Album and Concert Review Thread

[Dave]

Okay guys. This is the follow up to my review of Green Day’s “21st Century Breakdown”. For me, I had to pick a good album that would really impress me after my review of Green Day. That album was sublime and I had high hopes for my next review. So whilst in my local music shop I noticed an album that I already owned. Elbow’s “The Seldom Seen Kid”. However, this was not the first copy of said album, it was in fact Elbow accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra. The album titled “The Seldom Seen Kid Live At Abbey Road” looked interesting and I thought I would buy it and see how it differed from the first attempt. So here it goes my review of:

“The Seldom Seen Kid Live At Abbey Road” by Elbow and the BBC Concert Orchestra.

The thing about this album is that I was a big fan of “The Seldom Seen Kid” and I really didn’t think that using an orchestra in this album would make it any better really. To an extent I would say I was right. There is a lot of times when I thought there is just no difference to that of the original album. However, when I listened to it again I really did notice some subtle differences in the way the music was played. So the track listings go like this:

1. Starlings
2. The Bones Of You
3. Mirrorball
4. Grounds For Divorce
5. An Audience With The Pope
6. Weather To Fly
7. The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver
8. The Fix
9. Some Riot
10. One Day Like This
11. Friend Of Ours

This album is a direct copy of the live version that Elbow did and is accompanied by a video recording of the session. It is also a carbon copy of the original album in terms of track listings. I personally think they could arranged it just a little but better. In my tastes it would have made more sense to have “An Audience With The Pope” first. It really makes no difference buy for me “Starlings” is just to slow to start with. Anyway, “The Seldom Seen kid” was positively reviewed mostly and picked up the Mercury Music Prize in 2008 and there is a few stand out songs on the album that you really should listen to if you get the chance. “Grounds For Divorce”, “An Audience With The Pope”, “Weather To Fly” and “One Day Like This” are probably the best songs on the original album and the same is probably true about the Abbey Road Version. I just feel that the songs that I mentioned previously work well with the orchestra and there is more scope for a different type of music that the orchestra could provide. If you can I would definitely go and listen to this version of “Grounds For Divorce”. It is simply amazing. Both vocally and musically it is stunning.

I don’t really have much more to say on this album because in my opinion it could have been a little but better. I was expecting a little more from it in all honesty but it has only re-produced the first album with a few different bits in between. A good album but could have been much more.

David’s Verdict - 7.5/10

 

[Dave]

Time for another Review I think. I know I only just submitted one but I am really enjoying my music at the minute and I just kind of feel like it really. So this time I have another one from my collection. I recently went to see Nickelback in Glasgow and with that fresh in my mind I set out tepidly with a review of the latest offering fro the Canadian rock group:

“Dark Horse” By Nickelback.

When this album came out, I looked it at like I look at all album that I buy: Innocent until proven guilty. By that I mean I will always reserve my opinion of said album until I have listened to it a few times. With that in mind and my great love for “All The Right Reasons” fresh in my mind, I sat down to listen to the album right through again to try and form some opinions on this album. After listening to it a few times I have to tell you I love it even more than when I first bought it. I don’t know if it because every time I listen to it now I remember the live experience, which by the way was definitely one of the best gigs I have ever been at. When I actually sat down and listened to it though, it became abundantly clear to me that Nickelback have a recipe for success in my opinion and they rarely deviate away from that recipe. I think they just suit my musical style because the last two albums they have released have just been utterly amazing in my opinion.

Anyway the track listings are as such:

1. Gotta Be Somebody
2. Something In Your Mouth
3. Burn It To The Ground
4. I’d Come For You
5. Next Go Round
6. Just To Get High
7. Never Gonna Be Alone
8. Shakin’ Hands
9. S.E.X
10. If Today Was Your Last Day
11. This Afternoon

As always when I review an album I have it playing in my ears constantly and I make a certain opinion on which songs I like and which ones I don’t. I have had this album since it was released and I have to say, there is not a song on this album that I do not like. Sure there are songs which I do not enjoy as much as the others but I wouldn’t say that I don’t like. Anyway, the songs that stand out for me on this album are “Gotta Be Somebody”, “Something In Your Mouth”, ”Burn It To The Ground”, “Never Gonna Be Alone” and “If Today Was Your Last Day”. Most of these songs, as you would expect, were released into the mainstream and did OK. The album itself went 2x Platinum and has apparently stayed in the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 200 since it’s release.

However, the album received mainly poor reviews from highly regarded music journals etc. Most slammed it for not being very original and also slammed Chad Kroeger for his vocal talent. Do not get me wrong, these guys have the experience to know what they like and the position to tell other what they think of it but they are well wide of the mark to some extent. I mean sure, Kroeger might not have the best voice but this has been his strength on all the previous albums. As for the music sounding recycled, I ask you, with all the songs that have been release in the past and all the bands that Nickelback have drawn influence, I’m sure that some of the songs are gonna sound recycled but in my opinion, the album is still very fresh and sticks true ti the style that Nickelback have worked hard to adapt to. I did not like the first few albums that they released but they have come on an absolute ton. They were also slammed for the lyrics that they employ. This too is just unfair. At the gig in Glasgow, “Animals” form All The Right Reasons and “Something In Your Mouth” were the best received songs with the fans. The bottom line is, critics can say what ever the hell they like but it is ultimately the fans who decide if an album is good and this one is.

David’s Rating 8.5/10

 

[Dave]

One more for today I think. OK dokey, I will now pick a random album from the desk and that will be the one I review. Here goes… Eenie, Meenie, Miney Mo…

“Which Bitch” by The View

I have to admit that I am by no means a View fan but I thought I would pick up this album and give them a try. Mainly because of the previous attempt. The name of their last album escapes me but I liked a few songs on it. I did not buy it, I borrowed it and listened to it. I think everyone who lives in the UK will remember the song “Same Jeans”. Yeah, that was the song that sort of got me into The View and I promised it to myself that I would buy the new offering if they got that far, which was quite doubtful. But hey, they did! So cautiously I bought the new album an cleared my schedule, I was gonna listen the crap out of this album.

The track listing are as such:

1. Typical Time 2
2. 5Rebbeccas
3. One Off Pretender
4. Unexpected
5. Temptation Dice
6. Glass Smash
7. Distant Doubloon
8. Jimmy’s Crazy Conspiracy
9. Covers
10. Double Yellow Lines
11. Shock Horror
12. Realisation
13. Give Back The Sun
14. Gem Of A Bird

The album starts well in my opinion with two of the best songs on the album. If you have read my review of Elbow and the BBC Orchestra you will know that I strongly believe that you should always lead with your best foot forward in terms of track listings. It get’s people into your album and just works better. I, personally, am more likely to turn off an album if I don’t like the first few song. People might not agree but that’s me. However, The View have done that and the first songs on the album really set the tone for the rest of the album. “Typical Time 2” is one the better songs on the album and it is such a simple little tune that it just sticks in your mind. “5Rebbeccas” is probably the best song on the album and it deserves to be so. It is catchy and is just one those songs that you remember. The next day in work, I could not for the life of me get that tune out of my head. The lyrics on it are great as well. As you would expect from The View, they do not sugar the pill and just get on with it. “One Off Pretender” is quite good too. I really like it and the vocals just sound really raw in it. The music is catchy and it just works as a song. “Unexpected” is a little different, slower and more thoughtful. It is a difference in style that really suit The View and one piece of advice I would have to them is to stick to this style more. It is a good tune and the music in it really conveys the emotion that I think they wanted to get over to they audience.

Now onto the next couple of songs. “Glass Smash” and “Temptation Dice” are without a doubt my favourites on the album. I have no idea what it is but “Glass Smash” sounds really familiar to me. It is just one of those tunes that you recognise instantly and it sticks with you. Vocally in this song, The View are what they have always been in that department, mediocre. The thing that makes up for it though is the lyrics and the music itself. They are an outstanding band and if there lead singer had just a little bit more range then they would be so much bigger. Another thing that got to me as the vocal style of The View. They have so much potential musically but they need to express it better vocally. This song was a prime example. It was saved by the music at the end of the day. “Temptation Dice” is simply amazing. Like ”Glass Smash”, it is instantly recognisable and enjoyable. Another change of style in this one too. The vocals really pick up in this one and the lyrics are simply outstanding. The music is brilliant and the lull in the song is just so welcomed and enjoyable. I love this song. I had high hopes after listening to the first half of the album and if it continues in the same vein it would have been a great album. However, “Temptation Dice” sort of marks the end of the quality in this album. It pains me to say it but I can’t help but feel they have let themselves down a little bit because this album had so much potential.

The next songs on the album are not even nearly as good as the first few and it disappointed me. I still listened to it but it never really spoke to me in the same way as the ones I have mentioned did. The only saving grace for the latter half of the album was “Gem Of A Bird”. I loved this song. It was slower and a really good end to the album. Perhaps I am being too harsh on it but I just did not enjoy the second half. I would urge you to go and listen to the whole thing though and make your own opinion of it.

David’s Rating - 7/10

Although they are Scottish so automatically get 10/10 haha.

 

[X]

Well, I'm about to vomit myself to death at the Nickelback review above me that was given an 8.5/10. Seriously man? Nickelback is hands-down the absolute worst band being played on the radio in the world, without a shadow of a doubt. To paraphrase the great Bill Hicks, Nickelback are the definition of soul-less, corporate suckers of Satan's cock that exemplifies so much modern rock music. Nickelback are the exact opposite of the spirit of rock and roll.

So, to wash this thread of those sins, I'll review a great album from the classic era of rock and roll, the 1960's.

Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow

Without a doubt one of the cornerstones of the psychedelic (r)evolution of rock and roll during the 1960's, Surrealistic Pillow stands as both Jefferson Airplane's first masterpiece (Volunteers being their second) and probably the perfect example of the psychedelic rock movement.

Barring maybe the Grateful Dead, no other band exemplified the San Francisco sound like Jefferson Airplane. Grace Slick was the sexy postergirl of the hippie movement, luring thousands of teenage boys to California with dreams of a new revolution among the young people dancing through their heads. Her voice is magnetic, it draws you in like a siren. But enough of my love for Jefferson Airplane and their role in my adolescence, on to the album itself.

The album kicks off and right away goes for the jugular with my personal all time favorite Airplane song, She Has Funny Cars. The song instantly gets you into the psychedelic mindset with the swirling guitars and vocals of Grace Slick, Marty Balin and Paul Kanter. Amazing song that'll have you thinking you've stepped into a time machine and landed in the San Francisco bay in 1967.

As though the opening song wasn't great enough, up next is Somebody to Love, one of the all time great classic rock songs. Slick really shows off her vocals on this one and the guitars go into the perfect psychedelic meltdown during the bridge, the song is just perfect, there's nothing you could add to it.

I won't review every song, as that would take too long, but I have to mention a few more. First is Today, an absolutely beautiful ballad right from the hearts of Marty Balin and Paul Kanter, a song that is so beautiful it's the kind of thing you'd like to have played at your funeral. 3/5 of a Mile in Ten Seconds and D.C.B.A. -25 are two great rollicking rockers that would be classics on any other album, but are merely just great songs on this album.

And finally, Jefferson Airplane's most popular song and probably the crowning achievement of the entire psychedelic rock movement. Connecting the blatant drug use of Alice in Wonderland with the hippie movement, the song marches along both in a slow and trippy manner while at the same time holding an undercurrent of joy just waiting to burst out through the smokey haze.

All in all, if you have even a passing interest in rock and roll of the 1960's and the psychedelic/hippie culture, this album should be at the very top of your "Required Listening" list. Without a doubt a five-star classic, and a masterpiece.

Rating --- 5/5​

 

[Dave]

Hi and welcome to my newly created thread that is dedicated to bringing you the best album, artist and song reviews on the site. In this thread I will try my best to review all of my albums and songs in my collection. I will also bring you my views on the artists that sing the songs and there will also be biographies and review of individual songs. I look forward to writing for you guys and I would love your input in terms of feedback on my reviews and requests for albums and artists to review.

So If you are a fan of my reviews, or even if you are not then I would love to hear from you

Lets do this…

 

[Dave]

So this is my first review for my new thread. For my last few I have did a range of music from differing genres. Unfortunately though, some people think that people are not allowed to fill an album review thread with album reviews that he does not like. So, if you are not xFear then you can’t post here anymore without first informing him of your choice in album reviews. So x, if it’s ok with you I was hoping to review:

“Exclusive: The Forever Edition” by Chris Brown

This album was strange in relation to how it grabbed my attention. I was not an R&B fan before this and I would not class myself as an R&B fan now. However, this album really did impress me with the way it presented itself. I didn’t even know who Chris Brown was before the song “With You” was released. Now though I can understand why he is getting all of the attention he is and I don’t mean from the cops. I am unsure if the dude is a songwriter and writes his own songs but I would be quite impressed if he was. I dunno if I would like the dude if I met him but I am definitely a fan of his music. “Exclusive: The Forever Edition” is probably the best R&B album in my collection, which is vast to say the least. This is not to say that it is a supreme album but it is to say that I don’t really listen to R&B a lot. Anyway, the track listing is such:

Original Tracks

1. “Throwed”
2. “Kiss Kiss”
3. “Take You Down”
4. “With You”
5. “Picture Perfect”
6. “Hold Up”
7. “You”
8. “Damage”
9. “Wall To Wall”
10. “Help Me”
11. “I Wanna Be”
12. “Gimme Whatcha Got”
13. “I’ll Call Ya”
14. “Lottery”

Special Tracks (All Included)

15. “Nice”
16. “Down”
17. “Fallen Angel”
18. “Forever”
19. “Superhuman”
20. “Heart Ain’t A Brain”

I think the way that I am going to do this review is in two parts. I will review the original album first and then review the additions to the original album that the “Forever Edition” brings. So let’s begin. Chris Brown is probably one of the biggest and best R&B stars in the world right now. Like him or not, he is in that position because of his music. I love it. The album is amazing. I bought this album very cautiously. I was going to Cyprus last year and I wanted a new album to listen on the plane. It was a ling journey and I had plenty of time to listen to this album. I won’t lie to you, I fell asleep listening to it half way through. However, from what I had listened to I was sufficiently impressed by it to stay awake on the way back and listen to the full thing a couple of times. The stand out tracks on the original are probably “Kiss Kiss”, “With You” and “Wall To Wall”. The thing is, these are the most recognisable songs on the album and probably the most mainstream songs on the album. He has done well in knowing what his best songs are and releasing them as such into the mainstream. Those songs however, are not my personal favourites on the album. “Throwed”, “Take You Down” and “Hold Up” are my favourites. I wouldn’t say I know what the criteria for a good R&B album is but I do know what I like to listen to and most of the songs on this album really appeal to me. I have now listened to this album about 15-20 times the whole way through and it is only if I am really stretching I would say that there is a couple of songs on it that I do not like. “I’ll Call Ya” and “Lottery” are probably my least favourite songs but that is not to say that I do not like them, they are just not as good as the others really. Anyway, the main things that I look for in an album like this are how good it is musically, lyrically and how easy it is to listen to. Musically in an R&B album I would want to hear a good bass beat throughout and a catchy beat. “Exclusive” delivers it and I really did enjoy listening to it. Lyrically, Brown has did a really good job. He did not do a lot of collaborations in the original album with the exceptions of Big Boi, Lil Wayne and T-Pain. So I guess the credit goes to Brown really.

Now onto the extra songs on the “Forever Edition”. It must be said that I really enjoyed most of the new songs on it. The only problem I had was that their was more collaborations on the new songs and I personally feel that he did not need them. Kanye West , The Game and Keri Hilson helped out and I guess made the album a bit more enjoyable. There is only one song on the new songs I did not like and that was “Nice” featuring the game. I don’t know what it was about the song but I just did not like it. The other collaborations were much better. “Down” featuring Kanye West was really good and I enjoyed listening to it massively. I love Kanye West’s music and I thought that this was a good collaboration, “Superhuman” featuring Keri Hilson was also very good and as I recall had good mainstream success, at least in the UK. The last song I would like to cover is “Forever”. This song is absolutely amazing, I enjoy listening to it every time it comes on. Was/is it good enough to have an album named after it? Most certainly. All in all it is a good album and one of the best R&B album I own.

David’s rating - 8.5/10

 

[Dave]

Next up In Just Dave’s music review thread is an album that I was so looking forward to last year. It is by one of my favourite bands of all time and I have loved most of the things they have ever written and performed. After my Chris Brown review, I wanted to go in a different direction to a genre that I really knew well and could write a better review of. That genre is Alternative. By no means am I an expert but is my favourite type of music and I feel ore comfortable reviewing music within this genre Anyway, the album that I am going to review in this post is:

“Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends” By Coldplay

After a long hiatus away from music, I was not really expecting much from this album. I mean, I knew how good a band they were and I also knew how strong they are at song writing but I did not expect what we got from them. For me, a dyed-in-the-wool Coldplay fan, I was so shocked and surprised at this offering. I was going to do the additional material too, that is “Prospekts March” but in all honesty I have not listened to it nearly enough to know what I was talking about, so I guess I will have to settle on the original that set the bar in 2008 for alternative music. The track listings for “Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends” is as such:

1. “Life In Technicolour”
2. “Cemeteries Of London”
3. “Lost”
4. “42”
5. “Lover In Japan/Reign Of love”
6. “Yes”
7. “Viva La Vida”
8. “Violet Hill”
9. “Strawberry Swing”
10. “Death And All His Friends”

Some people do not like Coldplay and I respect that, as long as they do not like them for the correct reason and by that I mean valid reasons. I have heard the claim that Coldplay are depressing and that some people do not like them because they bring your mood down. For me this is just bullshit basically. I am probably one of the happiest people you will ever meet. Seriously! Every day is a blessing and you will very rarely find me in a bad mood. So for me to listen to such a “depressing” band just would not make sense now would it? I don’t think they are depressing, I think they are great musicians and when I listen to music, which is most of the time, that is what I am listening for, great musical talent. Coldplay in my opinion have the skill and talent to make great music and I believe that in “Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends” they have tried to dispel the belief that they are one trick ponies and can only make sad songs. I know people who are reading this will point to “The Scientist”, “Yellow” and “Fix You” to prove me wrong and that is fine. I realise that they do make quite a lot of ‘sad’ songs but I can still enjoy it without feeling sad. I also think that in “Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends”, Coldplay try to bridge the gap from what they were musically, to what they plan on becoming in the future. I hear that work has already commenced on the follow up album to “Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends” so we shall see how much they have changed and how correct I am.

Anyway, now that the rant part of the review, where I try my very hardest to try and get all bias out of the equation is over I shall move swiftly on to the music itself. “Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends” is once again a lyrical sensation in my opinion, like them or hate them, Coldplay know how to write a good song and make them very emotional. They have once gain proved, in my opinion that they are probably one of the greatest lyricists in the world. There is not a song on this album that I do not like. There is not even a song on it that I don’t like as much as the others. In my view, they are all brilliant songs, both lyrically and musically. “Viva La Vida”, “Violet Hill”, “Cemeteries Of London”, “Strawberry Swing” and “Death And All His Friends” are probably my favourites. I know that I have listed half of the album but it is just how I fell about it. If I could I would have listed all of them, it is just simply amazing. I would urge you to listen carefully to “Death And All His Friends” and “Viva La Vida” because the lyrics in them are just astounding. Coldplay have picked up numerous awards for this album and in my opinion, justice has been done. With such a long time out of the music business it would have been easy for them to become rusty and maybe disappoint the fans. I would point to Guns n’ Roses “Chinese Democracy” as adequate proof of this. However, they have came back stronger than ever and I look forward to the next offering, whenever we may get it.

David’s Rating - 10/10

 

[Dave]

So, over the last few days I have been very busy reviewing album that are just gathering dust in my desk. It has occurred to me that I am only bothering to review album that I like and that I am only reviewing bands that I like. I do so for one primary reason. If I was to review an album that I did not like it would not even be worth the read on your part. I find that when I am passionate about what I am writing, I can write more, qualify things a lot better and generally give a much better review of the product as a whole. In the first post of the thread I said I would take requests for any album that you wanted me to review. If you are a fan of my reviews or you like my style and honesty the by all means suggest things. Even if you are not, I would very much appreciate your input, mainly because I am running out of music to listen to and would love more. For now though, we will have to make to do with what I have in my music drawer. The next band up is a band that I really like. I know they are not the most popular band in the world and receive a lot of criticism for their musical style but they have always a had a fan in me. This particular album is their latest offering and one of the albums that is quite under-rated in my opinion.

“Folie a Deux” by Fall Out Boy

Just for clarification, I realise that there was a review of this in the actual album review thread but as I have stated before it is always good to get more than one review of something. As I mentioned previously also, the band and the album have received what I would call unfair criticism since it came out. I personally don not think that this is as good of an album than “Infinity On High” which I will eventually get around to reviewing. Anyway, this album is probably not the best offering from Fall Out Boy but is by no means a bad album. I must admit though, that when this album came out, I really did not rate it very highly, let me clarify this though. “Infinity On High” is probably one of my favourite albums of all time and I was expecting quite a lot from this one. It was a shame that the only songs I could find before it came out were not very good. I think it made me think the album was bad and it was not. Anyway, the song listings are as such:

1. “Disloyal Order Of Water Buffaloes”
2. “I Don‘t Care”
3. “She’s My Winona”
4. “America’s Suitehearts”
5. “Headfirst Slide Into Coopestown On A Bad Bet”
6. “The (Shipped) Gold Standard”
7. “(Coffee’s For Closers)”
8. “What A Catch Donnie”
9. “27”
10. “Tiffany Blews”
11. “W.A.M.S”
12. “20 Dollar Nose Bleed”
13. “West Coast Smoker”

The only thing that annoys me slightly about doing a Fall Out Boy review is that the song titles are so strange that it is hard to keep track of which songs I actually like. With other albums I review, I can look at the song titles and I know which songs I like but these ones are really confusing but I shall go on anyway in hope. I shall get the bad things out of the way first. Firstly, lyrically this album is all over the place. In some songs I think that it is very good but there is also songs that I think, what the hell were they thinking when they wrote that? “Headfirst Slide Into Coopestown On A Bad Bet” is an example of when Fall Out Boy are on the mark lyrically. The lyrics in this song just seem to resonate with me a lot. I think it’s because I am in the mindset that you should never blame your problems on the world, it’s all you fella. “20 Dollar Nose Bleed” is an example of one of those songs when you have no idea what the hell they are talking about. I must admit though that this is one of my favourite songs on the album and I personally love how fucked up it is. That’s just me though. Next though is the style. Like many said of the latest Nickelback album, the style remains very similar to that of the previous albums and many think that it will sound recycled if you are a fan of the previous albums.

However, I am of the opinion that “Folie a Deux’s” greatest weakness for some, that is, the recycled sound, is the greatest strength of the album. I for one love the sound that Fall Out Boy are going for. I dunno how to describe it but my best guess would be Pop-Rock. I really like how catchy the songs are. For me, there is nothing more important for any band than to make the songs that they sing easy to remember. For me, if it is easy to remember, then it is hard to forget and Fall Out Boy know this better than most. On to the songs themselves then. The standout songs on this album, in terms of mainstream success are “I Don‘t Care”, “America’s Suitehearts” and “20 Dollar Nose Bleed” and they are my personal favourites. Just Like “Infinity On High” Fall Out Boy keep to their style very well with great music and high energy songs. I really like this album and I think it is quite under-rated really. I would urge you to listen to it and give it a fair chance, FOB fan or not.

David’s Rating - 8/10

 

[Big Sexy]

Proof - Searching for Jerry Garcia

# Title
1 "Knice"
2 "Clap Wit Me"
3 "Biboa's Theme"
4 "When God Calls..."
5 "Forgive Me"
6 "Purple Gang"
7 "Nat Morris"
8 "Gurls wit' da Boom"
9 "High Rollers"
10 "Rondell Beene"
11 "Pimplikeness"
12 "Ali" Essman
13 "No. T Lose"
14 "Jump Biatch"
15 "M.A.D."
16 "72nd & Central"
17 "Sammy Da Bull"
18 "Black Wrist Bro's"
19 "Slum Elementz"
20 "Kurt Kobain"

This is the best album from a very underrated artist in Proof. Every song on this album is solid. Some are obviously better then others, but I wouldn't say there are any bad songs. There are also a lot of featured artists on the album. 50 Cent, B-Real, Method Man, D12, Obie Trice, and Nate Dogg are all on the album. The only slightly negative thing I can say about the album is that there might have been too many featured artists, but that doesn't take away from the quality of the album. The two best songs on the album are "Forgive Me" with 50 singing the chorus and "Kurt Kobain." At the very least you should try to listen to those two songs.

 

[Fizzy]

First appearance in this thread... Sweet...

Every song on this album is amazing. You have Psychosocial, a smash hit when it was first released. You also have Sulfur which is a little bit heavier, but still not to heavy. Moving along to Butchers Hook which is a heavy song. Heavier than the last two mentioned. The album suddenly takes a change in pace with Snuff. Snuff is a very slow, song. Much different than almost every other song Slipknot has ever made, and personally my favorite song right now. This album also debuted number 1 on the billboard top 200. If you haven't heard the album yet I suggest you go listen to it even if your not a fan. Quite possibly the best album i've ever purchased. Quick mention to Joey Jordison's amazing drumming yet again on this album.

 

[Dave]

Next up to face the scrutiny of my album review is an album that really defined me when I was younger. To say it was an influence in my life would be an understatement. It was the second album I ever bought for myself believe it or not and lead to a great rush on my part to listen to more and more music. Let me just clarify though, it was the second album I had bought, most before that were bought for me because I was only a kid really. Anyway this album is a in a genre that I really like, Rock. However, it is a different kind of rock and has been described as ‘emo’ by critics. I dunno about that but I love it. Next up is:

“The Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance.

I am sure that this album has been covered in the album review thread but I really wanted to do it myself. Mainly because I really wanted to listen to it over again and form coherent opinions of is. When I last listened to it I was quite a bit younger and I was gripped by the culture that it imposes on you. My friends and I bought this album after the release of the title track, “Welcome To The Black Parade”. It was an impulse buy and I didn’t really know what to make of it back then because of the peer pressure from friends. Now though, I have moved on from this kind of music and It is my wish that I can over it again and form my own opinion of it. Anyway now that the history lesson is over, the track listing is as follows:

1. “The End”
2. “Dead!”
3. “This Is How I Disappear”
4. “The Sharpest Lives”
5. “Welcome To The Black Parade”
6. “I Don’t Love You”
7. “House Of Wolves”
8. “Cancer”
9. “Mama”
10. “Sleep”
11. “Teenagers”
12. “Disenchanted”
13. “Famous Last Words”
14. “Hidden Track”

It is my understanding, although I am unsure about it, that this album follows a story, quite like “21st Century Breakdown”. I am sure that it about someone who dies and the story concerned with that. If that is truly the case then the track listings would indeed make sense. Starting an album with the track title “The End” is unconventional to say the least. However, if the story is to be believed then it means the ending of someone’s life. Anyway, My Chemical Romance are not a band that I would listen to a lot of now but when I put the album into the computer and started listening to it again, I found myself oddly compelled by it. It has a charm about it that really surprised me, especially considering the genre that it lies in. Within one or two songs I found myself singing along to the tracks like I did when I was 14. The album is true to it’s genre and every song on it is rock. Usually, in my experience anyway, there is a lull in the rock for a slower melody but not really in this one. It is a charming album but is also quite exhausting. For me, it is better to have some slower melodies in a rock album. The advantage of doing this is that the audience will not get bored listening to the same thing over and over, slower tunes refreshes the audience and gives your album more credibility because it shows you are diverse in your recording. Of Course I’m not the expert but I do know what I like to hear.

Onto the actual music involved then. The stand out tracks on this album for me are “Welcome To The Black Parade”, “I Don’t Love You”, “Sleep”, “Mama” and “Disenchanted”. I would also have said “Teenagers” too but I have listened to it far too much on the radio and what not and I have really went off of it. It is a good song but as I say, hearing something over and over, really makes something lose it’s appeal. Anyway, the songs that I have selected are in my opinion the best tracks on the album. If you are not going to buy the album in any way, physically or downloaded through iTunes, then I would recommend trying these songs out. I personally do not use downloading sites very much although I am aware a lot of people do. If you are going to download some songs, these ones are the best so give them a go. The title track “Welcome To The Black Parade” is probably the stand out track for most but not for me. Don’t get me wrong though, it is a fine track and it deserves all the critical acclaim that it received but I think if you go a little deeper into the album you find better songs. I do not believe though that you are not a fan of something because you like the mainstream stuff that they put out. I was told my opinion did not mean much on these forums once because I liked the mainstream songs on “Relapse” by Eminem. I think you every right to decide for yourself which songs you like. For me on this album it is between 2 songs. “Disenchanted” and “Mama”. As I mentioned previously, I bought this album when I was a bit younger and going through some stuff. This album and the lyrics really resonated with me to an extent. The bottom line about this album is that, if I was a first time listener, I don’t think I would like it as much. However, this album holds a lot of good memories for me and I think it sways my decision a little bit.

David’s Rating - 7.5/10

 

[Dave]

The next album that I would like to review is an album which I first got around two years ago roughly. The main reason I want to do this album is that I haven‘t heard it in a while an really wanted to listen to it again. It was never an album that I really listened to or enjoyed before but over time it has begun to grow on me and is now one of my most favoured album. It is by a British band for a change and they have found quite a bit of mainstream success with both the album and the songs released from it. I am unsure if they are planning a follow up album but I suspect they are. Anyway, I digest. The album that I am going to review right now is:

“Scouting For Girls” by Scouting For Girls

Imaginative title huh? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Anyway, I always think it is risky to name your first album, or any for that matter, after the band itself. If for some reason the album is not worth remembering then the same fate will probably befall the band in time. However, Scouting For Girls have nothing to worry about on this front as it is a very good album from an band that that are now renowned for catchy lyrics and tunes. The band has found great success with many of the tacks on this album and it is of little wonder as to why. The melancholic/upbeat songs on this album add great balance and make the album an enjoyable listen on the whole. The track listings are as follows:

1. “Keep On Walking”
2. “She’s So Lovely”
3. “It’s Not About You”
4. “The Airplane Song”
5. “Heartbeat”
6. “Elvis Ain’t Dead”
7. “I’m Not Over You”
8. “I Need A Holiday”
9. “The Mountains Of Navaho”
10. “James Bond”
11. “Michaela Strachan You Broke My Heart”

11 songs on an album is not a great amount in my opinion but as long as a band manage to pack as much enjoyment and action into those 11 songs as possible, then I’m pretty much happy with however many songs they want to put on an album. The same can be said about this album. 11 songs filled with emotion and great lyrical talent. Scouting For Girls have done a great thing in this album in my opinion, they have made every song on the album a pleasure to listen to. There is nothing I hate more than grinding my way through songs that I do not like to get to the ones that I do like, my “Which Bitch” review springs to mind immediately. In that album, I found myself skipping songs in order to get to the songs that I liked. However, in this album it is quite different. I mean sure, there is still songs on the album that I do not like as much as the others but I don’t mind listening to them. That is a rare thing in my opinion because an album will always have it’s fair share of filler songs. This album does not.

Anyway, the stand out songs in this album are “She’s So Lovely”, “It’s Not About You”, “Elvis Ain’t Dead”, “I’m Not Over You” and “Heartbeat”. These songs have also been popular in the UK singles chart too and have been popular when released. They are mix of heartfelt melodies and upbeat tunes. In this album, some of the songs are about mundane subjects. For example, “I Need A Holiday” is all about work habits and the longing for the weekend and a holiday. Not a lot of British bands could make such a boring subject into a good song but Scouting For Girls have the talent to do it with ease. I just hope that the next album they release is a bit more creative in terms of subject matter. Though that is neither here nor there. The piano, guitar mix works well on this album but some songs are quite repetitive of others and by that I mean that sometimes you wish for a little change in direction just to freshen it up a little. This is just a minor gripe however and doesn’t really matter too much in the long run. All in all it is a good album and a very good first attempt but an increasingly-popular British band. Next step for them is to bring out a second album that is on the same quality as the first and they will be OK I feel.

David’s rating - 8.5/10

 

[Pimpin]

Fuck I ain't done one of these in a while. Well anyways let's get to it shall we.

Eric B. & Rakim- Paid In Full

Track Listing

1. I Ain't No Joke
2. Eric B. Is On The Cut
3. My Melody
4. I Know You Got Soul
5. Move The Crowd
6. Paid In Full
7. As The Rhyme Goes On
8. Chinese Arithmetic
9. Eric B. Is President
10. Extended Beat

I just loved this album mainly cause it proved that without a doubt that Rakim can spit out rhymes like nobodies business as it set a blueprint for future rappers in the game & helped ensure East Coast Hip-hop's reputation for innovative lyrical technique.

It also showcased how Rakim's rap style is more ladi back & stoic delivery than you would see in LL Cool J & Run DMC's rhymes.

As for what tracks to specifically check out, just check them all out as there ain't a song on there that you won't like.

 

[Pimpin]

This is my second album suggestion of the day

Guilty Simpson- Ode to the Ghetto

Track Listing

1. The American Dream
2. Robbery
3. She Won't Stay At Home
4. Footwork
5. Ode to the Ghetto
6. Getting Bitches
7. I Must Love You
8. The Future
9. Pigs.
10. My Momeny
11. Run
12. Kinda Live
13. Yikes
14. The Real Me
15. Kill Em
16. Almighty Dreadnaughtz

I purchased this album the other day & when I listened to it, I thought he sounded similar to Ice Cube as his voice is very similar to him. Anyways after listening to this album, I can say that Guilty Simpson is a very talented rapper as his delivery is good & he sounds alot like Ice Cube, but more importantly. He don't sound like a shit rapper(like Lil Wayne or that group that performs that shitty song Stanky Leg).

You have some producers like the late J. Dilla, Kon Artis from D12, DJ Babu from the Dialated Peoples, an underrated rapper in Black Milk, a great producer in Madlib & just other producers that helped make this album a really good album.

I would strongly suggest you to get this album as you will not be disappointed in what material is on this album & not only does the lyrics have meaning to it, but it's also something that you can feel proud to have playing loudly on your stereo in your car.

 

[Freddy4190]

Track Listing:

1. "Ties That Bind" - 3:19
2. "Come to Life" - 3:51
3. "Brand New Start" - 4:54
4. "Buried Alive" - 4:35
5. "Coming Home" - 4:19
6. "Before Tomorrow Comes" - 4:06
7. "Rise Today" - 4:21
8. "Blackbird" - 7:58
9. "One by One" - 4:20
10. "Watch Over You" - 4:19
11. "Break Me Down" - 3:56
12. "White Knuckles" - 4:24
13. "Wayward One" - 4:47

If you start this album you may think to yourself.. "Hey, this band sounds a lot like Creed." That's because it's Creed with a lead singer change. This band in my personal opinion, is one of the most underrated, talented, bands to ever come out. Period. I love everything about this band. Myles Kennedy is the lead singer for Alter Bridge and he has an amazing octave range. He puts so much raw emotion behind the songs on this album.. Mark Tremonti is your lead guitarist and backup vocalist. He plays the hell out of that guitar and he's a great performer. Then you have Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips on drums. The whole album is great. It's a step-up from their last album "One Day Remains." It's a lot heavier. The tracks that stand out for me on this album, by far, without a shadow of a doubt the first song is the title track, "Blackbird"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz_j7nVCJJ0

I've listened to this song well over 60 times. Not even joking. I get goosebumps every time I listen to it. It's such a powerful song, you can feel the emotion behind the song, in the drums, the guitars, Kennedy's singing is absolutely insane. Tremonti shows why he is an absolute GOD on a guitar. The second track I recommend is definitely "White Knuckles." You immediately get slapped in the face by heavy guitar and the whole song is just the definition of badass. I DEFINITELY recommend this whole album. You can find it on Amazon.com for pretty cheap. Check out the bands first album too. I promise you won't be disappointed.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Ok just wanted to spread the word about this band Boy Hits Car. I don't believe i've seen them mentioned here. But i've seen them live at the Dysfunctional Family Barbecue in Syracuse, Ny in may. then saw them later that same night in a club. They are really amazing live. Cregg Rondell, the lead singer, has a tendency to jump off of things into the crowd. Just look at a video from K-rockathon 10 in weedsport, ny. And not just that, they have great energy and get the crowd into everything.

Another one i enjoyed was Buckcherry just recently. They headlined a show with A7x, and Papa Roach. They were also pretty good and were really energetic. Alot of sex jokes and near x-rated humor from the lead singer which made it all the more fun.

Skindred is another good one. I was already a fan of their music, which is a mix of reggae and metal and whatnot. They opened for sevendust and disturbed on night. It's really cool to hear a different kind of sound and they really brought it.

That's pretty much the ones could contribute here. All the others that i have seen have pretty much been described here (Disturbed, Papa Roach, Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Seether, Staind)

 

[Pimpin]

Alright it's time for another album suggestion from ya boy Big Pimpin. Also to note that the album that I am suggesting is a bit different than what I normally post in here. Alright let's get this thing poppin.

Ginuwine: A Man's Thoughts

Track Listing

1. Intro
2. Show Off
3. Trouble feat Bun B
4. Last Chance
5. Interlude
6. One Time For Love
7. Open Door
8. Get Involved feat Missy Elliott & Timbaland
9. Orchestra
10. Touch Me
11. Lying To Each Other
12. Even When I'm Mad
13. Bridge To Love feat Brandy
14. Used To Be The One
15. Show Me The Way

I thought this album was a bit of a different style from Ginuwine's previous album The Senior due to this album being a more serious style album than The Senior which was a more party oriented style album. The songs that I liked off this album were of course Last Chance(which is becoming one of my more played songs on the iPod), One Time For Love, Trouble, Lying To Each Other, Even When I'm Mad, Bridge To Love & Used To Be The One. This album is just as good if not better than Ginuwine's previous releases & I know there are some R&B fans on these forums & if you want to listen to a laid back album, then I suggest you go pick up or download this album cause I know you will like this album alot.

 

[Pimpin]

It's time for another one of these album suggestions by yours truly Big Pimpin.

Eminem Presents: The Re-Up

Track Listing

1. Shady Narcotics by Eminem
2. We're Back by Eminem feat Obie Trice, Stat Quo, Bobby Creekwater & Cashis
3. Pistol Pistol (Remix) by Obie Trice
4. Murder by Bizarre feat Kuniva
5. Everything Is Shady by Cashis
6. The Re-Up by Eminem feat 50 Cent
7. You Don't Know by Eminem feat 50 Cent, Cashis & Lloyd Banks
8. Jimmy Crack Corn by Eminem feat 50 Cent
9. Trapped by Proof
10. Whatever You Want by Kon Artis feat Swifty McVay
11. Talkin All That by Cashis
12. By My Side by Stat Quo
13. We Ride For Shady by Obie Trice feat Cashis
14. There He Is by Bobby Creekwater
15. Tryin ta Win by Stat Quo
16. Smack That (Remix) by Akon feat Stat Quo & Bobby Creekwater
17. Public Enemy #1 by Eminem
18. Get Low by Stat Quo
19. Ski Mask Way (Eminem Remix) by 50 Cent
20. Shake That (Remix) by Eminem feat Nate Dogg, Obie Trice & Bobby Creekwater
21. Cry Now (Shady Remix) feat Kuniva, Bobby Creekwater, Stat Quo & Cashis
22. No Apologies by Eminem

I thought the material on the Re-Up was great as some of it was remixed & of course the newer artists were allowed to have their talent showcased on these songs. It was well produced & this album proved that artists like Stat Quo Bobby Creekwater & Cashis are very talented rappers. As far as the songs go. I would say that my favorite songs from this album are Pistol Pistol (Remix), You Don't Know, By My Side, Ski Mask Way (Eminem Remix) & Cry Now (Shady Remix).

I give this album a 9 out of 10. The material on this album was just fantastic & like I said earlier, it showcased the talents of the newer artists.

 

[Richard]

Have you ever waited anxiously for a band to release their next album, only to rush to the shops, pay top price for it and listen to it and said "Well... that was a waste of money"?

This thread is about albums that have let you down.

My answer would be Marilyn Manson's latest album, The High End of Low. I already heard a couple songs from it before it was released and I thought "Well, these songs are ok, he hasn't had any other albums I hated, I'll buy it" and then it turned out to be really boring and an effort to listen to the songs I hadn't heard. Better luck next time Manson. I may listen to it again sometime later, I might have to listen to it a few times before I start to like it.

Lets hear your stories.

 

[Mr. TM]

I think AFI's June 6, 2006 release was a major letdown for me. The album shifted greatly away from Sing The Sorrow. Instead of being that beautiful sound, they became a synthesized throw back to the new wave of the 80s. The song got them great fame, but lost some respect from me.

 

[The Doctor]

For me, it's easily Daft Punk's Homework. I waited and waited for their second album, only to find that only one of their songs was great (Around the World), a few were good, and the rest varied from "meh" to "suck".

Luckily I got it cheap. And Human After All made up for it.

 

[Ty Burna]

For me, it's been basically almost any Bizzy Bone CD that he's released as a solo artist. Now one of those albums "A Song For You" was a bad ass CD, but going through the list here:

Alpha and Omega: Disappointment was big on this album, I was expecting the usual Bizzy that was rapping with Bone Thugs, but instead I got a CD full of half assed songs and no fast rapping.

The Beginning and the End: Eh there were a couple decent songs, but other than that it was mostly shit once more. This I think is where Bizzy really started to get fucked up a lot while making his music.

The Cleansing: Actually wasn't too bad, I can pick out 4 or 5 songs to listen to from this album, but again, riddled with a lot of bullshit.

Ruthless: Finally this is where Bizzy starts coming out of his funk, and actually put out some good songs here. But those songs on the album were with one of the Bone Thugs, so it's almost a moot point. And he made a song with Rick Ross....enough said.

So judging on that, I don't know why I kept buying Bizzy Bone CD's, but I think it's just holding out hope that he will return to the amazing rapper he once was. That and it's a personal mission to have every single Bone Thugs-n-Harmony album in my possession. And I am talking about every group, solo, mixtape, remix, instrumentals, and singles ever released from Bone.

Currently my collection stands at well over 10 GB....

 

[Richard]

I think AFI's June 6, 2006 release was a major letdown for me. The album shifted greatly away from Sing The Sorrow. Instead of being that beautiful sound, they became a synthesized throw back to the new wave of the 80s. The song got them great fame, but lost some respect from me.

By "The song", are you refering to 'Miss Murder'?.

I thought December Underground was a fine album, keyword "fine". While it wasn't like Sing The Sorrow, it still had some good songs on it. Since they achieved the mainstream success with Sing The Sorrow, it was sort of expected that AFI's next album would have a more mainstream sound and appeal. I can see what you mean by a throwback to the 80's. I don't know if it's just me but some of the songs like Love Like Winter remind me of Dead Or Alive. The group who done 'You Spin Me Right Round (Like A Record)'.

 

[The Dewbliners]

For me, I'd have to say G n' R's Chinese Democracy effort. I mean we had been waiting on it for close to 15 years, and save for a couple tracks, it was a major disappointment. I say that record should be filed under "epic failure".


Honourable mention goes to: Silverchairs newest record (can't remember the name). It's just a departure from their older stuff, which I can understand, but to go from like Ana's Song to Straightlines? To me that would be like Kittie going from Do You Think I'm a ****e, all the way to covering Hit me Baby.... Just inconcievable.

 

[pyrusane]

St. Anger from Metallica. After waiting seven years for a new studio release, we got...well, the worst CD they ever put out, in my opinion. St. Anger itself was an ok song, and I knida liked Frantic, but I never managed to actually finish the entire CD because after seven or eight songs I would invariably switch to Master of Puppets or ...And Justice For All just to hear some decent music...