This is already really difficult, I know my number one, but that's about it. I imagine this list will be changed around for hours. So here goes!
1. Edguy - Age Of The Joker
2. Sixx:A.M - This Is Gonna Hurt
3. Michael Monroe - Sensory Overdrive (probably because of my Ginger addiction)
4. Nightwish - Imaginaerum
5. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
6. Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones
7. MC Lars - Lars Attacks
8. Bowling For Soup - Fishin' For Woos
9. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Tao Of The Dead
10. Simple Plan - Get Your Heart On
There's been so many great album this year and I feel terrible for missing out Opeth, Pain and Black Stone Cherry at least... So much good music!
Thursday, 8 December 2011
Monday, 12 September 2011
The Horrible Crowes - Elsie
The Horrible Crowes is the project that was born from Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem teaming up with Ian Perkins and writing a selection of stirring and soulful songs, all showcased on Elsie. This album is more certainly not a Brian Fallon solo album, regardless of the fact that his voice is the most recognisable thing on the album, nor is it a collection of songs The Gaslight Anthem didn't use. It's a collection of heartfelt songs, both uplifting and desolate at the same time.
The first song that was released to the public was Behold The Hurricane, a song of joyous choruses, and although it was one of the best of the album, the opener Last Rites sets a high bar for the rest of the album. Which it lives up to. With songs which can make you reflect on your life, yet feel the passion of Fallon's voice, Elsie is definitely a strong first release.
Both parties involved state that The Horrible Crowes is a 'night-time project', but with piano lines and vocals like this, a follow up of Elsie wouldn't be a terrible idea. The album is brought to a close with I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together, a touching song focusing on both life and death, which ends an almost perfect album.
The first song that was released to the public was Behold The Hurricane, a song of joyous choruses, and although it was one of the best of the album, the opener Last Rites sets a high bar for the rest of the album. Which it lives up to. With songs which can make you reflect on your life, yet feel the passion of Fallon's voice, Elsie is definitely a strong first release.
Both parties involved state that The Horrible Crowes is a 'night-time project', but with piano lines and vocals like this, a follow up of Elsie wouldn't be a terrible idea. The album is brought to a close with I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together, a touching song focusing on both life and death, which ends an almost perfect album.
Friday, 19 August 2011
Free!
It is with great happiness that I can now write a blog about the West Memphis Three (WM3) being released from prison. It is now known that they are 3 innocent men, their case being a huge miscarriage of justice and them having served 18 unjustified years in prison. Damien on death row.
Earlier today, ironically, I watched the trailer for Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, the third film in the series of documentaries about the WM3 case. It showed Damien talking to the creators, saying that if it wasn't for those two men, he would have been murdered and everything would have been swept under the rug. He will now know just how true that statement is.
On Friday 19th August 2011, the WM3, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley were freed from their life sentences (and Damien's death sentence) under a plea bargain called the Alford plea. Strangely, no UK media outlets seem to have picked up on it. It's massive news in the US, obviously, although I've no doubt that there will be a considerable percentage of the public still convinced they're guilty. Sadly, some of those people made it to the courtroom, yelling out 'baby killers' as the 3 men left.
I honestly have no idea what the point of this blog is, but I'm pleased that they've finally got some justice and can live the rest of their lives as free men.
Earlier today, ironically, I watched the trailer for Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, the third film in the series of documentaries about the WM3 case. It showed Damien talking to the creators, saying that if it wasn't for those two men, he would have been murdered and everything would have been swept under the rug. He will now know just how true that statement is.
On Friday 19th August 2011, the WM3, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley were freed from their life sentences (and Damien's death sentence) under a plea bargain called the Alford plea. Strangely, no UK media outlets seem to have picked up on it. It's massive news in the US, obviously, although I've no doubt that there will be a considerable percentage of the public still convinced they're guilty. Sadly, some of those people made it to the courtroom, yelling out 'baby killers' as the 3 men left.
I honestly have no idea what the point of this blog is, but I'm pleased that they've finally got some justice and can live the rest of their lives as free men.
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Slam Dunk North review - 28.5.11
Arriving in Leeds and having around 90% of our hotel filled with people going to Slam Dunk, you could tell by the atmosphere in the queue to check in that it was going to be a great day.
We arrived in the wristband queue shortly after 2pm, when it was wrapping around corners and right out of the university campus. We expected a very long wait, but it turned out that we only waited around an hour, which made me think right away that the whole festival was going to done very efficiently.
Once we were inside, we headed right to the Jagermeister stage (The Refectory) to see HelloGoodbye (7/10). Having already bumped in to MC Lars walking around the site, HelloGoodbye's pop fuelled setlist entertained us enough to keep us watching, and not realising they'd been on as long as they had until they ended quite abruptly after In Your Arms.
Next up, after sampling the food and drink outside the Front bar, was Anti-Flag (9/10). Nothing like I'd expected them to be, they belted through song after song, entertaining everyone and getting the crowd well and truly warmed up for what had shaped up to be an amazing line up of bands.
Following Anti-Flag for us, was VersaEmerge (7/10). Known widely as an alternative to Paramore, I didn't really have high expectations for the band, mainly because I don't like female vocals in rock music very much. However, VersaEmerge definitely impressed me and were great at what they were doing, especially with the crowd going as wild as they did, but there's definitely room for improvement on the stage presence of the band.
However, I did leave halfway though their performance to go to see Akira The Don, so they could have got better as they got further in to their set.
Akira The Don wasn't on stage when we arrived 5 minutes after his scheduled starting time, and in fact, didn't come on stage at all. When asking stewards/bar staff what was happening, nobody seemed to know, so we gave up and hung around waiting for friends.
MC Lars and Weerd Science (10/10) were up next, and in all honesty, they put in the best performance I saw of the entire day. Steaming through his better known songs, and dotting in the occasional Weerd Science song, you could tell that Lars was having a great time as well as we were. Download This Song made the crowd go crazy, and not just for the free DVD he was offering, and Mr Raven and iGeneration kept up that form. Lars stagediving and crowdsurfing against the wishes of security ended a fantastic set.
Less Than Jake (9/10) were next, and as well as all their hits and fan favourites, we were treated to their covers of the Spongebob Squarepants theme song and the Scooby Doo theme song. Amazing.
Reel Big Fish (8/10) ended our night, rather earlier than their set finished as a friend got injured, but what I saw of the band, they were definitely on form. Some great songs played and what seemed like a great stage presence.
Overall, Slam Dunk was a definite 10/10 and lineup dependant, I'll be in attendance for years to come!
We arrived in the wristband queue shortly after 2pm, when it was wrapping around corners and right out of the university campus. We expected a very long wait, but it turned out that we only waited around an hour, which made me think right away that the whole festival was going to done very efficiently.
Once we were inside, we headed right to the Jagermeister stage (The Refectory) to see HelloGoodbye (7/10). Having already bumped in to MC Lars walking around the site, HelloGoodbye's pop fuelled setlist entertained us enough to keep us watching, and not realising they'd been on as long as they had until they ended quite abruptly after In Your Arms.
Next up, after sampling the food and drink outside the Front bar, was Anti-Flag (9/10). Nothing like I'd expected them to be, they belted through song after song, entertaining everyone and getting the crowd well and truly warmed up for what had shaped up to be an amazing line up of bands.
Following Anti-Flag for us, was VersaEmerge (7/10). Known widely as an alternative to Paramore, I didn't really have high expectations for the band, mainly because I don't like female vocals in rock music very much. However, VersaEmerge definitely impressed me and were great at what they were doing, especially with the crowd going as wild as they did, but there's definitely room for improvement on the stage presence of the band.
However, I did leave halfway though their performance to go to see Akira The Don, so they could have got better as they got further in to their set.
Akira The Don wasn't on stage when we arrived 5 minutes after his scheduled starting time, and in fact, didn't come on stage at all. When asking stewards/bar staff what was happening, nobody seemed to know, so we gave up and hung around waiting for friends.
MC Lars and Weerd Science (10/10) were up next, and in all honesty, they put in the best performance I saw of the entire day. Steaming through his better known songs, and dotting in the occasional Weerd Science song, you could tell that Lars was having a great time as well as we were. Download This Song made the crowd go crazy, and not just for the free DVD he was offering, and Mr Raven and iGeneration kept up that form. Lars stagediving and crowdsurfing against the wishes of security ended a fantastic set.
Less Than Jake (9/10) were next, and as well as all their hits and fan favourites, we were treated to their covers of the Spongebob Squarepants theme song and the Scooby Doo theme song. Amazing.
Reel Big Fish (8/10) ended our night, rather earlier than their set finished as a friend got injured, but what I saw of the band, they were definitely on form. Some great songs played and what seemed like a great stage presence.
Overall, Slam Dunk was a definite 10/10 and lineup dependant, I'll be in attendance for years to come!
Monday, 2 May 2011
Bowling For Soup - Fishin' For Woos (Review)
April 26th brought the 11th studio album from Texan pop-punk band, Bowling For Soup. On first listen, Fishin' For Woos is pretty standard Bowling For Soup, which is by no means a bad thing. After a few more listens, you find the stand out tracks, such as Friends, Chicks, Guitars and I've Never Done Anything Like This. Both tracks are Bowling For Soup doing what they do best, a bouncy, summery track about things that everyone can relate to in one way or another.
Another track that deserves a special mention is an old favourite that bassist Erik Chandler wrote for a film called Sardines. Leaked online and then a fan favourite at shows, Guard My Heart makes it's full production debut on Fishin' For Woos, this time sang by Jaret. It works perfectly and adds another level to an album that is basically about girls, parties and the fun of weekends.
Bowling For Soup also show their tender side with Turbulence, the lone acoustic track on the album, and What About Us, which is a ballad the Bowling For Soup way. Both fantastic additions in to an album full of the pop-punk songs we relate to the band.
Bowling For Soup have been releasing ridiculously catchy albums for 17 years and this one is no different. It's unlikely they'll attract legions of new fans with Fishin' For Woos, but it'll make their rather large fanbase very happy indeed.
Another track that deserves a special mention is an old favourite that bassist Erik Chandler wrote for a film called Sardines. Leaked online and then a fan favourite at shows, Guard My Heart makes it's full production debut on Fishin' For Woos, this time sang by Jaret. It works perfectly and adds another level to an album that is basically about girls, parties and the fun of weekends.
Bowling For Soup also show their tender side with Turbulence, the lone acoustic track on the album, and What About Us, which is a ballad the Bowling For Soup way. Both fantastic additions in to an album full of the pop-punk songs we relate to the band.
Bowling For Soup have been releasing ridiculously catchy albums for 17 years and this one is no different. It's unlikely they'll attract legions of new fans with Fishin' For Woos, but it'll make their rather large fanbase very happy indeed.
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
R.E.M - Collapse Into Now Review
It's well known that R.E.M never produce a bad album. Collapse Into Now proves that point. There was lots of speculation about how this album would turn out, would it be in a similar vein to their 'comeback' album of 2008, or would they reintroduce some more of their nuanced sounds of earlier albums? As it happens, they compromised and there is a equal mix of both on Collapse Into Now.
Opening with an attention grabbing track by the name of 'Discoverer', you understand exactly why there has been so much hype surrounding this album, and just how deserving it is. Followed up by a punchy, more agressive 'All The Best', the opening tracks of the album cement the reason why it could be one of the best releases of the year so far.
R.E.M have never been a band to shy away from the slower, fokesy songs, and with the addition of mandolins and accordions on 'Oh My Heart', they manage to do that successfully too, enchancing the texture and layers to an already great song.
The most intriguing track, however, is closer 'Blue'. It's almost like an experiment with post-rock, with spoken lines mixing with harmonies, to create a song that leaves nothing to be desired. With Patti Smith guesting on 'Blue', other guests such as Eddie Vedder and Peaches, all contribute to making Collapse Into Now a winner.
Opening with an attention grabbing track by the name of 'Discoverer', you understand exactly why there has been so much hype surrounding this album, and just how deserving it is. Followed up by a punchy, more agressive 'All The Best', the opening tracks of the album cement the reason why it could be one of the best releases of the year so far.
R.E.M have never been a band to shy away from the slower, fokesy songs, and with the addition of mandolins and accordions on 'Oh My Heart', they manage to do that successfully too, enchancing the texture and layers to an already great song.
The most intriguing track, however, is closer 'Blue'. It's almost like an experiment with post-rock, with spoken lines mixing with harmonies, to create a song that leaves nothing to be desired. With Patti Smith guesting on 'Blue', other guests such as Eddie Vedder and Peaches, all contribute to making Collapse Into Now a winner.
Monday, 14 March 2011
Michael Monroe - Sensory Overdrive review.
The debut studio album from the Michael Monroe band is finally here, and was well worth the wait. With a band consisting of Ginger from The Wildhearts, ex-New York Dolls guitarist Steve Conte, ex-Hanoi Rocks bassist Sami Yaffa and drummer Karl Rosqvist (often known as Karl Rockfist), there shouldn't have been any doubt that this album would be a success.
Opening with 'Trick Of The Wrist', you know you're in for a great time with this album as your ears are treated to a track that wouldn't be out of place on a Wildhearts album or a Hanoi Rocks album, but masterfully created to fit on Sensory Overdrive perfectly. More of the same is released on the chosen first single, '78', which pays homage to the music scene and sense of community in 1978. Michael's vocals and Ginger's riffs manage to create one of the most infectious choruses and foot-tappingly catchy songs of the entire album.
'Got Blood' follows and leaves it's mark, making it obvious that Ginger wrote the majority of the album, and that no matter what he does, it works perfectly. 'Got Blood' is, put simply, 2.38 minutes of fast paced, raw, rock'n'roll. Next up are Superpowered Superfly, Modern Day Miracle and Bombs away, all adding to the flow of an album that will be stuck in the minds of thousands for weeks after it's worldwide release, and cementing the fact that the Michael Monroe band will certainly be around for quite some time.
Not only are the members of this band a fantastic mould of talents, country star Lucinda Williams and iconic frontman Lemmy are guests on 'Gone Baby Gone' and 'Debauchery As A Fine Art' respectively, adding another level to two outstanding tracks already destined for good things. With all those talents on one album, it was never going to be a failure, but to produce something like this is just incredible. Already a contender for album of the year, only 3 months in is an acheivement in itself, but when the band spans over 3 countries, it's even more of an acheivement.
Thirty-three minutes of a day are taken up by a first listen to Sensory Overdrive, and I'd recommend it to everyone, not just Monroe or Ginger fans, but anyone who likes music as a whole.
Opening with 'Trick Of The Wrist', you know you're in for a great time with this album as your ears are treated to a track that wouldn't be out of place on a Wildhearts album or a Hanoi Rocks album, but masterfully created to fit on Sensory Overdrive perfectly. More of the same is released on the chosen first single, '78', which pays homage to the music scene and sense of community in 1978. Michael's vocals and Ginger's riffs manage to create one of the most infectious choruses and foot-tappingly catchy songs of the entire album.
'Got Blood' follows and leaves it's mark, making it obvious that Ginger wrote the majority of the album, and that no matter what he does, it works perfectly. 'Got Blood' is, put simply, 2.38 minutes of fast paced, raw, rock'n'roll. Next up are Superpowered Superfly, Modern Day Miracle and Bombs away, all adding to the flow of an album that will be stuck in the minds of thousands for weeks after it's worldwide release, and cementing the fact that the Michael Monroe band will certainly be around for quite some time.
Not only are the members of this band a fantastic mould of talents, country star Lucinda Williams and iconic frontman Lemmy are guests on 'Gone Baby Gone' and 'Debauchery As A Fine Art' respectively, adding another level to two outstanding tracks already destined for good things. With all those talents on one album, it was never going to be a failure, but to produce something like this is just incredible. Already a contender for album of the year, only 3 months in is an acheivement in itself, but when the band spans over 3 countries, it's even more of an acheivement.
Thirty-three minutes of a day are taken up by a first listen to Sensory Overdrive, and I'd recommend it to everyone, not just Monroe or Ginger fans, but anyone who likes music as a whole.
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