DIZTURBIA.COM | RECORD INDUCTION | JULIEN-K "DEATH TO ANALOG" (2009) | 10/24/14

I. OPENING THOUGHTS

So, the next album I want to induct into my (DVSNGH) record collection

is a record called "Death To Analog", by the (American) band Julien-K,

a band, similar to that of Nine Inch Nails, with its "industrial rock" sound,

but a little less 'guitar', and little more 'synth', pretty much in the vein/style

of bands from the "80's" (Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, New Order, etc).

A unique note about this record, in that (for me), it was the first CD/album

I had purchased (music I actually spent *money* on) in close to 8 years,

that then being "February 2009", the previous of which, if I can last recall,

was "June 2001", when I bought "Take Off Your Pants..." by Blink 182.

And you wanna know how many CD's I bought since then (2009)? ZERO!

II. THOUGHTS ON JULIEN-K

So yes, this Julien-K *CD* of "Death To Analog", I bought back in 2009,

is infact the only music album I purchased, from mid-2001 to mid-2013,

when I'd bought the vinyl of A$AP Rocky's "Long.Live.A$AP", which btw,

I didn't intend to buy, but had to, as part of a package to get the t-shirt.

So who the fuck are "Julien-K"? they are a rock band, out of California,

led by 2 guys, formerly of a band called "ORGY" (yes, actual band name),

who were HUGE, in the early 2000's, and that I absofuckinlutely LOVED,

until they broke up in 2005, and yeah, reemerging as "Julien-K" in 2008.

Not really a band for "the mainstream" or general "rock music" enthusiast,

they are "underground" and cater to specific niche (industrial/indie crowd).

III. TRACKLISTING

1. "Death To Analog" (5:15)
2. "Someday Soon" (4:12)
3. "Kick The Bass" (3:42)
4. "Technical Difficulties" (4:20)
5. "Systeme De Sexe" (5:26)
6. "Maestro" (3:30)
7. "Forever" (4:29)
8. "Spiral" (3:22)
9. "Nvr Say Nvr" (4:01)
10. "Dystopian Girl" (5:01)
11. "Look At U" (3:47)
12. "Stranded" (3:57)
13. "Disease" (3:56)
14. "Futura (DTA Mix)" (4:29)

IV. TRACK REFERENCE

4. "Technical Difficulties" ★★★★★
5. "Systeme De Sexe" ★★★★★
7. "Forever" ★★★★★
3. "Kick The Bass" ★★★★
2. "Someday Soon" ★★★★
6. "Maestro" ★★★★
10. "Dystopian Girl" ★★★★
1. "Death To Analog" ★★★
11. "Look At U" ★★★
12. "Stranded" ★★★
14. "Futura (DTA Mix)" ★★
13. "Disease" ★★
9. "Nvr Say Nvr" ★
8. "Spiral" ★

V. FAVORITE TRACK

So my favorite track off "Death To Analog" leagues above all the rest is

(track 4) "Technical Difficulties", although, never released as a 'single'

nor seen as much of 'a big deal' to most of the "Julien-K (core) audience',

I LOVED the song, and yeah, it was the closest-sounding song to anything

from the bands previous (and much more successful) incarnation as Orgy

(go look up the song "Dissention", by Orgy, to see what I'm talking about).

But, the best way to sum up "Technical Difficulties" (in words) is, yeah,

like a robot (and the song has robot-style vocals) having an anxiety attack!

Or like Daft Punk trying to play death metal, with synths, rather than guitars.

The song was featured in the Transformers (2007) movie and soundtrack.

VI. OTHER STANDOUT TRACKS

So yeah, another song I really liked off "Death To Analog" was (track 5)

"Systeme De Sexe", which reminded me of Julien-K trying to produce a

more *happier, upbeat* (less cynical) version of Nine Inch Nail's "Closer".

A little fact about this song, JK had put out a 1:45 snippet of the song, like

a year in advance, and I remember just playing it repeatedly, for months,

thinking to myself, if the whole CD sounds like this, I'm fuckin buying it!

And yes indeed, I did end up buying it (in its first week), just so many songs

that blew my mind on this record, another of which was (track 7) "Forever",

I guess you can call the album's "love song", and (track 2) "Someday Soon"

a direct throwback (treat) to the 80's heyday (New Order, most specifically).

VII. LEAST FAVORITE TRACKS

So this record definately has its highs and lows, one of which, many of its

songs have 'cool, catchy intros', most particularly (tracks 1, 9, 13, and 14)

"Death To Analog", "Nvr Say Nvr", "Disease", and "Futura", but yeah, they

tend to fall flat, either a minute (or seconds) in, making you hit the *skip*.

(Track 11) "Look At U" was an okay song, but I highly suggest to all to seek

out the "Deadmau5 Remix", which far and byfar blows 'the original' away.

(Track 3) "Kick The Bass", I guess you can say, is the 'big hit' off the record,

which I hear got alot of play on "PlayboyTV" (for its "adult-themed" video),

but as an overall song, it was okay, they coulda chose a better lead single.

Least fave would have to be (track 8) "Spiral", sorry, this just plain sucks!

VIII. ARTWORK

So the cover art/work for "Death To Analog" is quite interesting, and indeed,

very GOREY, in terms of all the RED PAINT, if its suppose to symbolize

(idunno) BLOOD, I have no idea, but there you see a women "lookin cool"

with her futuristic goggles on, and yeah, splattered in RED PAINT/GOO!

The inlay shows the band members, also, splattered in RED PAINT/GOO!

Obviously, not quite as 'mesmerizing' as, (say) "The Downward Spiral",

but whatever, its the music that counts #1 most, fuck what the cover is.

I did really like the Death To Analog "business card" that came with this

(allowing me full 'mp3 download' of the album, not that, I really need it),

just too bad, most people never heard of "Julien-K", defeats showing it off.

IX. CLOSING THOUGHTS

So there you have my induction of Julien-K's "Death To Analog" (2009),

as well as, Nine Inch Nails' "The Downward Spiral" (1994), both records

of "industrial brilliance", though one clearly *reigns supreme* over the other,

whatever, these were 2 records that hold dear to me, in their own ways.

A little fact, I was actually gonna induct Rihanna's "Good Girl Gone Bad", lol,

(the album that has "Umbrella") into my record collection, this same month,

but I decided to stray off from that, like, I have the actual 'record' (12 inch),

but then I realized, after I bought it, that the album kinda sorta fuckin sucks,

so, I'm not sure if I'm ever gonna 'induct it' (officially) into my collection, ha.

So if somebody out there really 'wants it', sure, you can have it... $5! LOL.

X. PICTURES

(FRONT COVER)

(BACK COVER)

(INLAY, FULL)

(INLAY, LEFT, LYRICS)

(INLAY, RIGHT, LYRICS)

(VINYL 1 & 2)

(VINYL 1, SIDE A)

(VINYL 1, SIDE B)

(VINYL 2, SIDE A)

(VINYL 2, SIDE B)

(DIGITAL DOWNLOAD CARD, SIDE 1)

(DIGITAL DOWNLOAD CARD, SIDE 2)

(ALL TOGETHER)