It’s been a fun year reviewing CD’s and I’m looking forward to what 2008 holds but before I close up shop for Christmas and head off into a winter wonderland enjoying some holiday cheer with friends and family I’ve got one more review to write for 2007. Included in this review is my top 10 best / worst reviewed of 2007. Happy Holiday’s to all and I wish you all the best for 2008!
Leo
“Nightmare”
www.myspace.com/leotheband
Style (power rock pop)
From the start it’s hard to overlook the strong vocals, harmonious harmonies, and simple power pop chords throughout. All of which are qualities necessary to have to be successful playing this style of music. The songs are easy to listen too, nicely arranged, and the progression through the CD is coordinated thoughtfully. The artwork for the CD is too few with the cover art (by Amanda S.Brown) being the standout. The one thing I find lacking though is there isn't that “one” song people related to as “ the hit”. However the song “So We Forget” comes the closest in my ears. In any case the CD sounds like something that’ll go over well with a crowd looking to stay with the power rock pop / alternative sound.
Rating 2 ½
Olivia Watson
“Way Down Deep”
www.oliviawatson.com
Style (folk / indie / singer songwriter)
There are many factors one uses to choose a CD by an artist they have no information about. Sometimes it may be cool artwork or maybe an interesting band name. For me my reason for choosing to review this CD is Olivia’s cute looks. And to be honest this isn’t the first time I’ve chosen to review a band or performer because of a cute or sexy female member, and it sure won’t be the last. After all, if the band or singer is terrible at least I still have some eye candy to keep me interested. Playing guitar and providing the vocals on her CD, Olivia’s voice is more mature than what her looks depict on the cover photo. She’s got a sexy, sometimes rhaspy, soulful, on the verge of a country twang, indie vocal quality. The music is more in the range of indie singer songwriter with rock, country, and blues undertones. Having played the CD three times, each through to completion, there’s definitely more to Olivia and her music than just her cute looks.
Rating 2 ½
Fueled By Fire
“Spread the Fire”
www.myspace.com/fueledbyfire
Style (trash metal)
Maybe it's the Iron Maiden t-shirt worn by one of the band members or maybe it’s just my ears, but I distinctly hear some early (before Dickenson) Maiden influence both in the vocals, the sound, and song arrangements. Musically the CD isn’t mindless speed and screaming just for the sake of doing both. Instead there’s thought and intent within the songwriting to place these two qualities within the songs for maximum impact when the swirling pit erupts. The music as a whole fits well for some quality headbanging and thrashing giving way to some sore ass neck muscles following the live show. My one major criticism is the 4-shot group photo with matching individual single images on the inside. This image looks like it was taken in the Santa Monica mountains overlooking Hollywood. Some food for thought for what not to do during the next photo op - it's real tough to sell a thrash sound and appearance sporting shrubbery in the background.
Rating 2 ½
Stampead
“Milk and Honey”
www.stampead.com
Style (folk / country)
Applying my ‘hot chick” rule, the CD cover image with a blond in the kitchen with only panties on pouring milk over one shoulder holding a jar of honey in the other hand was all the inspiration I needed to review this CD. A great marketing image in my opinion. But with CD’s it’s not about the photos and illustrations but whether or not the music gets it done. Unfortunately the music isn't standing up well enough to the CD cover image. The sound is basic, run of the mill, and doesn’t really cause me to raise any eyebrows (good or bad), which really is bad. The singer at times is off when trying to hit the high notes, which usually drives me nuts but for some reason it's not bothering me like some other singers have. Having come across quite a few CD’s that were just OK but then live the band really brings the sound to life, I'm not sure if this is the case with Stampead but I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. And for the music fans who like remakes checkout the remake of The Talking Heads song “Psycho Killer” on track 3.
Rating 2
The Screamin’ Lords
“Long Live Me”
Style (rock)
A throwback to the 80’s. If you like the Fastway / Dokken / Y&T type rock sound of the 80’s this may be something right up your alley. But I have some issues with this CD. For starters there’s no permanent singer listed (numerous guest appearances); don't know if this has changed since the release. Secondly, and a carryover from the first, the CD contains other musical guest appearances – George Lynch and Gus G to name a couple. The vocal guest appearances I understand because there isn’t a singer, but musical guest appearances for things like solo’s are a red flag to me because it tells me either the band doesn’t believe in the ability of the two guitarist they have or this CD was put together not to showcase the talents of The Screamin’ Lords but just so friends could sit in on a track and grab a credit. Hey I’m all for having friends lend a hand but in the end it’s the band up on stage that has to perform and sell the music and not the famous friends (who most likely don’t need the credit) you know who likely have their own projects to deal with. Lynch is an accomplished and respected guitarist and I gotta ask would the guys in Dokken ask Zakk or Eddie to lay down a solo on the next Dokken record? Aside from my rant about guest appearances, like I said at the start, if the 80’s sound is your thing than this is something worth checking out.
Rating 2 ½
Crest of Darkness
“Give Us The Power To Do Your Evil”
www.crestofdarkness.com
Style (black metal)
Glad I listened to this with the lights on because I feel like I’m in a bad Paris Hilton horror flick running around aimlessly trying to find the exit to some tripped out haunted house. Scarry...Not!! Too bad Halloween already passed because if you either didn’t want people coming around or simply ran out of candy and didn’t want to see the disappointment on the little ghosts and goblins faces you could put this CD on and no one would come near. Maybe that’s the point of this genre of metal coming from Norway, which is confusing because isn’t Norway suppose to be a great place with pretty blond girls. Maybe it's related to spending 6 months in darkness and 6 months in sunlight. I don't know but that's my best guess. The rhythms are rather deconstructive inciting minimal response for the moshers, and bored moshers are not a fun crowd, the vocals are high pitched screaming witch being burned alive at the stake, and the drums are the usually rapid fire double kick. I’m forwarding this onto KnoxScaryFarm for soundtrack consideration for next Halloween season. I just hope it doesn't hurt ticket sales.
Rating 1
Sounds of Mass Production
“The Treatment”
www.smphq.com
Style (progressive)
With few exceptions, Sounds of Mass Production is a one man show with Jason Bazinet handling all the music responsibilities. Musically the sound is a cross between a wide range of styles – progressive, techno, metal, rap, hip-hop, all flirting with dance. And what I like about the CD, besides a CD with an opening song titled “Fuck You”, is the programming and how the mix isn’t over processed. The sound is basement, unpolished after-hours, 3AM-sun up, dance club that’s edgy incorporating a tripped out enhancement filter with a crowd flowing uniquely like a drop of red wine flowing through water. Find yourself in some seizure inducing light show following the white rabbit after you took the blue pill and this is the music that’ll go through your head.
Rating 3 ½
Within Chaos
“Virulent”
www.withinchaos.com
Style (hardcore metal)
Everyone into the pit!!!! No wimpy, whimsical, or mystical BS intro with this CD. Hit play and this monster takes off right from the get go getting the head and body baggin’ to the beats and rhythms. I totally dig a CD that starts this way, especially for a hardcore metal band. Vocally it’s the typical howler monkey screaming but it matches excellently to the tone, head banging chords, and song arrangements perfectly. The one thing I found lacking about the CD, which maybe the result of the copy I received, is that it only contained front cover artwork. Checking on the bands website this is the CD they’re pushing so I hope the final is complete with full artwork, credits, and photos.
Rating 4
TOP 10 BEST (in no particular order)
1. Authority Zero (“1 2 3 4")
2. Rockets to Ruin (“Love * Drugs * Rebellion”)
3. Rainshine (“Radio Z”)
4. Wensday (“Torch Rock”)
5. John 5 (“The Devil Knows My Name”)
6. Ghost (“The Get Down”)
7. Clutch (“From Beale Street to Oblivion”)
8. In This Moment (“Prayers”)
9. Halie Loren (“Full Circle”)
10. Diecast (“Internal Revolution”)
TOP 10 WORST (in no particular order)
1. Robert Plant / Allison Krauss (“Raising Sand”)
2. JDJ Band (“Cruel Way”)
3. Dew Unscented (“Incinerate”)
4. Radium 88 (“Only Science Can Tell Us the Truth”)
5. Fifi Larue (“Fifi Larue”)
6. Psyopus (“Our Puzzling Encounters Considered”)
7. The Vein (“Monsters and Men”)
8. Six Feet Under (“Commandent”)
9. Adam Zwig (“Cast Iron Letters”)
10. Blinded Black (“Under the Sunrise”)
