Thursday 26 February 2015

Album per day: Day 15

Artist: Pavement
Album: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Released: 1994

Who would've thought that at a moment in time, alternative rock was one at the forefront of the music world? Bands like Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam reigned supreme, and similar bands were making a ruckus around the world. One of those bands was the now defunct Pavement, an American rock band who hold a somewhat cult status nowadays for leading the line of the underground indie rock movement. Their album Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain was said to define the nineties, and for a decade which has given us so many brilliant artists, I decided I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
Silence Kit and Elevate Me Later have nineties rock written all over them, churning out distortion and melodic backing vocals all the same. It's very Pablo Honey (early Radiohead). Cut Your Hair was a moderate commercial success when released as a single, and you can see why it was chosen for release: the backing vocals designed to hook the listener and make sure they have it in their head for the foreseeable future. There was clearly a template style in alternative rock music back then, because I hear traces of Weezer and even The Dandy Warhols in here, meaning this must have had an influence on these groups, although Weezer released their debut album around the same time, which I already reviewed, so check that out! I loved the nineties, and would happily live in it as a teenager if this is what was considered to be the scene to be in.
Unfair is a balls-to-the-wall rocker, adding guitar effects to an already comprehensive wall of noise, and vocalist Stephen Malkmus leads the song to its end with his tormented wailing. Gold Soundz has a more positive vibe about it, making Malkmus sound like the polar opposite of messrs Corgan and Yorke. But whilst the music is upbeat and infectious, the lyrics are self-loathing and hard to grasp. Onto 5-4=Unity, and I feel like I've just entered a jazz club in New Orleans. This short instrumental piece puts pianos and the bass guitar in focus, and suddenly a cigarette has appeared in my mouth, and my fedora is firmly tipped (m'lady). The pop melodies of Range Life call to mind the post-Britpop of Travis, but with more aggro, and Heaven Is A Truck applies the wah-wah pedal in such a carefree, but soothing manner. Closing song Fillmore Jive is the magnum opus of the album if you can call it that, exceeding six minutes without following a typical song structure, and it brings Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain to an epic and noisy close.
The critical acclaim that this album received is easy to understand. It's a record many can put on from start to finish and not skip one song, simply because it's all killer, no filler. This doesn't mean all of the songs are brilliant, but each song has at least one quality about it that makes it distinctive and special. These Californian boys are now grown men, and I'm sure I wouldn't be alone in approving their reunion. Maybe they could show these modern indie bands a thing or two about emotion and talent.

Rating: 8.5/10
Recommended tracks: Cut Your Hair, Unfair, Gold Soundz, Fillmore Jam

Wednesday 25 February 2015

Album per day: Day 14

Artist: Neck Deep
Album: Wishful Thinking
Released: 2014

Pop punk has nary been touched upon over in our fair country. When we celebrate said genre, we focus on the American heavyweights such as Blink-182, Green Day, New Found Glory and The Offspring, and other upcoming acts from the USA such as A Day To Remember. With all that, it's refreshing that with all of the cries of "pop punk will never die!", Neck Deep are proof that the industry is still spouting bands that fall into this genre.
Opening song Losing Teeth breaks you in nicely with tasty riffs that bring that sweet air of summer around, and Staircase Wit allows frontman Ben Barlow to let his guitarists shine for a minute with some heavy power chord work. Barlow can be a little guilty of overdoing his vocals, and I'm hoping later in the record that the instrumentalists can take centre stage with some big breakdowns or solos. Meanwhile, Damsel In Distress mixes it up with more intricate guitar work, and Zoltar Speaks is the circle pit song of the album: pure unadulterated punk energy.
Picking up from where Zoltar Speaks left off, Growing Pains is a bit more anthemic with its relatable lyrics about your typical heartbreak, but delivered with ferocious pace and a tight groove. Mileage, for some reason, calls to mind the sort of stuff that Simple Plan would release if they were a bit more daring. There is a slight frustration though as the song ends, as I find myself wondering how much more they could have added if they included more instrumental moments. Sweet Nothings shines brightly amongst a group that hasn't really disappointed me (much), but it's easily the most infectious song on the album, showcasing how much talents these boys possess. The soaring melodies of Blank Pages make for pleasant listening, and then BAM! You're crushed under the pummelling rhythms and angry lyrics once again. Final track Candour is definitely an anomaly, but it's beautiful all the same. It shows these guys can rally an army, but they can also weather a storm. Easily the best song on the album.
Another album I've enjoyed, and another strong major debut effort. Despite the insistence from Ben Barlow to sing like an American, and opportunities missed by not allowing the musicians to showcase their obvious talents a bit more, Wishful Thinking is a strong record; not the finished article, but strong. If you're a fan of A Day To Remember's more pop punk over metalcore moments, then this may be the new band for you. I look forward to seeing how far these boys go in an industry that is starting to welcome pop punk back with open arms, but I would also be interested in seeing how far they go across the pond. Can British pop punk invade the USA? I certainly hope so.

Rating: 7.5/10
Recommended tracks: Sweet Nothings, Candour 

Tuesday 24 February 2015

Album per day: Day 13

Artist: Catfish and the Bottlemen
Album: The Balcony
Released: 2014

It's refreshing when acts placed in the indie bracket come out with new and innovative ideas. One of the newest bands looking to achieve that are Catfish and the Bottlemen, hailing from Llandudno, Wales. Judging from the suggestive album cover alone on their debut record The Balcony, I would expect something a little edgier than what previous listens have suggested, but here we go.
Opening track Homesick is no statement of intent, but it is colourful and bright, following a quiet-loud formula. Fellow singles Kathleen and Cocoon are both straight up catchy indie bangers, with Cocoon especially cranking things up a notch with guitar solos and a huge chorus. You can already see the inevitable image of 17 year old girls on their male friend's shoulders at Reading and Leeds Festival, and the guy thinks he has a shot but the girl is too captivated by lead singer Van McCann's flowing locks. It's by the time that Fallout kicks in that the resemblance to the music of The Kooks is more than apparent, in both music and vocal style. I quite like The Kooks, so I don't find myself disliking what I'm hearing, but I can get critical when similarities are more than apparent, or verging on just directly ripping off. There are also flashes of indie stalwarts The Libertines and The Courteeners, and even some early Arctic Monkeys scattered around.
Business sounds like exactly the sort of staple track I'd found played every Saturday night at my old Wolverhampton haunt, Blast Off. The last minute of Rango raises the song to great heights that it failed to hit in the previous two minutes. Sidewinder is the probably the best song on the album, simply because of the lead guitar work distinguishing it from about eight of the other tracks, and closing track Tyrants is again awash with lead guitar melodies that sound like they've come out of Johnny Marr's scrapbook.
The band's debut album, as anticipated, wasn't perfect. There's nothing new to get too excited about, but what there is is an enjoyable record if you're in the right age bracket. The quartet though, sound a bit dated for me. Comparing them to those aforementioned bands would only seek to support my claim. The death of this genre clearly hasn't reached northern Wales, because if this album had been released about ten years previously, then these guys would be riding on the crest of a wave. Sadly though, the world has moved on, and it may be time for them to move on and show some more inventiveness on album number two in an attempt to remain unforgotten. Lyrics about teenage angst and living life in the middle of nowhere will only get you so far, boys.

Rating: 6/10
Recommended songs: Cocoon, Sidewinder

Monday 23 February 2015

Album per day: Day 12

Artist: Lightning Bolt
Album: Ride The Skies
Released: 2001

As a fan of Royal Blood, I've read a lot of opinionated views on them. Many of those who tend to find them boring or lacking innovation end up pointing readers in the direction of Lightning Bolt as a worthy of example of how being a two-piece shouldn't limit your sound. This band, composed of drummer/vocalist Brian Chippendale and bassist Brian Gibson, hail from Providence, Rhode Island and have influenced more bands than you think.
Kicking off with first track Forcefield, a four minute instrumental whirlwind of noise, it appears that listeners who are more accustomed to the authentic and refined sounds of Royal Blood might be taken aback by what is happening. There is some Muse-esque guitar wankery that is being played through the bass guitar, but there is so much going on that I am struggling to put into words what is going on. Let's just say that Lightning Bolt fit the genre "noise rock" considerably well. 13 Monsters at least incorporates some vocals, albeit extremely distorted ones, and whilst I am a fan of vocal distortion when used properly, it still isn't distinguishable. Ride The Sky is built around an odd time scale and progressively gets weirder with every bass riff. This band were definitely not meant for the mainstream.
The Faire Folk grabs my interests for its speedy and skilled bass playing, but it ends up sounding boring and repetitive. With some questionable wailing happening in the background, it is a shame that more wasn't done with the six minutes that this song had to offer. Wee One's Parade begins with what sounds like a back and forth between Kenny from South Park talking into a megaphone, and Sooty talking through a cheap microphone. Then thankfully, we get a little more going on with some heavy bass and interesting drum fills. I'm also pretty sure there are some vocals in there somewhere. Rotator finishes things off in heavy fashion, incorporating what sounds like synths from a retro Space Invaders game. The only way to describe this album is fast and furious.
I was very much looking forward to giving this album a listen, but I've ended up feeling let down. For an album that has so many elements in which it influences Muse, I don't seem to be connecting with it. This album is definitely something I can't air guitar to, or even air drum to. There is no doubt that beneath all of this noise, there is a band who amass wonderful talents on their instruments, but it did nothing for me due to a distinct lack of melody, structure and memorable moments.  I can credit Brian Gibson for his incredible skills on the bass guitar; he knows all the tricks and makes it sound like five instruments at once. I remember when I first heard Slipknot, I wondered what the fuck I was listening to, but now I bloody love them. Granted I was 13 when I first heard Slipknot, so sadly I may not get on board with Lightning Bolt right now at the age of 22, but in order to solidify my opinion I will have to check out a few more of their songs before fully dismissing them. Kudos to them for making even more of a racket than Royal Blood though with just two people.

Rating: 4/10
Recommended song: Forcefield

Sunday 22 February 2015

Album per day: Day 11

Artist: Drenge
Album: Drenge
Released: 2013

Drenge have long been one of those bands that people have recommended to me, but in my lazy, uninspired state, I continue to fall back into the welcoming arms of my favourite bands. I managed to catch a tiny portion of them at Leeds Festival, but ended up being sidetracked by whatever band I had planned to see prior to that. From what I know, they're a two-piece band of brothers who are desperate to revitalise grunge, but they bring along a touring bassist for the ride as well to add to their noise. You may think a bass guitar isn't as vital to the sound of a band, but let me tell you, it contributes more than you think. Hold on, I'm tipsy when writing this, so bare with me...
The first two tracks on this record encompass around four minutes of this debut album, and as catchy as they are, they're nothing to shout about, and I find myself hoping there will be more impressive moments around the corner. I Want To Break You In Half begins with a filthy guitar line carried on through the verses along with the angsty lyrics from Eoin Loveless that you wouldn't expect from any other duo act out there, and when the song explodes into its outro, you find yourself wishing it wasn't the end. Bloodsports, one of the better known tracks, kicks things up another gear with more complex guitar work and aggressive drumming, and at this point is just about the highlight. There's something quintessentially British about these boys, and yes, even though they are British, it wouldn't have taken a genius to work it out. The lyrics of Loveless are filled with anger and discern, and are delivered with the kind of accent that would make Alex Turner sound like he was from Jamaica.
Backwaters picks up from where Bloodsports left off, and the guitar keeps getting louder and weirder. These guys know how to tick the boxes with me, it seems. Gun Crazy recalls early Feeder with its fuzzy guitar tone, and delivers rolling punches to the eardrums with pulsating drum work from Rory Loveless - there is a real QOTSA feel to this track. Having pleasured myself so far with the brand of rock n'roll that Drenge are delivering, I defy anyone to put them in the category of "indie"; they just fucking aren't, so don't categorise them with The Libertines or The View.
I find myself humoured at Drenge's attempt to pay tribute to Muddy Waters' hit I Just Want To Make Love To You through it's antithesis I Don't Want To Make Love To You, which is a nice touch, but I thought may have fit as more of a B-side. Bye Bye Bao Bao takes up about half of it's running time with gruelling, yet delectable feedback, but then you realise it is more of an interlude to segue into what follows.
What does follow is Let's Pretend, an eight minute developing thunderstorm which calls to mind the melodic intensity that Radiohead used to treat us to. Violent screams kick in halfway through and then suddenly, the pace slows down in an attempt to rebuild what has been built. The raw element and cheap-sounding guitar pedals make the record sound less tampered with, and this less refined sound even manages to make something like Let's Pretend not sound dull. Onto Fuckabout, which I thought was Pixies at the time, and is the closest that Drenge get to a lighters-out anthem. It's a curveball of a track to finish the record on, but definitely one of the best.
There will be a new Drenge album this year, and if their lifestyle of relentless touring and a wider experience in the music industry gives them a more cohesive sound, I think they will vastly increase their fanbase, but they have certainly won my attention. In a world of infamous rock duos such as The White Stripes, The Black Keys, Royal Blood and Death From Above 1979, Drenge stick out like a sore thumb, and I think this is because there is true hate in this record, and I believe every word that Eoin Loveless sings. The instrumentation may not be groundbreaking, but there is a passion in here that is missing from some of the aforementioned acts.

Rating: 8/10
Recommended songs: Bloodsports, Gun Crazy, Fuckabout

Thursday 19 February 2015

Album per day: Day 10

Artist: Weezer
Album: Weezer (The Blue Album)
Released: 1994

In a time where the embers of grunge were dying out, along with the sad demise of Kurt Cobain, Californian quartet Weezer were conjuring up something a lot more left-field. They've come to be known as the stalwarts of emo music, even though they were hardly self-loathing. They come across as a more nerdy, college rock band, and along the way they have amassed a fanbase of relatable clever clogs. Vocalist Rivers Cuomo is a Harvard graduate, don't you know? He's a "loser" like you.
My Name Is Jonas gets things underway, and is a strong opening track for a debut album. The riffs are heavy without being too brutal for the listeners. It's this kind of pop sensibility that brings in fans of Weezer from a load of different subcultures. No One Else continues this trend, incorporating pop punk influences with its thrashing power chords, sounding a little like The Offspring. Most rock fans know Buddy Holly (the song, as well as the young and tragically lost pioneer of rock n'roll), and if you've heard it or seen the video set in the cafe from Happy Days, you already know it's a big tune, stretching out into a set of more obscure guitar sounds. Undone - The Sweater Song is supposedly the song that Rivers Cuomo is most proud of, and it's easy to see why. It has a more melodic feel to it than the previous songs on The Blue Album, ending up in a lovely mess of shredding and feedback.
Just like Buddy Holly, Say It Ain't So is another huge single from the record, with some of my favourite guitar performances in it; no matter how simple it is to play, it just sounds killer. The chorus is huge too, the kind that festival crowds would be singing along to nowadays rather than Radioactive or Pompeii. Holiday is the closest thing this album has to filler, but even so, it's not one I'd be skipping over, and halfway through briefly changes from a rock song to something resembling a barbershop group. Closing number Only In Dreams is built around another beautiful melody, incorporating the quiet-loud-quiet-loud method. It's eight minutes of alternative rock genius, which amalgamates pretty much every impressive characteristic of the rest of the songs on this album, therefore creating a fully evolved track. This is Weezer's "final form". And just like that, the album ends, and I find myself wanting a lot more, which is one of very few things I can find myself moaning about with The Blue Album.
I seriously love this album. These guys are incredibly talented, and they don't settle for that three chord bullshit. The power pop they deliver is built around odd time frames and fantastic harmonisation. Weezer made guitar solos cooler, even though you wouldn't usually put the words "Weezer" and "cool" together, but maybe they were so uncool that they were cool. In more recent times, they've never quite reached the level of fame they once had in the 90's, but their ninth album Everything Will Be Alright In The End has received strong praise, so could we be seeing an old school emo revival? Maybe they can show Vampire Weekend what college rock really is.

Rating: 9/10
Recommended songs: My Name Is Jonas, Undone - The Sweater Song, Say It Ain't So, Only In Dreams

Wednesday 18 February 2015

Album per day: Day 9

Artist: Disclosure
Album: Settle
Released: 2013

Surrey dance brothers Disclosure have been brewing up a storm since the release of their debut effort Settle. They've made splashes in the UK and most of Europe, but they've also found a home across the pond; Settle was nominated for a Grammy, acknowledging their growing fanbase over there. Their music isn't particularly aggressive like The Prodigy or Chase and Status, but the chilled atmosphere created by their music appeals to a wide audience who seek out a more calming influence to dance to.
After a minute long introduction track, When A Fire Starts To Burn kicks things off. It gets annoying very quickly, with repetitive and irritating lyrics, and unfortunately, the music is no more captivating. Latch invites Sam Smith to the party on lead vocals, and considering he's been shoved in our faces over the last twelve months, I imagined I'd find myself disliking it. This was not the case though. The house influence on this track is calming, but still danceable,  and Sam Smith's voice surprisingly fits in. F For You was familiar to me from the soundtrack to FIFA 14, and it was always one of those songs that I never wanted to skip. You couldn't turn on the radio in 2013 without being exposed to White Noise, much like Sam Smith, but I didn't particularly mind hearing it, with vocals being supplied by electronic music duo AlunaGeorge. The addictive club sound combined with catchy vocals makes for a chart humper, which is the status it ultimately achieved (it hit no.2 in the UK charts).
Defeated No More called to mind the synths and claps of Deadmau5, incorporating more of a house vibe, and Edward MacFarlane matches Sam Smith's performance on Latch with his octave-bending vocals. As you can tell, there are quite a few collaborations on Settle, which makes me wonder if dance acts can't get by without guest appearances on every song. There are a few independent songs, but I would like to see Disclosure do more of them on their next record. Grab Her! may be five minutes long, but it sounds lazy and lackadaisical - it needed to be cut down.
The final four tracks all featured guest vocalists. You & Me features Eliza Doolittle, who seems to have gone off the radar recently. Nonetheless, for Doolittle's vocal talents, this song doesn't distinguish itself enough from many of the others on Settle. The same synths are used, the same vocals effects are used etc. The rest of these collaborations don't do much else to differentiate themselves from their fellow songs on this album; there is no individual stamp that the guest vocalist brings to each song. I was intrigued to hear their collaboration with London Grammar, which was one of the brighter sparks of the collaborated efforts, mixing Grammar's soothing, definitely-heard-them-on-Made-In-Chelsea sounds with Disclosure's recognisable dance-pop.
The first record for an act is never supposed to be perfect; there's supposed to be mistakes and signs of immaturity and naivety. Most of the titans of the music world never had a perfect first album, but they learned from it and saw what they could do to improve on their future outputs. I think Disclosure are a good example of that. They may not quite reach the heights of some of the other acts in their genre, but there will always be a fanbase for what they put out. I tend to think that when artists peak too quickly, there is a great amount of pressure placed on them, and they tend to crumble and not deliver in the future, ultimately fading into obscurity. Whether that happens with Disclosure remains to be seen, and I wonder if the dreaded "second album syndrome" will rear its ugly head.

Rating: 6/10
Recommended songs: Latch, F For You

Tuesday 17 February 2015

Album per day: Day 8

Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: 13
Released: 2013

The first Black Sabbath album in 18 years was released to mostly critical acclaim. It was the first studio album with Ozzy Osbourne on lead vocals since Never Say Die! was released in 1978, and reunited three out of the four of the iconic Black Sabbath lineup: Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler, so this new record was always going to cause a stir. Add Brad Wilk of Rage Against The Machine/Audioslave to the mix to contribute drums, and you've got a rock fan's wet dream. The excitement generated by 13 caused the album to climb to the top of the UK album charts, which was their first to do so since Paranoid was released in 1970. With all of that background information on one of the worlds most illustrious metal bands, let's get this album from the Brummie Boilers underway.
You would think that a band who have gone through countless line up changes wouldn't be as tight after all this time, but if first track End Of The Beginning is anything to go by, 13 is going to be a very enjoyable record indeed. This is the sort of metal I dig: slow riffs with plenty of groove. Lead single and the Grammy-winning God Is Dead? follows, and you start to acknowledge the quality of the production that Rick Rubin has brought to this album, but is that what Black Sabbath fans want? They're used to the old fashioned, analogue approach that doesn't give songs the glossy finish - take what Foo Fighters did with Wasting Light for example, which was all recorded on analogue tapes. Nevertheless, it still sounds like Sabbath through and through, with Iommi's unmistakeable licks complimenting Ozzy's voice so very nicely.
Stripped back psychedelic acoustic surfaces on Zeitgeist, which is beautifully executed by a band who are so used to turning it up to 11. Age Of Reason is heavy as balls, but drags on towards about seven minutes, and Live Forever gallops along the low string of Iommi's downtuned Gibson SG, and Geezer Butler and Brad Wilk remain as tight as though they have been playing together for 20 years. I'm loving the blues influence that Sabbath bring to the table, and you'd be hard pressed to find a band that does it better. Dear Father is one of the later highlights, with a strong sense of chemistry being expressed. Starting off the bonus tracks is a song that starts off like Enter Sandman, but is really called Methademic, a vicious, gloomy heavy metal anthem with a quicker tempo to boot. Peace Of Mind is the shortest track on 13, and hits hard and slow, only then to turn it into a quick-fire pummelling, and then we end on Pariah, with memorable singalong lyrics, but not the most memorable pieces of music on 13.
As a man who has spent his life shying away from the bands of yesteryear, maybe favouring acts like Guns N'Roses and Queen instead of bands like Black Sabbath and The Who, it shames me that I have taken this long to appreciate anything that this band has released beyond Paranoid and Iron Man. This doesn't sound like a band that are desperately trying to cling onto whatever relevance they have, or attempting to be nostalgic in any way - they still feel like they have a message to convey, and with the way that they have been received since, they definitely still have a place in the hearts of their fans. They deserve a large amount of respect to come back and record an album after the trials and tribulations that they have been through, be it Ozzy's drug dependencies, or Tony Iommi's news that he has sadly been diagnosed with lymphoma. It doesn't matter how much reality television Ozzy sullies his reputation with; he and his Sabbath cohorts will always be one of the greats, and boy have they still got it.

Rating: 9/10
Recommended songs: End Of The Beginning, Live Forever

Monday 16 February 2015

Album per day: Day 7

Artist: Team Sleep
Album: Team Sleep
Released: 2005

As a huge Deftones fan myself, I am surprised more than anyone else that it has taken me so long to pay any attention to Chino Moreno's shoegaze-influenced side project Team Sleep. They've only released one album, so it seemed like a good opportunity to catch up. The rest of the band is comprised of guitarist Tom Wilkinson and DJ Crook, although there are many contributors to this record, so they can't really be pinned down as a band.
In the essence of Deftones' music, it appears that Chino is the component of the group that provides an ethereal vibe to their songs, which gives them a more individual sound when compared with their 90's cohorts such as Korn and Limp Bizkit, having been tossed in under the nu-metal tag. Team Sleep was a chance for Moreno to expand his horizons and work in an environment that thrives on post-rock sounds, with elements of dream pop and more ambient music. Substituting his screaming for Morrissey-style crooning, I'm expecting Moreno to prove why he is one of my favourite vocalists.
Out of the first few tracks, the one song that stands out the most is Princeton Review, with Rob Crow leading the line on vocals. It could easily be a Smashing Pumpkins number, or even a Radiohead B-side in the style of Talk Show Host, so anyone who knows me knows that this is right up my street. Blvd. Nights could be mistaken for a pure Deftones song, so this album will still appeal to those who enjoy the heavier side of Deftones' music. Our Ride To The Rectory is your sort of soul-searching walk music - it's strangely uplifting for such a sombre number. This segues nicely into Tomb of Liegia, with vocal duties taken by Mary Timony, but it leads nowhere and ends up sounding a little bit too repetitive. I love the trip hop influence on this record, and the use of drum loops, with Staring At The Queen sounding like it could come off Radiohead's Kid A or Amnesiac, but it ends up transitioning into something completely different, with guitar reverb and a distinct lack of percussion until the end; this type of instrumentation is common on Team Sleep. It's a damn shame, for all the brilliant songs on this album, there are also some rather bad ones, as much as it pains me to say; King Diamond is an example, which totally fucked my mind, with loud male vocals (Moreno) doing a back and forth with female talked vocals once again provided by Mary Timony. It didn't do anything for me; I'm not that artsy fartsy. Live From The Stage used to be called Natalie Portman, and I can see why. Because it's hot, that's why! It's also aggressive, although a bit of a slow burner. Album closer 11/11 is alright, but not as strong as a climax as I would've expected from an experimental act that have the chance to delve into so many different sounds.
I had some hope for this album, and it delivers on about 8 or 9 tracks, but there are some songs here that are ultimately forgettable. However, the songs that do shine, shine very brightly. If you're a Deftones fan, I urge you to check this out. Also if you're into that shoegaze thing, or any of the stuff Radiohead released when they went through their "non-rock" phase. There are rumours of a new Team Sleep record coming out this year, and will I give it a listen? Based on this album, yes, but I hope they keep the numbers of tracks a little lower than the 15 they have on this effort.

Rating: 7/10
Recommended: Princeton Review, Blvd. Nights

Sunday 15 February 2015

Album per day: Day 6

Artist: Iron Maiden
Album: Powerslave
Released: 1984

Veteran metallers Iron Maiden have been putting the music scene to the sword since they released their self-titled EP in 1980. I had never given them much of a chance to impress me; I was the usual casual listener who knew the chorus to Run To The Hills. But then I saw them at Sonisphere Festival last year... it was one of the greatest shows I've ever been to, and I hardly knew any of the tunes. Characteristics like that let you know a band has still got it. I have now listened to a few more of their songs since, but I have yet to listen to an album in full. On that note I decided to give Powerslave a listen.
Aces High gets things underway with one of Maiden's biggest songs to date. Along with fellow single, and track number two 2 Minutes To Midnight, they provide the singalongs of the album, nonetheless maintaining the harmonising guitars that Iron Maiden have become so famous for. Instrumental track Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) allows vocalist Bruce Dickinson to rest his voice while Dave Murray and Adrian Smith let rip on their axes. The Duellists is a catchy number, despite the fact that it exceeds the six minute mark, although I wished Dickinson would come into the song a little quicker after the extended and overdone guitar solo.
It is at this point that I notice that most of the songs on this album  have a similar structure, with more or less matching tempos, and a lot of them make use of the same chord sequences. I won't let this completely overshadow the album though, as there is still so much more going on here, be it with the mesmerising solos from Murray or Smith, or Dickinson's operatic yapper. It's no surprise to see why this band are as wildly successful as they are, with over 85 million record sales to their name. The penultimate track, Powerslave, is full of heavy metal vigour, with a mid-section that is slightly reminiscent of Metallica's Master of Puppets. It also exceeds the six minute mark, so you have to have a bit of patience to be a fan of this band, and even though I'm not the most patient bloke in the world, I had a lot of time for this song. Ironically, we come to the final song, Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, which stands at 13 minutes and 34 seconds long. Many die hard Maiden fans have this down as one of the group's best songs, even though it is not the most commercially accessible of songs. Inspired by a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the first five minutes are typically loud and powerful, but then it goes all Tom Waits for a minute, then ending in big and bold fashion. This song is one that fits the word "epic" quite deservedly.
Every rock fan should listen to Iron Maiden more often. They can largely get overlooked by the younger generation, but I implore all of you to show Powerslave to your children when they're ready to embrace the metulz. Remember, you can't kill the metal; the metal will live on.

Rating: 8/10
Recommended songs: Aces High, Powerslave

Saturday 14 February 2015

Album per day: Day 5

Artist: Pierce The Veil
Album: Selfish Machines
Released: 2010

I have quite a few upcoming gigs this year, one of them being a Sleeping With Sirens/Pierce The Veil co-headliner in Birmingham with my girlfriend (who adores both bands). I've heard bits and bobs of either band, but never actually taken the time to listen to one of the albums in full. Pierce The Veil are one of those overseas acts that seem to have found their popularity through the internet, rather than relying on record sales or appearances on mainstream UK media. I've spotted them a couple of times on Kerrang! TV or Scuzz, but that's as far as it goes.
To give you a little background, Pierce The Veil are a pop punk band hailing from California, although you can tell that they honour their Mexican heritage. Their biggest hit was a collaboration with Sleeping With Sirens vocalist Kellin Quinn on King For A Day. I've been pointed in the direction of Selfish Machines as a good starting point, so here goes.
Whilst settling into this album, it is apparent that Pierce The Veil aren't your typical pop punk act, like New Found Glory or Good Charlotte; there's a lot more experimentation here. These guys can shred! All manner of influences are pulled in, ranging from post-hardcore to Rick Wakeman inspired keyboard sections, suggesting there are some more progressive elements happening here. Besitos kicks things off, but doesn't really shine as an opener. The Boy Who Could Fly sees the quartet let loose on their instruments, and shows just how damn good a vocalist Vic Fuentes is. They pull in old cohort Jeremy McKinnon from A Day To Remember to lend his voice to Caraphernelia, sending fangirls into excitement-induced comas everywhere. Bulletproof Love treats listeners to some excellent guitar work from Vic Fuentes and Tony Perry, whilst Stay Away From My Friends is the passionate ballad this album was crying out for; I especially enjoy the way the piano fades out the song.
As much as I can appreciate the talent that this band has, I find myself becoming a little irritated with how Vic Fuentes uses his voice as if he's singing at full volume for most of the album. I wish he'd calm it down a little more often, like he does in the verses of the poppy Disasterology. Did he also really need to use autotune on Million Dollar Houses? We end on The Sky Under The Sea, a roller coaster ride of a song that travels at stop-start speed; I can imagine this being a total bitch for the band to play live. It's a strong ending that this album deserves.
Pierce The Veil have never quite managed to emulate their American success over in the UK, but then again, they have never quite committed to touring here. They have that upcoming tour with Sleeping With Sirens, and an appearance at the Reading and Leeds Festival to look forward to, but with their fourth album hitting the shelves later in 2015, their could be bigger things on the horizon for this self-proclaimed "mexicore" group. As for this album, Selfish Machines is indeed a good place to start if you wish to become a cog in the Pierce The Veil fan machine, but they're a band who will always split opinion. As for me, I enjoyed it. The guys have got plenty of talent, and I appreciate how they can grab the attention of people from all sorts of musical subcultures, be it a straight up metalhead or a regular Radio 1 listener.

Rating: 7/10
Recommended songs: Caraphernelia, The Sky Under The Sea

Friday 13 February 2015

Album per day: Day 4


Artist: Linkin Park
Album: The Hunting Party
Released: 2014

Most fans of Linkin Park will agree that the high points of the band's career were the sublime
double offerings of Hybrid Theory (2000) and Meteora (2003). To this day, Hybrid Theory is still the biggest selling debut album of the 21st century, with around 30 million copies being sold so far, which is something usually unheard of in the metal genre... the "noughties" were a very different time though.
Buoyed by external pressure to travel back to their roots as one of the pioneers of the tidal wave of American nu-metal, Linkin Park certainly kick things off on their sixth studio album with aplomb. Keys To The Kingdom begins with the most deafening of screams that lead vocalist Chester Bennington is synonymous with, albeit whilst being backed by what sounds like a vocoder. Lead single Guilty All The Same shows that there is still life in this beast yet; many will have written off this band after their shift towards an over-reliance on electronic music on their most recent albums, notably Living Things and A Thousand Suns. The heaviness has returned on The Hunting Party, but it's a different kind of heaviness, and not the kind I would associate with the nu-metal genre. This is the record where Linkin Park shift towards a more alternative metal sound, rather than just tuning their guitars to Drop C# and throwing out power chord after power chord, a formula which worked so well on a number of hit singles from Hybrid Theory and Meteora. Still though, Wastelands, Final Masquerade and Until It's Gone are good examples of how Linkin Park can still write catchy pop hooks, with the latter sounding like it would feel right at home on Bring Me The Horizon's more radio-friendly album Sempiternal.
Collaborations run amok on this record, and where some strike with incredible power, others fall flat. Page Hamilton from Helmet lends his vocal abilities to All For Nothing, but it's nothing to really shout from the rooftops about; I find myself wondering if many of the younger Linkin Park fans would even know who Helmet are. I don't really think Rakim's contribution to Guilty All The Same was necessary; Mike Shinoda himself is a very good rapper and could easily have been left alone to spit those rhymes himself. System Of A Down guitarist Daron Malakian makes an appearance on Rebellion, and although System are yet to get their shit together and record a new album, this song serves up a delightful slab of modern metal guitar riffs that are just typical of Malakian; fans of System Of A Down should whet their appetites with this. Seen as he is my favourite guitarist, I had high hopes for the collaboration with Tom Morello, of Rage Against The Machine/Audioslave/The Nightwatchman fame, on Drawbar. It started off with some ambient U2 vibes, but then enter the military drum sequence. One expected a throwback to 90's politically charged rap metal, but instead there is a sombre beauty about this stripped back piano ballad that, on paper, shouldn't work... but it just does. In a way, I would describe it as missed opportunity to have Tom Morello on your album that is supposed to display your return to heavy music, and then limit him to a piano song that doesn't even break the three minute mark.
Linkin Park are starting to get into the mindset that they had when writing their first two or three records - whilst the rock is most certainly back, it comes in the form of punk rock, alternative metal and System Of A Down's brand of experimental metal. They tackle it well, but when it has to live up to the standards of Hybrid Theory, an album that contained twelve potential singles, it doesn't touch it. There are more high points on The Hunting Party than there are low, and Chester Bennington is in sparkling form on vocals, but it won't be knocking off Hybrid Theory or Meteora from their pedestals.

Rating: 7/10
Recommended songs: Rebellion, Final Masquerade

Thursday 12 February 2015

Album per day: Day 3

Artist: A Day To Remember
Album: Homesick
Released: 2009


There is usually a large gap between pop punk and metalcore, but what's in between all that? The correct answer is A Day To Remember. Listening to their third studio album, I would never think that A Day To Remember had any pop punk tendencies at all. Bar a couple of tracks, Homesick is laden with a barrage of palm muted riffs and growled vocals from Jeremy McKinnon. When he sings clean vocals, there are times, such as on You Already Know What You Are, where I can't help but hear Brendan Urie from Panic! At The Disco.
In keeping with their policy of mixing pop punk hooks with modern metal breakdowns, Homesick, as mentioned before, leans towards the latter. However, there are plenty of poppier moments on the album for the more casual listener to sink their teeth into. Kicking off with The Downfall Of Us All, the vocals resonate with the powerful backing provided by the band, and if you watch any live footage of the band, the crowd are usually singing the main vocal line of this song long before the band take to the stage; I was lucky to be a part of this at Leeds Festival last year. I'm Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of? is another belter, and tends to be a staple of the live set nowadays, and contains arguably my favourite guitar riff of the record. My favourite song of the lot though has to be Mr. Highway's Thinking About The End, which lifts the listener to heavenly heights during the chorus, but pummels during the verses, therefore finding the perfect blend of the two genres mentioned many times in this review.  There are times when I find myself hearing traces of Slipknot in this album, with the heavy blasts of sound and the switches between growled and clean vocals. A prime example of 'knot influence can be found on Welcome To The Family.
On their most recent record Common Courtesy, it is clear that the band are maturing nicely, and if they carry on this upwards trajectory, they may very well find themselves headlining all of the festivals they have graced their presence with. Criticising this record could see me on the receiving end of some harsh words from my girlfriend, but I think the only thing I can say is that there are times when I find myself thinking that one song sounds just like the rest of them. Yes, some songs are stronger than others, but this is a fan favourite of an album, and I can clearly see why.

Rating: 8/10
Recommended songs: Downfall Of Us All, Mr. Highway's Thinking About The End

Wednesday 11 February 2015

Album per day: Day 2

Day 2
Artist: Faith No More
Album: The Real Thing
Released: 1989

Having spent my not so rebellious teenage years jamming to Rage Against The Machine, I was surprised that I never explored the world of alternative funk metal further. Faith No More seemed like a good area to venture into, especially since I will most likely be catching them at the upcoming Download Festival in June, and they will be releasing new music for the first time in about 18 years (check out Motherfucker if you haven't already).
On first listen, it is clear that the main draw to this band is vocalist Mike Patton. He easily has one of the most distinctive voices in rock music, and let's face it, the chorus for Epic would be a lot less... erm... epic if he didn't apply his singing style to it. However, the instrumentation on this record is top banana. You won't find any of James Martin, Bill Gould, Roddy Bottum or Mike Bordin being spoken about in the same vein as the instrumentalists of the world that have become synonymous with their instruments, such as Hendrix or Peart, but damn, they're a tight unit.
For a song that could very easily drag on, their cover of Black Sabbath's War Pigs is one of the highlights. The riff itself is enough to make this song take up permanent residency in my head, and with almost eight minutes at its disposal, the band take the song down every weird and wonderful avenue that they can. Unfortunately, one song that did drag on was Woodpecker From Mars; it's a very well put together tune, but after a few repetitive sections I'm a little thrown. Edge Of The World was a strange and solemn ending, but then again, weird and unconventional is what Faith No More specialised in. Of course, Epic soars like the timeless anthem it is, and Surprise! Your Dead! is a two minute suckerpunch.
The fusion of rap and rock from Faith No More was not a new thing, with bands such as Public Enemy, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Beastie Boys showing that it could be done. However, Faith No More took the formula and experimented with it further, and without them, a lot of other bands may not have had the courage to do the same. I enjoyed this record, and I'll definitely be checking them out at Donington, the spiritual home of rock.

Rating: 8/10
Recommended songs: Epic, Surprise! You're Dead!, War Pigs

Tuesday 10 February 2015

Album per day: Day 1

I've seen people promoting this activity over Twitter since the start of February, and now I feel it would be beneficial to me if I were to get in on the act, and I encourage anyone else reading this to follow suit.

The challenge is to listen to an album a day for 30 days. This album must be one that you have never listened to before. You choose the albums, and (optionally) review it after.

I've drawn up a list of the stuff I will be listening to. The selection spans a wide range of genres, and a wide range of eras too; I'm looking back at classic records that have shaped the scene we are a part of, as well as looking towards the future to see if there are some acts out there that can make a similar impact. It'll be fun, so let's use the hashtag #albumperday to share our thoughts on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram etc.

Artist: Enter Shikari
Album: The Mindsweep
Released: 2015

I decided to ease myself in with this challenge, so I chose a record that I should probably make an effort to listen to, as I will be seeing this St Albans bunch live next week.
Enter Shikari have never done anything by the rulebook. If you handed them a rulebook, they'd be the type to study it thoroughly, only to then question your moral fibre, and then proceed to dropkick the book out of the nearest window. This new record, their fourth album, picks up where A Flash Flood of Colour left off with more politically charged "electronicore" anthems. I've never been a big fan of vocalist Rou Reynolds' middle class whining, but on some of their tracks, it begins to make you think about the bigger picture. Anaesthetist is easily my favourite song on The Mindsweep; definitely taking influence from dance giants The Prodigy, but still keeping the essence of what makes Enter Shikari so unique. The downtuned guitars and gang vocals accompany the subject matter of the song, which commentates on the importance of the NHS (which helps explain the decision for Reynolds to sport a t-shirt with the words NHS NOT TRIDENT emblazoned on the front at concerts over recent years). This has been the most recent single released by the band, and I thought was a more impressive effort than The Last Garrison, which begins impeccably, but then becomes rather forgettable once the first chorus drops. Basically, whenever the lyrics "Can you hear the war-cry?!" are yelled, you know you're at a good part of the song. My only criticism of Anaesthetist is that it could've been longer than just under three minutes; I found myself wanting more.
Elsewhere, Never Let Go Of The Microscope shines brightly with its atmospheric sounds, but as with other Shikari tracks, it isn't that simple; it's brutal and beautiful at the same time. There are glimmers of metalcore around this record, but in no way is it as prominent as it once was in Take To The Skies. Nevertheless, with each record, Enter Shikari have opted to shy away from the metalcore tag and only show very subtle hints of it on The Mindsweep. Listening to Dear Future Historians... right now, it shows just how far this band have come. A swooping piano ballad that grows into the style of alternative metal we've come to expect of Shikari, it is a definite highlight of the album. 
These guys have come on leaps and bounds since Take To The Skies hit the shelves in 2006, but it will take something special to top that record, in my opinion. Is this record that? No. Is it good? Definitely.

7/10
Recommended songs: Anaesthetist, Never Let Go Of The Microscope