Strata – “Strata Presents The End of the World” (2007) March 4, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2007, Strata.1 comment so far
Written by Andrew Hart
Many times experimentation in rock music is met with failure. Many fans of the band feel isolated by a major change, and oftentimes the music is criticized for being a major departure from the well known sound. Yet, time and time again rock musicians insist on this silly thing called “evolution” in an attempt to make themselves feel better about doing nothing but strumming on instruments all day long (I kid people, I’m sure there’s some other reasons too). And so, despite the failures of many before them, hard rockers Strata took a huge gamble in 2007 with the release of Strata Presents The End of the World, a major transition from their post-grunge inspired debut to be sure.
If you don’t figure out pretty damn quick that Strata made a big time jump as “Night Falls (The Weight of It)” kicks in, you may need to get your hearing checked. The opening track is nothing like the dark rockers such as “The Panic” or “Never There” from the self-titled debut, but instead commands your attention with a killer drumbeat and vocalist Eric Victorino’s piercing high voice crooning some brilliant words. “The walls of this city are all cold metal and stone, but we’re nothing permanent we’re just soft skin and bones,” is just one display of Strata’s obvious lyrical evolution. The difference in musical style is noticeable as well, as there’s far less overpowering distortion in the guitars, and much more focus on the band’s strength, Victorino.
Every track on Strata Presents The End of the World is mind-numbingly unique, from the soft and comforting “Hot/Cold (Darling Don’t…)” to the relentlessly quick “Cocaine (We’re All Going To Hell)” (Too many parentheses yet? Don’t worry, I think I’m done with those). The album’s flow would seem erratic based on such varied musical styles, but never once does the disc feel awkward, but instead it feels as though every song was perfectly chosen for it’s piece in the grand puzzle of this end of the world. Those two songs with such drastic differences in style are just separated by one song as early album-goers, as crazy as that seems from listening to them.
Each and every track also delivers one of the things that makes a lot of bands today so great; raw passion. “Coma Therapy” stands out as music that plays along with Victorino’s every sultry-sung word. The drum pounds with your heart on the verses as the lyrics build up to the soaring chorus, a beautiful ballad that Victorino clearly poured his soul into, and it shows. Don’t get caught in it’s entrancing three and a half minute span though, or “Poughkeepsie, NY” will kick your teeth out. The track stands out lyrically as do the others, a story of a man meeting with “the devil” in a bar, but it’s dark tone combined with the repeated “Hallelujah” lyrics from Victorino stand out as a great intentional irony.
It’s hard to fault any album as good as this one for it’s experimentation that has clearly paid off so gloriously, but fans of Strata’s previous work are obviously all on the fence regarding this disc. It’s a great descent from Strata’s last album, and leaves little reminiscence of that time. The disc has a much softer vibe, and there’s far less focus on instrumentation. The other glaring flaw is the politically charged “The New National Anthem.” Some will view the lyrics of the song as the best on the album, while others will no doubt attack it for daring to speak what it does. It’s the only political song on the album, but not all songs of this nature will be taken kindly.
The other faults? Well, there just aren’t any. I’d love to call this album perfect; it does everything right after all. Victorino is one of the best vocalists out there, something I’d never expected to say after the first album, and his lyrics are as top notch as his vocal quality. Strata is no longer in the business, Victorino is pursuing other projects, and this may has well have been his first. It’s all his writings, his music, his passion poured into every crack. Enough dancing around, is Strata Presents The End of the World a perfect album? Not quite, simply because it takes a lot of effort to love this album. It’s different, it’s not real attention-grabbing, and it’s not entirely identifiable. It’s an isolated record, and the listener may have a hard time “feeling” it, but when you finally get it, there are few albums better.
The Point – Eric Victorino shines as the vocalist for Strata, a band that despite major change, has succeeded in creating an original and beautiful album. It may take some to appreciate it, but it’s worth the effort to get a chance to hear these marvelous songs.
9.5 out of 10
Download This – “Coma Therapy”
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BulletProof Messenger – “Arm Yourself” (2009) March 1, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2009, BulletProof Messenger.2 comments
Written by Andrew Hart
There are a lot of bands that have a bit of electronic fun with their music, and then there’s BulletProof Messenger. Electronic vibes and beats are the calling card of this six man unsigned enigma, and if you don’t believe me, one of those six is just there to play with the beeping noises. Unsigned is however, the last word you’d think to describe this band who’s crisp production and masterful hooks would compete with some of the best in the business, and now BulletProof Messenger attempts to get signed once more with their sophomore album, Arm Yourself.
Not convinced when I mentioned those hooks? Good luck escaping the insanity of “This Fantasy.” This opening track is enough to get jaws dropping right away and demonstrate the absolute flawless integration of turntable madness into the modern rock scene. I have no idea just how BulletProof Messenger adds the electronic sounds to their hard rock jamming, but they do a damn good job of it. One of the things that makes each track stand out is the unique electronic sound that can be added to each one. For example, “This Fantasy” relies on a standard pulse-pounding turntable vibe, while the follow-up track “Move On” begins with a much more distant sound. The difference is noticeable, but the tracks are of course similar in how ridiculous catchy they are, and it only gets better with the big-time standout that is “Lose It All.”
But enough blabbering about the beeps and boops of BulletProof Messenger, I did mention this is a six man operation after all. Frontman Marcus has a crystal clear and well-ranged voice that sounds like a variation of Trapt’s Chris Brown. The similarities in style are clear, and BulletProof Messenger brings a lot of punch to every song to keep themselves in that league. The riffs are outstanding, the drum beats addictive, and most importantly, every song combines them to form some dangerously powerful hooks. It’s hard to listen to all of Arm Yourself without being consciously aware of every song change, and that’s an impressive feat to say the least. These hooks have even evolved significantly from their 2006 debut The Crucial Line, an album that had a lot of strong material but a fairly similar sound. Here, every song is unique, right down to the downright haunting intro of “No Way Out” or the brilliantly paced and piano-lined “Where We All Belong.” The only exception is the purely instrumental “DLD,” a real shame considering the success of “11:59″ on the previous album.
Just about every album has it’s shortcomings though, and Arm Yourself is no exception sadly. The previously mentioned “DLD” is a boring minute-long instrumental that may has well not have even been placed on the album, and is not alone in this fact. I say this, because it appears BulletProof Messenger’s ambition for epic tracks may have gotten the best of them, as some of the songs seem to unnecessarily drag at the beginning or end. Album closer “Step Out” is particularly guilty of this sin. It’s constant beat is a welcome and powerful album-ender, but it goes on by itself for far too long, to the point where you’re bored with it and it loses the effect. “No Way Out” also has a solid two minutes of instrumentation before kicking in with much of anything. This sounds like critiquing just to critique as a reviewer who enjoys “epic” rock music, but BulletProof Messenger simply does not provide enough kick to these lengthy installments to make it worth of your time.
To say anything else would be nitpicking for the sake of nitpicking. BulletProof Messenger as an unsigned band is among the best you’ll ever hear, on the power of the hooks alone. They’re not an overwhelmingly complex band, but by their powers combined they’ve been able to create some of the catchiest music I’ve heard in years (trust me that’s a lot of music). If and when this band gets signed, there’s no doubt they’ll get some airplay, and rightfully so.
The Point – Arm Yourself is an electronically charged blast of energy with enough hooks to catch an ocean worth of listeners. Despite some overly lengthy songs, there’s no doubt the band has the potential to create some great music, and has on this album.
9 out of 10
Download This – “Lose It All”
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus – “Lonely Road” (2009) February 5, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2009, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.1 comment so far
Written by Andrew Hart
As a man who doesn’t often claim to be a big fan of the alternative pop punk stylings of bands such as The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, it should come as a surprise that their debut album rocked my world. Don’t You Fake It was a wonderful blend of impassioned vocals, catchy riffs, and lyrics that went a little beyond “I love her so much, I want to marry her.” A legit contender for album of the year 2006 was made from this very band, so logically I expected the same from their 2009 follow-up, Lonely Road. I only wish I could have been right.
Now wait, I don’t want to crucify this band, I’m getting carried away early. I do kind of like this Lonely Road that The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus have spit out after three years in the studio. Lead track and single “You Better Pray” is an explosive derivation from their style of previous years but suits them well. The tempo increase once the chorus hits is a wonderfully played by vocalist Ronnie Winter, who’s vocal melodies and screams were one of the highlights of Don’t You Fake It. Most response to this track by fans of the band was fairly negative, and I can get why. It’s a big change in style for the band, but it’s hard-rocking nature is just a candy coat to something The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus did so well, make a really catchy song. At this point, I was expecting a change in style, but not the one I got.
“Pen and Paper” is just about the only song with immediate throwback to the Don’t You Fake It days, but just about everything else this CD contains is a mixed bag of mediocre tunes, so-so vocals, and an overall lack of passion. Nothing on Lonely Road comes close to the emotional vocal performances of “Justify,” “Face Down,” or “My Guardian Angel.” In fact, even with a few more slow songs than the one on Don’t You Fake It, none of them can hold a candle to the latter love song.
I usually am more than eager to talk about as many of the CDs tracks as possible, and delve into what makes them good or bad, but the majority of this album falls into the same boat. The common theme is an overall lack of memorability. I’ve listened to the album more than enough times to write a proper review for it, yet I still have yet to fall in love with any of these songs, and only seem to have caught the lyrics to one or two of the slightly more remarkable tracks. Only one or two tracks truly have any amount of standout quality. “Represent” has a solid opening sound, “Pull Me Back” has a fairly catchy chorus, and “Lonely Road” should be noted for it’s lyrical nuances. Overall however, each of these tracks suffers from other problems which drag down this endeavor.
I have found myself growing fonder of “No Spell” and “Step Right Up” the more I listen to the album, at long last. “Step Right Up” in particular has the best chance at regaining any kind of radio attention for the band that’s now trying to avoid being a one-hit wonder. The tune is a real toe-tapping kind of melody, and the chorus will get the rest of your body moving in it’s simple rhythm. It’s very remniscent of The All-American Rejects’s “Gives You Hell” in it’s simplicity and catchiness. All in all, short of the lead single which is hit for me, but a miss for most loyalists, “Step Right Up” is probably your best chance to fall in love on this Lonely Road.
The best word I come up with as I listen to this album again and again is unremarkable. It’s not bad by any stretch, in fact lyrically it’s a step up from their stellar debut. But maybe that’s it, fans of the band’s first CD will likely find this to be a big step down from a very promising start. Those just stumbling on The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus may find this more enjoyable than I did, but it certainly doesn’t sound as good to me when I know there’s just so much more potential there.
5 out of 10
The Point – Average, mediocre, unmemorable, and unremarkable are the best words for Lonely Road. The beats are too simple, the vocals not emotional enough, the songs simply not catchy enough. For a band with a huge breakout single, they didn’t put a lot of meat on these bones to try a repeat attempt. Lonely Road won’t have any tracks that you’ll skip on shuffle, but you won’t remember their names when they come up either.
Download This – “Step Right Up”
2008 Rawkfist Music Awards February 1, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in RMAs.add a comment
Revealed via Podcast nearly one month ago, for those without RawkCast capabilities, here are the results of the 1st Annual Rawkfist Music Awards.
In a category loaded with hot candidates from Canadian superstars Our Lady Peace to the ever-original Linkin Park, it was in fact Breaking Benjamin who came out on top. The album still has yet to be released or named, but clearly the Rawkfist followers think it’s going to blow our minds.
Winner – Breaking Benjamin
Disappointment of the Year
Winner – Breaking Benjamin
Surprise of the Year
Winner – Guns N’ Roses
Song of the Year
Winner – Shinedown
Hit of the Year
Winner – Theory of a Deadman
Newcomer of the Year
Winner – Jet Black Stare
Album of the Year
Winner – Shinedown
Red “Innocence and Instinct” (2009) January 28, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2009, Red.3 comments
Written by Andrew
Red is quickly becoming a phenomenon, one in which I have had no problem being a part of. In a move reminiscent of Trent Reznor’s mind-numbing prerelease games for Nine Inch Nails’ Year Zero, the sophomore effort of Red was built up with a number of twisting and turning internet puzzles. For months, diehard fans of an increasingly popular band slaved over the tiniest numbers or messages, all just to find out a little bit more about Innocence and Instinct. Maybe they’re all just crazy, but after Red’s stellar 2006 debut End of Silence, can you really blame them?
It’s worth mentioning that Red is unlike anything you’ve heard before, a pure hard rock band with glorious electronic showerings and powerful vocals that range from beautiful melody to emotional screams. It won’t take long for you to realize just what you’ve been missing if you aren’t already a member of Red nation, because “Fight Inside” kicks out your speakers after one of the band’s signature electronic intros. The guitars kick in shortly after to compliment the backbeat, and by the time you hear the crisp vocals, you’ll be sold on Red’s style. “Fight Inside” is hardly Red’s catchiest track, but it’s powerful both in sound and message, and if you don’t figure out that Red’s a Christian band right away, you’re not alone.
Lead single “Death of Me” isn’t close to Red’s catchiest work either, but it should be mentioned that Red does not pride themselves on catchy hooks, but on intense and emotional music. In similar vein to the opening track, “Death of Me” rings out with raging guitars and clean electronic beats, with a faded out vocal accompanying on the verses. The chorus may take a couple of spins to get ingrained in your head, but it will be worth it when you find yourself singing to “But I’m still bleeding and you’ll be the death of me.”
I may be ranting a bit on the first two tracks so I’ll make some more concise points with the rest of this. “Mystery of You” is that hook you’ve been looking for if you’re not yet sold on Red, and “Start Again” will be sure to keep you locked into your headphones. Innocence and Instinct isn’t about headbanging, thought it’s certainly welcome, but more about the tone and edginess of the music. A dark and ethereal tone drips through every bit of Innocence and Instinct, yet the songs bring message of everything from hope to despair. “Never Be The Same” echoes both of these as crazy as that seems, and I’ll never forget the raw passion of the bridge lines “No, stay, nothing compares to you…I can’t let you go.”
It’s increasingly harder to avoid going on with great length about each song, largely because every song brings it’s own unique traits, breaking free of perhaps the only weakness of Red’s debut. Even a cover of Duran Duran’s “Ordinary World” shakes off any kind of mold that Red may have used to make Innocence and Instinct, and it’s certainly easy to notice throughout that not a single song is the same. On my first listen I was barely focused on the CD at all, but managed to notice every time a song changed. It’s very hard to find an album like that at any time. From the harmonies of “Shadows” to the gritty “Out From Under”, not one track falls far below the rest.
It’s very damn hard to find a flaw in Red’s second effort. The production is out of this world, the instrumentation is not legendary, but more than fits the sound of the band, and the lyrics are masterful. This isn’t a blatant Christian record, you’d never know Red was one of those bands without serious thought. The biggest flaw has to be that Innocence and Instinct has only 10 tracks, but picking up the deluxe edition will fix that problem, and even without spending money, this disc never feels shortened or incomplete. Quite simply, it’s everything that manic fanbase could have hoped for and more, which pleases this crazy fan quite a bit.
The Point – Innocence and Instinct is brilliant in every way, with virtually no flaws. The powerful emotion of the record is top notch, and the band has more than enough chops to pull it off. If Red isn’t established as one of the top bands in their genre after this record, there is no justice in this world. Buy this record.
9.5 out of 10
Download This – “Mystery of You”
Brynna Campbell “Rough Masters” (2008) January 16, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2008, Brynna Campbell.1 comment so far
Written by Jake
And from out of Left Field comes singer/songwriter/actress/novelist daughter of the bassist for 70s band America (infamous for the song “Horse With No Name”. You know, the one with the guy who has been through the valley. On a horse…with…you know what, you can finish it)! What, you don’t know who she is? Dude that’s OK, me neither.
Well that’s not completely true. I first heard Brynna Campbell on the Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog DVD (AVAILABLEATAMAZON.COMRIGHTNOWGOBUYITANDSUPPORTTHINGS) via an Evil League of Evil application. That little ditty was entitled “Undead” (she was a Zombie Princess, get it?) and it wasn’t half bad. Unfortunately I didn’t know she actually had a full album out.
Then our very own “Gravity” pointed out to me that it was available online. Yes, I was skeptical at first. Yes, I may have stumbled onto something that is straddling the fencd on “Rock Music”, but she still ain’t half bad. Her genre is TECHNICALLY Pop/General, just so you are aware.
Let’s begin with a little back story. As stated before, Brynna Campbell is the 22 year old daughter of Richard Campbell, bassist for the 70s group America. She is a self-proclaimed singer/songwriter/actress/author and is currently on 124th page of her novel (info via her MySpace page, accurate as of this posting). Oh yeah, I’m supposed to be talking about her music aren’t I?
Well, that’s just the thing. If you go into this opus without a mindset of understanding about her then it would seem very scatterbrained and probably unbearable. But once you learn this information (and get used to her voice) it’s actually quite enjoyable. Certainly not even radio quality (Brynna I mean that in the nicest way possible) material, but let’s not forget the album’s title: Rough Masters. Certainly some of these songs, however, with a little polish, could be heard spinning on your local station in no time. And they are quite deserving of such treatment.
Running at a mere 10 tracks, the album leaves a little to be desired. As mentioned before, her singing styles take a little getting used to, and by the end of the album you’re used to it and you want more. But you’ll be fine, just run the album again. It’s totally worth it, I promise.
It’s very jazzy, alternative, acoustic, funky, mellow blues. Songs like “Forsaken” and “Rain” emphasize her jazz and (almost) 90s Pop Female Vocalist influences, as well as emotional lyrics. I could’ve sworn “Rain” was some sort of Kelly Clarkson song when it started. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find quite the opposite.
As emotional as her lyrics are though, I can’t help but get the uneasy feeling that they could be better. They’re very jumpy and teenage girlish. There is certainly promise there, it just needs to be nurtured and brought to full fruition. This is true with all new acts, just starting out. Give it time and I feel it will truly become something epic and at least noteworthy.
The weakest song on the album is almost certainly “Branches”. It’s not a bad song, not at all, the concept is good and damn me to hell if I don’t like that flute. It’s a song that Brynna steps out of the box on, something new to break up the album. It seems like she wasn’t quite as prepared as she could’ve been when she was singing it, with very raspy high notes and wavering breath throughout much of the track. With more experience, as I’ll say again, this could be easily rectified.
As a side note, I’d just like to say that the verses in “What You Get” are the closest thing to a School House Rock song I’ve seen since…well, School House Rock. Which is awesome. I loved School House Rock.
Closing out the album we find the one true rock song, “Undead”. As is it’s pretty good, and I don’t presume to know how to make an artist’s rendition of their own work any better, but production quality could probably be a smidgen better. Turn up some volume, twist a few knobs. Who knows what could happen?
The Point – Brynna Campbell’s very first formal foray (like the alliteration?) into the realm of music is fair, but not great. The songs are catchy enough, if not lacking a little in the vocal and lyrical areas. Instrument use is top notch (as I can only assume she recorded most if not all of them of her own accord) and, overall, the whole thing is fun to listen to. Just remember to keep in mind these are Rough Masters and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
6.5 out of 10
Download This – “Undead”
Bang Camaro “Bang Camaro II” (2009) January 15, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2009, Bang Camaro.add a comment
Written by Andrew
Hey kids! Are you tired of all of your bands having just one, boring lead singer? Well then I have I got a deal for you! Straight from Boston comes one of the craziest gimmicks of a band you’ve ever seen. Bang Camaro, a band with thirteen lead singers, has been making a lot of noise with a recent appearance on Conan and three songs in the highly successful Rock Band video game franchise. They’re not just all singing though, Bang Camaro is doing it’s damnedest to bring back catchy, party, arena rock. With that goal in mind, Bang Camaro drops the sequel to their self-titled debut, and it’s you’d-never-guess title is Bang Camaro II.
As soon as “Blood Red Rock” kicks off the disc, you understand exactly what I’m saying when I say Bang Camaro lives for guitar solos and catchy choruses. “Blood Red Rock” certainly is not the best example of this, but if it’s serving as a crash course to the world of this 17 piece band, then it does it’s part well enough. The best examples of Bang Camaro’s appeal lie in the next track “Night Lies” or others such as “She’s Gone (Critical)” or “Miss Illusion”. “Night Lies” demonstrates the concept of it’s 13-man frontchoir at it’s best, with each and every voice rising in unison to hit pitch perfect notes and create an exhillirating chorus, and song as a whole. It’s hard enough for most bands to find one talented vocalist, but apparently Bang Camaro found a baker’s dozen in Boston.
I’m sure this all sounds super great so far. Yes, what Bang Camaro promises, it does. There’s plenty of excellent guitar work from Alex Necochea and Bryn Bennett, which makes the backing of most songs an absolute blast. But the novelty of the band tends to wear thin after a while. The first five songs are almost identical in nature, a standard verse and chorus structure with little to differentiate each song apart from slight variations of the guitar solos. Still, Bang Camaro begins to grate on you after so much repetition, and I have a feeling the band knows this. The latter half of the album is a much different experience, but not in a great way.
“I Know You Like My Band” is a simpler and shorter number which is unexciting in almost every way, and “Thunderclap” is just a straight up instrumental. That doesn’t sound bad from a bad that specializes in guitar solos, but those solos just don’t hold your attention for three minutes. “Can’t Stop The Night” is a nice throwback to those five songs you listened to just 10 minutes ago, so it, of course, earns brownie points for being catchy and fun. Again though, the song doesn’t have much else going for it. “The Hit” is a nice breaking of the mold, in that it’s entirely acoustic. It’s actually fantastic how good this band sounds when so stripped down, and makes me wish they would be more like that.
Bang Camaro is all fun and even more games. The more I listen to the album the less I’m inclined to compare them to arena rock acts and more like joke metal bands along the template of Tenacious D. The lyrics are so incredibly cheesy that it becomes abundantly clear that nothing the band writes is meant to be taken seriously, as demonstrated by the opening line from “The Hit”. I wish I was joking when I said the line is “Some things don’t catch on fire the way that we do. Who knew?” Of course, I am confident that this kind of lyrical lunacy is intentional and adds to Bang Camaro’s happy-go-lucky atmosphere, but it’s almost unbearable at points.
The Point – Bang Camaro is a lot of fun, and this album is likely to leave a hook or two in your ear. But gimmicks and solos aside, Bang Camaro II is a rather shallow affair filled with the same song six or seven times, with few, usually unsuccessful, variations. A lot of people, including myself, will enjoy this disc, but it’s certainly not the pinnacle of rock music, and there’s a lot of room for improvement in the writing and solos.
5 out of 10
Download This – “She’s Gone (Critical)”
Saliva “Cinco Diablo” (2008) January 5, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2008, Saliva.1 comment so far
Written by Andrew
Man, do I just hate it when a band with such promise throws so much of it away. After 2002′s emotionally charged Back Into Your System, I’ve been constantly expecting better of Saliva, yet since then have received two largely mediocre albums. Are we as rock fans forever doomed to completely average Saliva albums? Saliva’s newest record, Cinco Diablo, thankfully answers the question, and the answer is a resounding no. We are, of course, condemned to absolutely awful discs.
The first track of the CD begins with “Ladies and gentlemen…” Yeah, I could have pulled that line straight from a review from the 2007 release Blood Stained Love Story, but it still applies here. Opening single “Family Reunion” is a “Ladies and Gentlemen” clone through and through, featuring frontman Josey Scott talking randomly for about a minute, before kicking you in the nards with a pathetic attempt at a hooky chorus. I’d call it the least original track on the album, but that title must instead go to “Southern Girls” which I swear to some random deity, is an absolute thievery of Motley Crue’s “Girls Girls Girls.” Once it hits the chorus, I dare you for one second to try and distinguish the two, because the only difference I could find is that Motley’s is good.
The lack of originality is easily the biggest plague on Cinco Diablo, which is infested with horrible writing and lackluster-sounding music. Short of a guitar solo here, or heaven forbid, some actual singing there, Saliva’s newest record is a thrown together mess of every rock song you’ve ever heard and wanted to burn your ears out following. “Hunt You Down” is clearly the successor to the rap rock line following the already adored “Family Reunion”, as it follows the same exact pattern. I don’t know if Josey Scott simply forgot how to sing on more than 30% of all the songs, but all of “Hunt You Down” is talking or loudly talking on his part. The following “Judgment Day” tries so hard to repair the emotional scars of the five tracks before it, but with lyrics like ““Bang bang, another body goes down in flames,” it seems pretty clear that Saliva is now only interested in writing for the pro wrestling crowd.
Merit? I suppose there’s a couple of points there for Saliva. “How Could You?” has a pretty solid melody, but the chorus relies on the hook provided by “How could you cheat on me, you turned your back on me,” which wins not only most bluntly buzz-killing lyric of the year award, but also the worst rhyme of 2008. Seriously, if I was okay with rhyming “me” with “me” I’d have a five-year-old write some songs for me. “Forever and a Day” suffers a similar fate. The track is the best throwback to the good ole’ 2002 days, but the lyrics are very cliche and bring down the song significantly.
The biggest bright spot on the album is the closing “So Long” which are almost certainly the words you’ve been praying to hear for the last 45 minutes. Josey’s low, dark vocals cut in after an eerie opening segment, and despite not being overly catchy, “So Long” serves as the most complete song on the album, and really the only bright spot. It’s too little too late for Saliva though. The other bright spot in theory would have been Brent Smith’s appearance on “My Own Worst Enemy” but I can’t hear the Shinedown frontman anywhere, probably for the best for the sake of his reputation. I know I’d hate to be heard on this mess of an album.
The Point – Don’t buy this album, don’t steal this album, don’t listen to this album. As far as trash goes, Cinco Diablo belongs at the bottom of the nearest landfill you’re aware of. If you must own this album since you’re a diehard Saliva fan, please wash your hands before and after touching, and clean out your ears following exposure to horrible songwriting and the worst vocal performance I’ve heard in years.
1.5 out 10
Download This – “So Long”
The All-American Rejects “When The World Comes Down” (2008) January 2, 2009
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2008, The All-American Rejects.2 comments
Written by Jake
Oh All-American Rejects, how fond I have grown of you over the years. Your music, much like myself, has grown and matured. Well, matured might be a strong word. In any case you come to me and ask me to do you can favor, to review your newest musical offering, and I agree to your proposition on this day, they wedding of my daughter, with full knowledge th–…Wait, what am I saying. This isn’t the godfather, Marlon Brando is dead.
These Rejects of the All-American variety, however, are most certainly alive and kicking. Given the nature of their last opus, Move Along, one might come to expect a poppy guitar driven slap to the face. You might be looking for catchy singles like the title track or Dirty Little Secret. Well yeah, they’ve got you covered.
When the World Comes Down still has so much more to offer past its shiny, lab coat and boyish charm exterior. The boys from AAR have put together a piece of work that will keep your toes tapping and impress you down to your core. Songs like the borderline cock-rock “I Wanna” and anthemic “Gives You Hell” seem like duplicates of the aforementioned “Move Along” and “Dirty Little Secret” of Move Along, and I guess in a way they are, but somehow they feel more evolved.
Think of it like this: you remember middle school, yeah? Do you remember the one guy or girl that filled the cute-but-i-wouldn’t-wanna-tap-that niche? Ok, now do you remember how smoking fucking hot she became in freshman year? Yeah that’s totally AAR right now. They are an underage slice of jailbait waiting to be taken from….ok yeah you get the point.
Tracks like “Damn Girl”, a seemingly formulaic song about those girls who use you up and toss you aside like a condom, brings to bear not a deeper meaning (please, AAR isn’t known for their depth), but instead a song that’ll get stuck in your head for months and keep you entertained for every last second. If you buy this album never once would you regret it.
Every album’s gotta have a “downer”, right? Well When the World Comes Down’s is entitled “Mona Lisa” and let me tell you, it is anything but a downer. This is the modern equivalent of John Cusak holding a boombox over his head trying to win a girl back. Throw out that 80s shit, Tyson’s got what you need big guy.
The Rejects said they wanted to move away from the guitar-driven qualities of Move Along and instead prove that they can be more than just a band with great hooks. Not only have they stripped this thing down to bare bones but SOMEHOW they have managed to maintain the catchy pre-teen pubescent optimism that haunted their first two albums like Casper the friendly ghost. The thing that got people hooked on AAR in the first place.
The Point – When the World Comes Down is a fine offering from Tyson, Nick, Mike and Chris. They’ve proven their worth as a solid band that can put out more than mindless pop rock time and again with this album. They’ve kept the energy and spunk that made them what they are and have taken on a warm, welcoming somewhat artsy feel (see the castanets in “Another Heart Calls”). The problem lies with the fact that as much as they’ve improved, they haven’t really changed enough to merit grand recognition from anyone. They’ve evolved, yeah, but it’s like a kitten growing into a cat as opposed to a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.
8 out of 10
Download This – “I Wanna”
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Take Two by Andrew
Oh yes, the All-American Rejects aren’t going anywhere. Yes, When The World Comes Down is a simpler CD than past endeavors, but it only makes the appeal of upbeat toe-tappers like “Gives You Hell” much greater. On top of that, the band hits home runs with slow jams like “Mona Lisa” and the home run of the album “Another Heart Calls”. It’s quite a change from their last effort, but given a little time, When The World Comes Down is even easier to swallow.
8 out of 10
Fall Out Boy “Folie A Deux” (2008) December 26, 2008
Posted by rawkfistmusic in 2008, Fall Out Boy.add a comment
Written by Andrew
Fall Out Boy has been having a falling out with it’s fans for years. While garnering the attention of the masses with power-punk-pop singles like “Dance, Dance” or “Thnks Fr Th Mmrs” the popular band has slipped away from the indie punk roots it was once famous for, choosing instead to write the most unique and catchiest music on modern radio. The audience it’s developed since then will gladly stick up for the band’s move to stay in it’s ear-friendly direction, but long time followers need not be completely left in the dark, as Fall Out Boy continues it’s musical evolution with Folie A Deux.
Keeping in touch with their standard insane track names, Folie A Deux opens with “Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes” which features significantly less hook than more recent Fall Out Boy singles but is more than welcome with a unique vibe throughout. Whether it be the slow intro with Patrick Stump’s vocals accompanied by only a piano, or the climactic bridge in which the entire band chants “Detox, just to re-tox,” the opening track is like a Fall Out Boy Through The Years collection. The newest sound of Fall Out Boy emerges in “I Don’t Care” a guitar fueled romp with tons of energy. Stump’s vocals have a darker tone to them during the verses to “I Don’t Care”, the first single, a theme that pops up once or twice more throughout the album, and is a welcome addition to Fall Out Boy’s act.
The trend emerges later on “w.a.m.s.”, which minus the final few seconds of random beats, may be the highlight of an ecclectic album. The writing of bassist Pete Wentz shines through with lyrics like “My head’s in heaven, my souls are in hell, well let’s meet in the purgatory of my hips and get well,” and the chorus is catchy in a different sense than most of the band’s previous affairs. Stump’s aforementioned drop in tone is in elegant use in “w.a.m.s.” and his use of falsetto is brilliant as well. In fact, Stump’s voice seems to be in better shape than ever, as is made even more evident on pop jingle “The (Shipped) Gold Standard” and others.
However, for every standout like “w.a.m.s.” and “Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet” there are a number on surprising downers on Folie A Deux. Among them, the Elvis Costello-lined “What A Catch, Donnie”. I’ve reiterated several times since Infinity On High’s “Golden” that a slowed-down tempo is the last thing Fall Out Boy needs to be touching on, and “What A Catch, Donnie” reaffirms this notion. Boring is the perfect word for this mid-album downer, which cleverly features several guest vocalists dropping lines from past Fall Out Boy tunes toward the end, but it sounds like a jumbled mess on top of an already uneventful track. “What A Catch, Donnie” is a disaster at best. Thankfully, the band doesn’t touch on the slow song again throughout the album, but songs like “20 Dollar Nose Bleed” and “27″ are relatively bland pop-punk affairs as well.
The biggest problem with Folie A Deux, and this shocks me to say, is the overall lack of good hooks. While Stump’s voice is good enough to drag people in with it’s fantastic changes of pitch at the drop of a hat and it’s very different sound, the rest of the songs are typically not enough to support it. Those more content with riveting guitar or fantastic drum beats will not find much to enjoy, though honestly the guitar work is more interesting than past Fall Out Boy outings. This time however, it seems Patrick Stump is the only one who really tried to make this album anything beyond mediocre, and while he certainly does his best, the rest of the band can’t seem to bag a catchy enough tune to save the entire album. Hit and miss is the perfect term for Folie A Deux; some songs will be stuck in your head for days while others float to the bottom of your library.
The Point – Patrick Stump is at the top of his game and establishes himself as one of the best vocalists in the game with Folie A Deux. Sadly, the rest of the band doesn’t do near enough to make many of the songs any more than average, and the album suffers for it. Still, the album is likely to grow on you after some time, and thus should be given a few chances to succeed.
6.5 out of 10
Download This – “w.a.m.s.”
