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Thursday, June 19, 2014

Music Releases For June 17th, 2014

Well, what do we have in store (all puns intended) for folks today.

This week is a great mix of some awesome artists!  From Willie to Frampton, Verve Pipe to Linkin Park; the whole selection this week is great.  For myself, I am not too concerned with which one to buy, but more concerned with who I am going to listen first!  Some albums such as Say Anything and Vanna surprised the hell out of me.  I wasn't even aware they had new material in the works. 

"Guess you should pay more attention then bud!"

Anywho, you should have no problem finding your way to a local record store this week.  If you are more of a 'sit at home and let music come to me' kind of person, then pick it up from an online retailer.  If you don't have time to sit around for 24hrs for that delivery, then digital might be more your thing...so pick it up from an authorized retailer.  Cheers and have a great week!

(Peter Frampton - Hummingbird In A Box)

Not a rock album, but featuring all the familiar stylistic flavours anyone familiar with Mr Peter Frampton’s work have come to appreciate: an overall hummable quality to the tunes; articulate and inventive lyrical guitar melodies and the unique six string sound that found him pop fame as “The face of 68” with The Herd, part of a major British band when Humble Pie rocked the Fillmore, and a star in his own right when Frampton Comes Alive sold in its millions worldwide. -Ramzine

(David Gray - Mutineers)

The biggest takeaway from this album is that he’s still got it. One of the easiest, smoothest vocal deliveries in the business, creative and inventive arrangement combinations, all anchored by excellent songwriting. That’s David Gray. That’s this album. A fine addition to the David Gray discography. -The Vintage Mom

(Willie Nelson - Band of Brothers)

A minute into Willie Nelson's new set of songs – largely self-penned for a change – it's clear the man who wrote Patsy Cline's "Crazy" 50-some years ago has lost neither verve nor cojones. Co-writing with producer Buddy Cannon, Nelson sticks to his wheelhouse: love, heartache, rambling and music-making itself. The vocals remain indelibly creaky against stony acoustic guitar, bright steel whines and dusty harmonica whinnies. "We're a band of brothers and sisters and whatever/On a mission to break all the rules," he sings on the title track – a pledge of solidarity from an 81-year-old outlaw that, even at this late date, rings 100 percent true. -Rolling Stone

(Nazareth - Rock 'N' Roll Telephone)

Here’s the good: the album is best thing the band’s done in quite some time, throwing down the gauntlet after a few semi-clinkers like their most recent studio offering, 2011’s “Big Dogz.”

The bad: this will be the final studio recording to feature original vocalist and gravel-throated inspiration to a generation of hard rock royalty like Axl Rose and Michael Monroe: Dan McCafferty. -Music Enthusiast Magazine

(The Verve Pipe - Overboard)

If you’re looking for the band to tread water through nostalgic carbons of what you heard while walking those sophomore hallways, you may be disappointed. But it’s refreshing to hear a band return after all these years, arriving with the verve to sound as fresh in the current musical climate as their alt-grunge did when we first heard it in the early ’90s. That the band’s songs feature hooks as brilliantly singable even after a decade and a half in limbo is the icing on the cake. Overboard is the most pleasant surprise of the summer so far, and it’s an album you shouldn’t miss. -Hear Hear Music

(Linkin Park - The Hunting Party)

AFGM: Linkin Park - The Hunting Party

But its heaviness is hardly the only thing atypical about this latest Linkin Park record. Guitarist Brad Delson, who barely touched his axe in the studio in recent years, not only delivers great crushing riffs but also, on nearly every track, lays down a wailing guitar solo, if not two or three. In addition, ‘The Hunting Party’ is the first of the band’s records to feature cameos by outside musicians, including members of System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine, and Helmet, and it’s also the first one in their lengthy career that’s completely self-produced—which is especially notable considering that über-producer Rick Rubin oversaw the making of their last three albums. -Revolver

(Say Anything - Hebrews)

Musically, Hebrews has over sixteen guest appearances.  Bemis’ list of contributors looks like a punk/indie all-star roster.  Because of producer Tim O’Heir, Bemis decided to make a guitar-less album. If you are afraid this has taken away from the overall production or sound of the album, it does not. Really, this listener did not even miss the guitars. It further highlights the talents of Say Anything. -New Noise Magazine


(Septicflesh - Titan)

And satisfying my suspicions, I see the album was once again recorded at Devasoundz Studios in Athens and masterminded in Los Angeles by Dirty Icon Production’s Logan Mader (Gojira, Fear Factory and Soulfly).

If you’ve enjoyed  Communion and The Great Mass, there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll enjoy Titan, and can consider this a good safe buy. If however you’re craving something more from Septicflesh, like an injection of the variety of Sumerian Daemon, then Titan is going to sound sadly enervated. Whoever heard of titans playing it safe? -Angry Metal Guy

(Deathstars - The Perfect Cult)

My overall impression is that “The Perfect Cult” is more synth-driven and Gothic elements come more to shine in this album than in previous works, although certain elements such as Whiplasher’s vocals have not changed at all. If you were somewhat disappointed by the direction taken in “Night Electric Night”, then chances are that “The Perfect Cult” won’t exactly blow you away, although I would definitely recommend basing your judgements on the second half of the album. It will be interesting to see how DEATHSTARS manage to perform this fuller album in a live context with their current four-man lineup, and I for one can’t wait to see them on their European tour later this year. -Metal Temple

(Vanna - VOID)

Overall, I think it is safe to say that Vanna fans will not be disappointed with their newest release, and they may even reel in a few new fans, but it doesn’t come without its faults. The high points of the album come through the melodic moments because some moments of the thrash riffs are so intangible it is hard to hear through it and get the full feel of the song which, in turn, leads a few moments to sound similar and get a bit repetitive.  But aside from that, the album really has some strong moments, well written tracks, and is a solid album. -Daily Slice Magazine

(Scare Don't Fear - From The Ground Up)

While SDF’s new album isn’t so much a rap metal album as it is a fusion of metal and hip hop, if you don’t like hip hop or metal, this may be the perfect album to get you into another genre of music. Just look at what Public Enemy and Anthrax accomplished with one track. People have the habit of listening to music and forming an opinion of it based on their expectations rather than listening to the music for what it is.

If hip hop sounded like this more often, I would be a much bigger fan! Scare Don’t Fear capture everything I feel is lacking in the hip hop genre and bring a refreshing twist to metal. Sometimes it’s good to be different and Scare Don’t Fear are the perfect example. -The New Fury

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