You are browsing the Blog for Music.

← Previous Entries

Avenged Sevenfold “Nightmare” Album Review

February 21, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music

01. Nightmare The Halloween-esque xylophones are the perfect soft lead-in for the barrage of guitars and mach 5-speed bursts of drumming (placeholder drummer just so happens to be Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy — R.I.P. Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan). The verses set the pace splendidly and the halfway mark of the verse sees a great, aggressive chug from the guitars for a nice change-up. The chorus is extremely melodic and extremely catchy. The cymbal play of Portnoy during the chorus is fantastic, hitting the ride cymbal at all the right times over his pummeling double pedaling. The bridge is akin to Metallica in terms of its chest-thumpin’ chugfests, but it’s an excellent change of pace. Gates’ guitar solo is thematically perfect and the long running time of six minutes is barely noticeable since “Nightmare” is such a great song — just ignore the cheesy “it’s your fucking nightmare” line.

Grade: 94

02. Welcome to the Family Mike Portnoy wastes no time showing his ability to execute some impressively quick drum fills, kicking the song off with just that. The guitars come with a clean, aggressive groove under Shadows’ demanding vocals. The vocal melodies are catchy and move along at a pleasing pace, the whispering lead-in to the absolutely splintering guitar solo being a highlight. Unfortunately the song kind of sputters out but that’s just being nit-picky.

Grade: 79

 03. Danger Line Militaristic snare work and a matching guitar lead pave the way for some great palm-muted verses. The chorus sees Shadows singing higher in the chorus than the verses over a quick drum pattern, creating a weird dissonance, seeing as Shadows’ vocals lead you to believe “Danger Line” is a mid-tempo song but in actuality, the instruments are just blazing a path. Things come to a halt later in the song with Shadows giving a more tender performance over a militaristic snare pattern and some great, sporadic horns playing in spurts. Gates’ solo excellently adds to the somber tone of a soldier saying his goodbyes, perfectly ending with a whistling pattern.

Grade: 88

 04. Buried Alive Avenged Sevenfold show that a ballad can actually host some chest-thumping “oomph!” power. “Buried Alive” may start off slow but if Shadows’ dominant vocals in the powerful chorus doesn’t grab you by the throat, then the latter chug-fest breakdown, voluntarily or not, will have you banging your head. Shadows sounds powerful as he yells for people to get their “fucking hands off me”. The solos are technically great but don’t add as much to the tone, especially when compared to the prior song’s solo, despite its lesser technicality.

Grade: 81

 05. Natural Born Killer Not sure if the drum pattern was an ode to The Rev’s insane drum pattern in “Almost Easy” from the band’s self-title effort and if it is, it’s a pretty damn cool tribute to hear that pattern again. Unfortunately, the song doesn’t quite add up to something amazing but it’s still a damn good song. The blistering pace is great in its relentlessness and who won’t love the guitar solos here? There’s just something missing here (perhaps it’s the vocal melodies) that keeps “Natural Born Killer” from being one of the album’s best but make no mistake, it’s not one of the bottom-feeder tracks, either.

Grade: 76

 

06. So Far Away Guitarist Synyster Gates writes this beautiful song in memory of the late Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan and holy Hell, if you’ve been a fan of the band or even just respect The Rev’s indisputable drumming capabilities, it’s hard not to respect the material here. While not an excellent song in terms of music complexity, it is excellent in the aforementioned context, ultimately rising to be the album’s best ballad. An acoustic guitar’s strummed chords provide the backbone for the piece as Shadows’ deftly sings the lyrics in a soothing matter. The solos here are on par with “Seize the Day” in terms of how much they add to the song. It’s one of the album’s strongest, hair-raising moments when Gates’ solo explodes and Shadows’ erupts into a heartfelt yearning for a lost friend — truly touching stuff.

Grade: 93

 

07. God Hates Us If “So Far Away” is the emotional and heartfelt sendoff for The Rev, then “God Hates Us All” is the pissed-off, brutal search for someone to blame for the drummer’s premature death. The softly picked guitars in the beginning are deceptive as the song erupts into an absolutely killer, neck-breaking affair sure to be the reason for many-a-bruises in foreseeable mosh pits.The guitars are lethal in their execution and the drums menacing in its aggression and what’s even greater is that we get to hear some Waking the Fallen-era screaming from Shadows, further enhancing the pure rage found on here. Once again, Gates murders a solo and leaves its corpse as a dare for other guitarist t0 match his ability to execute on both a technical and melodic level.

Grade: 91

 

08. Victim I guess the seemingly endless streak of phenomenal songs had to end soon, right? “Victim” is by no means terrible, it just absolutely pales in comparison to some of Nightmare’s better slow jams. Don’t let the neat bell and soulful female vocalizations fool you in the beginning, “Victim” is a dull song, even with its tempo change in the half-way mark. The verses are decent enough but it feels like Shadows going through the motion. The chorus is a letdown as is the bridge, making for a track that has no payoff. “Victim”, at a length of seven and a half minutes, is just too long and uninteresting for its own good.

Grade: 55

 

09. Tonight the World Dies Man, Shadows has an undeniably powerful voice and it couldn’t be any more evident than in the chorus of “Tonight the World Dies”. The haunting “ooh’s” over the dark, looming, and Western-inspired guitars create an effective tone and is a perfect juxtaposition for the absolutely explosive chorus. Shadows commands your attention during the hook and the bridge is a great escalation into another chorus that, despite Gates’ solo being the only difference from the prior choruses, feels more powerful somehow. This is a ballad that’s tender yet isn’t afraid to kick some ass.

Grade: 82

 

10. Fiction Despite the pianos doing a commendable job at doing so, they’re not the most eerie thing about this somber track. And no, neither are the subtle vocalizations or violin work — it’s the fact that this song features the late The Rev’s voice in a spine-chilling closing note on the chorus. It’s a hauntingly beautiful build-up to the note, with the piano changing its pattern and Shadows perfectly segueing into The Rev’s perfect, high-rasp delivery. Without this context, “Fiction” is still a great experiment for the band, featuring no guitars whatsoever. The vocal melodies are among the best on the album, if not the best. The gentle female vocals lead into the at-first-awkwardly-nasal soft vocals of Shadows, ultimately ending on a somber and oddly hopeful ending. “Fiction” is eerily gorgeous and an ultimate homage to a lost band mate and I couldn’t even imagine how hard this song was to record for the guys.

Grade: 97

11. Save Me The crew really should have let “Fiction” close Nightmare out, as it was a perfect summation of the tone, message, and tribute that Nightmare ultimately is. “Save Me” is absolutely excellent in its variety, each instrument playing intricately throughout. At almost eleven minutes, it’s a lengthy son of  bitch and while it’s good with some moments of greatness, it might drag on a little too long for its own benefit, but hot damn is it still a doozy of a closer. Shadows is, again, impressive, sustaining some long, raspy notes over Portnoy’s pummeling double-bass drumming. Gates and Vengeance are constantly switching things up, creating an unpredictable listen. “Save Me” never settle into one pattern for too long, being the songs greatest strength and while I believe “Fiction” and “Save Me” should’ve been switched around, it’s still a high note they leave on, showcasing their vast improvement as they blend the sting structures and outstanding musicianship form “City of Evil” and the chugging grooves from their self-titled album.

 Grade: 88

Avenged Sevenfold’s “Nightmare” is a tricky album to review. Do I give it a high score as a gentle gesture of my respect the highly-regarded drummer, Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan? Or do I look at it strictly on its music, context be damned? Well, with The Rev dead or not, “Nightmare” is one hell of a metal album, finding a perfect mix of powerful grooves and intricate musicianship. Signing The Rev’s drum idol, Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy, as the drummer couldn’t have been a more perfect move as he plays perfectly throughout the entire album, helping A7X fans believe that their band can still put out some killer tracks. It’s easily their darkest album in both tone and lyrics and makes a strong case against “City of Evil”for the title. Thankfully, the guys are able to execute an outstanding album, an absolute feat knowing the emotional hardships they went through and the perfect way to pay their respects to their late best friend.

 Report Card

Instruments: 95
Production: 90
Lyrics: 77
Vocals: 92

Overall
91


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
No Comments »

Enter Shikari “A Flash Flood of Colour” Album Review

February 21, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music

 

British post-hardcore, electronica, and dubstep band Enter Shikari has released their third album A Flash Flood of Colour. Growing up from their albums such as Take to the Skies and the most recent Common Dreads, Enter Shikari’s new album is fused with the same heavy break downs, great synths, clean and screaming vocals, and most importantly their message to the human race that’s fused through their entire sound.

 

01. System Their first song on the album opens up with a synth beat that’s catchy almost immediately and an orchestra comes in later to add to the landscape of the song. Rory’s voice comes over in a reading style, the over all lyrics being a poem Rory wrote about a house on a cliff and it was a metaphor for the government’s system. The drums (played by Rob Rolfe) are heavy and the bass makes your head rock. The end of the song melds perfectly to the next one, perfectly building up to it.

Grade: 95

02. Meltdown  A continuation of System that’s host to one of the heaviest break downs I’ve ever heard. The two songs really can’t be played without each other, even the names go together (System Meltdown). The lyrics are one of promise and hope, that we can turn this world and government around if we stand up. “It’s not too late” is the clear message, that we still can do something to help. The controversial rant Rory has of “fuck all borders, and fuck all boundaries. Fuck all flags and fuck nationalities.” goes along with Common Dreads theme of we’re all part of the human species and that it’s ridiculous for the 21st century to still act this way — no one’s different;we’re all humans that should help each other.

Grade: 100

03. Sssnakepit: A more techno beat then the first two opens this song up, then throws you into a foray of metal. It’s more of a party anthem, telling everyone to let lose. “Come and join the party, leave all anxieties beyond. When the world is pushing down, just push right back”. An uplifting speech and good to listen if you’re down on your luck. I didn’t know whether to laugh or go as hard as I could when I heard the line, “We’re all nice guys . . . until we aren’t!”. Simple to understand and kind of silly, but the way he screams it followed by the breakdown, it’s hard to not thrash yourself around the room and become a danger to all living things.

Grade: 90

 04. Search Party: A slower start allows the head some time to heal. Rory’s words are a call again to humanity and his ‘foresight’ of humanity. “I know that we’re going to repeat history, unless we sort this out”. The chorus is catchy with Rou’s beautiful angel voice coming in to sing along with Rory’s. “I know that we’ve got to find something new.” Another call to England to understand that they have to find something new, that they need to sort out the problems and the corruption to the government. It’s a message easily applicable to America as well, if not more so. The song ends on a faster pace, still letting you get your breakdown on. Probably one of my favourite tracks on this album.

Grade: 100

05. Arguing with Thermometers: This song opens up with a heavy guitar rift and crashing drums. More typical of Enter Shikari when they were more ‘metal’ then they’ve been recently. The overall message of this song is the fact society is addicted to a drug — that drug being class structures, as in middle upper class. He says it’s all bullshit. After all, their upside down triangle on the cover of their album and new logo is about flipping societies hierarchy upside down, so the most people are rich and the fewest people are poor. A great message if I do say so myself. The song is heavy with it’s typically fused dubstep and overall catchy beat. If you’re familiar with Enter Shikari, this song isn’t out of place for these boys. This is easily the best song to hear live. CLEAR THE PIT.

Grade: 90

06. Stalemate: A slower song, with Rory singing as well as playing on his acoustic. It’s another message about how the rich make tomorrow’s wars, fueling generations of hate. Rory can’t seem to agree that we’re civilized. They mistake treating this Earth like it will last forever, and all we generate are stalemates. Rory talks about running away (much of Take to the Skies theme of leaving this corrupt world),”money is made when bombs are dropping in Afghanistan and when phosphorus falls in Palestine. Hauling weapons out of reprobates, harming anyone who wants a taste, of disgrace.” The song is ‘slow’, as slow as Enter Shikari can take it outside of “adieu” from Take to the Skies. Overall, the simplistic tone and music during the lyrics is for the listener to focus on what Rory’s saying. And in the end, when they’re repeating what they feel over and over again, the music takes up more and gives you something quite very pleasant to listen to. Ends with Rory on the piano singing. Easily a great track.

Grade: 90

07. Ghandi Mate, Ghandi: A rant by Rory of everything that he believes in. Techno beat plays while he just seems to freestyle everything wrong he finds with the British Government and the whole world. “I dont think how much military equipment we are selling to other countries, how many hydrocarbons we’re burning, how much money is being printed and exchanged, is a good measure of how healthy our society is.” Chris, Rory and Rou and probably Rolfe all scream “we’re sick of this shit!” before the beat drops and dubstep takes over and the mashing destroys your ear drums (in a good way). Rory’s lyrics in this album are a little less subdued this time around. The band is truly sick of the shit going on about them, and they’re no longer covering their message with clever metaphors. They’re just coming out and saying everything and it’s great.

Grade: 85

08. Warm Smiles Do Not Make You Welcome Here: The song that their album’s name came from. The song opens with a beat track laid down by Rob Rolfe and a surprisingly clean guitar by Chris. This track has a little more of melody to Rory and Rou’s vocals. It’s a step away from what they’re used to but fits right in with the album and is completely Enter Shikari. The drum’s off-beats add to the techno and the catchy guitar rift. The singing goes perfectly with it and I find myself listening to this track more and more, repeatedly coming back to it. Something about it is just…good. And if the music scene wasn’t plagued with Lil Wayne, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear this song on the radio.

Grade: 90

09. Pack of Thieves: A haunting techno bells opens up this track. All composed by Rory, the lead singer and acoustic guitar player as well as strings. This song takes a bit more deciphering then the rest of Rory’s lyrics, but still carry the same message. “Behind those eyes, we reach through their callous disguise. Into fortresses where they fabricate whitewash and lies, we’re all fooled into living, with a small pack of thieves, that distort the world.” It’s not a mystery that the pack of thieves is the government. The song is catchy and has an anthem-like feel with the techno film played over the guitar and the great drum track performed by Rolfe.

Grade: 90

10. Hello Tyrannosaurus, Meet Tyrannicide: The main message of this song, despite the quirky lyrics and title, is the fact that the governments problems have been going on for so long that even the T-rex has experienced the same problems. So why can’t we fix it? The melody is good for this track, not my favourite song, but fits with the album and doesn’t feel like it would’ve been better without it.

Grade: 80

11. Constellations: Easily their most melodic song, most relaxed and calm intro to their last song on the album. Much like “Adieu” this song seems to be about a girl. Surprisingly. “You’re the constellation that guides me home”. It’s a surprisingly good song, and almost a tear jerker. For me it feels like i’ve been through so much with these boys, and then through this album they go through so much maturity. It’s nice to know these boys still have that one they are doing this all for — that one girl. There are still the last fading reminders that we need to fix this world, fix it for each other, fix it for the ones we love. We owe it to each other. This song ties up the album so nicely that you want to immediately go through the entire song just to come to the conclusion again and have that same feeling of a journey with Enter Shikari.

Grade: 100

 Report Card

Instruments: 100
Production: 100
Lyrics: 95
Vocals: 90

Overall
100

 

Tags: , , , , , , ,
No Comments »

Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe “We Are Young” Single Review

February 19, 2012 in Music, Singles RealViews

I have always loved Fun. Seriously. I’m not talking about enjoyment and amusement– I’m talking about the band, Fun. Off their newly released second studio album, Some Nights, you may recognize this song if you keep up with Glee. The track is very “chill”, mellow, and thoughtful. My first time around listening to this, I can say I was pretty much hooked. The indie pop beat is very engaging, and the bridge sets you up for the chorus’ broken piano beat that just makes you want to sing out loud with all of your friends in harmony. The lyrics are positive and full of energy– totes a song I would listen to while getting ready for a good night out with the “homies” (omg kill me did i ju-).

It definitely gives that spring-time, liberating feeling. Anyways, if you love this song as much as I do, you should probably check out the rest of the album. As of now, it is available for steaming on soundcloud, and is set to release on the 21st of February.

Toniiiiiiiiiiiiight, we are youngggggggg. So let’s set the world on fiiiiiire, we can burn briiiiiighter, than the suuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!

Report Card
Instruments: 83
Production: 93
Lyrics: 95
Vocals: 92

Overall

91

No Comments »

Katy Perry “Part Of Me” Single Review

February 17, 2012 in Music, Singles RealViews

After a slew of chart-topping singles off of the 2010 album, “Teenage Dream”, Katy Perry finally comes out with some new material. “Part of Me” is an overwhelmingly mediocre song, completely disappointing in her 2012 debut. The beat is nothing you haven’t heard off “Teenage Dream” or “One of the Boys”, being a more lackluster and bland affair. The vocal melodies are decent in the verses but the chorus is a let down, being far too melodically safe for my taste. The bridge is completely forgettable and does not break the mold enough to save the song. “Part of Me” suffers too much from monotony and repetitiveness and I feel like this is one of Katy Perry’s weakest singles.

 Report Card

Instruments: 30
Production: 70
Lyrics: 70
Vocals: 70

Overall
48

Tags: , , ,
No Comments »

Nicki Minaj “Starships” Single Review

February 17, 2012 in Music, Singles RealViews

Nicki Minaj is well on her way to becoming the most prolific female rapper of all time and “Starships” is just another argument for that case. It’s definitely far from a straight-up rap song but that’s the great thing about Nicki — she can pull off catchy pop hooks (as evident in “Super Bass”) while being one nasty flow delivery girl. Her rapping here is serviceable as   her signature pitch fluctuations are intact over the booming club beat. The chorus sounds like a Rihanna hook that’s sure to be stuck in your head but the undeniable highlight of “Starships” is the killer beat drop that’s sure to get the club-goers jumping. Nicki Minaj’s “Starships” has easily become my favorite song of hers to blast in the car.

 Report Card

Instruments: 88
Production: 98
Lyrics: 80
Vocals: 88

Overall
89

Tags: , , , , , ,
No Comments »

54th Annual Grammy Awards Recap

February 12, 2012 in Music

Record of the Year
-Adele – Rolling In The Deep
-Bon Iver – Holocene
-Bruno Mars – Grenade
-Mumford & Sons – The Cave
-Katy Perry – Firework

Album of the Year
-Adele – 21
-Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
-Lady Gaga – Born This Way
-Bruno Mars – Doo-Wops & Hooligans
-Rihanna – Loud

Song of the Year
-Adele – Rolling In The Deep
-Kanye West – All Of The Lights
-Mumford & Sons – The Cave
Bruno Mars – Grenade
-Bon Iver – Holocene

Best New Artist
-Bon Iver
-The Band Perry
-J. Cole
-Nicki Minaj
-Skrillex

Best Pop Solo
-Adele – Someone Like You
-Lady Gaga – You and I
-Bruno Mars – Grenade
-Katy Perry – Firework
-Pink-Fuckin’ Perfect

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
-Tony Bennett/Amy Whinehouse – Body and Soul
-The Black Keys – Dearest
-Coldplay – Paradise
-Foster the People – Pumped Up Kicks
-Maroon 5/Christina Aguilera – Moves Like Jagger

Best Pop Instrumental Album
-Booker T. Jones – The Road From Memphis
-Jenny Oaks Baker – Wish Upon A Star
-Daniel Ho – E Kahe Malie
-Dave Koz – Hello Tomorrow
-Brian Setzer – Setzer Goes Instru-Mental!

Best Pop Vocal Album
-Adele – 21
-Cee Lo Green – The Lady Killer
-Lady Gaga – Born This Way
-Bruno Mars – Doo-Wops & Hooligans
-Rihanna -Loud

Best Dance Record
-Skrillex – Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites
-Deadmau5/Greta Svabo Bech – Raise Your Weapon
-Duck Sauce – Barbra Streisand
-David Guetta/Avicii – Sunshine
-Robyn – Call Your Girlfriend
-Swedish House Mafia – Save The World

Best Dance/Electronica Album
-Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites
-Cut/Copy – Zonoscope
-Deadmau5 – 4×4=12
-David Guetta – Nothing But The Beat
-Robyn – Body Talk, Pt. 3

Best Traditional Vocal Album
-Tony Bennett/Various Artists – Duets II
-Susan Boyle – The Gift
-Harry Connick Jr. – In Concert On Broadway
-Seth MacFarlane – Music Is Better Than Words
-Barbara Streisand – What Matters Most-Barbra Streisand Sings The Lyrics Of Alan And Marilyn Bergman

Best Rock Performance
-Foo Fighters – Walk
-Coldplay – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall
-The Decemberists – Down By The Water
-Mumford & Sons – The Cave
-Radiohead – Lotus Flower

Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance
-Foo Fighters – White Limo
-Dream Theater – On The Back Of Angels
-Mastodon – Curl Of the Burl
-Megadeth – Public Enemy No. 1
-Sum 41 – Blood In My Eyes

Best Rock Song
-Foo Fighters – Walk
-Mumford & Sons – The Cave
-The Decemberists – Down By The Water
-Coldplay – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall
-Radiohead – Lotus Flower

Best Rock Album
-Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
-Jeff Beck – Rock ‘N’ Roll Party Honoring Les Paul
-Kings of Leon – Come Around Sundown
-Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You
-Wico – The Whole Love

Best Alternative Music Album
-Bon Iver – Bon Iver
-Death Cab For Cutie – Codes And Keys
-Foster the People – Torches
-My Morning Jacket – Circuital
-Radiohead – The King Of Limbs

Best R&B Performance
-Corinne Bailey Rae – Is This Love
-Marsha Ambrosius – Far Away
-Ledisi – Pieces Of Me
-Kelly Price/Stokely – Not My Daddy
-Charlie Wilson – You Are

Best Traditional R&B Performance
-Cee Lo Green/Melanie Fiona – Fool For You
-Eric Benet – Sometimes I Cry
-R. Kelly – Radio Masage
-Raphael Saadiq – Good Man
Betty Wright/The Roots – Surrender

Best R&B Song
-Cee Lo Green – Fool For You
-Marsha Ambrosius – Far Away
-Kelly Price – Not My Daddy
-Ledisi – Pieces Of Me
-Charlie Wilson – You Are

Best R&B Album
-Chris Brown – F.A.M.E.
-El DeBarge – Second Chance
-R. Kelly – Love Letter
-Ledisi – Pieces Of Me
-Kelly Price – Kelly

Best Rap Performance
-Jay-Z/Kanye West – Otis
-Chris Brown/Lil Wayne/Busta Rhymes – Look At Me Now
-Lupe Fiasco – The Show Goes On
-Nicki Minaj/Drake – Moment 4 Life
-Wiz Khalifa – Black And Yellow

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
-Kanye West/Rihanna/Kid Cudi/Fergie - All Of The Lights
-Beyonce/Andre 3000 – Party
-DJ Khaled/Drake/Rick Ross/Lil Wayne – I’m On One
-Dr. Dre/Eminem/Skylar Grey – I Need A Doctor
-Rihanna/Drake – What’s My Name?
-Kelly Rowland/Lil Wayne – Motivation

Best Rap Song
-Kanye West – All Of The Lights
-Wiz Khalifa – Black And Yellow
-Dr. Dre/Eminem/Skylar Grey – I Need A Doctor
-Chris Brown/Busta Rhymes/Lil Wayne – Look At Me Now
-Jay-Z/Kanye West – Otis
-Lupe Fiasco – The Show Goes On

Best Rap Album
-Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
-Jay-Z/Kanye West – Watch The Throne
-Lil Wayne – Carter IV
-Lupe Fiasco – Lasers
-Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday

Best Country Solo Performance
-Taylor Swift – Mean
-Jason Aidean – Dirt Road Anthem
-Martina McBride – I’m Gonna Love You Through It
-Blake Shelton – Honey Bee
-Carrie Underwood – Mama’s Song

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
-The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow
-Jason Aidean/Kelly Clarkson – Don’t You Wanna Stay
-Kenny Chesney/Grace Potter – You And Tequila
-Thompson Square – Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not

Best Country Song
-Taylor Swift – Mean
-Thompson Square – Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not
-Blake Shelton – God Gave Me You
-Trace Adkins – Just Fishin’
-Vince Gill – Threaten Me With Heaven
-Kenny Chesney/Grace Potter – You And Tequila

Best Country Album
-Lady Antebellum – Own The Night
-Jason Aidean – My Kinda Party
-Eric Church – Chief
-Blake Shelton – Red River Blue
-George Strait – Here For A Good Time
-Taylor Swift – Speak Now

Of course, there are many more awards that were handed out but I decided to just show you guys the more mainstream stuff seeing as our demographic skews towards  that light. For the niche guys, go to the offical Grammys webiste for the full list of winners!

Tags: , , , ,
No Comments »

Music Legend Whitney Houston Passes Away At 48

February 11, 2012 in Music

Whitney Houston, at the age of 48, has passed away today. The venerable yet infamous singer, probably mostly known for smash hit “I Will Always Love You”, has passed away due to a currently unknown circumstance. As of right now, not many details have emerged but it’s still a premature loss of an undeniable music legend. Houston was also well-known for movie/television roles and, yes, she gained infamy with her personal struggles but it’s hard to deny her ability to write some truly timeless classics.

Source

Tags: , , , , ,
No Comments »

Childish Gambino “Camp” Album Review

February 6, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music

Donald Glover is a guy that does it all. He writes for 30 Rock, plays Troy on Community, and does stand-up comedy but rapping?

1. Outside – This song you see him thinking about his problems going through life. He raps about how he used to be in the hood but his parents left so he wouldn’t be a part of that. The instrumental track in the song is really great and I like how it sounds like he has a whole cast of people singing the chorus. Lyrically this song is truly amazing –”There’s a world we can visit if we go outside”.

Grade: 85

2. Fire Fly – This song is a total spin-around from the first song. It starts out all upbeat, driven by a decent beat as he raps about the fame he gained. People coming up to him asking to help them with their mixtape and how people always want pictures when they see him. The beat is alright, it’s an average hip hop beat at best. The lyrics tell a story but not as good of a story as the first song “Outside” but more of a fame story and what it’s like to be him and how he feels.

Grade: 70

3. Bonfire – This one is starts with a siren, and the way I look at it, it’s a warning that this song is gonna be sick! “Bonfire” has a nice snare and bass beat going. It’s unique. This song is just him rhyming really fast and letting his anger out. He says in the song “Why doe every black actor have to rap some? I don’t know but I’m the best one” — I am gonna have to agree. This is another great rap and is easily better then the first track.

Grade: 93

4. All The Shine – “What the point of rapping if you can’t be yourself”, he asks over a real nice bass-driven beat. This song has to be the best track on the album. It’s true to him as he raps about his feelings, proving to be a really deep song. The chorus is a stone-cold stunner.

Grade: 95

5. Letter Home – This song is more of him singing to a girl and how he is looking for her. There’s some orchestra going and really no beats at all. Short song and more of an intermission.

Grade: 40

6. Heartbeat – Amazing right from the get-go, he starts singing and then boom! A sick beat starts going and the song evolves from solid to fantastic. Fans of electronica or dubstep might like this track. His lyrics are mostly about a girl he broke up with and how he is with someone else, it’s not really great but it’s way better then other rappers songs you hear now a days. Mostly, this song just has a sick beat and hook.

Grade: 80

7. Backpackers – Another great track on the album. He raps again about how his life and how people try to try to insult him for sounding white and wearing short shorts. Great rhymes in this track, proving to be a lyrical genius in my opinion (he’s no Eminem or Nas, though). The beat is solid as well.

Grade: 93

8. L.E.S. – Great instrumentals going in this song but the chorus is pretty terrible. The lyrics are good except for the chorus. The lyrics make sense and I can listen to this song and like it but when it comes down to it, it really isn’t too great.

Grade: 60

9. Hold You Down – He begins this song singing and by now he’s shown he’s not a terrible singer at all. This is another story track and I really don’t get tired of them. Story tracks have lyrics that are deep and, to some degree, relatable. He sings about how people are holding him back. Great chorus, great beat.

Grade: 85

10. Kids (Keep Up) – Way different song then any other track on the album so far. This song is pretty chill compared to them. The chorus, instrumentals and beat are very good. The lyrics are great and fit with the beat. Unique track but not the best song on the album.

Grade: 75

11. You See Me – This is a song that sounds like a Kanye West tune in the beginning. It’s a song about Asian girls and apparently he loves them. He also raps about his ego. He has to throw in a Illuminati reference in the song too. “You See Me” hosts a great beat but it does’t amount to a great song.

Grade: 65

12. Sunrise – Great beat at the start and pretty good lyrics and delivery but what makes this song great is the chorus. The chorus just feels powerful and basically makes the song. “Sunrise” is really just an excellent track through-and-through.

Grade: 85

13. That Power – The last song on the album and the longest song on the album. Whenever a song goes past 7 minutes then it better to be good. Usually songs that are this long are drawn out at the beginning and this one at first doesn’t seem like it’s drawn out but then at about 3:11 the actual song ends and he is reading a story about a girl who basically embarrasses him on a bus and how that moment changed his life. He is reading this story for, like, 4 and a half minutes and it’s interesting the first time but you won’t want to hear it again.

Grade: 50

“Camp” is a great album. Childish Gambino sounds kind of like Tyler the Creator in some of his songs and in some he actually can sing. Lyrically, this guy is brilliant. I don’t think I’ve seen someone this talented in a while and the main reason I say that is because he writes for TV shows, acts on a TV show and raps at an exceptional level. A majority of the album is actually enjoyable to listen to but a couple you just want to skip (especially the last one). I have to admit that this is really one of the best rap albums to release in 2011 and I do recommend people to go pick it up.

 Report Card

Instruments: 85
Production: 80
Lyrics: 95
Vocals: 80

Overall
88

Tags: , , , , , ,
No Comments »

Avenged Sevenfold “Avenged Sevenfold” Album Review

February 5, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music

01. Critical Acclaim It’s evident now that Avenged Sevenfold know how to kick you in the face with their album openers, as “Critical Acclaim” is another doozy of a headbanging opener. Shadows’ explosive scream over the rapid drums and explosive guitars make for a nice contrast for the Metallica-esque, organ-centric intro. The verses are chugfests that have a nice change-up for the second halves of the verses and it’s hard not to launch that fist in the air when Shadows’ dominantly sings “like me, motherfucker!”. However, it’s the chorus that’s the real standout. The Rev’s voice is in a higher register, adding diversity to the vocals on “Critical Acclaim”. The dueling format that the guitar solo is set in is fantastic but the bridge before it is a bore.

Grade: 90

02. Almost Easy Piano’s, huh? Well, the keys aren’t greatly used, they just add another layer for the song during certain parts, ultimately adding nothing to the listening experience. The highlight of the song are easily the segments where The Rev rapidly hits the double bass and multiple cymbals simultaneously. The solo is also a treat, with Zacky’s rhythm work sounding nice and furious under Synyster’s quick lead work. The chorus, while definitely catchy, isn’t all that great. “Almost Easy” is a good track that misses on a couple of marks to make it a great song.

Grade: 75

03. Scream If there is a song that the term “metal swag” can be applied to, it’s “Scream”. The grooves of the drums and the added bass bombs create an alluring atmosphere for Shadows’ catchy vocals. Three songs in and you can already tell that Avenged Sevenfold have gotten much better at creating catchier and more melodic hooks, making for better concert tracks. Another thing evident is the simplification of the musicianship. The blazing guitar solo is an exception to this, but it’s clear that the boys wanted to make a more stadium-friendly album rather than stroking their music boners for seven minutes each song. “Scream” is a good midtempo song and you got to love The Rev’s intricate drumming patterns, but the song seems to lack the special “oomph!” to make it a remarkable listen.

Grade: 78

04. Afterlife Perhaps the greatest song off of “Avenged Sevenfold”, “Afterlife” is perfect in its pacing. Every element, from the stirring intro violins to the neck-breaking riff of the verses, this song is a showcase for A7X, proving they can inject some astounding technical moments in a standard-structure song (verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, etc.). The chorus is melodic excellence and guitar rif from the verses very memorable. The only lull in the song is the bridge, but that’d be nitpicking. The Rev’s hair-raising scream that leads into one of Gates’ best solos in his career is a hallmark A7X moment.

Grade: 93

05. Gunslinger The soft, Southern-tinged acoustic guitar and Shadows’ softer vocals during the beginning are probably the best part of this overwhelmingly mediocre song. When the rest of the band comes roaring in, it’s a somewhat dull affair, no matter how solid Shadows sounds. Everyone seems so tame during this song, even The Rev’s and Gates’ usually impressive technicality is watered down here. Thankfully, the vocal melody is just barely catchy enough for a listen or two and the solo, while incredibly simple in terms of Synyster’s abilities, is decent.

Grade: 52

06. Unbound (The Wild Ride) Escalating pianos layer the uninteresting verses and the chorus amounts to a forgettable tune. The lead guitar is solid but it’s nowhere near as good as it is in “Afterlife”. I would have loved this song much more if The Rev had more rolls or more change-ups but at least he had a decent tricky beat during the beginning of the bridge, which is easily the best portion of the song, especially with the brief appearances of a choir. I also dig the slowed down portion that sees an unnamed female vocalist sing some lines but, as is the case with the rest of the song, it’s ultimately forgettable.

Grade: 50

07. Brompton Cocktail Don’t you hate it when a song starts off promising and then just never adds upon the great intro? Shadows’ vocals are sometime saturated in some kind electronic vocoder, coming off as an unnecessary experiment. The sporadic violins are a great addition, but this song seems so lazily written overall. There’s no solo or riff worth mentioning here and the bridge, while it mixes the proceedings up, kind of sucks. Just another lengthy, dull, and sloppy track.

Grade: 50

08. Lost The overlapping guitars make for a fantastic intro, ending the dreadful slump of mediocrity. “Lost” isn’t a fantastic song, but it’s so good to hear a, well, good song after a surprisingly long drought. The chorus sees both Shadows and The Rev autotuned up but instead of sounding out of place, it actually makes for a more interesting listen, especially during the electronically-drenched bridge. The whole vibe of the song is more upbeat thanks to Gates’ lead work. It isn’t one of the album’s stronger songs, but it’s a solid entry.

Grade: 77

09. A Little Piece of Heaven While the guitars take a backseat on this track, they’re still an effective layer among the many layers present here. You have violins, trumpets, choirs, a female vocalist, and the best thing? They all add up to a wonderful experiment gone just right. Did I mention that the lyrics deal with a guy who kills his girlfriend so he can sex with her corpse whenever and then said corpse becomes zombified and kills him back…then they agree to kill everyone else? It’s a tongue-in-cheek song and the vocal melodies throughout are very, very catchy, the standout being The Rev singing one of the several hooks present. His higher registered voice offsets Shadows’ lower voice to great effect. “A Little Piece of Heaven” is dark, silly, and an ultimately fun and bouncy song.

Grade: 91

10. Dear God While I know there are many who won’t be fond of this song, I personally enjoyed the hell out of it. The sweet, country-esque acoustic guitars are the perfect backdrop to Shadows’ soothing vocals. His stronger delivery during the chorus is wholly convincing of the lyrics, truly portraying a man asking God to watch over the one he loves while he’s away. The song sort of sputters out and probably would have benefitted from a shorter run time, but Shadows’ captivating performance more than makes up for it. I also love the female vocalizations made in the later portions of the song. While “A Little Piece of Heaven” might have been a better closer for others, I think “Dear God” is more than perfect for the job.

Grade: 88

Avenged Sevenfold’s self-titled album is a complete disappointment, especially when putting it side-by-side to the astounding “City of Evil”. Now, saying it’s disappointing doesn’t mean it’s terrible, it just feels like their direction towards a more commercial sound has dumbed down things in terms of musical technicality. Yes, Gates’ has a couple of remarkable moments at lead, but those moments were present on almost every “City of Evil” song, sometimes multiple times in one song! There’s more of the typical metal, drop-D chugging here, creating a more accessible sound, but again, it’s hard not to miss those magical moments like the endings of “Sidewinder” or “Blinded In Chains”. Was the tradeoff of more catchy choruses worth losing those jaw-dropping moments?

Report Card
Instruments: 78
Production: 80
Lyrics: 65
Vocals: 86

Overall
77

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
No Comments »

Avenged Sevenfold “City of Evil” Album Review

February 3, 2012 in Album RealViews, Music

01. Beast and the Harlot Hot damn – and I mean damn — could an opening track be any more perfect? Every pound of the double bass drums, the Zeus- lightning-quick guitaring, and the dominating vocals of Shadows all create such a relentless, bulldozer of a track. “Beast and the Harlot” is a stone-cold stunner and an absolute kick-ass number to kick off City of Evil.The way the guitars erupt in the intro over Shadows’ falsetto-like scream will send chills down your spine and adrenaline to your neck because yeah, you’re going to want to headbang like a veteran porn star giving a blowjob. The verses are fast and full of testosterone while the choruses get in touch with A7X’s melodic side, showcasing an improvement in song writing right off the bat (especially the key change in the last chorus). The drum solo and the absolutely blazing guitar solo is top notch and calling them “impressive” would be a disservice. “Beast and the Harlot” is as perfect as melodic metal can possibly get and it’s up for debate as to whether it’s the best song on the album — that should say enough about the quality of this album.

Grade: 100

02. Burn It Down To be fair, I’m not sure how you’re supposed to follow up “Beast and the Harlot”, but “Burn It Down” unfortunately goes down the forgettable route. It starts off great but it sputters out past the halfway mark. The screeching guitars and hectic drum rolls that bleed into the melodic, upbeat guitar harmonies in the intro are great. The verses are aggressive enough and the choruses are greatly layered and built up to perfectly. Shadows’ voice might grate on your ears during the bridge, depending on your tolerance for his not-so-great vocal moments, as he can get nasally quite frequently. “Burn It Down” is an okay song with some decent moments scattered throughout, but I just don’t see myself coming back to it too often.

Grade: 55

03. Blinded In Chains Much like the prior track, “Blinded In Chains” opens up with snare rolls and harmonic guitars but in a much, much more effective manner. The verses are dark and aggressive and the double-pedaling is a great addition to the second half of the verses. The chorus is brief and great in its delivery and build up. Every instrument tears it up, having moments to shine and all culminating to one hell of an outro that sees the song having a complete tonal shift and for the better. The atmosphere and dark mood bolster the fantastic outro, with its intricate drumming, perfectly strummed guitars, and Shadows’ eerie vocalizations. It’s worth sitting through the rest of “Blinded In Chains” (not like that’s a bad thing anyways) just for the jaw-dropping ending that comes out of nowhere that will have you on a testosterone high.

Grade: 88

04. Bat Country Ah, another home run from the boys! As you’ve noticed by now, Shadows has significantly decreased the use of his screams (a creative decision, not because of surgery as many are lead to believe) and it’s nice to hear it every now and then, no matter its brevity. The verses, thanks to the tremolo picking of Gates and Vengeance, move along at a fantastically brisk pace while the chorus switches things up, going for a more melodic structure rather than plowing through like in the verses. An eye-widening guitar solo is unleashed after the first chorus, showing the A7X men know how to keep their song structures mostly unpredictable. To add another layer to their lead single is a slowed down, incredibly catchy and hypnotic post-chorus section — a great addition.

Grade: 94

05. Trashed and Scattered This is a weird song to review because it has all the elements of a bloody good metal song I love, but the elements just don’t quite reach the “greater than the sum of their parts” status. The verses are lightning-quick with the guitarists shredding up a storm throughout and the choruses slows things down a tad with some rolling, toe-tapping bass. The Rev is absolutely clinical in his drumming aggression and cymbal finesse, making the track a much stronger one. Shadows’ hits some great, raspy high notes near the end. Maybe if the song was tighter and less meaty, it’d be better, but it’ll have to settle for just “good”.

Grade : 75


06. Seize the Day The first slow (and only) ballad of the album, you can leave it to the boys to make sure their chest-thumping bravado can still be felt in a softer song. Acoustic guitars lead the way over Shadows’ most soothing vocal performance on the album. The verses and chorus are extremely melodic, making it a fun song to sing along to. The raw emotion of possibly not seeing your significant half is greatly bolstered in the second chorus, bridge, and outro as The Rev (who sings the hair-raising high background vocals) and Shadows hit some chills-inducing notes that leave a lasting impression. The guitar solo is more on the simple side but with A7X, that’s not a bad thing because Gates works his magic in the melodic solo that amplifies the song, as does the beat change-up during the solo. This is one of City of Evil’s greatest songs and an A7X classic.

Grade: 96

07. Sidewinder Gates’ lead guitar over the chugs of Zacky combine to make a formidable intro and verses. The chorus is a good slowing of pace with The Rev playing around with cymbals. The number starts to lose some steam around the bridge but it’s a brief moments as, once again, The Rev’s cymbal play saves the day. The unquestionable standout of “Sidewinder” is, hands down, the Spanish-influenced acoustic outro segment that comes out of nowhere and hot damn doe it sound sexy. Gates and his father team up for a knockout of a blistering acoustic solo over another acoustic guitar. Shadows’ vocals sound great throughout the lengthy outro as does The Rev’s great adaptive drumming and congo play. It’s the best ending segment of any song on the album. Don’t let their tattooed punk-boy imagery fool you, these guys have a passion for music as it clearly, clearly shows in this beautiful segment.

Grade: 93

08. The Wicked End Christ finally gets a solo moment in the beginning over the eerie guitars of Gates and Vengeance. The verses are just as fast as any other song on here and when it comes to the chorus, the midtempo change-up is great as Shadows perfectly leads the way into it with his perfectly raspy delivery. Remember when I said the guys are music aficionados? Well, they show it again with the haunting and absolutely epic orchestral and choir bridge that comes after the sweeping guitar solo. It’s a quiet build-up that slowly erupts into Shadows hitting some of the highest notes he’s ever hit, creating this boner-inducing hell of a time. Gates has a brief solo after and the following verse after is a brutal affair. It’s incredible how diverse this album is and how many colors of music they’re willing to blend, hitting one home run after another.

Grade: 92

09. Strength of the World The intro is no doubt inspired by old school Western sensibilities with the plucked acoustic guitar providing the foundation for the beautiful orchestra segment before Gates and the boys come rocking in. While not as strong as the two prior tracks, it’s still another showcase for Avenged Sevenfold’s diversity and willingness to change things up, never settling for monotony. The differentiating factor here is the great blend of the cheesy (but in a good way) melodic guitar solo over the swelling symphony. The verses have the signature chugs and the chorus is good enough, adding in gang vocals to shout “strength of the world!” as Shadows sings a somewhat catchy melody over them.

Grade: 85

10. Betrayed Well, shit, guess it was too good to last, huh? “Betrayed” is easily the weakest song on the album and, in many ways, it’s pretty terrible. When held against the great songs on City of Evil, it just comes off as lazy and safe. I know the message is about the murder of a metal legend, but you would think that would motivate them to make it a greater track, right? The verses are decent but the hook comes off as incredibly mediocre. The only actual good part for me was a small segment where the guitars overlap each other in a pleasant way over The Rev’s hi-hats. While the actual musicianship isn’t terrible, it’s the way they don’t add up that sticks with you (not to mention it’s unnecessary length of six minutes), making for a boring and forgettable listen.

Grade: 50

11. M.I.A. This is it, the album closer! Shadows’ sleepy voice over the softly plucked guitar lead the song off before Shadows shows off his vocal might during the first verse. His voice can be spotty, sounding great in some parts and iffy in others but one thing’s for sure, it’s a unique voice. Gates’ solo is dizzying over The Rev’s horse-gallop-double-pedal pattern, showing us why he’s one of this generations truly greatest. The chorus is forgettable and if it weren’t for Shadows’ vocals, they’d be even more so. “M.I.A.” isn’t as strong as most of the other songs on here, but as a closer, it’s decent enough to get the job done.

Grade: 74

City of Evil is easily one of the best rock albums released since the turn of the century. There are an absurd amount of jaw-dropping, head-fucking-banging moments of pure testosterone-injected musicianship. Gates truly, truly stuns with his thunderous sweep picks and blistering solos as does The Rev with his absolutely earth-shattering drumming. His rolls, cymbal finesse, and knack for always changing things up assures that each song will be a treat for drummers. Shadows’ vocals are hit or miss, but thankfully it’s a lot more hit than miss here. A lot of A7X fans might dread the fact he ditched the screaming, but I for one was never all that impressed by his screams and much prefer his raspy vocals and occasional screams. City of Evil is a crowning achievement of metal musicianship, bringing a remarkably impressive diverse and eclectic listen. If you are at all interested in hearing how great metal musicians operate at their finest, look absolutely no further than City of Evil.

Report Card
Instruments: 100
Production: 88
Lyrics: 88
Vocals: 88

Overall
96   

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
No Comments »

← Previous Entries