How do you guys personally feel about the new album?
Derek: I can honestly say that we are more pleased with this album than anything that we’ve done before. From the writing of the songs, down to the actual recording of the album it was about as pure a process as possible, creatively.
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Death Cab For Cutie has a new album. It’s called Narrow Stairs, and if you haven’t read the articles, then you may not know that it’s “bloody and loose” and more “hard rock” than any of their previous work. Or maybe you have no clue that guitarist Chris Walla is back as producer, and from there, the album was recorded on analog tape to minimize overdubs. These are the token details we’ve been given.
2005’s Plans, the band’s first major label release, is high-profile studio work – sparkling and calculated. Being the epitome of commercially viable indie rock and a band that’s proved themselves capable of making literate music in the face of popularity, the release of Narrow Stairs isn’t about doubt; it’s about questions. Like, how will the band live up to darling Transatlanticism? Or will Narrow Stairs come close to the ability of Plan’s platinum success? Will Ben Gibbard top his past lyric and vocal work? If the analog Narrow Stairsprocess really was “bloody and loose”, will we even notice, or was it more for their own well-being? Death Cab’s art pop as hard rock? Wait, really?
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To be honest, before even listening to my copy of From First To Last’s new self-titled album, I was thinking of how many horrible puns I could create using former vocalist Sonny Moore’s name. But because I’m just a Neanderthal, I couldn’t come up with any decent ones. Unfortunate for me (fortunate for you, though).
Seriously, though, From First To Last have encounter more drama over the past year than the entire first season of A Shot At Love. After Moore quit to go make his own music, the band was dropped by Capital Records and seriously considered breaking up. Instead guitarist Matt Good took over lead vocals, the band picked up a permanent bassist in Matt Manning, and they were picked up by Suretone Records. Armed with a new home and a permanent lineup, From First To Last went on to complete their third studio album and major label debut.
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The double disc album can be a pitfall for many bands. The girth of a release sometimes outweighs the overall vision and flow of the effort. Such is not the case with this 4-disc opus (ok, it’s technically a two release 24 song opus that could fit on two discs, but who’s counting?). I never thought I’d say it, but with the release of the second half of The Alchemy Index, Thrice has succeeded in creating a relevant multi-disc album that not only stands as a testament to the success of the format but also maintains a fairly even level of quality throughout. Though it is not without its slip-ups, the release stands as an excellent departure and display of tremendous growth from a band once pigeon holed as “screamo”.
Read More “Thrice – The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV”
It’s easy to answer the question of “who’s your favorite band?” when it’s asked. After eleven years, six full lengths, and two EPs, New Found Glory have yet to let me down on anything they’ve ever recorded. Tip of the Iceberg, their third EP, and first in 8 years, is no exception. For those who wrote New Found Glory off after their 2006 release Coming Home, get ready to eat your words, because this EP showcases everything people love about NFG and more, as it is some of their best material to date.
Produced and engineered by Paul Miner (Death By Stereo), New Found Glory have taken on a familiar but somewhat different sound on Tip of the Iceberg by creating three hardcore punk songsthat can be compared to Catalyst’s “Intro.” One of the most exciting things about this band is waiting to hear the vocals of Jordan Pundik on a new song that I haven’t heard yet, because with every new album, his voice keeps getting better, and with this release, it’s his best vocal performance yet. I was a bit skeptic at first as to how his voice would sound with the music but it turned out to work incredibly well. Each of the new original songs are very brief, but they’ll definitely leave a mark. “Tip of the Iceberg” is a great opener which will stamp the lyrics “This is just the tip of the iceberg / No bone in my body tells me I deserve her” into your brain, while “Dig My Own Grave” is the hardest of the three and features a sing-along chorus and vocals from Chad Gilbert during the bridge. My favorite track “If You Don’t Love Me” sounds like a title off Coming Home, but it’s probably one of the catchiest and fastest songs the band has done.
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Sometimes on those cold late nights when the air coming from my body feels as if my soul is struggling to unleash itself from its shackles, I think of the words sung by Jimmy Eat World front man Jim Adkins on “Night Drive”: “You pierce my heart like a willing arm, your ticking makes my blood move.” Lines such as this, that sting immediately due to their poignancy and stark honesty fill the entire landscape that Jimmy Eat World’s landmark 2004 album Futures builds for itself and the listener.
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Going platinum eleven times in less than fifteen years is an admirable feat for any recording artist, but Counting Crows have made it look cool. Dreadlocked lead singer Adam Duritz became sort of a poet of a generation, appealing to both young and old with his heartfelt lyrics and soothing vocals. The band’s newest creation, is the split-level Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings. The so-called “Saturday Nights” section is a seedy romp through debauchery and confusion, posing more questions than answers as frontman Adam Duritz puts himself all the way out on a limb for listeners. The “Sunday Mornings” portion experiences a bit of twisted nostalgia, as the singer replays and then comes to terms with his faults.
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Sometimes I wish I were like you, so why won’t you let me show who I am?
Eight years has passed since Sweden’s punk rock golden boys Millencolin have released their iconic full-length Pennybridge Pioneers, and looking back, we can see there is a certain tinge of irony lurking within Nikola Sarcevic’s self-deprecating lyrics (like the excerpt above from “Stop to Think”) that intersperse cold hard truths with dry, quirky humor.
Hailing from the Swedish town of Örebro (which translates quite literally to “pennybridge” in English), Millencolin rose to fame in the early 90’s as part of the skate punk revolution, quickly being snatched up and signed by Epitaph Records. With a new millennium came a new horizon for the band that had gained a fair amount of popularity and praise in Europe and Australia but had yet to capitalize on the success labelmates Rancid, NOFX, and The Offspring had found in America. Epitaph head (and Bad Religion guitarist/co-songwriter) Brett Gurewitz took the band under his wing and produced Pennybridge Pioneers, their highest selling album to date, taking them from outside their comfort zone in the rolling hills of Sweden to record in the rolling hills of Hollywood.
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Writing about music is about bridging the disconnect. No tone, beat or verse needs an explanation because music is, in itself, an explanation of sound and passion. It’s one of the more common conundrums a music critic faces: How do you illustrate something that is already done and painted? How do you rationalize with words and criticism when the sequences, notes and lines are already aware of what they do, how they work and the desire and despair they employ.
This is where I sit with Lydia’s sophomore full-length, Illuminate. In fact, I’ve been sitting with this album for weeks, flinging around words like cheap hooker shots. This is my third take (or fourth, if you count that time I attempted to write from an “altered” state) at giving Illuminate a shakedown. Through all these exchanges, there are a several points that I’ve been able to finalize.
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Oh how it’s been so long, we’re so sorry we’ve been gone. We were busy writing songs for you. You don’t have to worry ‘cuz we’re still the same band.
Those are the first words uttered by Panic At The Disco’s Brendon Urie on “We’re So Starving,” the opening track of his band’s second album, Pretty. Odd..
Good joke guys, gooooood joke.
If you’re looking for hyperactive vocals paced by synths, Pretty. Odd. is not the album you’re gonna play, because it seems that the Las Vegas quartet have sweated out that fever known as the dance-rock trend. Instead, guitarist/lyricist Ryan Ross spent his spare time going to garage sales and scourging for as many Beatles and Beach Boys records he could find and reinvented his writing style. Instead of using witty pop culture references as a basis for his lyrics, Ross’ style on Pretty. Odd. is sometimes insightful, sometimes infuriating, but mostly just nonsensical (he seems to enjoy moons).
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Whenever the discussion of underrated bands comes up, I always automatically think of The Hush Sound. It’s hard to get attention on a label stacked with more popular acts like Panic At The Disco, The Academy Is, and Cobra Starship, but The Hush Sound would rather not cater to the teenage girl scene. With the release of their third album, Goodbye Blues, the Chicago quartet furthers themselves from the Decaydance sound, as their brand of mature, piano-backed pop have flourished into a more refined sound.
Produced by Kevin Augunas (Cold War Kids), Goodbye Blues is a more focused effort, displaying a good balance of quirky, upbeat pop tunes and piano-driven, heavy ballads. Vocalist and pianist Greta Salpeter definitely carries this album, as you hear a lot of her throughout. Her vocal delivery has improved from Like Vines, as she demands more of your attention on each track she appears. She welcomes you to the listen experience with “Intro,” as heavy piano keys paint the mood. Two of the catchier tracks follow, first single “Honey” and the foot-stomping “Medicine Man” (which should have been the first single; hopefully it gets second single treatment).
Read More “The Hush Sound – Goodbye Blues”
The Starting Line have a message for everyone. The band, manager, and other friends will be in this thread for a while answering questions. Please stop in to say “hi,” ask a question, or just hang out for a little while.
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The Loyal starts off with 14 seconds of “Woland’s First”. It’s only a quick moment but leeways into The Loyal gently. Still, the mood kicks off like a slingshot. From here on, Tiger Lou is changing along with the album, existing in the album and breathing like the album. There is no escaping. The Loyal is its own being. Rasmus Kellerman is the man pulling the strings and pumping the heart. Almost all the album instrumentation was recorded by his lonesome with Peter Katis (Interpol, Denali, The National) lending his production. The payoff is stunning.
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Over the past few months, we’ve seen notable metalcore front men try their hand at quieter and gentler side projects, such as Keith Buckley and Josh Scogin, of Every Time I Die and The Chariot fame, respectively. But, if this is to become the new trend, we should give credit to City and Colour, the side project of Dallas (city) Green (colour, get it?), for spearheading such endeavors. Most famous for his work as the lead man in Canadian rock act Alexisonfire, Green is now making waves in the States with his solo work on his Vagrant-debut, folk-inspired Bring Me Your Love.
Already a star in Canada, his debut album, Sometimes, garnered a plethora of critical acclaim and awards from our northern brothers. While Sometimes wasn’t widely available in the U.S., it still made a modest splash with American fans. Now, with the backing of Vagrant, Bring Me Your Love is the first City And Colour album to be released on American soil and aims to be a big hit with many in the scene.
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Nearly three and a half years removed from their sophomore album, the platinum-certified Still Not Getting Any…, Simple Plan has returned from their sabbatical with a brand new self-titled CD. It’s evident upon first listen that while they’ve opted for the glossy production of a major-label band, they still have the songwriting skills of cavemen. Unfortunately for our now-damaged ears, the overdone production doesn’t distort the abominably dull lyrics enough to offer any comfort.
The social commentary (no, really) from Simple Plan begins with the opener and lead single, “When I’m Gone,” while introducing us to a main talking point about the new album. Frontman Pierre Bouvier’s vocals, previously one step above nails on a chalkboard have lost most of its grating whine, and instead dropped him in the middle of every other average pop-rock singer with little to no range. Nonetheless, the band yearns for acceptance with a vast array of mid-tempo ballads and slow songs that will totally undershoot their target audience. Frankly, it doesn’t even sound like they’re trying half of the time. “The End” amounts to nothing more than a crappy b-side from The Higher’s newest album; heavy on distortion, little on substance. As Bouvier begs and pleads for the subject of the song to stay and croons, “You know it’s not the end,” the listener begins to wish it was.
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