Customer Reviews

In Glorious Times (Dig)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I recently saw SGM perform these collection of freakishly exhilarating pieces of music. This is a band that is not only musically talented, but also conveys a convincing, creative, and pervasive persona. Carla Kihlstedt, Dan Rathbun, Nils Frykdahl, Matthias Bossi, and Michael Mellender all marched to their stage through the audience, playing a cheery yet equally eerie ballad on trumpets and other hand held instruments. All of them are dressed in homemade cloths, covered in white makeup, and with the exception of Carla, have various sections of their head shaved, braided, and growing long.

Many of the instruments are homemade, which are comprised of various pieces of metal, wood, and perhaps a trash can. I believe there is glockenspiel as well. There are your standard guitars, a violin, a bass; and then oddities, like the slide-piano log, pedal-action wiggler, and other strange and primitive instruments.

Their lyrics on this album, like their others, tend to be abstract and many of the members will deliver very odd and perhaps even disturbing non-sequiter soliloquies as their other instruments lay silent. The lyrical content often explores the dark and complex corners of the human psyche, or the "things that we bury," in the words of Carla.

Unlike their previous album, "In Glorious Times" seems employ, but not depend upon, heavy and distorted guitar riffs more often; which, obviously lends to a "metal" sound. But the textures, timbres, and dynamics of the multiple instruments and vocals they employ add a considerable layer of complexity, darkness, and beauty to this album.

The structure, melody, and meter of the songs within this album are far too complicated for me to understand let alone enumerate. But I can say they contribute to their overall sound greatly. Anyone with a deeper understanding of music theory will probably find something about their techniques to appreciate.

The only problem I have with this album, and SGM in general, is the feeling of being overwhelmed with the sheer complexity and weirdness of their music. SMG is not easy and relaxing music. But that is the price to be paid for such unique and odd music. This album will provide the brain with something highly desirable when listening to music: creativity and originality. But in my opinion it will not provide the brain with something that is also desirable when listening to music: predictability, easy listening, and relaxation.

I highly recommend this album, especially if you need to add something dark and flavorful to your music collection. Thanks for reading.

Yes! I had to listen through a couple of times to be sure, but this is another great and satisfying album, from this at times stunningly powerful, at times intricately delicate, always emotionally moving, weird, unpredictable, theatrical, overall delicious Bay Area weirdo supergroup.

They're on their 3rd exploding drummer, and 2nd percussionist; but these 2 stickmen are good (and even contribute some songwriting), the rest of the jolly crew is intact, and the music is spot on as usual.

If Marilyn Manson, Peter Gabriel, Dagmar & Art Bears (but Carla's electric SGM violin kicks Fred Frith's violin's butt) & King Crimson got squished together in a train wreck, like the old ads for peanut butter & chocolate cups, they might make it onto a little corner, of the inside cover, of a Sleepytime Gorilla Museum album.

oh and speaking of the cover, at last we get more information, this time, than on the first 2 studio albums, on the source of the bizarre, unsettling SGM artwork and strange ideas..... that was Nils' dad, right? I guess it's a family affair.... makes it more real.

And of course if you haven't already picked up their first 2 studio albums "Grand Opening & Closing" and "Of Natural History", be sure to do so too. I'm still not sure what I think of their live album; need to listen to it some more.

And then you'll want to explore the whole extended musical family (that's why I call SGM a "supergroup") -- look up Idiot Flesh, Charming Hostess (check out their version of the Resident's "Working Down Below"), Faun Fables, Carla Kilstedht's solo albums, Moe! and all his collaborators in the Moe!kestra, etc.

You need a lot of patience to absorb this disc. On first listen, I thought it was decent and weird, but the musicianship compelled me to keep listening, and after repeated spins, it's still very weird but much better than decent. The music is avant-garde rock - brutal, dissonant, scary, but in a good way. Even the doodle artwork is creepy. I like their instrumentation, for example, on "Helpless Corpses Enactment" the pounding guitar riff is echoed by violin and it does not sound like an ordinary death metal tune, even with the vocal growls. I also hear subtle influences of bands such as Primus, Pain of Salvation (especially during the falsetto vocal parts), and my current favorite tune on the album, "Formicary", sounds like a reggae outtake from a King Crimson album. "In Glorious Times" demands attention and is not an easy listen but it definitely is the most unusual disc I've heard this year.

This album spans more genres than any I've ever heard, and does so fluidly and naturally. The progressive moments never get corny, the metal moments are intense, and there are plenty of melodic moments that give this record some beauty. This album flows from start to finish very well. I never felt like skipping or cutting off any track. Definitely well worth buying.

Wow. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum have really outshined themselves yet again. Like the older albums, but more of a cinematic and epic production. Heavier vocals, and at the same time more beautiful singing. Just as Bass-Heavy as the other two, but I'd say even more now. Dan Rathbun's monsterous Bass rules this album. Nils vocals and guitars are as wild as ever. Oh, and expect more violin, especially towards the end of the album. Not much more to say than if you liked either of their earlier albums(or both), then getting this album can only be a good thing. For fans of Idiot Flesh(duh), Bungle( double duh), and well, ...the Devil.

Eat it up

Man....these guys can do no wrong! If you haven't heard SGM for yourself, describing them is like trying to explain Hitler to a 4 year old...it's hard to do.

Basically, they are avant-metal...but even that doesn't describe them. They have all the typical 'metal band' instruments, plus a violin plus a bunch of instruments they just flat out invented! This stuff is really high concept. It's so original in every way I just can't get enough of these guys (and girl). If you ever get a chance to see them live, please do so...I saw them in a tiny club in Toledo and it was one of the best shows i've ever seen. Talked with them after the show and they were super cool people as well.

These guys are the real deal. They saved a very mediocre music scene with the most original stuff i've ever heard.

Favorites:

Companions

Salt Crown

Angle of Repose

The Widening Eye

I was a little nervous before I heard the recent stuff because SGM sounds so amazing live that it's not all conveyed when you hear it as a studio recording. My fears were put to rest though, by the third track I was totally immersed in the album. These guys (and girl) are responsible for so much good music it's ridiculous. If you liked this and haven't checked out the other projects they've been involved in then you owe it to yourself to check out Idiot Flesh and Charming Hostess, as well as some solo Karla stuff.

Upon first listen I wasn't impressed with the latest release by one of the most creative groups in the US. A few listens later and this becomes my favorite release by this group of outstanding musicians. Past albums saw this group putting the best of the best at the beginning of the album and throwing the tracks that might be considered 'filler' at the end. Not this one. This album is consistent all the way through. I found the percussion just a bit lacking compared to previous albums, but Kihlstedt's violin is nothing short of amazing as usual. Great production and extremely well composed songs make this another great potential soundtrack to the horror in your life. There is an element to how this group composes songs that is just head over heels above most other musical acts out there right now. After repeated listenings I still can't fathom how they actually wrote some of these songs. Great, great stuff as usual.

This record grows on you after repeated listens. I can't believe the talent of these musicians! The off-key and off-beat style is not for everyone, but I loved it.

See them live if you get a chance. I saw them in Toledo, it was definitely worth it.

This is my first exposure to Sleepytime. Without a doubt, this is eclectic and intense music. At first, it's pretty overwhelmingly sporadic (in a good way). They mesh all different genres into a continuous flowing expression. There is a consistent mobility to the sound, sometimes drastic drops to quiet parts or abrupt returns to intensity. Some of these transitions are smooth and absolutely electrifying, some a little less interesting. SGM are great at mixing genres, sometimes better than others. The avant garde aspect is legitimate and honest, truly convincing. Oftentimes it will sound very Zappa or Mr Bungle-esque (especially in the vocals). One of the best aspects to this CD is the diverse instrumentation, definitely not your average metal band sound. I don't know who the female singer is but she is amazing, and at some points makes the album. Also they have sick aspects of carnival cliches, that work appropriately. My favorite tracks: Widening Eye and Angle of Repose. The best parts of the CD are the droning complex chord changes in the quiet(er) sections. Overall in a landscape of infinite mediocrity and boring ambiguous expression, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum is actually doing something with their sound. I'm impressed, definitely worth checking out.