Another week in music means more albums for me to review. Better yet, more albums for me to enjoy, think about, and write about in the best way I can. Iron Maiden finally released their first new song since 2010's The Final Frontier and Grace Potter released an album full of fun, dance-able rock music. I'll get to both and more in this review.
Bullet For My Valentine - Venom
RCA Records; 2015
Admittedly, I almost didn't review this one. Even when I had started listening to the album, I kinda considered leaving this one out. But I figured that occasionally I have to listen to and review music I don't like, not only so that my blog doesn't become completely one-sided but also so that I can listen to come thing that surprises me. Thankfully, this album accomplished at least one of those things for this website.
I certainly have nothing wrong with bands wanting to retain the sound that works for them; kind of the old "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mantra. Hell, some of the bands I like never changed up their sound between albums. A band like Fleet Foxes had a sound that made them successful, but rather than change it, they improved on it. Iron Maiden, a band that I'll get to later on in this post, also had a very particular sound, but also switched it up every now and then. Bullet For My Valentine doesn't really improve or change much in between their albums, it seems.
I'd be lying if I said the band weren't good musicians; they're actually excellent musicians. I just can't find anything about this album that really sticks out to me aside from the musicianship.
Overall: 3/10
Favorite Track(s): Uhhhhh......
I certainly have nothing wrong with bands wanting to retain the sound that works for them; kind of the old "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mantra. Hell, some of the bands I like never changed up their sound between albums. A band like Fleet Foxes had a sound that made them successful, but rather than change it, they improved on it. Iron Maiden, a band that I'll get to later on in this post, also had a very particular sound, but also switched it up every now and then. Bullet For My Valentine doesn't really improve or change much in between their albums, it seems.
I'd be lying if I said the band weren't good musicians; they're actually excellent musicians. I just can't find anything about this album that really sticks out to me aside from the musicianship.
Overall: 3/10
Favorite Track(s): Uhhhhh......
New Politics - Vikings
DCD2/Warner Bros. Records; 2015
I saw Danish rock band New Politics this past summer when they were opening for Cake at a big show in Charlotte at the Uptown Amphitheater for a North Carolina radio station's birthday. Of the four bands that played that day--the other three being Cake, Big Data, and Flagship--New Politics were undoubtedly the standout act of the day. They were so full of energy that it was impossible not to enjoy them.
So I was a little interested when I found out they had a new album, and when I changed the format of this website a bit, I thought that they'd be fun to review. As I began listening, I realized that their music is just as energetic as their live shows. While it's not a musically complex album by any stretch, it's still a lively and entertaining pop-rock album. Lyrically, which reminisce on youthful spirit and rebellion, are nothing special, but I don't think they have to be. They're the type of songs I'd love to sing along to while driving down an open highway doing 75 MPH.
All but one of the songs on here are under four minutes; the only song that is longer than four minutes is the last song: an 11 minute-long song called "Strings Attached" that is actually a 90 second-long song plus a hidden track. While the actual track is fun and fast, the hidden track is kind of... weird. It's a quasi-rap song that sounds a bit like Lorde, with some weird random sound bytes thrown in. To make it even weirder, the band throws in another hidden track in the last few seconds. While it definitely stands out among the other tracks, I'm not really sure what the point of this move was.
Regardless, this album is still fun as hell, and is full of arena-ready pop-punk. I hope to see these fellas gaining more ground in the near future with some radio hits and a big tour.
Overall: 7/10
Favorite Tracks: West End Kids; Girl Crush; Loyalties Among Thieves; Stardust; Aristocrat; Stardust; the first 90 seconds of Strings Attached
So I was a little interested when I found out they had a new album, and when I changed the format of this website a bit, I thought that they'd be fun to review. As I began listening, I realized that their music is just as energetic as their live shows. While it's not a musically complex album by any stretch, it's still a lively and entertaining pop-rock album. Lyrically, which reminisce on youthful spirit and rebellion, are nothing special, but I don't think they have to be. They're the type of songs I'd love to sing along to while driving down an open highway doing 75 MPH.
All but one of the songs on here are under four minutes; the only song that is longer than four minutes is the last song: an 11 minute-long song called "Strings Attached" that is actually a 90 second-long song plus a hidden track. While the actual track is fun and fast, the hidden track is kind of... weird. It's a quasi-rap song that sounds a bit like Lorde, with some weird random sound bytes thrown in. To make it even weirder, the band throws in another hidden track in the last few seconds. While it definitely stands out among the other tracks, I'm not really sure what the point of this move was.
Regardless, this album is still fun as hell, and is full of arena-ready pop-punk. I hope to see these fellas gaining more ground in the near future with some radio hits and a big tour.
Overall: 7/10
Favorite Tracks: West End Kids; Girl Crush; Loyalties Among Thieves; Stardust; Aristocrat; Stardust; the first 90 seconds of Strings Attached
Grace Potter - Midnight
Hollywood Records; 2015
Grace Potter, along with contemporaries such as Susan Tedeschi and Brittany Howard, remains one of the most recognizable female voices in rock music. This year, she returns with a new album, sans her backing band The Nocturnals.
I've never really listened to Grace Potter a whole lot. For some reason, I've just never taken the time to listen to her. Being an amateur music reviewer, I supposed that there was no better time to give her a listen than now. However, to give her newest album, midnight, an accurate review, I of course had to go back and check out some of her earlier material. What I heard was that while her vocal style is similar to that of the aforementioned Brittany Howard and Susan Tedeschi, her music is slightly different.
Her actual music borders country rock and hard rock, a contrast from Tedeschi and Howard's southern rocking style. Now that I think about it, Tedeschi and Howard sounds like it'd be a cool supergroup, no?
This new album by Grace Potter is a little different from her past works. It's more groovy and danceable than her previous works. You can sing along with and rock out to these songs. You can even party to these songs. It has an 80s vibe--particularly on "Delirious"--to it that makes it impossible not to jam to. Her powerful voice is what hasn't changed, and with a voice like her's, why would you need to change? If anything, it just shows that she is versatile with her vocal style.
I'd say my only complaint is that while the songs do retain the same feel throughout, the album does slow down towards the end. All in all I'd definitely return to this album when I'm not reviewing anything.
Overall: 7/10
Favorite Tracks: Alive Tonight; Your Girl; Empty Heart; Delirious; Look What We've Done; Instigators
I've never really listened to Grace Potter a whole lot. For some reason, I've just never taken the time to listen to her. Being an amateur music reviewer, I supposed that there was no better time to give her a listen than now. However, to give her newest album, midnight, an accurate review, I of course had to go back and check out some of her earlier material. What I heard was that while her vocal style is similar to that of the aforementioned Brittany Howard and Susan Tedeschi, her music is slightly different.
Her actual music borders country rock and hard rock, a contrast from Tedeschi and Howard's southern rocking style. Now that I think about it, Tedeschi and Howard sounds like it'd be a cool supergroup, no?
This new album by Grace Potter is a little different from her past works. It's more groovy and danceable than her previous works. You can sing along with and rock out to these songs. You can even party to these songs. It has an 80s vibe--particularly on "Delirious"--to it that makes it impossible not to jam to. Her powerful voice is what hasn't changed, and with a voice like her's, why would you need to change? If anything, it just shows that she is versatile with her vocal style.
I'd say my only complaint is that while the songs do retain the same feel throughout, the album does slow down towards the end. All in all I'd definitely return to this album when I'm not reviewing anything.
Overall: 7/10
Favorite Tracks: Alive Tonight; Your Girl; Empty Heart; Delirious; Look What We've Done; Instigators
Track Review: Iron Maiden - "Speed Of Sound"
It took them long enough, but British metal heavyweights Iron Maiden have finally given us their first new song in five years. I can't really hate on them for taking so long though, seeing as they were on tour and singer Bruce Dickinson was recovering from cancer. Thankfully, he's ok!
I was lucky to see them in 2012 on the previously mentioned tour, called the "Maiden England Tour" after a 1988 concert DVD from their tour supporting Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. The show remains one of the best shows I've ever seen. It was a setlist packed with all of their biggest songs played with more furor and intensity than any band I've ever seen. The only three shows I've ever been to that could beat the time I saw Iron Maiden would be the three times I've seen Paul McCartney.
Anyway, this new track is definitely what I expected from Maiden, and I don't mean that in the same way that I did for Bullet For My Valentine. It's fast and furious and doesn't compromise anything. Trading solos between guitar players? Check. Bruce Dickinson's wail? It's there. It's everything Maiden fans expect and want, and we got it. Needless to say, this has me pumped for a new Iron Maiden album.
I was lucky to see them in 2012 on the previously mentioned tour, called the "Maiden England Tour" after a 1988 concert DVD from their tour supporting Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. The show remains one of the best shows I've ever seen. It was a setlist packed with all of their biggest songs played with more furor and intensity than any band I've ever seen. The only three shows I've ever been to that could beat the time I saw Iron Maiden would be the three times I've seen Paul McCartney.
Anyway, this new track is definitely what I expected from Maiden, and I don't mean that in the same way that I did for Bullet For My Valentine. It's fast and furious and doesn't compromise anything. Trading solos between guitar players? Check. Bruce Dickinson's wail? It's there. It's everything Maiden fans expect and want, and we got it. Needless to say, this has me pumped for a new Iron Maiden album.