-
Conor Alexander - 3/4/2012
Up The Bracket is a superb album fuelled by the great energy of punk but backed up with an old english romanticism and a light pop sensibility.
The album relies on the fantastic double frontmen of Pete Doherty and Carl Barat
My key tracks are the fantastic "The Boy Looked At Johnny" with its sing-along dumbness, the explosive title track, the dirtily rough "Horror Show", the crooning "I Get Along" and the drunken sing-along "Boys In The Band", which expertly showcases Pete and Carl's playing off each other.
There is a real sense of brotherhood throughout the album aided by Pete and Carl's english-influenced lyrics and punk guitar-playing.
The album is, I believe, just as brilliant as the self-titled follow-up. 9.5/10
-
Kevin R - 2/29/2012
New Jersey artist Sharon Van Etten's first album "Because I was in Love" was almost cliched singer-songwriter, all spare arrangements, acoustic guitar and songs of heartbreak. But what a voice: vulnerable and strong, small then soaring, it drew the listener in and made you want to hear more. With her follow up she's built on everything good about her debut and pushed herself to explore the more complex musical arrangements her classic songwriting deserves.
At only seven songs and barely 32 minutes this record at first seems more ep than epic. The writing is autobiographical and confessional with Van Etten exploring darkness, despair, weakness, anger and the small neglects and abuses of failing relationships. This is not a whiny record full of blame, it is clear-sighted to an extraordinary degree and the singer reserves some of the harshest words for herself. She sings with an intensity and emotional directness that recalls early Cat Power and while her voice has a beautiful soaring tone, she isn't afraid to dirty it up, slurring and stretching her phrasing. Melody is highlighted and Van Etten surrounds herself with the raw harmonies of several female voices from the Brooklyn scene, Meg Baird, Cat Martino and Jessica Larrabee (She Keeps Bees). Musically there is enough variation in style and sound to keep things interesting - the driving, electric, rhythm of "Peace Sign", the pedal-steel wash of countryish "Save Yourself" - but for many it wil be the two slower, moodier songs where Van Etten is accompanied by little more than a harmonium that will stand out from the first listen. Of these it is final track "Love More" which is the album's highpoint. A song that has already been covered by Bon Iver and The National, it begins with the startling lines "Tied to my bed, I was younger then, I had nothing to spend but time on you, it made me love, it made me love, it made me love more." It is sung with an intimacy and rawness that is emotionally draining to listen to and indeed the whole record has an intensity that is only partly relieved by the clever idea of leaving in some of the recording studio banter as when Van Etten says after finishing a song that she knows she made a fluff but can't remember where.
This album is beautifully sung and a strong collection of songs that builds to one final, emotional epic. The sound of a young artist finding her voice.
-
Gareth - 2/25/2012
If you're a fan of Oasis then you will be a fan of Noel Gallagher and his first solo outing 'Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds', as the principal songwriter in oasis for most of their existence, most songs sound like softer or mellower Oasis tracks, mainly the ones that Noel Gallagher sang for obvious reasons.
There are some really strong tracks and some weaker ones, a mixed bag really. As a long time oasis/Noel Gallagher fan I expected to like every track, however on first listen I didn't particularly like the album it has to be said as I thought it offered nothing new, which is doesn't, but more than this, the album as a whole seemed over produced or ironed out if you will. It all seamed to smooth, no cracks in the vocal, no squeal, distortion or buzz of guitars, nothing that appeared to stand out, every part of the character had seemed to have been edited out of the album.
Yet less than two months later I am a fan of the album. Track one 'Everybody's on the run' has a good, long building intro and a good chorus "Hang in there love, you gotta hold on". The first release from the album 'The Death of You and Me' probably selected due to its obvious connotations relating to the relationship between Liam and Noel, although the lyrical content bares no relevance to what you thought it was actually about. This tune appears to resemble a previous Oasis song called 'Importance of Being idle'. The biggest change comes in the form of the song 'AKA.What A Life' which is again, a reasonably straight forward track but seems to incorporate a dance beat element which lifts the track up and sets it apart. The stand out tracks for me are 'If I Had a Gun, with the beautiful line "Hope I didn't speak to soon, my eyes have always followed you around the room", 'AKA what a life' and 'Broken Arrow'. The weakest song for me comes in the way of the final track 'Stop the Clocks', which just doesn't really get going at all. This is an enjoyable album to listen to but if you're not paying attention and listening to actually listen then this record can have a tendency to just wash over you and be over before it's even begun. A good Solid first album from Noel Gallagher, but I'm sure he could produce much better. With speculation of his second album to be released in late 2012, collaboration with Amorphous Androgynous on an 18 track more "psychedelic" sounding album, maybe this could be the shake-up Noel Gallagher needs to become relevant again and stir new interest.
-
Courtney - 2/10/2012
Paramore's Riot! has to be the best album I have ever brought so far as each track is different from each other. I have only got into Paramore recently and I have become a big fan already!I have must have listened to this album about twenty times in the past two weeks and hasn't got boring once! Hayley Williams has got such a different and distinctive voice that makes the band so great. The best songs have to be:
Crushcrushcrush
Misery Business
Born For This
Fences
This is a definite 5/5 and is a must buy for any pop/rock fan out there!
-
Neville Mosey - 2/8/2012
It has to be the most comprehensive single collection of music by Richard Strauss ever released on disc. As such, it deserves a very warm welcome.
The 36 disc set gets off to a good start with Rudolf Kempe's versions of the best-known orchestral pieces, with a few rarities thrown in for good measure. These recordings, licensed from EMI, and taped during the 1970's, have achieved classic status, a rightly so. Kempe was an outstanding Straussian and his performances, with the fabulous Dresden Staatskapelle and eminent soloists including Paul Tortelier, have been regarded as benchmarks since their original release on LP. The sound, whilst not quite up to recent digital standards, is still truthful analogue and has a pleasing autumnal glow. No apologies need to be made on technical grounds. These recordings take up the first nine discs and cover all the tone poems, the two named symphonies, concertante works and miscellaneous orchestral items. You can buy these 9 discs seaparately.
Discs 10-18 cover the complete chamber works including music for piano. These are licensed from the Arts label and feature excellent artists including Erno Sebestyen and Wolfgang Sawallisch. They are mainly live recordings emanating from the Richard Strauss Institut and Bavarian Radio in Munich. The sound is pure digital from the 1990's. The audience is quiet throughout allowing the listener to concentrate on the music, much of it rarely performed. The chamber music and solo piano genres lie on the margins of Strauss' output and, therefore, are of most interest to the diehard completist and specialist collector. Strauss' true genius lay in his major orchestral works, opera and song. The works contained in this section of the box are well-performed and recorded. There are some wonderful pieces such as the Violin Sonata, a String Trio and a Piano Quartet - early works and not entirely representative of their composer's mature style. There are also some duds - transcriptions of orchestral works, fugues and marches. You will probably listen once to these and then let them gather dust. There are a couple of melodramas, spoken in German with no translations. These are quite heavy-going and of limited interest. There is a little Wedding Prelude for harmonium dating from 1924. This rare piece raises a smile with it's wheezing sonority. It is hardly a masterpiece, though. These 9 discs are available in a separate box.
Disc 19 is licensed from EMI and offers rare choral items with orchestra, conducted by Michel Plasson. Recorded in digital sound in 1997, this is unusual and worthwhile although the repertoire is outside mainstream Strauss, nevertheless well worth hearing. The ballade "Taillefer" is probably better-performed on an Arte Nova recording, but it's close. The soloists are starry, including Felicity Lott. The rarest item on the disc is a song cycle for male voice chorus and orchestra, "The Times of Day". Overall, the disc is a highly desirable inclusion in the set, definitely for Strauss connoisseurs.
Now we move on to the operas. The next three discs are devoted to Karajan's classic 1956 recording of Der Rosenkavalier, featuring Elisabeth Scwarzkopf and Christa Ludwig in the two starring roles with a wonderful supporting cast and the Philharmonia Orchestra in its prime. This is considered to be one of the great recordings of the 20th century and its virtues are well known. It is presented here in its 1987 EMI remastering. The sound is early stereo and is more than adequate. The performance is in a class of its own and is far finer than Karajan's later re-make.
Next up is Sinopoli's 1995 recording of Elektra, licensed from DG. It is a fine performance with Alessandra Marc in the title role. The remaining roles are cast from strength and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna State Opera Chorus are predictably fine. This has always been a recommendable version of the opera and makes a valuable addition to the collection.
We wind the clock back 25 years to 1970 for a crackling, live performance of Salome, from Hamburg and starring the distinguished British soprano, Gwyneth Jones in the title role. I am happy to report that she is vocally on fine form and ably supported by no less than Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau in the role of Jochanaan (John the Baptist) who eventually loses his head for her! This is a very vivid live reading conducted by veteran Straussian, Karl Bohm. It has a tremendous sense of occasion, coming from the Hamburg State Opera. It was originally released on DG.
Discs 28-29 feature a terrific studio performance of Ariadne auf Naxos conducted again by Giuseppe Sinopoli. The title role is sung by American soprano, Deborah Voigt, who is superb, but the outstanding performance here is by Ben Heppner as Bacchus. In my view, his is the best modern assumption of the role. With Natalie Dessay and Ann-Sofie von Otter as Zerbinetta and the Composer respectively, it's a marvellous recording and further evidence of the high standards contained within the set.
The next three discs contain another masterpiece, the opera Die Frau ohne Schatten. taken from a live performance in Munich with a stellar cast conducted by Joseph Keilberth in 1963. It marked the re-opening of the opera house there after the war and sets down what was an historic occasion. Here is another recording emanating from DG. The performance is captured in fine sound and features a roll-call of eminent singers: Jess Thomas, Martha Modl, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Hans Hotter and Brigitte Fassbaender. It is self-recommending.
Now follows a rarity. An early opera, Friedenstag. Once again, Sinopoli is in charge of the proceedings,originally released on DG at roughly the same time as an EMI version conducted by Sawallisch, which was probably marginally finer. Nevertheless, Brilliant is to be congratulated on restoring this version to the catalogue. The leading roles are sung by Albert Dohmen and Deborah Voigt. A one-acter lasting 75 minutes, it is probably of most interest to specialist collectors and is the last of the operas included in the collection. What a shame that more mature works such as Daphne, Arabella and others could not be included, presumably because Brilliant does not have licensing rights to these. Some of the operas here are available separately.
Discs 33-35 are devoted to an important aspect of Strauss's output, namely song. Here again, you get the feeling that the items included are limited to what is available to Brilliant Classics under licensing agreements. First we have a single disc recital sung by Mitsuko Shirai accompanied by Hartmut Holl on piano. It is a 1994 digital production licensed from Capriccio, Germany. There are no reservations from the point of view of engineering, but Shirai's approach sometimes seems too boisterous and edgy for the songs presented here, which represent only a small portion of Strauss' output.
The next disc is interesting from an historical point of view as it features the composer himself accompanying a roster of distinguished singers. These recordings, made by Austrian Radio in 1942/3 come from late in his life. Nevertheless, he offers eloquent accompaniments to the famous singers in this 78 minute compilation. It is the only, understandably, mono recording in the entire set, emanating from an effective 1991 remastering by Preiser. A wonderful selection of 34 songs is magically performed by legendary singers including Anton Dermota, Maria Reining and Alfred Poell. Lesser contributions come from Hilde Konetzni and Lea Piltti.
The final disc of music comes from the soprano Charlotte Margiono recorded digitally in 1993 with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Edo de Waart. Her version of the Four Last Songs does not compete artistically with the likes of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf or Gundula Janowitz, but it is nevertheless, a perfectly acceptable performance. Additionally, she gives us 8 songs with orchestral accompaniment featuring several favourites found elsewhere in the set accompanied on piano. These three discs can easily be supplemented by other Strauss song recitals available elsewhere on CD.
The 36th disc is, in fact, a CD-ROM containing a lively essay on the life and works of Strauss by Stephen Jay-Taylor. You will also find synopses and commentaries on the operas. There are no libretti or song texts. This is rather a shame, but considering the price of the collection and the overall artistic excellence of the enterprise it would be churlish to complain.
So there you have it. A bumper bundle of Richard Strauss containing many superlative performances and no disappointments. Technical and performing standards are consistently high. Admittedly, compositional standards are more variable. Other than the fact that some important works are omitted, the whole collection is a remarkable bargain and is highly recommended. If you are interested, grab it before it disappears.
-
Tom Smith - 2/7/2012
It often seems that those most trumpeted for success are least deserving of it; that hyperbole and blind reverance are simply a veil for a lack of substance. In the case of Lana Del Rey, it has become harder and harder to separate the myth from the reality, such is the density of the cloud cover surrounding her rise to fame and this, her debut major-label LP. This review will attempt to bring clarity to the situation.
It's undeniable that Del Rey (aka Lizzy Grant) has to some extent courted the frenzied media-circus trailing her short career, and, in marketing herself, has certainly exploited the sexually charged nature of her music and image. But these are part and parcel of the content on 'Born to Die'; every track aches with a doomed romantic, hand-on-the-thigh atmosphere. Take the title track - the lyrics talk of the trials of love and lust, the music a sweeping, dramatic panorama of strings and piano(a recurrent musical theme which dominates the album).
YouTube-swallowing lead single 'Video Games' also examines, in a very personal way, the travails of mismatched relationships. It evokes images of cult Americana - the aloof, detached James Dean-esque modern man, who loves the 'bad girls' as well as his video games; and the narrator, the suffering but endlessly romantic heroine in her man's 'favourite sun dress', serenading him and us about 'swinging with the old stars' - as if Sinatra might walk in there and then.
Frustrated, or possibly unrequited, love lyrics aside, the musical arrangements throughout are a curious mix between string-laden sentimentality and hip-hop/RnB influenced beats, with vocals veering between both styles. Artists such as Rihanna and Timbaland are brought to mind. As someone who has little interest in either of the above, this made 'Born to Die' challenging, in terms of whether the album 'did it' for me or not. Songs like 'Off to the Races' and 'National Anthem' are characterised by that RnB twang in Del Rey's vocal - jarring at first, but one begins to see the connection between this, the crunching but minimal beats and the swathes of honied strings. 'National Anthem' is particularly effective - the soaring chorus is catchy to a fault.
In a sense, this cross-over between the current mainstream and old-style, glamourous noir-pop is quite probably (coupled with those lips) the root of Del Rey's success. The melodies throughout - with some forgettable exceptions - are memorable and engaging, the mood dark, mysterious and inviting. Del Rey's voice must also be mentioned: it is powerful, rich and full of character. It is easily the outstanding instrument on the album.
But is it as good as the papers suggest? Well, there is clearly something in Del Rey's music - it is difficult to categorise and that is always a positive thing. But there is still a lingering superficiality to 'Born to Die'; for every incisive take on doomed romance, there is a shallow indulgence in the celebration of opulence and excess. Maybe it's meant to be tongue-in-cheek; often it simply comes across as churlish.
When she gets it right musically (Video Games, National Anthem, Carmen), Del Rey's music is brilliant and enveloping; when she doesn't, it is just forgettable. In conclusion, 'Born to Die' is not a fully-formed, modern classic, but it is very far from being the overblown, commercial tat one comes to expect from artists who are made into superstars before they have even uttered a note. It has mystique, depth and is quite unique - much like its maker. So, buy it, stick with it, and you will be rewarded; but do not expect a musical Second Coming. At least, not yet . . .
-
Andrew Highton - 2/1/2012
Des Moines is the hometown of the 18 legged Iowan machine that is Slipknot. When they first hit the scene with an unorthodox group containing 9 members, it was surely never destined to make it. With their self-titled album becoming a great success indeed, it was quite clear they meant business as they took the "Nu-Metal" genre and injected it with smash-mouth offense and catapulted the genre to a whole new musical level. 2 years down the line and the world has stood still and taken notice of a controversial, mask-wearing, verbally profuse group of crazed men who know how to write music. This time they've thrust upon us their newest release simply titled, Iowa, a place they know oh so well and an album that is oh so brilliant.
Iowa (the album) offers 14 tracks and I would go as far as saying that they're all unique in their own way; more importantly a good way that you'd want to listen to over and over again.
The opening track (515), which is also the corresponding area code of the band's hometown, is quite a moody and surreal opening track and it certainly establishes the setting of and "out there" album with its howling screams and chugging background effect's to keep the suspense ticking over like a bomb waiting to go off at any second.
To snap you out of your perplexed trance, the bomb finally explodes as People= Sh*t immediately destroys you with an epic 30 second intro of crushing drumming from Joey Jordison, heavy riffs from Mick Thompson and Jim Root and raw growling from vocalist Corey Taylor; not forgetting the cool effects from Sid Wilson's turntables. At this point you know what you're in for the next 40 minutes or so.
Disasterpiece follows this with an instant earmarked classic on the album as it maintains an overall consistency of technically accurate instrument playing along with a true head banging section midway through the song.
My Plague is one of the more "mainstream" songs on the album used to lure more unsuspecting individuals to sample Slipknot, it was deemed quality enough to be featured on the Resident Evil soundtrack and it's a very catchy anthem. Corey Taylor's clean vocalised chorus is almost beautiful (the word pretty much being an oxymoron in conjunction with the album!) Yet despite its intended radio friendly appeal, it still maintains groovy bass playing from Paul Gray as well great dual guitar work.
If you wish to continue with this album then you'll love Everything Ends as it's profuse and utilises really deep guitar riffs with Corey Taylor's trademark growls interspersed between. Not a song you'd use to lullaby your kids to sleep with anyway.
8,7,6,6,6,5,4,3,2,1.....and cue the pulmonary embolism as your lungs will be gasping for air after another truly brutal fan favourite rocks your ears. I just can't put my finger on it but throughout the duration of this 4:14 song I still can't decipher the defining element that makes The Heretic Anthem so good and you know why? Because there isn't one and it would be a crime if there was only one. A memorable intro, a hardcore middle with more trademark can bashing from Clown with his trust baseball bat, heavy bass and a fitting outro to round off this window smashing tune.
It's taken till the 7th song but we finally have a restroom to stop off at to take a few minutes to cool down and recover. The song Gently is one of my unexpected favourites as you get sound effects from Craig's mixing board on a loop and notable percussion contributions from Chris Fehn and Shawn "Clown" Crahan. The sound is, for the majority, slower and sombre. It evolves into a more progressive song with increasing tempo and ferocity as all 9 members audibly uniting in the most experimental collaboration on the album.
Break time is over, put away the coffee flask as it's time to kick-start the album again with another radio-friendly track this time. Yet again though, like its fellow "mainstream" brother, Left Behind is a behemoth of a song and shouldn't be taken lightly. The opening riff is simply tantalising as it rips through the air with such force and power that the chord is instantly memorable. The theme isn't always clear when it comes to Slipknot, but when you find out that the theme revolves around the lead singer's period of homelessness it adds a greater emotional tie to it with the lyrics.
The fluctuating volume really does power The Shape. "Everything else is just DUST AND SOUND" as the song reaches this point you have a clear section to rinse and repeat because the combination of Jim/Mick's riff and the heavy percussion and drums is such a heavy and raw sound which is simply awesome.
I am Hated, in general, is quite similar sounding to The Shape with the exception being the heavier focus of Corey Taylor's rapping vocals; further establishing their status in the nu-metal genre.
The second weird and experimental song is Skin Ticket which is almost 7 minutes of sadistic vocals, a progressive tempo and is definitely percussion charged by Shawn and Chris.
DJ Sid Wilson helps introduce the New Abortion with some wobbling effects from his deck and the song as a whole is probably more of a filler; but still a good listen.
Metabolic also has that feeling of being a filler to stretch out the latter end of the album but I have a strong affiliation for this song. Whilst at times it sounds like a bit of a studio improve, it has notable bits. Such as the furious metal (as I like to call it) near the beginning of the song before it proceeds into a momentary head banging festival.
To cap off a very fine album we have the album's title song; Iowa. The 3rd atmospherically unsettling song on the album and at a lengthy 15 minutes it's here to chill out. From the haunting screams of a seemingly wasteland stricken Iowa loom to the endless percussion, you feel each of the 9 wants their input to be felt and they have emotion pouring out of them as they perform the song.
Iowa is very close to perfection as it achieves all the pre-set criteria of a solid metal album by having many memorable songs from Left Behind to My Plague to Everything Ends etc. It has weird and wonderfully experimental songs to fill the void of the "something different factor". Overall the album is a true gem and Slipknot are at their very best showing why the quite possibly are the best.
-
Mark Walters - 1/29/2012
Released all those years ago back in 1988, I can remember vividly how well Fleetwood Mac's mind-blowing Greatest Hits album was received, and that reception hasn't faded whatsoever.
In my eyes, it's their definitive compilation album, with all of the classics on there, and in the decades since it was first released, it's gone on to sell more than a massive 22m. copies - very impressive, as I'm sure you'll agree.
Greatest Hits has all of the fan-favourites on there: Rhiannon, Tusk, Gypsy, Hold Me, and of course, the absolutely iconic Go Your Own Way.
Go Your Own Way may not have been an instant success when it was first released into the charts back in the late Seventies, but it has been absorbed into Pop. Culture in the years since then. And who could possibly blame you for loving it? I know I do!
The song's a classic. Buckingham at his absolute best. And it has a killer guitar solo that will rock your socks off no matter how many times you listen to it.
Fleetwood Mac mix rock and blues like no one before them and no one else since. And if you ever get a chance to see them live - there are rumours (forgive the pun!) of a tour coming this year - then you do whatever you have to to do it. You'll be in for a night you'll NEVER forget.
-
Jim Broadbent - 1/28/2012
Soaring straight to Number One in both the UK and US Album Charts, Mylo Xyloto is a love-fuelled triumphant record that deserves the wonderful reception it has found since its release.
The first two singles from the concept album, Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall and Paradise, have landed the band with three Grammy Award nominations at this year's awards, and here's to hoping that they will come away victors. Both songs are a remarkable achievement from a band who have been earning their rising fame every step of the way in recent years.
Mylo Xyloto opens with the beautiful instrumental eponymous song, Mylo Xyloto, which can only be fully appreciated whilst listening through headphones. The music slowly seeps into your soul; its sheer warmth will make your spine tingle.
The band then take us through Hurts Like Heaven, the second single Paradise, and the recently-release Charlie Brown, a magnificent three-song exposition following the title track with which we enter the record.
Hurts Like Heaven has a sense of desperation and energy that only Coldplay achieve as well as this, introducing us to the principal characters of the album's story, Mylo and Xyloto.
Paradise then shifts into a beautiful synth riff, before bringing in the strings above, and then a raw bass with a powerful drum beat beneath. Then everything strips away to leave just a reserved piano, the quiet drum beat, and Chris Martin's wonderful vocals flying above. Genuine inspiration. It is not in the slightest bit difficult to see why the song has been nominated for a Grammy Award at the ceremony next month.
As Paradise closes, in comes Charlie Brown, which was released as the album's third single on 23rd January. The song is quite simply a work of genius, and has been noted by many magazine and newspaper reviews as being one of the best works Coldplay have ever written. They're not wrong. It is a song to raise the sky, to lift your spirits, to make you feel something deep down in your heart. Sentimental though it may sound, it is a description worthy of such a powerful song.
Forthcoming single, Princess of China, will be released on Valentine's Day this year, and marks a lovely collaboration with another of this year's Grammy-nominated artists, Rihanna. Pairing Martin's vocals with Rihanna's on alternate verses, the song begs to be sung along to; it is a true crowd-pleaser.
Up In Flames takes us into a karaoke bar-setting, with drummer Will Champion's lone snare and bass drum set against the stripped-down piano and Chris Martin's vocals, telling us that Mylo and Xyloto's love has gone up in flames, quietly breaking your heart as you listen.
But all is not lost. As Up In Flames dies away, we enter A Hopeful Transmission, and as you can imagine from the title, we are granted so much hope as we head into the closing two tracks of the record. Don't Let It Break Your Heart, the penultimate track, is drenched with such beautiful harmonies set against the lead vocals, and it is filled with such energy in its entirety, before falling away mercifully into a love-letter of a final song, Up With The Birds.
Just as the album opens, and just as it has progressed through the previous thirteen tracks, Up With The Birds is the perfect conclusion to what has been a perfect album. In fourteen songs, Coldplay have done something few bands ever achieve, and it is not the first time that they have released such a magnificent work of art.
With every effort, they seem to keep improving on their last release, and that is a truly remarkable feat that very, very few artists can honestly claim. They emerge every few years with a brand new album that sounds so different to their last, yet retains the same magic that only Coldplay can bring to your ears. Mylo Xyloto marks an absolutely powerful, exceptional return from the band, and if you have not yet heard it, I thoroughly recommend that you seek it out immediately. It is their masterpiece.
-
Oliver - 1/28/2012
This has got to be one of the best Iron Maiden Albums ever!
Is a must buy for anyone who loves rock or metal its simply amazing as it contains some of there most famous songs.
A MUST BUY!!!!!!!!!!
-
Joshua Stephenson - 1/23/2012
Cloud Nothings are an Indie Rock band from Ohio, whose last album 'Cloud Nothings' was a Lo-Fi number that was solid, but pretty forgettable. With their new LP 'Attack On Memory' being produced by Steve Albini, it's no surprise to see the Lo-Fi sound ditched in favour of a rawer, aggressive style and it's one that suits the band down to the ground.
The album kicks off with 'No Future/No Past', a classic Albini track that wouldn't have sounded out of place on 'In Utero'. Built off basic guitar, drum and vocal lines that repeat and gradually get louder, more aggressive and scuzzed before lead singer Dylan Baldi erupts into this growling vocal. Certainly Baldi's voice will be a source of contention for some, he can sound like he's doing a bad 90's grunge impression, but considering the style they are aiming for I don't mind it. They suffer their only major misstep with 'Wasted Days' that for the first 3 minutes is an exciting, riff-y, number with Baldi screaming 'I thought I would be more than this', but then it transitions it an all-out jam that, although musically tight with good progression, severely outstays its welcome at an extra 6 minutes length to the track. Considering how short the album is I don't think it would be cynical to say that the band was looking to add some minutes to the run time.
The best two tracks come in the form of 'Stay Useless' and 'No Sentiment', the former been a short, punk-rock song with a simple riff, and this fantastic anthem-like chorus of 'I need time to stop worrying/I need time to stay useless/I need time to start moving/I need time to stay useless'. Baldi's slacker-esque vocal also works really well with this track, and all combine to make the tightest track on the album. 'No Sentiment' though is classic Albini loose, raw, distorted guitars dialed up to 11, with pounding drums and a fantastically lazy vocal delivery from Baldi, which erupts at a moments notice. Discussing the disposability of modern music in this really bitter, sarcastic way 'No nostalgia/And no sentiment/We're over it now/And we were over it then', it has a classic 90's feel to it and is probably my favourite track on the album.
Tracks like 'Fall In' show off their emo-rock aspirations with its aggressive verses, but sugary sweet chorus and 'Our Plans' is a love-letter to the 90's with traditional rock song progression and some huge solos. Certainly by the last track Cloud Nothings are running out of momentum and 'Cut You' can feel a bit disposable, but at just 33 minutes long 'Attack On Memory' doesn't outstay its welcome, in fact it's the perfect length for this kind of 90's revivalist style.
In 'Attack On Memory' I would say Cloud Nothings have created the first essential album of 2012, an album that certainly wouldn't have felt out of place in the 90's and thus for those of you who are tiring of this revivalist style, you may want to look elsewhere. Yet, for those of you who are in the mood for a bit of classic Albini produced balls to the wall, rock music then you need look no further for your next fix.
-
Gareth - 1/20/2012
Not the type of album I would usually purchase, fundamentally a pop record from one of the contestants from the world dominating X Factor. Olly Murs was a contestant in the 2010 edition of the X factor. The first release from the album 'Please don't let me go' went straight to number one and the second single 'Thinking of you' entered the charts at number four. The Album 'Olly Murs' was released on the 29th November 2010.
Olly Murs has done very well for himself in such a short space of time, this is no doubt to do with the cheeky chaps instant likeability and lad next door personality, but I feel its also largely to do with how he has been marketed, which again I'm sure is no doubt at least loosely based on his already existing personality and interests in music. Very cleverly marked as, well almost a modern day Mod, with trilby hats never a miss, Harrington jackets, small coloured shirts, tight jeans, brogues and dog tooth checks.
The songs themselves, a mixture of pop, pop ballads and a nice blend of pop infused with reggae and soul, going hand in hand well with the way he has been marketed, all of these things have made Olly Murs a forced to be reckoned with.
The record label and management of Olly have also brought in great song writers, either to write for or co-write a majority of the songs with o
Olly Murs, some well-known and some not so. The song on the album 'Ask Me to Stay' was co written with Chris Difford formerly of Squeeze. Contributions from more contemporary artists include the song, 'Heart on My Sleeve', in part contributed my James Morrison, with Ed Sheeran helping with 'Love shines down'.
The album starts with the track 'Change is Gonna Come', which with its drums and piano reminds me of sixties Rolling Stones, with 'Sympathy for the Devil'. The song 'Busy' is a very catchy number "we spend all our time lying side by side, going nowhere, its really something, getting busy doing nothing" you just can't help but sing or at least hum along every time. An early personal favourite of mine is the song 'Accidental' about a man planning many ways to catch the eye of a particular lady but making out its more coincidental or accidental rather than well planned and thought about moves, maybe with an element of stalking.
A Fantastic album and I am sure Olly Murs is only set to get bigger and better; I wasn't sure when buying the album but was instantly won over. His second album came out on the 25th November 2011 named 'In Case You Didn't Know', which has already bagged a another number one single from it in the shape of 'Heart Skips a Beat', in part written by Samuel Preston previously of the Ordinary Boys and of celebrity big brother, who also contribute another track to the album. Following one from this album, I am now converted and will never rule out purchasing an album from an X factor contestant and I will definitely be buying Olly's second album before too long, brilliant!!
-
Will Ayling - 1/10/2012
This is the recently released album by Yellowcard with the new bassist Sean O'Donnell trying to fill the old spots of Pete Mosely, I chose to review this album as oppose to the electric full version as it just has so much more character in it, you can hear every note and clearly see the emotion behind each melody created and totally giving the song its background, and helps you to see what the artist was going for.
The main compliment to this album is that has all the attitude of the original album but with so much more clarity and character!
It is quite an easy listen if you are going for a relaxing yet upbeat acoustic tracks however its lyrics and style do point towards a younger generation. The original in full edition was a very well produced album however if you are looking for emotion and want to feel the music then the full edition is not what you want, This Re-release album screams to be heard and every single little note or strum is perfectly balanced.
I have played this album to friends and family and then played the full edition and at times its hard to even tell that its the same songs, the way they are played with full instrumentation for me loses its thickness and its clarity, however it is a massive positive to listen to the acoustic album first as it will help you to pick out all the parts that were created to give the song its feel.
So if you are on the brink of buying one or the other then this one has the edge as it has so much more musical ability included!
-
chloe - 12/24/2011
An amazing well sung and written debut album by Jessie J, born Jessica Ellen Cornish in Redbridge. The album includes the singles Price Tag, Do It Like A Dude, Nobody's Perfect, Who's Laughing Now and the heart wrenching Who You Are. It also includs an amazing live performance of Big White Room(the first song she wrote).
When the songs are playing you can understand the meanings of each and every song. Her outstanding vocals draw you in and make you feel every word of every song. Jessie has the ability to transport you through every emotion possible with her music!
None of the songs are the same. You've got everything from ballads to club anthems. Everyone will love it!
Each song has a personal meaning which will help you understand life better or help you overcome a problem you may have.
This is such an amazing album. It is well worth listening to!
-
Paul Mc Kay - 12/16/2011
Gungor is a strange fish. An American band that doesn't sound American. They oose Euro sensibilities and dare I say it, British quality as they play a gizzillion instruments, mix sounds and vocals and do so in a sensitive beautiful package. If you have decent enough sound system you should crank it up, lie back on the sofa and close you eyes so you can imagine their jamming with Jools Holland. They are probably one of the few bands in the Christian music scene who could play there and not sound out of place and inferior.
The record starts out with a delicate spanish guitar only to find the rest of the void filled by Chris Martin style vocals and equally sublime piano, drums, bass, synths and other stuff. The thing that sticks in your head is the sound and the simply honest vocals crying emotion, belief and passion.
Now what 90% of music in the Christian music world fails to do is finish it off so it doesn't sound like it was recorded on an hour in the back of a mini. Instead you get the crazy notion they spent ages writing lyrics, ages writing the music and money on playing about in the studio! That's how a band can go from sounding amateur to sounding like the main stage act at Glastonbury.
This is a band which started life as the Michael Gungor Band with simple original music with a hint of experimentation and no money to a group with stellar quality and great attention to detail.
Track 3 - Brighter Day does have classic feelgood American vocals but it sounds like it could have been recorded by McFly and in a good way. Go figure. Anyway, track 4 - Heaven - switches track totally into a soul funk vibe awaiting some Blues Brothers to show up and start dancing to before we hit the banjo led Southern worship of You Have My Heart. True it could be the title for a Hillbilly chick flick but it strips everything back to the simplicity of a single soul calling out to the big man in the sky to offload and say thanks for everything.
One highlight has to the anthemic Gungor signiture sound of The Earth is Yours. With quirky jingly sounds, classic worship lyrics and a building rhythm it almost breaks away from the earlier tracks to return you to regular worship albums which are 2 a penny, or a dime a dozen. The quality production, extra instruments and clever arrangements keep this from happening and keep it on track until we hit the horror movie sound of Call Me Out. Don't believe me but listen to the opening bars and tell me you don't picture the Addams Family!
I could go on for ever but you'd get bored and go off to facebook to update your status or something.
How does it all end? The penultimate track - People of God sounds like Noel left Liam for a worship project and wrote this before joining his new band. We Will Run brings it to a chilled out summers night kinda feel with Lisa (the lead singer's wife) addiing vocals and letting the listener down gently with the news that its all over.
Something to rouse your senses, let you smile, help you wonder and leave you thrilled you hitched a ride with this band for a moment you'll repeat when you hit repeat. If you're in a comfy chair as you listen to the haunting piano before the rousing finale you could be asleep before the album's over.
-
Charles Kidson - 12/11/2011
I am only 16 but i find this album amazing. My dad listened to it in the car when i was younger and i got a taste for Chris De Burgh. My favourite single is 'High on Emotion' but i enjoy all of the singles on the album. Some are laid back and perfect for easy listening ('Borderline') but some are vibrant and full of energy ('Ship to Shore' and 'Don't pay the ferryman'). A must buy.
-
A M Knight - 12/3/2011
This is a beautifully crafted song and deserves all the plaudits it is getting. Buy this song for your loved ones, family, friends and neighbours. All proceeds go to the Poppy Appeal and SSAFA who help out our serving forces and their families.
SUPPORT THEM, LETS GET THEM TO THE CHRISTMAS No.1 AND SHOW THE WORLD WHAT TRUE LOVE AND A TRUE LOVE SONG IS ALL ABOUT.
-
PAUL BRANLEY-COOK - 11/27/2011
Well, this album sees Vince and Andy back to form after a 4 year break. In the meantime Andy released a Solo Album and Vince teamed back up with Alison Moyet in the form of their 80's duo Yazoo and toured the USA and Europe.
This is the Special Edition 2 CD version.
This Album shows Andys voice is as strong as ever if not better. He also had a good run on the British TV show Pop Star to Opera Star which showed a very different side to his vocal capabilities.
Tomorrows World (the title was inspired by the BBC TV series of the same name) is full of melodic Pop songs including the two stand out singles Be With You and When I start to(Break it all down). They have promoted the Album with a Live Tour of North and South America and Europe.
Its an up tempo jaunt worth its weight in Pop Music Gold.
A highly recommended buy if you want an uplifting album to listen to at virtually any occasion.
-
Gareth - 11/22/2011
The boys from Staines are back with their third offering 'Killer Sounds', and as reviews in the NME and the independent appear to agree with me, giving themselves a hill to climb from the get go and a lot to live up to. Although the album name was not intended to mean that these are killer sounds but the fact that whilst on tour, singer Richard Archer met a man, I believe, in South America, who acquired guns from local criminals and made them into guitars and liked the idea of turning something negative to a positive.
Hard-Fi burst onto the scene in 2005 with the debut album 'Stars of CCTV' which boasted such singles as 'Cash Machine', 'Hard to beat' and Better Do Better'. Many articles state that the follow up album to this, 'Once Upon A Time In The West' released in 2007, failed to live up to expectations and that the albums front cover was to play in the albums failing. However, how can a number one album be considered to have failed to interest the music buying public or fail to have connected with the already existing Hard-Fi fan base. I would definitely consider a number one album a success and the album cover to be a stroke of genius, as it was released in the midst of the itunes era the 'No cover art' album cover could not have been conceived and released at a more appropriate time. 'Once Upon A Time in The West' included the singles 'Can't Get Along (without you), 'I Shall Overcome' and 'Suburban Knights'. Hard-Fi are a true British band, who lyrically reflects their surroundings. Hard-Fi tracks recall to the mind inner city urban, and suburban landscapes and reflect the lives of real people through their soundscapes and social commentary, both musically and lyrically, which the mass working class can then relate to.
This then, the third album from Hard-Fi, like its predecessor has evolved from the album previous. It definitely has the Hard Fi sound musically, although it has more of a dance feel than both of the other two albums on most tracks, which Richard Archer, the lead singer, has previously stated, and has heavily influenced the band. However lyrically this album is nowhere near as strong as the previous two albums, there isn't much of that Hard-Fi social commentary that people can relate to; it's far more generic, less inspiring and less interesting in its wording, which is a big fall down.
The first single from the album 'Good for Nothing' is what you have come to expect from the band. The second track is also a strong number with a dance vibe to the music called 'Fire in the House'. In fact the first four songs of the album start off reasonably strongly. However the album falls down on track five, 'Feels Good'. Lyrically, I would say this song is poor, with the rhyming of such words as brain, cocaine and propane, lyrically it appears to have become stuck in the 70's, this sort of song writing really is desperate and I really think and the band should have really thought about skipping this track and leaving the album as a 10 track offering. Even the music can't save this track, with its Indian vibe, it just really adds to the cheesiness of this track. Track eleven, the title track 'Killer Sounds' slows the finish of the album down to a more acoustic offering much like the title and last track of their first album 'Stars of CCTV'. This track seems to find the old Hard-Fi alive and well, back with their social observations as to why the youth generation behave in the ways they do, tackling the issues of youth culture, peers dying young and the ways in which to vent their frustrations. Maybe a few more tracks like this one dispersed amongst the dance tracks would perhaps have worked a little better. The song 'Sweat' on first listen appeared to be about STI's, with lines such as 'Sweat.I gotta get myself checked", which I thought all very good and brave of Hard-Fi tackling yet another growing problem in this country, however the song is far less interesting and seems to be about having to sweat to earn money? Oh. There are some real anthems on the album; ones which I am sure will be live favourites that really get the hard core Hard-Fi fans going crazy for more.
All in all a good album, however this will not reach the success of the first two albums from the band. However I personally think this album is a grower, I was very unsure at first but over a month on, I believe it to be a very strong and catchy album. The ever evolving Hard-Fi are one of the few bands that have managed to change their sound a little more with each offering but ultimately stay within their original genre. Some bands never change and become a little boring, such as Oasis and others change too much, but Hard-Fi have always stayed firmly within that British indie rock genre but bring or integrate something new, weather that's in the form of scratching, loops or beats, which keeps them on the edge and gently pushing boundaries in a good way.
-
brett - 11/22/2011
christmas music with a metal twist, nice worth buying