The Bravery - The Sun and the Moon Review

Hey earthlings who happen to still be checking up on this website. It's been a while since I've written here, I just sorta fell out of the habit for a bit. Anyhow, I am back today, though I'll be gone for the next week (to New Hampshire!) to relate to you all the pure awesomeness of The Bravery. Really, really cool alternative rock band. All their songs on their album, The Sun and the Moon, are solid, but I have a few favorites. Let's start with the first song after the intro. The song Believe is a really cool song; solid all around, with a catchy tune and good use of some synth stuff. The very next song on the album is another favorite! This Is Not the End is a really good song; thoughtful and interesting lyrics, and a cool shuffle beat add to its greatness! The strongest point of this song is, without a doubt, it's terrific chorus, which is totally awesome. I'm also a fan of the lighter and "pop-ier" Bad Sun, its synth and techno beat create an interesting sound. Tragedy Bound is another great song; a tragic ballad about a girl with a painful past. The acoustic guitar in the middle of the album breaks the electric sound up nicely. The quieter nature of the track also allows for a display of lead singer Sam Endicott's excellent voice. Fistful of Sand gets honorable mention for being yet another great song on this album; another example of The Bravery's use of synth without being a synth band, and their talent for interesting lyrics and excellent chorus parts. Last but not least, The Ocean is an incredibly appropriate finishing track for this album. A soft ballad describing a man's questioning of what might have been, The Bravery's talent for lyrics is again displayed. This song is my favorite on the album, the utterly simple chorus gives me chills frequently. That pretty much does it for this album; their are plenty of songs on it other than the ones I've described, and they all kick ass, these are just the best in my opinion/my personal favorites. GET THIS ALBUM, IT IS AWESOME.

Music Musing #4

Yesterday I was in New York City to see my friend's acting showcase; he was great! Afterwards we went with his family to see his older brother's friend play at Arlene's Grocery. Unfortunately, it was kinda dead; we were pretty much the only people there. That means everyone who didn't go missed out! Joshua Sturm is one of the best guitarists I've ever heard in my life. His acoustic style is fantastic; often using his guitar as a percussion instrument and playing the guitar in ways you have never seen before. His voice is pretty good too; I got a CD of his and can't wait to get it on my iPod. Comment if you want a CD, he's selling them for $5, and I might be able to get people them if you want one! (Might, I have no clue what he's doing over the summer, but I might be able to get in touch with him through a friend)

The Hush Sound - Like Vines Review

I have a soft spot for this band; as keyboard and piano player, it's always nice to find a band that plays great music with a focus on the piano. Of course, The Hush Sound don't focus only on piano; they are much grander than that. The piano parts lay out the basework of each song on the album, and are the main focus of many of them. In every song, the piano is brilliant, Greta Salpeter's versatility allowing for beautiful and soft ballads such as Lighthouse, to the blues-y piano playing of A Dark Congregation. Salpeter's beautiful and pure voice leads several of her most complex piano pieces, (A Dark Congregation) an impressive feat as singing lead vocals while playing the piano, and the main instrument of the band for that matter, is extremely difficult. Greta's classical background in music coupled with Bob Morris's (co-founder of the band) rock background formulate into unique blend of sound. Darren Wilson's drumming also strays off the beaten path, often creating syncopated beats that gives The Hush Sound even more of a unique sound. It's hard to pick favorite songs off this album, since each song is fantastic. We Intertwined is a solid song all around, a great example of Morris' solid vocals, if not as beautiful as Salpeter's voice they are still great, and the use of horns and piano. Immediately following We Intertwined is the blues-y A Dark Congregation, mixing Salpeter's soothing vocals and piano with the rougher growl of Morris' guitar, pulling out a rocking solo a minute into the song. While not my favorite song, Sweet Tangerine has my favorite chorus on the album; it's just a really good change from the rest of the song. Lions Roar is the song you'd find the most on repeat on my iPod. The horns are used perfectly, and the whole song has an extremely catchy tune and chorus to it, it is easily one of my favorites. I would go on describing the rest of the songs, but they are all simply incredible. I truly reccomend this band to anyone looking for something off the beaten path, or something that rocks out, but with a piano and trumpet instead of heavy guitar riffs (but there are some of those in Like Vines as well!).

Bears Review

Bears are a really laid back, relaxing band to listen to.  Their guitars aren't biting and rocking, but, when electric, are often closer to a jazz guitar, that sounds almost like an organ, and when acoustic, they are quiet and relaxed.  Their album Simple Machinery is a great one, and one of my favorite albums entirely.  It's filled with great songs, most of which are fantastic to go to sleep to.  A couple of my favorite songs off the album are: Dolphins, So Go, What Makes Me Happy, and Everything I Need.  Dolphins is a acoustic song with decent pace, but not overwhelming.  This song intrigues me because it has a sad vibe and a happy vibe at the same time that creates an interesting mix.  So Go begins with an electriconic beat that turns into piano and acoustic guitar.  So Go features a great melody that is very relaxed and chill, telling the story of drifting lovers.  What Makes Me Happy is a bit louder, Bears' signature organ sound is the main feature of this track, in addition to good lyrics and a upbeat tempo that is a bit of relief to the rest of the album.  Everything I Need is the going to sleep song; quiet and based on soft, fluid vocals aided only by a xylophone and choral sound, this track is really pretty and a very nice song to lay down and close your eyes to.  A must for bedtime playlists.  The album can be a little repetitive in its sound, but its sound is individual enough that the similar sounds among the songs is acceptable. Bears provide a really chill album that is fun to listen to and relax to, and I suggest it to anyone looking for some good music.  

The Royal We

Rockin' the violin and guitars at the same time, The Royal We are a really cool band that puts out some awesome music.  The Royal We's title album is a really great one.  The guitar parts are catchy and fun, especially on songs like All the Rage, I Hate Rock N Roll (my personal favorite on the album), and French Legality.  The violin adds a unique sound that adds a lot to the guitar sound, creating a lighter vibe to the Royal We's songs.  On the track, That Ain't My Sweet Love, the violin practically makes the song.  The Royal We are a really solid band that have fun songs and a lot of promise.  I have to admit I'm sometimes not too impressed with the singer's voice; something about it just seems flimsy to me, though it's not at all bad (and you can have good songs even with a not so great voice, case and point Wreckless Ericl; check out his stuff with Amy Rigby.) The syncopated drums are also pretty cool on Three Is a Crowd.  The Royal We are a really fun band and I advise you! to check out their music; they've got a few more albums besides the title album that are also quite good.  

The Matches Review

So, the Matches are arguably one of my favorite bands.  I don't like too many punk bands, but the Matches are one of the exceptions, and what an exception!  Drummer Matt Whalen provides syncopated, styled beats that diverge from the typical punk rock path, and lead guitarist Jon Devoto plays guitar in a way not too dissimilar from the usual punk sounds, but he adds a unique style to it that sets the Matches apart from other punk bands.  Shawn Harris's voice makes the band, it's shining moments appearing in the string and piano ballads Darkness Rising and Salty Eyes.  Their debut album, E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals, Whalen's drums are a bit simpler, but the style of the album isn't as abrasive and violent the way the Offspring (who I really like!) can be. The Matches first album astonishes me: it is incredibly well put-together and composed for a debut album.  The professionalism the Matches bring to their debut album is remarkable.  I think the best tracks on this album are: Untitled, Audio Blood, and The Restless. Their next album, Decomposer, sounds a bit more like a punk rock album, with the obvious exception of the string track Salty Eyes.  Matt Whalen's drum parts become truly impressive, they become actual compositions rather than an accepted drum beat performed by many drummers.  In my opinion, the best tracks on Decomposer are: Papercut Skin, Clumsy Heart, Didi (My Doe Part 2), and the more abrasive Shoot Me In the Smile.  That brings us to the Matches latest album: A Band In Hope.  On this album, the Matches got a bit confused; went through an identity crisis if you will.  The songs are very different, some of them downright strange. However, there are still some good ones: Darkness Rising is a very cool ballad (I'm a fan of the piano) that has a great build up, To Build A Mountain is one of the stranger tracks on the album, but I've grown to enjoy it, and finally, Between Halloweens is a cool song.  I definitely reccomend the first two albums, and if you're feeling adventerous, the third album is good too! 

P.S. Keep on the lookout, I hear there's a new album due for release this year!

EXCITED Music Musing #3

Just got the chance to check out Modest Mouse's new song Satellite Skin on Youtube...not their best song...but it's a new Modest Mouse song!!!  Yaaaaaay!!!!!