Afterman: The Book(Claudio Sanchez) Part 1

(6/6)
As I said, I'd been eagerly waiting for  Afterman:The Ascension since last march. And the album was brilliant as I expounded  in my previous entry.
Being a big fan of Coheed and Cambria and completely enamored with The Amory Wars  I splurged and got the Deluxe Edition of the album, which came with Afterman(The Book).

While those who ordered the Deluxe Edition got the music downloads right on the release date, the book itself took a little longer to ship due to quality control issues. And it was longer still before I could find time to curl up with the coffee table sized book. (I  was not about to throw that gorgeous book into a backpack and read it on the train.)

My gods that was worth the wait.

All of the things I extrapolated from the video log and my own wild-eyed imaginings were nothing compared to the sheer brilliance of the album along side the book.  Combine a brilliant album with a wonderful story steeped in metaphor and drenched in layer upon layer of music and meaning and you have something breathtakingly profound. Toss in a sprinkling  of the real life inspirations for the songs and you have a vulnerability that you don't see very often in the music world.
Music is so personal, and everyone takes something different from a piece, so it is easy for an artist to wave over the songs that strike a nerve. Author and front man Claudio Sanchez exposes the raw nerve without dwelling too deeply so that the story and experiences inform each other intricately.

I have never seen a piece like this before and I doubt I will again.

If you're a fan, find a copy of this book and throw on the album do it, it is beyond brilliant.

On top of all of the things I’ve mentioned, I would be doing the work a disservice if I neglected to mention the artwork. It is a perfect complement to the music, equally rich and complex. The use of color and contrast alone made my head reel. Every ounce of this piece is rich with subtleties, yet accessible to the new fans.

Coheed and Cambria --Afterman: The Ascension. "This is Our War"

5/6
I’ve been eagerly awaiting this album since its announcement, hell since the release of their B-side last march. I confess my love for the story and my unabashed adoration of the band my have colored some of my criticism

For those that follow the band, this is the first chapter of The Amory Wars  and a prequel to Year of the Black Rainbow (Which was a prequel to Second Stage Turbine Blade). I suspect author and frontman Claudio Sanchez wrote himself into a corner with No World for Tomorrow*. In an interview, Sanchez mention that when he was writing No World for Tomorrow, he wasn’t sure there would be a Coheed and Cambria anymore. Two albums and several tours later, I think it is safe to say they’re still around.

So, when you’ve ended a story, where do you go? There was nowhere to go but further back, to the very beginning.

The stories in Afterman: The Ascension are riddled with complexities that are absent from the plots themselves.  The two stories: That of Domino, a boxer who becomes corrupted by drugs and greed and the story of Sirius Amory, a man driven to the stars by hubris, who unknowingly finds the star system where the Amory Wars happens years latter. They are elegantly paralleled down to even the music itself. Each has a signature musical style. Domino’s story, the story of a man at the bottom of society is gritty, with noisy, distorted guitar work and loud, violent fret squeaks. Sirius Amory’s story on the other hand is filled with airy, spacious high notes and understated precision. The slick feel of corruption is palpable in both stories, and vile, yet unmistakably appealing. Like in other albums, each story has a signature progression that marks the change of characters.  Amory’s almost radar like ping, sits well along side the scraping screaming guitars of  Domino’s story.

Amory’s sound is quite a departure from Coheed and Cambria’s usual sound. As a fan, I was much more prepared for Domino’s sound—the rugged, growling is quite common place on their other work. When  the preview of he title track “The Afterman” was first released, I had to listen to it three times before I could make heads or tails of it. It was a completely different sound. I’d never quite heard anything like it before, from anyone, least of all Coheed and Cambria.

The composition of this album is simply perfect. The pieces of each story, and their contrasting sounds, balance perfectly only blending toward the end in a wonderful culmination.

I have raved about how expressive Sanchez’s voice is in previous reviews, I’m sure. He takes it a step further in Afterman: The Ascension It feels like he is two different people on this album, his acting is beyond brilliant. A maniacal, gremlin like sound hisses and cackles in Domino’s story where there is a wavering, haunted whisper in  Amory’s arc.  Sanchez’s talent for voice modulation further augments the juxtaposition of the two stories as well as their unmistakable parallels.

Brilliant album, though I was disappointed in how short it is, a mere nine tracks..  (A second half is due out in 2013). I am looking forward to their next show and February 2013’s release with great anticipation.

*The full title of the album is Good Apollo, I'm Burring Star IV: No World For Tommorow. However, it is most commonly referred to as simply “No World For Tomorrow.”

Album Review: Three Days Grace --Transit of Venus--

(4/6)
Transit Of Venus has Adam Gontier’s signature gravely sexy voice, but it feels a little all over the place. While verity is usually a very good thing, Transit of Venus lacks cohesion and feels a little too experimental and takes a few tracks to gain its momentum.

Lyrically, Transit of Venus is quintessential Three Days Grace; themes of past mistakes, bitter anger, and hope run thoguht out the album. I think Gontier has really found his niche between raw, emotionality and artistic word choice. Honest, pointed words coupled with that voice still bring a certain charmingly rugged feel

The music itself is rough in places. While the guitar work has never been more perfect, I find there is an imprecision in this album's sound. It feels like in it’s experimentation the sound lost its clarity. However, the timing within each track is solid when paired with the vocals. I am hoping they find their balance in the next album

Transit of Venus’ composition is really chaotic; while the closing track echoes the opening track very well the album feels conflicted, rather than varied. It is as though half of the album is the rugged, angry sound we are familiar with and the other is a hopeful, almost peaceful piece.

Overall, I still loved this album, Three Days Grace will always be one of my pet bands, however, this is decidedly not their best work.

Album Review: Mumford &Sons—Babel—

5/6

In keeping with Sigh No More, Babel hits hard against the heartstrings, yet has an unmistakable anger beneath the surface. Blending bluegrass with Scottish folk style, Mumford & Sons have a sound that is distinctive and a welcome departure from mainstream angst. There is genuineness to their lyrics and a precise, striking way of expressing repentance without submission.

Babel feels like a response to their Sigh No More. The themes of grace, and tenacity in the face of love continue into quiet retrospect and impassioned determination to survive the loss of love. It also possesses a maturity that the first album did not have.

The orchestration on this album is wonderful, with a precise understanding of where to raise a complex storm of music and where to drop down to the simplest cord progression, complementing the lyrics (or their lack) perfectly. This balance also makes the lyrics incredibly easy to hear, as often quiet is used to emphasize them.

Overall this album is passionate and evocative without being melodramatic. I loved it.

Nightwish with Kamelot at The Congress Theater

Venue: The Congress Theater (4/6)
The Congress hasn’t changed from previous reviews though I’m developing a fondness for her.
Kamelot (4/6):
I give Kamelot credit for taking on this tour as their new lead singer only started working with them in July of this year. It was quite the set, but I found they were not quite cohesive and their sound felt shallow. They had lovely female vocalists and the new lead singer Tommy Karevik was solid, but I found they lacked complexity and their energy was not great. Karevik gave it his all to his credit and the crowd responded to him nicely (no small feat for someone that new to a band).
Their drum work was also fantastic; it took me a while to figure out what exactly was causing the deep rumbling I heard during many of their songs. It was the dual kick drums drummer Casey Grillo played, which was amazing.
 Their core female vocalist Elyze Ryd*was amazing, though her mic was not working well so a lot of her soft low notes were not audible. She stepped up her energy when she came out to do lead vocals for Sacrimony

Then Alissa White-Gluz (Lead vocalist for The Agonist) the stage.

 All eyes were on her. She had a powerful combination of raw sex and presence. Her vocal range was unreal, not just in pitch, but in versatility. She used everything from vocal fry to soft melody. Her movements were inhuman, evoking raw animal energy. It was magnificent. If Kamelot had come out with that much energy initially, it would have made for an absolutely stellar show.

Nightwish (5/6):
I had high expectations for this show. They were exceeded with flying colors. I knew the male vocalist Marco Hietala was going to be fantastic as he is one of the founding members and his voice is well known in the metal world. He and Emppu Vuorinen (lead guitar) have been in the band since its formation in 1996 and their dynamic was just wonderful. Lead vocalist Anette Olzon was unexpectedly phenomenal as she is the cause of much dissent among the fans. I am in the minority among Nightwish fans as I peter Olzon’s vocals to Tarja Turunen’s (the former lead) While I can certainly see why fans who fell in love with Turunen’s voice would dislike the sound change, I find Olzon much more accessible and articulate. While she doesn’t have the range Turunen had, she has a better overall sound.

And that was just the vocals.
The instrumentation was amazing, just watching the drummer gave me goose bumps and the bass work was just pure art. Then there was the guy who played the woodwinds who was quite but amazing.

The set was well balanced containing a blend of their old stuff and their new work with a breathtaking acoustic session that gave me goose bumps.. Versatile, yet unmistakable, Nighwish proved themselves both innovative and cohesive.

I am over the moon about this band live their coordination and skill are hard to rival. The camaraderie between them shows the affection of a band that has been together for a very long time and the professionalism was wonderful. It really felt like Anette had been one of them all along. Marco even gave her a huge hug at the end of the show.

Siliversun Pickups with School of Seven Bells at the Aragon Ballroom: We are Ready For the Siege.

Venue: (4/6) The Aragon Ballroom
This old lady really stepped up her sound system for SSPU. I suspect it was because of Brian Aubert’s ethereal, yet badass, voice. Though the speakers did clip out several times it was worth it for the change in quality. With tweaking, I think the Aragon could really bring up her standard. They also installed more fans in discreet places. It was a much improved show.

School of Seven Bells (4/6):
School of Seven Bells combines an electronic sound with Celtic overtones (Wiki classifies them as “Shoegaze”). Initially it almost sounds like all of their stuff is remixed Celtic music, except that the lyrics are original and the under current is closer in flavor to EDM. Beautiful, lilting vocals mesh seamlessly with a fluttering baseline and heavy keyboard work. Another thing that made this band stand out for me was the fact that it was comprised of a bassist, a keyboardist, a drummer, and a vocalist. There was no lead guitar, which gave them a hollow, spacious sound. Live they also had good energy and a playful demeanor. While it was certainly clear that they were not used to having a big crowd and were more than a little nervous, they pulled through and did an excellent job.

Silversun Pickups (5/6):
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this show, and this band for that matter. Between Brian Aubret’s ethereal, sharp edged vocals, amazing guitar work and flawless lyrics, he could have been a show unto himself. His energy was explosive, yet always managed to fit the mood of the song. I am, however, convinced if he were forced to sit still he might well explode. The bass work was, as always, phenomenal. What made it even more amazing is that the slight gal slamming away at the bass, and rocking out like the world was ending was their substitute bassist. Their usual bassist is equally small, and massively talent, but she’s just recently given birth to twins. (If you happen to read this, Congratulations, Nikki Monninger!) It is a rare thing to see a substitute or tour member of the band get any applause at all; Sara (whose last name I never caught) got enough applause to bring the show to a halt briefly. She was utterly fantastic, matching Monninger in both energy and style, while still bringing her own attitude to the table. I’ve never seen someone bring who was on par with the original artist like that before. Ace job, Sara, ace job.
And lets not forget their phenomenal drummer, one part Animal of Muppets fame, one part insane metal drummer, and 100% magical, (dude) absolutely killed the drum work. While I’ve always appreciated their drummer, this show brought a new appreciation for exactly how bananas this guy is. Phenomenal job.
The only complaint I had (and it is minor) was that I would have moved “Panic Switch” (their really big) song to the second encore as opposed to being before either encore. It was a positively spectacular, ridiculously long show, with a frenetic, passionate energy that is on par with the best in the business.

Album Review: Kyoto Drive -The Approach--

Kyoto Drive is an alternative rock band from West Midlands, UK. I picked them up when they shot me an email  (I suspect it was from my connection to the Matchstick Men) they have an uplifting, poppy sound and infectious, soft vocals and accessible lyrics. One of the things that struck me off the bat was the strength of their backup vocals and their knack for harmonization both vocally and instrumentally. Their sound is cohesive and just all around fun. Kyoto Drive's sound is also very polished compared to other young bands. It is clear they've taken the time to put that little extra bit of effort in to really make their sound clean.

Where I think they could stand improvement:

There were a few issues that stood out for me. The first is that the sound balance isn't quite right on the album; the vocals are a little muted compared to the guitar work. Both elements sound good individually; I would just like to see a little more tweaking the mixing phase.

I also found I couldn’t differentiate between their songs unless I really focused, while it is wonderful that they have found their sound, I would like to see more innovation and verity within the album.

The final issue I had was that they haven't really made their sound their own, yet (I say yet, because I'm confidant in their ability to do so) it sounds like a half dozen other alt-rock/pop rock bands out there. I can certainly see the potential versatility of their guitarist and keyboardist, however it does not appear on the album.

Overall, a fun band whose work I cannot wait to see start appearing on the radio over here in the states.

Here is a link to their latest music video Breathe

 The majority of their info can be found at the bottom of the vid.

Riot Fest Day 2: Coheed and Cambria, and Rise Against.

Venue:

Humboldt Park (3/6):

I’ve been to a verity of outdoor venues and temporary venues. This venue was not very well organized-- the stages were nearly on top of each other. The map was disorganized as well. The stages were also too small for the popularity of the bands performing and the screens were not quite high up enough to be seen further back. It was also verbally inaccessible without a car especially given the fact that it was very close to a rougher area and the only way to get back to the El, let alone downtown, was an odd buss line. It was not somewhere I would stage a festival. That being said, the lineup was phenomenal bringing in artists in the punk and post punk vein with a verity of degrees of fame. I was only there part of the day, but what I did catch was a lot of fun.

  

Coheed and Cambria (5/6): Coheed and Cambria always puts on one of the best shows I’ve seen. With stunning, distinctive vocals, and a striking stage presence, front man Claudio Sanchez is a force all on his own. He also brings stunning guitar work and a maniacal grin to the set. 

The guitarist was also spectacular, keeping up and matching Sanchez’s artistry flawlessly. And the new drummer is exquisite-- I actually find his work better than their previous drummer-- presses yet quick to improvise a solo if necessary.

While this was a mere hour-long set, Coheed was immaculately on top of their game, coordinated and a joy to watch.

The end of the show was something to see, Sanchez leapt into the au dance and played amongst the fans in the front row, then literally vanished. The band kept playing; seeming a little confused at his disappearance but eventually left the stage. It was quite the trick.

In short, these guys are unparalleled musically.

Rise Against (4/6): While not comparable to their previous show at the UIC Pavilion, Rise Against puts on a sincere, energetic show that still remains in my top ten. From a content standpoint, they manage to balance their very strong political and personal belief with musicality and strong lyrics that do not bash the listener over the head. Vocalist Tim McIlrath is articulate, passionate and respects those that came before him musically. Simultaneously, full of conviction and humble McIlrath is a wonderful performer.

And that’s just the front man.

In true punk fashion their music is honed to a specific effect-- To inspire change. Whether it be a slow, thoughtful song or a riotous motivational song, Rise Against has both a brilliant amount of energy and a degree of cohesion not found often in modern punk.  It was a wonderful show. And there was no question how much the abundance was into it. These guys really know how to get the audience pumped. Even in a short, outdoor set it was a wild crowd. It left me feeling more alive than ever.

Wonderful show.

Riot Fest Day 1: Offspring with Neon Trees at the Congress Theater “Come Out and Play.”

Venue: (3/6) The Congress is an elderly relic of a time gone by, and looks/sounds it. It’s obvious that the ceilings and walls used to be ornately decorated, but the molding and paint have faded and chipped, lending a simultaneously run down and endearingly worn feeling to the atmosphere. It used to be a theater, so the sloped floor lends both access to airflow and a better vantage point for those of us who are of shorter stature. The sound system has the problem all older speakers have—the distorted bass and weak middle range. Fortunately, I was at a post-punk show and the distortion wasn’t as detrimental... well, at least not to the main act.

Neon Trees: (4/6) One part Billy Idol, one part Freddie Mercury front man, Tyler Glenn took the stage with a brash attitude true to punk. Glenn didn’t care if his band was headlining or opening, he was going to play his set and get the audience involved. While the ever-true anger at the little things that get under one’s skin often brings out the sympathy in anyone, I found that they didn’t quite connect with the people who weren’t familiar with their work; if you were a fan it was fun, but otherwise, the energy wasn’t quite there.

Glenn was also far and away the most talented of his band and the most iconic. The guitar work was just a hair inharmonious and the drum work was flat out off.

Overall, I had a great time with them. They aren’t there yet, and I don’t think they mind that fact.

The Offspring (5/6): It was an honor to listen to a band that is one of the fathers of post-punk. The Offspring formed right smack in the middle of the punk movement and managed to adhere to that feel in a time when punk in the truest sense was dying. Their influence on my generation’s music is near unparalleled. Echoes of their sound ring throughout the alterative rock and post punk movements.

After twenty-six years they still have it.

While The Offspring are far from their peak, they are also far from finished. Moreover, they understand who they are playing for. While there were a few songs off of their newest album, the majority of their set was their older stuff. I will admit that nostalgia made the show even better. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of skill involved. In particular, I was impressed with the guitar work. If you’re reading this, I’m sure you are familiar with the old running jokes about talent (or lack thereof) involved in punk music. This could not be further from the truth in the case of The Offspring. I am used to allowing for a degree of noise work in punk, which made the clarity and deliberateness in the guitar work all the more remarkable.

All told it was a wonderful show, and I would happily see them again. 

Happy 101 posts, everyone! Thanks for the support.

Album Review: The Workhorse Kings-Tripple Crown-

The Workhorse Kings Triple Crown (4/6):
Another con find. When I found them at the convention the name made me think of that garish twangy country music you stumble on occasionally, wince, and walk away quickly. While they are definitively country, there is a harder edge to their sound than most country-rock. A strong baseline serves as the groundwork for innovative instrumentation that manages to be layered without becoming noisy. There is a nice balance of electronic growl and precision. While the instrumentation blends quite well, the vocals do not; the frontman has a solid voice, and the lung power to back it up. However, when it comes to the harmonies and chorus, his distinctive voice sticks out a little too well and sometimes drowns out his background vocals. The lyrics piqued my interest with a little more intellectualism than most country. Overall, this album has brains, attitude and style.

The Spill Canvas at The Bottom Lounge 8/11/12

Normally when I get this far from the concert, I just skip reviewing entirely.  However, there are a few points that needed to be said.

The Bottom Lounge 3/6)-- Normally I love the intimacy and coziness of The Bottom Lounge, however there was one major issue with their sound system. The bass overpowered the vocals as well as the other instruments. While over emphasized bass is a common tactic to cover for a weak high end it can often be overlooked. However, with a band like Spill Canvas that is so lyrically driven that it was very distracting to the point of making me want to leave. I’ve never left a concert early of my own volition.

The Spill Canvas (4/6)

These guys have improved tremendously since I saw them a few years ago.  Their music evokes a level of intimacy that a lot of other bands just don’t do. While they can be a little emo, for lack of other word, front man Nick Thomasis a sweet, gracious soul whose lyrics are touching and romantic.  That shyness that I’ve come to be so fond of was initially what made them such a difficult band to get into live, however, experience has brought Spill Canvas a new degree of confidence and comfort on stage that wasn’t there in past shows.  This new attitude, in turn, has produced a significant improvement in energy.

Wicker Park Fest: Kill Hannah, AM Taxi, The Baseball Project, Magic box

Wicker Park Fest: (4/6)The festival itself was simply amazing. I’d never really been to the heart of Bucktown and it felt so artsy and thriving. Seeing the local artisans and artists out was a lot of fun and they managed to make the music and the art feel equally important. The space was small enough to be comfortable, but big enough that there wasn’t interference between the stages. The two stages I visited , well, they were outdoor temporary stages with all the pitfalls thereof. They were good temporary stages, albeit, but they had the distortion and poor sound balance of so common in that kind of set up. Surprisingly, the smaller central stage had better sound quality than the larger north stage.

I’ve stopped talking about the quality of the audience, but damn I’ve not seen a Kill Hannah crowd that active in years.

The Shows

Magic Box (center stage)(3/6): (partial set seen_ I wasn’t particularly a fan of their country overtones so my response is a bit colored) They sound almost completely different recorded, much more coordinated and less twangy. It still had more of a jam session feel than a show feel. The guitarist is just a little behind the beat, which is distracting.

AM Taxi (North stage)(4/6)—AM Taxi has always hovered at the peripheral of my radar, but never quite fully caught my attention. They seem to float around as a second tier band in a lot of the genres I follow. While I wasn’t mind blown, I was impressed. (Front dude) has a gravely voice that lends maturity to an otherwise standard Midwestern post-punk sound. He also enunciates better than most in the punk genera, which I like. On the whole AM Taxi has a sophistication that doesn’t happen often in their genera. Their musicality was not 100% though I attribute some of that to the venue (Outdoor venues have notoriously bad speakers, this was no exception) In order to make it really good, they need to tighten things up just a frication.

The Baseball Project (4/6)- While The Baseball Project were talented and the instrumentation was spot on, I personally just was not a fan. They were clearly professionals with both energy and enthusiasm, but they felt like has-beens, deceptive being on their up climb. They had the style that most bands the play for bigger abundances put forward, but without the experience backing them up. I also found their music immature, it felt like it was meant for children and had an utterly superficial flavor. Their sound was goofy. While there is nothing wrong with fun, bouncy music, this all just felt hackneyed and cheesy.

Kill Hannah (4/6): I have been a long time supporter of this little band. Mat Divine isn’t kidding when he says Kill Hannah has the most loyal fan base around. Devoted fans, and a band that puts all of its heart into giving back to them tenfold makes Kill Hannah feel more like family than anything else. Kill Hannah have always been accessible and gracious.
Their music is both fearless and romantic; Divine’s voice is alternately a whisper and a wildcat screech. He is as talented as he is gracious. And willing to speak with conviction and without any fear of what someone else will say. While he wasn’t 100% on his game musically he made up for it by putting forth an energy I haven’t seen from him in years. He was on fire up there.

They recently acquired a new guitarist who has style. He doesn’t look like much, a puppy face with shaggy hair that all but covers his face. I believe he’s the other guratist’s younger brother, but don’t quote me. That boy can shred like its no one’s business. He is still learning to look up and make eye contact with the audience, but he has great deal of potential.

Bassist Greg Corner has both talent and personality. Off stage he is friendly and a talented DJ. On stage he’s the strong undercurrent in a band with a lot of high-end work, so he often goes unnoticed, but his sound really round things out.

Overall, the band is always fun live. I look forward to more from them.

Summerfest, Last Day: Ducky and the Vintage, Ours and Bush

Stage: The US Cellular Stage(4/6) I would call this the best stage outside of the Marcus Amphitheater on the Summerfest grounds. A relatively clear sound system, beautiful lighting and a restricted number of people make for a much more enjoyable setting than the larger stages. However, it is also large enough to accommodate some of the more popular bands

Acts:
Ducky and the Vintage (3/6): Seeing on the fedora and vest, I expected a pretentious indie sound (witch is more prevalent in their recorded stuff) Instead it was something that more closely resembled alternative rock. Ducky and the Vintage had a lot of accidental noise in their instrumentation. I attribute this to their lack of coordination and utter lack of training on their instruments. Maybe I caught them on a bad day.
Don’t get me wrong; I don’t mind the lo-fi sound. I grew up on bands like Nirvana; I am quite acquainted with that style. Rather than the slurred, gravel of grunge, Ducky had muddy, sloppy vocals and imprecise guitar work. There was talent under there somewhere, but I feel that front man (dude) should either play or sing, not both. I have no doubt he could do either, but lacks the coordination to do both.

The set also had too many gaps in it, for an opening band that is a death sentence.


Ours (Flash warning!) (5/6): (shortened, as I was distracted during much of the performance)
Hello, dolly. Jimmy Gnecco has a young voice and a fresh face with stellar presence and confidence. I was shocked to learn this band had been around since the 90s as Gnecco looks so young. Carrying a distinctive voice and a confidant presence, it is no wonder Ours draws the number of fans it does. The instrumentation was polished and coordinated as well as being innovative.
Where they lose points is the lack of energy. While there was a lot of movement on stage they didn’t draw the crowd in particularly well.


Bush: (4/6)
Over this Summerfest, I have seen two genre defining legends—the foo fighters and bush. Front man Gavin Rossdale has wonderful presence and grace. His smile is infectious when it appears and utterly sincere. The show felt both intimate and expansive. With their deep roots in 90s grunge, Bush’s guitar work was art and the deep bass was palpable under the skin. While I can hear echoes of Nirvana in their earlier work, Bush has continued to be a powerhouse of post-grunge self-discovery. Rossdale also worked with the crowd like a true professional- constantly among the audience, playing directly to them, working with the crowd sings and gracious. I think that nearly losing his career really made him step up his game. It was an honor to hear them play.
Where I was most suppressed was that Bush is still talented a decade after their heyday. Rossdale has lost none of his talent, if anything age has made his voice more gravely lending itself further to the post grunge sound.

Chris Traynor and Rossdale had a surprisingly strong report considering that he is a newer member. They played together as though they were old friends.

Corey Britz’s bass work was magical and held together large portions of the set. Including a bass solo, not something that is common at all.

Their drummer was positively amazing and rounded out the pounding low end that makes grunge what it is.

I look forward to them making a comeback.

Summerfest day 4: Makeshift Prodogy and Art of Dying (Summefest Rock Stage)

Venue: The Summerfest Rock Stage (4/6):

I have discovered this tiny, far away from everything else stage is fast becoming my favorite stage. While many of the bigger bands come to the Miller Light Oasis, I have had repeated problems with that stage. This stage often has better acts, and doesn’t have the overcrowding problem the Oasis and Harley Davison stages have.

Show:

Makeshift Prodigy: (3/6)

Ouch.

Makeshift Prodigy is one of my pet bands from back home in Chicago (I tangentially know their manager) however they have never quite made the leap from being decent to being really good. I’ve struggled to figure out exactly what didn’t quite click for me. I loved their style, their amicable nature, the lyrics were wonderful, the presentation fun.

But the frontman consistently does a few things that make is performance not quite solid.

First, he sings just a little outside of his vocal range. Which can be fine, however he does not have the breath support to hit some of the higher notes he aims for. The result is breathy and will break his voice if he doesn’t learn to support it. The second thing is easily corrected. Part of Anthony Banagara’s charm is that he’s shy-natured it lends to the intimacy of a lot of his shows; however, he does not pull the audience in. There is no eye contact. This gives the impression of a child rocking out in his bedroom, rather than an actual performer.

However, the talent is there, and the stage antics are positively adorable-- Banagara spent a lot of his time making his upright piano his personal jungle gym (doing flips over it, climbing/standing on it) and was very bouncy. He has a good sense of how to use his honed skill on the keyboard and the addition of a bowed guitar was a very nice touch and he managed to pull it off well.

The backup vocalist/keyboardist/tambourine player(yes really), however, had presence in spades and charm to spare. He also had vocal talent, which was wonderful.

Overall, these guys have always had promise, but in the two years I’ve been following them they have yet to really gain momentum. Good luck to them.

Art of Dying (flash warning) (4/6 recorded, 5.5/6 live):

You have to get up pretty early in the morning to put on a good show before sunset at a festival, doubly so to nearly earn a 6 from me. These guys did both.

Art Of Dying is feel good arena rock with a positivity that is rare in rock and roll these days without going soft and hackneyed.

This is my third Art of Dying show and they have consistently improved their act. I feel like their album at this point does them a disservice. While it is a great album, it lacks the arena rock style and charisma that Art of Dying bring live. Jonny Heatherington has charisma and a knack with the crowd that I’ve not seen in a long time. Gracious, but not humble Heatherington gives a dynamic show and has the ability to get even a lazy crowd on its feet. He is also very good about actually disappearing from the stage to let his band mates have their big moments--Including a killer drum solo and an extent guitar solo

The guitarist is also a very talented and has a powerful dynamic with the front dude

However, there were too many set breaks for an opener. Often bands that are well known enough to be the last opener forgets that they are intact still openers. You only have one hour tops, do your thing fast.

Another thing that went a long way with me was how courteous and friendly the entire band was and what a  fun sense of humor Heatherington showed.

I look forward to meeting them again. 

Album Review: Matchstickmen -A Change in Season, EP—(5/6)

Matcstickmen came across my radar in the middle of Summerfest this year on a down day. Hailing from Liverpool this little band packs quite the kick while still sounding like the professionals they are.

It is a refreshing change to hear a baritone in alternative rock. While I am certainly not complaining about the recent trend toward tenors, Front man Lewis Wright’s vocals stand out a from the rest of what’s on the radio these days with depth and a gravelly yet melodic sound. Wright also enunciates clearly, which is an uncommon thing these days. Matchstick men also lend a sexy twist to their cover of Michael Jackson’s “Give in to Me.”

In addition to the delicious vocals, the guitar work has personality and matches the vocals nicely while still sounding distinctive.

There is a degree of polish to this album that a lot of young artists simply don’t have, I would definitely like to hear more from these guys.

As per request here is a link to their EP and site. Enjoy this, folks. It’s good stuff.
http://www.ourstage.com/epk/matchstickmen

Summerfest day 3: Your Vilain My Hero and Miniature Tigers

Venue: The Miler Light Oasis (Summerfest grounds, Milwaukee, WI)

I have had multiple bad experiences with this stage and sound balance.  It also has the unfortunately problem of having two large sponsored beer pavilions right in the stage area. It makes for a drunk, obnoxious crowd. Add that to a stage with distorted sound and more people than it should hold and it’s a recipe for disaster. Not all the shows I’ve been here have been horrible, but it is not my favorite stage.

The show:

Your Villain My Hero (2/6) (partial review, only saw half the set) this was not my night for music.  On the one hand, this band had a lot of personality and energy. On the other, the cultural dissonance in some of the covers they performed was borderline offensive.  (Hint to new bands: if you’re covering a band a) do not insert your name into the song b) do not use their accent. Especially not if they are a different race from you. It sounds racist) On the other hand they get points for style and energy.  Their sense of rhythm and vocal tone were beyond bad. It felt like they were trying to hard to be sexy and falling completely flat.

Miniature Tigers: (2/6 live, 4/6 on cd) I had to check three times to make sure I’d found the right band because the sound difference was so big between their stage show and their album.  On stage they are reminiscent of a bad beach boys cover band-- waver vocals with weak guitar work and minimal talent overall.  The instrumentation was simply bad and the vocals too quiet for the mics to pick up. However, credit for effort and for their senses of humor. They were continually trying to interact with the audience and managed to get a lot of people actually moving and enraged. NO small feet for an Indi. band. They were funny, happy, and fully aware that they were not the show people came to see.

On cd, they are very reminiscent of fun. Indi pop with a pretentious but still entertaining fare. Posh.

(I saw part of fun. too but I’m not reviewing them, as I saw only fragments. )