Albums:
Maroon 5 debuted at #1, continuing what should be a blockbuster summer for record sales.
Also debuting this week:
Ozzy Osbourne at #3
The Used at #5
The Bravery debuted at #24, surprisingly low. Considering the Killers debuted at #1, that's really gotta sting.
Tim Armstrong of Rancid debuts at #59.
The National debuted at #68.
Modern Rock:
Linkin Park remained at #1 for the 8th straight week.
A big day for 90's revivalism sees "Tarantula" by Smashing Pumpkins debut at #5.
Also debuting this week at #20 is "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs" by Fall Out Boy.
Mainstream Rock:
Linkin Park stays at #1... again.
Two 90's revival bands debut this week with Velvet Revolver at #12 with "She Builds Quick Machines" and Smashing Pumpkins at #18 with "Tarantula".
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Modern Rock Monday
2007 Modern Rock Archive
My Chemical Romance - Welcome To The Black Parade - A+
I'm as shocked as anyone to say this, but My Chemical Romance has created one of the best albums of 2006 and while this song isn't the best song on said album, it's a perfect example of the conceptual genius of the album. If you listen to this song, you can hear hints of The Wall, American Idiot, Yoshimi and an awful lot of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust period. Congrats to a band that has acheived a hell of a lot more than I would have ever expected them to do.
Muse - Starlight - A+
A sweeping, well-written song by Muse, that ranks among the band's best songs.
My Chemical Romance - Teenagers - A+
The best teen rebellion song since "School's Out", this song is one of many highlights from the only My Chemical Romance CD worth owning.
Modest Mouse - Dashboard - A+
Yet another fantastic indie pop single from Modest Mouse with a solid chorus and a quirky beat.
Muse - Invincible - A
Muse does what they do best once again, creating a sweeping, radio-friendly version of Radiohead style music.
Muse - Supermassive Black Hole - A-
A different song from the usual Muse output, this song is more of a T. Rex-ish glam throwback that works extremely well.
Interpol - The Heinrich Maneuver - A-
A solid debut single from the band's new album brings back more of what you like to hear from Joy Di... I mean Interpol.
Modest Mouse - Missed The Boat - B+
A more subtle and downbeat song than Modest Mouse usually releases. It's still really good, but it doesn't have the pop that you expect from a MM song.
My Chemical Romance - Famous Last Words - B+
Another good song from "The Black Parade", but not in the same league as the other two singles.
Mushroomhead - Just Pretending - B
A decent hard rock song, but nothing that will stand out in the long run.
Dogboy - Can't Buy Soul - B
A fun but somewhat forgettable song.
Mika - Grace Kelly - B
Indie hipster aims to be Freddie Mercury and misses, but admirably so.
Funeral For A Friend - Into Oblivion (Reunion) - B-
Another typical indie rock song that is missing the x factor that makes it great.
Killswitch Engage - The Arms Of Sorrow - B-
Technically solid, but not much fun to listen to.
Evans Blue - The Pursuit - C
A boring and ordinary hard rock song that never sets itself apart from all the rest.
Mower - Broken Hands - C-
A sludgy noise metal song that doesn't impress or set itself apart from the usual Disturbed/Mudvayne crowd.
In Theory - A New Medication - D+
An annoying pop punk song with a TERRIBLE chorus.
My Chemical Romance - Welcome To The Black Parade - A+
I'm as shocked as anyone to say this, but My Chemical Romance has created one of the best albums of 2006 and while this song isn't the best song on said album, it's a perfect example of the conceptual genius of the album. If you listen to this song, you can hear hints of The Wall, American Idiot, Yoshimi and an awful lot of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust period. Congrats to a band that has acheived a hell of a lot more than I would have ever expected them to do.
Muse - Starlight - A+
A sweeping, well-written song by Muse, that ranks among the band's best songs.
My Chemical Romance - Teenagers - A+
The best teen rebellion song since "School's Out", this song is one of many highlights from the only My Chemical Romance CD worth owning.
Modest Mouse - Dashboard - A+
Yet another fantastic indie pop single from Modest Mouse with a solid chorus and a quirky beat.
Muse - Invincible - A
Muse does what they do best once again, creating a sweeping, radio-friendly version of Radiohead style music.
Muse - Supermassive Black Hole - A-
A different song from the usual Muse output, this song is more of a T. Rex-ish glam throwback that works extremely well.
Interpol - The Heinrich Maneuver - A-
A solid debut single from the band's new album brings back more of what you like to hear from Joy Di... I mean Interpol.
Modest Mouse - Missed The Boat - B+
A more subtle and downbeat song than Modest Mouse usually releases. It's still really good, but it doesn't have the pop that you expect from a MM song.
My Chemical Romance - Famous Last Words - B+
Another good song from "The Black Parade", but not in the same league as the other two singles.
Mushroomhead - Just Pretending - B
A decent hard rock song, but nothing that will stand out in the long run.
Dogboy - Can't Buy Soul - B
A fun but somewhat forgettable song.
Mika - Grace Kelly - B
Indie hipster aims to be Freddie Mercury and misses, but admirably so.
Funeral For A Friend - Into Oblivion (Reunion) - B-
Another typical indie rock song that is missing the x factor that makes it great.
Killswitch Engage - The Arms Of Sorrow - B-
Technically solid, but not much fun to listen to.
Evans Blue - The Pursuit - C
A boring and ordinary hard rock song that never sets itself apart from all the rest.
Mower - Broken Hands - C-
A sludgy noise metal song that doesn't impress or set itself apart from the usual Disturbed/Mudvayne crowd.
In Theory - A New Medication - D+
An annoying pop punk song with a TERRIBLE chorus.
New Movies This Week
Obviously the biggie this week is Pirates of the Caribbean: At The End Of The World. It's expected to be the biggest movie of the summer and one of the biggest of all-time by the end of it's run. I intend to see this movie as soon as possible.
Also opening this weekend is Bug, a weird little movie with no buzz whatsoever. It might be a decent film, but I'm going to wait until DVD release for this one.
Also opening this weekend is Bug, a weird little movie with no buzz whatsoever. It might be a decent film, but I'm going to wait until DVD release for this one.
Rock Charts Update
Albums:
Linkin Park debuted at #1, as expected.
Wilco's Sky Blue Sky debuted at #4 with their biggest opening yet.
Megadeth's United Ambominations started out at #8.
Rufus Wainwright's Release The Stars debuted at #23.
Modern Rock
Linkin Park remained at #1 again this week.
The White Stripes "Icky Thump" moved up to #4.
Mainstream Rock
Linkin Park's "What I've Done" remains at #1 yet again, continuing the "Summer of Crap".
Debuting in the top 20 this week are (ugh) Three Days Grace's "Never Too Late" at #17 and Green Day's "Working Class Hero" at #20.
Linkin Park debuted at #1, as expected.
Wilco's Sky Blue Sky debuted at #4 with their biggest opening yet.
Megadeth's United Ambominations started out at #8.
Rufus Wainwright's Release The Stars debuted at #23.
Modern Rock
Linkin Park remained at #1 again this week.
The White Stripes "Icky Thump" moved up to #4.
Mainstream Rock
Linkin Park's "What I've Done" remains at #1 yet again, continuing the "Summer of Crap".
Debuting in the top 20 this week are (ugh) Three Days Grace's "Never Too Late" at #17 and Green Day's "Working Class Hero" at #20.
New Shit Tuesday (Past Two Weeks)
Things have been a little bit hectic lately, so I'll update the past 2 weeks of stuff now.
DVDs:
Letters From Iwo Jima - This is the last Best Picture Nominee from 2006 that I have yet to see. Eastwood is one of the world's finest directors and while this movie isn't as exciting as Million Dollar Baby, it's still easily worth a purchase. I bought it as part of the 5-disc set (2 discs of Iwo Jima, 2 discs of Flags Of Our Fathers, 1 disc of related documentaries).
VERDICT: Buy it ASAP.
Apocalypto - Strangely, this movie didn't do very well at the box office, despite the fact that it's an excellent action film with a lot of great visuals and an outstanding pace. For a movie that's over 2 hours long, the film flies by without the viewer ever noticing it. This movie is worth a purchase. I picked it up on Blu-Ray because I have a Playstation 3 and the visuals of the film are worth the extra 10 dollars for the hi-def treatment.
VERDICT: Buy it.
The Good German - A decent movie that REALLY disappointed at the box office, German doesn't quite merit a purchase, but it is good enough for a rental at the first opportunity.
VERDICT: Rent it ASAP.
Venus - I don't really know much about this movie, but Peter O'Toole was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, so that should be good enough. Hopefully it doesn't turn out to be this year's Junebug, a movie that's literally only worth seeing for one performance and otherwise sucks.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Hannibal Rising - The movie's a piece of shit. It's ugly and stupid and convoluted. The lead actor couldn't act his way out of a paper bag and goes out of his way to prove that he's Hannibal Lecter, to the point of hilarity. Still, it's not even the worst release of this post.
VERDICT: Skip it.
Epic Movie - I don't know why people keep going to see these movies. With Scary Movie, at least they're making attempts at creativity, but with Date Movie and Epic Movie, it seems that all they're doing is taking original ideas and adding fart jokes to them. There's really no reason that these movies need to exist outside of Mad Magazine. Please, America, stop seeing these movies.
VERDICT: Avoid it.
CDs:
The Bravery - The Sun And Moon - Far from being the best of the indie dance rock bands, The Bravery is often regarded as the "unoriginal" one and an undue amount of scorn is heaped upon them by critics and fans alike. Their debut was ok, but nothing great. The follow-up is an improvement, but still isn't on the level of Franz Ferdinand or The Killers. The first single, "Time Won't Let Me Go" is outstanding.
VERDICT: Buy it.
Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long - Obviously, this is the CD that is going to be flying off of the shelves in the near future, though the band will continue to remain deadset in the mediocre column, just shy of greatness.
VERDICT: Borrow it.
Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain - I don't know what to make of this CD. Ozzy's always been pretty reliable, but it's been a long damn time since he's put out an album of original material and he's aged a LOT since then. Still, it'll probably be worth a listen.
VERDICT: Borrow it.
The Used - Lies For The Liars - The Used is one of the better emo / screamo bands out there these days. When they're screaming, they're actually pretty good, but when they're merely singing... not so much. Their first album was great, their second album average. Let's hope this one builds on the first rather than slumping along with the second.
VERDICT: Borrow it.
DVDs:
Letters From Iwo Jima - This is the last Best Picture Nominee from 2006 that I have yet to see. Eastwood is one of the world's finest directors and while this movie isn't as exciting as Million Dollar Baby, it's still easily worth a purchase. I bought it as part of the 5-disc set (2 discs of Iwo Jima, 2 discs of Flags Of Our Fathers, 1 disc of related documentaries).
VERDICT: Buy it ASAP.
Apocalypto - Strangely, this movie didn't do very well at the box office, despite the fact that it's an excellent action film with a lot of great visuals and an outstanding pace. For a movie that's over 2 hours long, the film flies by without the viewer ever noticing it. This movie is worth a purchase. I picked it up on Blu-Ray because I have a Playstation 3 and the visuals of the film are worth the extra 10 dollars for the hi-def treatment.
VERDICT: Buy it.
The Good German - A decent movie that REALLY disappointed at the box office, German doesn't quite merit a purchase, but it is good enough for a rental at the first opportunity.
VERDICT: Rent it ASAP.
Venus - I don't really know much about this movie, but Peter O'Toole was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, so that should be good enough. Hopefully it doesn't turn out to be this year's Junebug, a movie that's literally only worth seeing for one performance and otherwise sucks.
VERDICT: Rent it.
Hannibal Rising - The movie's a piece of shit. It's ugly and stupid and convoluted. The lead actor couldn't act his way out of a paper bag and goes out of his way to prove that he's Hannibal Lecter, to the point of hilarity. Still, it's not even the worst release of this post.
VERDICT: Skip it.
Epic Movie - I don't know why people keep going to see these movies. With Scary Movie, at least they're making attempts at creativity, but with Date Movie and Epic Movie, it seems that all they're doing is taking original ideas and adding fart jokes to them. There's really no reason that these movies need to exist outside of Mad Magazine. Please, America, stop seeing these movies.
VERDICT: Avoid it.
CDs:
The Bravery - The Sun And Moon - Far from being the best of the indie dance rock bands, The Bravery is often regarded as the "unoriginal" one and an undue amount of scorn is heaped upon them by critics and fans alike. Their debut was ok, but nothing great. The follow-up is an improvement, but still isn't on the level of Franz Ferdinand or The Killers. The first single, "Time Won't Let Me Go" is outstanding.
VERDICT: Buy it.
Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long - Obviously, this is the CD that is going to be flying off of the shelves in the near future, though the band will continue to remain deadset in the mediocre column, just shy of greatness.
VERDICT: Borrow it.
Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain - I don't know what to make of this CD. Ozzy's always been pretty reliable, but it's been a long damn time since he's put out an album of original material and he's aged a LOT since then. Still, it'll probably be worth a listen.
VERDICT: Borrow it.
The Used - Lies For The Liars - The Used is one of the better emo / screamo bands out there these days. When they're screaming, they're actually pretty good, but when they're merely singing... not so much. Their first album was great, their second album average. Let's hope this one builds on the first rather than slumping along with the second.
VERDICT: Borrow it.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Modern Rock Monday
2007 Modern Rock Review Archive
Mastodon - Colony Of Birchmen - A-
If not for Tool or Wolfmother, Mastodon would be the hottest name in metal at the moment. This song is the best new metal song to be released as a single since "The Pot".
Green Day - Working Class Hero - A-
I've heard three versions of this song and this is the weakest (behind John Lennon and Ozzy Osbourne), but it's still an excellent song and a great performance.
Mando Diao - Long Before Rock N Roll - B+
A solid song that borrows too heavily from Franz Ferdinand and the Libertines to get an "A".
Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder - B
More pleasant but unremarkable music from Maroon 5. This one isn't up to the standards set on their previous album, but it's still alright.
Madina Lake - House Of Cards - B
The vocals are a bit too screamed for my tastes, but it's a well-structured song with a good chorus.
Lostprophets - The New Transmission - B
Credit where it's due, this is easily the best Lostprophets song I've ever heard. It would be an average song for Fall Out Boy or a disappointment for Rancid or Green Day, but still, it's easily my favorite from this improving band.
Jesse Malin - Don't Let Them Take You Down (Beautiful Day) - B
A solid pop-rock song with a bit more oomph than the usual John Mayer, Jack Johnson type song.
Kittie - Funeral For Yesterday - B-
This song is a very toned down Kittie compared to previous efforts. The music is lighter and you can understand what the singer says. These are not good things. Now they kinda sound like Evanescence. Please go back to real metal soon.
Linkin Park - What I've Done - B-
I'm not particularly happy to see Linkin Park back again, but at least they sound better this time around. I think it's mostly because they benched that screeching idiot who's ruined most of their first two albums. That's not to say this song is particularly good, mind you, but at least it's pleasant.
Lacuna Coil - Within Me - B-
A perfectly good Evanescence song. Wait, this isn't Evanescence? Dammit, why does everything sound like Evanescene these days? Get your own sound, kids, THEN start a band, ok?
Mickey Avalon - Jane Fonda - C-
A clumsy white hip-hop song that reminds me of slowed-down version of that awful Crazytown song. Ugh.
Korn - Politics - C-
Yeah, could we not talk about this song either? Talking about politics is probably more interesting by far.
Hopesfall - Magnetic North - D+
This can't possibly be a single can it? There's virtually nothing that happens in this song.
Marilyn Manson - Heart Shaped Glasses (When The Heart Guides The Hand) - F
Normally I'm the one in the conversation defending Manson's music, but what the fuck is this? It's a completely different sound for Marilyn and it REALLY SUCKS. I mean A LOT. The story of the song is lame, the style is pathetic and it's one of the worst songs I've heard in the past few years not to be produced by the usual suspects (Nickelback, Godsmack, Three Days Grace). Know when to hang it up.
Korn - Freak On A Leash (Unplugged) - F
No, no, no, no, no! What the fuck were you thinking, making an unplugged Korn album? The band is best known for it's heavy sound and swirling guitar. All this song reveals is Johnathan Davis' complete inability to sing and many of this song's lyrical weaknesses. Did you think bringing in Amy Lee would make the song sound better? Now it sounds like one of her dreary songs! Congrats on killing the memory of one of your best songs, Korn.
Mastodon - Colony Of Birchmen - A-
If not for Tool or Wolfmother, Mastodon would be the hottest name in metal at the moment. This song is the best new metal song to be released as a single since "The Pot".
Green Day - Working Class Hero - A-
I've heard three versions of this song and this is the weakest (behind John Lennon and Ozzy Osbourne), but it's still an excellent song and a great performance.
Mando Diao - Long Before Rock N Roll - B+
A solid song that borrows too heavily from Franz Ferdinand and the Libertines to get an "A".
Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder - B
More pleasant but unremarkable music from Maroon 5. This one isn't up to the standards set on their previous album, but it's still alright.
Madina Lake - House Of Cards - B
The vocals are a bit too screamed for my tastes, but it's a well-structured song with a good chorus.
Lostprophets - The New Transmission - B
Credit where it's due, this is easily the best Lostprophets song I've ever heard. It would be an average song for Fall Out Boy or a disappointment for Rancid or Green Day, but still, it's easily my favorite from this improving band.
Jesse Malin - Don't Let Them Take You Down (Beautiful Day) - B
A solid pop-rock song with a bit more oomph than the usual John Mayer, Jack Johnson type song.
Kittie - Funeral For Yesterday - B-
This song is a very toned down Kittie compared to previous efforts. The music is lighter and you can understand what the singer says. These are not good things. Now they kinda sound like Evanescence. Please go back to real metal soon.
Linkin Park - What I've Done - B-
I'm not particularly happy to see Linkin Park back again, but at least they sound better this time around. I think it's mostly because they benched that screeching idiot who's ruined most of their first two albums. That's not to say this song is particularly good, mind you, but at least it's pleasant.
Lacuna Coil - Within Me - B-
A perfectly good Evanescence song. Wait, this isn't Evanescence? Dammit, why does everything sound like Evanescene these days? Get your own sound, kids, THEN start a band, ok?
Mickey Avalon - Jane Fonda - C-
A clumsy white hip-hop song that reminds me of slowed-down version of that awful Crazytown song. Ugh.
Korn - Politics - C-
Yeah, could we not talk about this song either? Talking about politics is probably more interesting by far.
Hopesfall - Magnetic North - D+
This can't possibly be a single can it? There's virtually nothing that happens in this song.
Marilyn Manson - Heart Shaped Glasses (When The Heart Guides The Hand) - F
Normally I'm the one in the conversation defending Manson's music, but what the fuck is this? It's a completely different sound for Marilyn and it REALLY SUCKS. I mean A LOT. The story of the song is lame, the style is pathetic and it's one of the worst songs I've heard in the past few years not to be produced by the usual suspects (Nickelback, Godsmack, Three Days Grace). Know when to hang it up.
Korn - Freak On A Leash (Unplugged) - F
No, no, no, no, no! What the fuck were you thinking, making an unplugged Korn album? The band is best known for it's heavy sound and swirling guitar. All this song reveals is Johnathan Davis' complete inability to sing and many of this song's lyrical weaknesses. Did you think bringing in Amy Lee would make the song sound better? Now it sounds like one of her dreary songs! Congrats on killing the memory of one of your best songs, Korn.
New Movies
Once again we have a weekend where everything is running scared of the 800 lb. Gorilla. This week, it's Shrek The Third.
Shrek The Third - It's remarkable, but for the highest grossing film of the millennium (seriously), I can't remember a damn thing about Shrek 2. I know I've seen it, but while Shrek was an instant classic that I can still recall vividly, I can't remember a thing about the sequel. I don't imagine I'll remember this one much better, either. Having seen it, I can tell you that it's alright, but nothing fantastic.
VERDICT - See it.
Shrek The Third - It's remarkable, but for the highest grossing film of the millennium (seriously), I can't remember a damn thing about Shrek 2. I know I've seen it, but while Shrek was an instant classic that I can still recall vividly, I can't remember a thing about the sequel. I don't imagine I'll remember this one much better, either. Having seen it, I can tell you that it's alright, but nothing fantastic.
VERDICT - See it.
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