Here's the last big weekend of the biggest summer in box office history, and there's a few films worth seeing.
Halloween - I know what you're thinking. Why would you need to re-make one of the greatest horror films ever made? What's that? Rob Zombie is directing it? Yeah, I'm there.
VERDICT - SEE IT ASAP.
Death Sentence - I swear I'm not making this up, but in this movie Kevin Bacon plays a badass and it looks fucking awesome. I know almost nothing about this film, but I'm going based on the awesome trailer, which reminded me of an old grindhouse revenge flick.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Balls Of Fury - Possibly the goofiest movie of the summer this film puts together a lot of talented comedians and cranks up the camp. It looks fun and the reviews have been surprisingly kind thus far.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
New Shit This Week
DVDs:
Blades Of Glory - It's not as funny as most Ferrell movies, but it's still pretty good.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
Year Of The Dog - An arthouse film produced by indie king Mike White. Definitely worth a look.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
Kickin' It Old Skool - Jaime Kennedy... remember when you used to be famous? Or am I thinking of Seth Green? Anyway, the whole "whigger" thing? LET IT DIE.
VERDICT - FUCK YOU. SERIOUSLY.
CDs:
Ben Harper - Lifelines - Ben Harper is consistent, but never great. This album has gotten good reviews so far, so it's probably worth a listen.
VERDICT - BORROW IT.
Blades Of Glory - It's not as funny as most Ferrell movies, but it's still pretty good.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
Year Of The Dog - An arthouse film produced by indie king Mike White. Definitely worth a look.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
Kickin' It Old Skool - Jaime Kennedy... remember when you used to be famous? Or am I thinking of Seth Green? Anyway, the whole "whigger" thing? LET IT DIE.
VERDICT - FUCK YOU. SERIOUSLY.
CDs:
Ben Harper - Lifelines - Ben Harper is consistent, but never great. This album has gotten good reviews so far, so it's probably worth a listen.
VERDICT - BORROW IT.
Modern Rock Reviews
Marilyn Manson - Putting Holes In Happiness - B
A vast improvement over the first singles released on his new disc, this one features decent lyrics and a particularly good guitar solo.
Timbaland - Throw It On Me - B
A weird choice for a modern rock playlist, but it does feature the Hives. The song itself is fast-paced and among the best rap songs of recent memory.
Under The Influence Of Giants - In The Clouds - B
A pleasant indie song that comes close to pushing over the top, but never does.
William Tell - Fairfax - B
A decent pop rock song from a first-time artist on the charts, but nothing spectacular.
Lifehouse - First Time - B
I'm not pleased to see this mediocre band return, but this song is actually pretty good. The chorus, in particular, is of high quality.
The John Butler Trio - Better Than - B
A better than average adult contemporary-ish song with a good beat.
They Might Be Giants - I'm Impressed - B
A decent return single for the legendary indie pop band, but they can do much better.
The Sick Puppies - All The Same - B
Kind of a Chevelle-light, but still pretty good for a debut single.
Madina Lake - Here I Stand - B
A solid pop punk anthem with good verses and a decent chorus.
Supagroup - What's Your Problem - B
A slightly dumb throwback to Nugent-esque 70s rock. It is pretty fun, though.
U2 And Green Day - The Saints Are Coming - B-
Take two of the best rock bands around and put them together for one blockbuster song and what do you get? Slightly less than you'd expect, unfortunately. These sort of things rarely work and this is no exception.
Static-X - Cannibal - B-
A fairly exciting metal song, but it doesn't distinguish itself from any other song by Static-X.
Fall Out Boy - The Takeover, The Break's Over - B-
Not bad, but not as hooky as their previous songs.
Papa Roach - Time Is Running Out - B-
Another new sound for Papa Roach and this one almost works. It's not sludgy or nu-metal-y like before. The lyrics aren't all that great, but at least the sound isn't unpleasant.
The Exies - God We Look Good (Going Down In Flames) - B-
The Exies have a style that indicates that they could be great if they would abandon their sludgy vocal style. On this song, they certainly don't do that.
A vast improvement over the first singles released on his new disc, this one features decent lyrics and a particularly good guitar solo.
Timbaland - Throw It On Me - B
A weird choice for a modern rock playlist, but it does feature the Hives. The song itself is fast-paced and among the best rap songs of recent memory.
Under The Influence Of Giants - In The Clouds - B
A pleasant indie song that comes close to pushing over the top, but never does.
William Tell - Fairfax - B
A decent pop rock song from a first-time artist on the charts, but nothing spectacular.
Lifehouse - First Time - B
I'm not pleased to see this mediocre band return, but this song is actually pretty good. The chorus, in particular, is of high quality.
The John Butler Trio - Better Than - B
A better than average adult contemporary-ish song with a good beat.
They Might Be Giants - I'm Impressed - B
A decent return single for the legendary indie pop band, but they can do much better.
The Sick Puppies - All The Same - B
Kind of a Chevelle-light, but still pretty good for a debut single.
Madina Lake - Here I Stand - B
A solid pop punk anthem with good verses and a decent chorus.
Supagroup - What's Your Problem - B
A slightly dumb throwback to Nugent-esque 70s rock. It is pretty fun, though.
U2 And Green Day - The Saints Are Coming - B-
Take two of the best rock bands around and put them together for one blockbuster song and what do you get? Slightly less than you'd expect, unfortunately. These sort of things rarely work and this is no exception.
Static-X - Cannibal - B-
A fairly exciting metal song, but it doesn't distinguish itself from any other song by Static-X.
Fall Out Boy - The Takeover, The Break's Over - B-
Not bad, but not as hooky as their previous songs.
Papa Roach - Time Is Running Out - B-
Another new sound for Papa Roach and this one almost works. It's not sludgy or nu-metal-y like before. The lyrics aren't all that great, but at least the sound isn't unpleasant.
The Exies - God We Look Good (Going Down In Flames) - B-
The Exies have a style that indicates that they could be great if they would abandon their sludgy vocal style. On this song, they certainly don't do that.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
New Movies This Week
Resurrecting The Champ - An artsy type of film that has a heck of a twist that I won't ruin here, this seems like it could be a decent film.
VERDICT - See it.
The Nanny Diaries - It should be good, but it's reviews say that it's not. Who knows?
VERDICT - See it.
War - Jason Statham and Jet Li's movies are usually a lot of fun, just be sure you don't stop to think about them.
VERDICT - See it.
Mr. Bean's Holiday - Ah, there's Rowan Atkinson... rubbing feces all over the idea of British comedy once again.
VERDICT - Skip it.
VERDICT - See it.
The Nanny Diaries - It should be good, but it's reviews say that it's not. Who knows?
VERDICT - See it.
War - Jason Statham and Jet Li's movies are usually a lot of fun, just be sure you don't stop to think about them.
VERDICT - See it.
Mr. Bean's Holiday - Ah, there's Rowan Atkinson... rubbing feces all over the idea of British comedy once again.
VERDICT - Skip it.
Modern Rock Update
Albums:
Dave Matthews teamed up with Tim Reynolds to earn the top debut this week at #3.
Blaqk Audio debuted at #18.
Also debuting this week are Mae at #40, 12 Stones at #53 and Matt Nathanson at #60.
Modern Rock:
The Foo Fighters "The Pretender" rockets to #1 this week.
Blaqk Audio debuted at #20 with "Stiff Kittens".
Mainstream Rock:
Three Days Grace stayed at #1 with their latest attempt to destroy music forever.
Kid Rock debuted at #13 with something called "So Hott".
Alter Bridge debuted at #20 with "Rise Today". That's just peachy.
Dave Matthews teamed up with Tim Reynolds to earn the top debut this week at #3.
Blaqk Audio debuted at #18.
Also debuting this week are Mae at #40, 12 Stones at #53 and Matt Nathanson at #60.
Modern Rock:
The Foo Fighters "The Pretender" rockets to #1 this week.
Blaqk Audio debuted at #20 with "Stiff Kittens".
Mainstream Rock:
Three Days Grace stayed at #1 with their latest attempt to destroy music forever.
Kid Rock debuted at #13 with something called "So Hott".
Alter Bridge debuted at #20 with "Rise Today". That's just peachy.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Battle Of The Bands 2007 - Round 4
Bracket A:
#1 The White Stripes 3 - #8 Green Day 0 - Green Day is finally the victim of the horrible score Ryan gave them.
#2 Tool 2 - #7 Eagles Of Death Metal 1 - The biggest name in metal takes down the biggest band with "metal" in it's name.
#3 The Foo Fighters 3 - #11 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 0 - Midnight strikes for BRMC.
#4 Franz Ferdinand 2 - #5 Death Cab For Cutie 1 - Franz comes out on top of one of the closest matches of the round.
Bracket B:
#1 Queens Of The Stone Age 3 - #8 A Perfect Circle 0 - QOTSA easily wipes out Maynard's seldom-used side-project.
#26 The Arcade Fire 2 - #2 Radiohead 1 - The Arcade Fire pulls off the biggest upset of the tournament with the unique combo of bizarrely low seeding and Radiohead's hiatus between albums.
#6 System Of A Down 2 - #3 Sonic Youth 1 - System was rated a bit too low for this tournament and Sonic Youth pays the price.
#12 Muse 2 - #4 Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers 1 - Wow, Bracket B has really become upset central this round as yet another under-rated band pulls an upset.
Bracket C:
#1 The Red Hot Chili Peppers 3 - #8 The Mars Volta 0 - One of the hottest bands in modern rock easily knocks out the upstart prog rockers.
#2 The Shins 2 - #7 Nine Inch Nails 1 - Matt provides the tie-breaking vote that keeps NIN from pulling the upset.
#3 Wolfmother 3 - #6 Bob Dylan 0 - The metal upstarts from down under sweep one of the greatest in rock history.
#5 The Killers 2 - #4 Coldplay 1 - Coldplay can't seem to overcome their reputation, at least not enough to overcome the Killers, who clearly overcame theirs. Overcome. (I just thought that review could use one more...)
Bracket D:
#1 Beck 2 - #8 The Raconteurs 1 - Beck squeaks by with the win over Jack White's side project band.
#2 Pearl Jam 3 - #39 Maroon 5 - Pearl Jam wipes out the lowest-seeded band in the 4th round.
#6 The Strokes 2 - #3 Sparta 1 - The Strokes pull the upset, but really the seedings were pretty bizarre in this particular match.
#4 Incubus 2 - #12 Velvet Revolver 1 - VR might have won if this tournament took place after their second album was released, but I doubt it.
#1 The White Stripes 3 - #8 Green Day 0 - Green Day is finally the victim of the horrible score Ryan gave them.
#2 Tool 2 - #7 Eagles Of Death Metal 1 - The biggest name in metal takes down the biggest band with "metal" in it's name.
#3 The Foo Fighters 3 - #11 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 0 - Midnight strikes for BRMC.
#4 Franz Ferdinand 2 - #5 Death Cab For Cutie 1 - Franz comes out on top of one of the closest matches of the round.
Bracket B:
#1 Queens Of The Stone Age 3 - #8 A Perfect Circle 0 - QOTSA easily wipes out Maynard's seldom-used side-project.
#26 The Arcade Fire 2 - #2 Radiohead 1 - The Arcade Fire pulls off the biggest upset of the tournament with the unique combo of bizarrely low seeding and Radiohead's hiatus between albums.
#6 System Of A Down 2 - #3 Sonic Youth 1 - System was rated a bit too low for this tournament and Sonic Youth pays the price.
#12 Muse 2 - #4 Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers 1 - Wow, Bracket B has really become upset central this round as yet another under-rated band pulls an upset.
Bracket C:
#1 The Red Hot Chili Peppers 3 - #8 The Mars Volta 0 - One of the hottest bands in modern rock easily knocks out the upstart prog rockers.
#2 The Shins 2 - #7 Nine Inch Nails 1 - Matt provides the tie-breaking vote that keeps NIN from pulling the upset.
#3 Wolfmother 3 - #6 Bob Dylan 0 - The metal upstarts from down under sweep one of the greatest in rock history.
#5 The Killers 2 - #4 Coldplay 1 - Coldplay can't seem to overcome their reputation, at least not enough to overcome the Killers, who clearly overcame theirs. Overcome. (I just thought that review could use one more...)
Bracket D:
#1 Beck 2 - #8 The Raconteurs 1 - Beck squeaks by with the win over Jack White's side project band.
#2 Pearl Jam 3 - #39 Maroon 5 - Pearl Jam wipes out the lowest-seeded band in the 4th round.
#6 The Strokes 2 - #3 Sparta 1 - The Strokes pull the upset, but really the seedings were pretty bizarre in this particular match.
#4 Incubus 2 - #12 Velvet Revolver 1 - VR might have won if this tournament took place after their second album was released, but I doubt it.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Modern Rock Update
Albums:
Fuel had the top rock debut of the week at #42. Sad.
Okkervil River debuted at #62, 2 spots ahead of Drowning Pool's new album. Good for you, humanity.
Hilariously, the new album from Constantine (from American Idol) debuted at #75. Hopefully we've seen the last of him.
Modern Rock:
Finger Eleven topped the charts for the first week with "Paralyzer".
Paramore debuted at #18 with "Misery Business".
Silverchair debuted at #20 with "Straight Lines".
Mainstream Rock:
Three Days Grace stayed at #1 with "Never Too Late".
The Foo Fighters "The Pretender" debuted at #11.
Hellyeah debuted at #19 with "Alcohaulin' Ass", which is as dumb as it sounds.
Fuel had the top rock debut of the week at #42. Sad.
Okkervil River debuted at #62, 2 spots ahead of Drowning Pool's new album. Good for you, humanity.
Hilariously, the new album from Constantine (from American Idol) debuted at #75. Hopefully we've seen the last of him.
Modern Rock:
Finger Eleven topped the charts for the first week with "Paralyzer".
Paramore debuted at #18 with "Misery Business".
Silverchair debuted at #20 with "Straight Lines".
Mainstream Rock:
Three Days Grace stayed at #1 with "Never Too Late".
The Foo Fighters "The Pretender" debuted at #11.
Hellyeah debuted at #19 with "Alcohaulin' Ass", which is as dumb as it sounds.
New Movies This Week
Superbad - The last MUST SEE movie of the summer, Superbad is yet another hilarious film from the Apatow comedy machine. I saw the movie last night and it's almost as good as the 40 Year Old Virgin.
VERDICT: SEE IT ASAP
The Invasion - AKA The Forgotten Blockbuster. Every year there's a movie that should be huge that just isn't. This year nearly everything has been absolutely huge... until now. This one is going to flop hard.
VERDICT: Skip it.
The Last Legion - Umm, this must not be very good if they're not even going to bother to advertise it, right?
VERDICT: Skip it.
VERDICT: SEE IT ASAP
The Invasion - AKA The Forgotten Blockbuster. Every year there's a movie that should be huge that just isn't. This year nearly everything has been absolutely huge... until now. This one is going to flop hard.
VERDICT: Skip it.
The Last Legion - Umm, this must not be very good if they're not even going to bother to advertise it, right?
VERDICT: Skip it.
New Shit Available
CDs:
The New Pornographers - Challengers / Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight - Like the other band releasing a new CD this week, the Pornographers are an incredibly talented indie rock band that hasn't crossed over in a major way. Nonetheless, their music is definitely worth purchasing, for a reasonable price.
VERDICT: Buy if on sale.
DVDs:
The Lookout - Yet another potentially brilliant indie film that no one's seen. Plenty of people saw shit like Wild Hogs, so why can't something like this make into more than a handful of theaters?
VERDICT: Rent it.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon The Movie - A cult favorite and a show that I'll watch on occasion, the movie is worth a watch, if not a purchase.
VERDICT: Rent it.
The Lives Of Others - Winner of the Oscar for best foreign film last year, this is supposed to be an excellent look into the lives of average people under the tyranny of East Germany. It should be worth a look.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Fracture - I've seen this movie. It's interesting, but forgettable. Great acting by the leads, two of our finest actors.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Doctor Strange - Another in a series of straight to DVD movies from Marvel Comics. These are generally good but not great and I don't see this one being any different.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Inland Empire - I don't know much about this movie, but it's David Lynch and something like 4 hours long, so if either of those things is a problem, don't bother.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Vacancy - I saw this one while it was still in theaters. It was surprisingly good. Very tense.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Perfect Stranger - I haven't heard much about this movie, but supposedly it isn't very good and yet another black eye on the career of Halle Berry.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Wild Hogs - The absolute, bar-none worst successful movie of the year. I have seen it and I wished I hadn't.
VERDICT: Avoid it like the plague.
The New Pornographers - Challengers / Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight - Like the other band releasing a new CD this week, the Pornographers are an incredibly talented indie rock band that hasn't crossed over in a major way. Nonetheless, their music is definitely worth purchasing, for a reasonable price.
VERDICT: Buy if on sale.
DVDs:
The Lookout - Yet another potentially brilliant indie film that no one's seen. Plenty of people saw shit like Wild Hogs, so why can't something like this make into more than a handful of theaters?
VERDICT: Rent it.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon The Movie - A cult favorite and a show that I'll watch on occasion, the movie is worth a watch, if not a purchase.
VERDICT: Rent it.
The Lives Of Others - Winner of the Oscar for best foreign film last year, this is supposed to be an excellent look into the lives of average people under the tyranny of East Germany. It should be worth a look.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Fracture - I've seen this movie. It's interesting, but forgettable. Great acting by the leads, two of our finest actors.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Doctor Strange - Another in a series of straight to DVD movies from Marvel Comics. These are generally good but not great and I don't see this one being any different.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Inland Empire - I don't know much about this movie, but it's David Lynch and something like 4 hours long, so if either of those things is a problem, don't bother.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Vacancy - I saw this one while it was still in theaters. It was surprisingly good. Very tense.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Perfect Stranger - I haven't heard much about this movie, but supposedly it isn't very good and yet another black eye on the career of Halle Berry.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Wild Hogs - The absolute, bar-none worst successful movie of the year. I have seen it and I wished I hadn't.
VERDICT: Avoid it like the plague.
Modern Rock Reviews
Tool - The Pot - A+
The best song off of Tool's new album, the light and trippy "The Pot" is one of the best metal songs of the new millennium.
The Shins - Phantom Limb - A+
Easily the best song off of their new album, "Phantom Limb" features one of the best choruses of the year.
Wolfmother - White Unicorn - A+
Honestly, they could release every song on their debut album as a single and it would be top notch, but this is one of the best and most Zeppelin-esque.
The Thermals - A Pillar Of Salt - A+
One of the best political punk bands in music at the moment, The Thermals deserve a bigger audience and this is the type of song that could give it to them. The lyrics are sharp as ever and the guitars and beat are very radio-friendly.
The View - Wasted Little DJ's - A+
An extremely good indie rock song for a debut CD, "Wasted Little DJs" has a fast beat and hooks worthy of the Arctic Monkeys or Franz Ferdinand.
The White Stripes - Icky Thump - A
A nearly, but not quite, perfect White Stripes that is a bit too heavy for it's own good. This song does tell one of the most interesting lyrical stories of any Stripes song, though.
Tool - Jambi - A
Another great prog metal song from one of the most reliable artists in modern rock music. Like most Tool songs, it features a fantastic build from start to finish.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers - Hump De Bump - A
An outstanding funk song that gets better every time I hear it.
The Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye - A
Imagine if the Arcade Fire played hard rock music instead of indie rock. This is likely what they would sound like.
The Manic Street Preachers - Your Love Alone Is Not Enough - A-
An excellent comeback song from the long-dormant Preachers. This song has good verses and an above average chorus.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow (Hey Oh) - A-
Yet another great single from the Chili Peppers, who seem to be able to create these songs in their sleep.
Velvet Revolver - She Builds Quick Machines - B+
One of the best from Velvet Revolver and a good way to kick off their second album. Probably the best song Guns N Roses never got to record.
The Shins - Australia - B+
A notch below their usual output, this song still has a great sound to it, but the bar is set pretty high for this band.
The Sounds - Painted By Numbers - B+
One of the most overlooked bands at the moment, The Sounds finally puts a song on the radio and it's this excellent indie rocker.
Tim Armstrong - Into Action - B+
A fun reggae-tinged punk song from the lead singer of Rancid that leans heavier on his side project, The Transplants.
The Silversun Pickups - Well Thought Out Twinkles - B+
Not as good as "Lazy Eye", but still just about the best straight hard rock band out there.
Sum 41 - Walking Disaster - B+
One of their best, this is an excellent pop punk song that can't transcend it's genre.
Linkin Park - Bleed It Out - B+
Umm, this song is actually pretty good. As usual, the weakest part is when the screaming guy shows up, but other than that, it's actually well written and well-paced.
Flight Of The Conchords - Business Time - B+
A funny, but not quite hilarious, Tenacious D-lite folk humor song.
The Smashing Pumpkins - Tarantula - B+
Not their best work on their new album, but a nice return for the alt-rock legends.
Tyrone Wells - What Are We Fighting For? - B+
A clever adult oriented rock song with a political message. Essentially, everything that "Waiting on the World To Change" tried to be but failed.
The View - Same Jeans - B+
An excellent indie dance rock debut for the View with a great chorus and breakdown at the end of the song.
The Stars Of Track And Field - Movies Of Antarctica - B+
An excellent debut for an indie band that almost lives up their band's namesake (Belle And Sebastian) with this sweeping indie tune.
U2 - Window In The Skies - B+
A fantastic chorus can't quite completely save the song, but it comes close.
The Vincent Black Shadow - Metro - B+
With a sound that's more like the Dresden Dolls than what their name indicates they'll sound like, this poppy song has a great chorus and good tempo going for it.
Hard-Fi - Suburban Knights - B
A good but not quite great follow-up to "Cash Machine". The song is slower and that doesn't seem to be Hard-Fi's strength.
The Young Knives - Weekends And Bleak Days - B
A solid debut from a band that can probably do better in the future.
The Starting Line - Island - B
Another solid pop punk band enters the airwaves with this solid song from The Starting Line.
The Vincent Black Shadow - Control - B
Another good-to-great song from VBS which is dominated by an excellent chorus.
The Used - The Bird And The Worm - B
I'd call them a My Chemical Romance knock-off, but they were around before MCR. This song isn't their best, but is still good for it's over-the-top genre.
The best song off of Tool's new album, the light and trippy "The Pot" is one of the best metal songs of the new millennium.
The Shins - Phantom Limb - A+
Easily the best song off of their new album, "Phantom Limb" features one of the best choruses of the year.
Wolfmother - White Unicorn - A+
Honestly, they could release every song on their debut album as a single and it would be top notch, but this is one of the best and most Zeppelin-esque.
The Thermals - A Pillar Of Salt - A+
One of the best political punk bands in music at the moment, The Thermals deserve a bigger audience and this is the type of song that could give it to them. The lyrics are sharp as ever and the guitars and beat are very radio-friendly.
The View - Wasted Little DJ's - A+
An extremely good indie rock song for a debut CD, "Wasted Little DJs" has a fast beat and hooks worthy of the Arctic Monkeys or Franz Ferdinand.
The White Stripes - Icky Thump - A
A nearly, but not quite, perfect White Stripes that is a bit too heavy for it's own good. This song does tell one of the most interesting lyrical stories of any Stripes song, though.
Tool - Jambi - A
Another great prog metal song from one of the most reliable artists in modern rock music. Like most Tool songs, it features a fantastic build from start to finish.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers - Hump De Bump - A
An outstanding funk song that gets better every time I hear it.
The Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye - A
Imagine if the Arcade Fire played hard rock music instead of indie rock. This is likely what they would sound like.
The Manic Street Preachers - Your Love Alone Is Not Enough - A-
An excellent comeback song from the long-dormant Preachers. This song has good verses and an above average chorus.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow (Hey Oh) - A-
Yet another great single from the Chili Peppers, who seem to be able to create these songs in their sleep.
Velvet Revolver - She Builds Quick Machines - B+
One of the best from Velvet Revolver and a good way to kick off their second album. Probably the best song Guns N Roses never got to record.
The Shins - Australia - B+
A notch below their usual output, this song still has a great sound to it, but the bar is set pretty high for this band.
The Sounds - Painted By Numbers - B+
One of the most overlooked bands at the moment, The Sounds finally puts a song on the radio and it's this excellent indie rocker.
Tim Armstrong - Into Action - B+
A fun reggae-tinged punk song from the lead singer of Rancid that leans heavier on his side project, The Transplants.
The Silversun Pickups - Well Thought Out Twinkles - B+
Not as good as "Lazy Eye", but still just about the best straight hard rock band out there.
Sum 41 - Walking Disaster - B+
One of their best, this is an excellent pop punk song that can't transcend it's genre.
Linkin Park - Bleed It Out - B+
Umm, this song is actually pretty good. As usual, the weakest part is when the screaming guy shows up, but other than that, it's actually well written and well-paced.
Flight Of The Conchords - Business Time - B+
A funny, but not quite hilarious, Tenacious D-lite folk humor song.
The Smashing Pumpkins - Tarantula - B+
Not their best work on their new album, but a nice return for the alt-rock legends.
Tyrone Wells - What Are We Fighting For? - B+
A clever adult oriented rock song with a political message. Essentially, everything that "Waiting on the World To Change" tried to be but failed.
The View - Same Jeans - B+
An excellent indie dance rock debut for the View with a great chorus and breakdown at the end of the song.
The Stars Of Track And Field - Movies Of Antarctica - B+
An excellent debut for an indie band that almost lives up their band's namesake (Belle And Sebastian) with this sweeping indie tune.
U2 - Window In The Skies - B+
A fantastic chorus can't quite completely save the song, but it comes close.
The Vincent Black Shadow - Metro - B+
With a sound that's more like the Dresden Dolls than what their name indicates they'll sound like, this poppy song has a great chorus and good tempo going for it.
Hard-Fi - Suburban Knights - B
A good but not quite great follow-up to "Cash Machine". The song is slower and that doesn't seem to be Hard-Fi's strength.
The Young Knives - Weekends And Bleak Days - B
A solid debut from a band that can probably do better in the future.
The Starting Line - Island - B
Another solid pop punk band enters the airwaves with this solid song from The Starting Line.
The Vincent Black Shadow - Control - B
Another good-to-great song from VBS which is dominated by an excellent chorus.
The Used - The Bird And The Worm - B
I'd call them a My Chemical Romance knock-off, but they were around before MCR. This song isn't their best, but is still good for it's over-the-top genre.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
New Movies This Week
Stardust - The latest movie to be adapted from a Neil Gaiman novel, Stardust features an all-star cast and tells a fascinating story. In short, I can't wait.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Rush Hour 3 - I'm not a big fan of Chris Tucker or the Rush Hour movies. I think they're both pretty sad. It should be a big hit, though, so if you like stupid buddy cop stereotypes, by all means, have at thee.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
Daddy Day Camp - The first movie sucked and this one doesn't even have any of the same stars or the same director. Cuba? Yeah, we're gonna need that Oscar back. Now.
VERDICT - NOT A CHANCE IN HELL.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Rush Hour 3 - I'm not a big fan of Chris Tucker or the Rush Hour movies. I think they're both pretty sad. It should be a big hit, though, so if you like stupid buddy cop stereotypes, by all means, have at thee.
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
Daddy Day Camp - The first movie sucked and this one doesn't even have any of the same stars or the same director. Cuba? Yeah, we're gonna need that Oscar back. Now.
VERDICT - NOT A CHANCE IN HELL.
Modern Rock Update
Albums:
Korn's Untitled album debuts at #2, surprisingly high for a band otherwise assumed for dead.
The Starting Line debuted at #30 with Direction.
Modern:
The White Stripes stayed at #1 with "Icky Thump" for a third week.
Debuting this week at #16 is the new single from the Foo Fighters, "The Pretender".
Mainstream:
Three Days Grace has the new #1 single with "Never Too Late". Great...now this one will probably stay on the charts for 6 months like every other damn Three Days Grace song.
Debuting this week at #20 is Flyleaf's "All Around Me".
Korn's Untitled album debuts at #2, surprisingly high for a band otherwise assumed for dead.
The Starting Line debuted at #30 with Direction.
Modern:
The White Stripes stayed at #1 with "Icky Thump" for a third week.
Debuting this week at #16 is the new single from the Foo Fighters, "The Pretender".
Mainstream:
Three Days Grace has the new #1 single with "Never Too Late". Great...now this one will probably stay on the charts for 6 months like every other damn Three Days Grace song.
Debuting this week at #20 is Flyleaf's "All Around Me".
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
New Shit This Week
DVDs:
Disturbia - A surprisingly tense teen-oriented thriller that knows it's nothing special and doesn't go to the extreme in any direction.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
I Think I Love My Wife - Slow week if this is the second best movie available. I haven't seen it, but I'm not terribly excited about it. Still, Chris Rock is always worth a look.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
TMNT / Unaccompanied Minors / Are We Done Yet? - Three movies that are absolute shit from concept to cellulouid. I barely even want to talk about any of these movies, let alone watch them.
VERDICT - AVOID THEM LIKE THE PLAGUE.
CDs:
Operator - Soulcrusher - It's an even weaker week for new CDs. Frankly, I don't even know that much about this band, but their first single is pretty good, so they may be worth a listen.
VERDICT - BORROW IT.
Disturbia - A surprisingly tense teen-oriented thriller that knows it's nothing special and doesn't go to the extreme in any direction.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
I Think I Love My Wife - Slow week if this is the second best movie available. I haven't seen it, but I'm not terribly excited about it. Still, Chris Rock is always worth a look.
VERDICT - RENT IT.
TMNT / Unaccompanied Minors / Are We Done Yet? - Three movies that are absolute shit from concept to cellulouid. I barely even want to talk about any of these movies, let alone watch them.
VERDICT - AVOID THEM LIKE THE PLAGUE.
CDs:
Operator - Soulcrusher - It's an even weaker week for new CDs. Frankly, I don't even know that much about this band, but their first single is pretty good, so they may be worth a listen.
VERDICT - BORROW IT.
Modern Rock Reviews
The Arctic Monkeys - Fluorescent Adolescent - A+
The second-best Arctic Monkeys song so far, this song tells an interesting story in an extremely catchy manner.
The Arcade Fire - Intervention - A+
A church organ sets the tone for the third single off of Neon Bible. The lyrics and chorus are outstanding with a build from start to finish.
The Living End - Wake Up - A
Not to be mistaken for the 500 other great songs called "Wake Up", this is more of a somber Social Distortion type of song.
The Klaxons - Golden Skans - A
This is the first song I've heard from The Klaxons and based on this single they are going to be huge someday soon.
The Living End - Nothing Lasts Forever - A
I don't know why, but I get a distinct "Husker Du" vibe from this song. It's a good place to start...
The Polyphonic Spree - Running Away - A-
The Spree adopt a new sound on their latest album, typified by this song, it's first single. Basically it's more "Arcade Fire" and less "Church Choir". It's an improvement.
The Noisettes - Scratch Your Name - A-
A fine, riot grrrl tune in the spirit of Veruca Salt.
The Rapture - Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh - B+
A fun slice of 80's style post-punk that could have been the long-lost Gang of Four single.
The Raconteurs - Level - B+
Another catchy old-school rock song from Jack White's side band with clever lyrics and a good hook.
The Kooks - She Moves In Her Own Way - B+
An improvement over "Naive", but still not catchy enough for an "A".
Against Me! - White People For Peace - B+
Possibly the least subtle protest song of all time, this one isn't on the same level as many of the other songs on the album.
The K-O's - Sunday Morning - B
A pleasant indie pop song that never takes off the way it should.
The Kooks - Naive - B
This one sounds kind of like a RHCP song with a British accent. It's alright, but nothing too impressive.
The Exies - Different From You - B-
A sludgy metal song that at the very least doesn't have an irritating vocal like most of them do.
The Dollyrots - Because I'm Awesome - B-
A great riot-grrl sound is betrayed by miserably bad lyrics. This wouldn't happen to be a Donnas side project, would it?
The Classic Crime - The Fight - B-
An average pop punk song. Not necessarily bad, but doesn't stand out in a crowded field.
The second-best Arctic Monkeys song so far, this song tells an interesting story in an extremely catchy manner.
The Arcade Fire - Intervention - A+
A church organ sets the tone for the third single off of Neon Bible. The lyrics and chorus are outstanding with a build from start to finish.
The Living End - Wake Up - A
Not to be mistaken for the 500 other great songs called "Wake Up", this is more of a somber Social Distortion type of song.
The Klaxons - Golden Skans - A
This is the first song I've heard from The Klaxons and based on this single they are going to be huge someday soon.
The Living End - Nothing Lasts Forever - A
I don't know why, but I get a distinct "Husker Du" vibe from this song. It's a good place to start...
The Polyphonic Spree - Running Away - A-
The Spree adopt a new sound on their latest album, typified by this song, it's first single. Basically it's more "Arcade Fire" and less "Church Choir". It's an improvement.
The Noisettes - Scratch Your Name - A-
A fine, riot grrrl tune in the spirit of Veruca Salt.
The Rapture - Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh - B+
A fun slice of 80's style post-punk that could have been the long-lost Gang of Four single.
The Raconteurs - Level - B+
Another catchy old-school rock song from Jack White's side band with clever lyrics and a good hook.
The Kooks - She Moves In Her Own Way - B+
An improvement over "Naive", but still not catchy enough for an "A".
Against Me! - White People For Peace - B+
Possibly the least subtle protest song of all time, this one isn't on the same level as many of the other songs on the album.
The K-O's - Sunday Morning - B
A pleasant indie pop song that never takes off the way it should.
The Kooks - Naive - B
This one sounds kind of like a RHCP song with a British accent. It's alright, but nothing too impressive.
The Exies - Different From You - B-
A sludgy metal song that at the very least doesn't have an irritating vocal like most of them do.
The Dollyrots - Because I'm Awesome - B-
A great riot-grrl sound is betrayed by miserably bad lyrics. This wouldn't happen to be a Donnas side project, would it?
The Classic Crime - The Fight - B-
An average pop punk song. Not necessarily bad, but doesn't stand out in a crowded field.
New Movies This Week
The Bourne Supremacy - The first two movies are excellent and there's no reason to think that this one wouldn't be as well. I have seen it and it is awesome. Better than the first, not as good as the second. The action scenes are still mindblowing, but the shaky cam thing is a bit much.
VERDICT - SEE IT ASAP.
Hot Rod - The general populace may disagree with me, but I can't wait to see this movie. Andy Samberg is hilarious and the trailer makes it look like a Hollywood Napoleon Dynamite.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Underdog - Jason Lee supplies the voice for this movie. I hope he got a lot of money for this one, because my respect for him dropped a notch. Oh, did I mention he's the star of Alvin And The Chipmunks this winter?
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
Bratz - No.
VERDICT - FUCK YOU.
VERDICT - SEE IT ASAP.
Hot Rod - The general populace may disagree with me, but I can't wait to see this movie. Andy Samberg is hilarious and the trailer makes it look like a Hollywood Napoleon Dynamite.
VERDICT - SEE IT.
Underdog - Jason Lee supplies the voice for this movie. I hope he got a lot of money for this one, because my respect for him dropped a notch. Oh, did I mention he's the star of Alvin And The Chipmunks this winter?
VERDICT - SKIP IT.
Bratz - No.
VERDICT - FUCK YOU.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Battle Of The Bands 2007, Round 3, Brackets C & D
Bracket C:
#1 The Red Hot Chili Peppers 3 - #17 Rise Against 0 - The most successful band in Modern Rock history takes out the political punks.
#2 The Shins 2 - #15 Dinosaur Jr. 1 - The hottest band in indie rock takes down one of the founding fathers.
#3 Wolfmother 3 - #14 Fiona Apple 0 - This just isn't Fiona's year. Last year at this time, she was a definite contender, but not at the moment.
#4 Coldplay 2 - #13 The Decemberists 1 - Both bands are great, but Coldplay is more accessible to the masses.
#5 The Killers 2 - #21 Bright Eyes 1 - I can't say I agree with this. Bright Eyes doesn't have the mainstream appeal, but I never got the impression that what I was listening to was bullshit. I can't say the same about the Killers.
#6 Bob Dylan 2 - #11 The Flaming Lips 1 - The ultimate rock n roll comeback kid takes down one of the quirkiest bands to become successful.
#7 Nine Inch Nails 2 - #10 Tom Waits 1 - The victory goes the band that is still capable of singing their songs rather than randomly grunting to guitar music.
#8 The Mars Volta 2 - #9 Rob Zombie 1 - Zombie simply wasn't in his prime this time around.
Bracket D:
#1 Beck 3 - #17 Evanescence 0 - See, people still actually want to listen to Beck. That's why he won instead of... oh, you get the point.
#2 Pearl Jam 3 - #15 The Arctic Monkeys 0 - The Monkeys might be the hottest band in the country right now, but they're up against an all-time great.
#3 Sparta 3 - #19 Guster 0 - The surprising success of Sparta is one of the biggest surprises of the tournament thus far.
#4 Incubus 3 - #13 Oasis 0 - Incubus is still popular. Oasis is still around.
#6 The Strokes 3 - #11 K.T. Tunstall 0 - K.T. needs to prove she isn't just a passing fad.
#8 The Raconteurs 2 - #9 The Yeah Yeah Yeahs 1 - It should be noted that if this vote happened after their latest EP was released, I would have voted YYY.
#39 Maroon 5 2 - #10 Iggy Pop 1 - This is what happens when one artist is vastly overrated and the other is vastly underrated.
#12 Velvet Revolver 3 - #28 The Gorillaz 0 - The Gorillaz are only good for one great song an album. VR can usually produce at least 2.
#1 The Red Hot Chili Peppers 3 - #17 Rise Against 0 - The most successful band in Modern Rock history takes out the political punks.
#2 The Shins 2 - #15 Dinosaur Jr. 1 - The hottest band in indie rock takes down one of the founding fathers.
#3 Wolfmother 3 - #14 Fiona Apple 0 - This just isn't Fiona's year. Last year at this time, she was a definite contender, but not at the moment.
#4 Coldplay 2 - #13 The Decemberists 1 - Both bands are great, but Coldplay is more accessible to the masses.
#5 The Killers 2 - #21 Bright Eyes 1 - I can't say I agree with this. Bright Eyes doesn't have the mainstream appeal, but I never got the impression that what I was listening to was bullshit. I can't say the same about the Killers.
#6 Bob Dylan 2 - #11 The Flaming Lips 1 - The ultimate rock n roll comeback kid takes down one of the quirkiest bands to become successful.
#7 Nine Inch Nails 2 - #10 Tom Waits 1 - The victory goes the band that is still capable of singing their songs rather than randomly grunting to guitar music.
#8 The Mars Volta 2 - #9 Rob Zombie 1 - Zombie simply wasn't in his prime this time around.
Bracket D:
#1 Beck 3 - #17 Evanescence 0 - See, people still actually want to listen to Beck. That's why he won instead of... oh, you get the point.
#2 Pearl Jam 3 - #15 The Arctic Monkeys 0 - The Monkeys might be the hottest band in the country right now, but they're up against an all-time great.
#3 Sparta 3 - #19 Guster 0 - The surprising success of Sparta is one of the biggest surprises of the tournament thus far.
#4 Incubus 3 - #13 Oasis 0 - Incubus is still popular. Oasis is still around.
#6 The Strokes 3 - #11 K.T. Tunstall 0 - K.T. needs to prove she isn't just a passing fad.
#8 The Raconteurs 2 - #9 The Yeah Yeah Yeahs 1 - It should be noted that if this vote happened after their latest EP was released, I would have voted YYY.
#39 Maroon 5 2 - #10 Iggy Pop 1 - This is what happens when one artist is vastly overrated and the other is vastly underrated.
#12 Velvet Revolver 3 - #28 The Gorillaz 0 - The Gorillaz are only good for one great song an album. VR can usually produce at least 2.
Battle Of The Bands 2007: Round 3, Bracket A & B
Bracket A:
#1 The White Stripes 3 - #17 The Deftones 0 - The red-hot Stripes knock out the Deftones.
#2 Tool 3 - #50 Todd Snider 0 - Todd overachieved in this tournament, but that ends now.
#3 The Foo Fighters 3 - #19 Belle And Sebastian 0 - B&S don't have the crossover appeal to compete with the Fighters.
#4 Franz Ferdinand 3 - #13 Snow Patrol 0 - This one was probably closer than the vote appears, but Franz is superior either way.
#5 Death Cab For Cutie 2 - #12 My Chemical Romance 1 - I nearly threw my vote to MCR, but one great album a career does not make.
#11 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 2 - #6 U2 1 - If you've never heard of BRMC, this is a huge upset. If you have? It's definitely not.
#7 Eagles Of Death Metal 2 - #10 Big Timber 1 - My vote wasn't nearly enough to persuade the two voters who haven't seen Big Timber live in concert twice like I have.
#8 Green Day 2 - #9 Neil Young 1 - Yeah, Ryan doesn't like Green Day. Can you tell?
Bracket B:
#1 Queens Of The Stone Age 3 - #16 The Old 97's 0 - Seeing as how most fans can't name a single 97's song, Queens wins this one pretty easily.
#2 Radiohead 2 - #15 Bruce Springsteen 1 - It's been awhile since the last Radiohead album, hence my vote for Springsteen, who's been on fire lately.
#3 Sonic Youth 2 - #14 Spoon 1 - I've personally never got what the big deal about Spoon is, but they're not in Sonic Youth's league anyway, so it doesn't matter to me.
#4 Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers 3 - #20 The Music 0 - Obscure but well done won't cut it at this level.
#12 Muse 2 - #5 Modest Mouse 1 - A big upset at this stage in the competition sees the band with more recent success earning the narrow win.
#6 System Of A Down 2 - #11 Social Distortion 1 - Social Distortion's best days are behind them, but I would have voted for System even if this competition took place when they were in their prime.
#8 A Perfect Circle 3 - #41 The Eels 0 - The underdog gets squished in the third round as the Eels lose out to reality.
#26 The Arcade Fire 2 - #10 The Thermals 1 - Again, how did the Arcade Fire end up a 26 seed?
#1 The White Stripes 3 - #17 The Deftones 0 - The red-hot Stripes knock out the Deftones.
#2 Tool 3 - #50 Todd Snider 0 - Todd overachieved in this tournament, but that ends now.
#3 The Foo Fighters 3 - #19 Belle And Sebastian 0 - B&S don't have the crossover appeal to compete with the Fighters.
#4 Franz Ferdinand 3 - #13 Snow Patrol 0 - This one was probably closer than the vote appears, but Franz is superior either way.
#5 Death Cab For Cutie 2 - #12 My Chemical Romance 1 - I nearly threw my vote to MCR, but one great album a career does not make.
#11 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 2 - #6 U2 1 - If you've never heard of BRMC, this is a huge upset. If you have? It's definitely not.
#7 Eagles Of Death Metal 2 - #10 Big Timber 1 - My vote wasn't nearly enough to persuade the two voters who haven't seen Big Timber live in concert twice like I have.
#8 Green Day 2 - #9 Neil Young 1 - Yeah, Ryan doesn't like Green Day. Can you tell?
Bracket B:
#1 Queens Of The Stone Age 3 - #16 The Old 97's 0 - Seeing as how most fans can't name a single 97's song, Queens wins this one pretty easily.
#2 Radiohead 2 - #15 Bruce Springsteen 1 - It's been awhile since the last Radiohead album, hence my vote for Springsteen, who's been on fire lately.
#3 Sonic Youth 2 - #14 Spoon 1 - I've personally never got what the big deal about Spoon is, but they're not in Sonic Youth's league anyway, so it doesn't matter to me.
#4 Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers 3 - #20 The Music 0 - Obscure but well done won't cut it at this level.
#12 Muse 2 - #5 Modest Mouse 1 - A big upset at this stage in the competition sees the band with more recent success earning the narrow win.
#6 System Of A Down 2 - #11 Social Distortion 1 - Social Distortion's best days are behind them, but I would have voted for System even if this competition took place when they were in their prime.
#8 A Perfect Circle 3 - #41 The Eels 0 - The underdog gets squished in the third round as the Eels lose out to reality.
#26 The Arcade Fire 2 - #10 The Thermals 1 - Again, how did the Arcade Fire end up a 26 seed?
Modern Rock Update
Albums:
The top new rock debut of the week was Sum 41's Underclass Hero, which debuted at #7.
Tegan And Sara debuted at #34 with The Con.
Also debuting this week were Evans Blue at #44, Garbage's greatest hits CD at #68, Silverchair at #70 and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs at #72.
Modern Rock:
The White Stripes stayed at #1 for a second week.
Puddle of Mudd's "Famous" debuted at #20, shaming the charts forever.
Mainstream Rock:
Finger Eleven's "Paralyzer" is the new #1, knocking Ozzy off the top.
Linkin Park's "Bleed It Out" debuted at #16.
Hinder's "Homecoming Queen" debuted at #20.
The top new rock debut of the week was Sum 41's Underclass Hero, which debuted at #7.
Tegan And Sara debuted at #34 with The Con.
Also debuting this week were Evans Blue at #44, Garbage's greatest hits CD at #68, Silverchair at #70 and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs at #72.
Modern Rock:
The White Stripes stayed at #1 for a second week.
Puddle of Mudd's "Famous" debuted at #20, shaming the charts forever.
Mainstream Rock:
Finger Eleven's "Paralyzer" is the new #1, knocking Ozzy off the top.
Linkin Park's "Bleed It Out" debuted at #16.
Hinder's "Homecoming Queen" debuted at #20.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
New Shit This Week
DVDs:
300 - This is the big DVD release of the next few months. Actually, it should be referred to as a Blu Ray release because if you aren't getting this movie in High Def, you're wasting your time.
VERDICT - BUY IT ASAP
Hot Fuzz - Any other week, this would be the best release of the week. The follow-up to Shaun Of The Dead is a hilarious parody of buddy-cop action films and should be purchased as soon as possible.
VERDICT - BUY IT ASAP
Pathfinder - And this is what happens when you make a movie like 300... wrong. The movie was delayed for nearly a year and a huge flop at the box office. It still should be worth a look.
VERDICT - RENT IT
Firehouse Dog - No interest whatsoever. The trailer was the absolute worst I've ever seen and the concept is completely ludicrous.
VERDICT - AVOID IT
CDs:
Korn - Untitled - The only major release of the week is the new CD from Korn, which snuck into stores on Tuesday with the appropriate amount of secrecy afforded to a new album from a washed-up band.
VERDICT - SKIP IT
300 - This is the big DVD release of the next few months. Actually, it should be referred to as a Blu Ray release because if you aren't getting this movie in High Def, you're wasting your time.
VERDICT - BUY IT ASAP
Hot Fuzz - Any other week, this would be the best release of the week. The follow-up to Shaun Of The Dead is a hilarious parody of buddy-cop action films and should be purchased as soon as possible.
VERDICT - BUY IT ASAP
Pathfinder - And this is what happens when you make a movie like 300... wrong. The movie was delayed for nearly a year and a huge flop at the box office. It still should be worth a look.
VERDICT - RENT IT
Firehouse Dog - No interest whatsoever. The trailer was the absolute worst I've ever seen and the concept is completely ludicrous.
VERDICT - AVOID IT
CDs:
Korn - Untitled - The only major release of the week is the new CD from Korn, which snuck into stores on Tuesday with the appropriate amount of secrecy afforded to a new album from a washed-up band.
VERDICT - SKIP IT
Modern Rock Reviews
Modern Rock Archive
The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger - A+
The best indie dance rock song to come out since "I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor". This song has a lot to offer: clever lyrics, a beat that builds nicely to an outstanding chorus and solid instrumental breaks between verses.
The Fratellis - Flathead - A+
Another brilliant single from the latest buzz band to come out of Britain, sharing many of the great qualities with the (slightly) superior "Chelsea Dagger".
The Killers - When You Were Young - A+
An interesting and original new song from The Killers second album. I'm glad to see they aren't sticking to formula like many bands do at this point in their careers.
Against Me! - Thrash Unreal - A
The hottest new band in political punk's first major release single is a thought provoking song with an interesting story and a great chorus.
The Hold Steady Stuck - Between Stations - A
Imagine Bruce Springsteen as an indie rocker and you'd be able to grasp the concept of the Hold Steady's sound. This is one of their best songs. It's not as good as the comparable "When You Were Young", but it's far more mature as a song.
The Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby - A
Clever lyrics and a great chorus don't quite add up to a perfect song in this case, but it was close.
The Killers - Read My Mind - A-
Another solid Springsteen-goes-indie tune from one of the hottest bands in Modern Rock.
Mando Diao - The Wildfire (If It Was True) - B+
Great verses lead into an almost non-existant chorus. This song is good, but could have been much better.
The Killers - For Reasons Unknown - B+
Not the best single from the Killers so far, but definitely in the top half.
The Fray - Look After You - B+
Another sweeping ballad from The Fray, who are making a play to be the American Snow Patrol at this point.
The Kaiser Chiefs - The Angry Mob - B+
There are undeniable shades of Oasis in this song, which isn't in the same league as "Ruby", but it still pretty good for a sweeping Brit-pop tune.
30 Second To Mars - A Beautiful Lie - B
Better than the usual 30 Seconds output, but still nothing more than derivative.
Sixx A.M. - Life Is Beautiful - B
Not bad for a first song. A well-paced song with a good tempo and a decent chorus.
The Academy Is - Everything We Had - B-
A sappy power ballad with good lyrics. If you like this sort of thing, it might be pretty good. I don't.
Ozzy Osbourne - Not Going Away - C+
Ozzy just hasn't been the same since he became a TV star, but then again neither has heavy metal as a whole.
Marilyn Manson - You And Me And The Devil Makes 3 - C
One thing I've never been able to say about Manson is that his music was boring. This is no longer true.
Sevendust - Beg To Differ - C-
Sludgy, loud and unpleasant. The lyrics aren't bad, but other than that, this song is a mess.
The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger - A+
The best indie dance rock song to come out since "I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor". This song has a lot to offer: clever lyrics, a beat that builds nicely to an outstanding chorus and solid instrumental breaks between verses.
The Fratellis - Flathead - A+
Another brilliant single from the latest buzz band to come out of Britain, sharing many of the great qualities with the (slightly) superior "Chelsea Dagger".
The Killers - When You Were Young - A+
An interesting and original new song from The Killers second album. I'm glad to see they aren't sticking to formula like many bands do at this point in their careers.
Against Me! - Thrash Unreal - A
The hottest new band in political punk's first major release single is a thought provoking song with an interesting story and a great chorus.
The Hold Steady Stuck - Between Stations - A
Imagine Bruce Springsteen as an indie rocker and you'd be able to grasp the concept of the Hold Steady's sound. This is one of their best songs. It's not as good as the comparable "When You Were Young", but it's far more mature as a song.
The Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby - A
Clever lyrics and a great chorus don't quite add up to a perfect song in this case, but it was close.
The Killers - Read My Mind - A-
Another solid Springsteen-goes-indie tune from one of the hottest bands in Modern Rock.
Mando Diao - The Wildfire (If It Was True) - B+
Great verses lead into an almost non-existant chorus. This song is good, but could have been much better.
The Killers - For Reasons Unknown - B+
Not the best single from the Killers so far, but definitely in the top half.
The Fray - Look After You - B+
Another sweeping ballad from The Fray, who are making a play to be the American Snow Patrol at this point.
The Kaiser Chiefs - The Angry Mob - B+
There are undeniable shades of Oasis in this song, which isn't in the same league as "Ruby", but it still pretty good for a sweeping Brit-pop tune.
30 Second To Mars - A Beautiful Lie - B
Better than the usual 30 Seconds output, but still nothing more than derivative.
Sixx A.M. - Life Is Beautiful - B
Not bad for a first song. A well-paced song with a good tempo and a decent chorus.
The Academy Is - Everything We Had - B-
A sappy power ballad with good lyrics. If you like this sort of thing, it might be pretty good. I don't.
Ozzy Osbourne - Not Going Away - C+
Ozzy just hasn't been the same since he became a TV star, but then again neither has heavy metal as a whole.
Marilyn Manson - You And Me And The Devil Makes 3 - C
One thing I've never been able to say about Manson is that his music was boring. This is no longer true.
Sevendust - Beg To Differ - C-
Sludgy, loud and unpleasant. The lyrics aren't bad, but other than that, this song is a mess.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)