The second track, “Wormwood”, instantly starts off with the American skateboarder riff so classically associated with Blink-182. Toward the climax of the song, the music breaks down into a steady head banging beat. It invokes visions of khaki short clad girls with California stringy hair, moving their hips in time with the mosh pit.

The intro of “Blue Pills and Whiskey” seduces you into believing that this is a sort of heartfelt vulnerable tone for Campaign, but alas, the rug is pulled from under one’s feet yet again. The heavy yelling guitar muffles your screams but still the taste of the intro remains within the explosion.”Blue Pills and Whiskey”, if anything, is the killer of the EP. It grabs and holds you, somehow tossing you without letting you go.

While Campaign certainly have established something very loud and boisterous with It Likes To Party, it seems that they are afraid to emerge from the shadow of their punk rock predecessors. More original and fresh material is needed to further band development and establish a notable style. Right now, innovation with this band is hard to determine – but there is plenty of room, and plenty of time, [...]]]> Atlanta’s Campaign has arrived onto the scene with an EP that, at first bite, attacks you with no preparation. No rising sounds, no gentle intros, no beguilement. Just a full on seizure of wrists and into the pit for a tumultuous ride. Track one of the EP is “Rock Bottom Summer”, a threatening powerhouse of an introductory that sets you up on an adrenaline rush. The ominous drum beat stands poised and ready for attack, provoking the listener to thrash along with this thunder-beat.

The second track, “Wormwood”, instantly starts off with the American skateboarder riff so classically associated with Blink-182. Toward the climax of the song, the music breaks down into a steady head banging beat. It invokes visions of khaki short clad girls with California stringy hair, moving their hips in time with the mosh pit.

The intro of “Blue Pills and Whiskey” seduces you into believing that this is a sort of heartfelt vulnerable tone for Campaign, but alas, the rug is pulled from under one’s feet yet again. The heavy yelling guitar muffles your screams but still the taste of the intro remains within the explosion.”Blue Pills and Whiskey”, if anything, is the killer of the EP. It grabs and holds you, somehow tossing you without letting you go.

While Campaign certainly have established something very loud and boisterous with It Likes To Party, it seems that they are afraid to emerge from the shadow of their punk rock predecessors. More original and fresh material is needed to further band development and establish a notable style. Right now, innovation with this band is hard to determine – but there is plenty of room, and plenty of time, for improvement.

I know this review will probably sound schizophrenic, but I can’t help it. I’m divided. I also know this is Positivexposure, and I’ll get to the positivity, I promise, but on the one hand, I have to be honest. With Omni, I feel that the band have morphed into a more generic direction – rather than taking the opportunity to refine their individuality and take a more unique step, Omni is kind of faceless – at one point I really began to doubt if I’d bought the right record. You kinda wonder if they’ve moved to L.A. They seem to have dialled up the synths and turned down the emotion – and the result is a record I don’t find particularly honest or deep, with lyrics about sweat dripping down thighs (“My Time”), a girl fixing her lipstick and a guy fixing his belt (“Into The Mirror”), and morally suspect seduction (“Fooled by the Night”). Sure, Planet of Ice had some pretty raunchy lyrics, but gone is the strain of sadness that colored lead singer Jake Snider’s voice, and gone is the intensity of tracks like “Double Vision Quest” and “Lotus”‘ and in its place is something overproduced and cheapened with pop punk seduction. I’m not asking this record to deal with hardcore political issues or anything, but songs about copulation, well, have been done before. A lot. With synths. I just don’t think anything new is being brought to the table here. And hey, one heartfelt song wouldn’t hurt now, would it? May I suggest something in a minor key?

And yet, here’s the other side of the coin. Maybe listening to songs with supposed ‘deep emotional meaning’ has clouded my ears with pretentiousness and I’m just looking at it wrong. Because, ignoring Planet of Ice, as a stand alone, ‘plug your iPod in at a party’ record, Omni is great. It’s enjoyable and energetic. It’s summery and catchy, and songs like “My Time” and “Summer Angel” are definitely ‘play on repeat-ers’. I love “Animal Backwards” with its hypnotic repeating of ‘She is a wolf looking through my window’ (but I can’t help thinking it’d sound better acoustic!) Omni is uplifting and has a party vibe with kicks of attitude and cheek. Yeah, it’s pretty simplistic and makes me wonder if the lead singer has a sex addiction, but it’s fun. And hey, I like synths. I don’t really like echoing vocals or songs that stick on one questionable subject, but on one level I do like Omni. Unfortunately, it’s  just a pretty shallow, slightly guilty level. It’s fun. I’ll admit that. No problemo. But here’s the deal breaker: is it enough for an album just to be ‘fun’? For me, not really. I think that Minus the Bear need to [...]]]> Seattle’s Minus the Bear are back with the follow up album to 2007’s Planet of Ice with Omni, a record that, despite its uber catchy melodies, I’m in two minds about. To put it totally bluntly: I just don’t get it.

I know this review will probably sound schizophrenic, but I can’t help it. I’m divided. I also know this is Positivexposure, and I’ll get to the positivity, I promise, but on the one hand, I have to be honest. With Omni, I feel that the band have morphed into a more generic direction – rather than taking the opportunity to refine their individuality and take a more unique step, Omni is kind of faceless – at one point I really began to doubt if I’d bought the right record. You kinda wonder if they’ve moved to L.A. They seem to have dialled up the synths and turned down the emotion – and the result is a record I don’t find particularly honest or deep, with lyrics about sweat dripping down thighs (“My Time”), a girl fixing her lipstick and a guy fixing his belt (“Into The Mirror”), and morally suspect seduction (“Fooled by the Night”). Sure, Planet of Ice had some pretty raunchy lyrics, but gone is the strain of sadness that colored lead singer Jake Snider’s voice, and gone is the intensity of tracks like “Double Vision Quest” and “Lotus”‘ and in its place is something overproduced and cheapened with pop punk seduction. I’m not asking this record to deal with hardcore political issues or anything, but songs about copulation, well, have been done before. A lot. With synths. I just don’t think anything new is being brought to the table here. And hey, one heartfelt song wouldn’t hurt now, would it? May I suggest something in a minor key?

And yet, here’s the other side of the coin. Maybe listening to songs with supposed ‘deep emotional meaning’ has clouded my ears with pretentiousness and I’m just looking at it wrong. Because, ignoring Planet of Ice, as a stand alone, ‘plug your iPod in at a party’ record, Omni is great. It’s enjoyable and energetic. It’s summery and catchy, and songs like “My Time” and “Summer Angel” are definitely ‘play on repeat-ers’. I love “Animal Backwards” with its hypnotic repeating of ‘She is a wolf looking through my window’ (but I can’t help thinking it’d sound better acoustic!) Omni is uplifting and has a party vibe with kicks of attitude and cheek. Yeah, it’s pretty simplistic and makes me wonder if the lead singer has a sex addiction, but it’s fun. And hey, I like synths. I don’t really like echoing vocals or songs that stick on one questionable subject, but on one level I do like Omni. Unfortunately, it’s  just a pretty shallow, slightly guilty level. It’s fun. I’ll admit that. No problemo. But here’s the deal breaker: is it enough for an album just to be ‘fun’? For me, not really. I think that Minus the Bear need to pause all the sex (or stop boasting about it) and have a nice, inspirational emotional breakdown. They’re from Seattle, after all.

The latest piece of electro-dance goodness from James Murphy, the brains behind LCD Soundsystem, is This Is Happening, the last release under the name that has seen him release two other albums,  LCD SoundSystem and the wonderful Sound Of Silver.

Dance Yrself Clean “Dance Yrself Clean”, the opening track of the album, is a interesting listen.  It begins with the group of band members along with Murphy singing together against a simple drum beat, with bits of synth coming in and out as they progress. Just when you think that the whole track will proceed like this, the current beat is joined by an incredibly funky synth dance piece, accompanied by Murphy’s signature wailing vocals. It’s a good track, but at 8:58, it can certainly drag on.

Drunk Girls Probably my favorite song off the album so far, “Drunk Girls” has everything you would expect from a great LCD track. Fun lyrics which have a casual message that everyone who’s partied before will understand, plenty of chances to sing along and clap your hands, plus some great, light hearted synth playing along in the background. A simple structure leads throughout the song so it’s good fun to listen to and something that will get plenty of cheers if it starts playing at a party.

One Touch A nice groove is one way to describe this song. Much like “Drunk Girls”, this is the kind of track you can dance to. The wonderfully layered synth and infectious beat really makes this a good listen, but the lack of anything that is definitively LCD can make this a bit of an easy song to forget.

All I Want Another wonderful track, “All I Want” combines a nice  repeated progression of piano and drums with an awesome wailing guitar track. One thing I’ve noticed about most LCD songs is their repetition, punctured only by a few parts that actually change things up. This, in most cases, would be a bad thing, but the pure enjoyable nature of many of the songs, Murphy’s voice, and lyrics, can create songs that don’t really require structure in themselves, and this is certainly evident in “All I Want.”

I Can Change The bassy, chilled out tone in most parts of this track makes it an easy listen, and the addition of the high pitched synth during choruses shakes it up enough to make it an enjoyable listen. Murphy seems to have gone the extra mile on his vocals and lyrics during this track too, as they’re certainly a highlight.

You Wanted A Hit “You Wanted A Hit” begins feeling like a vortex of synth, darting and flashing about all together. Once drums and guitars come in, the synth fades away to leave a beat with a real feeling of purpose. I don’t know what gives me that feeling, it just feels like it’s on a mission. Once the lyrics kick in and you get a feel as to what Murphy is really trying to say, it becomes more and more apparent that this song is either a message [...]]]>

The latest piece of electro-dance goodness from James Murphy, the brains behind LCD Soundsystem, is This Is Happening, the last release under the name that has seen him release two other albums,  LCD SoundSystem and the wonderful Sound Of Silver.

Dance Yrself Clean
“Dance Yrself Clean”, the opening track of the album, is a interesting listen.  It begins with the group of band members along with Murphy singing together against a simple drum beat, with bits of synth coming in and out as they progress. Just when you think that the whole track will proceed like this, the current beat is joined by an incredibly funky synth dance piece, accompanied by Murphy’s signature wailing vocals. It’s a good track, but at 8:58, it can certainly drag on.

Drunk Girls
Probably my favorite song off the album so far, “Drunk Girls” has everything you would expect from a great LCD track. Fun lyrics which have a casual message that everyone who’s partied before will understand, plenty of chances to sing along and clap your hands, plus some great, light hearted synth playing along in the background. A simple structure leads throughout the song so it’s good fun to listen to and something that will get plenty of cheers if it starts playing at a party.

One Touch
A nice groove is one way to describe this song. Much like “Drunk Girls”, this is the kind of track you can dance to. The wonderfully layered synth and infectious beat really makes this a good listen, but the lack of anything that is definitively LCD can make this a bit of an easy song to forget.

All I Want
Another wonderful track, “All I Want” combines a nice  repeated progression of piano and drums with an awesome wailing guitar track. One thing I’ve noticed about most LCD songs is their repetition, punctured only by a few parts that actually change things up. This, in most cases, would be a bad thing, but the pure enjoyable nature of many of the songs, Murphy’s voice, and lyrics, can create songs that don’t really require structure in themselves, and this is certainly evident in “All I Want.”

I Can Change
The bassy, chilled out tone in most parts of this track makes it an easy listen, and the addition of the high pitched synth during choruses shakes it up enough to make it an enjoyable listen. Murphy seems to have gone the extra mile on his vocals and lyrics during this track too, as they’re certainly a highlight.

You Wanted A Hit
“You Wanted A Hit” begins feeling like a vortex of synth, darting and flashing about all together. Once drums and guitars come in, the synth fades away to leave a beat with a real feeling of purpose. I don’t know what gives me that feeling, it just feels like it’s on a mission. Once the lyrics kick in and you get a feel as to what Murphy is really trying to say, it becomes more and more apparent that this song is either a message to someone or to a group of people about not always listening to what other people want.

Pow Pow
Probably the strangest track on the album, “Pow Pow” has a complete lack of structure in its lyrics, and bongos abound around the whole song. It’s certainly weird, and I can’t see everyone liking it. But it’s certainly an interesting track to listen to.

Somebody’s Calling Me
Beginning with a slow progression of piano, echoing clapping, and quiet vocals, and ending with basically the exact same thing, “Somebody’s Calling Me” is probably the worst song on the album. It lacks that energy that comes with most LCD tracks, so it cannot support its repetition, and the irritating explosions of synth don’t seem to serve any purpose but too annoy.

Home
Starting out with an undeniably catchy mixture of of low-key synth, some sporadic guitar strings, and some nice high-hat play, “Home” just becomes more and more layered as it progresses, bringing in vocals, horn sounding synth, and some incredibly funky bass. It’s probably one of the best tracks besides “Drunk Girls” and is a great way to finish off the album.

This Is Happening is certainly a good way for Murphy to say goodbye to LCD SoundSystem, but I do feel as though it is a little bit unpolished. There’s no song that will be remembered for a time to come other than Drunk Girls and even that might only be a pop track to be forgotten in a few months. Other than a few issues with irritating or somewhat boring songs, This Is Happening is definitely a good listen and something that fans should enjoy.

Darwin Deez released his first two track EP, Radar Detector, at the beginning of this month, April 10th to be precise. I really enjoy Darwin’s song writing style, he seems to have been able to get fun distilled down to a sound and then combine that with some great pop beats and simple but enjoyable guitar bits. On his new album he’s toned down the ‘happy-go-lucky’ themes and some of the resulting tracks are some great, sometimes chilled out, listens.

Constellations The opening track has a nice relaxed motion about it. During the chorus ‘oohing’ and ‘ahhing’ vocals fit the sound of the total track quite nicely, and the whole track has a nice spacey feel about. The signature guitar that plenty will recognize from the the EP is there too.

Deep Sea Divers “Deep Sea Divers” continues the feeling set up by “Constellations” and is a slow listen with plenty of spacey, chilled out feelings rippling through it. My issue with it though, is whereas “Constellations” slow progression was enjoyable, it gets a bit irritating that the second track doesn’t really hit a high or change at all, and seems a bit like the same feeling and sound twice over.

The City This track takes a different turn from the beginning songs. The robotic delivery of his lyrics along with the simple, heavier, guitar certainly changes things up in “The City” and it’s a nice change from the albums beginning sound.

DNA “DNA” is where Darwin really begins to hit a high on the album. It’s got some great lyrics, a funky pop beat accompanies the usual guitar. All in all, it’s good fun to listen to, and definitely will get plenty of listens on my iPod.

The Suicide Song I’m not sure about this track, something about it just kind of annoys me. The high guitar tone doesn’t seem to go well with Darwin’s vocals, and it all seems a bit messy. Probably the worst song on the album so far, not to say it’s terrible though.

Up In The Clouds Another song where the album falls a bit short. The overly ‘same-y’ nature of “Up In The Clouds” doesn’t really help with trying to differentiate it from Darwin’s other tracks. There doesn’t seem to be anything that makes it stand out.

Bed Space “Bed Space” is another track where Darwin has gone for that ‘space-y’ feel that started off in “Constellations”, and it was certainly a good move for them to turn up the echo vocals and chilled out nature, because this is one of my favorite songs on the album by far. It’s a great song, and certainly a high for the album.

Radar Detector The title track from Darwin’s EP, Radar Detector is probably going to be a favorite for most as it’s probably the most catchy and fun song on the album. My favorite part of this track has to be the lyrics, they’re really cool and they’re about a date between a new couple. It’s cute stuff. Also, a side note, the music video [...]]]>

Darwin Deez released his first two track EP, Radar Detector, at the beginning of this month, April 10th to be precise. I really enjoy Darwin’s song writing style, he seems to have been able to get fun distilled down to a sound and then combine that with some great pop beats and simple but enjoyable guitar bits. On his new album he’s toned down the ‘happy-go-lucky’ themes and some of the resulting tracks are some great, sometimes chilled out, listens.

Constellations
The opening track has a nice relaxed motion about it. During the chorus ‘oohing’ and ‘ahhing’ vocals fit the sound of the total track quite nicely, and the whole track has a nice spacey feel about. The signature guitar that plenty will recognize from the the EP is there too.

Deep Sea Divers
“Deep Sea Divers” continues the feeling set up by “Constellations” and is a slow listen with plenty of spacey, chilled out feelings rippling through it. My issue with it though, is whereas “Constellations” slow progression was enjoyable, it gets a bit irritating that the second track doesn’t really hit a high or change at all, and seems a bit like the same feeling and sound twice over.

The City
This track takes a different turn from the beginning songs. The robotic delivery of his lyrics along with the simple, heavier, guitar certainly changes things up in “The City” and it’s a nice change from the albums beginning sound.

DNA
“DNA” is where Darwin really begins to hit a high on the album. It’s got some great lyrics, a funky pop beat accompanies the usual guitar. All in all, it’s good fun to listen to, and definitely will get plenty of listens on my iPod.

The Suicide Song
I’m not sure about this track, something about it just kind of annoys me. The high guitar tone doesn’t seem to go well with Darwin’s vocals, and it all seems a bit messy. Probably the worst song on the album so far, not to say it’s terrible though.

Up In The Clouds
Another song where the album falls a bit short. The overly ‘same-y’ nature of “Up In The Clouds” doesn’t really help with trying to differentiate it from Darwin’s other tracks. There doesn’t seem to be anything that makes it stand out.

Bed Space
“Bed Space” is another track where Darwin has gone for that ‘space-y’ feel that started off in “Constellations”, and it was certainly a good move for them to turn up the echo vocals and chilled out nature, because this is one of my favorite songs on the album by far. It’s a great song, and certainly a high for the album.

Radar Detector
The title track from Darwin’s EP, Radar Detector is probably going to be a favorite for most as it’s probably the most catchy and fun song on the album. My favorite part of this track has to be the lyrics, they’re really cool and they’re about a date between a new couple. It’s cute stuff. Also, a side note, the music video is really fun, so be sure to check that out too.

Bad Day
“Bad Day’s” merits mostly lie in its lyrics, about wishing irritating and annoying things on a certain person, and some of them are quite clever as they depict things that I myself would probably wish on someone who annoyed me. It’s also a change of pace. It’s less upbeat, but has a nice bassy progression to it and it’s a good way to finish off the album.

Darwin Deez is a good start for the band, and its fairly original sound will at least last them another album, or maybe EP, but I do think they’ll need to change their sound around to seem fresh and new again. Their sound is good fun, but I think it clings to a few too many pop sensibilities to sound entirely original. Still, pick it up or download it off iTunes for a nice little package of pop/rock fun.

Mr. Tambourine Man (2006) I’ve never heard the original Bob Dylan version of “Mr. Tambourine Man,” so I have no comparisons to make to the original. The very beginning is odd, but the electronic drums mixed with acoustic guitar sound really cool, and singer Craig Minowa’s voice sounds a lot like Ben Gibbard (to me) on some of the higher notes. I don’t even know what noise it is that is repeating throughout the song, maybe some weird vocal loop or filtered guitar but it’s really hard to get past that noise and listen to the rest of the song, so I wish that has been left out…I would probably like the song a lot more if it wasn’t there. The [...]]]> Cloud Cult’s Running With The Wolves EP is available today! It’s a digital-only four song EP that includes one brand new song from their forthcoming album, Light Chasers, which will be available in August. The three remaining songs are from 2006 and 2007, so I think that current fans will like the trip down memory lane, and the potential fans (like me) will have a chance to play catch-up and get a brief history of the band’s sound throughout the years. I think this album has a great selection of songs on it, they’re all different styles but you can tell they’re by the same band. I think it’s important to be able to change up your style but stay distinct, and that’s an ability Cloud Cult has shown on this EP.Running With The Wolves
If this is what Light Chasers is going to sound like, save me a copy, please. I love the beginning guitar sound, but then a filtered electric guitar comes in and (this definitely could just be my speakers) it makes it sound more like static or a blown out speaker than a guitar. The song has a pleasant beat to it…it’s incredibly hard not to start tapping your toes or bobbing your head from side to side. It’s just instinct with songs like this. “We were running for a reason, left our cubicles in little flaming piles. We were running for a reason, I need to feel something different for just a little while.” “I’m not coming home, I’m staying with the wolves. You can burn all my mail and disconnect my phone.” Those lines are all stick out and get stuck in my head. I guess this song is about escape, and the guitar just sounds…free. I could definitely see some slow montage at the end of a movie with some of the characters running through an empty field, or driving on a lonely highway, etc. Okay, end cheesy, cliché movie endings! Judging from the rest of the songs on this EP, Light Chasers will have a slightly changed sound, but don’t worry, you’ll still recognize Cloud Cult. Running With The Wolves has such a nice, soft sound, and such awesome lyrics that I found it incredibly hard not to leave it on repeat.

Mr. Tambourine Man (2006)
I’ve never heard the original Bob Dylan version of “Mr. Tambourine Man,” so I have no comparisons to make to the original. The very beginning is odd, but the electronic drums mixed with acoustic guitar sound really cool, and singer Craig Minowa’s voice sounds a lot like Ben Gibbard (to me) on some of the higher notes. I don’t even know what noise it is that is repeating throughout the song, maybe some weird vocal loop or filtered guitar but it’s really hard to get past that noise and listen to the rest of the song, so I wish that has been left out…I would probably like the song a lot more if it wasn’t there. The piano adds a beautiful touch, and the electronic drum beats never seem out of place, even in such a classical sounding song. I’m not a Bob Dylan fan, but I’m guessing that Cloud Cult have done this song justice, because it almost makes me want to check out the original and have both versions.

A Place  (2007)
This is definitely my favorite song on the EP. It starts with fast paced acoustic guitar and a low note on a piano adds depth and gives it a darker, more powerful sound. I don’t think the song would be the same without the piano, even though it’s not exactly at the forefront of the song. Sometimes it’s the quiet stuff that says the most, I guess. There’s a part where there a two vocal melodies and a bouncy piano part, and it sounds very fun, which is definitely a contrast to the acoustic parts with the low piano notes. (Sorry to talk about the low piano note so much but I just really like it.) This song contrasts a lot with the rest of the EP, because the other songs sound more lighthearted, but it’s always good (or in this case, great) to mix it up! “Do you remember when we kissed like spaceships?” I have no idea what that lyrics is about, but you’re lying if you don’t think that sounds really awesome.

Where Are You Now (2007)
The beginning of this song doesn’t really do it for me, but when the electric guitar comes in it gets a lot better, and then when the bass comes in, it gets good. The lyrics “Something tells me that we’re gonna be okey dokey” just makes it hard for me to take the entire song seriously…there’s a point where rhyming makes things sound worse than if the lines were the least rhyming lines in the world. This isn’t a very strong song lyrically or musically for the most part…but it could just be because that one line (the first line in the song) has me hung up. Although, around 3:18 it gets instrumental and for a second sounds like the song is going to end, but instead, it just gets really cool and I wonder why the rest of the song didn’t sound like this. It’s basically just two minutes of jamming, and I really like it.

Basically: If you already like Cloud Cult, this new song should sell you on the upcoming album. If you’ve never heard of Cloud Cult, this new song should sell you on the upcoming album. As a compilation EP, I think it’s a really cool idea to have songs from different stages in the band’s history to keep it interesting and make it a kind of crash course in Cloud Cult. I would have given this EP a four if the things that bothered me about the songs didn’t really bother me. Luckily, these few weak points are forgivable in comparison to the true talent showcased.

Best Song: “A Place”

This album is beautifully presented from top to bottom. It’s the first thick album booklet that I have seen in a long time. A photo accompanies every song, and they all have a nice filmy feel. The album took two years to record, and “is a living and breathing document.” It’s no wonder that this entire album has a very nostalgic feel… it is nostalgic. It’s a shame because this album’s standout tracks and its forgettable songs had me torn between a 3 and a 4, so if it hadn’t been for those few songs, this would definitely have been a 4.

“How To Make Love Stay” Every single line in this song is perfectly written lyrically, and vocally, I can’t imagine any other way I’d want to hear those words. So cryptic, yet so easy to relate to. But I actually did breathe a deep breath and a sigh of relief when the song ended. From the very first discordant yet so very melodic note of the guitar, this song depressed me. The vocals just added more pressure on my chest and the chorus just gave me a sinking feeling in my stomach. The drums come in at the perfect time, along with the bass and they create a nice beat that pushes you along.  I already love this album if the rest of it sounds like this. It slows back down at just the right moment, and when you think the song is going to end, it comes back with just a little bit of renewed energy in its bassline and subtle drum accents.

“city lights graced interstates, the way you move your hands through your hair when you feel alone. remember the flowers you picked when we crossed over madison? you were so sure you found yourself that you branded it into an oak- the one you swore reached through the sky and swallowed the city line. you had yet to hit twenty-three (an age that would swallow you). then, every breath made you confess you did not know what to do with your hands. this is a new side of you- so full of fear.” “Keep What You Have Built Here” Jumps right in with energy that you don’t expect and it sort of wakes you up from the slow melody of the previous song. Frantic, energetic, I feel like I am late for something really important. “but you turned all the words from my mouth into doubt. and I wish I could tear your heart out!” This is such a beautifully tragic song, with an uncharacteristically fun guitar riff . The slower melodies are preferred in this song. I also like the little bits of piano here and there. I love the harmonies that Keith and Cathy sing together, but the high notes are a little bit whiny and grating.

“What Safe Means” I immediately fell in love with these lyrics, “you fell into uneasy sleep, a subtle hint that things were changing,” even though they are incredibly sad. Lovely [...]]]>

This album is beautifully presented from top to bottom. It’s the first thick album booklet that I have seen in a long time. A photo accompanies every song, and they all have a nice filmy feel. The album took two years to record, and “is a living and breathing document.” It’s no wonder that this entire album has a very nostalgic feel… it is nostalgic. It’s a shame because this album’s standout tracks and its forgettable songs had me torn between a 3 and a 4, so if it hadn’t been for those few songs, this would definitely have been a 4.

“How To Make Love Stay”
Every single line in this song is perfectly written lyrically, and vocally, I can’t imagine any other way I’d want to hear those words. So cryptic, yet so easy to relate to. But I actually did breathe a deep breath and a sigh of relief when the song ended. From the very first discordant yet so very melodic note of the guitar, this song depressed me. The vocals just added more pressure on my chest and the chorus just gave me a sinking feeling in my stomach. The drums come in at the perfect time, along with the bass and they create a nice beat that pushes you along.  I already love this album if the rest of it sounds like this. It slows back down at just the right moment, and when you think the song is going to end, it comes back with just a little bit of renewed energy in its bassline and subtle drum accents.

“city lights graced interstates, the way you move your hands through your hair when you feel alone. remember the flowers you picked when we crossed over madison? you were so sure you found yourself that you branded it into an oak- the one you swore reached through the sky and swallowed the city line. you had yet to hit twenty-three (an age that would swallow you). then, every breath made you confess you did not know what to do with your hands. this is a new side of you- so full of fear.”

“Keep What You Have Built Here”
Jumps right in with energy that you don’t expect and it sort of wakes you up from the slow melody of the previous song. Frantic, energetic, I feel like I am late for something really important. “but you turned all the words from my mouth into doubt. and I wish I could tear your heart out!” This is such a beautifully tragic song, with an uncharacteristically fun guitar riff . The slower melodies are preferred in this song. I also like the little bits of piano here and there. I love the harmonies that Keith and Cathy sing together, but the high notes are a little bit whiny and grating.

“What Safe Means”
I immediately fell in love with these lyrics, “you fell into uneasy sleep, a subtle hint that things were changing,” even though they are incredibly sad. Lovely beat. Very dramatic sound. This song, just like the rest of the album, has a great mix of fast and slow, quiet and loud. I’m glad that the end of the song has hopeful lyrics that bring the song to a good conclusion. I like that both guitars play notes, not chords, it adds an intricate and delicate sound to the album. I like this album so far for its introspective qualities…I feel like I could listen to it in a field in the middle of nowhere and find a lot about myself that I didn’t know. (Note to self: do that.)

“It Happened Because You Left”
This is another song that surprises you with its energy. It’s like Empire! Empire! has only two speeds, sleepy and energetic. Of course, there are variations on the sleepy speed, sleepy with full band, sleepy solo, etc. “It Happened Because You Left” is half energetic and half sleepy with full band. I love the question posed at the end of the lyrics,  “‘who will you be when you come back’ or even, ‘will you come back?’” Haven’t we all felt that way at one point or another? The bass line on this song is a killer.

“Rally The Troops! Poke Holes In their Defenses! Line Our Coffers With Their Coffins”
Musically, this is my favorite song so far on the album. I really like the sound of it, and the lyrics are great too. “it flew out of your mouth, ‘you can drive me anywhere- just drive me anywhere but here.’” This album is really good at reminding me of experiences I’ve had since jr. high and high school without sounding like something I would have listened to when I was younger. The ending drums sound a lot like Blink-182′s “Feeling This.”

“It’s A Plague, And You’re Invited”
There are guest vocals by Dj Degennaro on this song, and he sounds surprisingly like Keith Latinen if he had an edge to his voice. So far, this song is my least favorite, both lyrically and musically. It’s definitely another song that surprises you with energy right out of the gate but still has some soft vocals and has its soft moments. However, this song kind of ruins the mood that “Rally The Troops…” established, and it is sort of awkward. This song is very forgettable, and it’s very repetitive, but the ending guitar riff is pleasant.

“Everything Is Connected And Everything Matters (A Temporary Solution To A Permanent Problem)”
I wish this song had come after “Rally The Troops…” because it fits the mood so much better. Very sleepy guitar sound in the beginning, something which Empire! Empire! excels at. I also love how the drums seem more like an accent than a driving force. The guitars from the middle of the song on sound a lot like wind chimes to me, blowing in the wind. “you gorged yourself on Frost and Hemingway.” Some of my favorite lyrics on the album, but I am pretty sure I’ve said that about every song…

“The Next Step To Regaining Control”
With a 1:45 without lyrics, this felt like it was going to be an interlude, but then the vocals started, and I love the vocal melody of the line “you would not match my stride and cried ‘foul! foul! how could you expect me to care about somebody else?” This song is sort of like a combination of all the highs and lows of the album, and the soft moments along with the faster moments. The guitar around 4:13 is just beautiful, especially the perfect way they work so effortlessly together.

“With Your Greatest Fears Realized, You Will Not Be Comforted”
This is one of my least favourite songs musically, although I love the vocals and the lyrics. I guess I just don’t appreciate the sound of a banjo, but it is kind of grating. I think if this were played on an acoustic guitar, I would love it. “You wore the saddest smile that never fit quite right. your mother’s smile felt that way too” beautifully sad, something that, again, Empire! Empire! seems to master.

“I Am A Snail, And You Are A Pace I Cannot Match”
“I tried (i tried, i tried, i tried) to keep the awful things at bay from you.” I love the melody of that line. I love the harmonies when Keith sings over himself. This is the most lyric heavy song on the album, but it’s also the most forgettable…I can’t remember how it goes even when it’s just ended. I also realized that in this entire review I have failed to mention Cathy Latinen, who plays guitar on almost every song on the album. She has a consistent and recognizable sound that I love.

“An Idea Is A Greater Monument Than A Cathedral”
Probably the most dramatic sounding song on the album, as well as some of the most interesting guitar lines in the song. It’s another painfully, beautifully sad song, with great guest vocals by Matt Agrella, someone I would like to hear more of in the future. This may even be the saddest song on the album, and it makes up for the two songs before it, because this song is smooth, interesting, and memorable.

Jonas Sees In Color have successfully written a feel-good pop rock album. Their self-titled debut is a genuinely enjoyable album. The difference between Jonas Sees In Color and many other pop-rock bands is that this CD has enough moments where their originality shines through that you know that they are capable of refining their sound and what they do next can have more of those moments.

The opening track, “I Own These Streets,” is a good opener. It’s energetic and feel good and it has a beautiful piano line that reminds me of Something Corporate. The formula of a running melodic line that is transferred smoothly between piano and lead guitar is a formula that Jonas Sees In Color do well, and it can be seen in the opening track, as well as other standout tracks such as “Loose Threads”. It seems that songs with a strong piano essence are the bands strong point.

The bass is something that I also notice a lot on this album. It is very prominent and not often playing something conventional, which earns my respect. The bass lead-in to the verse in “Luck and Love” makes me smile in particular.

Jonas Sees In Color have on their hands a pretty decent debut album, but it does come with its weak points. The middle slab of the album seems to be clogged with songs that fall victim to becoming a stereotypical pop-rock song. But the difference is that, even in all these songs, there are elements that can be taken away to create something new that could be very successful without being cliché. For example, “Stand Tall” has a good chorus and great lyrics, “For The Fences” is an attempt at using elements from another genre and being diverse. However, I think that their weakest points are their ballads. These songs aren’t pulled off  strongly and come off seeming corny and too predictable.

By the time I got to track seven, “West Coast” I didn’t think that I could be surprised anymore, but close to the end of the song, the more aggressive vocals rejuvenated my interest. I was pretty impressed by the more passionate vocals, which also appear again on “Devil In The City”, which is a very strong song. It has a soft hint of a bluesy/jazz feel to it, with an amazing walking bass, and I’m interested to see Jonas Sees In Color experiment in this direction.  The songs seem to become more solid as we approach the end of the CD. “Outside These Walls” has a good vocal melody and “Water On The Rise” has a different feel to anything else on the album. I like how the drums are played (the louder and deeper tone of the toms) and how it is dominant for the first third of the songs or so. The key isn’t conventional, and may even have a slight experimental feel to it. This song is definitely a strong closer.

Jonas Sees In Color have a lot to learn about themselves [...]]]>

Jonas Sees In Color have successfully written a feel-good pop rock album. Their self-titled debut is a genuinely enjoyable album. The difference between Jonas Sees In Color and many other pop-rock bands is that this CD has enough moments where their originality shines through that you know that they are capable of refining their sound and what they do next can have more of those moments.

The opening track, “I Own These Streets,” is a good opener. It’s energetic and feel good and it has a beautiful piano line that reminds me of Something Corporate. The formula of a running melodic line that is transferred smoothly between piano and lead guitar is a formula that Jonas Sees In Color do well, and it can be seen in the opening track, as well as other standout tracks such as “Loose Threads”. It seems that songs with a strong piano essence are the bands strong point.

The bass is something that I also notice a lot on this album. It is very prominent and not often playing something conventional, which earns my respect. The bass lead-in to the verse in “Luck and Love” makes me smile in particular.

Jonas Sees In Color have on their hands a pretty decent debut album, but it does come with its weak points. The middle slab of the album seems to be clogged with songs that fall victim to becoming a stereotypical pop-rock song. But the difference is that, even in all these songs, there are elements that can be taken away to create something new that could be very successful without being cliché. For example, “Stand Tall” has a good chorus and great lyrics, “For The Fences” is an attempt at using elements from another genre and being diverse. However, I think that their weakest points are their ballads. These songs aren’t pulled off  strongly and come off seeming corny and too predictable.

By the time I got to track seven, “West Coast” I didn’t think that I could be surprised anymore, but close to the end of the song, the more aggressive vocals rejuvenated my interest. I was pretty impressed by the more passionate vocals, which also appear again on “Devil In The City”, which is a very strong song. It has a soft hint of a bluesy/jazz feel to it, with an amazing walking bass, and I’m interested to see Jonas Sees In Color experiment in this direction.  The songs seem to become more solid as we approach the end of the CD. “Outside These Walls” has a good vocal melody and “Water On The Rise” has a different feel to anything else on the album. I like how the drums are played (the louder and deeper tone of the toms) and how it is dominant for the first third of the songs or so. The key isn’t conventional, and may even have a slight experimental feel to it. This song is definitely a strong closer.

Jonas Sees In Color have a lot to learn about themselves and improve on, and I look forward to seeing what they come out with next. Their self titled debut has its fair share of both strong and weak points, and one can only hope that they’ll improve on this. The standout tracks really are amazing and it makes you wonder what they could achieve if every song on their next cd was as good as these tracks.

Best track: “Devil In The City” and “Loose Threads”

From the opening track you can hear how the Fall of Troy’s musicianship has evolved. This is a band that continues to be unpredictable, meshing multiple genres together and jumping between genres effortlessly. It is a familiar sound, keeping fans happy, but the band have pushed themselves once more to create an album that challenges the lines between genres. The album flows from one track to another, showing how all these songs can stand both by themselves but also work as a package.

Running guitar lines and walking bass lines keep this musician happy and give me faith once more in a music scene where there are actual musicians who can appreciate writing music that isn’t just chord progression after chord progression. The Fall of Troy deserve to be commended for the brilliant composition of their songs.

But perhaps their greatest trait is also their biggest downfall. As a whole, this album is a struggle to sit through. Songs start to blur as it becomes difficult to keep focused on what I’m listening to. Perhaps I’m just not an avid enough fan of the Fall of Troy. As single songs, they don’t fail to entertain. Listen to just one song, and it’ll have my full attention for the four or so minutes, but when I’m constantly having to give it my full attention my thoughts start to wonder and I can’t focus on the music.

Initial thought: The Fall of Troy have a knack for pushing boundaries, would this next record continue to do so, or will they sit back and just stay with a formula that they are familiar with? Also, the album art is suburb.

Now: The Fall of Troy has managed to write another record that pushes both the boundaries of music and themselves. It’s a relief to know that there are still real musicians in the scene who can write [...]]]>

From the opening track you can hear how the Fall of Troy’s musicianship has evolved. This is a band that continues to be unpredictable, meshing multiple genres together and jumping between genres effortlessly. It is a familiar sound, keeping fans happy, but the band have pushed themselves once more to create an album that challenges the lines between genres. The album flows from one track to another, showing how all these songs can stand both by themselves but also work as a package.

Running guitar lines and walking bass lines keep this musician happy and give me faith once more in a music scene where there are actual musicians who can appreciate writing music that isn’t just chord progression after chord progression. The Fall of Troy deserve to be commended for the brilliant composition of their songs.

But perhaps their greatest trait is also their biggest downfall. As a whole, this album is a struggle to sit through. Songs start to blur as it becomes difficult to keep focused on what I’m listening to. Perhaps I’m just not an avid enough fan of the Fall of Troy. As single songs, they don’t fail to entertain. Listen to just one song, and it’ll have my full attention for the four or so minutes, but when I’m constantly having to give it my full attention my thoughts start to wonder and I can’t focus on the music.

Initial thought: The Fall of Troy have a knack for pushing boundaries, would this next record continue to do so, or will they sit back and just stay with a formula that they are familiar with? Also, the album art is suburb.

Now: The Fall of Troy has managed to write another record that pushes both the boundaries of music and themselves. It’s a relief to know that there are still real musicians in the scene who can write real music.

Talk about a pleasant blast from the past! This album could hold its own on a shelf next to my mom’s 80s pop records. Singer Sarah Guild has a great vocal range and she sure knows how to use it. Listening to Invisible Embraces really almost sounds like I’m listening to a modern, more upbeat Blondie album. The energy is great, I think it could easily be thrown on at a dance club or be sung on a road trip with friends just as easily. The main thing that makes this album so enjoyable is that while there are obvious throwbacks to the 70s/80s new wave explosion, it is not a complete rip off and manages to blend 80s influences with a modern dancey sound and a burst of ingenuity. A side note is the album art. It’s very 80s and I believe that if I were browsing CDs in a store (come on kids, you remember cd stores, don’t you? The buildings that you actually had to walk into when you had to wait for a cd to be officially released?) it would catch my eye. The bright blues, yellows, and pinks make it a really easy thing to spot. Back to the music: bottom line, it’s fun, it’s catchy, it’s unique in today’s music world, and it’s very well done.

Initial Thoughts: I really expected this album to be a total wanna-be 80s record that had absolutely no originality or real thought put into it. I was pleasantly surprised by what the album actually was, though. While it is something I have heard before it’s not overdone and it’s beautifully pulled off.

Now: I’m really glad that this album landed on my desk because since I was born in the last eleven days of 1990, I obviously didn’t get to experience any part of the 80s—the good or the bad. I was raised on grunge and alternative rock, so for me, this is a breath of fresh air even though people who listen to the good dance music of the past, they may prefer that.

Best Track: “I’m Losing”. The vocal melody of the chorus is really fun to sing along to and it has lyrics that are easy to relate to. The synthesizer is really upbeat and makes it a great song to dance to.

Drops [...]]]>

Talk about a pleasant blast from the past! This album could hold its own on a shelf next to my mom’s 80s pop records. Singer Sarah Guild has a great vocal range and she sure knows how to use it. Listening to Invisible Embraces really almost sounds like I’m listening to a modern, more upbeat Blondie album. The energy is great, I think it could easily be thrown on at a dance club or be sung on a road trip with friends just as easily. The main thing that makes this album so enjoyable is that while there are obvious throwbacks to the 70s/80s new wave explosion, it is not a complete rip off and manages to blend 80s influences with a modern dancey sound and a burst of ingenuity.
A side note is the album art. It’s very 80s and I believe that if I were browsing CDs in a store (come on kids, you remember cd stores, don’t you? The buildings that you actually had to walk into when you had to wait for a cd to be officially released?) it would catch my eye. The bright blues, yellows, and pinks make it a really easy thing to spot.
Back to the music: bottom line, it’s fun, it’s catchy, it’s unique in today’s music world, and it’s very well done.

Initial Thoughts: I really expected this album to be a total wanna-be 80s record that had absolutely no originality or real thought put into it. I was pleasantly surprised by what the album actually was, though. While it is something I have heard before it’s not overdone and it’s beautifully pulled off.

Now: I’m really glad that this album landed on my desk because since I was born in the last eleven days of 1990, I obviously didn’t get to experience any part of the 80s—the good or the bad. I was raised on grunge and alternative rock, so for me, this is a breath of fresh air even though people who listen to the good dance music of the past, they may prefer that.

Best Track: “I’m Losing”. The vocal melody of the chorus is really fun to sing along to and it has lyrics that are easy to relate to. The synthesizer is really upbeat and makes it a great song to dance to.

Drops November 17th!

For an album that seems to have been done time and time again, Super 400 has pulled it off quite well.

Initial Thoughts: This is definitely not my cup of tea. I don’t care much for the vocals and I feel like I’ve heard this many times before.

Now: I realize that for a concept that’s not original or ground breaking, it’s very well done.

Best Track: Sand Hill. The guitar is great and I think the song will translate really well live. This song is [...]]]> Let me start off by saying this album isn’t bad. These are good musicians creating good music. It’s just that nothing about this album doesn’t give me Deja Vu. I understand that a band started thirteen years ago may have roots and influences in early rock, but I wish that they had incorporated their influences in the music and created something more original instead of just playing like those influences. I will admit, the guitar on “Sand Hill” is redemption for the whole album. It has a great, authentic, old timey feel to it.

For an album that seems to have been done time and time again, Super 400 has pulled it off quite well.

Initial Thoughts: This is definitely not my cup of tea. I don’t care much for the vocals and I feel like I’ve heard this many times before.

Now: I realize that for a concept that’s not original or ground breaking, it’s very well done.

Best Track: Sand Hill. The guitar is great and I think the song will translate really well live. This song is a masterpiece.