surprised you put pale sketches so high!
I would put Pale Sketches right after “Silver” then “battle of mice” was pretty cool with “Why are we not Perfect” after that.
I would have to say “Why are We Not Perfect” conjures up the most vivid pictures in my mind next to “Silver” I’m pretty sure I said it before but “WAWNP?” makes me think of some couple on their wedding day, out side at some big fancy secluded house by the beach and well dressed smiling faces are every where while the groom slowly suffocates and nobody notices.
Probably haven’t given “Heartache” and “Lifeline” the attention that they need… but itheir time will come.
Late,
grmpysmrf
If I put it all out in my order of best to least :
Heart Ache (sonically unequivalent)
Sun Down/Sun rise (beautiful)
Pale Sketches (whimsical and fun)
Conqueror (just a solid jesu album)
Infinity (this could move up in the coming weeks)
Lifeline (eh… not bad but nothing special)
Silver (this is cool but too poppy for me)
jesu (liked it at 1st but now it’s boring)
Why Are We Not Perfect (yawn)
Eluvium/Battle Of Mice/Envy Splits (WTF?)
Wow - Conqueror and Lifeline better than Jesu? Wow, that’s interesting. And you didn’t like the Eluvium split? That was easily as good as Silver and MUCH better than Pale Sketches and Lifeline. I would say…
Heartache
Silver
Jesu
Jesu/Eluvium
Conqueror
Sunrise/Sundown
Pale Sketches
Jesu/Battle Of Mice
Lifeline
Should be getting my copy of Infinity any day now. A friend of mine has it and recently was quoted as giving it either a “high” 6 or a “low” 7 out of 10. But he LOVED Pale Sketches so not sure what to make of his rating.
My honest review of Infinity would be to expect the length of Heart Ache/SunDown/Sunrise with elements of all that for the 1st half (with a bit of GF thrown in for nostalgia) while the second half is very similiar in ways to Conqueror/Silver. It’s a very good “comprehensive compilation” of what jesu has been doing thrown all into one track. As I stated earlier, so far I love it but it’s not their best work. But, this couls change with more spins and time. Quite a good EP IMO. I’d definately agee with your friend and give it a high 6/low 7.
I am glad to see that almost everyone agrees that Heart Ache is their best output to date. Can’t wait for Opiate Sun. Saw a snippet somewhere that JKB said it is going to be very much like HA with a more Conqu. contuction, which could pove to be quite interesting. Will see if I can dig up that article to post here.
[reply]Conqueror and Lifeline raped Silver.
No.
Late,
grmpysmrf[/reply]
Yes.
Toot
[reply]
Broadrick’s the man. Period.
The only thing that could make him even more the “man” in my eyes would be for him to go down Kevin Martin’s road and start making some bad-ass Dubstep records.
Why?!?!?!?
WHAT IS HE DOING THAT’S SO SPECIAL?!?!?!
Slow/Mid Tempo shoegazer post rock/ metal!!! This is what has you so flabbergasted??? I’ve heard so much of this type of thing over the past 15 years. It’s nothing new. Really. His music is good and I enjoy listening to selected albums but recently he’s taken his artistic development…pretty much nowhere. Even the album artwork is a yawnfest. Where’s the creative growth and maturity? How is he challenging himself artistically with this new stuff?? I don’t see it. It’s all the more disappointing considering how he introduced himself with an enormous BANG that was heard around the world during the late 80s. Now he’s content to merely float along on the back of past achievements.
It’s all so one dimensional and transparent.[/reply]
In your opinion it is. We could say the same about any music.
In my opinion it’s the best thing since sliced bread!
I LOVE slow music. Infact the slower the better.
“Float along on past achievments”?? You’re in a dreamland. The man makes progressive music and moves forward. He has integrity too. You may think differently but I can assure you you’re a minority. JK is no Jourgensen.
I’m hoping he takes Jesu into far poppier waters too as do ALOT of hard-core Jesu fans. ALOT don’t.
I think Conqueror and Lifeline have much better songs than Silver as do alot of other Jesu fans. ALOT don’t.
In the end it’s your opinion Vs everyone elses.
Justin’s music will ALWAYS divide fans which is another reason it’s special and unique.
You can talk trash about the music Peligro…as long as you buy it to do so.[cool]
[reply]Conqueror and Lifeline raped Silver.
That is the most unique point of view I’ve heard this week.
[/reply]
Toot is a unique type of guy.
I’d order them as follows:
-
Jesu: A materpiece. No weak points, just songs less brilliant than others. ‘Friends Are Evil’ is one of the greatest songs ever. Can’t think of another album that churns as heavy as this but manages to be beautiful at the same time.
-
Heart Ache: The best EP I’ve ever come across. ‘Heart Ache’ is the epitome of epic.
-
Silver: ‘Silver’ is probably my most loved song. All 4 tracks are great. Yeah pop-jesu begins in earnest here but damn it works well.
-
Conqueror: Originally loved this album but it doesn’t hold up as well as Jesu. Some quality songs though (‘Conqueror’ & ‘Stanlow’)
-
Pale Sketches: An interesting and enjoyable collection, some songs at the end even sound like Boards of Canada. ‘Playgrounds…’ & ‘Dummy’ are cool.
-
Eluvium split/ WAWNP?: Maybe the best of jesu where guitars take the back seat. Blind & Faithless is the best, but the alt. version is even better.
-
Infinity: The first 20-25 mins are pretty cool but then it fades into banality.
-
Lifeline: ‘You Wear The Masks’ is great, the rest… meh.
-
Sun Down/ Sun Rise: The first half of ‘Sun Down’ rocks then it gets pretty boring.
-
Envy & B.O.M splits : Both lame & totally forgettable.
I’d order them as follows:
- Jesu: A materpiece. No weak points, just songs less brilliant than others. ‘Friends Are Evil’ is one of the greatest songs ever. Can’t think of another album that churns as heavy as this but manages to be beautiful at the same time.
Good call.
This is my point. Most people here hate this album yet here is a Jesu fan with it at number one.
I too think this album is a beast. Nice description about the heavy/beautiful sound of the album.
I’m seeing Jesu live in a tiny club in one month and 6 days!!
YEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAARRR!!!
[reply][reply]Conqueror and Lifeline raped Silver.
No.
Late,
grmpysmrf[/reply]
Yes.
Toot[/reply]
No.
Late,
grmpysmrf
You can talk trash about the music … …as long as you buy it to do so.[cool]
Word! … well, at least own/have a copy of the music.
Late,
grmpysmrf
[reply]You can talk trash about the music … …as long as you buy it to do so.[cool]
Word! … well, at least own/have a copy of the music.
Late,
grmpysmrf[/reply]
Good one Smurfy.
You can diss Justin all you like people as long as you keep giving him your money[cool]
In a few years Smurfy will probably LOVE Jesu self titled…I mean how long did it take Smurfy to LOVE Filth Pig or DSOTS???
JESU RULES!!!
[reply][reply][reply]Conqueror and Lifeline raped Silver.
No.
Late,
grmpysmrf[/reply]
Yes.
Toot[/reply]
No.
Late,
grmpysmrf[/reply]
YES!!!
Toot.
In a few years Smurfy will probably LOVE Jesu self titled…I mean how long did it take Smurfy to LOVE Filth Pig or DSOTS???
Filth Pig about 6 mos to a year and DSOTS roughly 2 years. those albums were certainly growers but oh man how they they sprouted. I find it difficult to get through all of S/T. FP and DSOTS were never that slow even in the beginning.
Late,
grmpysmrf
[reply][reply][reply][reply]Conqueror and Lifeline raped Silver.
No.
Late,
grmpysmrf[/reply]
Yes.
Toot[/reply]
No.
Late,
grmpysmrf[/reply]
YES!!!
Toot.[/reply]
No.
Late,
grmpysmrf
I find it difficult to get through all of S/T. FP and DSOTS were never that slow even in the beginning.
hehehehehehehe
Slow is the coolest Smurfy.
[reply] I find it difficult to get through all of S/T. FP and DSOTS were never that slow even in the beginning.
hehehehehehehe
Slow is the coolest Smurfy.[/reply]
I have no problem with slow music (Tempo wise is what I’m assuming you’rereferring to?). My problem is with “slow growing” music. Even with the slowest of slow music that grows on you, there are parts of the music you can latch onto and find redeeming. for example, before i got into FP the only song I liked was Lay Lady Lay and would listen to nothing else on that album. occasionally I’d let the cd play all the way through and before too long that sample from crumbs sneaked up on me, the one where the guy says “I never had a life I don’t even know what life is…” so then I had two songs and it just grew from there to the title track onto dead guy and so on and so forth
With Jesu I barely have one song i can dig and not even all of it… so it makes it kind of hard to get into the rest of the album.
when or more probably IF I ever get into that album I’m not too proud to say i was wrong so I would/will if that happens but I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.
to date the 2 discs that have gotten the most spins outta me are Pale sketches and Silver coming in slightly behind and then WAWNP? coming in a distant third with battle of mice split coming in slightly behind that.
I really haven’t given life line and Heart ache the fair shake that I should which is why I don’t really have a comment either way for them. I just haven’t had a chance to sit down and absorb them… but gotta say they didn’t grab me upon first listen the way silver and PS did. But they certainly had some redeeming qualities way more so than S/T
Late,
grmpysmrf
I really like S/T especially Tired Of Me and its beautiful progression, and of course Friends Are Evil. I have to mention that after Predominance and the immortal Slateman, Don’t Bring Me Flowers off of Pure is my favorite Godflesh song. It is very proto-Jesu in the guitar sound.
Well, this battle can rage a bit more…
From the Caldo Verde site
Opiate Sun
Release Date: October 27th, 2009
Justin Broadrick first emerged as a force in music as part of the band Napalm Death in the mid eighties. He then formed Godflesh which cemented his place in a genre which is variously known as extreme, grindcore or just new metal. There are however, many arrows in Justin Broadrick’s quiver. Over the last twenty years he has maintained a series of projects ranging in musical style from punk to industrial to the layered, melodic atmospherics of his current band, Jesu and it’s newest release, an EP called ‘Opiate Sun’. This ability to step outside the confines of musical convention sets him apart creatively from other writer musicians who have been working in his field over this period. Despite, or perhaps because of this stylistic diversity he has attracted an obsessively loyal fanbase and a reliably positive response from critics. The question is always, How does he sound so light while staying so heavy?
Jesu’s output has been spasmodic but of a uniform high quality. All instruments are played by Justin Broadrick and apart from the occasionally guest vocalist (Jarboe from The Swans) he handles all vocals. Two traditional sequenced albums, ‘Jesu’ in 2004, and ‘Conqueror’ in 2007 plus an album length song, ‘Infinity’, in July 2009 have been intertwined with a number of EPs. In 2008 Jesu issued one EP, ‘Why Are We Not Perfect?’ and contributed to two more split EPs with other bands. ‘Opiate Sun’ is the only Jesu release in 2009 aside from ‘Infinity’.
‘Opiate Sun’ will be released in the US and UK on Mark Kozelek’s Caldo Verde Records home of Mark’s own Sun Kil Moon and other transformative musical endeavors. Mark was captured by the strength of Justin’s performance when he saw him live in San Francisco in 2007. Therefore he was only too happy to help out when the opportunity arose to be involved in this important project.
Justin Broadrick is a native of Birmingham, England and resides in Wales. He has produced or remixed releases by Pantera, Isis, and Pelican. He also runs his own label, Avalanche Inc.
TRACK LISTING:
- Losing Streak
- Opiate Sun
- Deflated
- Morning Light
Well, this battle can rage a bit more…
From the Caldo Verde site
Opiate Sun
Release Date: October 27th, 2009
Justin Broadrick first emerged as a force in music as part of the band Napalm Death in the mid eighties. He then formed Godflesh which cemented his place in a genre which is variously known as extreme, grindcore or just new metal. There are however, many arrows in Justin Broadrick’s quiver. Over the last twenty years he has maintained a series of projects ranging in musical style from punk to industrial to the layered, melodic atmospherics of his current band, Jesu and it’s newest release, an EP called ‘Opiate Sun’. This ability to step outside the confines of musical convention sets him apart creatively from other writer musicians who have been working in his field over this period. Despite, or perhaps because of this stylistic diversity he has attracted an obsessively loyal fanbase and a reliably positive response from critics. The question is always, How does he sound so light while staying so heavy?
Jesu’s output has been spasmodic but of a uniform high quality. All instruments are played by Justin Broadrick and apart from the occasionally guest vocalist (Jarboe from The Swans) he handles all vocals. Two traditional sequenced albums, ‘Jesu’ in 2004, and ‘Conqueror’ in 2007 plus an album length song, ‘Infinity’, in July 2009 have been intertwined with a number of EPs. In 2008 Jesu issued one EP, ‘Why Are We Not Perfect?’ and contributed to two more split EPs with other bands. ‘Opiate Sun’ is the only Jesu release in 2009 aside from ‘Infinity’.
‘Opiate Sun’ will be released in the US and UK on Mark Kozelek’s Caldo Verde Records home of Mark’s own Sun Kil Moon and other transformative musical endeavors. Mark was captured by the strength of Justin’s performance when he saw him live in San Francisco in 2007. Therefore he was only too happy to help out when the opportunity arose to be involved in this important project.
Justin Broadrick is a native of Birmingham, England and resides in Wales. He has produced or remixed releases by Pantera, Isis, and Pelican. He also runs his own label, Avalanche Inc.
TRACK LISTING:
- Losing Streak
- Opiate Sun
- Deflated
- Morning Light
http://www.caldoverderecords.com/Jesu_Deflated.mp3
DEVASTATING!!!