Archive for the ‘Album Review’ Category
Album Review: Remember To Live
By Flyleaf
By Paul Gibson | December 8th, 2010
{December 7, 2010}
A&M/Octone
This new Flyleaf record is something that I have always thought I wanted my favorite bands to do. Go back rerecord old songs with a slight facelift that only a better studio and experience can provide. That being said. I am not sure if this was the best of ideas for Flyleaf.
This album makes me glad they have their current sound. The songs contained on this album are solid, but not memorable. Think more laid back, less angst, less aggression and maybe even a pinch of Sixpence Non The Richer.
This isn’t a bad effort by any means, but I think those Flyleaf fans who…
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Album Review: De-plumed By The Choir
By Mike Gibson | December 6th, 2010
{Galaxy21 Music}
November 10, 2010
You know you are getting old when the word “heritage” applies to a body of music that was the cutting edge of your youth. Listening to this album took me on a trail of memories dating back twenty-five years. Combining unpredictable words with musical creativity, The Choir has brought introspection to multiple…
MORE »Album Review: Bang The Drums EP
By Flynn Adam
By Paul Gibson | December 1st, 2010
{May 25, 2010}
Independent
Flynn Adam is one of my favorite things about LA Symphony, west coast music, and hip hop in general. He’s always got a unique twist on music that makes me smile and this EP is no different.
“Bang The Drums” has a more rhythmic direction than the alternative infused, “500,000 Boomin’ Watts” EP Adam’s treated us to last year. Look for more syth flavored beats and less guitar, more rhyming, less singing.
The title track has a bombastic beat along with chopped and screwed vocals on the chorus that would kill on a good …
MORE »Album Review: Back To The Rock
By Petra
By Paul Anthony | December 1st, 2010
{November 16, 2010}
Abbey Road Studios
If a rock band retires but keeps playing music, does it still make a sound?
If the band in question is Petra, the legendary trailblazers of Christian hard music, then the answer is undoubtedly yes.
Despite formally retiring and stepping off the stage for what was intended to be the final time in the opening hours of 2006, the four-time Grammy-winning Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee has reunited to perform shows a half-dozen times since.
Not only that, but its two most recognizable members – singer John Schlitt and guitarist/founder Bob Hartman – self-released a praise and worship album in 2007 under the name II Guys From Petra. Now, in 2010, a separate Petra reunion is afoot, complete with brand new album.
The album, Back to the Rock, was the idea of Greg X. Volz, Petra’s first true lead vocalist who fronted the band during its initial wave of success in the early 1980s, when the concept of Christian rock was brand new and not-so-well received by…
MORE »Album Review: Who Can Know It?
By Showbread
By Paul Gibson | November 23rd, 2010
{November 13, 2101}
ComeAndLive!
Have you ever had to eat in the dark? I remember back to a dinner I had as a kid where we ran out of seating inside and so the rest of the kids and I ended up munching on the very dark front porch. Taking a bite of what I thought was warm buttery mashed potatoes I ended up with a mouthful of cold potato salad instead. While I enjoy both, my expectations were shattered and it just tasted wrong.
That is how I feel about the new Showbread disc. I like it but I am having a hard time overcoming what I expected from them. This album is dark, as one might expect, but it’s also very mellow by comparison to any of their previous material.
If you think back to No Sir, Nihilism Is Not Practical and the song “Matthias Replaces Judas,” you will have a good place to start your assumptions.
No screams, no bombastic breakdowns, or…
Album Review: Happy Christmas Vol. 5
By Various Artists
By Paul Gibson | November 16th, 2010
{September 28, 2010}
Tooth And Nail
The Happy Christmas compilations from Tooth and Nail have been as much of a Christmas staple to me for the past 12 years as a stocking full of coal for a naughty child. Even so I always felt like past installments fell a bit short of the mark, not quite fulfilling my taste for Christmas music with a rock spin. But now, Volume 5 has finally hit home.
With plenty of variety this album won’t grow stale or get regifted like last year’s fruitcake.
Happy Christmas Volume 5 brings both the soothing tones of slower more ballady carols by the likes of Emery, Family Force 5, Bon Voyage, Sent By Ravens, and Copeland.
While more upbeat and quirky carols are handled with finesse by Hawk Nelson, Neon Horse, Queens Club, and FM Static.
A handful of heavy head banging tracks by Demon Hunter, Thousand Foot Krutch and August Burns Red will keep those with a need for heavy Christmas music happy for another season.
My favorite moments on this 5th installment of Happy Christmas include: …
MORE »Album Review: The Transition EP
By Philmont
By Paul Gibson | November 16th, 2010
{October 19, 2010}
Independent
Philmont‘s latest effort is different to be sure, but then again a lot has changed. They Lost a member and gained 2, Scott no longer plays guitar and they are no longer with Forefront records. That being said, change seems to agree with them.
Album Review: The Gun Show
By Heath McNease
By Paul Gibson | November 11th, 2010
{March 1, 2010}
7 Spin Music
Heath McNease is one of the most underrated hip-hop gems on the scene today. There I said it.
He has the ability to swerve between sarcastic and heartfelt both in style and lyric like no one else. The songs on The Gun Show are all solid with thought provoking ideas and guffaw educing punch lines. The sheer variety and depth of this album makes it one of the top releases for me this year.
For those of you who had the pleasure of listening to his last album, The Heath McNease Fan Club Meets Tonight, you will find plenty of…
Album Review: Lesser Men
By Abel
By Mike Gibson | October 11th, 2010
October 19, 2010Album Review: Zappin By John Reuben
By Paul Gibson | September 27th, 2010
September, 21 2010
{Gotee}
Only John Reuben could get away with a best of album called Zappin and still be cool. Even if Zappin is his real last name.
Reuben has been on Gotee now for 10 years and has put out 6 records, not including this one and a remix album, so a best of seems fitting. Zappin has all of the tracks that have been singles thus far (19 in all), which isn’t a bad list of songs.
I appreciate Gotee not sticking to a chronological order, but instead giving it a good mix. It’s fun to listen though the album for…
