Msbenefit's Wiki Page

all about the music

each week, there will be a featured band.  enjoy!

1.4.2006 - korn

f or the record, there's already a wiki page for these guys, and you can view it here.  that said, here's ms. benefit's music takes on the band named korn.  (i guess it's time for me to get over my utter fear of their webpage.)

from bakersfield, california, the band is comprised of jonathan davis (vocals, bagpipes--you heard me right), fieldy (bass), david silveria (drums, percussion), and james "munky" shaffer (guitars).  formerly part of the band is brian "head" welch (guitar), who left in 2005 when he decided to rid himself of addiction and turn his life over to christ and start his clever little site, www.headtochrist.com.  and now the two factions have fun slamming one another on the sidelines while showing impartial fronts.

as far as religion goes, korn isn't a disinterested bystander.  "the reason i got into rock was because of the jesus christ superstar," davis admits.  but while head's sights are set on that glowing white light, korn seems devoted to turning its back on it.  one of the songs off their latest album, "hypocrite," is dedicated to organized religion.  "those same fools that are taking our money for god?" says jonathan, "you see them in the titty bars all the time, they're fucking hypocrites."

formed in 1993, the band recorded their first demo that summer and almost immediately started touring around socal.  they were signed to immortal records that fall.  (how's that for jump-starting a career?)

a year later, they would release their first album, korn, which went gold in 1996, the same year they released their second album, life is peachy, which debuted at #3 on the charts.  their third album, follow the leader, debuted in 1998 at #1, with 268k albums sold in the first week.  the same month that this huge success is gained, orgy released the first album on korn's label, elementree.

issues came out in 1999, debuting at #1 and selling 575k in the first week, over doubling their past success.  untouchables, however, in 2002, proved the band's popularity had slipped in the interim, selling only ("only") 400k in the first week, and debuting at #2.  in 2003, they released take a look in the mirror (are you keeping track?  this is five unique albums with yet another to come).  2004 brought their greatest hits album, which is fucking amazing, and includes a cover of pink floyd's "another brick in the wall," revamped for the era.  and late 2005 brought see you on the other side, their latest album, which thus far has one single released, "twisted transistor."

two grammies tucked under their belts and a career that just keeps going over a decade later, korn's edgy rap/rock/pop sound intermingled with bagpipes and talk of sex, drugs, and absent fathers (you know, the relevant things) bring them to the forefront of the generation that's currently holding all the spending money. 

okay, so my official analysis of korn.  of course, they're an excellent band.  i'm not one to use edgy except in instances that warrant it, and this band warrants it.  they don't set the standard any more than offspring or system of a down do--because they'd be impossible to mimic.  (i mean, come on.  throw a bagpipe in the mix and you're guaranteed to be one-of-a-kind in one way or another.)

of course, as can be expected, their early stuff isn't really worth listening to, if you've only got the chance to buy one or two albums.  don't get me wrong; all korn is good korn.  if someone hands you a korn cd, don't turn it down.  but i'm now comparing korn with korn:

"shoots and ladders," a creepy-but-cool mix of children's nursery rhymes is definitely the highlight of korn.  if you happen to be visiting life is peachy, check out "twist," a fifty-second song where the only real word is "twist," a melodic entry into a cacophany of random syllables--rock's version of the jazz improptu vocal accompaniments.

follow the leader gets a little better, though not by leaps and bounds.  my favorite is definitely "cameltosis," despite the fact that it has the horrible c-word in the chorus.  this song, though, isn't for those who hate rap.  "freak on a leash" is, of course, the official favorite for this cd.  a good song, very "typical" of korn, but doesn't do much for me.

issues is much better, and may very well be my favorite album of theirs.  i used to have the intro to "falling away from me" as a ringtone, and "let's get this party started" cracks me up for some unknown reason.  to hear a rock band singing about getting a party started--something you'd expect to be reserved for, like, beyonce...

i don't own untouchables, and so can only really speak to what they have on their greatest hits album, which isn't much.  but what ground they gain in starting to talk about things that are, like, meaningful (and not just going for shock value a la "a.d.i.d.a.s." or "trash"), they lose in musical quality.  they let the guitars get in the way of the song.  but i do enjoy "here to stay."

same disclaimer for take a look in the mirror, which seems to take a step backwards as far as actually, like, talking about things.  but you have to admit that it's pretty admirable how many "fucks" they managed to cram into "y'all wanna single?"

see you on the other side, their newest album, takes on a slightly different feel, given the fact that the band is now minus one from the last album.  despite the loveliness of "twisted transistor," i'd have to say that "coming undone" is the best song on the album.  the whole album takes on something a little more razor-sharp than their last albums, and the less-than-amicable departure of head seems to have done the band a bit of good.  and, hey, there's nothing better for success than free publicity whenever head declares the band to be satan-sent, right?

anyway, korn.  highly recommended.  especially for those treadmill sessions where you're so angry at the fact that you have to exercise, you want to scream and punch things, but still need something with a beat to work out to.

rock on,

ms. benefit

next week:  the carpenters.  you heard me.

26.3.2006 - chevelle