2011 has been a pretty dead year for music. We’ve went through the releases of countless artists in a variety of genres, from Christian to punk to metal and even classical, and very few acts really seem to shine. I contend that Jake Allen’s Etherica is one of a small number of titles that ultimately deserve repeated listens. Allen’s work, beginning with the disc’s first track “Ascension”, is of the…
Eyedea (the late Michael Larsen) was one of the first celebrities that I met. Back in the early 2000s, he (along with Brother Ali and Musab) freestyled for a crowd that was not informed that they were too young to attend their concert next year. He absolutely laid down some sick freestyles over RJD2 instrumentals, and we gave him some NeuFutur love. However, we were able to get a hold…
All Time Low is a band that has paid their dues. They have been touring endlessly since their formation in 2003, and I believe that they have evolved considerably since the last time we covered them (2006’s Put Up or Shut Up). The deluxe edition of Dirty Work contains three extra tracks, adding further context to what may just be their best album yet. “Do You Want Me (Dead?)” is…
This band has a lot of fans, and I had no clue who they were until I was able to get this album and listen to it a few times. “Triumph or Agony” starts out with a brand of instrumentation and orchestration that would be better in a movie, while this style comes through slightly during the opening of the title track. Rhapsody of Fire skillfully add their own brand…
Reza’s music is interesting. That’s probably the only thing that came to my mind when I first came to listen to “Ray of the Wine”. The only Persian-American that I’ve ever reviewed, Reza mixes eir two heritages incredibly well, placing in a traditional set of instruments with more American ones (bass, electronic keyboard). What first emanates to listeners’ ears is “Wild Hair”, a foreign-language track that skillfully mixes the ancient…
Heaven & Hell was a supergroup beyond even Black Sabbath’s wildest dreams. Consisting of past and present Sabbath members, their run at the top was only cut short by Ronnie James Dio’s untimely demise. The quality of Heaven & Hell: Radio City Music Hall – Live! Is nothing less than impressive. Where many concert videos seem to be lacking a truly visionary camera direction, this release ensures that every important…
The award winning Mississippi Mass Choir will once again “Go ye into all the world;” evangelizing in song; with a tour of South Africa. Hosted by the I Can Foundation, the tour will take place June 9-20th and included services in Johannesburg, New London, Hazyview, and Pretoria. According to Dr. David Molapo, Chairman and Co-Founder of the I Can Foundation, “We are looking forward to hosting the world renowned Mississippi…
Bhutto is a properly-paced telling of the life and times of the Bhutto family, in a fashion that is not completely dissimilar to coverings of a political regime like the Bush, Clinton, or even Kennedy family. While this is ultimately a documentary about the titular leader, the story easily rivals fictional accounts – Bhutto’s story is tremendously interesting and hard to believe at points. In order to properly educate viewers,…
Not too long ago, I did a slew of reviews based on products I found while trolling through the Mac AppStore. During my quest to find something useful, and something worth my time, I found the very interesting App called iDeskCal. For those of you, like me, who are too lazy to go look up that review, here is an overview of what iDeskCal does. The App basically takes what…
Those looking for unpublished secrets about AC/DC or even just a basic backgrounder about Australia’s loudest export are bound to be let down if that’s their sole reason for picking up Rocker’s and Rollers. Yes, Johnson is the front man of the phenomenal successful hard rock band and you know he has a slew of backstage stories that would make Motley Crue’s Dirt read like a Judy Blume book in…
