I'm a big fan of their Pink album, which I own on pink vinyl. But I am completely unfamiliar with any of their other releases. Any recommendations? Anyone familiar with the new (2011) albums?
I'm a fan. Of all their material, I highly recommend the first Heavy Rocks album (2002). If you like Pink, you'll like that one. The newest Heavy Rocks album (2011) isn't nearly as good, imo. Others I'd recommend: The Thing That Solomon Overlooked (2004) Flood Amplifier Worship Akuma no Uta Avoid the stuff with Merzbow unless you like very heavy "drone" type stuff that doesn't ever go anywhere, really.
All excellent, but I must mention that Flood is one 70 minute song that ebbs and flows, but is quite beautiful and majestic if you are so inclined. Also, Rainbow, with Ghost guitarist Michio Kurhara is amazing heavy/psych with scorching Cippolina like guitar by Kurahara. This years New Album and Attention Please are radical departures with Wata taking on most of the vocals and they have a pop/shoegaze sheen to them that wasn't explored before, but then, they are shapeshifters.
Beat me to it, I was just going to add that to the list. Yes, excellent Boris, and I wish I could afford the limited Japanese release which is substantially different from the U.S. release.
If I remember correctly, albums with 'boris' are more mellow(for boris, anyway) and albums with 'BORIS' are the heavy ones. I have a lot of their stuff, but I listen to it less and less. If I want that kind of msic I usually go back to the source: Melvins.
I think Smile is probably closest to Pink in that it's more rock than drone, or at least predominantly in the songs... The EP with Ian Astbury is pretty interesting, and inexpensive, though not as good as I might have hoped...
Yes, very good. It's just that people who are into the heavier stuff sometimes won't go along for the ride when a band changes up like this. But that's part of the appeal. Go to the Aquarius Records site for very thorough write-ups of the various iterations of Boris albums. Very entertaining and informative, most times with samples. Really, the sheer volume of releases (some extremely limited) this band has out is mind-boggling.
The Melvins aren't as varied though. If you want the crushing stoner rock they're the band, but I like that Boris also have the droney and shoegazy material too, not to mention the more experimental and acoustic tangents.
Huge fan here although I'll admit that their stylistic turns can be jarring. My favorite of theirs would likely be "Rainbow" which they recorded with Michio Kurihara. The Japan-only live "Smile" set is also worth seeking out and is my go-to favorite of the various "Smile" releases. I wouldn't necessarily recommend any of the three 2011 releases to a novice, simply because they're not the best examples of the "Boris sound".
I highly recommend the most recent 'Live In Japan' DVD - originally issued as a bonus disc on the 'Variations' CD and later reissued by itself in the States by Southern Lord. Powerful show.
I'd recommend Feedbacker, Amplifier Worship, Heavy Rocks (the old one), Smile (US and Japanese), Rock Dream (a live album with Merzbow), Klatter (also with Merzbow), and Dronevil (which is two CDs meant to be played at the same time, kind of like Zaireeka by the Flaming Lips). I've got mixed opinions about New Album, Attention Please, and the new Heavy Rocks.
