For Week Ending:
17 February 2024

Various Artists - The Crow (Music From The Original Motion Picture) (1994)

[-Various-]

The early 1990s were a great time for rock fans, because the line between so many audiences blurred under the banner of the 'alternative nation'. Rock, indie, metal, -insert style here- all stood side by side, rubbing shoulders at festivals and all charting worldwide as albums flew out the record stores in numbers they hadn't since rock's heyday in the 1970s. Albums like the soundtrack to The Crow were a direct result of this, mixing and matching bands to capture the widest audience possible. Film-makers themselves were often hamstrung in music choices in their own films, due to back door deals to promote the flavour of the month for an associated record company. For this reason many soundtracks of the time are now long-forgotten - a mish mash of bands and styles with no coherency, and only a single track or two worth listening to today. The Crow manages to avoid this trap by carrying a strong set of songs that thematically weave together. Matching the movie's dark tone, many of the tracks are brooding and build slowly, and there is a definite industrial undertone evident throughout. Like many of the best soundtracks it also contains a bunch of unreleased tracks and features great bands like Stone Temple Pilots, Rollins Band, The Cure, and Pantera mixed with other less-known artists to create a great contrast. Shrouded in shadows, it i isn't an album to listen to when you are looking to lift your mood, but it is great to carry you through a sombre day.

Release Information
'The Crow (Music From The Original Motion Picture)' is the soundtrack to the superhero film 'The Crow' (1994). The album featured covers, including Nine Inch Nails, Pantera , and Rollins Band. The inclusion of songs written by The Cure and Joy Division are notable because the influences of both bands are present in the original comic book. Peaking at the top of the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart, the album has sold 3.8 million copies in the United States, and has been certified 3x Platinum by RIAA.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication (1999)

[Alternative Rock]

I'm a big RHCP fan so I'll declare that first up, although I'll admit what they produced in the 80's I wasn't exposed to at the time. As a metalhead there was so much else going on in during those years. In any case following on from 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' in 91, I was disappointed by 'One Hot Minute' in 95. I'll be honest and admit that the commercial radio success of 'Californication' in the late 90's had me curious to listen to them again. I'd almost go as far as to say this release is quintessential RCHP with a maturity that I think they were always aiming for perhaps. I'd argue that any future release matches this song for song. The dudes have grown up, and while not necessarily rooted in their punk sound, it still maintains elements of their roots. The cornerstone always has been Flea and his bass and he intertwines his sound beautifully in most songs. The likes of 'Otherside' is a classic, if not a confronting song, but has bought them radio play as a single. There are still the cool punk elements that early fans would love, like 'Get On Top' but they don't saturate the album. I only picked this up last week for a listen as it must have been years, and I'd forgotten how good this release is.

Arist Information
Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk, punk rock, hard rock, hip hop, and psychedelic rock. Their eclectic range has influenced genres such as funk metal, rap metal, rap rock, and nu metal. With over 120 million records sold worldwide, they are one of the top-selling bands of all time. They hold the records for most number-one singles (15), most cumulative weeks at number one (91) and most top-ten songs (28) on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. They have won six Grammy Awards, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, and in 2022 received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.