tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53042534212714020152024-03-18T07:35:36.784-04:00Bloody Good MusicChris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.comBlogger1534125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-80374794885388510002024-03-18T07:35:00.000-04:002024-03-18T07:35:03.593-04:00Singles Roundup: Two Lzzy Hale Collabs, Cold Years, & Blues Pills<p>We reach into the singles bin today, and we come away with...<br /><br />The Native Howl ft Lzzy Hale - Mercy<br />White Panda ft Lzzy Hale - What's Up?<br /><br />I'm going to pair these up, because they both feature Lzzy Hale as a guest, and because they continue a narrative I think I've been hearing for a few years now. When I made my list of favorite singers of all time, Lzzy placed in the top five. I absolutely adore her voice, and you would think I would listen to her sing absolutely anything, and yet I can't help but listen to some of her recent collaborations and wonder if there isn't something going on here.<br /><br />The song with The Native Howl builds from an acoustic base, while the White Panda cover is electronic and clean, and yet in both instances Lzzy is singing with more grit (and is it phlegm?) than I would expect. In the former case, it's way more than sounds appropriate for the song, and makes it a bit too awkward to love. But what is nagging at me is the sense it might not entirely be a choice.<br /><br />On "Back From The Dead", Lzzy didn't do much completely 'clean' singing, and when I see footage from their live shows, she spends much of them in her gritty shout. I fear the years of doing that have either started to impact the clarity of her voice, or have made aggression the default setting in her muscle memory. In either case, it leaves me feeling that Lzzy sounds most comfortable singing her own songs, and collaborations like these often aren't as special as I would hope them to be.<br /><br />Cold Years - Choke<br /><br />Single number two goes further to make me think the upcoming record is indeed going to be a bit brighter and more upbeat than "Goodbye To Misery". Like the previous single, that approach (along with the thinner production) is leaving the tracks feeling a bit flimsy by comparison. There isn't enough bite to the guitars, there isn't enough power to the vocals to really hit me hard in the chest. If "Goodbye To Misery" was a pointed elbow catching me between breaths, these songs sound more like the playful fist between two friends. It's still enjoyable, but that doesn't quite compare to a viceral reaction.<br /><br />Blues Pills - Birthday<br /><br />I'm well aware that Blues Pills will probably never be able to match the way their debut album made me feel. That bit of vintage blues-rock was the right album at the right time, and was the perfect foil for Elin's voice. It was powerful, but with great melodies. It was timeless, but also immediate. They tried their hand at being more soulful, then trying to return to their roots, but something is missing. The first single from their upcoming record continues that trend, as it has all the right pieces, but I don't feel the right spark from it. The gutiar tone is just fuzzy enough, Elin's voice is wonderful, but the song itself doesn't lock into a groove or a hook. It sounds right, but the echo fades rather quickly. I won't judge the record from the one song, but I'm wondering why these connections for me seem to be so short-lived. It's a shame.</p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-61838196139808829882024-03-15T07:35:00.000-04:002024-03-15T07:35:34.036-04:00"There Is Nothing" Not To Love About VK Lynne<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApAcLXg2YQ5xfrc4Njl8bgNEFgVDVqGu5_pGcgXjaw9BJROp6N2u0sOym-qrLrzXXwlecCHMu8srPRxzn2tf-9WdgiNQG2DP0uUZZRO3eZduCyWBsLi7XjvPnoUWzdbeUu1W0G9bytggCrxckGC2aWM2GDyhNRb7ZTVSHE_4ykBUqHoot8fBD30UQdwVb/s2048/429504839_10165149330849988_1016845453055559985_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApAcLXg2YQ5xfrc4Njl8bgNEFgVDVqGu5_pGcgXjaw9BJROp6N2u0sOym-qrLrzXXwlecCHMu8srPRxzn2tf-9WdgiNQG2DP0uUZZRO3eZduCyWBsLi7XjvPnoUWzdbeUu1W0G9bytggCrxckGC2aWM2GDyhNRb7ZTVSHE_4ykBUqHoot8fBD30UQdwVb/s320/429504839_10165149330849988_1016845453055559985_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The existential philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre penned the famous line, "Hell is other people." That phrase unravels an entire lifetime of thought in just four words, but it's an incomplete thought. While he is right about that often being the case, there is a second half to the thought; If other people are on one side of the fiery river, loneliness is on the other.<br /><br />Existentialism is the school of philosophy I usually ascribe to myself, perhaps because it makes it easiest to explain why for art thou existential crisis walks the halls of my mind. I'm not above having them, and to be perfectly honest, VK Lynne's third song of this year triggered a relapse of the one that dragged me down into the murky depths for a solid part of last year.<br /><br />"There Is Nothing" sees VK recruit Joel Hoekstra (from countless bands) and Marco Pastorino (from Temperance) to make a big song even more massive, attempting to see if collaboration can grow talent exponentially. Art may not be math, but often the vectors are pointing in the same direction, and one and one and one can indeed make three. Wait, I haven't even gotten to the song yet and I've referenced existentialism and vector math? Good grief.<br /><br />VK opens the refrain singing "there is nothing that's beautiful" anymore. It certainly can feel that way at times, and perhaps it would lead you to think I should have led off talking about nihilism instead, but that's too cynical a view even for this curmudgeon. Why? Because when you listen to VK and Marco blend their voices, there is absolutely something beautiful about the way in which people can come together to make something beyond themselves. Two great voices that mesh as if they were meant to exist together are a bit of magic, and there's nothing wrong with that magic being the only thing we feel comfortable praying to, and putting our faith in.<br /><br />The world can feel like it's on fire, and none of us are able to put it out on our own, but what we can do is coat ourselves in a layer of protection. That's what art is for. If we subsume ourselves in art and beauty, we essentially wrap a candy coating around the bitter pill of life, ensuring the memories of smiles are able to survive the acid bath of our minds.<br /><br />It comes as no surprise that as VK opines on the sorry state of the world, she is backed by the heaviest accompaniment of her career. The guitars are a thick soup, the kind that isn't so much angry but simply 'over it'. Likewise, it isn't until the end of the song that VK starts projecting, but even then it's with a sense of exasperation, as if it's hard to believe we are still fighting the same ugly parts of our nature without learning anything from the past. <br /><br />When she talks about there being nothing worth praying for, it's as easy sentiment to understand. 'Thoughts and prayers' are constantly offered by people of faith who seem unaware of the teachings of their own God, and surely no one seems to be listening. They don't see the connection between those two points.<br /><br />VK and Marco play the angel and demon of our conscience, but this time both sides are telling us the same thing; if there is going to be a happy ending, we have to make it for ourselves. And so we cycle back to existentialism, which tells us life is as we make it, that our experiences are the truth we must be most concerned with. That truth becomes easier to swallow when we have friends who care about us, who can come to our aid when we need it, and who can simply make things better by being there and not letting us feel so isolated.<br /><br />That's the lesson "This Is Nothing" is imparting, at least as I see it. Even when you can do things on your own, there's something special about collaboration, about opening yourself up to the possibilities other people can bring to your ideas. VK could have recorded this song on her own, but Marco's voice and Joel's guitar solo add elements and textures that feel necessary, and that remind us the way we're feeling is more universal than we often realize. When the chorus comes in, and the melody has an oddly soothing effect, it's very much an assurance that the human experience is shared, we just get so wrapped up in ourselves we forget that fact.<br /><br />Collaboration can sometimes be cheap stunt-casting to get undeserved attention, but that's not what's going on here. The difference is clear when you bring in someone who shares your vision and wants to help you bring your vision to life. Those are friends, the kind it's rare to find. I say that from experience, since I'm not sure how many I've ever had. And there's that existential crisis again.<br /><br />As Barney Stinson put it on 'How I Met Your Mother'; "Whatever you do, it isn't legendary unless your friends are there to see it."<br /><br />That's why some of us are forgotten in our own time, as if our stories are written in the sand minutes before the next high tide rolls in, while others are painting thick memories of pink through our grey matter. Legend.... wait for it.... dary indeed.<p></p><p><br /></p><p>"There Is Nothing" releases on March 22nd. <a href="https://ffm.to/v4pzqax?fbclid=IwAR0aitMD87-9D9MPm3gGGsnbEl9VoJLd9yCRJLSYX2jkCfh-An4_Yj-_9kc">Pre-save it here.</a><br /></p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-16046084480032380082024-03-13T07:34:00.000-04:002024-03-13T07:34:58.904-04:00Quick Reviews: New Years Day & Dragonforce<p>A couple of albums worth noting this week that I don't have a whole lot to say about.<br /><br />New Years Day - Half Black Heart<br /><br />I liked their last album quite a bit, even though it was a bit crazy. There were elements I found weird and difficult to listen to, but half of the record was remarkably good at blending super heavy modern metal with pop choruses. They were being daring, and even though it didn't always work, it was never boring. So you would think the band narrowing their focus, and delivering an entire album of good songs would be just what I want, right?<br /><br />Well, no, actually. The funny thing is that by focusing on consistency, the songs aren't allowed to venture off to where the sparks of cool ideas might be found. The album sounds a bit too one-note to have the same impact, and at times it's hard to tell one song from the next. It's all good stuff, and I enjoy the album, but it feels like the band is playing it safe, when it was their boldness that appealed to me in the first place.<br /><br />I often wonder if higher highs or more consistency makes for the better record. In this case, the answer is clear; "Half Black Heart" is a good listen, but a less exciting one.<br /><br />Dragonforce - Warp Speed Warriors<br /><br />I talked about it in a Singles Roundup, but let's get it out of the way early; the cover of "Wildest Dreams" that closes the record is the worst song I've heard all year. It's absolutely terrible, and shows me that being a good musician sometimes means you're a terrible artist. In fact, that cover is so bad it's changed the way I hear Dragonforce's original material. Instead of being cheesy fun that I discard because I'm looking for something more serious, I hear the limitations of just how ineffective Dragonforce is even at the things they're trying to do.<br /><br />Once I heard Marc Hudson trying to sing "Wildest Dreams", the flatness of his voice, the utter lack of anything even approaching an emotion, became all too clear. Dragonforce speeds through their songs because they know they have to hide how hollow they are. They can't convey emotion, half of their songs are about things like space stations and axe swinging, so there's almost nothing here for me to feel any sort of affection for. Even when there's a decent hook, which isn't as often as it should be, the band sounds like they're just going through the motions of hitting notes.<br /><br />As I said before, Taylor Swift gets a lot of flack for not being the most talented vocalist, but she sounds like she gives a damn. Dragonforce doesn't, and if they can't sound like they care, then I have no reason to care either. That's simple music math.</p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-69967701275349764212024-03-11T07:35:00.000-04:002024-03-11T07:35:04.636-04:00Album Review: Whom Gods Destroy - Insanium<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3682116016_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3682116016_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>About a decade ago, my Album Of The Year was by a supergroup, and was called "Kaleidoscope". That comes to mind right now, because much of the rock and metal scene feels like a kaleidoscope, where we turn the handle and the same pieces get moved into different places to form new images. It seems like we are always hearing about new band and projects with familiar names being paired together in new ways. That can be frustrating, since it leaves us always wondering if any of these things are going to last long enough to justify us caring in the first place.<br /><br />Whom Gods Destroy is a 'supergroup' offshoot of another 'supergroup'. Basically, they are the successors to Sons Of Apollo, after that band essentially broke up upon Mike Portnoy's return to Dream Theater. Bumblefoot and Derek Shirinian continue on with this band, playing a modern metal of the same style, but with Dino Jelusick taking over the vocal reigns from Jeff Scott Soto. That lets them actually go further in the modern direction, which can be both the biggest strength and weakness of this group.<br /><br />The opening song is the first one released to tease this group, "In The Name Of War". It does what it's supposed to, marrying the band's deep, down-tuned groove to a chorus with a more melodic shine. It's rightly similar to Sons Of Apollo's shorter songs, and is absolutely what the band should be focused on. Those tracks fit the modern vibe of Bumblefoot's riffing, and they also void their tendency to get lost in notes without finding a song.<br /><br />But that modernity is also a downfall. Take the second song released, "Over Again", for example. It has the same sludgy groove in the guitars, but Dino spends the verses barking in monotone, only for the chorus to have barely a melody at all. The song is so concerned with sounding heavy that it reduces one of their best assets to a role anyone could fail just as equally at. Dino is a great singer, but you wouldn't know it listening to this song. The songwriting is non-existent, leaving it sounding like tuneless prog without any of the supposedly 'intelligent' playing.<br /><br />There is one other song of that kind on the record, "Crucifier", and together they are the clear nadirs of the album. I struggle to hear what in those songs I'm supposed to be enjoying, since there isn't a melody I can hum to myself, and the riffs are rhythms that remind me of typing equations into a calculator. It just doesn't feel very... musical.<br /><br />The rest of the album avoids that fate, but it doesn't do a lot to elevate itself above merely being fine. The style of guitar playing doesn't lend itself to the kinds of riffs that stick in my head, and Dino winds up rasping his way through many of the songs to enough of a degree that the melodies are harsher than they should be. Ten percent less effort spent on trying to be as heavy as possible would have made this whole thing sound far more inviting, at least to me.<br /><br />Ultimately, Whom Gods Destroy has made a record that's perfectly fine, but not very exciting. It comes across to my ears as if it's trying way too hard, and ultimately that's what leaves it feeling like a disappointment. There's a degree to which I think the band might have been afraid to write more accessible songs, lest people think they aren't metal enough, and I'm having trouble getting past that thought. Sons Of Apollo was a flawed band, and not all the right lessons were learned when they morphed into this group. There's enough here to be mildly enjoyable, but I think the highs of Sons Of Apollo being higher made that group far more interesting.<p></p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-904189105635263452024-03-08T07:44:00.000-05:002024-03-08T07:44:43.501-05:00Singles Roundup: Anette Olzon, Orden Ogan, The Wonder Years, & Black Country Communion<p>Let's reach into the grab bag once again:<br /><br />Anette Olzon - Heed The Call<br /><br />Despite the consistency of some of the factory writers, there are obviously going to be highs and lows when you're pumping out as much music as they do. For some reason, Anette Olzon seems to get the weakest material Magnus Karlsson has to offer. Her previous solo album was decent, but much less melodic and hooky than either of the records she made with Russell Allen, for instance. This song is hinting at another album in that style, with Anette being given a fairly weak chorus to sing, while the rest of the song is trying to be far heavier than her voice would indicate.<br /><br />The inclusion of harsh vocals is the biggest sticking point. Anette has a special voice, and I simply don't understand why Magnus and the label would want to take attention away from her on her own album. People would be listening to an Anette Olzon album to hear Anette Olzon, so give us more of her doing what she does best. Songs like this aren't suited to her as well as a song like "Cold Inside" off the first Allen/Olzon record. Give us an album of this, it might be Album Of The Year. This is mostly disappointing.<br /><br />Orden Ogan - My Worst Enemy<br /><br />I'll give Orden Ogan credit for one thing; it's a bit daring for a metal band to make the first single for their album a ballad. It I've learned anything listening to people who proclaim themselves 'metalheads', it's that they hate ballads. Maybe the band has realized the same thing I have, which is that their records have become more and more interchangeable over the years, so they needed to do something to make this one stand out from the rest. In that respect, it does.<br /><br />What they have going for them is that they are good writers of ballads, so this song is more engaging to me than another of their chugging stompers. Those are fun, but they have so many that sound too much alike at this point. This ballad, however, is able to build up from its slow start. By the time the guitars kick in for the crescendo, I'm buying in. Perhaps this strategy is already working.<br /><br />The Wonder Years - Year Of The Vulture<br /><br />Even though "The Hum Goes On Forever" won Album Of The Year from me, it was mostly on the strength of five or six songs, and the rest of their catalog has yet to grab me. That's what I'm feeling when I hear this new single, which has all the right elements, but for whatever reason doesn't grab me in quite the same way. I think it's because the song is stripped down to the bare essentials, it doesn't have enough time to develop the connection I'm looking for. It comes and goes quickly, and without the hook and energy to serve as a stand-alone single. It's a song I feel would work better as an album track connecting a couple of heavier hitters, but that's not how it's presented, so I can't judge it thusly. Or, The Wonder Years might be one of those one-album-wonder bands for me.<br /><br />Black Country Communion - Stay Free<br /><br />I never got into this 'supergroup' (Have I mentioned enough over the years how much I hate that term?), and this song makes me glad I wasn't waiting for them to return. Between Glenn Hughes being 'the voice of rock', and Joe Bonamassa being a blues-rock legend, what led them to make a song that sounds more like a funky disco track? It's a bizarre little number, boasting an almost dance beat, little muscle, and nothing of interest for Glenn to sing. It almost sounds like they were trying to rehab the image of "I Was Made For Loving You", but don't have a fraction of the songwriting talent KISS had. That's saying something, because I don't exactly have much respect for KISS. This is one to avoid.</p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-23928113770229226142024-03-06T07:38:00.002-05:002024-03-06T07:38:14.969-05:00Quick Reviews: Art Of Anarchy & Mick Mars<p>We can knock these out quickly:</p><p>Art Of Anarchy - Let There Be Anarchy</p><p><br />Three albums and three different singers is not a good sign for a 'band' actually being a band. Yes, circumstances get in the way of the best laid plans, but Art Of Anarchy has now given us three albums that sound almost nothing alike, aside from a penchant for rather scratchy guitar tones. This time around, Jeff Scott Soto takes his place at the front of the band, giving the band an identity inextricably tied to Sons Of Apollo, which I could say is either a brilliant move, or a sign of desperation.<br /><br />I mention that band because with Soto singing, and Bumblefoot playing guitar, there is more than light similarities between the two. Art Of Anarchy now sounds like a slightly less prog version of that band, leaning more into the heavier sludge-style riffs Bumblefoot is fond of. And of course, Soto's voice is an unavoidable similarity. They have built in an audience of people who were fond of that band, but since they have gone on hiatus due to never really catching fire, are there really enough people out there looking for a replacement?<br /><br />I'm not sure, but here's the thing; Art Of Anarchy actually improves the formula. I'm not sure if it's the lack of need to be prog, or the people who are not here this time, but Bumblefoot and Soto use the same formula to write better and catchier songs with this band. They are heavy and menacing, but replete with enough hooks to appeal to those of us who aren't impressed by how low you can tune a guitar. Soto, in particular, hasn't been on an album with this many good melodies in a long time that he had more than a minor hand in writing.<br /><br />I'm surprised to say it, but they have delivered a good album. I don't think it has the same hazy charm as the debut, but there's no doubt this is a better option than Scott Stapp was.</p><p>Mick Mars - The Other Side Of Mars</p><p>Here's an album that has been talked about for years and years, and perhaps is only seeing the light of day because of all the drama surrounding Motley Crue. Let's just say I'm glad I was never a fan of that band, so I didn't have any affection or respect for them to lose. I suppose I was interested in this record to hear if Mick was indeed the best part being held back, or perhaps it's because of his chocie of collaborator.</p><p>I expected a bigger name, but Mick made this record with Jacob Bunton, who is best known to me as the person responsible for the album that made Steven Adler a tolerable presence. I love that record, so perhaps lightning could strike twice.</p><p>It doesn't quite, and it's because this is a rather odd little record. For one thing, I expected a lot more guitar playing on a solo album from a guitar player. Mick's riffs are simple stomps, his solos are rather infrequent, and there's even a fair amount of piano. He's very much sounding like the support to Bunton, and not the other way around. That would actually work for me if the songs consistently delivered, but they don't.</p><p>With the heavier approach to the guitar playing, there are a few songs where there isn't room for a strong melody, and when you combine that with the rather bland ballad, that's forty percent of the record that disappoints. The good songs are actually really good, and are certainly better than anything Motley Crue could pull out of their asses these days, but four good songs isn't enough for me recommend a record. This had the potential to be great, but it's another tale of 'what could have been'. <br /></p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-29107404641694141102024-03-04T07:35:00.000-05:002024-03-04T07:35:34.989-05:00Words, Words, Words...<p>I find it interesting how different the person I am and the writer I am can be. As a person, I'm quiet and tend to say things as succinctly as possible. As a writer, I draw things out with strings of metaphors that often hide the thing I'm trying to say from being understood by anyone other than myself.<br /><br />But why is this?<br /><br />I know why I became a writer, but how I became one is a different story. Words and writing were not something I grew up having a pronounced interest in, and it was flippant jokes that led me to start writing both lyrics and prose. I like to say it was spite, but if I'm being honest, I think there was a part of me that was curious to see if people would admit they were wrong when I failed at the task.<br /><br />Then I didn't exactly fail.<br /><br />Where did all of these words come from? That's the question I've always found rather hard to answer, but maybe it wasn't as difficult as I had made it out to be. When I think about my younger days, as I was still gestating the idea of becoming a creative type, the most formative voices in my head were the kind that threw a lot of words at the wall to see what stuck.<br /><br />Jim Steinman was never concise with his writing. He penned long, languid lines that took a full breath to get to the end of. Some of his lyric sheets look like short stories, so from my very early days I was being taught songs could, or even should, say as much as possible. There was a degree to which it resembled the writings of the beat generation, who used torrents of words to capture the manic energy of the lives they wanted to lead. You could say something in a mere sentence, but it would never mean as much as overwhelming people with the magnitude of what you were thinking or feeling.<br /><br />Next came John Popper. Anyone who has tried to sing the bridge of "Hook" at karaoke knows what I'm talking about here. Whether it's "But Anyway" ripping through lyrics so fast you don't realize he's talking about toilet seats and puns about the past, or "Optimistic Thought" sounding like the tape may have been accidentally sped up a bit too much during the mixing stage, or especially the lines in "Business As Usual" I've never been able to get my tongue to spit out, Popper's songs were similarly filled with words atop words.<br /><br />Then I found Elvis Costello, who was the angry young literate of the new wave. Going through his early records is an experiment in songwriting, as he tells stories, tells jokes, and seems unconcerned with the very idea of how many lines and syllables a verse should have. He was purging his mind to a collection of chords, and the more you say the smarter people assume you to be. Was "Oliver's Army" astute criticism of Thatcher-era England? I don't know, but I do know verbosity is the reason his off-handed use of slurs, not to mention writing a song actually called "Two Little Hitlers" was able to sneak by the good taste of some of us.<br /><br />Words let us hide in plain sight, and perhaps that is the lesson I took from these writers more than anything else. If you say too much, people won't be able to pick up on what the most important parts are. You can be honest about things you're uncomfortable sharing, and only a select few people will know what you have even said. That's the beauty of metaphor, and what I think writing has given me; the ability to feel like I'm talking without ever saying anything.<br /><br />As I have shared my writings with people, and looked for collaborators to help me where my voice fails, there is one bit of feedback I get more than anything else; My words are deep, but too voluminous. When I have sent demos of songs to singers, they often ask me how they are supposed to sing that many words in the space I have given them. Even when the language is lovely, it's daunting.<br /><br />I tend not to even notice this, as a youth spent miming to all of those songs filled with so many words has inured me to how unusual it can be for everyone else. So much of popular music features words that are dull, repetitive, and sometimes barely there at all. We train our voices to sing short lines where there is time to stretch each note for dramatic effect. Much of it is built on the power of the voice, rather than the movement of the melody. Maybe that is just the difference between songs written for the singer, as opposed to being written for the writer. It's hard to say.<br /><br />The point is merely to say that we often are more profoundly influenced by the music we hear than we might think. Thought it doesn't happen at the conscious level, musical grammar does seep in and direct us toward the way we hear future music. For me, that meant I was put in a position where words became one of the most important pieces of songs. I was listening to music with so many of them, they couldn't be ignored without losing a huge chunk of the song.<br /><br />That helps to explain not just why I write the way I do, but also why I listen the way I do. I find myself disappointed so often in the music I'm hearing, because there are either few words, or there is little care that was given to them. When these writers are churning out generic words that neither say anything interesting, nor say it in an interesting way, it's difficult for me to find the whole product interesting.<br /><br />So no matter how much people might find fault in my writing, or not understand how to use it to express something in themselves, I think I would rather fall on the side of doing something interesting. That means I'm destined to have an audience of one, but I wonder if there's much to be proud of in being the master of telling people what they already know.<br /><br />I'm either too proud, or too stupid, to find out if that success is worth mashing my soul into the cookie-cutter.</p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-42030812512742461872024-03-01T07:37:00.000-05:002024-03-01T07:37:27.183-05:00Album Review: Bruce Dickinson - The Mandrake Project<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.ironmaiden.com/media/images/tmp_mailer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://www.ironmaiden.com/media/images/tmp_mailer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It's been nineteen years since Bruce Dickinson last released a solo album, and I've spent nearly all of that time being the contrarian who says the 'trilogy' he ended with are better than anything Iron Maiden has ever done. Yes, I do say that honestly. The music Bruce and Roy Z were making was heavier than Iron Maiden, as intellectual as Iron Maiden, and less prone to the wordy fits of non-melody Steve Harris sometimes gets caught up in. They boiled down everything that is great about classic heavy metal, updated it with a thick and modern sound, and just wrote some great songs.<br /><br />Can they do it again all these years later? That's why an album like this is interesting even before we start listening to it. Capturing that magic is probably an impossible task, so what they need to do is find a new entry point to greatness. Bruce's songs have mostly (I'll never understand what is so great about "Empire Of The Clouds" other than it dragging on forever) been the best material on the Iron Maiden records, but writing two or three songs every five years is different than seeing through an entire album. That's especially true when the album is a larger conceptual work with a whole graphic novel to go along with it. Bruce is taking on a task with a high risk of failure.<br /><br />The album opens with "Afterglow Of Ragnarok", which is a bridge between the past and the present. Roy's riffs have a deep and thick tone, heavy with the chunk and groove that makes Bruce's solo music sound so different from Iron Maiden. It's a mid-paced thumper that lets Bruce build the drama into the sturdy chorus. As a song that could have fit right on "Tyranny Of Souls", it's a fine opener, until the small dose of harsh vocals at the end sounds like they're trying too hard.<br /><br />"Rain On The Graves" is the counterpoint to that track, easily the worst song on any of these Bruce/Roy collaborations. The spoken word verses are cringe-worthy, and then the chorus barely escapes the old Iron Maiden repetition. It's a weak composition all the way around, and truly sounds to me like a song that was written with the comic book in mind, which is not how an album should be made. It sort of works in the context of the music video, where Bruce is hamming it up like a silent horror movie from the early days of cinema, but that doesn't come across when you're listening to the music by itself. What you have is a legendary vocalist talking over a couple of mediocre riffs. It's a massive misstep.<br /><br />Another misstep is the production. This has happened with other older artists, and it leaves me wondering if all the years spent on stage and in the studio has damaged their hearing more than anyone wants to admit. This record doesn't sound very good, to be honest. Compared to the previous records Bruce and Roy have made together, this one sounds smaller, sort of hollow, and a bit lo-fi. There's less crunch to the heavy guitars, there's no depth at all to the mix, and occasionally Bruce's voice gets far too much echo put on it. It sounds like a record that was recorded and mixed by people who are missing frequencies from their hearing, and it makes me sad. Two decades later, records should be sounding even better. And yet, when "Fingers In The Wound" tries to have keys behind the guitars, there's no room at all for them, and the sound is a flat mess of noise I can't decipher.<p></p><p>Bruce also seems to have learned the wrong lesson from his main gig. This album ends with three long, slow ballads in a row. Each one overstays its welcome a bit for how much melody they contain, but the three of them in succession means this record is friction that laughs at the conservation of momentum. It's the same effect "Senjutsu" suffered, with it's three ten-minute epics stacked at the end of the double record. This album would certainly end on a better note if it didn't drag out the farewell for so long.<br /><br />I feel like I need to grade this record on a curve. Since it is following up three of my favorite metal records of all time, holding it to that standard feels unfair. There are no songs here like "Book Of Thel", "Darkside Of Aquarius", or "Tyranny Of Souls", and I don't think I was expecting there to be. That said, the songs have a way of sneaking up on you, where even the slow recitation of "Face In The Mirror" eventually winds up capturing your attention. The good songs here are quite good, but they have to pull up the first bit of sagging bloat Bruce and Roy have given to us.<br /><br />Taken entirely on its own without context, "The Mandrake Project" is actually a good record that has grown on me a fair bit since my first listen. It may not be a year-end favorite kind of record, but the songs get better every time I revisit them. The problem is that records don't exist without context, and when I listen to "The Mandrake Project", I can't help but think about how terrible the first impression it made was, which only highlighted the fact this is not those records I have two decades of attachment to. Knowing I had to warm up to it, which again I will remind you I have, means I will always remember that initial disappointment.<br /><br />I'm the person who has been wanting this solo record more than more Iron Maiden albums, and if I'm telling you this album is not the easiest thing to swallow, take that as a warning. Anytime I think about the word 'mandrake' when it comes to music, Edguy's record is going to remain the default. </p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-81645839727886506992024-02-28T07:36:00.000-05:002024-02-28T07:36:15.516-05:00Album Review: Firewind - Stand United<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91paBFUFF3L._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91paBFUFF3L._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>As time wears on, it has become apparent to me that Firewind was a 'one and done' type of band for me. I absolutely love "The Premonition", and that has become the only Firewind album I ever find myself going back to. The others Apollo sang on are still good, but I never feel drawn to them, and I have been unable to get into anything since he left. That's probably on me, rather than them, but it's disappointing when a record you feel is doing something special turns out to be the outlier in a more generic timeline.<br /><br />Maybe that's what bothers me so much about Firewind these days. Gus G gets talked about as being a guitar hero, but I don't quite know why. He's a talented player, but what music has he made that is inspiring the next generation of guitar players? Firewind isn't that big of a band, most of his playing fits into the generic style of power metal, and he wasn't even allowed to write a single riff when he played with Ozzy. I don't get it.<br /><br />It also annoyed me when Apollo first left that Gus wrote an entire album with his producer, rather than with the band. That move really made it clear Firewind is almost a solo project with more name value than Gus has on his own.<br /><br />So now we come to the new album, where I think the reaction will come down to what I'm calling a very 'love it or hate it' voice in Herbie Langerhans. I can absolutely understand how people will hear him as an aggressive singer who makes Firewind sound harder and heavier than ever before, but his style of grit being performed at that register is uncomfortable to my ears. He was ok on Avantasia records as a guest star, but listening to him for an entire record becomes an endurance test for me. I have a thing with singers. What can I say?<br /><br />The songs themselves are fine enough power metal, trying to balance the desire to be heavier than average with the need to remain melodic. "The Power Lies Within" manages the feat of marrying a stomping Sabbath-esque riff with the hookiest chorus on the record. If they could do that time and again, they would be doing something well worth hearing. That style is far more interesting than the paint-by-numbers power metal songs, which can't be salvaged by Gus' playing. I've never been that interested in guitarists who can throw a hundred notes into eight bars of a solo, and Gus has a tendency to use speed to cover up the fact he's not playing a hummable melody.<br /><br />All of this is to say that Firewind is moving in the right direction, but it isn't the way I'm headed. This record is certainly an improvement over what I remember of their recent work, and power metal fans should eat this stuff right up. There are plenty of solid songs, and the record does what it aims to do. As I said before, I'm never going to be able to be as positive as perhaps I should, simply because I don't enjoy the actual sounds the record is giving us. If there was a different voice singing these songs, I would be telling you this could wind up being the one power metal record that seems to always sneak onto my year-end list. However, I can't say that with any degree of honesty.<br /><br />Don't let my hangup stop you, though. If you want to hear power metal doing what power metal does, but done well, give the record a try. I can note the difference between being good and being good for me. Maybe the line will be thinner for you.<p></p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-11224935261214928912024-02-26T07:38:00.001-05:002024-02-26T07:38:21.400-05:00Album Review: The Requiem - A Cure To Poison The World<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://newnoisemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/The-Requiem-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://newnoisemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/The-Requiem-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Apparently, there has been an emo revival I haven't been made fully aware of. I was never an emo, and I wasn't really listening to that stuff during its heyday, but I've found in recent years it has been a nice way of washing out the bitter taste of how rock music has been moving away from my tastes. The Requiem is part of this revival, and this record is a nostalgia bomb for anyone who remembers the days of AFI and My Chemical Romance making it cool to be a drama geek.<br /><br />This record is basically a fusion of "Sing The Sorrow" and "The Black Parade", with plenty of gang vocals and furiously strummed guitars, and a singer who could easily take the lead on a stage production of the latter of those albums. The difference is that by being influenced by those records, The Requiem is narrowing the focus to the lessons that have been learned. At only 36 minutes, they have distilled their songwriting into bursts of energy that are less concerned with setting the stage than in killing once they're on it.<br /><br />The Requiem has managed to find the knife's edge where they are writing hooky sing-alongs that remain music for outsiders. There is a pop element to how infectious these songs become with repeated listens, but you'll never mistake them for being pop. The band is too cool to remain anything but uncool, in the mainstream sense. What they do is give those of us who look back fondly on that time a fix of what used to be, and what rock seldom is anymore.<br /><br />"Cursed" is one of the best songs I've heard so far this year, a true emo anthem, but it's far from the only great song here. Whether the band is pulling from their punk roots, or wringing the anguish from a ballad, they deliver the hooks and melodies that remind us most outsiders would like to be invited in, although on our own terms.<br /><br />When wallflowers slink back into the shadows, it's because there is something comforting about being wrapped up in a color that matches your mood. The Requiem paint their songs with the cheap bottle dye and dollar-store eyeliner that tries to cover up the color in our lives. It makes us feel better about not being the extroverts using the spotlight as if it provides the Vitamin D we all need, but it's not enough for us to forget that there are still people underneath the masks we apply.<br /><br />All of that is a way of saying that there's something comforting about this record I think needs to be felt for yourself, rather than explained through my tortured metaphors. "A Cure To Poison The World" is the sort of record that will appeal to anyone who thinks melodrama is the only kind of drama, and who like downbeat music just for the joke of it matching their outlook on life.<br /><br />The Requiem have given us an utterly charming record that gives me some faith that I haven't yet reached the point of being so jaded as to hate everything. I can't help but love this record for everything it is, everything it reminds me of, and the fact it can actually get me to crack a smile. Will it be the best album of the year? Time will tell, but right now it might just be the best record I've heard so far.<br /><br />What's the world come to when emo is the happy highlight?<p></p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-89402870363768227392024-02-23T10:16:00.002-05:002024-02-23T10:16:51.882-05:00Album Review: Ihsahn - "Ihsahn - Studio Version"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3oL-b-sPqwnhbVwFgFOVWUfqQCwlz-cMoN-8J0SGFSckPz03zCNyrWHJsx6rrHBHfAFDJU89Aeujba9dDQuID2yDvkAtLGbXFksCxcDyHO6cSRyrqvL2aD-VLSvm8drIFJF_ND4dG49ZDFaamRB1YMxuzykKMW1zM2DFHZ1gJX4U2kce-XcQoMYwOpmsL/s425/Ihsahn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="425" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3oL-b-sPqwnhbVwFgFOVWUfqQCwlz-cMoN-8J0SGFSckPz03zCNyrWHJsx6rrHBHfAFDJU89Aeujba9dDQuID2yDvkAtLGbXFksCxcDyHO6cSRyrqvL2aD-VLSvm8drIFJF_ND4dG49ZDFaamRB1YMxuzykKMW1zM2DFHZ1gJX4U2kce-XcQoMYwOpmsL/s320/Ihsahn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Inevitably, some musicians wear out their welcome. Their career spans too many years, crosses too many generations of audiences, or simply becomes stale as living becomes comfortable and new ideas come slowly or fade away into the clutter.</p><p>Ihsahn, by contrast, continues to stay vital as he hurtles toward fifty years old by continually challenging and expanding his horizons, this time, with a totally novel twist, even as the base music itself leans heavily into his black metal roots.</p><p>“Ihsahn” the album comes in two flavors – the studio album (as read about here,) and the orchestral album, which is simply the stripped-down score of the first. You know, we say ‘simply,’ but consider the implications of what’s being said here. Ihsahn went out and wrote an extreme metal album while collaborating with a symphony orchestra for the duration of the act.</p><p>Plenty of artists have tried their hand at symphonic albums. Metallica, famously. Serj Tankian, for another. Hell, London Philharmonic took it upon themselves to produce symphonic albums for Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd (both of which are pretty good, though the Zeppelin one is stronger.) So, Ihsahn didn’t create a revolutionary idea, but he did revolutionize the idea by charging an orchestra to keep pace with his home base of black metal.</p><p>The success of Ihsahn’s plan is evident early, as “The Promethean Spark” gallops ahead, sounding at its base like something from the latter days of Darkthrone, but the addition of the staccato violins in the blank spaces of the main riff lend a depth and presence to the sound that is thoroughly uncommon in this brand of music. Sure, Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth and a pile of others have gone down this road to some degree, but the symphonic backing has always been manufactured. The authenticity of “Ihsahn” is its strength – a truly organic melding of genuine symphony and metal.</p><p>Skip down to “Twice Born,” and the same kind of symbiosis of music that we talked about above rings true, but it’s by this point that the realization dawns that what Ihsahn really has done, and we mean this as a true compliment, is make a symphony sound small. Not to say that it’s a chamber quartet or anything, but other bands who have gone the symphonic route have leaned heavily into the backing of the orchestra, which Ihsahn doesn’t do. He instead forced them into his mold, made the strings fit the specific role he had for them, and still made his own guitars sing and dance in partnership with their newfound friends, rather than in competition, or worse, subservience to them. (Parenthetically, it strikes that listening to the second version of this record, the strictly orchestral one, may be a sparse experience. But that’s neither here nor there.)</p><p>“Ihsahn” is not always an easy listen – those without the ear for more extreme forms of metal may still find some of the constructions difficult - but even at its low moments the album is always at least academically interesting. About three minutes into “Blood Trails to Love,” there’s a layered, almost jazz-y interlude that sounds out of place, but not in a bad way; it’s just a permutation of the two forces coming together in a unique way, leading to an unexpected, and thereby disjointed portion of the record.</p><p>There are, on the back end of the record, a couple of cuts that wander too long and get lost in the woods, so to speak. Perhaps the temptation of working with all these elements was too overwhelming not to try and compose a singular opus, and there is some nobility in the attempt. It’s not that these songs are bad, they’re just not interesting in the face of the far more novel fusions in the first half of the record.</p><p>Full marks to Ihsahn for pulling this monumental task together. When his eponymous album sticks to task and keeps the durations down, he’s written as intriguing and compelling an album as any in the last few years. Inconsistency is the worst criticism one can level at the record, and there are far worse sins. Certainly the great moments, and even the merely good ones, are worth the time and examination. Ihsahn, to this point, refuses to overstay his welcome.</p><div><br /></div>D.Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12238912376284434654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-46976669884434702882024-02-21T07:43:00.000-05:002024-02-21T07:43:18.328-05:00Singles Roundup: Dragonforce, Cold Years, & Whom Gods Destroy<p>The release of interesting singles has been pretty slow, so let's deal with the few we do have:<br /><br />Dragonforce - Wildest Dreams<br /><br />Metal covers of pop songs are often fun, but sometimes they reveal just how lame metal can be. This is a perfect example of that phenomenon. "Wildest Dreams" is a wonderful song, and is easily Taylor Swift's most sensual track. Listening to the original, her vocal is sultry, and the sense of lust and longing palpitates through the recording. You could easily describe it as 'hungry', and it would be a fitting term.<br /><br />Dragonforce took all of that... and turned it into absolute garbage. Not only do they speed through it so much that the hook get squashed into nothing, it's delivered with all the passion of breaking down the scientific fallacies in a random episode of Star Trek. Mark Hudson's vocals are devoid of anything resembling a personality, turning this 'wildest dreams' into something so boring it sounds like a rote story you tell your therapist to keep them from asking about what you're really thinking.<br /><br />Look, my criticism isn't about them daring to besmirch Taylor Swift, it's that they're covering a song they clearly don't understand in the slightest. I've heard fun metal covers of Adele songs, and even Taylor's "Blank Space". There is absolutely a path to do this, and it's amazing to me that Dragonforce has decided to show the world that they will invest the time and energy arranging and recording a song they actively drag down and make worse.<br /><br />For all the talk metal fans like to partake in about how great the musicians are, and how terrible pop artists are (Let's be honest; Taylor has gotten a lot of flack over the years for not being an 'elite' vocalist), Dragonforce is taking a massive shit on their own case. Sure, they might pick the riff faster than anyone who has played on a Taylor Swift record could, but they play with absolutely zero feel, zero heart, and with zero concern for what the song actually requires. And then there's Hudson, who is in every way over than volume an inferior singer to Taylor Swift. She was able to breathe life into a simple song, giving it depth with the emotion of her performance. Hudson sounds no different than if he was singing about Pokemon. Utter fail.<br /><br />So if you want to know everything not to do when covering a song, this is a perfect example of it. If you can't play it or sing it better than the original, you're only going to make yourself look foolish. Not all attention is good attention. Learn that lesson.<br /><br />Cold Years - Roll With It<br /><br />One of the biggest surprises of 2022 was discovering Cold Years, who came from nowhere to nearly win Album Of The Year. Needless to say, after loving "Goodbye To Misery" that much, their new record is one of the more anticipated releases of the year. The first single from that record is here, and it offers up something to think about.<br /><br />Spanish Love Songs segued from a pitch-black album to the rosier "No Joy" last year, and I feel like Cold Years is doing something similar. The darker undertone of "Goodbye To Misery" is replaced with a bit more bounce, and a bit of shimmering guitar in the background of the mix. With a vocal that's also cleaner, it all adds up to a song that's more carefree and almost breezy. By the time Spring rolls around, perhaps it will be the perfect sound for the impending change of seasons. Listening to this song right now, I'm left a bit perplexed. The elements are here, and I certainly like the song, but I'm in a place at the moment where I'm not sure I like seeing the light starting to beat back the darkness.<br /><br />We'll have to see how this goes.<br /><br />Whom Gods Destroy - Over Again<br /><br />Single number two from this project is deeply concerning. As feared, the lesson Bumblefoot and Derek Shirinian seem to have taken from Sons Of Apollo is that being even heavier is the best path forward. That is clearly not true, both because the fans of their generation are not gravitating towards bands of that style anyway, but also because these guys aren't all that good at it. Sure, they can tune down the guitars and beat out some sludgy riffs, but for what purpose? Despite being 'virtuoso' players, they lack the requisite songwriting skills to make use of those talents.<br /><br />This song is heavy for the sake of being heavy, with Dino barking through the verse before the 'chorus' is him straining his voice to bend the nothingness of the composition into a melody. He sounds uncomfortable pushing his voice to overcome the tepid song he's been given, and the rest of the band isn't doing anything to support him. It's a song that screams at us to be impressed by their talent, no matter what that talent is doing. Bumblefoot is also a part of Art Of Anarchy, and they just put out a record with a lot of very similar guitar playing, but the difference in how the music comes across when you have a singer who doesn't sound like he's passing a kidney stone is immense.</p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-38269868306669713472024-02-19T07:41:00.000-05:002024-02-19T07:41:00.533-05:00Album Review: Amaranthe - The Catalyst<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71lTe5ibcTL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71lTe5ibcTL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Just a few weeks ago, I talked about the new Metalite album by mentioning how that band is intertwined in my mind with Amaranthe, and here we find ourselves with new Amaranthe music as well. I don't know whether this is happenstance, coincidence, or a plan to create a bubble both can ride to higher highs, but what I find is that having the two bands releasing music so close together creates a mental comparison I can't avoid. It doesn't happen all the time, but it certainly does happen occasionally that a pair of records will come out in short order, and one of them is diminished for no reason other than being the lesser of the two. It becomes a case of grading on a curve, which isn't always fair.<br /><br />Since I started listening to both bands, Amaranthe has been the one setting the curve. They are the elite of hyper-pop metal, but they also show the limits of the genre. While they consistently produce records that are filled with sticky melodies and huge hooks, there's something about the impersonal nature of all of it that leaves me feeling disconnected from their music. As good as it is, I don't find myself going back to Amaranthe very much between new releases.<br /><br />That's a bit of a mystery to me, to be honest. Elize Ryd is a fantastic singer, the band hits all the right marks, and they write exactly the kind of catchy melodies I always say I'm seeking out. Amaranthe should be one of my favorite modern bands if that's all true, which it is, and yet the perfection of it all becomes a bit boring. The band is clinically tight, the production is spotless, and I suppose that leaves everything sounding a bit too clean and polished for what metal is supposed to be. There's a lack of human connection to be made with music that sounds too good. Being too good for your own good... ironic, I know.<br /><br />Maybe it shouldn't be a surprise my favorite song on the record is "Stay A Little While", the semi-Broadway number that slows things down just enough for the clean vocals to shine, and for even the guitar solo to carry more emotion. It's the only time on the record where it feels like the band reaching out to us, and I love it. The heavier, faster pop numbers are great for their purpose, but it's the ballad that draws me in.<br /><br />Let me stop sounding so down, since that isn't the case. Amaranthe once again delivers song after song with a blend of power and hook few bands can even approach, let alone match. In this style, they continue to reign supreme. No offense to Metalite, but hearing the two records in close succession reaffirms to me just how high Amaranthe has raised the bar. You can throw a dart anywhere at this track listing and hit a... hit.<br /><br />The toughest thing would be to compare this to their previous albums, because there is practically no difference between them. If you already love Amaranthe, this record will deliver everything you expect. If you're on the fence, I'm not sure this one will push you off in either direction. Amaranthe is who they are, and they're exceptionally good at it.<br /><br />The oddest thing I can say about them is that the are the antithesis of a mood band. Certain music is perfect for when you're in a particular mood. Amaranthe is perfect for when you're in no mood at all. Does that make them the refined white sugar of the candy-coated pop metal world? I don't know, but Amaranthe has not yet failed to make me smile while I'm listening to them. <br /><p></p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-69078602154572534102024-02-16T07:43:00.001-05:002024-02-16T07:43:45.921-05:00Album Review: Illumishade - Another Side Of You<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3397887158_65" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a3397887158_65" width="320" /></a></div>There are only so many bands that come along as you get older that give you the feeling they could be something a cut above what else is out there in the scene. I had that feeling with Illumishade, as the first batch of music they put out was a fascinating blend of modern metal, hints of folk, and haunting vocals. They were already laser-focused on songwriting, and there was something special about some of the songs on their debut record. Unfortunately, that was marred a bit by the fact the album was incredibly short, and padded out with a few segues and interludes. It felt like it should have been a killer EP, rather than a diluted album, which gave me a bit of pause in coronating them as the next big thing in melodic metal.<br /><br />This sophomore effort delivers even more of what makes Illumishade so great. The first full song "Elegy" sets the stage with the heavy rhythmic guitars giving way to Fabienne's siren voice, building to a soaring chorus that sounds rather joyous. They throw a spanner in the works as the second half of the song slows to a sludgy crawl, only to rise once again in the beautiful hook. Putting that right at the start of the album shows confidence, and tells us the band is not afraid to try a few new things along the way.<br /><br />That is certainly true on "Enemy", where the guitars leading into the chorus fall into a glitchy tone that sounds out of rhythm with the rest of the band, the sort of thing that is probably progressive when broken down with time signature math and whatnot, but sounds like momentum running into quicksand to my ears. The song recovers, but the stumble does keep it from reaching top speed.<br /><br />It can be hard to weave a melody atop a mathematical musical bed, and there are a few occasions when Fabienne and the music don't meld together into perfect harmony. Or perhaps they're trying too hard for that effect, because the feeling I get listening to the record is also one that the band is holding back, and I'm not entirely sure what. Something about these songs just doesn't have the same sensation of getting swept up in their melodic sound that their debut record did. I can still listen to "Rise" and feel a tingle when Fabienne breaks into that chorus.<br /><br />That's what I wanted to hear more of, and I'm still wanting. These are good songs, and it's a good record, but there's a 'spark' I'm missing out on. It could be as simple as the band's own stated intention of being a bit more 'modern' than before. I'm not known for being interested or invested in rhythmic assaults, so there is less beauty in the music to compliment Fabienne. What worked so well before was the sweeping atmosphere that buoyed her lilting vocals. She's doing all the heavy lifting this time, and the breeze is too much background noise.<br /><br />So what I can say about Illumishade is that they are still an immensely talented band, and they haven't lost their way. They have merely taken a road with scenery I'm not as interested in seeing. "Another Side Of You" is another side of them, and while it's nice to hear them spreading their wings, some of us will always like the first impression the best. I have to be honest and say that's what is happening here. I like this record, but I loved the songs on their debut. The difference is degrees, but it only takes the right one to change phase.<p></p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-34064699588311639162024-02-14T07:39:00.000-05:002024-02-14T07:39:46.077-05:00Happy F'n Valentine's Day<p>There's much that can be said about Valentine's Day, but I don't want to get into the societal expectations of what many consider to be an invented holiday. I want to look at my own feelings regarding the day and what it means, and what impact my musical upbringing may have had on that.<br /><br />I've mentioned countless times how my first (and still biggest) musical hero was Jim Steinman. As I have gotten older, I have taken note of personality traits I can trace back to his music, but I can't say whether they were created by the music, or merely amplified. As this holiday rolls around, my thoughts turn to the very idea of love songs, and what they teach those of us who have learned everything we know through the experiences of others. I suppose that leaves me rather open to being given the wrong impression.<br /><br />It all started with the word 'that'. When it was used by Meat Loaf, it became a mystery about love which felt like even Hercule Poirot could never solve. Love was presented to us as an epic melodrama, where you weren't doing it right unless you were willing to run into the fire of Hell itself. But it was more than that, as the puns also made clear passion and pleasure were just as important. When Steinman wrote that "some days it never comes, and these are the days that never end," he was saying getting your rocks off was just as important as putting one on her finger.<br /><br />Likewise, when "Paradise On The Dashboard Light" reaches its climax (I know, it's a lot of cum jokes), love is treated as the secret password to get into the sex club he really wants to join. When the character realizes what he's done, he would rather have time itself end than have to wrestle with what love really means. Meat's 'faded Levi's bursting apart' and how the 'surf's up, and so am I' are more evidence that love and sex were so intertwined by Steinman, I'm not sure he ever understood the difference.<br /><br />I bring that up because it is the music I was listening to in my youngest days, and those were the messages I was absorbing without knowing what any of it meant. How much of it seeped into my subconscious and twisted the way I think about this issues?<br /><br />I've had the same worry about Weezer's "Pinkerton", and I've written about that subject before. The good news on that front is that I know exactly what toxic attitudes that record would have put in my head, and I can catch myself when thoughts of that kind begin bubbling up. I am far from perfect, but I'm aware enough to catch myself and be a better person than that.<br /><br />When it comes to love, I am not. I can't break free from the thought that yes, 'loving [me]'s a dirty job', only this time no one's gotta do it. See, most love songs set unreal expectations in the form of asking too much from us in the fairy-tale sense. They paint pictures of lovers moving heaven and earth for their paramour, signing over their souls in acts of devotion. There's something rather noble about wanting to be that much in love, about wanting to perform superhuman acts to make that special someone happier than they ever imagined possible.<br /><br />The music I was listening to painted a different picture, one that showed love as a burden we carry to get what we really want. It's a cynical way of looking at things, but I am a cynic. Was I always, or did the music point me there? I have no idea, and trying to untangle that knot is more than I'm ready for.<br /><br />The point of all of this is to say that while yes, I hate Valentine's Day for reminding me of all the things I don't have, there's also a part of me that hates the day for feeling like I don't even understand what those things are anyway. No matter how many love songs have been heard in the ensuing years, and even how many I tried to write myself, I can't escape the initial programming that set me up for failure. When the music told me love was an unintended consequence, the burn scar from the fires of lust, I never had a chance.<br /><br />So as I'm thinking about this, Jim Steinman's music might still be my north star, but I realize now the compass was broken long ago.<br /><br />Happy f'n Valentine's Day, indeed.</p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-633568931337340212024-02-12T07:41:00.000-05:002024-02-12T07:41:40.775-05:00The Top Ten Blues Traveler Songs<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5XkVgGWqKNc/T4eO2CMYKlI/AAAAAAAABa4/KLKm0TzK3js/s570/btrav.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="505" data-original-width="570" height="284" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5XkVgGWqKNc/T4eO2CMYKlI/AAAAAAAABa4/KLKm0TzK3js/w320-h284/btrav.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Often, we mark time with music, and use albums as the chapter headings for segments of our lives. "Four" was the first CD I ever owned (my only previous musical attachment was on cassette), and in the thirty years since then, Blues Traveler has always been a voice in the back of my head when I think about both myself and music. Recently, I have found myself on a bit of a binge once again, so I figured it was time to boil down all these years into a list of my absolute favorite Blues Traveler Songs.<br /><br />In chronological-ish order:<br /><br />But Anyway (from Blues Traveler)<br /><br />No matter how many years pass by, I've never found myself really getting into the first record. Something about the jam and funk imbued within it doesn't quite mesh with my personality. The exception to that is this song, which I think hit me originally because of the rapid-fire delivery sounding akin to another song on this list I already loved. The lyrics about toilet seats and eye cancer are so bizarre I find them charming, and this song was a zygote (see what I did there?) of ideas that would come to term later on.<br /><br />Optimistic Thought (from Travelers & Thieves)<br /><br />I seem rather enamored with these wordy songs, which I have been told shows up in my own writing. This one bounces along as the words form an almost endless path of cobblestones for us to travel, and I love the idea of disgracing life being considered an optimistic thought. This one gives me the feeling of a renaissance fair, and though I would never go to one, this at least makes it feel welcoming.<br /><br />Sweet Pain (from Travelers & Thieves)<br /><br />I've been playing this song on repeat. Maybe it's because I'm a wordsmith who hides in the shadows, but the story of Cyrano being used to explain the frustration of being unable to express yourself openly is something that resonates with me. It's a slyly deep lyric, married to the sweet jangle of twelve-string guitar, and an absolute bellowing roar come the bridge. It's something I can't replicate for myself.<br /><br />Conquer Me (from Save His Soul)<br /><br />There are definite eras in the discography, and this song was the turning point. The way a blues riff became a rock motif, the focus of the writing, and the sticky melody, all point toward what "Four" would soon become. The tale of this mountain climber not only reached a high point on its record, but showed from the summit there were new lands soon to explore.<br /><br />Run Around (from Four)<br /><br />The success of this song was a surprise, and became a North Star that grew dimmer as the universe's expansion drifted it further away. Maybe a semi-cynical story song with a harmonica solo never should have become popular, but indeed it did, and something about it just sounds like my youth. All you need are four chords and an idea, which this song shows with aplomb.<br /><br />Hook (from Four)<br /><br />The bitter cynicism of this song rings a bit different today, given how the next thirty years played out. It became a bit prophetic, but I can still listen to this and feel like I did the first time I 'got it'. John Popper was absolutely right that the hook is all that matters, but he also throws in his best harmonica solo (one of my favorite solos of any kind, to be fair), and that rapid-fire bridge that has been humiliating karaoke singers ever since. The truth never goes out of style.<br /><br />Canadian Rose (from Straight On Til Morning)<br /><br />This song is the saccharine chaser to the bitter taste of the previous two entries. They are built from the same elements, but with the spotlight pointed in opposite directions. The best Blues Traveler pop songs are the ones that were never intended to be pop songs, and this is a perfect example of that.<br /><br />Pretty Angry (from Bridge)<br /><br />When I think about songs that use grief to fuel art, this comes to mind first and foremost. As this one builds and builds, the loss is palpable, and the instinct to wish things unfolded differently is beyond natural. Coming to the realization, after all the emotion and the raging, that it's a waste of time not to move forward is both crushing and hopeful. Maybe things were never the same again, but something good came out of the pain.<br /><br />After What (from Bastardos!)<br /><br />There's no grand reason why I love this song so much. It just happens to be a great tune with a great melody that stands out to me as the best song of the back half of Blues Traveler's career. I don't want to make it sound like they fell off dramatically, so perhaps that gives this one the nod.<br /><br />Christmas (from A Very Special Christmas)<br /><br />This is an interesting choice, because I tend to say I hate Christmas music. This has been my favorite Christmas song for a long, long time, for that exact reason. The lyric that starts, "Comes a time for Christmas and I really have to ask, if this is feeling merry how much longer must it last?" is something I quote every year. Getting me to embrace holiday music is such a tall task this one more than earns a spot on the list. It's one of the few songs that sounds honest about what the holidays mean to some of us.<p></p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-71868720626659736712024-02-09T07:37:00.000-05:002024-02-09T07:37:11.005-05:00Quick Reviews: Hannah Wicklund, Magnum, & Any Given Day<p>Let's do a threesome! Wait a second..... that didn't come out right. <br /></p><p>Hannah Wicklund - The Prize<br /><br />Last year brought us a Graveyard album that dove into the slow and dark side, and this album almost feels like the counterbalance to that one. Hannah's sound is that of the blues, filtered through saturated guitars, but with a layer of bright melody adding depth to that cerulean shade. Hannah's voice is a treat, with a tone that alternates between grit and bellow. She is the anchor for these songs, giving them both the pain and beauty of life, while the guitars bristle with a hint of fuzz. They create a wash of sound she can cut through, like the mint on a pillow that melts into the softness of a cushy bed.<br /><br />All that would be nice, but for naught, if the songs didn't deliver. That is where Hannah brings in the comparison to Graveyard, as she is in that rare category of bluesy, vintage style artists who can still deliver songs with strong hooks and melodies that beg to be revisited. Whether it's the simplicity of the title track, or the soul-infused thunder of the closing "Sun To Sun", these are songs that are polished to reflect the dirt of the production. It's a perfect blend, and an album that punches well above its weight.<br /><br />Magnum - Here Comes The Rain<br /><br />This album is a difficult one to talk about. I was prepared to let it be, as I've talked enough about Magnum over the years, but it's hard to ignore this after the news of Tony Clarkin's passing. It shouldn't come as a shock when someone who has been in the business for roughly fifty years passes on, but to have it come right as their latest album was about to be released felt like cruel timing. That makes this the last Magnum album (or at least it had better be), and it puts someone like me in a tough spot.<br /><br />Why? Because this Magnum album is not one of the greats. They have been vacillating between really good and disappointing albums for a while, perhaps because of the mechanical regularity at which they were putting them out. Their previous album righted the ship, and was the best record in a long time. This one tried to rock a bit harder, and it simply didn't have the grandeur and the sweeping melodies I want from the band. Yes, I feel a bit sheepish criticizing an album during the band's mourning period, but honesty doesn't become any less honest. I'm just a bit sad my last memory of Magnum is going to be a disappointment, rather than the triumph we had the last time 'round.</p><p>Any Given Day - Limitless</p><p>When I first heard Any Given Day, I was amazed at how they were able to use a metalcore base to out-Tremonti the solo project from Mark Tremonti. The vocal tone made the comparison impossible for me to ignore, but Any Given Day was heavier when heavy, and hookier when hooky. Their last album was the best bit of metalcore since the classic Killswitch Engage days. This new one, then, has a lot to live up to. I can't say it does.</p><p>The pieces are still in place. The heavy parts are still crushing, and there are plenty of radio-friendly choruses for us to love. So what's wrong? It starts with the single "H.A.T.E.", which is rather cringe-worthy, but it seeps into the rest of the record. More than before, I'm hearing echoes of 'bro-ness' that are off-putting. This record sounds much more like a band posturing, puffing out their chest, and trying to whip out how tough and manly they are. That doesn't hold any appeal, and it drags down the good parts of the record for me. This one is a solid record, but it's one not good enough for me to look past the flaws. <br /></p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-37399498338110561402024-02-07T07:38:00.000-05:002024-02-07T07:38:54.810-05:00Singles Roundup: Billy Joel, Kerry King, Thundermother, & Masterplan<p>While we wait for the first single from Taylor Swift's upcoming record, let's deal with these first:<br /><br />Billy Joel - Turn The Lights Back On<br /><br />I'm old enough to remember buying "River Of Dreams" on CASSETTE back in the day, so that's how long ago I started listening to Billy Joel, which I find funny, since I pretty much only listen to the hits (the 80s hits, to boot). So to have a new song after all this time is something rather fascinating, and rather hard to wrap my head around. I can't help but wonder why he's doing this now, what motivated him after all this time to write something again. Creativity is something hard to restart after it's been turned off, so this is one of the bigger surprises in a long time.<br /><br />It's a song that reminds me of Elton John's late career. It's simple, piano-driven, and not at all trying to be 'current'. Billy is ok with sounding like himself, and sounding... mature. That's the right move, as him trying to capture "Uptown Girl" again would be a bad move. His voice sounds really good for his age, and it fits the song. The problem is that Billy has always made everything sound schmaltzier than it is, and with a song already leaning in that direction, it's bordering on being a bit too much. It's nice to hear, but I'm not sure any song can make us happy after three decades of waiting.<br /><br />Kerry King - Idle Hands<br /><br />Slayer is dead, and now Slayer lives. Look, all you need to know about this song is that it's Kerry's way of letting us all know he never wanted Slayer to end, and they only retired because Tom Araya got tired of doing it. This song is no different than any of the last couple of Slayer records, right down to recruiting a vocalist who is able to sound quite a bit like Tom when he screams. Those Slayer records weren't setting the world on fire, and an entire record with no detours provided by Jeff Hanneman is not something I'm looking forward to. I don't know if I'll actually listen to the record, but after hearing this song, I feel like I already have. That's not a good thing, right?<br /><br />Thundermother - Speaking Of The Devil<br /><br />The proof is now in, and Thundermother somehow was able to perform mitosis. They split, and we've gotten two bands of pretty much equal sound and quality. The Gems have the amazing vocals without the songs to support them, and Thundermother's new configuration does a good job of re-filling the roster, again without a great song to prop them up. This is actually a solid song, and better than their last record, but they've almost always been stuck in the AC/DC mold of riffs and wailing, without a lot of hook. This song is enjoyable enough, but I'm not finding it all that memorable. Their drama has stuck with me more than their music.<br /><br />Masterplan - Rise Again<br /><br />Was their a clamor for new Masterplan? I know their debut album got a bit of talk because of the 20th anniversary, but I hadn't heard the band's name in many years. It's been eleven years since their last album, and that's enough time for everyone to forget and move on. I did, and hearing them again feels like going back in time. What makes matters worse is that they're popping their head up after all this time, coinciding with the talk about their debut, and this is the latter lineup that doesn't have Jorn Lande. So... they're trying to remind us of the downward trajectory they took before taking their break? Interesting theory, and an uninteresting song. At some point, I might have to give up on covering metal, because this ultra-generic stuff isn't doing it for me. Back to the drawing board, guys.</p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-32076969822868712442024-02-06T07:40:00.001-05:002024-02-06T07:40:23.036-05:00Album Review: Ryujin - "Ryujin"<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvE1UeZw3mOTPlJkYQDzaa-np9YxTKbrswCq8_rPQDDuFnG2h9S0qRlsFYnHoqDy4LLZQw9rMQ-MPNb5X2xSa-DuGvh6HnX1npC4yWGLO97unVZPepEG5iWjjrewKSsY2HrVGT_nAtBe9VGUGRKso4GXQt8xnThJAif5ND0_o9DcBHVCcDL8pzFCby6Zxj/s800/ryujin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvE1UeZw3mOTPlJkYQDzaa-np9YxTKbrswCq8_rPQDDuFnG2h9S0qRlsFYnHoqDy4LLZQw9rMQ-MPNb5X2xSa-DuGvh6HnX1npC4yWGLO97unVZPepEG5iWjjrewKSsY2HrVGT_nAtBe9VGUGRKso4GXQt8xnThJAif5ND0_o9DcBHVCcDL8pzFCby6Zxj/s320/ryujin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Power metal feels in so many ways like a dead genre. Which is not to say that the genre bears no more fruit or lacks in popularity, but simply that the genre feels like it’s at the end of its evolutionary cycle. All the riffs have been shredded, all the vocals have been operatic and grand, all the songs about fantasy and striving for some great and noble purpose have been written and celebrated around whatever grand campfire.</p><p>It follows then, that to make a true mark on the power metal genre in any form, the premise must be both totally unique and flawlessly well executed. Powerwolf is the standard-bearer for this kind of revolution, but they’re hardly alone.</p><p>Exhibit A, Ryujin and their eponymous album, which intends to inject some life into the ‘samurai metal’ splinter genre that the band had previously championed under the name GYZE. Part of this is the infusion of melodic death metal tenets woven into the fabric of the music. Combining this with the inclusion of indigenous instruments and unique guitar tones accomplishes the goal of being totally unique against a staid landscape. But is the execution on par?</p><p>Sometimes the answer is yes! Four cuts in, the album shines brightly with “Raijin & Fujin,” as brisk and speedy and vital a power metal banger as has been written in years. It boasts a six minute run-time, but never feels dry or dead-ended, moving between cinematic set pieces and fiery solos with easy aplomb.</p><p>The album isn’t just a technical demonstration, though – it varies the songwriting to such a degree that the listener is taken immediately from a song that would sound at home in the heart of DragonForce’s storied catalogue (but with way more shamisen,) to a melodramatic and ultra-corny but completely compelling power ballad in “The Rainbow Song.” Every stereotype of cloud-parting-sunshine-metal-ballad that’s ever existed is wrapped up in this cut, and despite the obvious saccharine ridiculousness, the song is an instant singalong classic and brings an easy smile to all around.</p><p>Skipping down to the title track (and continuing the great metal tradition of synergy between band, album and song name – the song “Iron Maiden” on the album “Iron Maiden” by the band Iron Maiden…see also Black Sabbath,) and we see again an accomplished side of Ryujin, this one mixing in a completely clean guitar tone with some pentatonic-scale backgrounds and a real flavor for what we’ve come to think of Eastern-sounding music. It is in these longer songs where Ryujin excels most, as they explore the space with confidence and yet still manage to keep the songs on the rails.</p><p>The issue though, is that there’s not enough of these songs to propel the album into greatness. We’ve pretty much discussed the best moments the album has to offer, and what remains isn’t bad by any means, but never becomes something more than the baseline of a hundred different flavors of power metal (even if “Saigo No Hosi” seems like it might be a karaoke favorite.)</p><p>Ryujin’s new record could have been truly great if they’d pushed the envelope with Eastern influences on each cut, rather than selecting just a few to parse them in. There’s great talent here, but too many cuts (“Dragon, Fly Free,” “Scream of the Dragon,” “Gekirin” to name a few,) never blossom into something we all haven’t heard before. It’s a shame, because it causes the album to fade into the pastiche of the genre(s) around it, thus taking attention away from the select moments that truly soar.</p><div><br /></div>D.Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12238912376284434654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-89772391952589788302024-02-05T07:42:00.001-05:002024-02-05T10:00:59.940-05:00My Favorite Songwriters<p>I may sound like the proverbial broken record, but there's a reason I keep saying "it's all about the songs". That's because it is. Without great songs, it doesn't matter how good someone's voice is, or how blistering their solos, because those are not the ways we (or at least it's true for me) consume music. Music is given to us in song form, and being able to translate talent and ideas into great songs is a skill many either never develop, or they don't put enough care and craft into.<br /><br />I know exactly what it takes to write a great song, and what is mere window dressing distracting us from a mediocre starting point. Writing songs doesn't just challenge you, it teaches you about the music you listen to. I can focus on what is important, because I know from experience what those elements are. Songwriting is a form of magic, conjuring a diamond from the ether. The greats make it look simple, but having an artistic voice that resonates with listeners is a rare feat.<br /><br />Today, I will tell you about which songwriters have those voices. These are the writers who, time and again, have written songs that have made an impact on me, and sharpened those edges when time threatened to soften and erode the creases we mistake for smiles.<br /><br /><i>Jim Steinman</i><br /><br />If I'm ever forced to pick the one person whose music has meant the most to me, who has spoken to more more than any other, and whose influence I feel is the strongest, it would be Jim Steinman. It was "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)" which made me fall in love with music, and the two (at the time) "Bat Out Of Hell" records were everything to me for a long time. Now, it extends beyond that. I won't say everything he ever did was genius, but so many of his songs are what I think myself to be. I am melodramatic, I am sarcastic, I am self-deprecating, and so too are his songs. Jim's work has always been the overblown voice in your head narrating life as if it was a Broadway musical. Whether it's "Bat Out Of Hell", "Bad For Good", or even a forgotten gem like "Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young", Steinman's music is often the soundtrack to my soul.<br /><br /><i>Emerson Hart</i><br /><br />For more than twenty years, I have maintained Tonic is my favorite band, and my faith in that has never wavered. Emerson's songs, both with Tonic, and on his solo album "Cigarettes & Gasoline", are the ones that propelled me to become a musician myself. I love the way Emerson builds rock songs from the simplest collection of notes, and how he manipulates the voicings of chord shapes one note at a time. There is a bluntness to his writing that can be taken as rudimentary, but it's an understanding of what does and doesn't need to be in a song. I love "Liar", even if the riff is just three notes. Like that, Emerson's songs are honest expressions that you don't need to gussy up an idea to make it seem more impressive than it is. Saying something plainly can often be the most powerful way. That's a lesson I often forget.<br /><br /><i>Elvis Costello</i><br /><br />What is amazing about Elvis is his fearlessness when it comes to doing something new and different. His penchant for wordplay and sticky melodies in his early years are what I remain most drawn to, but "King Of America" is the record I may have learned more from than any other. Elvis is a songwriter who knew if you had a clever way to say something, it could cut through the tropes and conventions. Having a unique voice is just as important as knowing how to best use it. Whether you're telling a story or a truth, you need to spin a tale of interesting words well worth listening to. There are many stumbles along the way, but from "Alison", to "Oliver's Army", to "Man Out Of Time", to "Either Side Of The Same Town", Elvis kept pulling rabbits out of the hat long after we knew how the trick was done.<br /><br /><i>Tobias Sammet</i><br /><br />There are few songwriters in the metal world who not only understand that a catchy melody is a good thing, but who can consistently write them. No one does it better, or more often, than Tobi. My journey into metal started when I heard "The Headless Game", and it continued as Edguy and Avantasia grew and developed. I loved the epicness of "The Pharaoh", the stinging heavy pop of "Dying For An Angel", and even some of the dark horse picks like the absolutely absurd "The Pride Of Creation". No one else has better illustrated that my loves of heavy guitars and hooky melodies can coexist.<br /><br /><i>John Popper</i><br /><br />I was eleven when Blues Traveler's "Four" came out, and I didn't understand the underlying anger of the record. I also didn't understand why 'shiv-shank a yuppy' was a line on the next record. But that's actually the beauty of John Popper's writing. Whether it's an allusion to Cyrano in "Sweet Pain", or a nursery rhyme in "Let Her Or Let Go", he always throws a hundred words against the wall to see which stick. The sheer verbosity of his lyrics and melodies inspired me, and can still amaze me. Serpentine windings can lose their focus, but so many Blues Traveler songs manage to be frenetic while still being sticky tunes.<br /><br /><i>Jakob Dylan</i><br /><br />You'll notice a theme here, where words are quite important to me. That is never more true than talking about Jakob Dylan, whose poetry on The Wallflowers' "Breach" showed me a new window into songwriting. We only need to look at "I've Been Delivered" to find all the inspiration we'll ever need. The abstract poetry is a marvel, and when it culminated in the line, "I can't fix something this complex any more than I can build a rose", I was sold. Music is wonderful, but it is incomplete without the right words to go along with it, and it is Dylan's poetry that most mirrors my own. From "One Headlight", to "Some Flowers Bloom Dead", to "From The Bottom Of My Heart", his songs have said more than words can say.<br /><br /><i>Jim Adkins</i><br /><br />The most recent addition to this list, what Jim Adkin's songs do better than anyone else's is echo with emotional resonance. There is something to his voice, and the way it bends around simple pleas, that no one else quite matches. He was never better than when writing Jimmy Eat World's "Futures", an album that aches with both nostalgia for the past, and the pain we want to go back and feel again. But it's more than just one record, no matter how much I love it. The way "Dizzy" reminds us that having the world revolve around us would actually leave us reeling is fascinating, and so many of Jimmy Eat World's other songs know how to wring emotions out of even the steeliest of people. I'm rather awed by it.</p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-72032343924308530682024-02-01T07:33:00.004-05:002024-02-01T07:33:57.302-05:00VK Lynne's Bouquet Of "Plastic Roses"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOClrTKYjeyCL_7mh2FfKuIBe0IrYygQnJ-P7YVcKI7bhM27CoDZIvaWOBs7uUwWsqGSa2QGuT-IepmgYWNNQFUMup0uw-ThcXa2lJJmNjFApz4cB89Pq2BOK7vJaVkHcj6_hO1pzhsGgt9_hf46GwwrHUKDNWTEyBKi645QnaMGhwFkaPOZ2BALAyCMZ/s800/http___gather.fandalism.com_1087296--BD019664-2B58-4DE7-8B83CC559ACA6C05--0--705825--PlasticRoses.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOClrTKYjeyCL_7mh2FfKuIBe0IrYygQnJ-P7YVcKI7bhM27CoDZIvaWOBs7uUwWsqGSa2QGuT-IepmgYWNNQFUMup0uw-ThcXa2lJJmNjFApz4cB89Pq2BOK7vJaVkHcj6_hO1pzhsGgt9_hf46GwwrHUKDNWTEyBKi645QnaMGhwFkaPOZ2BALAyCMZ/w320-h320/http___gather.fandalism.com_1087296--BD019664-2B58-4DE7-8B83CC559ACA6C05--0--705825--PlasticRoses.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>I wrote a line in a song about a muse once that talked about how the greatest feat of strength I could ever manage would be to bend her lips into a smile. It takes work and effort to pull the corners of your mouth up into a display of happiness, while the gravity of life fights to keep you feeling flat. The energy it takes to maintain a smile is why joy dissolves as quickly as a rainbow after a storm, while pain lingers on the ground in puddles that leave a trail of footprints for miles.<br /><br />These feelings become even more complicated when family becomes involved, which I ascribe to our simplistic conventions of thought. We (as a society) tell ourselves that family is everything, and that we must love our families because they are the people closest to us. But does unconditional love for someone simply because they share more of our genes make any more sense than rooting for a sports team just because they were the closest one to the town where you grew up?<br /><br />"Plastic Roses" dives into these issues, and about how some of the 'gifts' we are given by our upbringing are destined to be with us forever, much like a plastic ornament that won't decompose until long after we are gone. We can shove them in a closet, or give them away, but in the back of our mind we know they are still out there waiting for us to come back upon that happenstance.<br /><br />Looking back on life explains the fitting motif of this song, whose bits of lead guitar borrow a feeling from "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", or at least that entire era of rock. They were around at the right time, after all. The song's verses are chapters of the story, each showing a new scene in which pain is transferred from one person to another, as if Isaac Newton actually discovered the true scientific reality is that pain is energy, and as such can never be destroyed. We pass it on to others to alleviate our own suffering, because we aren't always strong or wise enough to suffer for those we are supposed to love.<br /><br />That is made clear in the opening scene, set at a wedding, where we are reminded that love really is a choice. Oh, it might feel inevitable, or a matter of fate, but it's something we decide to embrace every day. When you think about it, that actually makes it more special. If love was part of some divine plan, all we would be doing is following a path set out for us, riding the moving sidewalk with all the purpose and direction that entails. But if we have to choose to love, and every day we make that same decision, it's a constant reaffirmation that out of the myriad possibilities for how the universe can unfold, this is the one we want to explore.<br /><br />Looking at things from that perspective makes family dynamics even sadder when they fall apart. I have family I am more or less dead to, and in their absence I have often thought about whether or not I'm supposed to feel bad about how things have turned out. In the end, I came to the realization that any kind of relationship is reciprocal. When someone doesn't show you love, no, you shouldn't feel bad about building a life that can support itself without them.</p><p>This is where developing as a blues singer is put to startling effect. VK's voice shifts from resignation to anger, from crooning to belting, all the while finding ways to pierce our armor. The sad stories seep in around the unsealed edges, while the fire inside is able to burn straight through the metal plate that protects our heart. The lead guitar weeps, but the rhythm builds into a thunder of pent up emotions, a powerful storm striking from above.</p><p>It's rare for a song to give us so much to think about, so many questions we can ask ourselves. That's one of the things that separates good songs from great ones.<br /><br />So if "Plastic Roses" has VK Lynne dipping a bit into the sound of glam, it's because she's making herself up to show that the pain of the past might always be there, but in time we can paint over it so others will never see, and perhaps the memory can occasionally be forgotten when we look in the mirror. Those artificial reminders will never die, but they can be redefined.<br /><br />Just so long as we don't pass them off as a Valentine's Day gift, but that's a story for another day.</p><p> "Plastic Roses" releases on February 15th. <a href="https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/vklynne/plastic-roses?fbclid=IwAR0GyJQDC8d123bCvs25ArG2zwwmTDdmgdtgrgnVt5rSdtMOG7G4CU_Ob_A">Pre-save it here! </a><br /></p><p></p><br />Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-14446554479829369522024-01-30T05:55:00.003-05:002024-01-30T05:55:38.240-05:00Album Review: Sundrifter - "An Earlier Time"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfTzIPltbanLQMB2XQFs0WWYLwYxFfbWwMr4nHBeT-B7KIRYMXZ13umtv18WgK0ABiThrKaTGVOXVvpCnEhsOanUuA9QE88alSRcIJR2IRwoOFlxzQTH8MRKvjnMUgtEu-PEOjAQIn9xvA8sf0jtxBepKUrG7IEuz14ARqzuTv8hR0HeAOcTLINEiG_tq/s1200/sundrifter%20-%20an%20earlier%20time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfTzIPltbanLQMB2XQFs0WWYLwYxFfbWwMr4nHBeT-B7KIRYMXZ13umtv18WgK0ABiThrKaTGVOXVvpCnEhsOanUuA9QE88alSRcIJR2IRwoOFlxzQTH8MRKvjnMUgtEu-PEOjAQIn9xvA8sf0jtxBepKUrG7IEuz14ARqzuTv8hR0HeAOcTLINEiG_tq/s320/sundrifter%20-%20an%20earlier%20time.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>It’s probably too much of a cheap cop-out if I just say that Sundrifter’s “An Earlier Time” is everything that worked on their previous full-length “Visitations,” but better, right? That would be lazy? Fine, let’s dig in.</p><p>Lazy or no, that’s the truth of it. “Visitations” was a record steeped in stoner rock lore, modified with a space-y theme and packaged and shipped with chunky riffs and wandering vocal cadences and it was every part of beautiful and smoothy accomplished in its goal of creating a space where the listener could close their eyes and be carried away on a cosmic tide of distortion.</p><p>Okay, that was a run-on sentence, but that works, because “Visitations” was, for its achievement and greatness, essentially a run-on sentence, loaded to the limit with droning intonations and the meanderings of unquiet but uniquely focused minds. Which is to say, uniquely focused on the central tonality of the album at hand.</p><p>“An Earlier Time” is, by contrast, a less focused effort, and much better for the experience. As rudimentary as it sounds to suggest, this album improves on what made the last album work by focusing on creating songs, and not necessarily just on pieces of music that allow the brain to disconnect and float away.</p><p>Let me rein in here, I’m not making any sense. Go back to “Death March,” and now compare it to this new album’s “Space Exploration.” The layman might not be able to discern the difference easily, but notice that the latter song has a more focused vocal performance, and that the song moves through stages while still maintaining the baseline theme of far-out space rock. There’s a chorus and a verse and a bridge and all the transitions that make for superior songcraft.</p><p>That’s really the whole of the experience with “An Earlier Time.” This is Sundrifter using more tools of the trade to make a brighter, more nimble experience that’s easier to digest in bite-sized pieces while still staying true to the roots of the band’s ideal self. The development of songwriting on this record heightens everything that it contains, moving Sundrifter from being a novel, catchy experience to being a force within their chosen splinter genre.</p><p>Which is not to say that the album completely abandons how we got here. “Begin Again” might be the best song on the record, and is also the longest. The positively spritely guitar into eventually gives way to the kind of minimalist droning that so exemplifies Sundrifter through three albums now. But it never gets lost within itself, never gives away completely to the reckless abandon of repetition.</p><p>We should also take a moment to recognize “Want You Home,” an airy space ballad that lives on the border of some of the more esoteric songs by Cream, which is meant as a compliment. This kind of song has to have all the pieces fit just right to not become hackneyed, and the choral backing and major chord choruses provide the glue for what is as unique a song as any Sundrifter has produced to this point, or can be found in the genre.</p><p>“An Earlier Time” is a more mature and focused album by Sundrifter, a band who had already given us glimpses of their potential in years gone by. There are certainly still some sequences that get a little long in the tooth, but if you weren’t expecting that in this style of music, you may be misguided in the first place. Despite the name of the album, “An Earlier Time” is a revelatory step in space rock.</p><div><br /></div>D.Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12238912376284434654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-82004655949982154392024-01-29T07:34:00.000-05:002024-01-29T07:34:01.318-05:00Singles Roundup: Bruce Dickinson, Yours Truly, Whom Gods Destroy, Smash Atoms, and Jules & The Howl<p>This batch of singles is quite the kaleidoscope of different sounds and styles.<br /><br />Bruce Dickinson - Rain On The Graves<br /><br />My concerns about a new album twenty years down the line were assuaged by the first single. This second single puts me back on my nerves, as this is perhaps the worst solo song I've ever heard from Bruce. Yes, this is worse than the glam record he made. Yes, this is worse than when he tried to rap. This song's spoken word verses and weak chorus might work as part of the cheesy old horror video they put out, but it doesn't work as a song at all. It makes Bruce sound old and out-of-touch, and has absolutely none of the good things I love his music for. Now I need to get my red pen ready.<br /><br />Yours Truly - Call My Name<br /><br />There's no word yet if this is a one-off or a harbinger of more to come, but Yours Truly is once again shifting their tone and exploring new avenues. After the experimental modernity of their last EP, this song slots in-between that sound and their "Self Care" record. They continue to be masters of emo-pop, using elements of pop-punk, but in ways that have emotional depth rather than snarky middle-fingers. Mikaela is her usual commanding presence, and the slightly darker tone indicates growing up means realizing the good times never get so good again. Count me in for a whole record of this.<br /><br />Whom Gods Destroy - In The Name Of War<br /><br />The remnants of Sons Of Apollo reform in this guise, and the results are pretty much the same. It's sludgy heavy metal with both groove and technical playing, trying to bridge the gap between modern metal and classic prog metal. I don't know if it can possibly do that, but I like that this song is more straightforward, because that's actually where Sons Of Apollo were at their best. This is no classic, but the heavy tones fit better with Dino Jelusick's voice than they did with Jeff Scott Soto, so if the rest of the record doesn't stray from this formula, it could be a solid entry in a field I'm not always keen on.<br /><br />Smash Atoms - Down<br /><br />Our theory of music being cyclical hasn't always hit the mark, but Smash Atoms plays into that. They do nothing on their first single to hide their immense Alice In Chains influence. The same tones and haunting vocals are present here, and it's amazing to me how it still sounds both fresh and unique, despite it being a thirty year old sound. In some ways, you could say this actually sounds more like AIC than what the band morphed into currently does. In any event, while I might not have been into the grunge scene at the time, I'm quite digging this song, and I'm looking forward to a record in this style much more than any of the dozens of 80s flavored albums that will be coming along.</p><p>Jules & The Howl - The Howl</p><p>Music serves different purposes, depending on our needs. For someone like me, music is a way to purge negative thoughts into a flurry of obscure metaphors that are honest without being understood. For someone like Jules, music is the force that gives her energy, the lifeblood that pumps through her veins. "The Howl" is her new mission statement, a declaration that through her music she has found her voice, and is going to be unabashedly Jules. It takes a remarkable voice to be able to properly howl, and Jules has always been blessed with that gift. Here, she uses the blues groove of the band's power to confidently assert herself as a rocking force, which is a feeling I wish I could feel for myself. Jules knows who she wants to be, and what she wants her music to stand for, which is more than we can say about a lot of artists. Howl at the moon, and just maybe it will echo through the still of the night. <br /></p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-64177997123707990362024-01-26T07:38:00.000-05:002024-01-26T07:38:33.862-05:00Album Review: The Gems - Phoenix<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://api.roughtrade.com/media/thumbnails/products/Phoenix_83d463c0_thumbnail_1024.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://api.roughtrade.com/media/thumbnails/products/Phoenix_83d463c0_thumbnail_1024.webp" width="320" /></a></div>There was a very brief time when I thought Thundermother were one of the more promising young rock bands out there. They had some good songs, and they had a hell of a vocalist, so the pieces were in place for them to grow and develop into something special. That didn't happen, as the band fractured soon thereafter. The Gems, as you can guess by the album's title, are rising from the ashes of Thundermother. That means we get the same kind of classic hard rock, and more importantly, we get the same outstanding vocals. The Gems got the biggest talent in this divorce, so they're starting out well ahead.<br /><br />The problem is, of course, that songwriting is the hardest thing to quantify. While this group has all the talent necessary to play and sing a great record, they don't quite have the songs for it. Thundermother didn't always have it either, and it's this quality that seems to have been most affected by the split. The good song ideas are still there, but now they're being split between two bands, and there aren't enough of them for everything to be killer. That's especially true with this record being fifteen songs long, including three 'interludes'. That's taking on more risk of a dud than they need to. The longer you stretch your record, and the more superfluous music you put on it, the better it needs to be.<br /><br />As I said, the band has all the necessary talent. Mona and Emlee can play this AC/DC-ish rock very well, and Guernica is one of the best young singers out there. I can think of scores of other singers who keep getting put in band after band who don't have the tone and power she possesses. She is the selling point for any album she's on. Unfortunately for the band, this isn't the old days anymore, and that isn't enough.<br /><br />That time when I thought Thundermother had so much potential was during an album cycle where they worked with a producer who was aiding them in the songwriting department. I don't know if The Gems are doing the same thing, but whatever the process of creating this music is, the results often don't have the melodic edge that would make these songs really hook listeners. Too many of these songs fall into the old bluesy rock stereotype of shouting a chorus where the focus is on the voice, and not only the actual melody, because there isn't much of one. In a way I understand that, since I'm sure those are the style of bands influencing them, but that's not the kind of music that is of this time.<br /><br />The Gems are an example of how hard it is to be a truly great band. The odds of putting together a band with great players and a phenomenal singer, who happen to also be great songwriters, are pretty low. One of those areas is likely to be lacking, and depending on which one it is, the others may not be able to pick up the slack to carry the group over the threshold.<br /><br />That's where I feel we're getting a bit stuck. I want to love this record, because the band's tones are wonderful. Guernica is a force I want to be blown away by. The songs don't consistently win me over, and as much as I like the sound itself, it isn't enough to make me want to keep listening to this record again and again. The Gems have a lot of promise, but a bit more melody needs to be injected before I get the itch. This is a solid start, but let's hope it's only that, and bigger things are on the horizon.<br /><br /><p></p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304253421271402015.post-39034255949511272022024-01-24T07:38:00.000-05:002024-01-24T07:38:29.099-05:00VK Lynne's Perfectly Aged "Whiskey Or Water"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/517xRrMyQmL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/517xRrMyQmL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Pretty much the only thing I know about whiskey is this; the best stuff gets better with age. The flavors grow deeper and more complex, and those things we appreciate are heightened in ways that can overwhelm our senses. Time is the heat forge that reduces and condenses the liquor into the sort of thing people spend their entire day waiting for, much like how we can turn fruit into the kind of thick syrup you can only have a small taste of, lest you feel your blood turning to sugar.<br /><br />As a creator, you don't always know what is going to come to define your work. There are times you will pour yourself into a piece that melts away from the audience, and there are times when a piece you didn't think much of will resonate and endure. For VK Lynne, her defining work remains "Whiskey Or Water", which turns fifteen this year. It can be an odd sensation to be so connected to your past, while trying to build your present and future, but we need to remember whoever we are now is a direct result of who we were. These last fifteen years wouldn't have played out as they did if we made different choices, which means "Whiskey Or Water" is a marker laid on the path to this artistic whirlwind.<br /><br />Time gives us perspective, where we can see how the pieces of the jigsaw fit together, even if we can't take scissors to them to arrange our memories as we want them to. VK sings in the title track, "I never know who I am until I stare into this glass that's in my hand." The image of that inspiration will be etched in our souls, but time allows us the opportunity to take a chisel to the edges and turn that picture into something we can smile at. VK's weary vocals are a testament to the struggle of existential questioning (and perhaps a good reason why people smarter than me take to drinking in the first place), and hearing that somber resignation shows us just how bright things have been able to burn since then.<br /><br />Like the rainbow kaleidoscope she is, the album stretches to every corner and color of VK's personality. These sorts of albums tell you who someone truly is, revealing the complexity of the human mind. Contrast that with those who mine the same ore time and time again (that would be me), and we begin to see and appreciate the people who have more than one way to love them. As our metaphor reminds us, depth and complexity is the goal.<br /><br />We open on "Find Me", one of VK's most rousing songs. With jangling guitars and a dynamic swell, I can't hear VK launch into the chorus without the mental image of singing those words on a stage, arms open and ready to invite the world into her show. The irony of that song not being the one I discovered VK through does make me regret the time I could have spent basking in the glow of this pink sunrise. Today's exploration of 'blues metal' is the flip-side to this bit of 'blues pop', and shows us there are infinite shades of blue left to explore.<br /><br />Elvis told us about his wish for a blue Christmas, but how many artists can slip Christmas onto an album and not have it stick out like a sore thumb? It's a time that can absolutely drag us into the depths, so it's natural to explore those feelings. VK comes to the conclusion that love is the answer, but it comes with the realization that love is a complicated state of mind, and it's one we sometimes need to be taught. Friction can create heat, but it can also fray. Love stitches us back together when we make the choice to embrace those ties.<br /><br />This record sounds like a crossroads, the proverbial 'end of the beginning and beginning of the end'; that end being one chapter of life, and the beginning being the next. As "Sunday" closes the record with VK saying, "Baby we can do this on a summer Sunday night, when the sun sets over LA", it hinted at the start of something new, something disconnected from the issues of the past. The summer sunset pushed the past beyond the horizon, letting the morning light the next day shine on a new path.<br /><br />No one could have known what these following fifteen years would bring, but looking back with our perfect hindsight, it feels fitting we are only now returning to VK Lynne as a solo artist. "Whiskey Or Water" was a purging of so much, it was inevitably going to take time for enough life to build up in her to match the depth and meaning contained in these songs.<br /><br />Is VK whiskey or water? Which am I? These are questions we can ask, but the answer is simple. We are always both, just with the balance titled depending on how strong a drink we need that day. I may not be able to tolerate alcohol, but I'll make an exception for a sip of what VK is pouring.<p></p>Chris Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09889080582478944919noreply@blogger.com0