Twoie - Addison Store

07/27/05 Twoie Myers
Noise Unit - Voyeur
Noise Unit is one of the many side projects from the highly prolific Bill Leeb, most notably known for his work in Front Line Assembly. The aptly titled Voyeur, features spacious atmospheric melodies layered with flowing strings, whispered vocals, electronic noises and mutilations, along side bass-lines that range from a drum n' bass vibe to an aggressive industrial assault. Perhaps the best album from a FLA side-project since Delerium's Karma, Voyeur is sure to please fans of Front Line Assembly and Delerium, as well as all of those in between.

06/29/05 Twoie Myers
Project .44 - The System Doesn't Work
Ahhhh... good old Chicago industrial. This band sounds like what you would record after listening to too much Ministry - "A Mind is a Terrible"/"Psalm 69" era. There is a twist on it that makes it far from a clone... the band features Louis Svitek FROM Ministry, Charles Levi from Thrill Kill Kult, and Martin Atkins from Ministry, PIL, NIN, and Pigface. Loud, fast, angry guitar-based industrial that is neither "quirky" or "uplifting". Music made for those of us that don't want to wear white sheets and be happy all the time...

06/21/05 Twoie Myers
Alec Empire - The Futurist
Finally... a new Alec Empire album!!! (if this excites you, you either have an amazing taste in music... or you are a total geek... or both) The follow-up to 2002's "Intelligence and Sacrifice" follows the same direction which mixes over-the-top distorted jungle drums, thrash guitars, Merzbow-esque noise, and punk rock vocals. The only difference is Alec actually PLAYS all guitars/bass/and live drums on the album. The front-man of the electronic group Atari Teenage Riot is now doing a guitar-based rock band. Kinda strange, but it sounds amazing! This is good music for angry people...

06/15/05 Twoie Myers
Knifehandchop - How I Left You
A great release from the Tigerbeat6 label (three of us out there are excited by that) that stays on par with the quality of music on this label. Cross drum&bass with industrial and some hip-hop and you get the mess that is Knifehandchop. Electronic music that is super-damn-catchy and made equally for shaking your booty or punching the people around you, yet too intelligent for your normal dance club. It is hard to pick a particular track as being the most stellar of the lot. All the songs are different and stand out from eachother, but work together to create a great listen from start to finish.

04/14/05 Twoie Myers
Damage Manual - Limited Edition
The Damage Manual are back- sort of. The follow up to the super-group‘s phenomenal debut has finally arrived! There are changes in the group‘s line-up on this one: Martin Atkins (PiL, Ministry, Pigface, NIN, etc) and Chris Connelly (Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pigface) are back, but Jah Wobble and Geordie Walker are absent. Stephen Seibold (Hate Dept, Pigface) is taking over guitar duties for the album. The album is post-punk noise made by old, snotty guys that started the genre. Flawless production and HUGE sounds make this album special. Martin Atkins‘ druming is amazing as always and Connelly spits venomous lyrics with incredible form.The tracks "Revenge Fiction" and "Mad Dialect" show off what the Damage Manual do and school younger bands trying to play in the genre.

04/05/05 Twoie Myers
The Dresden Dolls - The Dresden Dolls
There is much to be said for a band that can do anything new and unique these days. The Dresden Dolls are one of the rare bands that manage to pull off being a one-of-a-kind bands that can cross genres. They mix Tori Amos-styled piano playing with German cabaret. Dynamics also play a big part in the music, where each songs goes from a whisper to a scream and back at the blink of an eye. The band is a two piece, with a female vocalist/pianist and a male drummer. They are also going to be on tour with Nine Inch Nails, so if you get a chance go see them!

02/16/05 Twoie Myers
Finntroll - Nattfodd
This is the absolute most original metal band that I have ever heard! Imagine a band from Finland that sings all in Finnish and plays black metal-meets-traditional polka and all the songs are about trolls. Genius! They refer to their music as “trollish hoedown metal“. The song “Ellytres“ sums up what Finntroll is all about. I never thought polka and black metal could/should be combined, but they seem to go together seamlessly- trollish um-pa metal. This album is a must-listen if ever there was one!!!

02/08/05 Twoie Myers
Jesu - Jesu
Kind of a reunion of the band Godflesh with Justin Broadrick pairing up with Ted Parsons (from Prong, the Swans, and Godflesh) again and revisiting the same moody, incredibly harsh yet beautiful soundscapes that Godflesh was creating. The songs are long and complex on this album (the shortest song on the album clocks in at just under 7 min) utilizing many different sounds and instruments. This is a must-listen for fans of Godflesh, the Swans, Neurosis, and people that want to hear what Black Sabbath would have/should have sounded like in 2005. This is a must-not-listen for people with the attention span of earthworms.

01/26/05 Twoie Myers
Error - Error
This is the result of what happens when Brett Gurewitz from Bad Religion joins Atticus Ross from Tapeworm/Nine Inch Nails, his brother Leopold, and Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist Greg Puciato. Pure electro-punk mayhem! This is only a five track EP, but it has kept me drooling for more. Error is in the vain of digital hardcore bands like Atari Teenage Riot and Ec8oR, so anyone into punk rock should hear what the next evolution of punk will be.

10/25/04 Twoie
Ministry - Early Tracks
Finally, a collection of almost all of the Ministry side projects. This disc starts with the Pailhead EP (Pailhead is Ministry with Ian MacKaye from Minor Threat/Fugazi singing), which is their first experiment crossing electronics with punk rock. The next four track are the 1000 Homo Djs EP. There is the most amazing Black Sabbath “Supernaut“ cover on this (which unfortunately does not have the rare version with Trent Reznor singing). These ten tracks are worth a cd by themselves, but they also included the PTP EP (featuring Ogre from Skinny Puppy on a track) AND the Acid Horse EP (which was a collaberation of Ministry and Cabaret Voltaire). This is a must-have for any fan of Ministry or industrial music in general...Also avaiable: Ministry “Early Tracks“
AND THREE REVOLTING COCKS REISSUES WITH BONUS TRACKS!!!!!!!

08/02/04 Twoie
George W. Bush - Bushspeak- The Curious Wit & Wisdom of George W. Bush
“... I wish I knew the law...“ George W. Bush
Here is a great concept for a disc- take the “interesting“ speeches that our wonderful leader makes and put them to cheesy patriotic music. The end result is a very humerous listen that is actually very scary. This is the man that we did not vote into office and is leading our country. This album is almost as good as the 80‘s Stiff Records title “The wit and wisdom of Ronald Regan“ that was blank on both sides. My only complaint with this album is that it is too short. There are plenty of other Bush-isms that needed to be on here. Very cheap, very amusing.

08/02/04 Twoie
Add N to (X) - Loud Like Nature
Bizarre, trashy, analog-synth created electronic music that is NOT techno/house/trance. What you will not get on this album: a lone drumbeat for the duration of the album, annoying used female whiney vocal samples, mindless basslines that are the same on every song/every song you have heard in clubs for the last two years, or pretty much anything you would hear on most electronic albums. This is an album of well crafted songs that can‘t really be compared to anyone (which is a good thing- go originality!!!) that use analog (i.e. Moog) synths and male/female vocals. The closest I could compare this to is Trans Am if they were cool.

07/12/04 Twoie
t.A.T.u. - Screaming for More“ DVD
So, I kind of feel like a dirty old man for painfully waiting for this DVD to come out, but it happens. All the videos from this wonderful Russian, teen, lesbian duet compiled for our viewing pleasure AND it includes a live performance from the European music awards. There are also many behind-the-scenes takes of the two delightful ladies slaughtering the English language. Who could ask for anything more in a video (at least that I should put here)?
This is a must-have for anyone that is a fan of hot, Russian, teen, lesbians that apparently make music.

07/05/04 Twoie
Neurosis - The Eye of Every Storm
This is going to be a great summer! In one month‘s time, there has been a new Skinny Puppy, new Ministry, and now the new Neurosis is here.
The album starts with the signature drums and sucks you into their world from there. Slow, moody, and psychedelic, few bans can convey the dynamics and atmospheres that Neurosis puts into an album. They have toned down their music to focus on the moods rather than the rage, which I would usually complain about (old people selling-out and all) but it does wonders for Neurosis.
Psychedelic-hardcore at its best!

06/28/04 Twoie
Ministry - Houses of the Mole
It is just not fair for one band to be this good! Ministry makes all other bands just sound like half-assed crap, and this album makes the last three Ministry albums sound like half-assed crap. Paul Barker, one half of Ministry, has departed and after hearing this album who cares? Nine tracks that all start with “W“ as an ode to George W Bush are filled with blistering guitars, old-school Ministry sounding pounding on the drums (finally), and Al Jourgensen spitting venom with his vocals. I made it through track seven before I had to clean myself and the album has had the same effect on many others as well. If you are a George Bush fan or a closed-minded, conservative member of the god squad, you may not be the biggest fan of this band. For me, this is the biggest release of the year and I am done, spent, through for 2004. This album IS that good!

06/21/04 Twoie
Decree - Moment of Silence
Finally, a band on the industrial label Metropolis that does not sound like all the other bands on the Metropolis label. Don‘t get me wrong, recently Meteropolis has brought us wonderful bands like... ... ... ok, they haven‘t really released much that I can tell apart until this album. This sounds like what happens when you listen to too much Godflesh, Atari Teenage Riot, and Ministry- my kinda people! Eleven tracks of noise put together to somewhat resemble “music“. Warning to all that might want to listen to this- this is not the disposable corporate garbage that you will ever hear on the radio (we can all thank Clearchannel/Satan for this). This is for people that like industrial music, electronic noise, or just good music that doesn‘t sound prefabricated and is actually quite original and good.

06/14/04 Twoie
Skinny Puppy - The Greater Wrong of the Right
We thought is would never happen (you know, with one of the three members dying from a heroin overdose and all), but Skinny Puppy has returned finally! All is now well in the world!!! “The Greater Wrong of the Right“ is the first album since 1996‘s “the Process“ and is shows what the members have been up to since. Not as dark and menacing as previous Puppy (this is what happens when you get off heroin apparently), but for what it lacks in over-the-top craziness it more than makes up for with programming and production. It was a damn-long wait for this cd, but the wait is no more. Long live the Puppy!!!

05/3/04 Twoie
Richard Cheese - Lounge Against the Machine
Campy, Vegas-styled lounge music is always a fun listen. Talented singers with a big band of great musicians is always a plus as well. Lounge versions of popular 90‘s and 2000‘s radio songs done very well by a good band makes for a very interesting experience (and I mean that in the best way possible). Richard Cheese goes from Limp Bizkit (who could never sound this good themselves), to the Prodigy, to the Dead Kennedy‘s “Holiday in Cambodia“ done as a Christmas Jingle, to Nine Inch Nails, to Fat Boy Slim. The highlight of this album is the uplifting, happy-go-lucky, feel-good cover of Nirvana‘s “Rape Me“. When you think you have heard it all, listen to Richard Cheese...

05/24/04 Twoie
V/A - Rock Against Bush
Leave it to the Republicians to help the music industry get out of its creative slump. Maybe it is the fact that the Republicians can‘t seem to not invade other countries that fuels music with an actual message, or maybe it is just a weird coincedence, but good music in this country is always sparked when an Elephant is in office. I guess I should be fair, at least we actually voted the last ones into office! Rock Against Bush is a collection of artists that all have a similar message in their songs‘- vote and get Bush out of office. There are 26 tracks that are mainly in the punk genre with standouts being a new Ministry track called “NO W“, Social Distortion with “It‘s the Law“, and Jello Biafra with D.O.A.‘s “No Voice of Mine“. There is also a DVD with videos (NOFX has a wonderful video on here), a David Cross stand-up routine filmed at the Gypsy Tea Room last year, and some wonderful short films about the current leaders here in America (with all of our leaders talking about how they have proof there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq).
This is a must-have for anyone that supports getting George W Bush out of office.

05/17/04 Twoie
Ween - 12 Golden Country Greats
If you haven‘t heard this album, you haven‘t shopped at CD World very often! This is one of the store classics/favorites that can make all of us pretentious bastards happy. Ween‘s fifth album is a country album that covers the range of that genre. Besides the happy, upbeat classic “Piss up a rope“ and the charming little diddy “Mr Richard Smoker“, you have the most warped country song ever made “Fluffy“. You can‘t forget the love song “I don‘t wanna leave you on the farm“ or the catchy “Japanese cowboy“ that manages to get stuck in your head for a week. The album was recorded with legendary Nashville artists like the Jordanaires, Buddy Spicher, Charlie McCoy, Hargus “Pig“ Robbins, and Russ Hicks, who are all very prominent country studio musicians. Buy this album or come by CD World to hear it over our system.

05/10/04 Twoie
Bile - Demonic Electronic
Inspired from our show with Bile on the 5th, they had to be my review this week. Demonic Electronic is Bile‘s fifth album and stays true to the painful, mind-warping sludge that is Bile. Torturing music with this much distortion and crippling electronic drums makes for a very pleasant listen. There is also a nice cover of Alice Cooper‘s “Clones (We‘re all)“. Bile is a must-have for anyone who enjoys heavy music that strays from the crowd, or anyone who wants to piss off their parents/roommates/neighbors/that random guy that lives three doors away.

04/26/04 Twoie
Fear Factory - Archetype
Fear Factory are kind of an enigma. They started out as an interesting death metal band from LA and somehow were smart enough to get Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly, Delerium, etc etc etc- the man is in about 10 or 15 different bands!) to help with keyboards and production. This resulted in 1995‘s “Demanufacture“, one of the best metal cds to be issued that crossed many lines with the introduction of synths and very melodic (at times- usually not a good thing but it sounds great here) vocals. I am not sure what happened after that, but I was just not a fan of the next two albums and wrote Fear Factory off- until this week! “Archetype“ is not just a new album or a “return to form“, it is a band being resurrected from the dead. This album is full of all the machine-like drumming and choppy guitars that Fear Factory should have. Don‘t mess with a good thing. The vocals are less singy and lean much more on the harsh side, which is once again how it should be. The disc also includes a BONUS DVD (as all new albums do these days?) which is pretty worthless as they usually are, but there is one good video on it. I am pleased to say I am a Fear Factory fan yet again!

04/12/04 Twoie
The Clash - From Here to Eternity Live
I returned from London this week and it made me very nostalgic for some great UK punk (not really a stretch from my normal listening anyway), so the review this week is for the only band that matters- the Clash. With their reissues in 1999 came From Here to Eternity Live, a live recording that spans their career. This is quite possibly the greatest live recording ever produced. From the opening chords of “Complete Control“ to the closing notes of “Straight to Hell,“ From Here to Eternity is an undeniably powerful record, teeming with life and energy. It‘s a live album worthy of a band as legendary as the Clash.

03/29/04 Twoie
Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
This is THE rap album that all others will be judged against. There has never been a group like Public Enemy and has not been one since. Politically and socially motivated lyrics blend with a dense, ferocious sound unlike anything that came before create one of the most important albums ever recorded. Flavor Flav‘s comical antics are the perfect fit against Chuck D‘s booming vocal assault. With the current state of music as well as the political scene, the world is screaming for the return of Public Enemy. Until that happens, this album will more than tide us over!!!

03/22/04 Twoie
T.A.T.U. - 200 km/h in the wrong lane
Two HOT, Russian teenage lesbians. What more do you really need for a great band? The CD has a video for the song “All the Things She Said“ and the video and pictures in the booklet are worth anyone‘s hard earned cash. I love this band, as everyone should and apparently they are trying to run for office in Russia. If they win, there would be a job opening or two in Addison.

03/2/04 Twoie
Primal Scream - Evil Heat
Indy rock fans and bands- take notes from this album! Ranging from electronic to 60‘s garage rock and everything in between, you get eleven tracks that cover much of the rock spectrum and still sound great together. The album features Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine, Lost in Transulation SNTK) on guitar, Kate Moss (yes, that Kate Moss!) singing, and Robert Plant (if I have to put what band he is from, please just stop reading!) playing harmonica making for a unique and very cool listen. Also, try to find one of the limited copies for the DVD video of “Miss Lucifer“.

02/23/04 Twoie
Killing Joke - Killing Joke
This is THE album from 2003! Ranging from tribal beats to industrial rage, this is a juggernaut of an album. From start to finish, this album delivers on every track and that cannot be said about too many albums from recent memory. Added bonus for this album- Dave Grohl is playing drums. This is THE BEST album Dave Grohl has been on! Yes, that‘s right. Buy this and see what music should sound like...

02/16/04 Twoie
Goultown - Live from Texas!
Ghoultown is the greatest band in Dallas! For those of you who have not heard them, imagine a punk band playing spaghetti western songs and using comic book and horror movie images for lyrics. I guess this would make gotha-cow-punk. This is their new cd/dvd live album that sounds and looks amazing. It was recorded in Dallas at Club Clearview. It is a full show, new demo songs, and the DVD has promo videos as well (that have some very fine ladies in them I must say). Get this now so you can say you were into them before they become a household name!