Now Playing! With Cover Art & Reviews if Possible.

[dfkt]

You Tube

You Tube

[CrowdAds]

[Confispect]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkGhDHP093M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkGhDHP093M

Kings of Leon
Only By the Night
RCA; 2008

By Ian Cohen; September 16, 2008
3.8
ARTISTS:
Kings of Leon
FIND IT AT:
Insound VinyleMusicAmazon MP3 & CD

After years spent building a career on the enduringly romanticized Stillwater archetype, Kings of Leon have laterally shifted from one easily understood linear narrative (festival band) to another (arena rock band). Dropping the transparently hayseed act, the band could have turned an artistic corner; yet the first single from Only By the Night is called "Sex on Fire", so if there was any debate about whether Kings of Leon are in on their own joke, I think it can be put to rest. If we're misreading them, we're missing out on one corker of a comedy album based on an "SNL"-level premise: What if Bono got lost in the Blue Ridge Mountains and was replaced by a local yokel? (Suggested band name: Y'All2.)

But even the move from "southern Strokes" to "southern U2" is way better in theory than in practice-- these are the same clunky Kings of Leon songs, just now presented in an incredibly weird context. It all starts with Caleb Followill's never-ending need to play to type, and if you've kept up to this point, you know the drill-- though his band has toured the world several times over, dude can't see past his own dick. He sings terribly on Only By the Night, any modicum of youth and young manhood compromised by "real talk" overemoting and an accent that seems to have no geographical origin.

But why go on when Followill is more than happy to hoist himself on his own petard, doling his typical mix of stock characterization, open misogyny, and bizarre non-sequitirs. You can hear the brooms sweeping as the lonesome guitars of "Revelry" attempt some sort of last-call poignancy, but it's spoiled from the time Followill opens a mouth full of Meatloaf-- "What a night for a dance, you know I'm a dancin' machine/ With the fire in my bones and the sweet taste of kerosene." This goes on before you get the dominant KoL ethos on the chorus: "With the hardest of hearts I still feel full of pain/ See the time we shared it was precious to me/ But all the while I was dreaming of revelry." It's basically "The One I Love" with no riff and no irony.

Meanwhile, "Sex on Fire" turns out to be disturbingly literal, while the dopey travelogue of "Manhattan" has Caleb waxing with the naïve enthusiasm of a senior yearbook quote: "We're gonna set this fire we're gonna stoke it up/ We're gonna sip this wine and pass the cup/ We're gonna show this town how to kiss these stars," and it's nearly impossible to stifle your laughter when he punctuates each verse with a smarmy soul-papa "I SAAAAIIIID!" All that's missing is the attendant video where Caleb walks the NYC streets and gives dap to passers-by while the band taps away at their idea of funk. You'd figure "17" would be right in their wheelhouse, because what's a better Kings of Leon topic than underage pussy? But after the first line (I'll spot you "Winger" as a hint and let you guess what it is), it just sort of trails off, leaving the last memorable moment of an album that still has about 20 minutes to go.

No longer steeped in Dixieland signifers, Kings of Leon now weirdly owe a debt to Washington state. If the rumbling toms, splashy cymbals, and cascading synth strings of songs like "Notion" or "I Want You" sound familiar, I'm willing to bet you have a copy of Sunny Day Real Esate's The Rising Tide or a recent Death Cab record. Strange bedfellows, and not really the right ones-- while the latter two were trying to adjust their modest hooks and personal lyrics to a larger scale, Kings of Leon have always been as emotionally cavernous as the drum sound here, and when the tempo slows, ladies and gentlemen, we are floating in swamp. Followill is haunted by all that he can't leave behind, trying to have it both ways with riffs that are supposed to bellow with reverb and bite with distortion. The bandnever soars, instead mostly muddling in a bog of muffled echo that liberally applies Caleb's cottonmouth to every other instrument.

At its best, Only By the Night at least gives the impression that Kings of Leon is actually an interesting band that would be exponentially and immediately improved with someone even average at the controls (call it the Tavaris Jackson Corollary). Musically, "Closer" sets the bar unrealistically high for the rest of the album, building on squeaking, modulated keys, tricky polyrhythms, and a solid melody unfortunately piledrived by Followill's self-pity ("You took my heart and you took my soul.../ Leaving me stranded in love on my own"). "Crawl" could pass for something off the first Secret Machines record with its hydraulic, distorted bass and hotly mixed percussion, but even before they can seal the deal with some dubious conspiracy mongering (something about the red, white, and blue crucifying you), you get the usual KoL idea of sweetalk: "You better learn to crawl before I walk away." Next thing you know, "Sex on Fire" starts and Kings of Leon's fourth album has peaked after seven minutes. Surely, we can do better for the platonic ideal of a rock band than four guys gunning for a spot rightfully inhabited by My Morning Jacket but instead coming up with the best songs 3 Doors Down never wrote.

Edit: Nice

[McDougal]

I can't believe I even have this shit. lol.

[Bob_K]

You Tube

You Tube

[McDougal]

[Confispect]

Dust to Dust.

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

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

[Marvin the Martian]

Review

by Steve Huey
The year 1976 was crucial for the evolution of heavy metal, as landmark albums like Rainbow's Rising and Scorpions' Virgin Killer began to reshape the genre. Perhaps none was quite as important as Judas Priest's sophomore effort, Sad Wings of Destiny, which simultaneously took heavy metal to new depths of darkness and new heights of technical precision. Building on the hard prog of bands like Queen and Wishbone Ash, plus the twin-guitar innovations of the latter and Thin Lizzy, Sad Wings fused these new influences with the gothic doom of Black Sabbath, the classical precision of Deep Purple, and the tight riffery of the more compact Led Zeppelin tunes. Priest's prog roots are still readily apparent here, particularly on the spacy ballad "Dreamer Deceiver," the multi-sectioned "Victim of Changes," and the softer sonic textures that appear from time to time. But if Priest's style was still evolving, the band's trademarks are firmly in place -- the piercing, operatic vocals of Rob Halford and the tightly controlled power riffing of guitarists K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton.

This foundation sounded like little else on the metal scene at the time, and gave Sad Wings of Destiny much of its dramatic impact. Its mystique, though, was something else. No metal band had been this convincingly dark since Black Sabbath, and that band's hallucinatory haze was gone, replaced by a chillingly real cast of serial killers ("The Ripper"), murderous dictators ("Tyrant"), and military atrocities that far outweighed "War Pigs" ("Genocide"). Even the light piano ballad "Epitaph" sounds like a morbidly depressed Queen rewriting Sabbath's "Changes." Three songs rank as all-time metal classics, starting with the epic "Victim of Changes," which is blessed with an indelible main riff, a star-making vocal turn from Halford, explosive guitar work, and a tight focus that belies its nearly eight-minute length. "The Ripper" and "Tyrant," with their driving guitar riffs and concise construction, are the first seeds of what would flower into the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement.

More than any other heavy metal album of its time, Sad Wings of Destiny offered the blueprint for the way forward. What's striking is how deeply this blueprint resonated through the years, from the prog ambitions of Iron Maiden to the thematic echoes in a pair of '80s thrash masterpieces. The horrors of Sad Wings are largely drawn from real life, much like Slayer's Seasons in the Abyss, and its all-consuming anxiety is over powerlessness, just like Metallica's magnum opus, Master of Puppets. (Though this latter preoccupation doubtlessly had more psychosexual roots in Rob Halford's case -- witness the peculiar torture fantasy of "Island of Domination.") Unfortunately, Sad Wings of Destiny didn't have as much impact upon release as it should have, mostly owing to the limitations of the small Gull label. It did, however, earn Judas Priest a shot with Columbia, where they would quickly become the most influential band in heavy metal not named Black Sabbath. (Note: To date, all CD reissues of Sad Wings of Destiny have switched the A and B sides of the original vinyl version.)

http://www.allmusic.com/album/sad-wi...-r10659/review

You Tube

You Tube

[Confispect]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKdsTKE6Izs&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKdsTKE6Izs&feature=player_embedded

Sound: 01. Louder Than Words: in the first few seconds of the track we’re introduced to a simple bass progression accompanied with a hi-hat. The familiar voice of Klayton greets us with a calming voice as the music slowly begins to step up, the hi-hat speeding up, a new guitar riff following. The songs build up with another vocal cue from Klayton before an awesome sounding drum fill. The build up is definitely well placed as we break into the main verse section and holy crap what a verse section it is. Klayton’s voice has got even better than it was during the self-titled album. It sounds so powerful and flows really well throughout the song with some awesomely delivered screams as is his tradition in his music. The chorus is equally powerful as the verses and is pretty memorable. Everything needed is here, great drums that keep the song moving with some wonderful fills and cymbal patterns, pounding and pulsating synth and bass beats, great guitar hooks, wonderfully melodic vocals complete with some great techno alterations. All of these culminate into a song definitely worth listening to. Moving through the next verse and chorus we break into an awesome interlude with some brilliant vocals once again and a quick build up before Klayton yells the phrase ‘shut up’ commonly heard throughout the song before jumping back into the final chorus section which comes with some brilliant sounding alterations and a final breakdown before ending the first of two wonderful tracks. 10/10

02. So Long Sentiment: everything starts off quietly, fading into an industrial sounding background noise before a huge burst into the beginning guitar line, a musical explosion with a really awesome synth line and a little xylophone sounding melody line as the song fades out until just the melody and the bass line slightly heard before Klayton’s vocals come in once again. They sound so depressed yet so full of life. As a new drum beat accompanies Klayton serenading with the line “so long sentiment, it doesn’t matter now’, the song builds up before a quick techno breakdown and we get thrown into a fast paced verse section which doesn’t fail to please. Klayton just doesn’t let up as we move from the verses into a brilliant chorus section using the lyrics from the introduction which don’t fail to please. We move back into the verse section which has an extra vocal line that Klayton add which seems to have almost oriental influences which show some extra musical influences for Celldweller and shows of his diversity more as a singer. Another chorus repeats the wonderful lyrics I mentioned before and we move into a duel vocal interlude which is equally as fast paced as the rest of the song which ends with the original xylophone style melody and we’re back into the previous calmness of Klayton’s singing before another great drum fill and the we return into the frenzy of the song’s chorus which then repeats itself with a different style of vocal. The change of tone and the background screaming that can be heard show the element of mental torture associated with the song’s lyrics which is well received and doesn’t grow old. The song ends with another explosion similar to the intro and Klayton repeats the song’s overall message until the song fades out with the strumming of an acoustic guitar and the orchestral section that has been playing underneath the track. I must admit the string sections have accompanied this song have added extra depth and a musical layer that resembles some of the orchestral sections included on his debut album as Celldweller. 10/10

Overall, both sounds sound similar in certain respects but over all, both songs conjure enough diversity between each other to make each song a fresh listen in comparison to each other. Both songs are definitely worth the purchase and listen. I absolutely loved Celldweller’s previous material and was so overwhelmed when I heard these two tracks. Absolutely fantastic and shows off how great and inspirational a musician Klayton has become. // 10

[steinburger1109]

[Confispect]

^ I've literally been listening to it all day.

[steinburger1109]

I spent several days soaking it all in when I got most of his stuff. Four albums, 54 songs, something like that. Good times...

[Bob_K]

After using the Album "Puzzle" by Dada to conduct some tests with the new Clip Zip, I can't get this song out of my head....

You Tube

You Tube

[McDougal]

[steinburger1109]

Tosin Abasi, the twelve and eight string wizard. Also, the debut full length album:



Glorious, glorious sound.

^Nice one, McD.

[Bob_K]

One of my favorite bands of all time....Saw them "live" several times and I'm glad to see this album finally out on CD.

You Tube

You Tube

[Marvin the Martian]

Review

by Steve Huey
Judas Priest's major-label debut Sin After Sin marks their only recording with then-teenage session drummer Simon Phillips, whose technical prowess helps push the band's burgeoning aggression into overdrive. For their part, K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton employ a great deal more of the driving, palm-muted power-chord picking that would provide the basic rhythmic foundation of all but the most extreme heavy metal from here on out. Sin After Sin finds Priest still experimenting with their range, and thus ends up as perhaps their most varied outing. Yet despite the undeniably tremendous peaks here, the overall package doesn't cohere quite as well as on Sad Wings of Destiny, simply because the heavy moments are so recognizable as the metal we know today that the detours stick out as greater interruptions of the album's flow.

The proggy ballad "Last Rose of Summer" is the biggest departure here, with florid lyrics and "red blood/white snow" imagery that would be fully at home on any goth rock band's most depressing bedsit dirges. "Here Come the Tears" is musically dissimilar, with heavy guitars and Halford's downcast wailing, but it's just as lyrically mopey. These two sit rather uneasily against the viciousness of the more metallic offerings. Classic opener "Sinner" is packed with driving riffs, sophisticated guitar interplay (including a whammy-bar freakout during a slower middle section), a melody that winds snakily upward, and nifty little production tricks doubtless inspired by Queen.

A galloping, fully metallic reimagining of the Joan Baez folk tune "Diamonds and Rust" is a smashing success, one of the most effective left-field cover choices in metal history. "Starbreaker" is the first of many "alien monsters from the sky!" tunes in the band's catalog. Proggy, churchy guitar intro "Let Us Prey" quickly leads into the speed-burner "Call for the Priest," which may just be the earliest building block in the construction of speed metal, and features some of Tipton and Downing's most impressive twin-guitar harmonies yet. "Raw Deal" is a less immediate metal offering that faintly recalls the band's blues-rock roots, though it may be most interesting for the blatant lyrical references to S&M bars and gay haven Fire Island, not to mention an unmistakable endorsement of gay rights.

Things close on a high note with the utterly stunning "Dissident Aggressor," one of the heaviest songs in the band's catalog, so much so that it was covered (and not outdone) by Slayer. Once the bludgeoning main riff abruptly kicks in, Halford screams at what must be the very top of his range; a completely manic Phillips offers some of the earliest double-bass drumming in metal; and the crazed guitar solos prove that Tipton and Downing had more than just pure technique at their disposal. It's not a stretch to say that at the time of its release, "Dissident Aggressor" was probably the heaviest metal song of all time. It's the biggest sign here that as good as Judas Priest already was, they were on the verge of something even greater. In what must seem like a much bigger oddity now, the inaugural American tour that ensued found them opening for REO Speedwagon and Foreigner.

[steinburger1109]

Originally Posted by allmusic.com

Following in the footsteps of the wildly successful Appeal to Reason, Rise Against deliver another blast of driving, politically charged, melodic hardcore with Endgame. While their sound isn’t as fiery as it used to be, the band has dialed up the intensity with their message, telling a tale of an America that’s been through one disaster after another, and the kind of world that we might be able to find on the other side of the darkness, providing listeners with a rallying cry to get up and do something about the world if they don’t like the way it is. Musically, Rise Against are as solid as ever, but this time around, it feels like a lot of the heavy lifting is being done by singer Tim McIlrath. At times, McIlrath seems to be channeling the thought-provoking lyricism of Greg Graffin (and even sounds like him here in there), providing listeners with a frank and honest picture of what’s going on in the world, concerning himself more with what he thinks people need to hear than what they want to hear on tracks like “Broken Mirrors.” Though it could be said that Rise Against have ditched their punk roots for a more radio-friendly approach, the sound of Endgame feels more like a logical progression than a good old-fashioned selling out. As the band has grown as both individuals and musicians, so has its sound. The great thing about punk is that it’s not how you say something, it’s what you’re saying, and Rise Against are still a band with plenty to say. All the d-beats and raw vocals in the world don’t mean a thing if you don’t have a message you believe in.

[Confispect]

Album Review: “Drink the Sea” by The Glitch Mob
leave a comment »



The Glitch Mob’s new album “Drink the Sea” was officially released today (on iTunes, etc.) though they put the whole thing on their web site to listen to beforehand. It’s a two-sided experience, “Drink the Sea.” Depending on your outlook, this album will either drain your soul like a ruthless vampire and then toss you out into a desert wasteland to burn in the sun, or it will make you feel like you are on the winning end of an epic space battle full of laser beams, explosions and of course giant robots.

“Drink the Sea” is in short: brooding, calculating, experimental electronica. It’s one of those albums that needs to be listened to in its entirety to fully appreciate its scope. It’s about as far away from the Top 40 as you can imagine – so if that’s what you’re into go get the new Justin Bieber CD and you’ll do alright.

Click below to read my breakdown of the songs and album highlights.



The album may sound something like this.

The first track, Animus Vox, kicks off the album with a slow and sludgy bass line, which serves as the backbone to the album. It’s really an introduction more than a song, despite its length, picking up more with the gripping, hectic bass in the second track Bad Wings.

The third song, How to be Eaten By a Woman, is the first stand-out on the album, coming in soft and distant then hitting heard with heavy synth that just chews at the rest of the song and re-occurs as a motif in later songs. This song also hints at the air of revelry, or some kind of grandiose battle, that balances the broodish, isolated atmosphere that begins and ends most of the tracks.

Fistful of Silence makes for a good mid-cut, similar in its sloppiness to earlier songs, but adding an extra layer of pumping, woodsy synth and clipped female voices that appears in its max in the next song. Fistful is one of my favorite songs on the album for its quality dubstep, which would make this a more accessible song for a club audience and perhaps a good future single.

Between Two Points should be mentioned if only for its tenderness and for being the only song with lyrics. The chorus: “The shortest distance between two points is the line from me to you” defines the two-sided nature of these songs. In fact, describing this album as the sound of the distance between two points of humanity might be a fair conclusion.



Drive It Like You Stole It is the first single off this album, though it felt like more of an interlude or a change of perspective than an actual song. It captures the low beat swagger, wet and rainy urban vibe that The Glitch Mob is so capable of pulling off successfully. Expensive fast cars in downtown NYC in this song, only you’re not in them, instead you’re on the sidewalk on a bridge hastily walking wherever, the camera swirling around the scene. If for nothing else, this makes a great opposite to the two closing tracks.

The album ends with the breathtaking Starve the Ego, Feed the Soul. Clips from previous songs fade in and out in this slow, tender song, which sounds far more human and realistic than the rest of the album. If this album felt like an intergalactic space battle on a desolate moon, then this song is the coming back to Earth. Whether or not you were victorious is up to you. Either way, this album makes for one killer soundtrack.

[Confispect]

Question: Anybody seen the guy who made this thread? I see he joined in 07.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkCUJdmUarw&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkCUJdmUarw&feature=player_embedded

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by Confispect

Question: Anybody seen the guy who made this thread? I see he joined in 07.

Apparently he doesn't visit that often...http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum...archid=8360520