in 'garage'-style, indie blues-rock and retro-rock, and on many of their recordings they use what's called lo-fi production...a deliberate attempt at making the recording sound very raw and loose. Many times the music is purposely distorted.

If you don't mind lo-fi, you're likely to find that most of these songs have a lot to offer. On the other hand, if you prefer "mainstream" production, this sampler strays a bit from what you may be used to hearing. Not all songs on this sampler are produced this way, however. The first track, "She's Got A Hold On Me" is very good all around...good song, good production. Its distorted bass guitar is tastefully done, and the handclap/snare combo sounds very cool. "Get Out While You Can isn't bad, either, although the vocals use a bit more reverb than the typically produced track. And on "Leave The Sun Behind", the drum set has a great-sounding 'raw' but clear character, and most of the other instruments & vocals sound fine (one lead guitar is just a tad overwhelming in spots).

Some of the songs next up have some interesting characteristics. "When You Find Out" is a nice tune, but the drums sounds chosen aren't necessarily what I would prefer to hear...a little too much on the electronic side...I think real drums would have been a better fit. On "Filthy Flowers", the background guitars and organ take up so many frequencies, and that, combined with vocals drowned in reverb make it a bit difficult to hear the instruments and vocals distinctly. But that's just part of the lo-fi technique at work...the recording is geared to sound like the band is jamming out in the garage with just a couple of mikes out front...very loose and raw.
On "A Million Years"...there are some fairly constant, harsh-sounding cymbal crashes that some may find a bit overwhelming.

On "Wash It", there's some strange instrument or sound in there that's all distorted, and the drums are distorted, too. The last track, "Make Love Time", goes totally lo-fi and all instruments and vocals have a high degree of distortion.

Again, some of these songs are actually quite good, and if you dig the garage-style recordings you'll love the whole sampler. But if that's not a style you enjoy, you may want to refrain from downloading some of the worst offenders. You're definitely safe with "She's Got A Hold On Me", my personal favorite.

It's like being in a club as it gets more exciting through the night. (The "some strange instrument" that another reviewer found off-putting is called a slide guitar; that reviewer seems unfamiliar with the blues.) This album is progressively bluesier, and better, as it goes along. The album is not physically louder from song to song, but it does give that impression as it also gets more distorted, as though with each number they were driving the stage amps harder and harder.

So, grab a drink, and enjoy the bands!

"When You Find Out" by The Nerves is a power pop gem! Peter Case went on to front The Plimsouls and to New Wave stardom. But this is buried treasure.

For more info. on 80s New Wave bands go to:
http://www.djcraig.net/the80s

Alive Records is, in my opinion, the best independent record label in the country. They've signed a great bunch of acts who have made some really fine records which you can sample for free here. I highly recommend you visit their website, and check out the other mp3's they offer, and sample the rest of the acts on their roster. If you like this sampler (and I think you will) there's more where that came from. By the way, the label offers not only digital downloads, but also CD's and vinyl LP's on many of the label's titles. I can highly recommend Hacienda, Buffalo Killers, Radio Moscow, and new releases from Outrageous Cherry, and Henry's Funeral Shoe. And don't miss the Nerves album either.

Garage rock at its low-fi, tape-saturated best; guitars, both dirty and jangley, organs, tambourines, attitude galore! More hooks here than you can count before it's over, unfortunately all too soon, like side A of your favorite lp. Good variety here, but a cohesive collection, this is hands-down the finest free sampler offered on Amazon. Download while you can!

Just on a first spin basis, this sampler has allot of good energy. Its got a gritty blues rock garage feel to it. quite a variety on this collection. Brimstone Howl reminds me of a Rockabilly Ramones outfit, The Nerves are a fresh throw back to 1960's rock and roll, kind of like The Beatles or The Monkies. Thomas Function reminds me a little of the pixies with a more catchy rock and roll rhythm. Left Lane Cruiser is another cool rocking dirty blues band. I would liken it to a White Stripes/Canned Heat/Eagles of Death Metal -ESK take on the blues, a foot stompin, Slide picking, cowbell rockin, driving Blues, awesome track. Black Diamond Heavies is along the same lines as Left Lane Cruiser, A great hard rock take on the blues. they fire up the grit on all cylinders. I honestly wasn't too big on the first three tracks, but every track after that are OUTSTANDING works that Deserve a spin.

Its a Free Download... GET IT ALREADY!!!!!

If you are a fan of the "Garage Sound" pick this up. After listening to all of the tracks, I am definately going go search out more music from these bands.

What do you have to loose.

With free music, my usual position is "you get what you pay for". But this sampler really surprised me! There's some good stuff on here, and I liked the Nerves, Black Diamond Heavies and Left Lane Cruiser enough to actually buy their records. Your free song sampler worked, Alive Records!

A lot of the time these samplers come out and there are one or two or zero songs that are found to be interesting. Not so on this Alive Records - Natural Sound Sampler. I enjoyed listening to it from start to finish.

Dan Auerbach, singer and guitarist for The Black Keys took notice, as did I, of the band from San Antonio, Hacienda. I say watch these guys closely. If they can keep it all together and keep writing original, catchy, tunes like are on their debut, Loud is the Night, there is no reason in the world we should not hear more from this young band. The San Antonio Express said, "Hacienda is influenced by an array of music, most of it from the '50s and '60s, Hacienda crafts songs in which power pop meets Americana".Dan Auerbach, an Alive alum as well, produced the record which was recorded in Mr. Auerbach's analog studio in Akron, Ohio.

Another favorite of mine on the sampler was Leave the Sun Behind, by the Buffalo Killer. They have a very retro sound to them that could take you back to the late 60's sound of Canned Heat or The James Gang. I love how the song seems to change tempo along the way. Keep a close eye on this band as well.

The very next band is The Nerves performing When You Find Out, which will certainly remind you of early Beatles tunes. It's a very catch tune but look out for the live stuff should you desire to download it.

A Million Years, performed by Brimstone Howl, is one of my favorites on the band but you will need to be a fan of rock-a-billy and garage style punk to enjoy it. Just the right amount of reverb in the vocals and the simplistic guitar lunging out at you periodically adds a pseudo-psychedelic tone to the song.

Wash It by Left Lane Cruiser is a road song at its best with hard driving slide guitar weaving its way through the entire song. Great song, and appears to be recorded live with virtually no mixing what so ever.

That is what I love about this sampler. It seems to have all been recorded in that manner. Live. Check it out. You will probably do as I did and download many if not all of the songs from each band. Just listen to the samples first. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

This is a nice album, energetic blues with a bit of funk and plenty of swing. Another review mentioned lofi and garages, but I didn't get that sense at all. Maybe a medium sized acoustic club or coffeehouse late at night, but not a garage.