What a record release day it is! It seems as if the stars have aligned and some of the most anticipated releases of 2014 all cumulate together today so your wallet can explode! haha
But seriously though folks, Pink Floyd, Garth Brooks, Foo Fighters, and Machine Head alone are some of the biggest releases of the year. And it goes to show with critics giving general thumbs up across the board for most of these albums. I have been told by numerous people this week to give these albums a spin and indeed I am looking forward to it.
So I hope you all are as excited as I am. I understand this week is likely going to put a dent in everyone's wallet but for the time and effort they put into it, I'd say the $15-20 price tag will be worth it. So as the old saying goes here on AFGM...band need love and support. So stop off at a local record shop, an online retailer, or a trusted digital source to purchase a copy of these awesome albums. Cheers!
(Pink Floyd - The Endless River)
Although very little about The Endless River is risky by design -- it is one of the most popular bands of the 20th century returning to slowly pulsating aural waves that characterized their biggest albums -- the very shift away from vocals realigns the band with not only Wish You Were Here (which this often resembles) but their pre-Dark Side records for Harvest, undercutting the arena-pleasing aspirations of the Gilmour-led reunion while underscoring how Pink Floyd always were an arty band at their core. Instrumentals are also a savvy solution to the trouble of working with uncompleted tapes -- it's easier to turn them into an ever-shifting suite than to graft on melodies -- but the comforting sway of swelling synthesizers and the soaring Gilmour guitar are sometimes unexpectedly moving. Gilmour and Mason know this is their farewell, so they're saying goodbye not with a major statement but with a soft, bittersweet elegy that functions as a canny coda to their career. -All Music
(Garth Brooks - Man Against Machine)
When Mr. Brooks is most potent on this album, besides his mystic feel-good moments, is when singing about love, usually of the broken kind. On “You Wreck Me,” he’s excellent with the emotionally spent verses, though there’s tension between those and the almost-bright chorus laden with cheapo slide guitar. “Midnight Train” is bursting with dark imagery: “Whiskey bottle on the floor/King James Bible from the drawer/Neither won but Lord they’ve done their best.” -NY Times
That fact came to light earlier this year when Dylan’s publisher contacted producer T Bone Burnett about a recently discovered box of handwritten lyrics from those sessions that apparently remained unused. So with Dylan’s blessing and the gift of creative freedom, Burnett enlisted Elvis Costello, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes and Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons to act as a sort of Americana/folk super-group that would bring the lyrics to life with original music. -American Songwriter
(Zac Brown Band - Greatest Hits So Far...)
"GREATEST HITS SO FAR..." collects Zac Brown Band's momentous run of 11 #1 Country singles, from 2008's 2x RIAA platinum debut, "Chicken Fried" to 2013's "Sweet Annie" (see below tracklisting). Further highlights include chart-topping classics like "As She's Walking Away (Feat. Alan Jackson)," "Knee Deep (feat. Jimmy Buffett)," and "Goodbye In Her Eyes," as well as such fan favorites as "Whatever It Is," "No Hurry," and "Jump Right In" (from 2012's GRAMMY® Award-winning UNCAGED). -Yahoo Finance
(Damien Rice - My Favourite Faded Fantasy)
As the title track explains nicely, My Favourite Faded Fantasy is a step toward the studio-enriched beauty of 9. Led by winding guitars, the track’s slow-churning six minutes guide us through fragile pianos, satisfying string arrangements and reversed guitars. While it’d be unfair to discount Rice’s sparse lyrics, My Favourite Faded Fantasy leans heavily on arrangements to deal an emotional blow—even early gut-punchers like “It Takes a Lot to Know a Man” and “The Greatest Bastard.” It’s a good look for Rice. These are rich songs, meant to be savored and taken in with repeated listens. -Paste Magazine
(Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways)
Though the idea is enormous, Sonic Highways is another Foo Fighters rock record, first and foremost. Grohl isn’t paying homage to Chicago blues with a hat tip to a defining Muddy Waters lick on the opener “Something From Nothing,” and he’s not calling out D.C.’s go-go scene with a two-minute funkified interlude on “The Feast And The Famine.” That worship is saved for the lyrics, in which there are fantastic clichés and metaphors aplenty.
Grohl’s quest is representative of an enthusiasm—rounded out by some overwrought lyrics—nearly swallowing itself alive, sure, but with Foo Fighters, hating the game seems more right than hating the player. -AV Club
(And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - IX)
The strongest moments on IX, like on any of the band's albums, are those that manage to create a vast rock sound by building elements up to impressive climaxes before bringing them crashing down. Doing so in such a pummelling manner is rarely the case now, but when it is, it's satisfying, as on the powerful "Lost in the Grand Scheme" and instrumental "How to Avoid Huge Ships." -Exclaim
(Project 86 - Knives To The Future)
This album, while haunting and saturated with emotion and weariness, is also full of hope as evidenced by the title track. “No retreat; there’s nothing behind me. We have no choice; we’re never surrendering! We’ve gone too far to turn back now.” Mark Salomon (Stavesacre) is brought to mind in the slow-paced “Son of Flame” as Andrew sings about the burning flame lighting the darkest day. “Ambigram” is a P.O.D.-tinged track where the singer is reaching out, seeking shelter from the battle. “Meet me in my sanctuary where no enemy will find the key.” There is little doubt where Andrew’s hope comes from in this story. “White Capstone” contains beautiful melody, background vocals and dynamic changes with lyrics addressed to the only one who can give meaning to this battle. -Christcore
(Drowning Pool - Sinner: Unlucky 13th Anniversary Edition)
This album, while haunting and saturated with emotion and weariness, is also full of hope as evidenced by the title track. “No retreat; there’s nothing behind me. We have no choice; we’re never surrendering! We’ve gone too far to turn back now.” Mark Salomon (Stavesacre) is brought to mind in the slow-paced “Son of Flame” as Andrew sings about the burning flame lighting the darkest day. “Ambigram” is a P.O.D.-tinged track where the singer is reaching out, seeking shelter from the battle. “Meet me in my sanctuary where no enemy will find the key.” There is little doubt where Andrew’s hope comes from in this story. “White Capstone” contains beautiful melody, background vocals and dynamic changes with lyrics addressed to the only one who can give meaning to this battle. -All Music
(Machine Head - Bloodstone & Diamonds)
AFGM: Machine Head - Bloodstone & Diamonds
AFGM: Machine Head - Bloodstone & Diamonds FULL Album Stream
All of the songs on “Bloodstone & Diamonds” have the trade marks you would expect on any MACHINE HEAD album, but it’s the way they are delivered that is different, almost special. MACHINE HEAD are pushing boundaries and trying to expand their rule. MACHINE HEAD are one of the hardest working bands around; this has become very clear over the years. “Bloodstone & Diamonds” is yet another MACHINE HEAD masterpiece. The final song, “Take me Through The Fire” ends the album in style. It sums up the MACHINE HEAD legacy nicely, leaving a want for more. It shows why MACHINE HEAD should be crowned the new kings of Metal. But, there is something different with “Bloodstone & Diamonds”, you can’t help but feel within these 12 songs there’s a hidden intent, it feels like the “Bloodstone & Diamonds” journey doesn’t end here. It feels like MACHINE HEAD are not finished yet, like there’s more to come, and if this piece of work is anything to go by, god help us all, who knows what is coming! All should bow before the kings of Metal. -Metal Temple
(King Diamond - Dreams of Horror)
His trademark banshee vocals are still as powerful as ever, proven when he last played here in the UK 2 years ago headlining the Bloodstock festival to a mesmerised crowd. Dreams Of Horror is a 23 track double CD with a running time of just less than 2 hours covering his 12 solo studio albums. Predominantly, 2 tracks have been chosen from each album and have been mastered and enhanced by King Diamond himself and his long standing lead guitarist Andy La Rocque. The first 5 albums were released via Roadrunner Records and the following 7 by Metal Blade Records and it is Metal Blade who will be releasing Dreams Of Horror on November 11th 2014. This release is an indispensable purchase for new fans to introduce themselves to the inimitable style of King Diamond’s gothic horror tinged metal. -Planet Mosh
The album breathes life into the death metal genre as an album that can truly stand alone and be compared to nothing else. Wondering riffs, groove driven guitar segments, solos, and deathly vocals all remain a staple in this JFAC release, but what's new is what happens to be the most attractive. The consistent pace of the album is the un-deniable driving factor in bringing their dependable new sound to a whole new level. There are slower and faster segments, but in all, the album paces itself well. This is a strength. It helps the listener digest, and plow through the tracks at a rewarding rate. After fully feeding on the progress, the listener will be able to remember distinctions and highlights throughout. -Metal Injection
Silent Planet embraces the best of Solid State’s musical past to craft an excellent debut. Sure, the band feels a tad generic at times, but the lyrical and musical passion helps elevate even the weakest moments of the record. If you’re looking for the next big thing in metalcore, look no further than Silent Planet. If this is how confident their debut is, the band is clearly trending upward. -New Noise Magazine
EPs:
I don't really have any qualms with recommending this release. It's a great, functional output of music from ERRA. Part of me wishes that it wasn't so sonically close to "Augment". But on the other hand, I can certainly understand why it is. This is the kind of band that will continue to grow and create outstanding music. It's safe to say this is a great EP from a great band that does not disappoint. You should go ahead and give a listen (if you're not already), especially if Progressive Metal / Metalcore happens to be your cuppa tea. -The Circle Pit
CD/DVD/Blu-Ray:
(Whitesnake - Live In 84: Back To The Bone)
Apart from the obvious aspects of enjoyable listening and high quality of digitally enhanced recordings, Live In ’84 – Back To The Bone is back-to-basics, retrospective release that Whitesnake should have already released a long time ago, as it portrays the era that was a breakthrough for Coverdale and his band in many respects.
All these being facts, no listener can escape the feeling the star that shines the brightest on Live In ’84 – Back To The Bone is Whitesnake’s singer extraordinaire anyway. Love him or loathe him, this band was always about David Coverdale’s mighty voice, trademark microphone twirling and onstage charisma. Back in 1984, he had it all – and the newest Whitesnake release is a clear proof of this fact. -Hard Rock Haven
(Rush - R40)
To the delight of fans, the bonus disc will include all eight songs from the Laura Secord Secondary School show in 1974 which features original drummer John Rutsey. That recording includes two Rush originals “I’ve Been Runnin;” and “The Loser”, as well as their cover of Larry William’s “Bad Boy”, made famous by The Beatles. The bonus discus also features 5 songs from songs from the Capitol Theatre in 1976 such as “Anthem” and “Lakeside Park”, the rarely performed full, 7-part version of “2112” filmed in 1997, “Lock and Key” from the Hold Your Fire tour, as well as footage from the glorious evening when Rush fans got their beloved band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. -Bravewords
(Heart & Friends - Home For The Holidays)
"Please Come Home for Christmas" is nostalgic and the inclusion of Pat Monahan from the rock band Train is superb, since he elevates this beautiful duet to a higher level. "Remember Christmas" is a tender, piano-driven ballad and "Barracuda" is classic Heart, where Ann's vocals are as powerful as ever. Nancy and Ann deliver soaring harmonies on "Even It Up" and they pay homage to Led Zeppelin on "Stairway to Heaven," a lengthy vocal masterpiece.
Overall, Heart's newest holiday album is fantastic. They prove that they can sing anything and make it sound good (even the phone book). This album is a must for any fans of rock, holiday music, or Heart. They will not be disappointed. -Digital Journal
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