Should I keep blogging?

Haven't blogged in three years. Hard to believe it's been so long. Lately I've been loving Wovenwar's new self-titled album Wovenwar. Then again, love anything Shane Blay does. Question is should I keep blogging? I don't know.

Weezer - Death To False Metal

It’s no understatement that Weezer is on the upswing of their career. After a rickety three album mid-life music slump, the band managed to blow a fraction of hope into the stopped lungs of estranged fans with their 8th studio album “Hurley.” Now, Weezer is back with “Death to False Metal” – A gritty, quirky, melodic and highly entertaining compilation of 10 songs from the band’s cutting-room floor masquerading as an LP. Yes, these are REJECTED songs from the 7 albums prior to “Hurley.”

“Death” is ugly and sad with lyrics that playfully discuss being lonely and dead inside. Every song is completely unpolished and so incredibly odd that they borderline science fiction. At times, at least for the band, the songs are too grim. Imagine if “Raditude’s” single (If You’re Wondering) went to sleep one night and had a nightmare – that nightmare would be the song I’m a Robot from “Death.” Autopilot, the record’s opener, combines a bass-heavy rock rhythm with various keyboards and strange computer tones. In it, Rivers seems to suggest that he examines feces with a microscope in his free time. Losing My Mind is another strong track that, at times, sounds uncannily like a Pink Floyd song. It’s a better version of the song Unspoken from “Hurley.” Nothing on the album could be considered weak. All ten songs will entertain fans listening for something a little darker this Halloween.

If you DO wish to consider this record an LP - and not just a collection of deleted songs from prior years - then “Death to False Metal” is the successor to “Pinkerton.” In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these songs were actually FROM “Pinkerton.” However, with the 2010 re-issue of "Pinkerton" dropping next week, I could be wrong. This album is well worth pulling out a college loan to grab. Already have too many? A refinanced loan would be well worth the reward.

Either way, this is the band’s best work.

On the down-side, because the songs are a bit abstract and autonomous, the album won’t feel as memorable. The songs are excellent, but nothing really sounds even remotely similar to the band's first three albums from the 1990s. This album is more akin to Snow Patrol’s “Songs for Polar Bears” or maybe “Sam’s Town” by the Killers. The lyrics, however, certainly resemble the band's older work.

In a weird way, it’s almost like listening to a greatest hits compilation from a band you’ve never heard.

“Death to False Metal” is Weezer’s official come-back record. After such a hideous slump with “Raditude” and the latter halves “Red” and “Make Believe,” this album dares to bring the REAL nightmare to life as its lyrics about pain and self-deprecation truly live up to what we would consider “Old Weezer.”

If records like “Raditude” and “Make Believe” are personas…That is, what Weezer decided to show to the world at that time… Then “Death to False Metal” is how the band really felt. People tend to be very resilient when it comes to honesty. However, all that this band could offer over the last 7 or 8 years was mostly experimental slop. Don’t get me wrong, I personally enjoyed a lot of it. But that whole body of work was what only THEY could relate to. None of it was accessible to us. Even though “Death” is very somber, it leaves a lot open for interpretation. The songs are interesting, multi-layered odes to heartbreak, uncertainty and apathy. It's dark in a good way. Give it a listen.

Taking Back Sunday - Taking Back Sunday

Taking Back Sunday marks the return of guitarist/vocalist John Nolan and bassist Shaun Cooper to the band of the same name. Self-titling the album was a bold move, and feels like a symbolic gesture on their part. It is the first album in nine years from what many consider the band’s “classic” lineup (although personally I think the band has only gotten better as it has matured). Even though this particular group of musicians hasn't recorded an album together in quite some time, they sound like a well-oiled machine here, and have created arguably the best album of their career thus far.

Things kick off with a bang in “El Paso”, bar none the heaviest song the band has ever recorded. With chugging guitars, a Nirvana-esque bassline, and throat-shredding screams from both Nolan and lead vocalist Adam Lazzara, it feels akin to what the group’s friends/rivals/contemporaries in Brand New did with 2009’s "Vices". Indeed, many of the album’s tracks, such as “Faith (When I Let You Down)” and “It Doesn't Feel a Thing Like Falling” have a more muscular rock sound than we've heard from the band before. The band has been headed in this direction since 2006’s Louder Now, but this is the best they've ever been at it.

Album centerpiece “This Is All Now” is a huge highlight, with a reggae-esque drumbeat and some busy guitar work from Nolan, that features perhaps the catchiest chorus the band has written. If released as a single, it should sit quite comfortably on rock radio next to Weezer and Foo Fighters.

“Who Are You Anyway” doesn't fare quite as well. It feels like two entirely different songs spliced together. Two pretty decent songs at least, but the transitions are a little shaky.

Somewhat surprisingly, Adam Lazzara’s lyrics are one of the album’s strongest suits, with couplets like “I know you mean well with your ancient code of ethics. / Lead by example, could you imagine Christ hitting a child?” from the aforementioned “This Is All Now”, and “Skin against skin, covering bone. / The body you’re in is aggressively slim. / You earned the clothes you put on it / to cover up where you've been” from “Sad Savior”. It’s clear he’s come a long way since the days of “I got the mic and you got the moshpit.”

With the buzz of this lineup’s reunion still lingering, it would have been easy to make Tell All Your Friends Part 2. The fact remains that these men are in their 30s now. Trying to rehash the high school melodrama of Tell All Your Friends would have been embarrassing. Kudos to Taking Back Sunday for not taking the easy way out. They've created an exciting, challenging album that feels like a new beginning and a culmination of prior work all at once.

Back to blogging.

So after quite a hiatus I'm back. I would first like to explain my style of reviewing music. Since this is a blog, I feel like this is more of a venue for expression, than objectiveness. My music reviews, abstract as they are, come straight from the heart, and really represent what I take away from the album not anything concretely objective. I do hope you enjoy, and aren't too taken aback. I know coming straight outa my head can cause quite severe whiplash.

A Day To Remember - What Separates Me From You

So after a brief hiatus I thought it was perfectly appropriate that my I begin blogging again with a review of A Day To Remember's newest album "What Separates Me From You" (2010)

Over the year's we've watched as ADTR has progressed from a simple fuzzled hardcore/screamo outfit to something un-believably evolved - a mix between New Found Glory and something like Four Year's Strong. After their junior album "Homesick" we saw a more mature side of ADTR. So where does leave us with "What Separates Me From You"? Well really nowhere. ADTR has gone through some serious evolution over the past few years, but really I don't see much movement forward with this newest album. This is not necessarily a bad thing however, "Homesick" leaves us begging for more and "What Separates Me From You" delivers. To be sure there really aren't any songs at the level of "Downfall Of Us All" (with the exception perhaps of "All Signs Point To Landerdale"), however the songs on the album are first-rate.

In summary ADTR's much anticipated senior album "What Separates Me From You" is not much of a step forward, but it delivers. My three favorite songs from the album are:

1. "All Signs Point To Landerdale"
2. "Sticks & Bricks"
3. "It's Complicated"

I would definitely recommend this album to anyone who was left craving for more of "Homesick" and any fan of hardcore or punk.

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A Day To Remember - Homesick

Here is yet another album by A Day To Remember. I discussed the bands sound in more depth in the last review, so in this review I will focus on the album itself.

"Homesick" (2009) is their junior album and it features a much more defined and refined sound. I have to say this is one of the few albums that I can listen to without the urge to hit skip repeatedly. This is probably due to the more consistent sound and passion that most of the songs on this album contain. My three favorite songs from the album are:

1. "The Downfall Of Us All"
2. "I'm Made Of Wax Larry, What Are You Made Of?"
3. "Have Faith In Me"

I would absolutely recommend this album to anyone who is into hard-core/screamo, maybe if your into punk.

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A Day To Remember - For Those Who Have Heart

This is album I've been listening to for several weeks now. A Day To Remember has quickly become one of my favorite bands. Their mix of screamo with punk vocals is carried out very well, by this band.

"For Those Who Have Heart" (2007) is the band's sophomore release. The songs on this album are for the most part pretty bland. The ones that do stand out however are very involved. I am impressed with this band's excellent balance between screamo and harmonic vocals. The music is inspiration/head-banging ready, great pump-up music for long runs or long boring commutes/rides. Their bonus track "Since U Been Gone" is one of THE BEST hardcore cover's I've heard to date. My top three favorite songs from the album are:

1. "You Should've Killed Me When You Had The Chance"
2. "Since U Been Gone" (cover, bonus track) yup
3. "The Plot To Bomb The Panhandle"

I would recommend this album to anyone who is into hard-core/screamo, maybe if your into punk.

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Capital Lights - This Is An Outrage!

Ok this is an album I've been listening to this week. Quite frankly I'm surprised that I like it. I gave up on pop-punk a long time ago, but this band is very original. True some of the songs ARE in fact straight pop-punk, however the songs to contain diversity are extremely good. Capital Lights is just plain feel good music; fluff that is extremely catchy and can get you high. "This Is An Outrage!" contains very clean sounds, that are surprisingly refreshing. My top three favorite songs from the album are:

1. "Let the Little Lady Talk"
2. "Mile Away"
3. "Out of Control"

I would recommend this album to anyone who is or used to be in to the punk or pop-punk genre.

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