“A Beaten Man†is a track that introduces fans to Strange Day well; the band’s eclectic nature is shown perfectly here. Whether it is the vocals calling forth equal amounts Chris Cornell and Axl Rose or the epic instrumental arrangements that operate in the background, listeners that have a chance to give “A Beaten Man†a few spins will understand the band’s allure. Strange Day does not pigeonhole themselves into…
The electronic, industrial sound of Wunderbugg’s “Written In Flesh†unities ambient music with a darker component, speaking to more than many singularly-focused albums would normally. While there is nothing in the way of vocals to be had during this opening salvo, Wunderbugg is able to create a narrative that leads strongly through “3molecules Away†and into “Infected With Hopeâ€. “Infected With Hope†still has hints of this ambient sound, but…
Knugu starts out “Quadrilogy†with a funky bit of pop music that ties together the instrumental efforts of Prince and Eagle Eye Cherry, while bringing forth vocals that touch on a pop tradition put forth by the Backstreet Boys, Vanessa Carlton, and even Christina Aguilera. The two sets of vocals that introduce listeners to Knugu during “Getting Over You†showcase a more varied approach than many pop stars are apt…
“Songs of Ascent†starts out with “Modah Aniâ€, a track that has a contemporary sound, albeit one that is tinted with a Middle Eastern flow. When Wilson’s vocals begin, they operate more as an additional instrument instead of going forth and furthering a narrative. This shift in the role of the vocals represents just one of many things that Wilson changes and does differently on “Songs of Ascentâ€, an album…
“Fade†is a perfect introduction to Sweden’s latest export, Leo Nielsen. Nielsen (better known as just “Leoâ€), begins “Fade†with nothing more than a twinkling piano. This simple arrangement tells books worth of narrative, uniting with Nielsen’s soulful, softly spoken vocals soon after. The style of vocals that Nielsen contributes to “Fade†is something pretty unique, coming forth as a blend of Coldplay and Lionel Richie. The choir-like arrangement that…
Chances are if you have been involved in the bar scene in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania over the last decade, you have seen the Cosmic American Derelicts play out. Their brand of rock-cum-country is something that can be appreciated by anyone, and with the opening track “Sleepwalking Killerâ€, Cosmic American Derelicts are poised to increase their fan base considerably. This track is a driving bit of country-infused rock…
I can see Zach Raizman coming forth with the tracks on “Zachâ€, his latest EP, on a path that will ultimately place him alongside the Jonas Brothers and Naked Brothers Band as a king of pop. After individuals hear the first track on this eponymous EP, “Superstar†, they will likely come to the same conclusion. “Superstar†links together the pop tradition of a Jesse McCartney and an Aaron Carter…
“Whisper’s Song†begins Martino’s “A Storyâ€. This track is integral in understanding the range of approaches and styles which Martino is capable: in the space of a few minutes, Martino has really done more than many musicians have done in the course of a disc. The track’s five-plus minute runtime places it at the longer end of “A Storyâ€â€™s tracks, but the calming, serene nature of the track will get…
Individuals might not be familiar with Craig Bickhardt from name alone. For film buffs, however, individuals may know of Bickhardt from the compositions that he contributed to the classic flick “Tender Mercies”, that starred Robert Duvall. If the individual would not know Bickhardt from that linkage, he has also penned hits for stars like Pam Tillis and Martina McBride. Knowing that he penned hits for those individuals does not give…
Over The Rhine is an act that shocked me. I was guessing a much more folksy, classical style out of “Discount Fireworksâ€, but I hear something like a slow-baked version of Sheryl Crow. The opening track, “Last Night On Earth Againâ€, is a very radio-friendly song and only goes into a more musical style when the slide guitar plays at the peripheries. This sound continues through “If Nothing Elseâ€. The…
There is a heavy amount of alt-country present during Leeroy Stagger’s “Where I Liveâ€. The vocals seem to blend John Mellencamp and Tom Petty. This means that while the songs are eminently radio-friendly, they have a little bit of grit present that establishes eir as someone completely different from what is pushed at the moment. The material is a little sparse for a nearly-five minute track, but Stagger ends the…
Benea Reach starts off their “Monument Bineothan†in a pretty normal, middle of the road way. There might be a tremendous amount of “heaviness†present, but the first track “Ground Slayer†does little to really compel listeners to focus in. The band is able to make their compositions fit together nicely, and make a play for the Headbanger’s Ball group, but the only thing interesting during the disc’s first track…
Forever in Motion is a band that I was not familiar with before putting on “The Beautiful Unknownâ€. The first track, “Magicâ€, seems to add together equal parts radio rock and emo music. A piano blends together with a set of vocals that itself seems to be influenced by those coming out of bands like Hinder and Linkin Park. The band slowly adds bits and pieces to their overall sound…
Abigail Williams start out their “Legend†EP with “From the Buried Heartâ€. During this opening track, there seems to be a blend of progressive metal with a brand of metal that looks back towards the eighties style of metal. However, instead of Abigail Williams merely attempting to revive a certain period in metal, their smartest move during this introductory track has to be the inclusion of a newer rock style.…
Genre-wise I feel like Motion Picture Demise is kind of all over the board. “Zip. Boom. Hah.” leaves me feeling a little lost as to a genre to tag on them. Mostly, their music is a solid time investment; I think all can find at least one song on here that touches on their style of choice. My largest criticism is to cut the song length down a bit, by…
Individuals know who exactly Elton John is. There is no use describing eir career or the trials and tribulations that marked the music or the style that created the music. Rather, individuals need to know that there are seventeen of John’s hits on the CD, with “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Bennie and the Jets”, and “Crocodile Rock” as three of the first four songs that individuals hear. There are other…
Individuals know who exactly Elton John is. There is no use describing eir career or the trials and tribulations that marked the music or the style that created the music. Rather, individuals need to know that there are seventeen of John’s hits on the CD, with “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Bennie and the Jets”, and “Crocodile Rock” as three of the first four songs that individuals hear. There are other…
“Unlucky Stars†is the first track on the album, and it paints Point One as a newer type of rock act that blends together hints of Good Charlotte with the slightly harder sounds of a Korn, White Zombie, or Ministry. What results is something that is immediately ready for popular radio, and this same type of sound is present in droves during the disc’s second track, “Oxygenâ€. The band decides…
I like Chelsea. They were present on a number of different punk compilations that I have heard over the years. This album is a new one for the band, and it is important because it features the trio of James Stevenson, Chris Bashford, and Gene October. This trio was integral in creating the Chelsea sound, and they have not been together in the recording studio since 1979.
Individuals that have been around the music scene for a few years will undoubtedly have heard of Jeff Buckley. I know that I got into music a few years too late to hear any of Buckley’s stuff back when it was new, but I heard the legend of Buckley’s name every few months for about the last decade. When I actually received a copy of “So Realâ€, I was able…