I know what you are all thinking. You are wondering why the hell I decided to throw the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack into this week's releases. I thought about that myself when coming across the album. Then I decided to check the track listing. I saw names pop up such as Danny Elfman, Skylar Grey (all puns intended), Frank Sinatra, and Annie Lennox and that had me convinced it was at least worth the sample songs. I also have a feeling this will be a big seller for the upcoming Valentine's weekend.
(VA - Fifty Shades of Grey)
I think the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack will be similar to the film in terms of leaving the audience expecting a little more. While this album is filled with some solid mid tempo tracks and ballads, it’s missing the sensual energy that a plot reportedly revolving around sex should have. That heat can definitely be felt on tracks like “Crazy In Love”, “Where You Belong” and “Meet Me In The Middle,” but more passionate tracks like “Love Me Like You Do”, “I Know You” and “Undiscovered” make up the rest of the album, which makes this soundtrack an impressive yet very unexpected album. Maybe the movie will be more substance rather than flash after all? -FDRMX
So apart from 50 SoG, there are some other very interesting releases happening this week. Let's acknowledge the dragon in the room though. This week marks the return of "Thong Song" sensation Sisqo after a 14+ year hiatus. As you will see in the review (as well as others), Sisqo's sophomore album was clearly rushed after a very successful run with "Unleash the Dragon". So I am not really sure what happened between 2001 and 2015. All I know is I am very interested to see what Sisqo has come up with to match modern day music tastes.
(Sisqo - Last Dragon)
Now, approximately 1,000 years later, Sisqo has returned to complete his dragon trilogy with the appropriately titled, Last Dragon. The music scene is completely different than the era he dominated at the turn of the millennium and he spends most of the album playing catch-up. That’s probably its biggest flaw.
Sisqo’s post “Thong Song” career has always been a bit of a rocky road, and that continues with Last Dragon. Occasionally Sisqo picks up steam, other times he’s hindered by huge potholes. But for the most part, his road to redemption is pretty uneventful. Last Dragon makes for a decent listen, but don’t expect to party like it’s 1999. -Soul In Stereo
And to round it off, there are a few great rock albums dropping this week such as Adrenaline Mob, Blackberry Smoke, Brightwell, Neal Morse Band, Stick To Your Guns, and The Dreaming (formerly Stabbing Westward). I think most music lovers will be able to appreciate one of these albums during your work week. So like usual folks, show some love and visit a local record shop when buying these albums. If not, then an online retailer or a trusted digital source. Cheers!
(Blackberry Smoke - Holding all the Roses)
By 2015 standards, Blackberry Smoke are probably too rock for the country radio, and too country for the rock stations — but I doubt they’re losing a whole lot of sleep over such pigeonholing. Simply put, if you like no frills, straight ahead ’70s styled southern influenced rock, Blackberry Smoke will be right at home in your collection. And for those who might be a bit leery of such tags as “southern rock,” don’t worry; there is a lot more here than meets the ear of corn: These guys are the genuine article. -Diffuser
(The Neal Morse Band - The Grand Experiment)
“The Grand Experiment” is a diverse collection of songs, showcasing the players, and the varied sounds that come from a band environment. The short-and-sweet “Agenda” doesn't sound like anything Neal has ever done before, with it's punchy attack and falsetto chorus, nor does “Waterfall”, which is a different kind of ballad. The hallmarks of Neal's phrasing are still present, but there are moments where the band's influences are undeniable. -Bloody Good Horror
(Stick To Your Guns - Disobedient)
Disobedient is still very much a Stick to Your Guns album, featuring blistering Hardcore tracks that have more punk influence than any other recent songs, such as track four Revolutionary Mental Attitude, a crushing 90-second Punk track that features by far one of the nastiest riffs I’ve heard in a very long time, as well as track eight I Choose Nothing, which I believe is the heaviest track on the album, as well as the only track with a breakdown.
There are two things on this album that play very well to the identity of Stick to Your Guns. The first being the choice of guest vocalists. The guest vocalist game on this album is peculiar, yet predictable, featuring vocalists such as Walter Delgado from Rotting Out, Toby Morse of H2o, and Scott Vogel of Terror. Is it possible that Stick to Your Guns have created the most radio-friendly Hardcore album in the world? It’s more than a possibility. -It Djents
(The Dreaming - Rise Again)
For anyone hoping for that same sound/feeling that they loved from SW, get ready to swoon because this album hits it spot on. Hall’s vocals and Flakus’ programming is engulfing and suffocates you in a loving way, putting a delightful chill in your bones while making your heartbeat race until it consumes you.
Gritty, yet clean — this album is perfection and mixes the former sound of SW with a modernized vibe that makes The Dreaming their own entity while still giving SW fans what they would want. Back in October 2014, the band released a video for the opening track “Alone” and I’ve been craving this new album ever since! -Emo At Heart
EPs:
(Adrenaline Mob - Dearly Departed)
Dearly Departed is a clear representation of the views Adrenaline Mob hold on both hard rock and their diverse fans who enjoy different types of rock music. For fans of acoustic music, there are tracks like “Crystal Clear” and “All On The Line.” These songs feature strong vocal performances by singer Russell Allen and soulful acoustic guitars by Mike Orlando and Erik Leonhardt. For fans of more “traditional” hard-rock, there are tracks like “Snortin’ Whiskey,” which closely resembles a stoner anthem talking about consumption of massive amounts of whiskey and cocaine while living the rock ‘n roll lifestyle, and “Black Sabbath Medley,” which sounds like clips from various Black Sabbath songs sewn together with Ozzy Osbourne-style vocals overlaying the band’s old-school metal style. -Skulls N Bones
(Brightwell - Alpha)
*no reviews as of yet
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