Circle Of Death
Blackmarket Activities

Halloweencore is a term that comes to mind with the mention of Chicago’s Dance Club Massacre. Okay, so maybe I just made that term up, but a quick listen to the band’s debut full-length Feast Of The Blood Monsters or their newest effort, Circle Of Death, will manifest a few signature qualities. For starters, Dance Club Massacre leans heavily on the structures and timbres of metalcore and grindcore, employing breakdowns, twisted guitar melodies and a heaping helping of hammered out blast-beats. However, this approach to those genres includes melodies of haunting keyboards layered throughout, much like music out of a horror flick. While this incorporation of spooky keys does tend to get a little dry and overused in some cases, Circle Of Death exemplifies a band that incorporates their trademark sound in a longer, meatier version of their previous effort – for better or worse.

“Risk Is My Business… And Business Is Risky” kicks off with a breakneck speed melody that quickly turns into a plethora of Uzi-like drums and throat-tearing screams. While on paper that might sound like a good idea, it unfortunately makes the song seem crowded during its early parts. When the guys back off a little bit during the chorus, the band actually sounds much better. “Brewtality” also has the band backing off of the instruments for most of the song and that is, once again, is a positive thing. The huge breakdown halfway through “Brewtality” - via crunching guitars and an epic keyboard melody - sounds like the perfect soundtrack to a horror movie.

“Shenanigans” starts with promising metalcore guitar structures and blistering punk beat drums, only occasionally tainted by the dull vocals. Again, they twist and turn through different song sections of metal and grindcore proportions – ending on another huge breakdown that incorporates a delectable synth part. The peculiarly named “Return Of The Blood Monsters” is more or less filler, as it is basically a glorified keyboard solo.

While it’s reasonable for Dance Club Massacre to drive into the harder, denser sections of the disc, such as the beatdown that is “Deuces Shoeless Vs. The Double Dribbles,” it gets overwhelming with all of the noise that is going on, especially if you aren’t into the current tech-metal/grindcore/deathcore/whatever scene. The tracks tend to lose their effect when the same part gets played for too long, which is interesting since majority of the songs on this release are longer than the track lengths on the band’s previous record. This isn’t even including the marathon sludge fest of album closer “Untitled” that has a 27-minute long breakdown with a lot of bullshitting mixed in.

When Dance Club Massacre is on their game, they are on their game. However, even though it gets a little old, the spooky ting of organs and eerie keys make for a better time than run-of-the-mill shred fests that just end up getting lost in translation, making this a difficult disc to wade through unless you want to get your ears pummeled. – JASON GARDNER

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The Kindness Kind
Don’t Be A Lout Music

Few of you may realize this but VH1 still plays music. Yes, just like its “hip” cousin MTV, if you search hard enough you’ll actually find the very programming that the station used to run exclusively. Most of it is your run of the mill corporate adult contemporary crap but to appear like the channel still cares about music, VH1 runs a segment called You Oughta Know: Artists on the Rise. If you’ve seen it, then you understand the usual fare featured. For those of you wisely oblivious to the segment, it mostly offers up lesser known but equally untalented Adult Contemporary artists and other assorted plagues on popular music (Hinder, James Blunt, Daniel Powter). At times, the music “experts” at VH1 find some very deserving acts with unique and intelligent mainstream-friendly sounds that rise far above the usual crap they play. Past artists have included Kings Of Leon, The Killers, Rise Against, and Regina Spektor. Well, consider this review an official nomination for The Kindness Kind. Their self-titled sophomore album embraces everything still cool about indie/pop/college alternative/rock with a sound so familiar yet unlike anything else out there.

The Kindness Kind relies heavily on the vocals of Alessandra Rose and with good reason. Her voice has that divine pitchy yodel. It’s difficult to describe but you hear it similarly in artists like Regina Spektor and Feist. The chorus during “The Lusk Letter” shows it off best but don’t plan on anything requiring intense concentration for the next few hours because Rose’s croons will monopolize your thoughts like only the best songs can. Even better, you can clearly tell Rose carries a set of pipes with her but she doesn’t show them off ostentatiously like a Christina Aguilera or Beyonce. Instead, she uses an understated delivery that doesn’t overpower her band or relegate the instruments to the background but rather, sublimely accompanies them for an unbelievably unified sound.

There lies the true strength behind The Kindness Kind’s music—the impeccable balance among all the parts. No one element ever dominates. The instruments flawlessly complement each other so as to create an uncanny sense of harmony. Instead of having each play its own distinct part (i.e. the guitar takes care of the melody, the drums bang the rhythm, the vocals lead, etc.), each serves as a different element of a single sound. They all coalesce to collectively create the melody such that if you were to single out and remove one of the parts, what’s left would sound incomplete and unrecognizable. It’s a subtle but important distinction in the way the instruments interact but one that makes even this steadfast metalhead question the need for solos when songs are composed like this.

Every on song The Kindness Kind shines for its own reason. As mentioned earlier, “The Lusk Letter” has a haunting chorus. In fact, every track has some distinct, unforgettable vocal from Rose. “Lotus” features a really unique, Spanish acoustic guitar riff—almost like something you would hear at a showdown in the Old West. The keyboards build a spacey atmosphere on “Houndstooth.” Unquestionably though, “A New Sense” is the crown jewel. It wraps up everything The Kindness Kind has to offer in one perfect song, showcasing the band’s full range of styles and abilities. A ghostly piano melody leads off, accompanied by an almost sinister guitar and bass combo that provides the album’s heaviest sounds—ones that even do this loud rock lover proud. The piano also shines here, contributing significantly to the constantly shifting genres. After the supernatural intro, the piano goes on to provide an upbeat and fun beat that leads into a swooning choral melody. But despite all the varying musical styles, they never conflict or make the “A New Sense” sound like an awkward mash-up—a testament to the band’s unbelievable compositional skills.

Music snobs might eschew The Kindness Kind for the exact reasons in which this review began. The band’s place among the pantheon of VH1-worthy artists automatically excludes them from the hip underground scene but that would be unfair. The You Oughta Know description served two purposes: a) to give you some idea of what to expect when you sit down to listen to The Kindness Kind and b) to suggest that this band deserves a far higher profile and much more recognition than they currently receive. The band has the ideal blend of talent and accessibility that deservedly made stars out of artists listed earlier featured on You Oughta Know. As 2008 comes to a close, it’s safe to say this is one of the year’s hidden gems. Make a New Year’s resolution to go out and make The Kindness Kind one of 2009’s breakout hits. – KYLE ANDRUKIEWICZ

Learn more about The Kindness Kind by visiting thekindnesskind.com.
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w/ The Mile After, Tickle Me Pink and Emery
The Shelter, Detroit
November 20, 2008

Despite some of the confusion of a venue change and conflicting information on when the doors opened, Hawthorne Heights’s show at The Shelter in Detroit was a resounding success. Forced to move from the much larger St. Andrew’s Hall to the miniscule (but intimate) Shelter because of a Guns ‘N Roses listening party, the initial confusion of the evening was quickly forgotten with excellent performances. Not immune to the difficult economic times, Hawthorne Heights and Emery made the decision to share a bus and all the bands were sharing crew members. While that in and of itself could have added to the difficulties of the evening, once things got going the show ran with few problems. The audience was relatively sparse for openers The Mile After but the group from Charlotte, North Carolina had high energy and played a great cover of The Darkness’ “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” among other songs.

Tickle Me Pink is not new to the Detroit music scene and was in the area a few months prior while touring with Finch and Scary Kids Scaring Kids. The small venue was a plus for this group and lead singer Sean Kennedy and guitarist Joey Barba enjoyed some light banter with the audience. The band’s set was strong and one of the most exciting aspects was just getting to watch Barba play the guitar with such tremendous virtuosity. The song “Madeline,” the title track from Tickle Me Pink’s most recent album, was dedicated to Johnny Schou, a former member of the band who died earlier this year. In honor, or perhaps in the spirit of competition, Tickle Me Pink closed the set with an excellent cover of Guns ‘N Roses’ “Welcome To The Jungle.” Kennedy managed to emulate Axl Rose’s singing style and, even more impressively, Barba performed Slash’s guitar solo with aplomb.

Emery’s set was a definite shift in genre with less of a pop-rock feel and much more of a hardcore approach. Unfortunately, the evening began with some sound problems for the band and not only was the bass not coming through; the sound itself was generally muddy. As the set continued Toby Morrell (vocals, bass) and Devin Shelton (vocals, bass) often traded spots with one singing a song or two while the other played bass and vice versa. Josh Head’s antics which included climbing on the drum set, crowd surfing and dancing while he was away from the keyboard were entertaining and certainly kept the audience on their toes.

Although the first three bands gave great performances, the focus of the night was clearly on Hawthorne Heights. This trip to Detroit was the first since the release of their third full-length album, Fragile Future, which came out in August 2008. The set was a good mix of songs from both the new album as well as If Only You Were Lonely (2006) and The Silence In Black And White (2004); however the night started with a new track, “321.” The band might not be so used to playing such small venues at this point in their career but they adapted well to the size of the stage though it did limit guitarist Micah Carli’s signature guitar stance somewhat.

After some good-hearted teasing the audience about who would be going to see the midnight showing of the movie Twilight, which was just opening that night, vocalist and guitarist JT Woodruff quickly segued into “Dissolve And Decay” and “Niki FM,” two great songs from earlier albums.

By this point in the evening audience members were getting feisty and that energy was quickly focused on creating a mosh pit for the song “Somewhere In Between.” Although this song, as with other new Hawthorne Heights songs, has more of a radio-friendly feel, the audience didn’t seem to care and threw themselves (and each other) into their physical manifestation of appreciation for the music. To help calm things down a bit, Woodruff, Carli, and bassist Matt Ridenour switched gears and performed a few songs acoustically. The song “Four Become One” was written in memory of the band’s recently deceased guitarist Casey Calvert and the live performance was not only touching but also showed the band’s versatility beyond their heavier and scream-permeated songs. The song “Screenwriting An Apology” was not an acoustic track on the album Silence In Black And White but carried over well to an acoustic performance.

Should things become too calm or melancholy, “Pens And Needles” re-ignited the audience’s feistiness. Woodruff dedicated the song “Rescue Me” to the city of Detroit and the proposed bailout of the auto industry which was much appreciated by audience members. Not one to get too sentimental, however, Woodruff did manage to get in a good-natured jab at the University Of Michigan’s dreadful football season and the school’s on-going rivalry with Ohio State University by playing the song “Ohio Is For Lovers” and not offering much hope to the Michigan natives for the upcoming U of M/OSU football game.

As for any band, there are those who discount Hawthorne Heights’ talent and dedication to their music, but, like the band or not, the group consistently gives strong live performances. Even if the venue was not what they’d initially expected and the costs of touring mount up quickly, Hawthorne Heights was a treat to see in such an intimate setting. They can come back to Detroit any time they want.

REVIEW & PHOTOS BY EVELYN MISKA

Introducing The Avett Brothers
Ramseur Records

The Avett Brothers aren’t too shy to show you they’re passionate about their music. On their six-song EP, Introducing… The Avett Brothers, the musical trio offers you a handful of songs meant to establish a real connection between artist and listener. Their music is not full of extravagant guitar solos and totally awesome post-production effects. Instead, these twenty minutes of folky entertainment are just filled with raw, regular music performed by a pair of almost identical voices. But despite all they’ve got going for them, The Avett Brothers are a bit of an acquired taste, and would probably appeal more to adult audiences who cherished their ‘60s folk music.

The album seems to get better as it goes along, but again, that could be due to the acquired taste thing. There’s a very hit-or-miss quality about the voices of brothers Seth and Scott Avett; the rawness of their voice can either work for or against them. In the context of the opening track, “Paranoia In Bb Major,” it seems that neither of these two possibilities would matter very much. Of the six tracks, this is probably the least accessible of them all. The song sounds as if the Decemberists had decided they’d rather pursue a career in vaudeville. If you’re a fan of The Format, this track can be compared and contrasted to “Dog Problems,” which does a much better job at trying to pull off the vaudeville-like sound. “Paranoia In Bb Major” does eventually redeem itself a bit in the second half of the song.

There is pattern throughout the album: the second half of their songs is generally more interesting than the first. It happens again in “Shame,” a laid-back country-twang song about the emotion of, of course, shame. The song starts off very slow and simply, with a single voice and an occasional guitar strum. It picks up slowly as the song progresses, eventually leading to a fuller sound that is still pretty simplistic when compared to other songs.

The beginning of “Swept Away (Sentimental Version)” caught my attention very quickly with its gentle, finger-plucked acoustic intro. It quickly proves itself to be just as sentimental as the title may suggest. In typical Avett Brothers style, the song begins slowly and eventually builds itself up. Unlike the other songs, this track incorporates the voice of a guest female singer in addition to the voices of Scott and Seth Avett. The three sing together during the short chorus, but I’ve heard much better harmonies before. “Swept Away (Sentimental Version)” is a beautiful song with a lot of potential, but The Avett Brothers definitely should have picked someone who has the ability to sing.

“Die, Die, Die” has the most going for it out of all the songs. Reminiscent of a modern-day rendition of “San Francisco” by Scott McKenzie, this song sounds both new and old at the same time. And although the song repeats the word “die” over and over, it’s the most upbeat track on the EP. It is contrasted by the closing track, “When I Drink,” which is a somber song that surely many people can relate to. These last two tracks really help make up for the weaker points of Introducing… The Avett Brothers.

While Introducing… The Avett Brothers is a pretty plain-Jane EP it is also a display of tremendous talent, drive, and passion. On the other hand, it’s one of those albums that need to strike you in a right-time-right-place setting. Listen to this EP a few times before deciding it’s not for you… and maybe skip the first track. You might find that you like it better the second time around. – JESSICA KENNEY

Learn more about The Avett Brothers by visiting theavettbrothers.com.
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Like Flames
Self-released

Shinky! Kind of sounds like “jinky” which is singular for “jinkies”—the catchphrase of Velma from Scooby-Doo, of course. What does that have to do with the band? Absolutely nothing but we were never going to get through this review without an in-depth discussion of the word “Shinky.” Notwithstanding their odd choice for a band name, this trio from Indianapolis puts forth an EP that relies heavily on ‘90s alternative influences without sounding like a time-warped transplant. They take the best elements of that sublime period in music with heavy bass grooves, introspective lyrics, and lots of cymbals. The four-song offering comes tempered by pretty poor production values, even for a self-release, that muddies up the music and especially the vocals. Still, if you’re looking for a quick blast from the past, Shinky has you covered with a solid sophomore effort.

“Farewell, Control” starts off like a cover of 311’s “Down.” The riff sounds like a complete lift from the 311 hit but go back and listen to the original and you won’t hear the same thing anywhere in the song. If a band is going to make their influences completely obvious, then this is the way to do it—honor them but don’t rip them off. Even better, Shinky doesn’t carry the power groove all the way through the song so they don’t come off as a cheap imitation. Instead, they rock what would have been the perfect anthem for those first awkward boy/girl parties in your friend’s basement in seventh grade.

Shinky shifts things up in a big way with the much slower and moodier “50/11” but do so equally as well. Moving away from any solid influences, the second song on Like Flames evokes the best slow songs of the ‘90s—ballads from bands like Third Eye Blind, Goo Goo Dolls, and Everclear. There’s no eye-popping technical intricacies or ground-breaking innovations, just a solid electric acoustics with a catchy melody and haunting vocals from singer Michael Bookmyer that really help to set the song’s mood.

Unfortunately, the final two tracks don’t offer the same variety. The bass makes a comeback on “Backtracking,” driving the song early on. A group vocal dynamic also helps differentiate the “Backtracking” from “50/11” but it’s the same slow tempo here and on the EP’s title track, which comes as a bit of a let down considering the expanse covered on the first two songs. Both songs still tug at your emotions as much as “50/11” with the same healthy dash of nostalgia but it becomes too much of a good thing.

The biggest knock on Like Flames is the production work. Granted, Shinky self-released this, they attract a ton of fans for an unsigned band to their MySpace, and they even sell their work on iTunes (which lends a certain degree of legitimacy) but in this age of ProTools, even a bum like me without musical talent whatsoever can mimic the clean, professional production a major recording studio can offer. While a band can’t be judged by their technical acumen, it is fair to dock a few points when the problem affects the performance. The guitars don’t sound crisp, the drums echo unnecessarily, and the mix buries the vocals. That might not be a bad thing though, considering Bookmyer comes off very flat at times. Until someone records him so he sounds like he’s performing above water, you can’t really blame him.

Enjoy what you get—this is only the band’s second “album” since they came together in 2000. Shinky makes some good music but with such a small catalogue of songs over such a long period of time, there’s nothing special enough about their sound to keep fans around in the meantime. Still, those interested a little nostalgia from a far better time in popular music will find plenty to enjoy on Like Flames, even if it’s only a scant 17 minute diversion. Shinky! (Sorry but it’s just so much damn fun to say.) – KYLE ANDRUKIEWICZ

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Shake My Hand
Self-released

The Jakes may not be well-known outside of California, but if their album Shake My Hand is anything to go by, this band could have big things coming their way. Made up of six college students from various University of California campuses, The Jakes present one heck of a package. The album is a good mix of rock tracks, dance with a dash of ballad thrown in for good measure, and the result is excellent. Vocalist Sameer Gadhia’s voice occasionally has a breathy quality to it but never once does he seem to be unable to keep up with the strong musical skills of the rest of the band. Pulling in influences from bands such as The Strokes, The Beatles and other British artists, Shake My Hand is full of musical goodies and is strong from start to finish.

“Garands At Normandie” starts with a very short acoustic guitar intro that rapidly moves into a larger sound with the addition of guitars, drums, bass and piano. The song has some elements that will be reminiscent of Coldplay’s “Clocks” but The Jakes manage to keep the similarity from going too far. The song deals with the survivor’s guilt a soldier from World War II must carry even though his side won the war. The song manages to convey the confusion and sense of entrapment that such a person might feel through the pacing and tempo of the music itself.

As they do throughout the album, The Jakes shift things somewhat on “Cough Syrup” with a bit more of a dance feel to the chorus than on “Garands At Normandie” but there still is an underlying continuity between the songs. The result is that listeners won’t get bored listening to the album and it doesn’t make The Jakes look like they can’t figure out a sound that they’re happy with. The chorus on “Cough Syrup” is infectious and has the potential to be an excellent song to be performed live.

“Schizophrenia” presents a frantic vibe. Gadhia almost gasps out the lyrics and sounds increasingly scared, manic and, rather appropriately, crazy as the song progresses. The intensity of the instrumental parts only adds to this feeling and the song becomes increasingly fragmented as it nears the end. However, despite the manic nature of the song, it never gets away from the band and calculated craziness is well-used.

Ending the album with “Texas Tea” was a clever move as the song has a sound as big as the state for which it’s named. Telling a bit of a story about oil barons at the beginning of the 19th century, the song is much more upbeat than one might think. A brief instrumental break about halfway through the song doesn’t slow things down and, instead, has the effect of almost propelling listeners along into the second half of the track.

The Jakes have a knack for developing lush, layered sounds and sound as though they have been together for decades instead of a group that initially got together as a bit of a joke. Although the complications of having a manager on the East Coast while the rest of the band is scattered across California could be a major obstacle, it’s good to know that The Jakes have managed to surmount that and put together such a strong, beautiful album. One can only hope that they continue in their efforts and spread their sound further east. – EVELYN MISKA

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Peoria
Vanishing Music

When a band is constantly compared to the Beatles, the question for listeners can become: what does the band sound like? Just about every rock band contains some trace of the Beatles - yet for bands like Future Clouds And Radar, the comparison continues to confound listeners. Future Clouds And Radar is the latest band from Robert Harrison, lead singer of Texas power-pop band Cotton Mather. On Peoria, the band’s debut album, Future Clouds And Radar contributes eight psychedelic, genre-bending songs of ambition and musical daring. While the effort is somewhat uneven, and the songs can dissolve into heavy over-layering, the majority of Peoria’s tracks are complex and interesting.

Peoria opens with the mellow, meandering “The Epcot Review.” On the track, Harrison’s vocals echo the dreamy vocals of Liam Gallagher. “The Epcot Review” is a strange pick for an album opener, with its repetitive construction and lack of a clear melody. “Old Edmund Ruffin” is slow, looping, and uninteresting. The opening lyrics, “Found a mockingbird / And I drowned it” represent the kind of confusing but uninteresting musical choices that Future Clouds And Radar occasionally makes on Peoria. “Feet On Grass,” clocking in at just 2 minutes and 5 seconds, is a pleasant change from the first two songs. Conventional, poppy, and fast-paced, “Feet On Grass” grabs a listener’s attention and holds it for the duration of the short song. On “Mummified,” the band repeats some of their earlier missteps, but move away from the overwrought songs that open Peoria.

Like “Feet On Grass,” “Eighteen Months” also succeeds because of its tempo and conventionality. Though the lyrics are somewhat laughable - “We get into the bar and we make it happen” - the song is bright, with a fun horn line. “The Mortal” is an odd, cyclical song inspired by horror movie sounds and electronic indie-pop. The suspenseful, scary nature of the production makes the song an intriguing listen. “Mortal 926” is an interesting instrumental piece. The song sounds like the opening to an epic film like Lord Of The Rings mixed with the techno sensibility of the Dust Brothers’ soundtrack to Fight Club. Peoria concludes with “Follow The Crane,” a 7-minute long foray into many different genres. With jazz, rock, blues and traces of Latin pop, the song ends with a transcendent chorus of haunting voices, bringing the album to a remarkable close.

The musicians of Future Clouds And Radar are at their best when taking the music less-than seriously. Peoria is strange, innovative, and fun to listen to - and this is where the Beatles comparison proves apt. - JULENE PAUL

Learn more about Future Clouds And Radar by visiting starapplekingdom.com.
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The Future Belongs To Us
Self-released

Oh, Connecticut. What a woefully sonically impaired state. As a denizen of this lackluster and forgettable nook sandwiched between two far more impressive musical hubs (New York and Boston), I know first hand the Nutmeg State’s scant contributions to music. First and foremost, it’s difficult to find exposure to anything other than only the most popular forms of crap the music industry likes to peddle because of our horrendous line-up of radio stations. That fuels a barren local scene, devoid of the rich sounds to the South and North of us. The few to escape into the national scene include some rather ignoble acts like Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional, Moby, and Michael Bolton. There have been a few successes for sure (Hatebreed, John Mayer, Keith Richards) but they remain very few and even farther between. New Milford’s Self Made Soul does little to improve that record.

Listening to Self Made Soul’s sophomore effort, The Future Belongs To Us ,will elicit a roller coaster’s ride of opinions. At first glance, they pull you in with effective pop hooks and an amiable sound. However, if you start singling out the individual instruments, you will find very little going on. The band takes a bare bones approach to making music. Some may see that as a shortcoming of the musicians involved but pull back to a wider view again and you’ll be struck by the impressive layering. A little research will find no band member plays the keyboard despite a very atmospheric feel. Most bands require synthesized pieces to produce a similar effect but Self Made Soul does it with simple pieces placed on top of each other. Rather than impressing with technicality, Self Made Soul relies on strong composition to create a deceptively large sound.

The Future Belongs To Us starts off well enough and will successfully carry those who choose to stay on through the first half. “Blindfold” and “Your Favorite Hiding Place” are the best of the lot. Each uses chunky guitar licks to generate standout hooks. Some harsh vocals on “Your Favorite Hiding Place” show up unexpectedly and help change things up a little. Both songs also stray from the Josie Scott imitation found on the album’s first two tracks. That’s right—Self Made Soul either attempts or inadvertently mimics the horrendously faux-southern crooning from Saliva’s lead singer. That’s territory no band wants to inhabit.

The album’s later tracks leave a lot to be desired as well. That’s when the keyboard used so sparingly earlier on becomes much more prominent, sweeping away or covering up the shortcomings of the others. “Epilogue: Divest” displays both tactics on a single track. The song starts off with nothing but the vocals and the electronic atmospherics, a rather boring combination. Often, quiet intros will cascade into powerful ballads but no such luck here. The guitars, bass, and drums roll in on a whimper around the two-minute mark without any of the complex layering presented on earlier tracks—a problem which plagues a lot of the album’s latter half.

Even worse, Self Made Soul shamelessly panders to the current wave of popular rock, throwing away the fruits of the promising songwriting pointed out earlier. The band mostly tries to copy the success of Paramore. Regardless of your opinions on that band, they rock out some incredibly catchy hooks with the powerful and outstanding vocals from Hayley Williams leading the way. As strong as their composition is, the songs on The Future Belong To Us don’t have the same staying power or the killer vocals to match. Altogether, Self Made Soul presents a much more laid back package to its own detriment, especially considering much more dynamic and talented bands like Muse, Coldplay, and Snow Patrol already fill the contemplative pop rock scene.

Self Made Soul will need to suffer through the local VFW circuit for a bit longer until they find a sound of their own or a major label rep “discovers” them, manufactures an even more radio-friendly sound/look for the group, and sells them to the mindless masses at Walmart, becoming yet another black eye on the Connecticut music scene. Hooray. – KYLE ANDRUKIEWICZ

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Shout The Truth
Science Records

Why is it that in a genre supposedly created by devil worshippers and sadists, some of the best bands are Bible camp Christians? Chalk one up for the Jesus lovers because Confide delivers a solid, if sometimes uninspired and pretentious, effort on their debut album Shout The Truth. Think of it as Misery Signals plus a dash of early Thrice minus all the subtle nuances that make each of those bands so stellar. On this powerful debut, an incredible rhythm section and deceptively heavy guitars make up for the few shortcomings.

Before we go any further, let’s address that whole religion issue right off the bat. Yeah, Confide wears their beliefs on their sleeves so ye of little faith may have trouble digesting lyrics like “My God, I can see clearly why I’m calling you / My God, I can see clearly why I need you.” Still, regardless of your views on religion it’s hard to dispute that Christian metals bands are en vogue. Want to know why? The energy. The sincerity. You may not agree with what they sing but bands like Confide, As I Lay Dying, and Underoath receive such high praise because of the “It” factor they bring to their music. Rather than writing lyrics that appeal to some falsely conceived notion of what’s popular or to conform to a specific genre of music, these words come from a place of conviction for Confide. It’s something they care about and it shows—not just in the vocals but the entire presentation and performance.

Further smoothing over any objections the listener may take to the lyrics are top-notch screams from lead singer Ross Kenyon. They skew more towards the post-hardcore end of things but remain heavy as hell. Surprisingly, the clean vox sound akin to those heard in punkcore or screamo acts but don’t register nearly as annoying. The singing actually provides a good foil to the harsh vocals on tracks like “Can’t See The Forest For The Trees.” The screeches during the breakdown can only be described as the sound of someone swallowing a cup full of razor blades. But, you know, in a good way.

Enough with the vocals—they just betray the actual ferocity of the music (which is a genius songwriting tactic if you’re trying to attract fans from across genres). Listeners will find the meat of this album in the role-reversed guitars. At certain points during Shout The Truth you’ll hear the bass dictate the melody while the lead guitars drop the rhythm. It doesn’t happen often but listen to “Holes” and you’ll find yourself captivated by the subtle yet powerfully gripping switch. Listeners will also understand the comparison to Misery Signals at that point. The connection becomes even more apparent on the atmospheric intro to “Can’t See The Forest For The Trees” and the frantic progressions also on “Holes.”

Woefully relegated to the back of the mix are the drums. It takes something special for drums to stand out from among the lineup but the percussion is by far the big draw behind Shout The Truth. Sorry to keep going back to the same track, but the intro guitars discussed earlier on “Can’t See The Forest For The Trees” makes room for the drummer to go on a tear. “Arin” beats out some sick fills to capture the listener. In a stunning show of diversity from just a track prior, the drums take on a secondary role during a memorable back-and-forth with the lead guitar on the bridge to “Millstone” as well. It shows the drums are powerful enough to carry the band or relegate themselves to a supporting role.

The most encouraging and appealing characteristic to Shout The Truth comes from the album’s coherence. Based on their media-friendly Christian outlook and a high profile spot on this summer’s Warped Tour, it’s clear Confide’s shooting for the big time. They do so without sacrificing the flow of the album for a mere collection of singles. It’s difficult to tell where one song begins and another ends and that is always a recipe for success. Sure it’s short, but Confide’s debut packs powerful songwriting and musicianship that far outshine any faults their fairly generic, crowd-pleasing sound may cause. – KYLE ANDRUKIEWICZ

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Go West Young Man Let The Evil Go East
Science Records

At first listen, Arizona post-hardcore/screamo outfit Greeley Estates sounds like a smarter, sexier version of the bands attempting to tear up the post-hardcore scene. But after a few listens, Go West Young Man Let Evil Go East shows itself as a unrelenting experiment in bringing more than just palm-muted breakdowns and throat-tearing vocals to the genre. Despite being caught up in a number of member changes since the recording and releasing of this album, Greeley Estates brings a furious sound with smartly injected melodies that often bring the album into metalcore territory, with surprising results. In all honestly, it has been awhile since I’ve heard a band of this genre that packs a punch while at the same time giving you enough memorable moments to keep those punches in your head. Greeley Estates does all of this and at the same time, they keep the screaming vocals reasonable enough to even learn them after a few listens.

Lead track and single “Blue Morning” starts with desperate sing/shout vocals and shattering snare drum hits, bringing in the occasional well-done breakdown that culminates in a huge sounding bridge with clean vocals. This is where you’ll also start to hear some of the melodic acrobatics that anchor most of the record. “Go West Young Man” begins with a quick melodic line that moves into a buzzing, mid-tempo riff with growling vocals. It is on this track the band throws its first curveball, bringing a choir in to help end the song. This variation in backup vocals continues with some female vocals in “If We’re Going Out, Let’s Go Out In Style.” The band pulls the metalcore card during a moment of “Desperate Times Call For Desperate Housewives,” sounding like a cleaner, well-rounded version of Emmure for a moment. Thankfully, they remind us they can do more than grunt and palm mute with another melodic onslaught. It is these moments of combining sounds and changing it up that prove the staying power of this record, as it draws what people might like about other bands and brings them together in a jigsaw puzzle-like fashion.

“If She Only Knew” continues the liberal use of melodic guitars, pushing into a slower, yet methodical track that is a welcome breather. “Let Evil Go East” starts off sounding like Killswitch Engage with plenty of guitar sweeps, but then moves closer to the normal fare of Greeley Estates, combining panicky screaming with melodies and booming drums. This continues during sections of “I’ll Have To Warn You, This Won’t Be Quick,” where the melodies tend to get drowned out by the jarring drumming and rhythmic attacks. Album closer “You’re Just Somebody I Used To Know,” which begins with very Bert McCracken-like vocals, doesn’t fall into normal “Hey, let’s end the record with a ballad” territory, moving through gritty guitar parts and pulsing drums until the huge ending that is somewhat of a letdown.

If you like bands that have a good mixture of sounds while still being able to let you get your mosh and/or hardcore dance on, this is a disc worth checking out. It is good to know that the breakdown is not the definition of the entire genre, as this disc clearly shows a band that can shred on the guitar and get you to sing (scream) along. - JASON GARDNER

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Just Like Heaven : A Tribute To The Cure
American Laundromat Records

Tribute albums will always be around, and will always have certain issues. The Cure’s vast body of work and excellent catalog make a tribute album seem like a fairly easy task: just bring together a bunch of talented musicians and let them work their magic, right? But the musicians assembled for this project all lean toward the indie canon, and after the first few songs it sounds like one band recording The Cure’s greatest hits. Just Like Heaven: A Tribute To The Cure could also have been named Indie Rock Makes The Cure More Precious With Bells And Female Vocals.

Joy Zipper’s cover of “Just Like Heaven” is fairly faithful, with the nice addition of an acoustic guitar and female/male vocals. The cover sets the tone for the rest of the collection: melodically almost identical to the original, but loses the poppy angst of the original. “The Lovecats” is one of The Cure’s creepier, jazz-tinged songs, and Tanya Donelly & Dylan In The Movies definitely highlight this aspect of the original. “The Lovecats” is one of the more daring covers on Just Like Heaven…, as the song sounds like a duet between Tom Waits and Jane Birkin. “Lovesong,” as performed by The Brunettes, loses a lot of the urgency of the original. The Brunettes are precious and sad instead of angry and tortured, and the music suffers. Dean & Britta perform “Friday I’m In Love.” Dean & Britta are a female and male duo, and though the poignancy of the lyrics is highlighted by the vocals, the song is too slow and too unremarkable to be memorable.

Elk City’s cover of “Close To Me” is nicely muted with slower, more deliberate and sultry female vocals like that of Siouxsie Sioux. “The Walk,” as performed by innovative indie band The Rosebuds, is virtually indistinguishable from The Cure’s original. Clearly The Rosebuds are fans of The Cure, but adding a xylophone and backing female vocals doesn’t transform the song into anything worth listening to. “Pictures Of You” is one of The Cure’s most touching and beautiful songs, and Elizabeth Harper And The Matinee retain the beauty of The Cure’s work by Harper’s plaintive, wonderful vocals, and a faithful rendition of the melody. “Let’s Go To Bed,” covered by Cassettes Won’t Listen, is one of the best covers on Just Like Heaven…. Though Cassettes Won’t Listen definitely fits into the category of indie or college rock bands, “Let’s Go To Bed” is still fun, interesting, and shifts genres from pop to rock. Legendary ‘80s English band The Wedding Present tackles “High” as the final track. The song is messier and more offhand than anything The Cure would have allowed, and calls to mind The Smiths at their creative peak.

Just Like Heaven: A Tribute To The Cure is very much a hit-and-miss record. Occasionally the musicians on the record are able to rise above simple adoration of their heroes. But this album, most likely, will just remind listeners of how wonderful and prolific The Cure is. - JULENE PAUL

Learn more about this compilation on MySpace by clicking here.

Chubbed Up
Bigfellas Music

We’ve all heard the occasional drinking song, but what about an entire drinking album? The Bigfellas have got just what it takes to capture the hearts of drunken people all across the nation… or at least in San Diego. In fact, The Bigfellas were named The San Diego Union-Tribune’s “Best Local Band in San Diego” in both 2006 and 2007. From the contents of their sole existing album, you could probably guess that this band won’t make it far past the limits of their local scene. Of course, for these guys, that probably isn’t a bad thing. In essence, Chubbed Up is the documentation of a group of guys just having a good time and trying to get some others to grab a beer and join in.

As I skimmed the contents of the band’s MySpace page, virtually nothing came as a shock after having heard the sound of their music. The Bigfellas are a self-proclaimed group of smartasses, which could easily be guessed by listening to tracks like “Vous Ne Parlais Francais” and “On The Green,” a rap song about golf. The members are also in their thirties, explaining the Jimmy Buffet-meets-Journey bar sound they’ve got going. After listening to them, they could easily be pegged as a bar band long before noticing their string of upcoming bar show dates. In reality, that’s just what they are, and Chubbed Up is more of a recorded version of a set list than it is a work of art.

It’s the jazzy, bluesy, folky, jam-band sound that really gives it that drunken-fun feel. Most of the songs are of moderate tempo and are primarily carried by piano, then later bejeweled by some sassy guitar riffs like in “California King.” In tracks like these, The Bigfellas don’t get carried away in trying to rock out. Instead, they keep it mellow but still upbeat, so as to keep fervent bar-goers from getting too rowdy. But in order to distinguish the difference between “mellow” and “boring,” The Bigfellas like to add a little fun to their lyrics.

Their track “Dollar For A Dime” is all about life’s guilty pleasures and the dream of maybe being a little richer in order to pay for these indulgences more often. It’s the type of song that a bar audience can most likely relate to, especially when they’ve already indulged a little themselves. Like true showmen, The Bigfellas address this song to a crowd with the lines, “All of you probably agree / So repeat it after me / I wish I had just one dollar for every dime I ever had.” There’s no doubt that they’d have their middle-aged fans singing right along with them.

“I Wish That I Were Gay” is a strong hint that The Bigfellas really only target a local audience. Another funny, smartass song, “I Wish That I Were Gay” talks about Los Angeles and its gay population in an inside-joke type of way. I’d imagine that in order to truly appreciate this song, you’d have to be an LA local, or at least live close enough to frequent the city. Regardless, this song is just another display of their lighthearted and fun-loving collective personality, and it’s a song that drunk people would go absolutely nuts over.

The Bigfellas are a group of guys with an awesome sense of humor that they’re not afraid to show off. They’ve got the right tools to entertain an older crowd, and they could very well have a successful career playing bars and parties. In fact, if you consider how few bands actually get rich off their fame, they’d probably make more money continuing on their current path. But it’s clear that The Bigfellas aren’t in this for the money, but for a good time. So the next time you’re in San Diego, make it a point to get drunk and see these guys. As for you sober people, there’s a good chance you might want to take a pass on Chubbed Up. – JESSICA KENNEY

Learn more about The Bigfellas by visiting bigfellas.net.
Add The Bigfellas on MySpace by clicking here.

We Are The Mystery Tramps
Queue Records

For first-time listeners, it won’t be surprising to find out that The Mystery Tramps are extremely young. The group formed in 2004 when the members were between the ages of 14 and 17 and received some of their first recognition after winning the Berklee College of Music Battle of the High School Bands. What may come as more of a surprise is the fact that We Are The Mystery Tramps is the band’s third album. The album displays some struggles that the band is going through as they grow up but the songs themselves are relatively solid. It won’t be a chart-topper, but the members of The Mystery Tramps can rest easy knowing that they do have some talent, it’s just a matter of figuring out how to best use it.

“Hard To Resist” begins the album and there are some problems immediately apparent. The song itself isn’t bad; the lyrics are fine albeit a little cheesy, the instruments are played with talent but the area where the song gets into trouble is with the vocals. Adam Amoroso has trouble throughout the entire album figuring out in what register his voice works best and this track is no exception. The melody pushes Amoroso’s vocals to the limit and the result is that most of the song it’s as if his voice is about to crack. It is tough enough trying to break into the music business without encouraging the comparison between one’s singing voice and that of a pre-pubescent teenage boy.

The situation is similar on “Actors.” The song and lyrics are interesting and the sentiment of the song makes a good point about the way people behave. However, Amoroso is uncomfortable in the necessary vocal range for the song. Unlike “Hard To Resist” in which his voice sounded strained to the breaking point, “Actors” requires a very low voice and Amoroso simply can’t get that low and have it sound natural.

By the time the band gets to “She Said” things have settled down a little. Amoroso sounds like he is finally singing in an area closer to his natural vocal range, though he occasionally sounds a bit strained, and the song has an infectious rhythm to it. Similarly, “Last In Line” has a pleasant melody and rhythm, although for some listeners the chorus might become a little repetitive.

It isn’t that The Mystery Tramps can’t write songs, nor is it that they can’t play their instruments or sing. In fact, “Last In Line” has a rather good guitar solo by Amoroso that clearly showcases his talents. The biggest obstacle for the band is to help Amoroso figure out what vocal register he is best at. A number of the songs on this album push his voice too high while others require him to sing far too low. In either case, the end result isn’t favorable. Once the band can settle this issue things will be looking up for them. – EVELYN MISKA

Learn more about The Mystery Tramps by visiting themysterytramps.com.
Add The Mystery Tramps on MySpace by clicking here.

Full Fathom Five: Field Recordings 2007-2008 [CD & DVD]
Weathermaker Music

Don’t even try to put a label on Clutch. The CD/DVD set Full Fathom Five: Field Recordings 2007-2008 can sit in your media player of choice for the next three years and you won’t get any closer to defining Clutch’s sound. Long time fans have simply given up and just enjoy the band for the unique experience they provide. And what an experience it is. Undoubtedly, Clutch’s style and sound won’t appeal to everyone - thus explaining their perpetual underground status - but their talent cannot be denied. Full Fathom Five puts it all on display in a perfect package for both newcomers to the band and diehard fans alike.

If we were to split this review up between the CD and DVD, the CD would actually get lower marks. Most of Full Fathom Five’s charm resides in the DVD. The album has fewer tracks and doesn’t allow listeners to marvel at what Clutch can do on stage. Furthermore, and this criticism applies to the CD and the DVD, Full Fathom Five’s sound production is TOO good. With live albums, listeners want to feel as close to the real thing as possible without actually being in the pit themselves. However, if a live disc is overproduced, you’re robbed of that experience. Having never actually seen Clutch live, it’s possible they’re so tight that a live show sounds like the album but the blues influences are too conducive to more of an organic jam style that cries out for all the muddy speaker sounds and live crowd interaction.

These problems make the first few songs on Full Fathom Five pretty boring. It seems whoever edited the film knew this as well because they use various production techniques like black-and-white static filters and split screens. These hurt more than they help because they take away that live feeling which already suffers because of the studio-like sound. On top of that, the band’s demeanor and stage presence is virtually non-existent. Granted, viewers will realize after multiple screenings the members of Clutch are musicians first and performers second but they definitely turn their act up to the next level in subsequent sets.

Don’t let the first three songs deter you. These drawbacks quickly take a backseat and any predispositions against the band disappear. Clutch begins to slowly convert you in Sydney and transforms you into a full-fledged fan by the time they hit the Starland Ballroom in New Jersey for a two-night stint. (The DVD also includes a show from Boulder, CO.) Lead singer Neil Fallon progressively picks up the pace, drawing the crowd in with his hypnotic voice. One can draw comparisons to Jim Morrison, Johnny Cash, and even find hints of Eddie Vedder but none of those adequately describe Fallon’s booming, low-end vocal style which is infused with a slightly intoxicated Southern drawl. Like everything else about the band, including Full Fathom Five itself, it doesn’t go down easy at first but will haunt you long after you’ve put the DVD away.

The rest of the band stands on equal footing with Fallon talent-wise. While they don’t have much of a stage presence either, the concentration and precision with which they play their instruments is something to behold. Clutch stays true to its blues influences with heavy, complex bass lines that play equally as well against the classic, southern-rock rhythms as they do with funkified solos, both provided by Tim Suit. Jean-Paul Gaster gets equal props, if for nothing else than his performance during “Escape From the Prison Planet.” All of them are musicians at the height of their craft and it’s a joy to watch them perform.

For all the complaints about the DVD’s editors, they actually do a superb job in creating the illusion of a single concert. Single show DVDs can sometimes drag on but in this instance, you get more bang for your buck with five separate performances all expertly strung together to manufacture the same ebb and flow of a singular show. Highlights include almost the entire performance from the Starland Ballroom’s second night. The band finds their energy during this set and the crowd comes alive as well with enthusiasm that spills right off the screen. It’s also during this show the band performs the ridiculously sublime “Texan Book Of The Dead.” There are few things in this world more amusing or gratifying than seeing a grown man belt out “E-I-E-I-O” with as much soul as Neil Fallon. Plus, that beard! It puts Grisly Adams to shame. That is worth the price of admission all by itself. – KYLE ANDRUKIEWICZ

Learn more about Clutch by visiting pro-rock.com.
Add Clutch on MySpace by clicking here.

Swan Songs
A&M

When first stumbling across Hollywood Undead during a marathon session of Rock Band (yes, the band’s song “Young” made its way into the popular game via a pack of free downloadable songs recently), it was apparent that no one playing the game with me that day had much of an idea as to why the band was even considered for the game. Sure, it’s one thing to see the Beastie Boys as part of Rock Band, but not having heard much of Hollywood Undead made them seem like a strange choice for the game. Still, the band’s debut record Swan Songs, an album that is rumored to have been three years in the making, is an interesting mix of rap, rock and screaming that continually keeps listeners guessing. With a concoction of sounds and lyrics that run the gamut from normal rap to interestingly written words of encouragement, it’s a halfway decent record for a debut.

“Undead,” the first track and the group’s first single, makes an impact immediately with a head-bobbing beat and vocals that are half shouted, half sung. Even with a gimmick like wearing masks when they perform live, which makes a band a little less legitimate, the group is still full of bravado, taking down other bands and warning their supposed enemies – an obvious staple of rap nowadays. Unfortunately, after this track much of the album suffers from relying too heavily on the vocals and not complimenting them with decent beats. “Everywhere I Go” sounds lame with lyrics like “Gotta get drunk ‘fore my mom wakes up” and having an overly simplistic beat. “No Other Place” suffers similarly in terms of background sounds, with many of the more interesting parts getting drowned out by the drums and vocals.

“Young” relies heavily on guitars and very positive lyrics (including the occasional choir like accompaniment), revealing a sound that more fits what this group could be good at doing – mixing rap and rock into something that which even Linkin Park might be jealous. “Black Dahlia” follows this idea even further, bouncing in a double bass beat in the chorus, and that makes the soul-bearing lyrics have a bigger impact. However, they fall back into their rap-heavy ways with the goofy intro to “Bottle And A Gun” and the almost-club ready “City.” Album closer “Paradise Ready” finishes things with a mixture between strings, keys and guitars, showing a few different voices vocals-wise – and the group benefits from the fresh voices.

Swan Songs is a decent album. In its downfalls there are a few moments of promise that hopefully end up in this band’s later work. Hollywood Undead has potential; they just need to embrace it. – JASON GARDNER

Learn more about Hollywood Undead by visiting hollywoodundeadofficial.ning.com.
Add Hollywood Undead on MySpace by clicking here.

Heartbreaker
Lujo Records

As The Dark Romantics must know, a band name connotes a lot, musically. With a name like The Dark Romantics, the indie-leaning band inevitably draws comparisons to the somber tunes of bands like Joy Division, the Cure, and Bauhaus. But the Florida-based group’s 2006 debut record, Some Midnight Kissin’, seemed more concerned with catchy beats than brooding. This is also true on The Dark Romantics’ second full-length album, Heartbreaker. Though the thirteen songs on Heartbreaker do predictably address the issues of heartbreak, rejection, and loneliness, the band keeps the music interesting with creepy melodies and fast-paced dance beats.

“Love & Pain” delivers on its title’s promise: the song captures the duality of relationships, more pointedly the haunted obsessiveness of unrequited love. “Hush Your Mouth” has lead singer Eric Collins doing his best Robert Smith impression, and he is able to capture some of the heavy magic of Smith’s vocals. The opening of “This Is Young Love” is noisy and cinematic. An organ leads the melody, making the song sound very much like an old horror movie theme. “Let’s Ride” is basically The Dark Romantics doing the Cars - it’s a successful combination of gothic and poppy new wave, and is one of the catchier tracks on Heartbreaker.

The Dark Romantics falter a bit with “She’s Loaded.” The song opens with the cliché, “She’s just every little thing that he needs.” The song plays out predictably, with a bad, loose woman breaking the heart of a good man. “Gimme A Kiss” is a haughty, insistent song with traces of ‘80s power-pop embedded deep within. “W.G.L.Y.” stands for “Who’s Going to Love You,” the plaintive and pleading chorus of this whining little song. “The Perfect Place” adopts more organ and is a disturbing, meandering song. Layering of voices and repetition of lyrics contribute to the weird, cyclical nature of the song. “Heartbreaker,” the title track and album closer, opens with a creepy symphony of bells and chimes. Brooding, dark and a little self-indulgent, “Heartbreaker” is a nice, slow closing from a rhythmic, energetic band.

Heartbreaker is a disturbing, well-crafted album of consistency, and only occasionally predictability. The Dark Romantics have shown themselves to be, yes, dark, and yes, romantic - but not just another Joy Division tribute band. - JULENE PAUL

Learn more about The Dark Romantics by visiting thedarkromantics.com.
Add The Dark Romantics on MySpace by clicking here.

Showstopper
Self-released

Bands with members not even old enough to drink are always depressing. It makes you wonder what the hell you’ve been doing with your life. At least Kills And Thrills earned the fair amount of success they’ve amassed in such a short time unlike some of the more popular underage pop acts of the past. While they wear their influences on their sleeves, which makes it difficult to establish their own unique sound, their first self-released EP shows plenty of promise. Strong production values, powerful breakdowns, and solid songwriting make Kills And Thrills a band to watch.

Kills And Thrills never establishes their own sound and blatantly gives away their key influences. Heavy overtones of Underoath will smack you in the face right off the bat. However, this may simply come as a result of poor timing since Showstopper sounds most like Underoath’s Lost In The Sound Of Separation. The moody vocals have been used by plenty of other bands in the past but the way Kills And Thrills closes out “You’re What the French Call…’Les Incompetants’” would make even a casual observer see the connection. It’s ludicrous to think that Kills And Thrills lifted this from Underoath’s latest album since it only came out a few months ago but the boys have clearly followed what Underoath’s done and tried to mimic some of their style. Similarly, the intro to “This Wasn’t In The Script” feels lifted from Killswitch Engage’s seminal Alive Or Just Breathing.

Don’t let this review put you off. Showstopper earns its three stars. “Code Blue” has a haunting atmosphere about it throughout the song and ends on a crushing breakdown. While fairly generic elsewhere, the band’s drummer destroys and dominates the first minute of “You’re What the French Call…” Despite the Killswitch mimicry on “This Wasn’t In The Script,” there’s a solid high-pitched riff during one of the verses that will grab your attention and that is followed up with a guitar hook that will keep you tuned in. The lead singer screams his heart out on “Transylvania Twist” and does some fantastic interplay with the back-up vocalist on “Your Body, A Masquerade.”

To the band’s credit as well, they self-released Showstopper. That’s hard enough to do but to gain the attention it seems to have garnered online is a feat in and of itself. Take a listen and you’ll be blown away by the production values too. The guitars come in crisp and clean without that “playing underwater” sound most low budget CDs have. Sure ProTools makes it easy enough for any kid with some computer know-how to mix an album, but the actual recording process still needs to be done right. It’s a testament to the professionalism of Kills And Thrills that they went out and did this right.

It will be interesting to watch the band develop as they grow older to see if they can move beyond a collection of standard genre tropes. Oddly enough, they compiled these various influences in such a way so as to make them difficult to define sonically, as in they’ve already carved out their own little niche it seems. That puts them in a far better position than many of the other bands crowding the various scenes. Kills And Thrills could definitely make a big splash with the higher profile a label will undoubtedly provide on their follow-up and the maturity that will come with age. – KYLE ANDRUKIEWICZ

Add Kills And Thrills on MySpace by clicking here.

w/ We Are Scientists & The Whigs
The Fillmore Theater, Detroit
November 8, 2008

The Fillmore Theater in Detroit saw a sellout crowd for Kings Of Leon despite the tough economic times hitting the state. The line of waiting fans stretched around the block and many were turned away at the box office by the large sign proclaiming the show “Sold Out.” However, for those lucky enough to have tickets in hand, the night was filled with dancing, audience participation and some excellent performances by not only Kings Of Leon but also The Whigs and We Are Scientists. The packed theater is a good sign for Kings Of Leon who have developed a considerable fan-base in the U.K. but so far have lacked that level of a following in the United States. The evening’s strong performances from all three bands over the course of the night will likely have won each some new fans.

Beginning the evening with their own brand of Southern rock, The Whigs ran through a strong set, which included “Nothing Is Easy” and “Half The World.” One of the most interesting things about this group from Georgia is each individual musician’s versatility. At various points throughout the set lead singer and guitarist Parker Gispert abandoned his work on the guitar to play keyboard on some parts of songs. Likewise, the band’s predominant bassist, Tim Deaux was able to easily switch between the bass and the guitar for songs where Gispert was playing the keys. Overall, the band performed a strong set that highlighted their roots in Southern rock but also showed off their interest in other types of musical genres.

We Are Scientists brought an entirely different sound to the stage and even if it was more pop-oriented than some fans enjoyed, the majority of the audience was happy to dance and sing along with Keith Murray. The set was a good mix of songs from their most recent album, Brain Thrust Mastery, and their debut album, With Love And Squalor. Some of the band’s newer songs like “Chick Lit” were considerably darker and more rock-oriented than those from With Love And Squalor, but the audience seemed to enjoy those tracks just as much as “It’s A Hit,” “Inaction” and “Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt.”

With a good start to the night, Kings Of Leon continued the run with an hour and a half set that was a balance of older songs and current radio-favorites. For audience members who might not have been as familiar with the band’s back-catalogue, Kings Of Leon began with a few songs from their recently released album, Only By The Night, “Closer” and “Crawl.” The slightly trippy and gritty “Closer” was an interesting choice for starting the show since it has a mellower feel than other songs, but the song stands up well to a live performance and the gamble worked in this case.

Rather than play everything from the latest album, Kings Of Leon then moved to a few songs from their 2007 album Because Of The Times. Songs such as “Molly’s Chambers” excited the audience and was a good segue into the band’s most recent hit, “Sex On Fire.” The show itself was rather low-key in terms of set and special effects, but on “Sex On Fire” and a few other key songs, the band emphasized the choruses with strings of flashing white lights, which hung from the ceiling to the floor of the stage.

“The Bucket” and “Knocked Up” had a fun, rollicking feel to them and most audience members were happy to sing along word for word. “Use Somebody” was another track from Only By The Night that fared will in a live performance and the intense bass-line for “On Call” was fun to hear in person. The night wrapped up with an excellent guitar solo on “Manhattan” and a strong Southern rock ending with “Black Thumbnail.”

Until now, Kings Of Leon haven’t seen the overall popularity and success in the United States as they’ve had in the U.K. but if their current tour is anything to go by, that may be changing. However, either the band or perhaps their management already views them as mega-stars and would not allow more than two photographers to take pictures of the band’s performance which is the reason there aren’t any photos of the band accompanying this review. Only time will determine whether the U.S. views Kings Of Leon in the same manner.

REVIEW & PHOTOS BY EVELYN MISKA

Learn more about The Whigs by visiting thewhigs.com.
Add The Whigs on MySpace by clicking here.
Learn more about We Are Scientists by visiting wearescientists.com.
Add We Are Scientists on MySpace by clicking here.

Anthology: Set The World Afire
Capitol Records

Megadeth always was and always will be a Metallica wannabe. Anthology: Set The World Afire does little to refute that belief. It’s well-documented that Dave Mustaine started Megadeth only because he wanted to beat Metallica at their own game after they kicked him out. Unfortunately for Mustaine, Megadeth never achieved the same legendary status as their far superior counterparts. Sure, the band had its share of notoriety in the ’90s and is fondly remembered by some but they never made the same genre-defining contributions that Metallica did. Plus, a comparison of each band’s respective discographies reveals not only more consistency from Metallica but more classics as well.

At the same time, Anthology: Set The World Afire was a discovery of sorts. After so many years of writing the band off, this collection of greatest hits showed some merit. Mustaine, in his heyday, was a guitarist virtuoso. All the way through Countdown To Extinction, and even at times after that, Mustaine and his cohorts showed an incredibly ability to rip with the best of them. Songs like “Hangar 18,” “Into the Lungs of Hell,” and “Trust” go far beyond the usual masturbatory purpose of most solos and find that overlapping nirvana which mixes shred with hook to produce the most divine solos. “Peace Sells” and “Symphony Of Destruction” remain classics. And despite originally appearing as a single to a Schwarzenegger movie, “Angry Again” is one of the catchiest tunes on Anthology: Set The World Afire .

With that said, listeners can’t ignore the band’s (namely, Mustaine’s) shortcomings. First and foremost, the nails-on-a-blackboard, cringe-inducing wail Mustaine passes off as a voice. If there’s a hell, “Sweating Bullets,” the most irritating song in the history of heavy metal, inescapably drones on forever through its PA system. Mustaine’s voice single-handedly cancels out almost all appeal Megadeth might otherwise have. And for those who classify Mustaine’s vocal performances as “distinctive” and “original”? You need to get you’re hearing checked. Those are just diplomatic ways of saying “horrible” and “annoying as fuck.” I hope you all understand the sacrifice we reviewers make in listening to these albums. That shrill whine will haunt me for weeks.

Other problems plague this set list. While Megadeth lays down some more progressive fair than contemporaries like Metallica, Slayer, and Iron Maiden, they never achieve anything resembling the epic and innovative sounds those bands created. Megadeth’s attempts at distinction fall short because those other bands DEFINED the genre tropes Mustaine experiments with. Plus, Anthology: Set The World Afire contains at least two examples of Megadeth outright plagiarizing others. “Reckoning Day” either features Mustaine imitating Iron Maiden or Bruce Dickinson makes an unknown guest appearance on the track. Then there’s the blindingly obvious jab at Metallica on “Go To Hell,” which includes the “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” prayer. The songs were actually released eerily close to each other, making it difficult to tell who’s copying whom. There are two things though that make it likely Megadeth stole from Metallica — again. First, Mustaine’s penchant for pettiness. Second, the fact that at one point the song goes,“Now I lay me down to blah, blah, blah” - a fairly obvious attempt at mocking Metallica’s megahit “Enter Sandman.” Yet another part of Megadeth’s career defined by Mustaine’s failures.

Some of you may ask if it’s fair to evaluate Megadeth on their comparisons to Metallica. The answer is yes, if for no other reason than Mustaine himself has done the same throughout his entire career. If Megadeth is so great, then why is Mustaine so bitter? Why does he so badly want to be a part of the Metallica mythology? Because he knows he will never escape their shadow. Metallica is better, more popular, and more important to the history of heavy metal than Megadeth could ever hope to be. Sure, Anthology: Set The World Afire gets three stars because a lot of the music is good. Some of it is very good. But that doesn’t change what Megadeth really is: the inferior work of a “never-was” who couldn’t accept he simply wasn’t good enough to roll with the best.

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Cardinology
Lost Highway

Ryan Adams has gone through quite a few musical evolutions. First as a member of Whiskeytown, later as a solo artist, and now with backing band The Cardinals, Adams has always skillfully walked the line between country and pop. On Cardinology, his tenth album (and fourth with The Cardinals), Ryan Adams leans toward alternative country more than pop. Like much of his earlier work, Cardinology has a very somber and complexly melancholy tone. Cardinology is a great drinking album, nearly perfect in its ability to pull a listener down into memory and contemplation, but as an evolving work, from Adams it’s more of the same.

On album opener “Born Into A Light,” Ryan Adams sings, “For every thing that’s wrong there is a worried man.” With choruses of sorrowful voices and a strong acoustic melody, “Born Into A Light” brings to mind Bruce Springsteen’s latest and best work. “Magick” is notably more upbeat. Led by a remarkable guitar lick and Adams’ deft lyrics, repeating “Listen to the radio,” the song is easily the best candidate for radio play. “Cobwebs” returns to the heartbreak of Adams’ early work, and also sounds like the cool, adult rock of Joseph Arthur and Josh Rouse. “Let Us Down Easy” is one of the best tracks on the record. Like “Cobwebs,” Adams sticks with his guitar and a quiet, building rock.

“Natural Ghost” opens with the telling and poetic line, “I was waiting around for someone to die / Nobody did, but I part of me did, I suppose, from all that waiting.” Ryan Adams writes like an old country singer, like Kris Kristofferson, but his execution sounds more like alternative rock, like Coldplay. “Evergreen” is wonderfully quiet, tragic country song. The song shows Adams at his strongest and quietest, focusing less on creating a sound and more on the melodic and lyrical details. “Like Yesterday” is very much a song of contemplation. However, sometimes the song lags, becoming heavy and without enough interesting melodic variation. As with most classic singer-songwriters, Ryan Adams has a soft spot for the sensitive piano song, and he indulges in this with “Stop.” This indulgence falls a little flat, and the intimacy of the song doesn’t make up for its lack of substance.

Cardinology is a good, solid album for Ryan Adams fans. As with most of his work, Adams delivers in terms of songwriting. But as a collection of songs, Cardinology doesn’t challenge listeners or Adams’ sound. - JULENE PAUL

Learn more about Ryan Adams & The Cardinals by visiting cardinology.com.
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