2010年 Aug 28日 Saturday, 18:43
The Cult is one of the most talented and underrated bands in the history of rock.
In the early years The Cult was a gothic rock/post-punk band, but in the late 80's it turned into a hard rock band, although in 1994 was released the "grungish" album "The Cult (Black Sheep)". Since its reunion, in 1999 (they splited-up in 1995), they released two LPs: the heavy album "Beyond good and evil" (2001) and the hard/alternative album "Born into this" (2007).
You can see clearly that the band played much genres of rock, and it is very interesting because you can see a lot of influences in their music.
Well, let's go with my personal top 15 The Cult songs:
The greatness of this song is in the lyrics: claim of peace over the world. However, the music is not bad, of course. The piano is absolutely amazing, the bass and the drums are good, and Billy Duffy make a great job in the guitar, showing great riffs and short (but great) solos. Ian's voice is epic in the song, he seems like a great preacher who tries to spread the message of the song in the world. Sadly, I think it's utopic.
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Badass song. The riffs and the solo could be written by Angus Young, the bass and the drums make a simple but effective work. Astbury's voice is brilliant, especially in the catchy chorus. A great song about a bad guy.
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13.-) Love Removal Machine, from Electric.
One of the catchiest song from this band. The riffs are simply amazing and influenced by classic rockers like Jimmy Page. Bass and drums are effective, but not impressive. Mr. Astbury shows a great vocals, a raw voice sometimes, and makes this song enjoyable at least. Great song of love and sex hehehehe.
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12.-) Sweet Soul Sister, from Sonic Temple.
Beautiful song about globalization of the world by USA (The Sweet Soul Sister). The beggining with the keyboards creates a sensation of love song. Duffy, again, shows great job in guitar, the bass and the drums are slow, and Astbury sings like a man who fell in love.
The lyrics are very poetic and metaphoric.
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11.-) Ashes and ghosts, from Beyond good and evil.
A great song from the most heavy album of the band. This song shows the great ideas that the band had when they recorded the LP.
The slow beggining is like the calm before the storm, and this storm starts when Duffy and Sorum attack with guitar and drums. Guitar is great and very heavy; good job Billy. Drums are killer, making the classic hardcore rhythm tu-pa-tu-pa. The song has the same groove structure. Astbury is great in this song because he sings slow but in the heavy parts he sings like the wild rocker that he is.
Great lyrics about supernatural monsters and horror.
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10.-) Zap City, from The Best of Rare Cult.
A great mix between the early gothic sound and the later hard rock sound. Duffy creates one of his bests riffs' performance, mixing gothic and hardrocker stuff. The solo is very progressive. The bass and drums are good. Vocals are great, one of the bests Ian's performances.
The lyrics are great, about a luxurious city.
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9.-) American Horse, from Sonic Temple.
Slow but wild song.
Bass and drumming are very slow, and the guitar is slow but powerful. Astbury shows one of their rawests vocal performances, maybe because this song is about mustangs hahaha.
No more time to lose, enjoy it:
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What a fucking eargasm!! This song is long but not boring… is EPIC.
In this song you can appreciate beautiful acoustic sounds (Led Zeppelin worship, I'm completely sure) mixed with powerful riffs of electric guitar. Bass and drums are simple but good. Astbury is EPIC in this song.
The lyrics… OMG!! Pure beauty. The song shows us the ancient indian lifestyle and its risk of extinction.
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7.-) Fire Woman, from Sonic Temple.
This songs is pure rock. Classic 60's-70's rock bands must be proud of The Cult in this tune.
The beggining is very soft and melodic, but when Ian yells "Fire womaaan!!" you know that you are going to listen a powerful song. Then, Duffy shows us his secret weapons: killers riffs and great solos. Bass and drums are mid-fast and are fantastic. The voice is simply amazing.
Maybe the lyrics are simple, but are clear… beautiful, sexy and hot woman!!
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6.-) Illuminated, from Born into this.
Listening The Cult, is obvious that the sentence: "All The Cult albums are the same stuff" is a great lie. Although they had the essence of the band, the sound is, sometimes a bit sometimes much more, different in each release.
Born into this is the most alternative/hard rock release from this band, and this song shows us how can this genres be mixed without problems.
The mix of soft and hard riffs with a great bass line and a mid rhythm from the drums makes this song great. The guitar solo is short but good. The Ian's voice is good, but not great like in 80's.
Great work with the lyrics about freedom.
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5.-) Dirty little rockstar, from Born into this.
Another great song which mixes hard and alternative rock with great results.
The bass in the beggining is great (and in all the song), the drums create a good rhythm and the guitar is great, making a groove song and playing an amazing solo. Astbury is great in this song.
The lyrics are focused in old rockstars… About them?? XD
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4.-) True believers, from Beyond good and evil.
Great song. The songs stars very slow, but when the chorus begins at first time, the song explodes. Duffy playing very heavy, Astbury singing hard. Bass and drums work make a mid song. Beautiful solo also, one of the bests in the album.
The lyrics are about darkness, a bit of misanthropy and eternity, and are very brilliant.
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3.-) New York City, from Sonic Temple.
If you have never been in NY, listen this song… hahaha I was joking.
However, the lyrics shows us this experience, visiting The Big Apple, Times Square…
The guitar is great, making great riffs and making amazing solos. The bass line is good and the drums makes a simple but effective rhythm. Also is great the piano in the song, making classic this song and the backing vocals of Iggy. Astbury guides us singing very, very good.
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2.-) My bridges burn, from Beyond good and evil.
The heaviest song of the album: classic but creative heavy metal riffs, brilliant guitar solos, good bass line, excellent rhythm from the drums and a cool rocker voice from Mr. Astbury.
Lyrics about Steve Jones, simply but great.
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This is, in my opinion, the great song from this band (but I think the best album is Sonic Temple).
Nirvana maybe technically is not their best song, but has something magic: the mix of gothic with hard rock maybe, the simple rhythm of the bass line and drums, the ethereal lyrics about loud music… I don't know. I know this song is the masterpiece and the best example of "personal sound" of the band.
Enjoy it:
PD:
If you read this article, you have never heard this band and you want listen them, I recommend you their entire stuff:
-Dreamtime (1984)
-Love (1985)
-Electric (1987)
-Sonic Temple (1989)
-Ceremony (1991)
-The Cult (1994)
-Beyond Good and Evil (2001)
-Born into this (2007)
However, you must begin for their three great classics: Love, Electric and Sonic Temple. If you like this albums, pick up the rest of albums.
You should pick up, also, The Best of Rare Cult and/or Rare Cult.
And remember… EVERYYYYDAAAAAAAAYYY!! NIRVANAAAAA!!!