Linkin Park - A Thousand Suns Review

Linkin Park has always been one of those bands that makes us wait a couple years in between albums, but also always delivers solid material that is well worth the wait. A Thousand Suns is no exception to this. They still keep their rap-rock style mostly, but there are some deviations from that as well. The many different styles are balanced very well here though, keeping things fresh and interesting. And even though the genre may be the same, this is definitely not just a rehashing of their previous work. You can tell Linkin Park worked hard to make sure this was different than anything they had done before. For one thing, each song blends almost seamlessly with the next, creating a more fluid experience. This isn't to say every song sounds the same. No, each song is it's own thing, but while also being part of a larger whole. The work that was put into the album is most evident, however, with their single "The Catalyst" which was created in a very unique way.



I thought the idea of having the fans help contribute to this song was cool and different and really made it so they became part of the music.

Personal favorite: While "Catalyst" is a great song and constantly gets stuck in my jukebox of a brain, gotta say I really loved "Iridescent" - both musically and lyrically.

Do you feel cold and lost in desperation
You build up hope, but failure's all you've known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
and let it go, let it go

The song builds then releases to "Fallout" and finally transitions to "Catalyst." The album then concludes with "The Messenger," which is both beautiful and rough at the same time. The lyrics and message are sweet, while the vocals are emotional and raw. Personally I think these last few songs combine to make for a perfect ending to an already exceptional record.



When you've suffered enough
And your spirit is breaking
You're growing desperate from the fight

Remember you're loved
And you always will be
This melody will bring you right back home

Runaway Dorothy - The Arc Review

I discovered Runaway Dorothy through the wonders of Twitter. Somehow their album made its way into my iPod, and even though it didn't fit my typical listening pattern, I still enjoyed what it had to offer. "And what did the album offer?" you ask.

Well, instead of the alt rock I usually listen to, The Arc is 46 minutes of alt country with somewhat of a Counting Crows vibe. It makes sense that the Crows promote this band so much. I could definitely see Dorothy opening for them and keeping the audience pleased. For the most part songs are slow, and laid back, but this feels relaxing instead of boring. The lyrics are simple yet meaningful. There are also some sweet harmonies on "With You." Like I said, this normally isn't my favorite genre, but this album is solid and had me thoroughly impressed. I can only imagine that fans of this genre would only love it all the more.

My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys Review

From the introduction and first song on Danger Days I knew two things: 1) this album is going to be a lot of fun, and 2) but only if I don't listen to it as a My Chemical Romance album. Through further listening though it would seem that, yes, the sound is different on this album, but there is still just enough of MCR infused in it to be recognizable to old-time fans. It's not exactly the same as their older material, but that's ok. It's closer to The Black Parade in that it's a concept album with a story attached to it. This time we are following the band's alter egos, the Killjoys, in their adventures. The first single "Na Na Na" is also the first song on the album, and introduces us to our cast of characters. The rest of the album takes us through the story, set to (mostly) high tempo music. The best way to describe it would be glam rock, a fusion of rock and pop that blends to make for something less dark than previous albums the band has released.

Final thought: While the single may leave you scratching your head as to what to expect here, I say give this one a chance and you might be pleasantly surprised. It might not be what you expect from MCR, but it's got enough good elements in it to be worth a listen.

Kids of 88 - Sugarpills Album Review

 Kids of 88's album Sugarpills opens with electronic beats that tell you immediately this is going to be more of an upbeat dance album. In taking a closer listen, I found a lot of the songs seemed to focus on getting pleasure from different things, usually with another person involved. This is seen from a number of different angles, from the song "Everybody Knows," which is about sado-masochism (although the boys have said they themselves are not into those sorts of things) to the more wholesome-seeming track "San Fran," which paints a picture of happiness in a "Full House" type setting. Then there is the song "Downtown," in which the singer says he wants to get dressed up, go downtown, and have a good time. The song paints a picture of a person going to a club or bar and making a night of it, both with the lyrics and backing music. The album as a whole is short in length (about 37 minutes total) and goes by rather quickly. I enjoyed it immensely, however. If you are looking to dance but don't like generic club beats, this album is for you.

Authors note: When listening to this album I struggled to find the words to convey what I thought the band was like. I eventually settled on new wave/electronic. After listening to the album I checked their website to see how they described themselves, and was pleased that our descriptions matched exactly. I guess I found the words after all.

Jukebox the Ghost - Everything Under the Sun (A Review)

i have been a fan of Jukebox the Ghost for some time now (about 2 years actually), and have listened to their debut album a couple dozen times. I never thought I would hear a more complete and fun-loving album ever again - I should have anticipated them outdoing themselves in their next try. Their sophomore album Everything Under the Sun is everything I could ask for and then some. Just when I thought I couldn't love this band anymore - it's as if this album is their answer to that.

The first track is Schizophrenic, which starts off racing and lets you know you're listening to a band that likes to have fun with their music. I defy you to not dance around your room right along with this opening number. I could almost feel the energy fill the room as the song progressed.

After a few fun dance numbers, they slow it down a bit with Summer Sun. Even still, there is a quiet energy still present. It is like a breath of fresh air after you've been dancing in the rain. It picks right back up and rushes into the next track, Mistletoe. One of the things I have always loved about this band is how well their first album blended together. Each track seemed to have some connection to the ones surrounding it. Even some of my favorite artists have one or two songs in their albums I can usually skip, but that is not true with Jukebox. Every song adds something special and would be missed in the overall listening experience of the album as a whole. Some artists give you singles - this band gives you albums. You can tell a lot of care and attention has gone into choosing each song to make it fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. That level of attention is part of what makes their music special. It also makes it very hard for me to choose a favorite song. You know that feeling when your favorite song come on and you say, "Oh, I love that song!"? Well I should probably just say, "I love that band!" because I do. I love them a lot. Does that make me biased in writing this review? Possibly. So here's the challenge for you - listen for yourself and tell me I'm wrong, that my excitement over this new album coming out is misplaced. If you make it through the whole album without smiling once, well then I will consider myself corrected.

Everything Under the Sun is currently available for pre-order & will be released Sept 7th. The band just announced this morning they will be on Dave Letterman tonight, so take advantage of this chance to get a free preview. Their next New York date will be Sept 16th at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Your humble blogger will be the one in the front taking a million pictures, dancing like there's no tomorrow, and congratulating the band after on continuing to be awesome.

April Smith - Songs for a Sinking Ship (A Review)

Looking for something upbeat that will get you moving? Right from the start you can tell April Smith's album is exactly what you're looking for. Her first message: "I just want to mean something to you". Well she can rest easy on that front, because she definitely makes herself relevant with her unique style. The title of the album is appropriate, for each new song makes me visualize choppy seas and that sinking ship. For that matter, the band's full name "April Smith & The Great Picture Show is also very appropriate. From the five players who make the sound of a full band come music so rich with imagery that it's hard to not have a picture show running through your head. The pace slows down a bit with "Dixie Boy," but even this slower song has a certain drive behind it. The album never gets boring or feels dragged out (although the drastic change from the first few tracks to "Beloved" is a bit of an adjustment. There is a final upswing with the last two tracks though, going back to more of what we were first introduced to. Overall the record is thoroughly enjoyable (and if you buy the physical album actually looks like a miniature record. It is obvious that while April Smith might look young, she has an old school vibe about her. This makes her even more fascinating to me. I have heard the band is very good live, so my recommendation is to buy the album and see how you like it, then go take in a live show. I don't think you will be disappointed.

April Smith & The Great Picture Show's next live performance will be Aug 11th at le Poison Rouge.

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs (A Review)

Arcade Fire's new album, "The Suburbs" is an experience that is powerful both musically and lyrically. The songs are upbeat and energetic at times, mellow and thoughtful at others. "Half Life" has pounding music that feels ready to burst any minute. It resolves to "Half Life II", which starts slow and builds back up again.

Another word to describe the album is "eclectic". "Suburban War" has war-like drum beats followed by the next track "Month of May" which is more of a dance number. The whole album goes through waves with different levels and emotional tones to them. With such a variety of flavors to experience, I'm sure you will find a song for you.

Arcade Fire are currently on tour, and will be in NYC August 4th & 5th. The Aug 4th date is sold out, but tickets are still available for Aug 5th, according to Bowery's website.Full list of dates can be found on the Arcade Fire MySpace. If you can't make it to any of the shows, fear not! The Madison Square Garden show will be broadcast on the Internets (see Bowery site for details). The event will be an historic one, so you're not going to want to miss out.

Alex Band - We've All Been There: A Review

Hearing the lead singer from a rock band make the change to solo artist, some might fear this will just be a watered down version of the former band. Rest assured, this is not the case with "We've All Been There". Right from the start, Band shows his fans that he still has some rocker left in him. That's not to say that this is just like The Calling but with a different band. Alex' voice is recognizable from his days as frontman, but the sound is all his own. The album actually achieves a perfect balance that should keep fans of The Calling happy while also adding to that fan base and making it stronger. The album grabs the listener right away with the title track, letting them know that Band is giving it all he's got with this one. Good to know, for those who have been waiting since he first announced his solo career back in 2005. These loyal follows have stayed with him through label issues and several delays. Five years later and they now have a new album to hold (which has been signed by the artist if they jumped on that promotion). And what an album it is, too. With each song you can hear the passion Band has for his craft. You would have to love something that much to go through the rollercoaster ride it has been and even creating a label, in essence building a home for the newborn child to live and feel comfortable in.

The album is entirely worth it (IMO) but a few songs especially stand out for me. One is the single "Tonight", partly because I have had more time to fall in love with it and partly because it is just a truly powerful song. When the video was finally made available, I shared it with everyone I thought might be interested and played it a dozen times in the first day. In case you missed it, here it is again:



Another song is "Only One" because the chorus reminds us we only have one life to live, which I take a step further to mean we shouldn't waste the time we've got left. This is a lesson we all learn at some point, but sometimes we need repeated reminders.

"Holding On" refers to "holding on to a dream and staying strong" - which could be the theme song for the overall process of recording the album and making it accessible to the public, the whole time fighting the urge to lose faith and not give up. Keeping with that theme, there is also the track "Love", which proclaims "I'm not giving up… I'm blessed with love". This is the sort of positive, uplifting message we need in difficult times like we have seen lately. The final song "Start Over Again" is about life bringing you down and being able to pick right up and start again. Or maybe Alex just subliminally is trying to tell us to start the record over again…. Hey, you don't have to tell me twice!

After listening to the new album a few times on repeat, it's time to enjoy them in a live setting. Now that the album is finally out, there are a series of tour dates to look forward to. The tour began on the West Coast on July 14th and will end on the East Coast on August 8th. The New York date is August 6th at Highline Ballroom. The complete list of dates can be found on his website, as well as the latest news the artist has to share and a bunch of other extras. You can also follow Alex on Facebook and Twitter as well. The album can be purchased on iTunes and his website, as well as certain local retailers. You've waited long enough for this one, folks - go buy your copy today!

Memphis Sings the Music of My Soul

I already wrote a review of Memphis when it was in previews, so instead consider this a spotlight on one of it's cast members: Bryan Fenkart.

Bryan is part of the ensemble and understudy to the lead (usually played by Chad Kimball). Last night, Bryan played the lead part for both performances. I was in attendance at the evening show. Everyone in the cast did a fantastic job, no question about it. Montego Glover has a stunning wardrobe and an evening more stunning voice to match. Chad Kimball plays the part of Huey with an energy that grabs you from minute one. And Bryan? He's usually in the ensemble, most likely only noticed by those who are looking for him. That is, until he gets the chance to be a star. Then everyone notices.

It's always different when you know the performer. You want to be objective, but recognize that is almost impossible. So when everyone else in the theater is talking, it tells you that you were right about this one. He really is something special. Bryan did a splendid job taking on the lead last night, pushing the bar higher than ever before. His performance was fantastical. Afterwards, people waited by the stage door for pictures and autographs as if he was a star. Which he was, at least for that night. And I predict his star will keep rising a bit higher yet.

Hello Hurricane is a Perfect Storm

Hello Hurricane is Switchfoot's seventh studio album and their most recent to date. The album is louder and more energized than previous albums by the band, but still remains true to their Christian Rock roots. There is simply more emphasis on the "rock" aspect here. The title track is a perfect example of this. The music is upbeat and perfect to dance to, but the words provide the typical positive and hopeful message that the band is known for. The words "Hello hurricane, you're not enough. Hello hurricane, you can't silence my love," share the message that the speaker is not going to let the storms of life get them down or silence their belief. Switchfoot is one of the few bands I can think of that always seem to have positive and uplifting music that doesn't fall into the trap of being dull. With the new album they have been able to amplify this ability to captivate their audience to the next degree. The band has been around for 13 years now with no signs of slowing down any time soon. It gives me hope for the music world to see this band flourish. In a time when everything else seems to be about negativity and what can go wrong, Switchfoot gives the listener something to feel good about.

Picking the Right Single: The Fray

While the rest of the album is good, The Fray definitely made the right choice with "You Found Me as the single for their latest album. It's one of those songs that makes you stop and notice every time it comes on the radio. Stylistically all of the songs are classic "The Fray" style, but this is the most memorable track the record has to offer. Plus it is highly marketable with the relationship theme everyone can relate to and energetic music to go with it that really grabs the listener's attention. Definitely go pick up this album (if you haven't already).

Muse Is Our Resistance

The word for today is "energy" and Muse's new album The Resistance certainly delivers. With the epic opening of the first track "Uprising" the listener knows they are in for quite a ride. The Resistance has many of the same elements of previous albums (especially Absolution) and yet something different has been infused into the mix. There is more energy here than ever before. Everything seems more upbeat, but it is done in a way that doesn't make it feel Poppy. Even the classic slower song midway through the album (United States of Eurasia) is more energetic than before.Of course they save the best for last with the three-part masterpiece "Exogenesis: Symphony", which essentially has all of the elements that make Muse great but amplified. It is the punctuation to a fantastic album. In conclusion, The Resistance brings us the same great Muse but with a twist. This will keep old fans happy (this fan was certainly more than satisfied) while possibly attracting a new crowd to the fold. Hopefully this will mean more popularity for them in the U.S. I hope so because this is one band that definitely is underrated as of yet.