So 2008 has brought a lot of good music. I have compiled a list of my 25 favorite releases of the year. My music taste is most likely different than yours so you may agree or disagree with some of my choices. Please remember that these are MY choices and not yours. If you feel like I did not mention a certain album or feel the need to voice your own opinion... well then make your own list. Like I usually say... there was a ton of good music to choose from this year so here it goes...
25. National Product- Luna: Do you like bands like Taking Back Sunday and Senses Fail? Well this band has a great album for you. Teetering on the edge of Post hardcore mixed with Power pop this band has some great songs like... Collision... Love Me... and Paper and Ink.
24. Number One Gun- The North Pole Project: A great representation of how fantastic bands are on the record label Tooth and Nail. The band Number One Gun delivered and emotional and calming experience. Favorite tracks include... The Massacre... Wake Me Up... and Find Your Escape.
23. Gaslight Anthem- The 59' Sound: I had a hard time trying to think of a word that would describe this band or their album, but after much thought I think swagger best describes them. Try and think of bands like Murder by Death or a little Rise Against in there too. My favorite tracks... Great Expectations... Film Noir... Casanova, Baby!
22. Copeland- You Are My Sunshine: This band is a very relaxing listen. The lead singers voice is so brilliant and calming. Check out these fantastic tracks... Should You Return... To Be Happy Now... and The Day I Lost My Voice.
21. Senses Fail- Life Is Not A Waiting Room: This album rocks and is for any fan of Senses Fail or bands like Finch, Scary Kids Scaring Kids or Saosin. Check out tracks like... Lungs Like Gallows... Family Tradition... and Four Years.
20. Panic at the Disco- Pretty Odd: Say what you will about the band or the album but I enjoy it. It was a drift from their last album but they sure came up with some damn catchy songs. My favorite ones are...She's A Handsome Woman... The Green Gentleman... and Behind The Sea.
19. All-American Rejects- When The World Comes Down: I have heard a lot of bashing on this cd lately and frankly I don't get it. I think they really shine on this album with standout tracks like... I Wanna... Damn Girl... and Another Heart Calls.
18. Death Cab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs: The indie band delivers another gem this time with more pop coupled with the experimentation they always deliver. My favorite tracks... Bixby Canyon... No Sunlight... and Cath.
17.Rise Against- Appeal to Reason: Not much else to say about this album but what you come to expect from a band that has a history of fantastic albums. It still rocks and is politically charged. Check out tracks like... Collapse (Post Amerika)... Re-Education (through labor)... and Audience of One.
16. Jonezetta- Cruel To Be Young: This band has grown alot on this album and you can tell that they draw some influences from Coldplay. If you have not heard of this band or seen them live may highly recommend this fantastic cd. My favorite tracks are... Wide Awake... Paint and Picture... and Sick in the Teeth.
15. Jack's Mannequin- The Glass Passenger: Its no Something Corporate is what you can hear all the time from many fans of the lead singer of Jack's... Well of course its not... ITS JACK'S MANNEQUIN!!! And he truly delivers some emotional and powerful songs that evoke his struggle that he over came of cancer. Check out... Swim... American Love ... and Caves.
14. Children 18:3- self titled: The debut cd from these three siblings rocks! They have a bright future of Tooth and Nail records with crazy awesome songs like... LCM... Even Sleeping... and Ditches.
13. Weezer- self titled (red album): Classic Weezer is back!! Nuff said! Check out The Greatest Man That Ever Lived... Heart Songs... and Dreamin'
12. Gym Class Heroes- The Quilt: This CD is amazing for the fact that the band shows of their talent to hop between genres of music and pull it off oh so well! Check these tracks... Guilty As Charged... Like Father, Like Son... Live Forever (Fly With Me).
11. The Academy Is...- Fast Times At Barrington High: You cant go wrong with proved catchy pop punk music. Its tough not to sing along to every single song. If I had to choose a few favorites... About A Girl... Rumored Nights... Crowded Room.
10. Baysdie- Shudder: They are consistently writing great music that compels to the darker side in all of us. They also leave a feeling of hope that can be found in all their albums. Shudder comes as probably the most cynical of all their albums but yet profound at the same time. Check out... No One Understands... A Call To Arms... I Cant Go On.
9. Forgive Durden-Razia's Shadow: Its a musical about the darker side in all of us... well at least I think that's what its about... One thing I am sure of is the fantastic music and the great cast of characters. Check out these great songs... The Missing Piece... Life is Looking Up... and It's True Love.
8. Capital Lights- This is An Outrage: Debut album from a band on my favorite record label. They truly shine on this CD as masters of writing great pop punk. The entire album is solid. Check out these songs... Outrage... Remember The Day... Miracle Man.
7. Fall Out Boy- Folie A Deux: Its a very contagious CD. Every song will have you tapping your feet or singing along. Fall Out Boy make a fantastic 4th album and it may even be their best effort yet. Check out these toe tapping sing alongs... I Dont Care... Tiffany Blews... and w.a.m.s.
6. Alkaline Trio- Agony & Irony: They seem to have returned to their roots with great catchy music. The band reclaims their relevence in this day and age despite all the cookie cutter screamo and pop. Check out these fantastic tracks... Calling All Skeletons... Help me... I Found A Way.
5. The Hush Sound- Goodbye Blues: On their third album the band steps it up a notch with a different vibe. With masterful tracks that seem to have been influenced from piano pop to olden time saloon music, The Hush Sound kept me interested every second on the disc. One of the stand out performances is given by Gretched who seems to have found her voice here. Check out... The Boys Are Too Refined... Not Your Concern... Love You Much Better.
4. Forever The Sickest Kids-Underdog Alma Mater: Catchiest album of the year! You cant help but love every chorus and every hook. Seeing them live also increses their likeability( is that even a word?) Check out tracks like... Whoa Oh!( Me v.s. Everyone)... My Worst Nightmare... and Breakdown.
3. Anberlin- New Surrender: Anberlin is not number one?!?!? This is an incredible band. And New Surrender will certainly prove that. I have now seen this band 14 times live and have no intentions of stopping. New Surrender is a very radio friendly cd... but yet in my opinion holds true to what Anberlin is about. Fantastic lyrics, driving guitars and an energy that can emitt from any of their songs. Check out fantatsic songs like... The Resistance... Breaking... Dissapear... and Haight Street.
2. The Classic Crime- The Silver Cord: This is one of those albums that may have been looked over by many people that I know. Why this band has not hit it big is beyond me. This band has nore talent than 99 percent of the bands in modern rock today. The Silver Cord is not only exceptional but its truly a modern classic in my book. Check out songs like... Just A Man... Gravedigging... 5805... Abracadavers... and Sing.
1. Coldplay- Viva La Vida: If you have read my review of this album in one of my previous blogs you will know how impressed I am with this CD. The band managed to reinvent themselves in such a way that truly gave the meaning of music as an artform. Viva is not only a masterpeice but an example of what a band can do by finding new influences and recreating a sound for themselves. This truly was in my opinion the best album of 2008. Check out amazing tracks like Lost!... Yes... and Strawberry Swing.
Of course there were other terrific albums that came out that didnt quite make the cut....
Bands that deserve honorable mentions...
Family Force 5
Ivoryline
Funeral For A Friend
Hawthorne Heights
Shiny Toy Guns
Houston Calls
Phantom Planet
Run Kid Run
Search The City
Please take a listen to some of these bands if you have not already. There was alot of good music this year! This just happens to be what has caught my ear.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Little Big Planet
I know its been awhile since I have posted anything new... well I have been busy. I know I usually write about music but today I would like to review a video game. The game is the Playstation 3 exclusive title Little Big Planet. The game is a side scrolling 2.5D platformer with the ingenious, cute, lovable and charming character entitle Sackboy. The very begining of the game sets the mood for the rest of your experience in Little Big Planet. Voice actor Stephen Fry gives great, dry and humourus narration to the begining stages as if you really were on another planet and the game was actually more like an interactive episode of Planet Earth. Sackboy himself is customizable... from everything he wears to his eyes, mouth nose, and the best is his facial expressions. Using the D pad you can change his expression to happy, sad, angry and scared. Each expression also has 3 degrees of intesity. Controlling sackboy is very easy as well. From the simple jump to hitting other sackboys while playing multiplayer.
The game starts off with a visit to various places that are mimicked in our world. The begining levels are themed to Europe, and then to Africa, Mexico and North America. Each level has prizes hidden in each which will help you customize your character with additional costumes. Also hidden are objects which can enhace the level creator mode(more on this later). The various challenges are a blast to go through. But the single player mode is not where the true fun lies...
Online or multiplayer is where its at. You can join up to 4 players in one game where you can play through the normal story levels or the online levels which are filled with creative content from the Little Big Planet comunity. The level creator gives you the power to create anything you want and share it with all the Little Big Planet players around the world. And these levels can be played with a group of people or by yourself. Most levels that are created have taken upon influences that are familiar to most like... Batman, God of War, Mirrors Edge, Mario Bros. and yes there is a Tetris level which is freaking awesome! I cant really say enough about this game other than you have to try it to really belive how fun this game is. This is the must own title for all PS3 users.... and the reason to buy a PS3! This game works and succeeds on everything tried to do. Whats the point of the game...PLAY, CREATE, and SHARE!
Grade: A+......................... MUST OWN GAME!!!!
The game starts off with a visit to various places that are mimicked in our world. The begining levels are themed to Europe, and then to Africa, Mexico and North America. Each level has prizes hidden in each which will help you customize your character with additional costumes. Also hidden are objects which can enhace the level creator mode(more on this later). The various challenges are a blast to go through. But the single player mode is not where the true fun lies...
Online or multiplayer is where its at. You can join up to 4 players in one game where you can play through the normal story levels or the online levels which are filled with creative content from the Little Big Planet comunity. The level creator gives you the power to create anything you want and share it with all the Little Big Planet players around the world. And these levels can be played with a group of people or by yourself. Most levels that are created have taken upon influences that are familiar to most like... Batman, God of War, Mirrors Edge, Mario Bros. and yes there is a Tetris level which is freaking awesome! I cant really say enough about this game other than you have to try it to really belive how fun this game is. This is the must own title for all PS3 users.... and the reason to buy a PS3! This game works and succeeds on everything tried to do. Whats the point of the game...PLAY, CREATE, and SHARE!
Grade: A+......................... MUST OWN GAME!!!!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Gym Class Heroes: The Quilt
Many people think that I don't like Hip-Hop or Rap. To an extent that's only half true. I do enjoy smart music. And for the most part there is alot of rap out there that I DO NOT call smart music. Example... Ying Yang Twins, Lil (insert name here), T.I. and many others. But there are Rappers or Hip-Hop artists that I do respect... examples... Jay-Z, Kanye West, Atmosphere, K-OS, and Busta Rymes... just to name a few. Gym Class Heroes are an interesting genre transcending band. They dabble in styles of rap, hip-hop, rock, reggae, punk and indie. And the latest effort from the band titled The Quilt really expresses just how true the title is.
The first song Guilty As Charged starts off with a huge trumpet intro and jumps right into the ridiculously catchy chorus. Travis the lead singer/rapper has always put so much of himself into the lyrics that its hard not to be entertained by his personal touch, not to mention there is alot to relate to, which I believe makes him and the band accessible to anyone. For example the song Catch Me If You Can references things from my childhood like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Transformers and the enjoyable Saturday morning cartoons. The reggae infused Blinded By The Sun is alot of fun. The song makes me feel like summer should last just a few more weeks. Probably my two favorite tracks are the somewhat heartfelt song called Like Father Like Son (Papas Song) which has a Beatles type chorus with hip-hop bridges that help you understand where the lead singer comes from and how he got here on the way. But my other favorite song is Live Forever(Fly With Me), which features a guess artist Daryl Hall. Daryl who? you may ask. Remember the duo Hall and Oats? Well Daryl Hall was part of that duo. And he is a guest star on the new Gym Class Heroes album? Does it work? Not only does it work but it works very well. The chorus has that old 70's style charm with a modern flavor of hip-hop. One thing this band also seems to amaze me on is the music. The guitar and drum work on this cd is so much fun and the way they can mold genres into a piece of work that all can enjoy is just something to be proud of. If you have sensitive ears this cd may not be for you... one song in particular is Peace Sign/Index Down features Busta Rymes as a guest star. The song talks about all the crap this band gets for what they do and pretty much they say F*** you to all the people who hate them and that they don't make music for you they make it for their fans, family and most importantly themselves.
I have always enjoyed Gym Class Heroes. The first two Cd's I thought were innovative and clever and this cd just follows the trend to show Gym Class is one band that knows how to write unique music that all can enjoy. I love this cd and it just may contend for one of the top albums of the year from me.
Grade: A
for fans of: well... not quite sure who to put on here seeing as there is something for everyone with this band.
The first song Guilty As Charged starts off with a huge trumpet intro and jumps right into the ridiculously catchy chorus. Travis the lead singer/rapper has always put so much of himself into the lyrics that its hard not to be entertained by his personal touch, not to mention there is alot to relate to, which I believe makes him and the band accessible to anyone. For example the song Catch Me If You Can references things from my childhood like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Transformers and the enjoyable Saturday morning cartoons. The reggae infused Blinded By The Sun is alot of fun. The song makes me feel like summer should last just a few more weeks. Probably my two favorite tracks are the somewhat heartfelt song called Like Father Like Son (Papas Song) which has a Beatles type chorus with hip-hop bridges that help you understand where the lead singer comes from and how he got here on the way. But my other favorite song is Live Forever(Fly With Me), which features a guess artist Daryl Hall. Daryl who? you may ask. Remember the duo Hall and Oats? Well Daryl Hall was part of that duo. And he is a guest star on the new Gym Class Heroes album? Does it work? Not only does it work but it works very well. The chorus has that old 70's style charm with a modern flavor of hip-hop. One thing this band also seems to amaze me on is the music. The guitar and drum work on this cd is so much fun and the way they can mold genres into a piece of work that all can enjoy is just something to be proud of. If you have sensitive ears this cd may not be for you... one song in particular is Peace Sign/Index Down features Busta Rymes as a guest star. The song talks about all the crap this band gets for what they do and pretty much they say F*** you to all the people who hate them and that they don't make music for you they make it for their fans, family and most importantly themselves.
I have always enjoyed Gym Class Heroes. The first two Cd's I thought were innovative and clever and this cd just follows the trend to show Gym Class is one band that knows how to write unique music that all can enjoy. I love this cd and it just may contend for one of the top albums of the year from me.
Grade: A
for fans of: well... not quite sure who to put on here seeing as there is something for everyone with this band.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The Feel Good Drag
I have heard alot of people lately just trashing Anberlin for the re-recorded version of the Feel Good Drag. Well I have come to the defenses of Anberlin. So the biggest complaint I hear is the lack of screaming in the song. Let me ask you a question... Have you heard the song The Kill by 30 Seconds to Mars on the radio? HOLY CRAP!! They took out the screaming part!!! Have you heard the song Face Down by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? They took out the screaming part! Anberlin wanted to take a song that they felt was one of their favorites that they wrote and wanted it to be on the radio UNEDITED!! So what did they do? They re-recorded the song so it could be acessable to everyone. Yeah I like the original version better too just like everyone else but I dont feel its my place to complain about the new version of the song. All Anberlin is trying to do is to get their fans behind them and try to be a band that appeals to more people. Oh and they wanted the radio version to include these lyrics... Failure is your disease/ You want my outline drawn/ You are my greatest failure/ Discourse your saving song. Yeah I wouldnt want those lyrics edited either. Better to sing them for the radio then not have them all together.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Anberlin: New Surrender
Its hard to write an unbiased review... so I am not even going to try on this one. You are going to get a completely biased review here. Why am I biased? Well because this band just happens to be my most favorite band ever! I had the chance to listen to Anberlin's new album before it was released. The actual album will be out on September 30th. So somehow I got an a copy early. And this in no way means I will not be buying the album the day it comes out... because I will! I believe that I now have a responsibility in spreading the word about this band even more and on top of that... anyone who claims to love Anberlin better damn well better buy the cd. Hows the cd you ask?
Well after listening to it over and over again here are some of my thoughts... The album starts off just like all their other cd's. And that's a very good thing! The first track is titled The Resistance. The song in every way just rocks! Its fast tempo and energetic , much like Godspeed and Never Take Friendship Personal. The nest song is Breaking. For those who have seen Anberlin recently, this is the song they played acoustic at Warped Tour. The song starts off with a nice piano intro as the tempo gradually builds up through the song. The song could potentially be a huge radio hit. Blame Me! Blame Me! is the third track and was a song that I thought might be my least favorite but then after the second or third listen I was wrong... the chorus is catchy and has a dancy guitar riff. The fourth song entitled Retrace may just be my favorite song on the cd. Its got a different vibe than past songs from the band. But Stephens voice is amazing on this one not to mention its got a nice relaxing tune. This song seems to be in the vein of The Unwinding Cable Car off of the album Cities. The song seems to talk about retracing your steps to lead you to where you are at your point in your life. I absolutely love this song. The next song is a familiar one. They rerecorded The Feel Good Drag and made it a little more radio friendly. They seemed to take out the screaming. I like the original version better but this one is still a great version. In fact it their first radio single. The next song also has potential for huge radio play. Disappear is just a great rock song. In fact you can hear it now on their myspace page. Breathe is the next song which I think inspires the name of the album. The song is on the soft side and talks about surrendering to who you are and accepting everything about yourself. Tracks 8 through 11 are just what you would expect from a solid Anberlin cd. Great guitar riffs, amazing breakdowns, lyrics that actually mean something other than meaningless high school relationships like so many ohter bands produce nowadays. And not to mention amazing vocals from singer songwriter Stephen. The final song on the cd entitled Misearbile Visu (ex malo bonum) is exactly what you would expect from a band who concluded their last cd with the epic song Fin. New Surrender is exactly what I would expect from my favorite band. An incredibly solid cd!
I truly believe that that Anberlin will be the next big band in music. This album can easily put them among the ranks of Jimmy Eat World, Death Cab For Cutie and My Chemical Romance. And by joining the ranks of these bands I mean these guys will soon be playing in bigger venues and getting massive radio play. So whats the bottom line on the cd?
I of course give this album a solid A.
For fans of: Classic Crime, Acceptance and Jimmy Eat World
Album is out September 30th. Please do yourself a favor and pick this album up when it comes out. And if you dont have the previous three albums... pick them up! Blueprints for the Blackmarket, Never Take Friendship Personal and Cities now available!
Well after listening to it over and over again here are some of my thoughts... The album starts off just like all their other cd's. And that's a very good thing! The first track is titled The Resistance. The song in every way just rocks! Its fast tempo and energetic , much like Godspeed and Never Take Friendship Personal. The nest song is Breaking. For those who have seen Anberlin recently, this is the song they played acoustic at Warped Tour. The song starts off with a nice piano intro as the tempo gradually builds up through the song. The song could potentially be a huge radio hit. Blame Me! Blame Me! is the third track and was a song that I thought might be my least favorite but then after the second or third listen I was wrong... the chorus is catchy and has a dancy guitar riff. The fourth song entitled Retrace may just be my favorite song on the cd. Its got a different vibe than past songs from the band. But Stephens voice is amazing on this one not to mention its got a nice relaxing tune. This song seems to be in the vein of The Unwinding Cable Car off of the album Cities. The song seems to talk about retracing your steps to lead you to where you are at your point in your life. I absolutely love this song. The next song is a familiar one. They rerecorded The Feel Good Drag and made it a little more radio friendly. They seemed to take out the screaming. I like the original version better but this one is still a great version. In fact it their first radio single. The next song also has potential for huge radio play. Disappear is just a great rock song. In fact you can hear it now on their myspace page. Breathe is the next song which I think inspires the name of the album. The song is on the soft side and talks about surrendering to who you are and accepting everything about yourself. Tracks 8 through 11 are just what you would expect from a solid Anberlin cd. Great guitar riffs, amazing breakdowns, lyrics that actually mean something other than meaningless high school relationships like so many ohter bands produce nowadays. And not to mention amazing vocals from singer songwriter Stephen. The final song on the cd entitled Misearbile Visu (ex malo bonum) is exactly what you would expect from a band who concluded their last cd with the epic song Fin. New Surrender is exactly what I would expect from my favorite band. An incredibly solid cd!
I truly believe that that Anberlin will be the next big band in music. This album can easily put them among the ranks of Jimmy Eat World, Death Cab For Cutie and My Chemical Romance. And by joining the ranks of these bands I mean these guys will soon be playing in bigger venues and getting massive radio play. So whats the bottom line on the cd?
I of course give this album a solid A.
For fans of: Classic Crime, Acceptance and Jimmy Eat World
Album is out September 30th. Please do yourself a favor and pick this album up when it comes out. And if you dont have the previous three albums... pick them up! Blueprints for the Blackmarket, Never Take Friendship Personal and Cities now available!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Weezer: Self-titled Red Album
I have always had fun listening to Weezer. Of course I remember growing up with the Blue album and singing along to Buddy Holly and My Name Is Jonas. Their second album, Pinkerton, was in my opinion a masterpiece. Later they followed up with the much more light hearted Green album. And then came out with the lackluster albums Maladroit and Make Believe. I for one still enjoy all of their albums. Weezer can create some of the most catchiest songs known to man wheter you like them or not... Beverly Hills for example. Well Weezer has now followed up Make Believe with their 6th album entitled... well its self titled and nick named the Red Album.
This cd feels more like a throwback to old school Weezer. The first song Troublemaker feels like an instant radio hit with its fun sing along chorus and ridiculously entertaining lyrics. Escpecially to those who are Weezer fans. The second song and arguably the best song Weezer has ever written is entitled The Greatest Man That Ever Lived is so much fun! The song clocks in at a little under 6 minutes and what a 6 minutes it is. The style seems to change every 30 seconds to another type of music. From the first style feeling a bit Hip-Hop to then straight up Rock, and yes there is some awesome accapella to some chill acoustic pop. Not to mention the lyrics are so entertaining. Pork And Beans was the first single off the cd and of course its got a catchy tune. Heart Songs will let you feel what Rivers (lead singer) feels when he draws inspiration to write his next song. He quotes artists from Micheal Jackson, Abba, Bruce Springsting and Nirvana. One of my other favorite tracks is Dreamin'. The song is just classic Weezer. Trakcs 7,8 and 9 are a real turn for Weezer. Rivers lets the other band members take the lead vocals. The first of the 3 is called Thought I Knew is my least favorite. It sounds like a song from Uncle Cracker... but a good song from Uncle Cracker (which is rare) on the other hand Cold Dark World and Automatic actually work for me. They keep the Weezer flare with a different perspective on vocals. The album ends on a solid Weezer effort. The Angel And The One is in the same vein as Only In Dreams and Butterfly.
All in all this album is awesome! I cant say enough about how much I love this band and their latest effort. Despite that one song Thought I Knew, it was not enough to ruin the album for me because the song is still listenable. If you love fun upbeat catchy music BUY this album.
Grade: A-
For Fans Of: Weezer, Weezer and Weezer
This cd feels more like a throwback to old school Weezer. The first song Troublemaker feels like an instant radio hit with its fun sing along chorus and ridiculously entertaining lyrics. Escpecially to those who are Weezer fans. The second song and arguably the best song Weezer has ever written is entitled The Greatest Man That Ever Lived is so much fun! The song clocks in at a little under 6 minutes and what a 6 minutes it is. The style seems to change every 30 seconds to another type of music. From the first style feeling a bit Hip-Hop to then straight up Rock, and yes there is some awesome accapella to some chill acoustic pop. Not to mention the lyrics are so entertaining. Pork And Beans was the first single off the cd and of course its got a catchy tune. Heart Songs will let you feel what Rivers (lead singer) feels when he draws inspiration to write his next song. He quotes artists from Micheal Jackson, Abba, Bruce Springsting and Nirvana. One of my other favorite tracks is Dreamin'. The song is just classic Weezer. Trakcs 7,8 and 9 are a real turn for Weezer. Rivers lets the other band members take the lead vocals. The first of the 3 is called Thought I Knew is my least favorite. It sounds like a song from Uncle Cracker... but a good song from Uncle Cracker (which is rare) on the other hand Cold Dark World and Automatic actually work for me. They keep the Weezer flare with a different perspective on vocals. The album ends on a solid Weezer effort. The Angel And The One is in the same vein as Only In Dreams and Butterfly.
All in all this album is awesome! I cant say enough about how much I love this band and their latest effort. Despite that one song Thought I Knew, it was not enough to ruin the album for me because the song is still listenable. If you love fun upbeat catchy music BUY this album.
Grade: A-
For Fans Of: Weezer, Weezer and Weezer
Monday, July 21, 2008
Cute Is What We Aim For: Rotation
Never can I remember a record label delivering so many bands that so many people either love or hate... from the likes of Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco and Cobra Starship comes another band off of Fueled By Ramen... Cute Is What We Aim For. And like the previous bands I mentioned there is a ton of mixed feelings about these guys. The sophmore album from this band is entitled Rotation which after listening to the album in full a few times, I still dont quite understand the title.
The cd of course starts out like most pop punk bands with a catchy as hell song called Practice Makes Perfect. Quickly followed up with another great song called Doctor which is a ton of fun to listen to which seems to gather a bit of influence from The Used. The third track is where the band completely loses me. The song Navigate Me is a song about sex... and not that its a problem but its hard to take the song seriously with a line like "And I'm going to start from your waist up through your navel"...? What? Ooooh so poetic! "Cause my minds on a mission, with enough ammunition, and the proper position." The lines just seem to be bragging that this guy just had sex for the very first time and he wants everyone to know how good he thought he was. Literally this song almost ruined this cd for me... thats how much I disliked it. Well I am happy to tell you that I do have a feature on my cd player called 'skip' and thats what I will be using when I listen to this cd. Dont get me wrong... this cd got much better for me on the following tracks. Songs like Loser, Do What You Do and Denial will surely get your toes tapping and Hollywood in my opinion is the solid stand out track. This song starts out with big trumpets and a big band feel. Sure the song gets a little politiacl from a guy who in my opnion probably is just against President Bush because its whatevery one else is doing, but I forgive him for that because this song is that much fun.
This cd will most likely not make it into my top albums of the year but there are some really fun tracks on it. The cd is very listenable and for the most part a step in a better direction from their first cd.
Grade: B-
For fans of: Panic! at the Disco, Cartel and Fall Out Boy
The cd of course starts out like most pop punk bands with a catchy as hell song called Practice Makes Perfect. Quickly followed up with another great song called Doctor which is a ton of fun to listen to which seems to gather a bit of influence from The Used. The third track is where the band completely loses me. The song Navigate Me is a song about sex... and not that its a problem but its hard to take the song seriously with a line like "And I'm going to start from your waist up through your navel"...? What? Ooooh so poetic! "Cause my minds on a mission, with enough ammunition, and the proper position." The lines just seem to be bragging that this guy just had sex for the very first time and he wants everyone to know how good he thought he was. Literally this song almost ruined this cd for me... thats how much I disliked it. Well I am happy to tell you that I do have a feature on my cd player called 'skip' and thats what I will be using when I listen to this cd. Dont get me wrong... this cd got much better for me on the following tracks. Songs like Loser, Do What You Do and Denial will surely get your toes tapping and Hollywood in my opinion is the solid stand out track. This song starts out with big trumpets and a big band feel. Sure the song gets a little politiacl from a guy who in my opnion probably is just against President Bush because its whatevery one else is doing, but I forgive him for that because this song is that much fun.
This cd will most likely not make it into my top albums of the year but there are some really fun tracks on it. The cd is very listenable and for the most part a step in a better direction from their first cd.
Grade: B-
For fans of: Panic! at the Disco, Cartel and Fall Out Boy
Capital Lights: This is an Outrage
If you are reading this and you know me personally then you know that I have a taste for any band that comes off of Tooth and Nail records. They seem to consistently sign bands that deliver solid albums. With a history of bands like Anberlin, Mae, Emery and the Classic Crime they seem to know good music. Well Capital Lights is no different!
The first track titled Outrage is a catchy song that has a huge hook in every sense of the word. It will remind you of bands like The Academy Is.. and Cartel while keeping the song all their own style. Other stand out catchy songs include Out of Control and Work It Out. My favorite tracks of the album are Miracle Man which is a song that will help you enjoy the summer with its roll down the window and sing along chorus. While my other favorite song titled Mile Away has a feel between Death Cab For Cutie with a shot of Green Day influenced vocals. The cd is solid from start to finish. If you are looking for social commentaries or political agendas this album is not for you. But if you are looking for a cd that you will want to sing along with to every song anda cd that will keep you smiling... check out Capital Lights!
Grade: B+ border line A-
For fans of: Relient K, This Providence, Yellowcard or any Tooth and Nail lover
The first track titled Outrage is a catchy song that has a huge hook in every sense of the word. It will remind you of bands like The Academy Is.. and Cartel while keeping the song all their own style. Other stand out catchy songs include Out of Control and Work It Out. My favorite tracks of the album are Miracle Man which is a song that will help you enjoy the summer with its roll down the window and sing along chorus. While my other favorite song titled Mile Away has a feel between Death Cab For Cutie with a shot of Green Day influenced vocals. The cd is solid from start to finish. If you are looking for social commentaries or political agendas this album is not for you. But if you are looking for a cd that you will want to sing along with to every song anda cd that will keep you smiling... check out Capital Lights!
Grade: B+ border line A-
For fans of: Relient K, This Providence, Yellowcard or any Tooth and Nail lover
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Warped Tour 2008
The 14th annual Warped Tour took place at the Utah State Fair Park on Saturday June 28th. How was it? Well... I will tell you! The day started off with Me, Matt, Paul and Torin heading out in Torin's brand new car. As we rocked out to Motion City Soundtrack the anticipation began to build. There were so many bands we wanted to see! We parked and got there a little before 11 in the morning. Doors opened at 11 and music started at 11:30. thank goodness the line went quickly. As we reached inside the fair park we came to the big schedule to see when the main event was. To our surprise it was at 11:30 so we took off to see the band we had to see no question about it. ANBERLIN!!!! They came out on time, dressed very classy. They started with the song Godspeed and the crowd was very energetic! They went on to play a bunch of fan favorites from A Day Late to Paperthin Hymn. They played a few from their Cities album and then closed with Dismantle Repair. If you have not seen or heard of this band, you should check them out soon, because the feeling I got at Warped Tour was that they are on the brink of being the next huge band.
After Anberlin we took a stroll around the park and looked at a few of the booths. We caught a few songs from Relient K. They played a classic song Sadie Hawkins Dance. Which seemed to please the crowd. We met up with our good friend Nate and the group he came with. After which we headed over to go see We The Kings. I have seen them before and like before they put on a good performance. They played alot of the more catchier songs off their self titled album. Then closed with the hit Check Yes Juliet. After We The Kings we got a real treat. A band called Jet Lag Gemini. This band fuses the sound of pop punk with classic rock. Its the only way I can describe it. They put on a great performance. A band that I would recommend to give a listen to. After Jet Lag Gemini we grabbed some lunch. While we ate we listened to a band that seemed to mix rap with techno and some rock elements but with none of the creativity that seems to come from this mixed genre. The band 3O!3... I think... I cant really remember. We then headed over to the myspace tent and caught the tail end of an acoustic performance of a band called Between The Trees. Another hidden gem at Warped Tour. After that we headed over to see a band called Forever The Sickest Kids. If you like pop punk or catchy music this band delivers. More importantly they really deliver live. They were very entertaining to watch and seemed to enjoy playing live.
The highlight of the day came at 4. Inside the Myspace tent, Anberlin played an acoustic set. And it was INCREDIBLE!! They started off with A Day Late and then played an amazing version of Inevitable. Then they talked a bit about the new album coming out September 30th. and played a new song called Breaking. The song literally blew me away. It was incredible. If the acoustic version was that good... how fantastic is the final version going to sound? They then played a few other songs like the Unwinding Cable car. And after the set the crowd was chanting one more song so loud. So they played on more. A girl missed their set earlier today and requested Paperthin Hymn. And so that is the song they ended with. The4 girl who requested it started to break down and cry. The song must have a deeper meaning for her. They then announced that they would be back in October. Needless to say, you know I will be there!!
We then headed over to see The Academy Is... I have always enjoyed seeing this band live and they opened the show with Attention and played some of their other hits. They treated the crowd with a new song which was awesome! The only downside to the show was the ridiculous amount of crowd surfers. Any one who has been to a show with me knows how much I hate crowd surfers. Well this time was no exception. a crowd surfer came crushing down on my neck and then grabbed me by the neck and tried to pull me down with him. In a frantic fury, I took my Gatorade bottle and smashed him in the face with it... yeah violence isn't the answer but I was frantic. My neck felt like it was being pulled down off of my body and the only reaction I had was to hit him to get him off of me. Well luckily I didn't get hurt. Shortly after we got out of the crowd to start heading for the next band... who happened to be Cobra Starship. They of course dressed like pop rockers from the 80's like they usually do. The coolest part of the set was when they played Snakes on a Plane... you know the cool theme song from the lame movie. Well the song features guest vocals from the lead singers of the Academy Is.. and Gym Class Heroes. And both bands were at Warped Tour so they both came on stage with them. It was awesome! There were other bands I would have liked to seen like Say Anything and Gym Class Heroes but my neck was sore and the rest of the group was getting to their end. So we called it a day and headed for classic concert tradition... The Pie pizzeria. And of course ordered the usual... Cheese Pull Aparts under the name Biff. All in all it was a very good day. Warped Tour as usual was a blast... and for the second year in a row... no band can hold a candle to Anberlin and their phenomenal performance!
After Anberlin we took a stroll around the park and looked at a few of the booths. We caught a few songs from Relient K. They played a classic song Sadie Hawkins Dance. Which seemed to please the crowd. We met up with our good friend Nate and the group he came with. After which we headed over to go see We The Kings. I have seen them before and like before they put on a good performance. They played alot of the more catchier songs off their self titled album. Then closed with the hit Check Yes Juliet. After We The Kings we got a real treat. A band called Jet Lag Gemini. This band fuses the sound of pop punk with classic rock. Its the only way I can describe it. They put on a great performance. A band that I would recommend to give a listen to. After Jet Lag Gemini we grabbed some lunch. While we ate we listened to a band that seemed to mix rap with techno and some rock elements but with none of the creativity that seems to come from this mixed genre. The band 3O!3... I think... I cant really remember. We then headed over to the myspace tent and caught the tail end of an acoustic performance of a band called Between The Trees. Another hidden gem at Warped Tour. After that we headed over to see a band called Forever The Sickest Kids. If you like pop punk or catchy music this band delivers. More importantly they really deliver live. They were very entertaining to watch and seemed to enjoy playing live.
The highlight of the day came at 4. Inside the Myspace tent, Anberlin played an acoustic set. And it was INCREDIBLE!! They started off with A Day Late and then played an amazing version of Inevitable. Then they talked a bit about the new album coming out September 30th. and played a new song called Breaking. The song literally blew me away. It was incredible. If the acoustic version was that good... how fantastic is the final version going to sound? They then played a few other songs like the Unwinding Cable car. And after the set the crowd was chanting one more song so loud. So they played on more. A girl missed their set earlier today and requested Paperthin Hymn. And so that is the song they ended with. The4 girl who requested it started to break down and cry. The song must have a deeper meaning for her. They then announced that they would be back in October. Needless to say, you know I will be there!!
We then headed over to see The Academy Is... I have always enjoyed seeing this band live and they opened the show with Attention and played some of their other hits. They treated the crowd with a new song which was awesome! The only downside to the show was the ridiculous amount of crowd surfers. Any one who has been to a show with me knows how much I hate crowd surfers. Well this time was no exception. a crowd surfer came crushing down on my neck and then grabbed me by the neck and tried to pull me down with him. In a frantic fury, I took my Gatorade bottle and smashed him in the face with it... yeah violence isn't the answer but I was frantic. My neck felt like it was being pulled down off of my body and the only reaction I had was to hit him to get him off of me. Well luckily I didn't get hurt. Shortly after we got out of the crowd to start heading for the next band... who happened to be Cobra Starship. They of course dressed like pop rockers from the 80's like they usually do. The coolest part of the set was when they played Snakes on a Plane... you know the cool theme song from the lame movie. Well the song features guest vocals from the lead singers of the Academy Is.. and Gym Class Heroes. And both bands were at Warped Tour so they both came on stage with them. It was awesome! There were other bands I would have liked to seen like Say Anything and Gym Class Heroes but my neck was sore and the rest of the group was getting to their end. So we called it a day and headed for classic concert tradition... The Pie pizzeria. And of course ordered the usual... Cheese Pull Aparts under the name Biff. All in all it was a very good day. Warped Tour as usual was a blast... and for the second year in a row... no band can hold a candle to Anberlin and their phenomenal performance!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Coldplay: Viva La Vida
I have heard it all too many times... Do you know how I know youre gay? Becasue you like Coldplay. It was one of those lines from the 40 Year Old Virgin that was so overused when I mentioned I liked the band. So funny... Yeah not really. When you consider the previous three albums by Coldplay... Parachutes, A Rush of Blood to The Head, and X&Y. Their fourth cd is titled... Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends.
The first track on this album entitled Life in Technicolor catches your attention right away with its spanish inspired guitar track and virtually no vocals. The song starts to pick up with a haunting drum beat, almost like a tribal beat. The cd only picks up and gains momentum from here. Cemeteries Of London has a classic Coldplay feel. One of my favorite tracks however is Lover In Japan/Reign Of Love. The song starts to soar from the start where Chris Martins vocals nail every emotion that the song tries to portray. The best part of the song is where you think its over and you think a new song starts but you realize its the same song and the second half of the song devles into the softer side of the idea. I would have to say the standout track off of the album is the title track Viva La Vida. This song uses amazing violin riffs and a catchy tune. You may recognize this song off of the itunes commercials. Its absolutely incredible and shows what a band can do by thinking outside their usual formula. After this is the first single entitled Violet Hill. Its a solid song about relating love to a cold winter.. or so I think. Sometimes it takes me a bit to find the meaning behind the song. And the cd finishes strong with the second half of the title track Death and All His Friends. My only complaint about the album is that it was 10 tracks long. Although you do get every bit of what you pay for.
I cant say enough about this cd. Its different from what Coldplay has done in the past. Its more raw and electric. Dont go into this cd thinking that Coldplay has completely changed... because they havent. They seemed to have drawn some influences from Indie rockers like Arcade Fire and The Stars. The album has a darker tune then the previous three and definetly worth a listen if you have ears. And no this album wont make you gay nor will their previos three cds.
Bottom Line: Solid CD and high contender for album of the year!
Grade: A
The first track on this album entitled Life in Technicolor catches your attention right away with its spanish inspired guitar track and virtually no vocals. The song starts to pick up with a haunting drum beat, almost like a tribal beat. The cd only picks up and gains momentum from here. Cemeteries Of London has a classic Coldplay feel. One of my favorite tracks however is Lover In Japan/Reign Of Love. The song starts to soar from the start where Chris Martins vocals nail every emotion that the song tries to portray. The best part of the song is where you think its over and you think a new song starts but you realize its the same song and the second half of the song devles into the softer side of the idea. I would have to say the standout track off of the album is the title track Viva La Vida. This song uses amazing violin riffs and a catchy tune. You may recognize this song off of the itunes commercials. Its absolutely incredible and shows what a band can do by thinking outside their usual formula. After this is the first single entitled Violet Hill. Its a solid song about relating love to a cold winter.. or so I think. Sometimes it takes me a bit to find the meaning behind the song. And the cd finishes strong with the second half of the title track Death and All His Friends. My only complaint about the album is that it was 10 tracks long. Although you do get every bit of what you pay for.
I cant say enough about this cd. Its different from what Coldplay has done in the past. Its more raw and electric. Dont go into this cd thinking that Coldplay has completely changed... because they havent. They seemed to have drawn some influences from Indie rockers like Arcade Fire and The Stars. The album has a darker tune then the previous three and definetly worth a listen if you have ears. And no this album wont make you gay nor will their previos three cds.
Bottom Line: Solid CD and high contender for album of the year!
Grade: A
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