Single of the week: Husky "History's Door"

I get lulls sometimes, when music is scarce in my neck of the woods, or when I just plain old tap out. To prevent this, I present to you "Song of the week" I will review single songs, usually new once a week in addition to my usual stuff.

This week's single:

Husky "History's Door"(3/6):

 “History’s door” was neither particularly stellar nor particularly horrible. One of the things that prevented it from being a really good song was the over use of auto-tune. This is especially obnoxious in Indi music where there is a lot of melody auto tune can be used well to create ambiance and make certain words stand out, however more often than not, it is used to mask a mediocre voice or sound 'cool," which I find distasteful. Have the artistic courage to put your actual voice out there or really lay on the distortion. Go big or go home. 

In that vein, it was like Husky was trying to make a polished studio produced album sound lo- fi. Either go minimal production, or don’t,-don’t fake it. I found that pretentious and off-putting.

That being said, the guitar work stands out in places as very clear and uses some interesting tuning adding a little twang. It is clear the guitarist is good. The lyrics are decent as well and I wonder what the vocalist sounds like without the auto-tune.  It seems as though there is talent buried under all of the distortion.

It grew on me a little as I listened to it again.

In Praise of "Bad" Music: Nickelback w/ bush, Seether (not reviewed) and My Darkest Days(not reviewed) at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Il

Venue: Allstate Arena, Rosemont, IL-- (3/6) I’ve never been a big fan of arena shows, but sometimes my bands get popular enough to need them, which makes me happy for them. The Allstate Arena is one of the only really big arenas in the Chicagoland area and it’s really more of a sports arena than an arena meant for concerts. The audio system is basically just a PA system and as a result is flat, has lots of noise and is generally not the best system save for the fact that its loud. Its also one of the dirtier arenas I’ve seen and the concessions and merch are hard to access and shoddy. They are also highly disorganized.

The only real pluses are the pyro and the size. The Allstate Arena can comfortably fit 17,500 people and is laid out well enough that it’s pretty easy to see most places.

And the pyro, oh the pyro. I admit I am a sucker for good pyro. The Allstate has a great pyro and visual effects team, which, while not necessary, adds a certain flare to a rock show.

Speaking of which…

Bush (3.5/6): I came in part way through the set on this one, but my gods it was fun. I have to admit that a large chunk of what contributed to my enjoyment of the show was the nostalgia factor. I hadn’t heard anything new from bush in eleven years. I’d assumed they’d gone the way of many 90s grunge stars. They apparently have a new album, which from what little I’ve heard of it is much in keeping with their old stuff-- grunge with ragged, low fi guitar work and slurred vocals. As someone who grew up when it was in its heyday, I have a big soft spot for grunge. While the instrumentation is not thin to write home about, and Rosedale’s voice is not traditionally a good voice, I found they put on a good show and kept in sprit with their music. There is also something to be said when an artist who hasn’t been big in over a decade can walk into the crowd and still get mobbed. Rosedale owned what he wrote and preformed with a dignity that is not seen in a lot of faded stars.

I feel like this is how my parent’s generation feels when they see bands from the 60s on stage.

Nickelback: (4/6) This is my third Nickelback show, and it always feels like a gigantic party. I find that Nickelback reputation is undeserved. There are far worse artists. Sex, booze and rock and roll are the dominant themes of their music. (A friend of mine compared them justly to AC/DC) Crass, dirty, with a devil may care attitude; Chad Kroger knows how to throw a party. He knows his audience and while far from the emotionally intense leap-into-the-crowd style of many artists, he knows what to say to get the crowd cheering and singing along. He also has a wonderful dynamic with his band-mates. There were multiple occasions where I could see the laughter in guitarist Ryan
Peake's face when he and Kroger played off each other. It is a wonderful thing to see a band with a bond. With how cocky he can be, it is difficult to imagine Kroger deferring to anyone, except maybe to go get more alcohol. However, he was more than willing to let both his guitarists and his drummer have their spot in the limelight.

The think that impressed me at this particular show was that Nickleback has grown up as a band. While the days of carousing booze and sex songs are far from gone, there were a few songs that had a level of thoughtfulness that was distinctly lacking in previous work. I never in my life would have expected piano work to appear on a Nickleback album, let alone in an anti-suicide song. I’m pleased to see Nickelback keeping their swagger but adding a little more depth.

Overall, a great show.

Shinedown with The Art Of Dying at the House of Blues Chicago

Venue: House of Blues Chicago (5/6) I have personal bias toward the House of Blues. It was the first venue I ever patroned to of my own volition in Chicago. For a while it was the only one I went to, as I was scared of getting lost. It is my home venue. It is big enough to house a few thousand, but small enough that there isn’t a truly bad vantage point, save for behind one of the massive pillars that support the ornately painted celing. It’s a very clean venue with friendly staff and wonderful security. I often refer to their security as ninjas, nearly invisible unless there is a problem in which case suddenly you find yourself in close proximity with five burly gentlemen in bright yellow shirts.

I also find it a gorgeous venue peppered with unique art and statuary lining two layers of balcony seating along with the standing room floor.  The bathrooms are also some of the nicest I’ve seen in any venue. Which doesn’t mean anything about the other venues, but adds a certain degree of class to the House of Blues.

The Show:

Art of Dying: (4/6) This is the second time I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Art Of Dying. Their classic rock sound combined with upbeat, motivational lyrics make for a show that makes the listener feel like they are capable of anything.  Vocalist Jonny Hetherington worked the crowd surprisingly well and kept lively interaction going throughout the show. Greg Bradley’s style is precise and distinct without being over rehearsed. In fact, the overall sound of the band was very clear and had a great deal of personality. There was no mixing up Art of Dying’s sound with any other. Eighties aesthetic meshes with a more modern sensibility nicely in this little four man band. I found art of dying to be a great opener for Shinedown, as their sound complemented Shinedown’s well

Shinedown (5/6):

 Shinedown continually brings a powerhouse of emotional content ranging from the highflying “Amaryllis” to the cutthroat “Devour” and the quiet pain in  “45.”  Vocalist and lyricist Brent Smith gives all  of himself to his music and it shows. His energy matches his graciousness in its boundlessness.  He is wonderful to both his fans and his band mates; you can really see how much Smith understands that the band is a unit, not simply a vehicle for the front man.  It was especially fun to see his dynamic with guitarist Zach Myers. It is apparent that these two have been working together for a very long time and share a strong chemistry that is a rare treat in the rock world.

Myers is a showman in his own right.  With his clean-cut hair and pretty-boy face, Myer’s bold power scream vocals are quite a surprise. His guitar work is powerful and occasionally sassy. Myers also has an innate understanding of how to place himself on stage and, as mentioned above, has a wonderful dynamic with his band mates.

On the whole, Shinedown continues to bring a fierce, engaging show and a professionalism that a lot of artists simply lack.  I cannot wait to see them again. 

3000 Views!

Happy 3000 views to the Haven! I remember when seven views was a lot. I wish I could do something fun to thank you guys for the over three and a half years of support. 

Next up: 

Shinedown with The Art of Dying at the House of Blues Chicago. 

Road Trip Show: Coheed and Cambria with Moving Mountains and Pianos Become Teeth at The Canopy Club in Champaign, IL

Venue (3.5/6): The Canopy Club is my kind of venue. It’s small enough to be cozy but large enough to be a proper crowd. It is neither the nicest, nor the cleanest of venues, though it is far from disgusting. It has its own character and charm. The majority of the space is standing room, but it has a balcony for those who want to sit. The layout was comfortable with ample access to bars and merch.  The floor was also divided in such a way as to keep the pit crowd from running up against those who wanted to stand but not mosh.   This was my second time at The Canopy Club and both times I had a perfect line of sight to the stage. It was nice and intimate.

Where The Canopy Club loses points is the horrid sound system.  While it’s not the worst I’ve heard, it is very unforgiving especially on the vocals and produces a lot of noise.

Overall, it’s a fun venue with an intimate, comfortable feel.

The Show:

Opener, the First: Pianos Become Teeth (1/6)— Oh Gods. I think these guys  are the worst live act I’ve seen. The one point they earned is for the drummer who, despite his other band-mates' complete lack of talent, was actually decent.  I retract any statement I’ve made about screamo not needing talent to be decent.  This was noise.  The front man didn’t even have a strong scream and seemed to be either drunk or high out of his mind.  Being smashed isn’t a problem usually, however it impeded his already tenuous ability to preform. I spent the parts of the show wondering if he was going to simply stager and fall right over.  The screaming was just drunk screeching, not the guttural screams that make scream work.  And the back-up vocals were just as bad.  The guitar work was fair at best and the bass work was just wretched. Despite my usual desire to encourage younger bands I ended up actually falling asleep on my feet during this set.

I took a glance at their album work, as many younger bands don’t preform as well live as recorded.  It was better, however, it was still horrible.

Opener, the second: Moving Mountains (3/6)– In the wake of Pianos Become Teeth’s performance, all Moving Mountains had to do was show up and tune their instruments to be an improvement.  They had a very professional, yet still eager attitude toward performing.  All told they were solid. Front man[dude] has a good scream and still mange’s to make the melodies distinct. The one that surprised me was when their hither to subdued bassist let out an eagle-like scream.   They made a good effort to keep their sound solid and get the crowd moving.

All told decent.

Headliner: Coheed And Cambria. (5/6)– Coheed and Cambria is the band that set the bar in my book for top live show. From how articulate front man Claudio Sanchez is to the technically astonishing guitar work and brilliant stage presence, Coheed and Cambria brings a level of showmanship and talent not seen in many artists.  Sanchez has innate confidence but has a willingness to share the spotlight with his band mates and a young lady who I suspect is his wife. He also has a very strong relationship with the fans and knows exactly how to work with the crowd while not slacking off on performing.  In addition to his phenomenal vocal work Sanchez has a gift for guitar work.  The majority of artists I’ve seen who both play and do vocals stick to rhythm guitar as it is much simpler to do when sinning. Not so with Sanchez, he does a great deal of the lead guitar exquisitely.

Guitarist Travis Stever is a marvel in his own right.  He can do things with guitar work that I didn’t know were possible. He is amazingly talented and brings his own magic to the show. His backing vocals also complement Sanchez’s own tenor voice lending an ethereal quality to their overall sound.

Their energy and sound are always amazing to experience. A Coheed And Cambria show is unlike anything else I’ve seen.

Album review: Silent Nightmare -Awakening-

I picked up Silent Nightmare’s album Awakening at con several years ago and was reminded that I had it in my drawer in a series of very odd events (Nothing quite makes this young critic jump like the phrase “Wait you’re Arin Wolfe?” Thankfully it was only “I saw you at a con!”) It’s good stuff on the whole.

Vocalist Tara Duhan clearly has years of vocal training under her belt giving her a thoroughly sophisticated style and very technically correct sound. However, this is also her biggest weakness she is so focused on being correct that she loses a lot of the emotional content. She also comes off a little tight in places. That beging said, she has an incredibly powerful voice with a dynamic range spanning the majority of the mezzo-soprano range.

The guitar work is also solid as is the bass work. However, the balance is in desperate need of a rehaul. Hearing all of the instrumentation at the same level at once is cacophonous and distracting in a otherwise charming piece.

There is a cinematic feel to the work as well, it sounds as though it should be a video game soundtrack and it has that same produced sound on top of the dramatic sentiment

My favorite track is the acoustic version of “The Key” as a lot of the over produced sound is dropped and even the vocals are less technical and more passionate. I would love to see more like that track.

Overall it was a decent album. Solid all the way around.

(4/6)

William Beckett -Walk the Talk EP--

Walk the Talk is exactly what I wanted when I heard “Compromising Me,” It has all of the cheek and defiance that fans have come to expect from William Beckett without being the same thing we’ve heard before. I’ve always been impressed with Beckett’s articulate, yet still simple and honest vocal style and the lyrics that invariably match. There has always been a vulnerability to him that draws the listener in without being so raw it hurts. In the decade(?) he’s been in the industry (the majority of with he’s spent as a Chicago celebrity) he has yet to lose his shyness. I vividly remember seeing him doe eyed and utterly startled ad the number of fans present when he was signing after one of his solo shows a few years ago. He may have grown more confident, but he never got jaded like so many other artists.

I could go on forever, but this is about the EP not the man behind it.

All of the personable openness I went on about above doesn’t make for a somber album; on the contrary the album is light hearted, defiant and occasionally earnest. If this EP is indicative of where his new sound is going I will be very pleased. Wonderful voice combined with the ability to use it well without being pretentious, William Beckett is a cut above the rest.
(5/6)

Album Review: Faded Pearl -Faded Pearl-

Faded Pearl 4/6
Maybe I should give new artists a little more credit as this is the second really solid new artist I’ve discovered that is legitimately good and has a professional sound.
I found Faded Pearl at C2E2 hidden in the tiny section reserved for novelists and merch no one is sure what to do with. I would have overlooked them, but the novel one of their members put out caught my attention. They have a really solid post-grunge sound; deep vocals combined with a good baseline and really nice guitar work.
Despite it being a little ten track album that is so new it’s not even in the CDDB, Faded Pearl displays a nice range of tone, while still holding to the underlying current of rugged gravel and passionate drive.
I particularly found the vocals appealing. I will admit that the gravely rugged vocals of post grunge are a weakness of mine and Michael Schmidt does that kind of singing well, yet still mangoes the occasional smooth tenor note. Mark Manning fills out the low end nicely with an earthy pick-bass sound which is well complemented by the rough and tumble guitar work Francesco Bevilacqua offers.

Overall I was very pleasantly surprised by this band, if they ever play in Chicago,I’ll be the first in line.

Album review: Halestorm -A Strange Case of...-

I had high hopes for A Strange Case of...after hearing the single "Here's to Us."  While I've enjoyed everything I've heard from Halestorm and have gushed in excess about Lzzy Hale's powerful voice, I find that Halestorm can be limited in their subject matter and tone, what got me interested in A Strange Case of... was that "Here's to Us" had a softer feel without losing Halestorm's signature powerhouse feeling. I was disappointed to find that the vast majority of the album was the same vitriolic, in your face, stuff we heard on the debut album. While, the band itself is very talented and Lzzy hale has a fearless attitude and powerful voice, Halestorm is regrettably  limited in their range of subjects and tone.

As a stand alone piece the album is wonderful. Fierce attitude with strong vocals and solid guitar work. The drummer is also very good and fills out the few holes in their sound. The album's few slower numbers are sexy and the more up beat songs are positively vicious. I love it on it's own

However, when held up against the rest of Halestorm's discography  it becomes redundant, if   a fun breakup album. There is a little more of a reconciliatory tone in "Here’s To Us" but beyond that its the same stuff we've heard before.

4/6

Speed Reviews: William Beckett, Bob Dee and Man Get Out

William Beckett "Compromising Me"-- 4/6

(Jiminine Christmas, guys I’m so sorry about how late this is)

I was a big fan of William Beckett’s old band  The Academy  is...  his voice is a large part of what  drew me to TAI. When I caught wind of this single I had to check it out.

Now that I've heard it, I'm very intrigued about this new sound. No longer simply the prety boy next door, Bekett has grown up into a foxier, more confinant person. “Compromising Me" has a hint of electronic flair with Beckett's precise, smooth voice.  Unlike other artists who've gone solo that I've heard, his backup band manages to bring the same degree of  professionalism  and  talent to the table that Beckett does.*

He brings a proud, yet dignified tone and still wears that winning smile fans have come to adore.

If this track is any indication, Beckett has lost some of his shyness, and really stepped into his own. 

I look forward to Walk the Talk.

*I have been unable to locate this information, but I suspect the "band" is entirely Beckett's handy work.

Man Get Out ("Berlin" single, This is What Happens When You Whisper into A Megaphone)4/6


Here's a little blurb on these guys from their drummer:
"Man Get Out began our journey in late 2008. We all met through mutial friends, and played our first show together in May 2009. At this first show we were approached by sony and asked to add our track Doppler to the Playstation 3 game Hustle Kings. This secured our first media coverage in the form of a half page feature in the Liverpool echo and a live interview on Radio City Talk.

Various shows up and down the UK followed, including a couple of decent 'battle of the bands' cometitions which we won. The first funded the recording of our first EP “This Is What Happens When You Whisper Through A Megaphone” (available on itunes and spotify, and also from www.mangetout.tv). The second was judged by Mitch Winehouse, who said some nice things about us.

In 2011 we decided to get an extra guitarist to help us beef up the live sound, making us become a five piece.  We kept on gigging, and found ourselves gaining another high-profile fan. That fan was BBC Radio 2 DJ Janice Long. Our meeting came at a gig at Hoxton Underbelly in London where she was watching a band called Flight Brigade. After our show she commented that she really liked us and asked for a cd. We were then taken by surprise to hear our track Geronimo aired on her show later that evening. Around a week later she invited us to perform a live session and interview on her show. This marked one of our greatest achievements to date and also one of our most fun and rewarding experiences as a band. Janice has continued to champion us ever since and regularly plays us on her show. She solidified her support by naming us as her band of the year and even made the trip up to Liverpool to present and compere our sell out single launch event for our single Berlin in Mojo Liverpool in January 2012.

The video for Berlin, our latest single is available to see on youtube - http://youtu.be/V_A_O_OSgIw - and the track is available on itunes, spotify and physically from www.mangetout.tv . We continue to perform live shows as often as possible (dates on the website), and will release more music and videos throughout 2012.

"

First, as per request, the video for Man Get Out’s single "Berlin":

I tend to expect bad things from younger bands; it's part of the nature of learning. I was surprised to hear something both professional and well orchestrated in Man Get Out.  With a splash of synth work and a playful 90s eruo-pop sound, Man Get Out has a catchy sound with fun vocals. I would love to hear more from them. 

Bob Dee with Petro  Up All Night ep. (3/6): I want to like this EP. It has an 80s American rock sound with the same insouciant attitude and rugged vocals that endeared me to rock in the first place.  In most cases, I’m fond of a gravely voice and romantic sentiments, but in Dee’s  case i t feels like there’s no effort there. The vocals are mumbled  and  nasally, often coming across forced.

I also don’t hear a single, most of the tracks don’t stand out.

However, what Dee does well is attitude there is a rugged sexuality that is palpable on the album and a sneer to his voice that is charming in its own way.

On the whole not a very strong sound, but worth a second glance.

Coming up next in full reviews:

Halestorm-  a strange case of

 Silent nightmare  Awakening

Album Review: Our Lady Peace -Curve- (4/6)

With Our Lady Peace’s tendency to go years between albums, the mere existence Curve is as much of a surprise as some of the stylistic changes are. 

One part gravely rocker, one part melodic balladeer, singer Raine Maida's vocal style is anything but conventional, without being bizarre.  Exploring a deep baritone as well as a whispering tenor is simply expected from Maida.  Throw in wicked passion and beautifully constructed lyrics and you have quite a sound. 

This album explores a sound that is closer to Raine Maida's solo work than the familiar alternative rock sound of Burn Burn (2009). Folk sentiments rub elbows with the hard edges and an almost tribal drum style. Duncan Coutts 's use of slap bass is a wonderful throwback to their first album  

Naveed (1994) with its raw where some of the lead guitar work is softened and ethereal without losing the teeth this album has grown. There is a distinctly more urgent feel to Curve than previous albums. Unlike many artist Our Lady Peace has done anything but soften with age, if anything they've found something to feed the fire.

Curve also has a more manipulated sound; it feels like Our Lady Peace spent more time mixing than usual. The amount of effort really shows through in this polished, yet raw album.

(4/6)

Album Review: Poets of the Fall -Temple of Thoguht-

Temple of Thought- (5/6)

I will preface this by saying I’ve been waiting for this album for a long time, I cannot begin to tell you how much I love these guys.

Poets of the Fall is at it’s core a three person rock band( Marko Saaresto (Vocals)Olli Tukiainen (lead guitar) and Markus "Captain" Kaarlonen (keyboards, production). They have also brought in at least on tour and Temple of Thought Jani Snellman (bass guitar), Jaska Mäkinen (rhythm guitar, backing vocals) and Jari Salminen (drums, percussion)

To say that these guys are a rock band really doesn’t do them justice, their sound is not like any other I’ve heard. I can hear bits of folk rock, progressive rock and classical guitar work in all of their albums. Saaresto’s lyrics are filled with striking turns of phrase and the way he sings them is both innovative and articulate. One of the things I adore about the band as a whole is that they ar constantly innovating, without completely losing their core sound. Saatsto’s voice make’s this most noticeable. Evolving from a simple, lovely tenor to someone with a range from baritone to first tenor and masterful control. Saaresto is particularly good at sensing when to experiment whit sound and where a simple, clean vocalization is best. His diction is amazing.

Musically, their sound runs the gamut from hauntingly simple to ornate sometimes within one song. It is constantly developing but never loses it's surreal quality.

Every album has been utterly poetic and beautiful. Temple of Thought is no exception. It takes the fantastical romance of Twilight Theater and adds the kick of rock that was present in Revolution Roulette in fact you can hear where they blended the pieces of every album of theirs that worked well. In a time where I’ve seen more and more of my pet artists slowly lose what made them so strong to a sound closer to pop, it is refreshing to see an album that very much represents the artists that put their effort forward.

This is one of the very few albums I’ve heard where my finger wasn’t hovering over the skip button.

One of the things that really struck me about this album besides its cumulative nature was the drum work. It is utterly fantastic, particularly in “The Ballad of of Jeremiah Peacekeeper,” there is a steady pulse to the album.

The track that stands out most as completely different from anything else on the album is “The Happy Song.” It was written for the Alan Wake soundtrack. I think it shows off a side to the band that is not often seen-- that is their abllyt to be playful. This is particularly apparent if you listen to the background, Saatesto just kind of goes nuts, frestyling the song’s one repeated line (“I'm a psycho”) in various intonations and at various speeds. Saaresto also has this wicked, wonderful laugh that is infectious and creepy.

Album review: Shinedown -Amaryllis-

Shinedown streamed their newest album Amaryllis (available for purchase March 27th) on iTunes this week and I’ve given it a listen thorough. Here are my thoughts I may write more when it comes out:

Amaryllis offers the bouncy, hard rock sound that is expected from Shinedown with a more pop sound. It lacks the teeth Sound of Madness had. Both of Shinedown’s most recent singles, “Bully” and “Diamond eyes(boom-lay)” are both crowd songs, written to be easy to sing along with even without having heard these song before. While every band has at least one of these songs, it feels like Shinedown is trying for it with these two songs.

The trouble I have with bully is that it feels like Shinedown is hopping on the anti-bullying bandwagon that has been so active lately. It doesn’t have the painfulness of a lot of the anti-bullying songs out there. However, It does have drive. This is where I see the old Shinedown coming out. “Bully” is a ferocious, hard edged anthem. I’m a sucker for songs like “Bully,” that are meant to give strength to the picked on kids.

The slow songs on this album were a bit of a letdown. After the emotional grind that came from “Crow and the butterfly” and “Second chance” it is hard for me to really get excited about the title track “Amaryllis.” While it does have the occasional glimmer of the emotional drive that Shinedown is known for, it is not the power track it should be.

I am intrigued by the addition of strings on this album. Normally, I find strings add to the songs I’ve heard them in. I’m not sure that is the case here. Jury’s still out on that one.

If I had any advice to the band I would say , do not lose that edge.

I found Amaryllis much softer than previous albums and lacking some of the bite of previous albums, It could be simply that its not as angry , which can be good live. We shall see in May. Stay tuned, folks.
(4/6)

Coming very soon: Poets of the Fall Temple of Thought.

Speed reviews Round 2: Mona -Mona-

Mona Mona--(5/6)

I was suppressed at the quality of the sound on this album. Most of my YouTube finds feel a bit like they were recorded in someone’s basement, because sometimes they were.

This album has a very professional feel. The sound is largely alt. rock, but plays with dance, pop, and country. The tone of the album is cheeky and flirtatious. It is the kind of music i personally indulge in a lot. Is it the most fantastic and original thing? no. But it does something a lot of music these days dosn’t do, it has fun without being god awful. There are a lot of song that are motivational on this album. At the same time it isn’t all bubblegum and bounce. There is a sly romanticism about some of the tracks.

The lyrics match the music to the letter . Flirty, sweet and unrepentant, it captures the wanderlust of youth and its soft smile.

The vocals, smooth with just the smallest hint of gravel, front man has solid vocal control (which a lot of artists lack) and articulates much more clearly than the average artist. I could listen to that voice for ages.

The instrumentation has a classic alternative rock sound and the gutair work is a cut above average.

Overall, I was disappointed when the album came to a close, not impatient as I am wont to be. Nicely done.

Speed Reviewing: Lana del Rey, Eli Leib, Halestorm

People send me music, often by the truckload. (At my request, I love nothing quite as much as finding new cool music, and subsequently sharing it with all of you) Because my friends know me, the music ranges from “this is hilariously bad” to “this is amazing” and hits all the points in between. It’s a point of pride for me not to be genre biased, so It also spans an insane number of styles.

In the sprit of keeping this place active I’m going to start reviewing that stuff, from the terrible to the amazing. Even if it’s older.

Ladies and gents, you’ve seen speed dating now: Speed Reviewing.

First up today:

Eli Lieb-3.5/6

Some of my favorite youtube gems are covers, Lieb is no exception. I stumbled onto Lana Del Rey’s “Born to Die” (reviewed below) and I took a shine to Lieb’s more energetic, innocent take on the song. Add to that Katy Perry’s “Firework” and I was interested enough to check out his original work . His voice is lovely, if a little plain. In his covers, i find his ability to simultaneously bring his own interpretation to the song and respect the emotion involved in the original refreshing. It is all to common to see an artist either cover a song verbatim how it was originally sung or in a “unique’ way with does not respect the original artist’s presentation of the song. I find the former boring and the later an insult. Lieb balances his covers nicely.

His interoperation of Rebecca Black’s Friday is priceless. Just priceless.

Leib’s original work is night and day different from his covers. More instrumental and fairly innovative, despite tis pop sound. Lieb takes full advantage of electronic media to synthesize instrumentation that cannot otherwise be made in a one man set up. He also use layered recording to simulate other vocals. However, unlike most artists who do so, he uses the exact same vocalizations with both layers most of the time, consequently I find it a bit excessive and distracting.

In that vein, I find his use of auto-tune unnecessary and obnoxious. He already has a very nice voice and altering it is only detrimental. Its not even used to deliberately distort the vocals, so all that I  notice is a very sleigh tininess.

The instrumentation is cohesive throughout the enter album, without making all of the songs sound the same. Rather the album sounds like one continuous song with a lot of variation. Excepting one song it is fluid and smooth. This creates a double edged sword. ON the one hand, it create for a consistent sound and style, on the other hand, none of the songs jump out at me, exempt the one stylistic diversion me toned.

I would encourage him to explore the more minimal approach that he uses in his covers as occaiosnally he adds a little to much to the instrumentation.

Lyrically, Lieb is hit or miss, the songs the are strong are sexy, haunting and just plain wonderful, the others are less than mediocre and as redundant as the bad parts of pop get. I wish that element was more consistent, because it can really work well.

I think with a little more polish and honing he could be the next big pop thing.

Next we have:

Lana Del Rey(4/6) Born to Die

I actually paused when I heard Del Rey’s sultry, muted voice for the first time. It is not a sound you hear often, especially not today. There is a weight to her voice that you don’t see often in modern music. More reminiscent of a 30s jazz singer than of a modern day chart toper Del Rey brings an at once smooth and fatalistic sound with otherwise upbeat lyrics that call your attention not by grabbing, but with a firm, gentle pull.

In particular, “Born to die” would be one of those upbeat,  “you can do anything” songs that are so common on the radio. Instead, it is a muted look back at a dangerous, painful time.

Lyrically, Del Rey has a bit of a pop sound to her, but what makes her investing is that the same lyrics at a faster tempo would be inspirational, almost happy. Instead, we have a resigned, sorrowful album that touches deep beneath the veins. Rather than the typical nostalgia for teenager-hood it is a resigned look back at the stupidity that comes with that age. It feels like something terrible happened, but it was so long ago that the pain has dulled.

The instrumentation is cinematic and polished with minimal layering and a surprising complexity. It complements Del Rey’s contralto stylings without being overpowering or being overpowered.

One more:

Halestorm (new single, album review no doubt forthcoming) 5/6

I confess I’d grown a little disillusioned with Halestorm. I love them, don’t misunderstand me, but I’ve seen them five times and things were feeling a little repetitive. The vitriolic ex-lover songs are only really powerful so many times.

As I said before, It may haven been one hell of a trick, but Halestorm still felt like a one trick pony.

“Here’s to us,” still holds that country-rock flare and gutsy voice Lzzy Hale is known for, but brings a softer edge and happiness that we don’t see on earlier albums. I have no doubt The Strange Case of…. will have the same sass and ferocity we’ve seen in Halestorm time and again, but perhaps we’ll get a little more depth with our vitriol.

Next up: Mona Mona; Halestorm Hello, it’s Mz. Hyde (EP)

Linsey Stirling

I have just discovered someone who’s apparently been around since 2010, but my jaw just about went through the floor when I heard her. Give her some love.

Folks, meet Lindsey Stirling.

This little gal combines unorthodox violin work with some pretty epic dancing and a clear passion. Her music runs the gamut from techno, to hip-hop, to traditional instrumental pieces and back again by way of country (according to wikki). For the nerdier amongst us (like myself) she also has covered songs from Zelda and Lord of The Rings.

Did I mention she can also dance and her videos have some killer cinematography?

Why don’t I just link you?

(PS This is on youtube on her official channel so I assume it’s acceptable to link/repost this. If it needs to be taken down please message me)
You’re welcome. I give her a 5/6 overall. Brava.

Savoir: Rise Against and A Day To Remember at the UIC Pavilion.

Venue(UIC pavilion: (5/6) Calling a spade a spade, this was an arena show. However, it was a small arena, maybe 9000 people tops. Even from the top tier, I’d imagine there was still a good view. The sound system was, well, arena quality, but that was expected. It was a nice arena, relatively clean and with clear signage the merch booth was accessible. The venue only lost points for the sound system. It was a wonderful place and is in a better location than the other two arenas in the area. (Those being being the Allstate in Rosemont and the United Center downtown).

A note on the staff: During the encore someone got injured (I couldn’t see exactly what happened) and the staff was amazing. Quick to the task, efficient without being cursory. Hats off to good staff. More on how the crowd handled it in the next section. Short version, I was impressed.

The Crowd: (6/6) I’ve been to hundreds of concerts in my day, but I’ve never see such a fervent, lively crowd. I’ve also never seen such a considerate crowd (especially not when there are no fewer than three, and some times up to six, mosh pits going). Any time someone fell from crowd surfing or moshing I could see a distinct dip in the crowd as multiple people picked that person up.

They were also phenomenally supportive when someone did get hurt. They parted like the red sea for the staff and paramedics. They pointed out where the injured person was and made sure to communicate to their fellow fans to get out of the way. They also cheered the staff on.

I have to say I’ve never before seen that kind of mindfulness in a wild crowd and I am proud.

The show itself:

A Day to Remember: (4/6). I was pleasantly surprised with this band. Given how easy it is to make bad screemo I had very low expectations for them.Their energy was intense, especially for an opener. While they weren’t perfect they did a fantastic job and really brought the crowd to life. The band relied a little too heavily on the screaming and grunting for my personal taste and I felt like the melodic sections were a little rough. They put forth a sincere energy and understood how to work the crowd and had solid guitar. Their drum work was really nice, too I confess I’m a sucker for intense drums.

They were also theatrical. At one point there was a person in a Gumby costume on stage firing a t-shirt canon, at another point the front man was in a giant inflatable ball crowd surfing. It was amazing to see. The front man was also very into the crowd. He gave them fist bumps, crow surfed, spoke with them. He even got the crowd to crowd surf using other members of the crowd as surf boards. It was pretty amazing. He was playful and energetic.

Rise Against. (5/6): Both heartfelt and hardcore, Rise Against produces intense lyrics and relentless instrumentation all with fervent energy and commanding stage presence. The conviction with wich the front man spoke and performed was unparalleled. The band was also incredible with the crowd, constantly weaving in and out of its edges, signaling the crowd and interacting directing with them.

In true punk sprit, their music inspires action, but unlike older punk Rise Against is not obnoxious, nor are they one trick ponies. Runnning the gamut front romantic ballads to thrashing  punk songs, their performance was seamless. There was honesty in the music and conviction.

Another element that gave me a new respect for Rise Against was their concern for their fans. At one point, as mentioned, there was a bad injury in the crowd. It was the front man,not the staff, who pointed out something was wrong and asked for the houselights and paramedics. The overall sense of community was fantastic.

I will go back to their shows in a heartbeat.

Kill Hannah’s New Heart for Xmas 8: I'm Alive for Ten More Minutes.

New Heart for Xmas is an eight year running (with one break last year) multi-day event Kill Hannah throws every year.
Day 1: JBTV Studio filming/“Storytellers” event(VIP only)-- The Songs That Saved My Life
5/6
This was my first experience in a recording studio and I spent a lot of time staring at the walls, which were covered in rows of signed, platinum and rare albums. It was an audiophile’s dream. We filed into the small soundstage that was built for Kill Hannah a few years ago. JBTV and Kill Hannah have had a mutually helpful relationship for nearly a decade giving each other their well-deserved places in Chicago history.

Being this close to one of my favorite artists was a once in lifetime moment. It was breathtaking. Hearing their stories was wonderful, I’ve always loved listening to artists talk about their work. I learned a lot about Kill Hannah’s roots and how lyricists/vocalist Mat Devine was inspired to write some of my favorite Kill Hannah songs. There were also a few lovely moments between the members of the band, which is always a pleasure to see.
I am very proud of them and am thrilled to have been a part of the event.

The performance itself was really wonderful and it was interesting watching the band interact with the studio crew. It really felt like we were a part of something bigger.

Day 2:The Show--Welcome To Chicago.
Venue: Bottom Lounge (4/6)
I’ve been to the bottom lounge twice now and I got lost both times because there are two Ashland L stops on the green line. One is on the south side. One is a hop skip and a jump from downtown. Guess where I wound up?
I almost died before I even got to the show.
That being said it is just across the street from the L, very convenient if you don’t get lost. It’s a cozy, not cramped venue with a bar attached and surprisingly decent sound equipment. I found there was minimal distortion and the balance was nice.
And the view was great.

The Bottom Lounge is unique in that it still felt like a concert despite having an under 500 person capacity. Very cozy, yet still a good party.

The Crowd: (3/6) I am continually disappointed in the Kill Hannah crowds. Kill Hannah has an intensely loyal, hardworking street team and fan base, why they can’t give their all at a show is beyond me.

The Show:(4/6)

(Regrettably due to aforementioned getting lost I didn’t make the openers. I will review their albums at a later date)
The most striking thing about last evening was the amount of gratitude the band expressed. Due to singer Mat Devine being on Broadway New Heart for Xmas didn’t happen last year, and there was a lot of talk about how little the band was doing because of the show. There were even questions as to weather or not New Heart would happen this year. The relief in the air was palpable. Especially from bassist, Greg Corner and have course Divine. I don’t know how many times I heard “thank you” from their lips. It felt like magic.

Having met Divine multiple times now and kept up with his blog/advice column it’s hard for me not to adore his work. He wears his heart on his sleeve and even after over ten years in the industry, he has yet to lose his fearless edge. I’ve seen many artists start out fierce and defiant only to wear out after a few albums. While Kill Hannah has gotten a little less raw, Devine has yet to lose his rebellious sense of self.

Devine has an introversion about him. It is as though after all these years he’s still a bit confused by this whole stardom thing. At the end of the day he’s just Mat. This introversion can be a little detrimental on stage, as he doesn’t have the powerhouse energy some do. However, what he lacks in energy he makes up for in emotional output.

While Devine is certainly Kill Hannah's heart, the band is a family. Bassist Greg Corner has an incredible energy about him and a wonderful charm with the fans. He is the most social of the band (also being a DJ for Dark Wave Disco).

Just seeing drummer Elias Millan on stage with them again was wonderful. He was absent from two of the last shows.

I could honestly gush about each member for pages each. They are a very genuine, wonderful band that I will keep coming back to as long as they come to Chicago.

PSA/ Quick Survey:

First: Sorry I've been absent Nanowrimo ate my soul. Two more days and I'll be normal again
A few things:
1. How many, if any, of you would want a mobile version of the blog?
2. There's gonna be a bit of a facelift. More content, some rants et. Any thing you'd like to see as my readers? Comments/ criticism. If you don't want to  figure out how to comment on the blog,  email me at my business  email over on the sidebar.
3.  I may be jumping ship to a real website in the next year. Any recommendations?

Patrick stump with Rockie Fresh and Mark Rose ( not reviewed) at The Metro (chicago)

Venue, The Metro(4/6):
The Metro is one of the faded glories of the Chicago music scene. In its day it was a wonderful venue. You’d made it in Chicago if you played the Metro even two years ago. It is a great venue; don’t get me wrong. It is very intimate-- maximum of 1000 people, two tiers, and a cheap bar. The bathrooms are even decent for a bar/concert venue. However, you can see it fading. It is sad in a way, as that place has a lot of sentimental value for the music scene in Chicago. I still love it there; one of my first big shows in Chicago was there. However, the sound system is probably older than the venue itself and dying. The building itself is falling apart in minor ways-- it could stand to have fresh coat of paint and have the floors redone as they are mostly that odd cardboard like stuff that many dance floors are covered in and lots of gaff tape.

However, it is one of the few places that you can still get a 20oz water for 3$ and it still draws good music. The small size also makes the crowds more manageable.

The Crowd (3/6): The one thing I dislike about the music crowds I tend to run in is a certain flavor of audience member. Stop me if you’ve seen this person. Loud voice, that just gets louder when the music starts, often stands facing his friend rather than the stage, thus running into the person in back of him constantly. He is completely unaware of his body, usually bitching about something regarding the act on stage. If you think the artist sucks either leave or don’t come in the first place.

If you’re not there to watch/listen to your artist, then get the fuck out of my way. Especially if your over six feet tall and standing in front of a five foot tall fan of the artist on stage.

We had at least three of those in our row alone. I was ready to pull out my metal elbows and start a throw down.

Luckily, I’m a shrimp.

The show:

Rockie Fresh (2/6) I will add a caveat here, I’m not as familiar with hip-hop/rap as a genre, so its sometimes tricky for me to judge quality versus something I’m not used to. I should also add that this particular artist caters to a flavor of hip-hop that I don’t care for. I try to put my personal genre biases aside when reviewing, however, and focus on the technical talent and overall quality. I also acknowledge that one of the things that makes hip-hop so innovative is the use of sampling to change the way a song sounds. I like that.

It is however, a genre that relies on a persons sense of beat being razor sharp and vocal talent to being articulate and precise.

I found that Rockie Fresh lacked the edge needed to make his vocals stand out. I also found his music too busy. There is a line between well-layered music-- a common thing in hip-hop-- and cacophony. I find his work comparable to the young musicians that, rather than specializing, learn to play multiple instruments, but not very well. While innovation is one of the keys to success in the music industry, without that foundation, any diversification becomes noise, rather than style. If he simplified his work and really honed his vocals, I think he could have a shot at success in the club scene.

Patrick Stump(4/6):
Patrick Stump has a distinctive, clear voice that is a pleasure to listen to. He is a fun, talented artist with a striking look and energy in spades.
Stump is also playful on stage and constantly bouncing, flailing and bolting from one side to the other of the stage. He has a wonderful smile both in his face and in his sound. He is very much riding the high of being able to finally do what he wants instead of having to fight with band mates.
What Stump lacks, however, is structure and a foundation. I find him very chaotic and uncoordinated in both his sound and his presence. I feel like he is used to having something to rein in his raw energy and direct it and now that he is no longer in Fall out boy, he doesn’t have any direction and structure. It is as though he’s gone back to the beginning, but maintained some of his popularity from Fall Out Boy. He’s still struggling to find exactly what he wasn’t to sound like and how he wants to present himself as an artist. I’m willing to give him a couple years, however,I do not know if the fan-base is. During the show I saw more than a few people leave. On the other hand the fans that stayed were intensely loyal and very vocal. If stump is going to succeed I feel like he needs to recognize that he is not as big as he used to be and really work on honing himself as an artist.

He also needs a better backup band, I didn’t find any of them particularly talented.

In short, Stump is a nice Midwestern boy who needs to gain a little of the big city edge to succeed on his own.

Album Reivew: LaZae "Self help--EP"

3/6
I picked this up from my girlfriend who lives in LA. Not bad. Not bad at all.

LaZae has ariculate and  throaty  vocals with  a pop-rock sound. Combining lyered gutarwork with  minimal drumwork and the occasional keyboard, LaZe  keeps things interesting, but consistent.
Brave lyrics jam along side rugged, not always polished  guitar work. LaZae is leagues ahead of her instrumentalists. The guitar work has a lot of heart, but sometimes doesn' always match up with the vocals and sometimes collides head on with the other guitars, or with the keyboard work.
Her voice is solid, but she needs to simplify the music itself.   While I am a sucker for well done layering its something that requires a delicacy that isn't here.

Album Review: The Browncoat Mixtape (Adam WarRock & Milka kHill)

Have a soft spot for nerdcore, and a soft spot for Joss Wedon’s Firefly. When I got wind of an album that combined the two I was quite piqued.

Considering how very amateur the creators of these albums are I was relatively impressed. Adam WarRock brings a slower variation of nerdcore combined with samples form Firefly’s unique soundtrack. (Firefly’s sound combines an Asian fusion influence with an old west sound) While I tend to prefer harder, faster nerdcore I can appreciate a good fan tribute and I can appreciate the technical talent that WarRock has. I also enjoy the use of samples from the firefly soundtrack.

That being said, something about it didn’t really grab. It is almost too articulate in places and too polished. I would suggest that WarRock sharpen the edges and really reach for that passionate primal element that peeks through in “Independents.” As a Nerd I understand the amount of passion that goes into loving a show, and no show has a fanbase like Firefly. I find WarRock tends toward being a little more laid back, while I don’t mind that, I find it does not do firefly justice.

I look forward to listening to more of his music. I love nerdy music.

Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Music Festival:

Event: Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Music Festival(3/6) I’ve been to several music festivals ranging in size to small local events to one of the world’s largest. Uproar was mediocre. My thoughts on the show may have been colored by my active dislike for the venue. The line up was phenomenal, however, I found the whole thing disorganized and the staff unhelpful.

For example, they alleged that there was a signing. I personally saw no indicators as to the location or any potential time changes. I didn’t even see my usual indicator (a line). I checked both sides of the stage just to be sure. I’m not sure if this is the fault of the horrid venue or the festival organization.

Venue: (2/6)—Honestly, the only reason I end up going to the First Midwest Amphitheater is the talent it brings. I find it a dirty, unorganized, venue with staff that isn’t knowledgeable and often is more likely to stand around looking bored than actually help. They will, however, be very insistent about looking in your purse and patting you down in the poring rain. More than once I walked straight past the people who were supposed to check my ticket. I had mine in my hand, mind you, but once I was past the gates I could have gone anywhere but the pit (which requires a wristband, so I’m not sure how good security was down there) Now, I had the best tickets next to the pit so it didn’t matter. (I may be a seasoned concert go-er, but I’m not about to put myself in the pit for “Riot” or anything Avenged Sevenfold plays. I doubt I’d survive.)

Every time I’ve been to this venue the staff has been unfriendly and useless. They seem to have very little knowledge of the venue and the events therein. Moreover, they don’t seem to care to find out. The concessions are overpriced even by festival standards and the verity of concessions is piss-poor at best.

The sound system is also awful, bass heavy to a fault and constantly distorted.
The there are a few things that keep the venue from completely losing me.
First, it is a permanent venue. There are real bathrooms (not portable ones) and there is a decent covered section and the tickets are often not very expensive. Also this place tends to draw a phenomenal line up, and artists who come to Tinley Park often don’t come to Chicago itself. It also seats more people than the Charter One Pavilion, making it a prime target for rising artists and larger artists who don’t want to play arenas or aren’t quite big enough to fill an arena.

Escape The Fate (3/6): Escape The Fate is a traditional screamo/ heavy metal band with a young sound and some obvious roots in the 80s hair metal sound. Heavy metal is very easy to do badly. While far from terrible this band lacked a certain spark. Even recorded they are just slightly uncoordinated. Not enough to truly bother the listener but enough that it puts them behind the pack from a sound stand point. Lyrically, they are traditional dark metal. When opening for bands like “Bullet for My Valentine” and “Avenged Sevenfold” you need a little more kick than they had. Put forth the effort to produce energy however, they fell short. Overall they were nothing to write home about good or bad. As the first of four acts they were certainly in the right spot. They felt very green and forgettable.

Bullet for My Valentine (4/6): I’d heard their first two albums a few years back and while I enjoyed a few of the songs I largely forgot about them. I liked them enough that I was interested in the show, however, I had low expectations, I admit.

While I would hardly call Bullet For My Valentine brilliant, I’ve always been enamored with their ability to change from melody to screams and back. Musically they too have their roots in 80s metal, but there is clarity to their work that makes them stand out as well as a degree of coordination that is often lacking in scremo especially. In a genre that can easily devolve into noise, Bullet took the effort to make their sound unique and sharp.
Live they also had a primal metal energy that is rare outside of harder metal.

Bullet for My Valentine had that live. The adrenaline was fantastic. On a technical level, they were also very solid, a surprise in their genera. The guitarist was especially on top of his game.

Another thing that made Bullet for My Valentine interesting is that the vocals were split. The lead handled the melodies and the guitarist picked up the grunts and screams. This illustrated their lovely coordination further and let the guitarist and front man play off each other very nicely.

Bullet for My Valentine also showed passion, which was a nice way to start an evening full of it.

Bullet for My Valentine also made the abundance start moving and after Escape the Fate, this was no easy thing. However, from opening cord to ending progression the crowd was on its feet. I think they even got a mosh pit started, which doesn’t happen often with openers.


Three Days Grace (5/6): I didn’t think I could be any more impressed with Three Days Grace than I already was. However, they did something that I haven’t seen in any other band. Most bands that I’ve seen several times lose some of their sparkle, not often enough of it to mater, but the shows get familiar and predictable. Not so with Three Days Grace. Even the parts I’ve seen several times had little pieces of variation that make a show just that much more engaging. I did not think they could top their last show, with its unbridled energy and raw emotion.

I underestimated Adam Gointer. Heavily.

There is a raw honesty that comes forward in their music that is only a glimmer in most other bands’ music. Every band I’ve seen live has songs they’ve written just to put something out there. It is the unfortunate nature of the industry. Most also have at least one song that is straight from the raw nerve. Any fan who’s seen a good live show knows that song, it’s the one that taps into your own heart because it is palpable that every word rings true.

That is everything Three Days Grace has ever created. Their live performances have a powerful charge that rivals no other show I’ve seen in its emotional intensity. I confes that I lose a degree of professionalism when I’m at their shows, something in what he writes taps my own nerves.

And that usual redundancy I talked about? Even the songs that they’ve been performing for their entire career are different each time they perform them.

In addition to having energy and emotion Three Days Grace also have an incredible amount of talent. Their coordination is flawless and seasoned. Are they the most technical band on the planate? No. I think that is one of the things that make them so powerful. They are raw, torn, emotional and utterly wonderful live.

Avenged Sevenfold (4/6): Avenged Sevenfold is another band that I had kicking around my computer for a while. I liked what I’d heard but not enough to actively seek it out. I expected to have my earplugs in and head bob, but not really engage in the show. Then it happened, somewhere during “Beast and the Harlot” the raw, primal energy that metal is known for kicked in. The crowd was alive, and I was on. While they certainly don’t have the emotional content of Three Days Grace, they certainly put on a great show. I don’t think emotional content is the point of their particular flavor of metal; its music to cut loose to, rather than music for catharsis. The general tone of an Avenged Sevenfold show is one of defiant, almost flippant dismissal. Despite this tone, front man M. Shadows engaged the fans often enough to keep them interested but not so often that it became tedious or interrupted the flow of the concert. He was sincere when he needed to be, encouraged the fans when they needed to be encouraged and generally put on a good rock show. However, something happened about half way through the show and I’m still thinking over exactly what caused it. There was a distinct energy lull. Part of it, I’m sure, was the solemnity of “so far away” dedicated to their former drummer who passed on around this time of year two years back.

I’ve never seen a band lose a member and fully recover, while the new drummer is very good, I’d imagine there would always be a hole in the band. However, while I can’t see a talent difference (I’m not very familiar with their older works) I noticed that the songs from the newest album displayed a degree of emotion that others did not. I’m wondering if this is a new turn for the band or if they are simply coming to terms with a friend’s death. Time will tell. I certainly appreciated the emotional elements however; it is not what most people come to an Avenged Sevenfold show for. I can see that affecting their fan base heavily.

I’ve talked a lot about Shadows’ performance but he is far from the most talented of the band. In fact, I’d say he’s the least talented of them. Not that he isn’t talented, he is. However, their guitarist and drummer are both phenomenal. I was particularly impressed with the drummer, given that he is a very recent addition to the band. While I’m confidant that no one will ever replace “The Rev,” I have faith in this his or her new drummer.

On the whole, I was impressed with these people and while their performance will never make my top ten lists, it was certainly good.