Hey everyone. This was a great week for myself and of course other to grab some anticipated albums. Be sure to check out a few of the albums I have been following closer than normal (Stone Sour, Volbeat, Device). Other albums have a 'meh' effect on me but given the history of the band, I will be giving them a spin (coughdrowningpoolcoughterrorcough).
The soundtracks for both "Oblivion" and "A Place Beyond The Pines" had some great artists working behind the helm. Mike Patton taking care of duties for APBTP and M83 taking care of "Oblivion". Both of which have extensive musical backgrounds, especially in film and television.
OK, soooo let's discuss the oddball album here. Molly Ringwald? Music? Well, apparently she had a musical background before diving head first into the film game. I managed to check out a couple of samples and it's not entirely bad. I was hoping that it wasn't a complete train wreck like a few bigger names I've heard in the past try and break through (coughparishiltoncoughbillybobthortoncoughwilliamshatnercough). So if works it works. I always wondered how she would make her comeback to the A spotlight.
A few other lose ends for you to check out. Ohhh, and be sure to watch a great parody video featuring The Postal Service. Being that they are doing a 10 year anniversary drop, I thought it a great time to throw the video in. And as always folks, show some love for the artists. Head to the local record shop, surf the web to your favourite online retailer or any other legal source to grab a few of these albums. Cheers!
The second part of a bold but enjoyably nebulous concept piece, House of Gold and Bones Part 2 is a more menacing and aggressive beast than last year's grandiose Part 1. The pounding riffs and metallic oomph that underpin the likes of Black John, Peckinpah and Gravesend are offset by sumptuous strings and plaintive keys on The Conflagration and the eerie Blue Smoke, while Taylor's rich baritone imbues even his most prosaic lyrics with a great emotional intensity. While there is no denying that it's their charismatic frontman that sets them apart from most of their mainstream rock peers, Stone Sour are on blistering form here. -The Guardian
AFGM: Volbeat - Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies
Thanks to Poulsen's awesome singing and the blasting guitars, it could pass as a Volbeat anthem. An excellent example of all the band's styles converging at once is in "Black Bart," with death metal, Gun Club-style punk-country, and even Thin Lizzy's twin lead guitars. Former Dubstar and Client vocalist Sarah Blackwood sings with Poulsen on "Lonesome Rider," where slap bass rockabilly and hooky '80s metal commingle. Thin Lizzy also get channeled on the killer "The Sinner Is You," while Civil War-era banjo introduces the theatrical country meets death metal choogler "Doc Holliday." A high lonesome desert harmonica à la Ennio Morricone introduces closer "Our Loved Ones," which is as fine a melodic headbanger as anything the band's ever cut. While it is accurate to say that Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies is more accessible than anything Volbeat has attempted previously, it is also the most ambitious -- and arguably enjoyable -- set they've committed to tape. -All Music
Draiman’s vocal style, on the other hand, is too similar to his work in Disturbed to make any significant distance from the sound. While it doesn’t reach out as far back as the rhythmic rap-influence of The Sickness, many of the songs could easily be compared to those found on Indestructible or Asylum. That being said, Draiman still retains a considerable amount of skill in his voice. He can sing melodically and cleanly, but knows when to lay down the heavier vocals when the time is right. You won’t find any of the unintelligible grunts and growls of The Sickness on Device; Draiman focuses more on singing than screaming, which does add texture to the album instead of sheer, thunderous heaviness. That being said, it still sounds too much like Disturbed, which is a massive missed opportunity for the band to try something new. Draiman’s skill isn’t the major issue here; it’s his hesitance to step outside his comfort zone that makes Device’s debut such a disappointment. -Sputnik Music
Though content-wise not much has changed, musically they have grown plenty. Paramore has never had much trouble with creating monster choruses, but their chops on both guitars and drums have been upped several notches. So has their ability to blend genres: songs swirl with hints of R&B, country, and hard rock on their latest effort, but it's still as accessible as any of their other albums. -Billboard
The rest of the album is back to your bog standard American Rock Radio metal, but what else did you expect? Despite its title, Resilience sounds hugely dated, but if you expected Drowning Pool to come out with something truly revolutionary, you’re delusional. The band is great at cranking out downtuned, radio-friendly metal dance-floor fillers, so why do anything else? I mean that as a compliment. It’s a bit like expecting Slayer to write a 15 minute experimental song with a full orchestra – it’s not going to happen. And if it did, it’d probably be shite! Drowning Pool is sticking to its guns and it’s paid off – this is miles better than the most recent releases by the likes of Nonpoint or other such similar bands. It may not be new, but it’ll certainly get your head nodding. And that’s the main thing. -Rock N Reel
With Terror's latest, they've delivered exactly that: a Terror album. It's nothing more, nothing less and therein lays its appeal and downfall. Despite an absence of rock-influenced snore-fests like "You're Caught," Live By The Code picks up exactly where Keepers of the Faith left off, and is even interchangeable with it, for the most part. Undoubtedly this album will get a cursory listen by fans of hardcore, while gaining a special place amongst those whom embrace and follow its tenets. -Exclaim
2013 release from the veteran Punk band. For over 20 years, Face To Face has sold over 750,000 albums, and played sold out venues all across the world, and they've done it on their own terms. Three Chords And A Half Truth was self-produced and recorded at frontman Trevor Keith's home studio in Nashville, TN. Face To Face are nothing short of a legacy, and with Three Chords And A Half Truth, they're showing just why they've become one of the most respected and appreciated Punk bands of all time. -Amazon
"Ethera" finds VISIONS OF ATLANTIS at their best. What began on their last record has been solidified and perfected here. Front to back this is the best release of their career. Let's hope they break the streak of replacing members and we see the band continue on with this line-up. The band is at their creative peak and should garner a lot of attention with this release. Another excellent Symphonic Metal release that should stand out on the strengths of the two vocalists whom are both at the top of their genre. -Metal Temple
Commercially, "Give Up" became Sub Pop's most successful release since Nirvana's "Bleach" in 1989. The album spent an incredible 111 weeks on the Independent Albums chart, peaking at No. 3 on the chart. It would finally move its millionth copy in October 2012, a testament to its ongoing popularity and influence, and has sold 1.1 million copies to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan.The real United States Postal Service first tried to strip the duo of its name, before rethinking the matter and letting them keep it in exchange for playing a conference and letting them sell "Give Up" in the USPS online store. That's right: "Give Up" is a federally approved album.
Tuesday marks the 10-year anniversary of "Give Up's" release on Sub Pop, and on April 9, the album will get the reissue treatment, packaged along with a second disc of unreleased tracks, remixes, and other rarities. The Postal Service will also embark on a long-anticipated reunion tour, which begins April 9, and includes a stop at Coachella. But before we get too excited about the upcoming reissue and live dates, let's look back at the Little Album That Could, a 10-song collection that has become much more than a fun side project from its two creators. -Billboard
Ringwald's voice is unaffected, clear and, at moments, vulnerable. She challenges her range, and coaxes complexity from her honeyed mezzo-soprano. The strongest songs are those with minor inflections that balance her sunny nature, such as "Sooner or Later" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes)." -Huffington Post
The score for The Place Beyond The Pines is a provoking, pensive, seductive, and haunting piece of music. Without seeing the accompanying film, one cannot truly know the feeling the music is meant to evoke, but even as a standalone piece, a strong emotional impact can be felt towards the music. Patton has contributed 12 instrumental tracks to the score, but this is meant to be a journey and it is better experienced as a whole. Seriously, push play, close your eyes and just listen to “The Snow Angel” by Mike Patton and try to say you don’t want to hear everything else that goes with it. As was mentioned before, it is haunting and seductive and in the short 1 minute 45 second run-time of this track, you are pulled into the raw emotion of the music. In addition to Patton’s contribution, the album also features 5 additional pieces by The Cryin’ Shames, Valdimir Ivanoff, Arvo Part, Ennio Morricone, and Bon Iver. -Our Vinyl
Oblivion is a tremendous experience and masterfully executed. Anthony Gonzalez and Joseph Trapanese have done an excellent job at crafting a huge and exciting sonic world for the film. The strong theme, grounding melodies, emotional weight and strong character of the score make it a fantastic journey. The music holds strong and carries the listener every step of the way. Oblivion is not just a genre score or action score; there is a depth to it that is worth discovering on your own. -Film Music Media
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