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Hellogoodbye Show Review – Nov 24, 2006

November 27, 2006 By Michael Schneider 4 Comments

Hellogoodbye, Reggie & The Full Effect, Cute Is What We Aim For, & Dave Melillo
House of Blues in West Hollywood, CA
November 24, 2006

The House Of Blues, spanning the entire United States in the biggest and most famous cities, you can always count on HOB to put on a quality show. Extensive security and a very short list of items you can bring in (that doesn’t include bottled water or any form of camera) makes for a very different dynamic for a concert. Stage lighting equivalent to that of an arena or broadway performance, I’ll just stick to staying short and say you can definitely expect a “show.” Sorry, no photo pass for this one, you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Dave Melillo, one of Drive Thru Record’s youngest artists (signed at age 16), followed the typical DTR format and released an EP entitled “Talk Is Cheap” for free online earlier this year. I’m a big fan of the EP and have been excited to see him perform live ever since hearing it. With a band that couldn’t possibly be out of their teenage years, I was quite skeptical as he stepped on the stage. From the first note it was quite clear that with your eyes closed you’d believe you were listening to someone far beyond his 17 years. Playing his entire EP and the debut song, “Wait For It”- Dave is a true testament to the idea of talented people becoming younger and younger. If this is what he sounds like now, I can only imagine what he will create in the coming years.

I am guilty. 100% guilty. It took countless listens and this being my fourth time seeing the band in concert, but I’m getting past the denial. I am addicted to Cute Is What We Aim For. Now, lyrically they are not my favorite. Songs that speak the truths of popular TV shows like The OC or Laguna Beach, but even though their subject matter isn’t always applicable, I still can identify to nearly every song. If I’m not able to identify, I’m still singing along. This 4-piece from Buffalo, NY has slowly begun to take over the world that is currently run by Fall Out Boy and Panic! and I wouldn’t be surprised if they achieved a complete monopoly by this time next year. Their live show is solid, and Shaant sings quite well considering the energy he exudes on stage. If you’re a hater, you’ll come around. If you’re addicted already, I’m starting a support group soon, let me know if you’d like to join. All in all, I am really impressed with this band and can’t wait to see them again. They’re my pick as the next big thing in pop music.

I said it earlier to a friend of mine, and I’ll say it again. Reggie and the Full Effect was the absolute worst choice for this tour. Not only does their music not fit the pop outline set by the other three acts, but the on-stage comments made by the once admirable James Dewees may very well make it so that half of the 14-year-olds in attendance will never be able to convince their onlooking parents to take them to a concert again. I’m not saying I’m not a fan of them, I actually appreciate their honesty and intensity, but not in this setting. James’ additional performance under his side project “Fluxuation” was NOT funny to anyone in the audience, it caused most of us to turn away from the man only wearing a bra and shorts and his “turkey” dancers. Basically, whatever respect I had for him, I lost.

Finally, after the hour long experience I mentioned above, Hellogoodbye took the stage. A packed out venue filled with frantic teenage girls, family friends, label staff and veteran scenesters was definitely ready to be uplifted. The band took no time changing my mood and performed nearly all of their recorded songs. Bright lights, confetti, balloons that Forrest insisted on pausing from his vocal duties to stomp, people dressed as food, and incredible music were all present in their performance. An amazing encore included “Oh, It Is Love” dedicated by Forrest to his own girlfriend was then supplemented by the audience favorite “Touchdown Turnaround” and an all-crowd dance party ensued. The only thing I could’ve asked for beyond the incredible performance was my personal favorite track “Two Weeks In Hawaii” but I guess you can’t have it all. Hellogoodbye puts on one of the most memorable and fulfilling performances in music today. I would gladly see them play every single night, and I don’t think I’d ever go to bed sad again. I shouldn’t even have to sell this to you so do yourself a favor, GO SEE HELLOGOODBYE LIVE!

Filed Under: News, Show Tagged With: Cute-Is-What-We-Aim-For, Dave-Melillo, hellogoodbye, Reggie-and-the-Full-Effect

Brand New – The Devil & God Are Raging Inside Me

November 25, 2006 By Devin Henderson 4 Comments

Brand New

Artist: Brand New
Album: The Devil & God are Raging Inside Me
Label: Interscope
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: November 21, 2006

Overall: 9.0
Music: 9.0
Lyrics: 9.0
Production: 8.5

Originally leaked as a demo in January, the first track on Brand Newâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s much-anticipated â┚¬Ã‹Å“The Devil & God are Raging Inside Meâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ is called Sowing Season. Much like its demo counterpart, the song starts without a musical introduction, instead breaking into a barely-changed lyric. Missing, however, is the original second verse. Instead, it is replaced with a catchy â┚¬Ã‹Å“I am on the mend/At least now I can say that I am trying/Hope you will forget/The things that I still lackâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s at this point in the album that we can truly see the glory of re-writes. While the original lyric was not a weak one (it was, in fact, a favourite of mine), the re-write fits the song more in terms of theme, tone and overall colour.

After the opening track (also the lead-off single), we delve into â┚¬Ã‹Å“brand newâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ (lame) territory. Millstone is a raw track with a reverberant chorus that laments about the past, and the present (â┚¬Ã‹Å“this ship of fools Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m on will sinkâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢), and appropriately uses the analogy of a millstone around oneâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s neck (in case youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re unaware, a millstone is defined as an exhaustive emotional or mental burden). Overall, it is a catchy track with understated instrumentation and emotive lyrics, which is typical of the band.

Track three is where it gets serious. â┚¬Ã‹Å“Jesusâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ takes the band in a new direction. Religion is obviously a recurring theme on the album, and this song brings that to the forefront. Neither political, preachy, nor critical, the song can only be described by saying â┚¬Ã‹Å“it is what it isâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢. A humourously analytical verse about what happens after death is one of the best parts of this song (Jesus Christ, Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m not scared to die/Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m a little bit scared of what comes after/Do I get the gold chariot?/Do I float through the ceiling?). The obvious lack of a chorus in the song brings to light a solid fact about the band: they donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t need to conform to songwriting rules in order to write songs that are catchy, relatable and commercial enough to sell. Lyricist Jesse Lacey bares it all on this track, with nothing but a great result.

Degausser is one of the songs that everyone was curious about, having played it frequently on tour this summer under the title of â┚¬Ã‹Å“Take Apart Your Headâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢. Before the release of the album there were rumours circulating regarding this track. The final product is a mellow and subdued track in the verses, which explodes in the chorus with a choral round of â┚¬Ã‹Å“take apart your headâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢. Layering of vocals and muddy instrumentation give this track a unique feeling from the rest of the album.

Track 5 is â┚¬Ã‹Å“Limousineâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢, an almost 8-minute song that starts off with a simple acoustic guitar and haunting vocals. After about two minutes, the song slowly graduates into a more defined piece, with repetitive lyrics (â┚¬Ã‹Å“I love you so much, but do me a favour baby, donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t replyâ┚¬Ã‚¦ cause I can dish it out, but I canâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t take itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢), and building instrumentation. The anticipation builds for about three minutes before the track breaks into a softer denouement and some noise in the last 30 seconds. This song is demonstrative of the experimental edge that the band bares on this record.

Following â┚¬Ã‹Å“Limousineâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ is â┚¬Ã‹Å“You Wonâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t Knowâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢. Aptly titled for its chorus, unlike most of Brand Newâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s obscure song titles, the song has got a catchy melody and an overall busy tone. The lyrics take a back seat to the instrumentation in this song, which is not typical of the bandâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s writing style. The conclusion of the song is my favourite part: â┚¬Ã‹Å“I canâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t use the telephone/To tell you that Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m dead & gone/So you wonâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know/You wonâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t knowâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢.

A sort of intermission, â┚¬Ã‹Å“Welcome to Bangkokâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ is an instrumental track featuring only sparse spoken vocals saying â┚¬Ã‹Å“Space cadet, pull outâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢. In true Brand New fashion, it starts acoustically and builds into a noisy reverberant chant of distorted guitars, screams, and lots of hi-hat.

â┚¬Ã‹Å“Not the Sunâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ is a more upbeat song that again focuses on vocals and lyrics. One of the more catchy songs on the album (I havenâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t been able to get â┚¬Ã‹Å“Wonâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t you be my baitâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ out of my head since acquiring the album), it brings us back to Deja Entendu in terms of lyrical style. A favourite lyric of mine is â┚¬Ã‹Å“Say youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re my friend, but why wonâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t you be my family?â┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ Repetitive and fun, the bridge is probably my favorite part of the track. Slowing down the tempo, Lacey repeats â┚¬Ã‹Å“Settle baby, you are not the sunâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢. Overall, it is one of the best tracks on the album.The next track was also leaked as a demo in January. â┚¬Ã‹Å“Lucaâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢, when released as a demo, featured a strong opening lyric (Well I lost my taste for the company of airports and cars/We flew through the year and/Avoided the dust and the rock). The opening lyric on this track, however, I feel pales in comparison (When I disappear, do you fear for the sister I took/ When I disappear, it is clear I am up to no good). Luckily, the majority of the rest of the song stays true to its demo counterpart. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s also one of the more structured songs on the album, which just proves their capabilities as writers. It also presents a recurring theme in their music. Like in â┚¬Ã‹Å“Play Crack the Skyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢, there are many references to water, which I believe is an ode to their Long Island home.

Untitled (considering the bandâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s history with titles, Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m sure there was some thought that went into titling it â┚¬Ã‹Å“Untitledâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢) is basically another two minute instrumental with muffled vocals repeating â┚¬Ã‹Å“I can never love you, I can never reach youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢.

The second to last track is â┚¬Ã‹Å“The Archers Bows Have Brokenâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢, which brings back Brand Newâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s affinity for longer titles. Seemingly to have taken influence from The Smiths, the song is driving and one of the poppy-est on the album. To me, the overall tone of the song, specifically the chorus, seems to have been derived from the 9th demo that was leaked in January. I could be wrong, but when I listen to this song I hear a lot of similarities. Overall, it is probably one of my favorite tracks, and is in some ways reminiscent of Brand Newâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s first album.

The last track of the album is â┚¬Ã‹Å“Handcuffsâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢. Written by Vinnie Accardi, as opposed to usual lyricist Jesse Lacey, the song starts out a lot like â┚¬Ã‹Å“Play Crack the Skyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ with the count in and acoustic guitar. Due to its stripped down nature, and simple lyrics, itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s definitely one of my favorite tracks on the album. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a great way to close the album, as well, and the string arrangement is very complimentary to the tone.

Overall, the album speaks volumes for the direction in which the band is headed. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s a great compilation of some of their best work to date, and while it may dissuade some of the fans that prefer their poppier work, it seems truly artistic and original to me.

Tracklisting
1. Sowing Season (Yeah)
2. Millstone
3. Jesus Christ
4. Degausser
5. Limousine
6. You Won’t Know
7. Welcome to Bangkok
8. Not the Sun
9. Luca
10. Untitled
11. Archers
12. Handcuffs

Filed Under: Album, Reviews Tagged With: Brand-New, Interscope

Copeland – El Rey Theatre – Nov 22, 2006

November 24, 2006 By Michael Schneider 6 Comments

Copeland at the El Rey Theatre

Death & Taxes Tour featuring:
Copeland, The Appleseed Cast, Acute, Owen
November 22, 2006
The El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, CA

A special thanks to Libby and MSOPR for letting me attend this show!

While entering the famous El Rey Theatre on a seemingly quiet, pre-Thanksgiving wednesday night, slowly but surely my bias towards the current music scene was lifted. Not since seeing Bad Religion at age 13 have I ever felt like one of the younger in attendance at a concert. However, the crowd that was present for this tour was not ridden with parents escorting their scandalously dressed daughters to the merch area and purchasing all of the brightly colored t-shirts and posters; sensing some bitterness?

For this type of show, the crowd began as quite an intimate group, taking in the soft but intense acoustic stylings of opening act Mike Kinsella, known as Owen. Kinsella formerly played a few different roles in the band American Football but has ventured under the title Owen since 2002. His songs are very well structured but his voice doesn’t keep up with the beauty of his guitar work. He definitely did a great job as an opening act.

Up next was Los Angeles’ own Acute. Formed with former members of Poulain, Ozma, and Whispertown 2000, this 4-piece brings a solid blend of indie, pop, and rock. With singer Isaac Lekach also controlling all of the guitar work, it’s quite impressive how the band fills up open space. Drummer Patrick Edwards maintains the rhythm almost perfectly enough to believe he’s playing to a metronome and bassist Colt Maloney is always right beside him. What impressed me the most was the latest addition to the band in Jason Borger. He did an incredible job using two keyboards and different voices and tones to add the feeling that the live show was just as impressive as a recording of the band. I would love to see what they could do with a second guitarist in a live performance.

Third, was the always incredible Militia Group band, The Appleseed Cast. Since 1998 this band has been touring in support of multiple full-lengths, most recently Peregrine. Their sound is far superior every other artist in this vein of music, and what bothers me is how much longer they’ve been doing it than everyone else who tries to copy their sound. I wish I had something to balance out all of the positive things to say, but in this case, I can only give praise. Don’t take my word for it, check out any of their several releases and be prepared for something different and better than what you currently listen to.

Copeland, is a band that at one point changed my perspective of the potential of music. Unfortunately, while some of the songs from that era still remain as staples, some have been re-worked to fit the current direction the band is headed. Recently releasing their third full-length record “Eat, Sleep, Repeat” and meeting much critique and acclaim, I felt as though I owed the band enough to judge on more than a recording. Unfortunately, the live performances of boring songs are just that, nothing more. While bringing down the pace of the past’s more upbeat and passionate songs, I still love them, but I grow fonder of my pillow for purposes of sleep rather than the tears they once used to manifest within me.

On the verge of reaching success the band greatly deserves, this slew of new songs just doesn’t make the cut that my expectations have been set at. For me, the band has taken a step to the side, not a step forward and has much more ground to make up with new material past what was so recently introduced. While I still recommend Copeland’s live show, don’t expect the gut-wrenching emotion that was once displayed. Take it as you will, and enjoy it.

Filed Under: Reviews, Show Tagged With: acute, Copeland, owen, The-Appleseed-Cast

The Human Abstract – Nocturne

November 21, 2006 By Manuel Enrique Garcia 5 Comments

The Human Abstract

Artist: The Human Abstract
Album: Nocturne
Label: Hopeless Records
Purchase:Ԛ SmartPunk
Release Date: August 22, 2006

Overall: 9.0
Music: 10
Lyrics: 8.5
Production: 9.5

Bands are always trying to perfect their ability to mimicry the sounds and essence of other bands, that potentially have more success in the music industry. Spend an entire day listening to bands and youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll begin to notice that half of them are simply conjoined twins at the chest. One heartbeat, one soul, one existence. They are attached, identical, and they share one thing in common: they want to find the quickest way into the mainstream without having one ounce of creativeness flowing through their carbon copied veins. There comes a time when a band emerges from the womb that isnâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t conjoined to anyone else; one band with enough creative masterpiece to fuel the country of India.

The Human Abstract hails from California and they are a sculptorâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s glorious creation in the midst of a stream of artificial musicianship. With their latest release â┚¬Ã…”Nocturneâ┚¬?, The Human Abstract showcases exactly what they are capable of and what their fans can expect from them. This band consists of a wide range of genres and clearly create music without any limitations. Every song on this record consists of elements of progressive rock, pop, European metal, acoustic, and everything else imaginable. The heavy segments are brutal and the melodic choruses are catchy. Each song transforms you into a soldier going into a medieval battle against a nation filled with angst. Each song is filled with enough drive and intensity to motivate you, fuel you, and bring yourself to a reflection of the self. The songs serve as individuals. Each one emitting an aura with their own essence and theme, giving the listener a chance to feel a wide range of emotions while listening to â┚¬Ã…”Nocturneâ┚¬? as a whole.

The instruments are preformed with excellence, as if the band members were born with their given instrument strapped to their chest in conception. The guitars will leave you in a state of amazement with the overall sounds feeling like an illusion, something surreal. The drums are pounding loudly and echoing into each ear, leaving you with a sense of pride. Some of the most admiring aspects of this record are the acoustic guitar and classical interlude, which happens to give you a chance to lay back, relax, and reflect.

The Human Abstract have created an epic record that will leave you satisfied with the fact that finally, a band makes a record that flows against the current. During the coarse of 50 minutes, the record will strap you down with a blindfold across your eyes, carry you over the shoulder of a seven foot tall warrior, and place you on top of the highest cliff. From there, the blindfold will be removed and as you look down, you will see one of the most epic battles emerging from every angle. As the savages tear themselves apart, you hear a distinct sound echoing in the air. With each swing of the sword, a guitar riff. With each pull of the arrow, the pounding of the drums. With each body collapsing, the intensity of the vocals relapsing. As the glorious revolution continues throughout nightfall, you can only hear one sound playing in the sky: The Human Abstractâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s â┚¬Ã…”Nocturneâ┚¬?.

Track Listing:
1. Harbinger
2. Self Portraits Of The Instincts
3. Nocturne
4. Crossing The Rubicon
5. Sotto Voce
6. Mea Culpa
7. Channel Detritus
8. Movement From Discord
9. Polaris
10. Echelons To Molotovs
11. Desiderata
12. Vela, Together We Await The Storm

Filed Under: Album, Reviews Tagged With: Hopeless Records, The-Human-Abstract

MxPx – Let It Happen Deluxe Edition

November 21, 2006 By Tyler Hayes 2 Comments

mxpx

Artist: MxPx
Album: Let It Happen Deluxe Edition
Label: Tooth and Nail
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: November 21, 2006

Overall: 8.0
Music: 8.0
Lyrics: 9.0
Production: 7.0

The first time around, back in 1998, â┚¬Ã…”Let It Happenâ┚¬? literally was the soundtrack to my high school years. I remember getting it for Christmas and being in amazement at how they fit 30+ songs on one CD. Well the time has come, and like all good things that can make money, it’s now time to be â┚¬Ã…”re-releasedâ┚¬? and sold again, (although, they never stopped selling it).

There are 3 new songs, which are being pushed pretty hard. 2 out of the 3 are quality MxPx songs, with â┚¬Ã…”Prozacâ┚¬? falling short and leaving much to be desired. They put 9 music videos on the DVD portion, which may be worth the 10 bucks alone to some people. The old demos that were added to the record are fun to listen to, but I wouldn’t buy the record just for the old demos. My feeling is that the collection of songs that made up the original â┚¬Ã…”Let It Happenâ┚¬? is classic. In my opinion, it did not need to be re-released, but on the other hand if you do not yet own the record, this is a good excuse to go out and buy it.

It’s good to hear the new songs that were recorded with Aaron Sprinkle who of course recorded MxPx’s first CD. I hope they team up for the next recording that MxPx does, because we all know they can’t stand to be out of the studio for too long. If you have the record you might skip the â┚¬Ã…”Deluxeâ┚¬? edition but if you don’t have it, please pick up the record.

Tracklisting

1. Role Remodeling
2. Prozac
3. Your Turn
4. Never Learn
5. Begin To Start
6. Swing Set Girl
7. Sick Boy
8. Oh Donna
9. Small Town Minds
10. First Class Mail
11. Can’t See Not Saying
12. GSF
13. Thoughts and Ideas
14. Easier Said Than Done
15. Rock and Roll Girl
16. Important Enough To Mention
17. Elvis Is Dead
18. Lifetime Enlightment
19. Let It Happen
20. Hot and Cold
21. So Kill Me
22. Suggestion Box
23. Creation
24. Want Ad (Alternate Version)
25. Honest Answers
26. Late Last Night
27. Biased Bigotry
28. Circumstance
29. Do Your Feet Hurt (Critter Version)
30. Twister Words (Original Demo)
31. Suggestion Box (Original Demo)
32. Too Much Thinking (Original Demo)

Filed Under: Album, Reviews Tagged With: MxPx, Tooth And Nail

Future Of Forestry – Future Of Forestry

November 15, 2006 By Tyler Hayes 2 Comments

Future of Forestry Self Titled

Artist: Future of Forestry
Album: Self Titled
Label: Credential Recordings
Purchase: Amazon
Release Date: August 15th, 2006

Overall: 8.3
Music: 8.0
Lyrics: 9.0
Production: 8.5

While this EP did not hit me hard at first, when it finally did, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Only every once in awhile does an album come along that demands more of the listener than just causal listening, and this is one of those CDâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s.

Future of Forestry is still a fairly young band, but has already been gaining a ton of well deserved momentum. The 6 song self titled EP starts with â┚¬Ã…”All I Wantâ┚¬? which begins soft and ambient, quickly adding the soothing vocals of Eric Owyoung then jumps in intensely very quickly in to the chorus only to come back down to the mellow verse.

There are probably several ways to describe the music and sound of Future of Forestry but â┚¬Ã…”Passion Rockâ┚¬? keeps coming to mind. The music is anything from mellow to hard rock, but it is always successful at putting you in the mood that the band wants you to be in order to fully receive what they are trying to get across in the song. That should be the goal of any song writer and/or band, but this band just does it perfectly.

The song that got me hook first was â┚¬Ã…”Stilledâ┚¬?. The chorus, which is carried along primarily by the vocals and the rim shots by the drummer has a very catchy and moving melody. Please go listen to some songs from the band and if you like what you hear purchase the EP. I know I cannot wait until a full length comes out.

Tracklisting
1. Open Wide
2. Renovation
3. All I Want
4. Untitled
5. Stilled
6. Twilight

Filed Under: Album, Reviews Tagged With: Credential-Recordings, future-of-forestry

Tahiti 80 – Fosbury

November 10, 2006 By Tyler Hayes 1 Comment

Tahiti 80 Fosbury

Artist: Tahiti 80
Album: Fosbury
Label: The Militia Group
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: November 14, 2006

Overall: 8.0
Music: 8.0
Lyrics: 7.9
Production: 8.0

This album has something for most people looking to have a little fun and step outside the four chord, tradition “scene” band. With a little bit of dance, a little bit groove, and a lot of smooth pop vocals, “Fosbury (us edition)” really does shake things up in the all too often predictable music world.

Songs like “Big Day”, “Changes”, and “Chinatown” really bring the beats and make it hard to stay sitting down. Other songs on the record such as “Cherry Pie”, and “Alloveragain” slow it down a tad while really coming through big time on the melody.

“Fosbury” has two sides to it, one is the energetic pop side and the other is the mellower, almost somber side. It’s seems more and more rare to hear such a diverse record anymore. Both, and actually all, styles on the record are good in their own context, but at the same time it does make it hard to label this band as a certain genre because they do venture into many.

Whether you throw this record on in the background while having people over, or you’re listening by yourself I’m pretty sure, given the chance, this is a disc that will be well received by most people. Apparently this record is also coming with a 4 song EP. The EP includes a remix of â┚¬Ã…”Changesâ┚¬? and a cover of â┚¬Ã…”Happy Togetherâ┚¬? in addition to two other songs. With a total of 17 songs this release defenitly becomes well worth the price. I encourage you to check out a song or too if you have been getting tired of the same old thing over and over again.

Tracklisting
1. Big Day
2. Changes
3. Here Comes…
4. Chinatowun (US Exclusive Song)
5. Alloveragain
6. Something About You Girl
7. Take Me Back
8. Your Love Shines
9. Matter Of Time
10. One The Run
11. Cherry Pie
12. Somebody New (US Exclusive Song)
13. Empty And Amused

Filed Under: Album, Reviews Tagged With: Tahiti-80, The-Militia-Group

Jars Of Clay & Matt Wertz Tour Review

November 9, 2006 By Michael Schneider Leave a Comment

Matt Wertz & Jars Of Clay
November 4th & 5th, 2006
Pepperdine University & Biola University
Pepperdine: 8.5
Biola: 8
Tour Overall: 7.5

Seeing the same concert two nights in a row is always interesting. Sometimes you can predict what song is next, or even what joke is next. However, it’s never been more apparent how much a setting (venue) can effect the mood of a show or just my mood when I go to a concert. First and foremost- I’d like to thank Emily Provansal at Nettwerk, as well as Jason Hecht for allowing me to see this tour!
Pepperdine University, a small private school in Malibu, CA. Also at a small southern California university, I quickly became jealous of the amazing views and incredible location of the school. Including free in-n-out burger with each ticket, as well as free concert posters of the night, Pepperdine did really well at putting on a quality concert.
Opener Kate York, I have to assume is a friend of Jars Of Clay. While her voice is crisp, clear and perfectly in-tune, singer-songwriters are a dime and dozen and she’s no exception. Just one song and I was laying flat on my back in the grass listening to her incessant lullabies. Imagine Eisley’s vocals with simple chords and straight-forward strum patterns.
Matt Wertz, as some of our readers may have seen over the past half-year, is easily one of my favorite artists. Learning before the show during my interview that tonight he would just be accompanied with guitarist Justin Rosolino, I was quite anxious to see how his more upbeat songs would sound.
His set contained a good mix of songs from the new record “Everything In Between” as well as past releases, dating back to 2003’s “Twenty Three Places.” Interaction with the crowd contained his open confession of having his own song, “Heartbreaker” as his ringtone. Sorry Matt, I have Carolina. Using the incredible talents of Jars Of Clay’s Stephen Mason on Carolina, the mandolin rounded out the most complete sounding acoustic set I have ever heard. Matt’s live show is just not perceivable without seeing it and it’s impossible to capture in CD form.
Jars Of Clay, I’m not really sure where to begin with this band. They’ve been around since I was just six years old and recently released another studio album entitled “Good Monsters.” Their U2-esque CD sound is replicated perfectly by their incredibly talented lineup. Bright lights and every instrument from drums to lap steel, it’s easy to see that the band has honed their live show to perfection.
While their music is not my favorite, it is easy to enjoy fan favorites like Flood, Love Song For a Savior & the newer additions to their repertoire, Dead Man & All My Tears. While Jars Of Clay appeals to a wide audience, most of the crowd looked like graduates of either university, or Christian Radio junkies, and the band drew quite well at both venues.
If I had to pick one show to attend, the setting of Pepperdine as well as a longer set for Matt Wertz (including Like The Last Time and I Will Not Take My Love Away), clinched that decision for me, however if you have the opportunity to see Matt Wertz or Jars of Clay live I would definitely recommend it, just maybe not at the same show. That is the reason for the 7.5 rating, otherwise it was a very good concert experience.

Check out my photos from the show here.

Filed Under: Reviews, Show Tagged With: Jars-Of-Clay, Matt-Wertz

Echo Screen – Euphoria

November 6, 2006 By Tyler Hayes Leave a Comment

Echo Screen Euphoria

Artist: Echo Screen
Album: Euphoria
Label: Rock Out
Purchase: Smart Punk

Release Date: November 21, 2006
Overall: 6.3
Music: 7.5
Lyrics: 6.0
Production: 6.0

Echo Screenâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s debut â┚¬Ã…”Euphoriaâ┚¬? hitâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s on several good points musically and vocally while still leaving a lot to be desired. Echo Screenâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s release is one that could and probably will get lost in the mix of every other CD from bands that are trying to stand out. â┚¬Ã…”Euphoriaâ┚¬? can be summed up with, overall a good debut from a pop punk band but in the end very forgettable.

First let me say for the same old pop punk style, Echo Screen does do it very well. The ironic thing about the album is that I found myself more drawn to the slow songs than the upbeat ones. It might be because the vocals are show cased more or the melodies are stronger, Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m not sure, but songs like â┚¬Ã…”Octoberâ┚¬? caught my ear more than the ones that felt like they were old starting line songs.

While Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m not crazy about this release, and donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t think itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s breaking any new ground. I still think this is a good start for the band and is worth checking out. This band has a lot of standout qualities but there are only hints of what they are capable of on this record.

Songs to look forâ┚¬Ã‚¦ â┚¬?Octoberâ┚¬? and â┚¬Ã…”Rushmoreâ┚¬?.

Tracklisting
1. This Letter Bomb
2. Everything After Bradford
3. The Science of Stopping Time
4. Start Tomorrow
5. Gloria
6. October
7. Rushmore
8. The Five Cent Tour of the Pearly Gates Part I; Our Hopes
9. The Five Cent Tour of the Pearly Gates Part II; Our Fears
10. Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Society

Filed Under: Album, Reviews Tagged With: Echo-Screen, rock-out

The Working Title – About Face

November 1, 2006 By Reema Desai 3 Comments

the_working_title.jpg

Artist: The Working Title
Album: About Face
Label: Universal
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: July 18, 2006

Overall: 7.8
Music: 7.5
Lyrics: 8.5
Production: 9.0

The name “The Working Title” comes from the band’s wish to continue to evolve and progress as musicians. They held true to their namesake and progressed significantly from their last record. About Face is the world’s first taste of a full length Working Title album. Previously, the band had only a seven song EP entitled “Everyone Here Is Wrong” and while it was well received by critics and fans alike, it left listeners hungry for more. This time around, the band has chosen a more polished sound on their LP, and even went as far as reworking and perfecting three of the songs featured on their EP.

The best part about this record is easily the vocals as there is something incredibly emotional and touching about Joel Hamilton’s voice. He delivers honest and direct lyrics with the utmost sincerity. There are standout tracks like “Crash” which pulls you in within the first few seconds and the exceedingly emotional and epic “Turbulence” which encloses the album dramatically with the lyric “You have to be careful with my heart”?. With that being said, there are times when the record felt repetitive. There are parts on the album where some of the songs seem to drag along and blend together. By no means is About Face a bad record, but more diversity in the songs could have taken it from good to great.

Track Listing
1. About-Face
2. Nothing Less Radiant
3. P.S.
4. Glorious
5. Under the Ground
6. The Crash
7. Something She Said
8. Weigh Me Down
9. Never Run Again
10. The Mary Getaway (I Lost Everything)
11. Blind
12. There Is None
13. Enslaved
14. Turbulence

Filed Under: Album, Reviews Tagged With: The-Working-Title

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