Artist: Real Estate
Album: Atlas
Source: Spotify
Pre-listening Notes: The internet tells me this is a fairly new band, like 5 years old, that is putting out it's third album. They are from New Jersey, are an indie rock band, and the hip websites seem to like them. Since they appear to be a relatively young band, there isn't much else from a casual information search.
Initial Reaction: After a little bit of an intro, some pretty decent vocals kick in. This is pretty mellow and definitely a little bit more on the clean side of things, than I normally like. The guitars don't have much fuzz to them, the tempo hasn't really picked up at all in the song, and the vocals have a nice, "pretty" feel to them.
Random Thoughts: The second song leads me to believe that this album has a thematic sound to it. There is a little bit of a dream pop thing going on. I can't imagine this all that exciting live, but that's not a deal killer by any stretch. So far, this is actually pretty decent. The third song, Talking Backwards, ups the catchiness level and is my favorite, so far. The pace is a little bit faster on this song, while still keeping with the overall sound of the album. The song April's song was a little on the duller side, but then they came back pretty strong once they got to the song Crime.
Final Reaction: This ended up being a much more enjoyable album than I thought when the first song kicked in. It had a nice solid theme running through the whole album and while it was a little mellower than I normally would reach for, it kept me interested as I was working away on things. It's not something to listen to that you want to put out in front and put much focus into it, but it's a good album to put on while doing something else where you can devote maybe half your focus to. I'd definitely listen to this again, though like I said earlier, wouldn't go out of my way to see them live.
Final Grade: 8.0/10
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Day 63: Menace - Impact Velocity
Artist: Menace
Album: Impact Velocity
Source: http://www.allmusic.com/blog/post/exclusive-album-stream-menace-impact-velocity
Pre-listening Notes: This is a new project from Mitch Harris, from Napalm Death. I love Napalm Death, so yeah I'll give this a whirl, even if it does state that this is a departure from that sound. It also has the drummer that played on Black Seeds of Vengeance, from Nile, and Axis of Eden, from Today is the Day. Also, Shane Embry plays bass. So it has the players for something kick ass.
Initial Reaction: Okay, major departure from everything previously mentioned. There are synthesizers, clean singing, and an almost alt rock feel to it. There are effects on the vocals, there are some weird layered backups, and the hook doesn't really grab me. Also, "just like a virus (pirate?), I live with your ghost"? not sure what that even means.
Random Thoughts: The second song starts off with just some melodic singing and then breaks into what sounds like it will be a very mellow song. I was not expecting this at all and maybe it is impacting my judgement, but halfway through song two, I am not into this one bit. This is reminding me of something, that I just can't put my finger on. Truthfully, this isn't terrible, but based on what I expected, it's not good either. I get them wanting to try something new out, but something about it just seems like these dudes were not meant to go melodic. There were a couple of times where it got kind of heavy in some later songs that I might have been into it, but I was kind of hoping for something faster and not as melodic.
Final Reaction: It's another hard rock album that just doesn't sit right with me. It's not that I don't appreciate some stuff that isn't straight metal, but I was expecting something that just ripped me a new one. I know that is what I get for having expectations, but for me, it just didn't melt my face.
Final Grade: 4.0/10
Album: Impact Velocity
Source: http://www.allmusic.com/blog/post/exclusive-album-stream-menace-impact-velocity
Pre-listening Notes: This is a new project from Mitch Harris, from Napalm Death. I love Napalm Death, so yeah I'll give this a whirl, even if it does state that this is a departure from that sound. It also has the drummer that played on Black Seeds of Vengeance, from Nile, and Axis of Eden, from Today is the Day. Also, Shane Embry plays bass. So it has the players for something kick ass.
Initial Reaction: Okay, major departure from everything previously mentioned. There are synthesizers, clean singing, and an almost alt rock feel to it. There are effects on the vocals, there are some weird layered backups, and the hook doesn't really grab me. Also, "just like a virus (pirate?), I live with your ghost"? not sure what that even means.
Random Thoughts: The second song starts off with just some melodic singing and then breaks into what sounds like it will be a very mellow song. I was not expecting this at all and maybe it is impacting my judgement, but halfway through song two, I am not into this one bit. This is reminding me of something, that I just can't put my finger on. Truthfully, this isn't terrible, but based on what I expected, it's not good either. I get them wanting to try something new out, but something about it just seems like these dudes were not meant to go melodic. There were a couple of times where it got kind of heavy in some later songs that I might have been into it, but I was kind of hoping for something faster and not as melodic.
Final Reaction: It's another hard rock album that just doesn't sit right with me. It's not that I don't appreciate some stuff that isn't straight metal, but I was expecting something that just ripped me a new one. I know that is what I get for having expectations, but for me, it just didn't melt my face.
Final Grade: 4.0/10
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Day 62: Silver Snakes - Year of the Snake
Artist: Silver Snakes
Album: Year of the Snake
Source: Spotify
Pre-listening Notes: I am guessing they are named after one of the teams from Legends of the Hidden Temple. This album is on Bridge 9 and apparently they are on tour with The Ocean. These are the only things I know going in. So go!
Initial Reaction: It's got a rock vibe, I guess I was expecting heavier things. I am not opposed to this whole post hardcore, grunge revival, 90's alt-rock worship vibe going on here. The first song is short and sweet.
Random Thoughts: Second song has more of the 90's alt rock worship going on. This reminds me of something that I could have seen touring with the Jupiter/Antenna era Cave In or maybe opening for the reunited Failure. I get a similar vibe. I kind of like this. Some of the songs have a heavier feel to them, for a rock band. Then there is an acoustic song nestled in the middle of all this. This is a pretty cool album, so far, it has a vibe that I can get behind. I'd like to see them play live, if that tour was hitting Buffalo, I'd be going for sure. Maybe they'll hit the city up down the road. This is some pretty cool stuff.
Final Reaction: Not much to say other than I really liked it. It has a real alt rock feel to it and I found myself just letting the songs end and begin without really noticing those points. I didn't feel the need to comment on each song, because I feel like the album, as a whole, was just a good listening experience. I will be waiting for these guys to make their way up to Buffalo, so I can check out the live show.
Final Grade: 7.0/10
Album: Year of the Snake
Source: Spotify
Pre-listening Notes: I am guessing they are named after one of the teams from Legends of the Hidden Temple. This album is on Bridge 9 and apparently they are on tour with The Ocean. These are the only things I know going in. So go!
Initial Reaction: It's got a rock vibe, I guess I was expecting heavier things. I am not opposed to this whole post hardcore, grunge revival, 90's alt-rock worship vibe going on here. The first song is short and sweet.
Random Thoughts: Second song has more of the 90's alt rock worship going on. This reminds me of something that I could have seen touring with the Jupiter/Antenna era Cave In or maybe opening for the reunited Failure. I get a similar vibe. I kind of like this. Some of the songs have a heavier feel to them, for a rock band. Then there is an acoustic song nestled in the middle of all this. This is a pretty cool album, so far, it has a vibe that I can get behind. I'd like to see them play live, if that tour was hitting Buffalo, I'd be going for sure. Maybe they'll hit the city up down the road. This is some pretty cool stuff.
Final Reaction: Not much to say other than I really liked it. It has a real alt rock feel to it and I found myself just letting the songs end and begin without really noticing those points. I didn't feel the need to comment on each song, because I feel like the album, as a whole, was just a good listening experience. I will be waiting for these guys to make their way up to Buffalo, so I can check out the live show.
Final Grade: 7.0/10
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Day 61: Pharrell Williams - GIRL
Artist: Pharrell Williams
Album: GIRL
Source: Spotify
Pre-listening Notes: I am a complete and utterly not embarrassed fan of all things Pharrell. Whether it is his N.E.R.D., production work (both solo and with the Neptunes), guest vocals, first solo record, or soundtrack work (which makes an appearance here, I dig his stuff. I'm hearing good things about this record and I've been excited to hear it. Even more so after being duped by the early stream being only 90 second snippets, so I decided to wait for the whole thing.
Initial Reaction: Starts off with a Michael Jackson vibe in the song and Pharrell is totally nailing it vocally. It's upbeat, got a pop feel to what they are calling a neo soul sound. It's got some elements of soul, funk, pop, and r&b going on here. Apparently also a Kelly Osbourne appearance. I had no clue she was still involved in the music industry. Pharrell is no stranger to the longer song structures, with some N.E.R.D. songs tipping well past the five minute mark. This song is almost six minutes, but I dug it!
Random Thoughts: This song is a duet with Justin Timberlake, who is all over the place lately. Their voices compliment each other well. These songs have a dancy vibe to them, I'll bet they will be popular in the clubs in the near future. This is pretty entertaining if you are into any of the previously mentioned genres. Pharrell has a great voice and has a great ear for catchiness. The song that should have won the Oscar for best song from a movie is just awesome. I could listen to it over and over and not be mad. The only complaint I might have up to this point is some songs might drag on a little bit too long and maybe the whole include Miley Cyrus thing. But, this is a dancey, catchy album. Oh Alicia Keys, how I love your voice.
Final Reaction: I didn't throw as much in the random thoughts as I normally would have, mostly because I was working on something in the background. But, this was a different experience than his previous solo album, which is a rap album. Overall, this was pretty great. The few complaints I had mentioned (length and Miley) did not impede my ability to enjoy this in any way. It was a pretty quality modern pop-soul album. I love the Despicable Me 2 song, and the other nine songs have me wanting to listen to it again. Pharrell is great with hooking someone in and making you enjoy what you are listening to. I will definitely be revisiting this.
Final Grade: 8.5/10
Album: GIRL
Source: Spotify
Pre-listening Notes: I am a complete and utterly not embarrassed fan of all things Pharrell. Whether it is his N.E.R.D., production work (both solo and with the Neptunes), guest vocals, first solo record, or soundtrack work (which makes an appearance here, I dig his stuff. I'm hearing good things about this record and I've been excited to hear it. Even more so after being duped by the early stream being only 90 second snippets, so I decided to wait for the whole thing.
Initial Reaction: Starts off with a Michael Jackson vibe in the song and Pharrell is totally nailing it vocally. It's upbeat, got a pop feel to what they are calling a neo soul sound. It's got some elements of soul, funk, pop, and r&b going on here. Apparently also a Kelly Osbourne appearance. I had no clue she was still involved in the music industry. Pharrell is no stranger to the longer song structures, with some N.E.R.D. songs tipping well past the five minute mark. This song is almost six minutes, but I dug it!
Random Thoughts: This song is a duet with Justin Timberlake, who is all over the place lately. Their voices compliment each other well. These songs have a dancy vibe to them, I'll bet they will be popular in the clubs in the near future. This is pretty entertaining if you are into any of the previously mentioned genres. Pharrell has a great voice and has a great ear for catchiness. The song that should have won the Oscar for best song from a movie is just awesome. I could listen to it over and over and not be mad. The only complaint I might have up to this point is some songs might drag on a little bit too long and maybe the whole include Miley Cyrus thing. But, this is a dancey, catchy album. Oh Alicia Keys, how I love your voice.
Final Reaction: I didn't throw as much in the random thoughts as I normally would have, mostly because I was working on something in the background. But, this was a different experience than his previous solo album, which is a rap album. Overall, this was pretty great. The few complaints I had mentioned (length and Miley) did not impede my ability to enjoy this in any way. It was a pretty quality modern pop-soul album. I love the Despicable Me 2 song, and the other nine songs have me wanting to listen to it again. Pharrell is great with hooking someone in and making you enjoy what you are listening to. I will definitely be revisiting this.
Final Grade: 8.5/10
Monday, March 3, 2014
Day 60: Kimono Kult - Hiding in the Light
Artist: Kimono Kult
Album: Hiding in the Light
Source: http://exclaim.ca/MusicVideo/ClickHear/kimono_kult-hiding_in_light_ep_stream
Pre-listening Notes: This band features both Omar Rodriguez-Lopez from The Mars Volta and At the Drive-In and John Frusciante from The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Apparently there is also four other members, but I'm not sure who they are. The bio tells me that this "mixes jarring electronic experimentation with Spanish-language lyrics, intricate orchestrations, avant-jazz instrumentation and more." I'm not sure what to make of that, so I'll just start it off.
Initial Reaction: Oh, it means jarring electronic experimentation with Spanish-language lyrics. Or at least, how it starts off. It isn't entirely experimental, though. There is some sort of a song structure in this song. I do not speak Spanish, so I have no clue what is being said here.
Random Thoughts: Second song is similar to the first. There is a very electronic feel to this. This is not entirely what I expected to hear when I read the bio for this. It isn't completely off-putting in it's experimentation, it does have a structure to it that I can almost feel a poppy vibe going on. This is apparently an EP, I didn't realize that until just now. The vocalist appears to either be a woman or a very high pitched man. There isn't much in the way of guitars going on, I am reading it's mostly string arrangements from Omar. This last song has been the best so far, it has the most straight forward structure and the instrumentation and electronics seem to balance the best. There is a little more going on vocally to hook me too.
Final Reaction: This wasn't what I was expecting, then again the first time I listened to the Mars Volta I thought the same thing. I didn't hate it, but the only song I actually really liked was the last one. If the future of this band, or collective as they are calling it, ends up more like that, I could see myself interest. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't listen again.
Final Grade: 5.0/10
Album: Hiding in the Light
Source: http://exclaim.ca/MusicVideo/ClickHear/kimono_kult-hiding_in_light_ep_stream
Pre-listening Notes: This band features both Omar Rodriguez-Lopez from The Mars Volta and At the Drive-In and John Frusciante from The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Apparently there is also four other members, but I'm not sure who they are. The bio tells me that this "mixes jarring electronic experimentation with Spanish-language lyrics, intricate orchestrations, avant-jazz instrumentation and more." I'm not sure what to make of that, so I'll just start it off.
Initial Reaction: Oh, it means jarring electronic experimentation with Spanish-language lyrics. Or at least, how it starts off. It isn't entirely experimental, though. There is some sort of a song structure in this song. I do not speak Spanish, so I have no clue what is being said here.
Random Thoughts: Second song is similar to the first. There is a very electronic feel to this. This is not entirely what I expected to hear when I read the bio for this. It isn't completely off-putting in it's experimentation, it does have a structure to it that I can almost feel a poppy vibe going on. This is apparently an EP, I didn't realize that until just now. The vocalist appears to either be a woman or a very high pitched man. There isn't much in the way of guitars going on, I am reading it's mostly string arrangements from Omar. This last song has been the best so far, it has the most straight forward structure and the instrumentation and electronics seem to balance the best. There is a little more going on vocally to hook me too.
Final Reaction: This wasn't what I was expecting, then again the first time I listened to the Mars Volta I thought the same thing. I didn't hate it, but the only song I actually really liked was the last one. If the future of this band, or collective as they are calling it, ends up more like that, I could see myself interest. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't listen again.
Final Grade: 5.0/10
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Day 59: Kevin Seconds - Off Stockton
Artist: Kevin Seconds
Album: Off Stockton
Source: Spotify
Pre-listening Notes: So back in the beginning of my entrance into the world of hardcore, one of the first albums ever given to me to listen to was 7 Seconds Walk Together, Rock Together. That, coupled with Start Today, Damaged, and a few others, turned me onto the music I still listen to most today. As a band, they have put out a ton of records, Kevin has also been involved in a ton of side projects and it appears that he has put out what is now his sixth solo record. The only thing I know about the solo stuff is I am not expecting short, fast, melodic hardcore. I am expecting this to be the acoustic punk stuff that so many aging punkers seem to be gravitating to these days. So, here goes.
Initial Reaction: And score one for expectations. First thing I notice is his voice is actually a lot better than I would have thought. Not just for a guy in his 50's, but also for a guy who spent the better part of his youth screaming.
Random Thoughts: Second thing I notice is the songs are not particularly long, or drawn out. The first two songs each seem to clock in under two minutes. I still can't get over how good his voice sounds. Also the songs are on the mellower side, but aren't all sad and mopey. Not to say the themes of the songs are all happy and roses. There is definitely a folk and country vibe going on, but it's not the overpowering sound here. There is a twang, but these aren't songs about pick up trucks and runaway dogs. When he does slow it down and let the song play on a little longer, it doesn't get boring, and I think he even throws an organ in there.
Final Reaction: I'm not sure if the short running time on all but two of the songs is on purpose or he is just using the whole punk belief that short, sweet, and to the point, is the way to write songs. But, this works to his benefit. The songs are all cohesive and get something across before stepping aside and making way for the next song to do the same. This isn't usually my cup of tea, so I may be way off base thinking this is a good album, but I enjoyed it and really that is what this is all about. I am not going to say this is the best thing, I still am not a huge fan of completely acoustic albums, the ability to vary the songs up becomes harder. I can't say this is something I would listen to every day, but honestly this was way better than I expected a solo record by one of my youth's punk idols to write.
Final Grade: 7.5/10
Album: Off Stockton
Source: Spotify
Pre-listening Notes: So back in the beginning of my entrance into the world of hardcore, one of the first albums ever given to me to listen to was 7 Seconds Walk Together, Rock Together. That, coupled with Start Today, Damaged, and a few others, turned me onto the music I still listen to most today. As a band, they have put out a ton of records, Kevin has also been involved in a ton of side projects and it appears that he has put out what is now his sixth solo record. The only thing I know about the solo stuff is I am not expecting short, fast, melodic hardcore. I am expecting this to be the acoustic punk stuff that so many aging punkers seem to be gravitating to these days. So, here goes.
Initial Reaction: And score one for expectations. First thing I notice is his voice is actually a lot better than I would have thought. Not just for a guy in his 50's, but also for a guy who spent the better part of his youth screaming.
Random Thoughts: Second thing I notice is the songs are not particularly long, or drawn out. The first two songs each seem to clock in under two minutes. I still can't get over how good his voice sounds. Also the songs are on the mellower side, but aren't all sad and mopey. Not to say the themes of the songs are all happy and roses. There is definitely a folk and country vibe going on, but it's not the overpowering sound here. There is a twang, but these aren't songs about pick up trucks and runaway dogs. When he does slow it down and let the song play on a little longer, it doesn't get boring, and I think he even throws an organ in there.
Final Reaction: I'm not sure if the short running time on all but two of the songs is on purpose or he is just using the whole punk belief that short, sweet, and to the point, is the way to write songs. But, this works to his benefit. The songs are all cohesive and get something across before stepping aside and making way for the next song to do the same. This isn't usually my cup of tea, so I may be way off base thinking this is a good album, but I enjoyed it and really that is what this is all about. I am not going to say this is the best thing, I still am not a huge fan of completely acoustic albums, the ability to vary the songs up becomes harder. I can't say this is something I would listen to every day, but honestly this was way better than I expected a solo record by one of my youth's punk idols to write.
Final Grade: 7.5/10
Day 58: Goodtime Boys - Things I Still Don't Understand
Artist: Goodtime Boys
Album: Things I Still Don't Understand
Source: Spotify
Pre-listening Notes: Well, another single. They're from the United Kingdom and have an album and singles out prior to this. Tags I have seen thusfar about this band, Post-Hardcore, Emo, Punk, which doesn't give me much hope. Specifically when I see some comparisons to Touche Amore, who I cannot get into no matter how many times I get duped into thinking they might be a band I enjoy. But, I'll give it a whirl, while I wait for March's releases to start hitting the internet.
Initial Reaction: Just two songs here, so I am going to skip right to Random Thoughts.
Random Thoughts: It's a little more poppy than I was expecting. The vocals are kind of a quiet shouty sing. The drums around the one minute mark of the first song don't sound right. Music isn't bad, I can see where the post-hardcore mention comes from. Had these guys come out in the late 90's, I could easily see these guys playing shows with Hot Water Music or Small Brown Bike. Similar vibe. Second song starts out with a clean guitar, and some cleaner singing. Kicks in and I am definitely getting the late 90's, early 00's beard punk vibe. Taking the sound from mellow to a more upbeat sound, then back. It doesn't quite have the appeal that some of the other bands who do this sound have. If the rest of their catalog has more upbeat and faster songs, I'd be willing to check them out live to see what their live set is all about.
Final Reaction: It wasn't what I was expecting. It had a vibe to it that took me back to the type of stuff I was jamming on hard about a decade, decade and a half, ago. They did a better job of making me feel the classic sound from that era than bands like Touche Amore or La Dispute does, but it doesn't quite live up to the originals. One thing I did like was the back and forth between multiple vocalists from gruff to slightly less gruff vocals. I may attempt to stumble upon their other work in the future, but it won't be immediately.
Final Grade: 6.0/10
Album: Things I Still Don't Understand
Source: Spotify
Pre-listening Notes: Well, another single. They're from the United Kingdom and have an album and singles out prior to this. Tags I have seen thusfar about this band, Post-Hardcore, Emo, Punk, which doesn't give me much hope. Specifically when I see some comparisons to Touche Amore, who I cannot get into no matter how many times I get duped into thinking they might be a band I enjoy. But, I'll give it a whirl, while I wait for March's releases to start hitting the internet.
Initial Reaction: Just two songs here, so I am going to skip right to Random Thoughts.
Random Thoughts: It's a little more poppy than I was expecting. The vocals are kind of a quiet shouty sing. The drums around the one minute mark of the first song don't sound right. Music isn't bad, I can see where the post-hardcore mention comes from. Had these guys come out in the late 90's, I could easily see these guys playing shows with Hot Water Music or Small Brown Bike. Similar vibe. Second song starts out with a clean guitar, and some cleaner singing. Kicks in and I am definitely getting the late 90's, early 00's beard punk vibe. Taking the sound from mellow to a more upbeat sound, then back. It doesn't quite have the appeal that some of the other bands who do this sound have. If the rest of their catalog has more upbeat and faster songs, I'd be willing to check them out live to see what their live set is all about.
Final Reaction: It wasn't what I was expecting. It had a vibe to it that took me back to the type of stuff I was jamming on hard about a decade, decade and a half, ago. They did a better job of making me feel the classic sound from that era than bands like Touche Amore or La Dispute does, but it doesn't quite live up to the originals. One thing I did like was the back and forth between multiple vocalists from gruff to slightly less gruff vocals. I may attempt to stumble upon their other work in the future, but it won't be immediately.
Final Grade: 6.0/10
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