Option Paralysis: anarchic innovation

Dillinger Escape Plan’s music might seem like pure chaotic noise to any first-time listener. Upon further examination, however, one discovers the complexity, technicality and sheer aggression that makes the band so appealing.

“We’re bringing a sense of unpredictability back to music. We want you to feel uncomfortable, to challenge you,” said guitarist, Ben Weinman in a 2008 interview.

The band’s latest release, Option Paralysis, definitely stays true to that unpredictability that fans have come to love. Though it features some of the band’s heaviest material to date, there’s also a good amount of slow songs – a style the band began experimenting with on their 2004 album, Miss Machine. It’s on these softer songs that vocalist Greg Puciato really gets to show his chops with a clean vocal style that’s equal parts Mike Patton and Trent Reznor. The song “Parasitic Twins” sounds like it could have been taken off of a Nine Inch Nails album.

The standout track on the album, “Widower,” is essentially a heartfelt piano ballad featuring guest pianist Mike Garson. The song builds up to a super heavy climax, as if to remind the listener “Yeah, we can write slow songs, but don’t think we’ve gone soft on you.”

All in all, Option Paralysis further proves that Dillinger Escape Plan continues to be one of the freshest and most exciting bands in the underground metal scene today.

Third time's a charm for the Gorillaz

Damon Albarn and co. are back with another epic installment in the Gorillaz saga. Plastic Beach has all the components that made the Gorillaz so famous: wild experimentation and genre mashing packaged in an easily accessible, digestible format.

Gorillaz albums have always been known for their guest spots, and Plastic Beach has them in spades. Some of the artists to make an appearance include Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, De La Soul, Bobby Womack, Lou Reed, Mick Jones and Paul Simonon from the Clash.

Plastic Beach isn’t as hip hop heavy as its predecessors, instead taking a more mellow, pop-oriented route. Songs like “Rhinestone Eyes” and “Empire Ants” take on a dreamy, hazy, beach-y atmosphere, well suited considering the title of the album. Then there’s songs like “On the Cloud of Unknowing” that have a gospel/blues vibe that fits well with the melancholy tone of the album. All the songs on Plastic Beach flow cohesively and no single song seems to try to dominate the album.

There’s enough going on in the album that it won’t fall off the radar any time soon, and it already seems to be earning as many accolades as their previous works, and so it should.

Check out the video for “Stylo” the first single from the album, featuring a cameo from Mr. Die Hard himself, Bruce Willis. (It’s interesting how the video premiered around the same time as Willis’ buddy-cop comedy Cop Out, but that’s neither here nor there.)


If you like what you hear, you can stream the whole album on the band's official MySpace.