The Get Up Kids - Something To Write Home About

So, this is a pretty good record I must say and after purchasing the 10th anniversary CD/DVD with a live performance of the entire album, this will be a good band to check out if you are attending Soundwave Festival 2010, pending the timetable annoucement (I know there's gonna be at least one clash because the lineup is so AMAZZZIINNG!!).

Opening with Holiday, it sets a punk-inspired alternative rock album with some easily identifiable pop-punk sounds. The vocals give their genre away, and some pop-punk rhythms help us rock out to the track. And gee... wouldn't we all like to be on a holiday right now?

Here, come out the alternative rock of TGUK with Action & Action with a pop-punk riff mixed with a synth and keyboards. This style follows with several tracks, Red Letter Day, the uptempo Ten Minutes and I'm a Loner Dottie, a Rebel...

Evidently, we see the influence that TGUK have on many modern bands, and following on from the gothic rock and metal scene in the 80s, they form the backbone of the second wave of Emo, as cited by pop-Emo group - Fall Out Boy.

But of course, any great album needs to have contrast and change, to make those singles and iconic songs on the record stand out. We are introduced to this lower tempo indie rock through Valentine and even more so with Out of Reach with its soothing acoustic guitar, which is very well recorded with the emphasised bass notes and slides.

The lyrics throughout the album, make it a very enjoyable and meaningful album, shown in Out of Reach - "Out of sight. Out of mind. Out of reach... Start over..." Even in the high tempo punk inspired Ten Minutes, "It's like I've fallen in love, while I just fall apart." lyrics have a strong role in the song.

Beautifully, the album's end starts with a cover of The Cure's Close To Me, which I would almost listen to instead of the original, except that they are missing one key factor - Robert Smith's vocals. Finally, Something To Write Home About ends with a maginificent outing track. It begins with its beautiful piano arpeggios and faint electric guitar. Lyrics clearly want to be heard, and the assurance given that I'll Catch You means that we'll always have Something To Write Home About.

7.5/10

Next, I'm feeling towards AFI's new record Crash Love.

The Essence of Punk Rock

In my eyes, Punk is the ANTI-Genre, or ANTI-Trend if u will… It started with the Ramones and Sex Pistols… until then, bands were generally the same when it came to the apparel… These 2 bands broke the trend and dressed up like bad-asses… Punk was born Punk lost it’s direction when people started considering it a Genre that had certain criteria… Punk is not a trend… it’s NOT conforming to a sound… Nirvana was punk because during the reign of the hair-metal bands he decided not to go with the trend… Punk will rise again… Just look at what’s on the radio and MTV now… It’s a bunch of trendy little whiners that focus more on their IMAGE than writing compelling music… even their music writing is becoming too fucking trendy… if i hear one more “three days grace” sounding vocalist i’m going to shoot myself… same goes with the tween bands that wear more make-up than my sister… we’re just repeating the 80’s with all this glam-rock… soon a band will rise and they won’t need the make-up to attract fans… their music will bring people to their feet again and all these shit bands will have nobody to imitate… cuz how do you imitate “good music” with no real talent…

Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking

Jane’s Addiction is the symbol of alternative rock through the late 80s and early 90s and Nothing’s Shocking is their Led Zeppelin IV – a masterpiece which encompassed all the skills of the band and defined their roots and musical style. Namely, this record revolves around a lot of funk and metal – inspired mainly by Dave Navarro and Perry Farrell. However, neither of the two singles released received the credit or fame like they deserve.

Opening with Up The Beach, it provides a silent and overdriven guitar extended guitar chords to follow – reminding me of the 70s psychadelic and prog rock. Some beautiful phrases of guitar mixed with the occasical Farrell lyric present an ideal opening track showing what Jane’s Addiction is – at least musically at first.

Ocean Size is like Up The Beach, even with a similar title, at first.  Soft soothing acoustic guitar arpeggios until the rock gods come crashing down – with heavy percussion, lyrics and guitar riffs. Throughout the song, Farrell contrasts it with Navarro’s acoustic guitar track to his typical metal inspired solos. A beautifully wriiten song with contrasting styles through the song – typical of Jane’s Addiction.

Following we have Had A Dad and we are introduced to the funk metal that Jane’s Addiction is known for. Fast tempo,  with a catchy riff and goes right into guitar solos early on in the track. Lyrically, it is why I love Farrell and Jane’s Addiction with pauses in the track for the occasional yelp or caw.

Ted, Just Admit It… is slower with a ‘cool’ bassline and Farrell uses very strange sounds instead of those usual English words in the beginning of the track. Reminding me of funk jazz with a rock theme to it, we have very unique guitar licks with no real structure and is in real contrast to the repeated lyric ‘Nothing Shocking’ much like the album cover – two naked Siamese twins which is, well quite shocking to the normal human, but of course we are talking about Jane’s Addiction here.

Setting the tone for the album, it follows with several other tracks of similar style before we reach Mountain Song, the first single of the album, although the video clip was not initially released due to explicit content. A strong and catchy bassline, which really shows what alternative rock is and should be – hard rock and punk inspired music and uses some very good melody and the guitar effects make it even better – with overdrive and some short delay, I could listen to the track all day.

Idiots Rule follows and uses some more funk inspired guitar solo introductions with trumpet, and this really does make it alternative with extra and unneccesary instruments, well at least we thought that before. A strong bassline with a hint of slap makes it unnoticed due to the other instruments present but listen with good equipment, it makes it so much better.

Jane Says – the other single on the album, opens with the acoustic chord progression mixed with Farrell’s unique voice and this follows through the whole track making in more contrast and showing that Jane’s Addiction is more that fret-bashing and funk-metal solos. Although Farrell’s voice is so powerful that it almost takes over instead of the guitar.

Closing with Pig’s in Zen makes a good album an amazing album. Metal inspired riffs with short licks make it a great song to rock out to and even though Farrell’s lyrics are quite overpowering, the fantastic bassline and guitar takes over – just like all rock bands should. Cannot wait for February, 2010 – Soundwave is gonna go off!!!!
8/10
Upcoming review… I’m leaning towards The Get Up Kids or another minor act on the Lineup. Any requests?

Soundwave Countdown

126 days intil Soundwave starts and with so many acts, I’m looking to psych up with reviews every 2 days.  That adds up to over 60 albums!! Spark up, because first on the list is Jane’s Addiction – Nothing Shocking.

Soundwave 2010 - Sydney

Nuff Said – One of the greatest lineups to come to Oz in my memory.

http://www.soundwavefestival.com/lineup

Plane Mix

I have just been there and back from AMUC in Hobart, Tasmania. So, in preparation, I ahve decided to make myself a plane mix although it is clearly biased due to the fact that it is based around the music I have been listening to in the last month or so.

Before I reveal the list, I think we need to examine what would make a good plane mix. So, when I’m on a plane, I end up reading a book; usually on music history and the like. Therefore, it’s usually good to have some good relaxing music  but that needs to be contrasted to the fast rhythm of rock and especially punk rock after witnessing NOFX and Bad Religion.

Pity, but the flight isn’t very long and it was about 100 minutes long so not even two hours so obviously not a huge playlist was chosen and well as a struggle to find good tracks since the music brought was only about 100 GB on my iPod.

1. 3rd Planet – Modest Mouse
2. Mountain Song – Jane’s Addiction
3. Free Radicals – The Flaming Lips
4. Sympathy for the Devil – The Rolling Stones
5. Clash City Rockers – The Clash
6. Freakshow – The Cure
7. Re-Offender – Travis
8. Downed – Cheap Trick
9. Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin
10. We Called It America – NOFX
11. 25 or 6 to 4 – Chicago
12. It’s Over – The Cure
13. Run Like Hell – Pink Floyd
14. Jumping Someone Else’s Train – The Cure
15. Money for Nothing – Dire Straits
16. Prayers for Rain – The Cure
17. Warthog – The Ramones
18. Stiffness When Idle – The Replacements
19. The Quitter – NOFX
20. Friday I’m In Love – The Cure
21. Slow Ride – Foghat
22. Ohio – Neil Young
23. Moondance – Van Morrison
24. No Go – The Ramones
25. Just Like Heaven – The Cure

The Cure News

‘DISINTEGRATION’ COMES OF AGE?!!


THE REMASTERED ‘DISINTEGRATION’ ALBUM (21ST ANNIVERSARY EDITION) WILL BE RELEASED WORLDWIDE IN SPRING 2010 ON UNIVERSAL AND RHINO IT WILL BE AVAILABLE AS PART OF A 3CD DELUXE EDITION, AS A SINGLE CD AND ON DOUBLE VINYL THE 3CD DELUXE EDITION WILL COMPRISE:

CD1 - DISINTEGRATION

01 PLAINSONG

02 PICTURES OF YOU

03 CLOSEDOWN

04 LOVESONG

05 LAST DANCE

06 LULLABY

07 FASCINATION STREET

08 PRAYERS FOR RAIN

09 THE SAME DEEP WATER AS YOU

10 DISINTEGRATION

11 HOMESICK

12 UNTITLED

CD2 - RARITIES (1988 – 1989) ALL PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED VERSIONS (* PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED SONG)

01 PRAYERS FOR RAIN -RS HOME DEMO (instrumental)-04/88

02 PICTURES OF YOU -RS HOME DEMO (instrumental)-04/88

03 FASCINATION STREET -RS HOME DEMO (instrumental)-04/88

04 HOMESICK -BAND REHEARSAL (instrumental)-06/88

05 FEAR OF GHOSTS -BAND REHEARSAL (instrumental)-06/88

06 NOHEART -BAND REHEARSAL (instrumental)-06/88 *

07 ESTEN -BAND DEMO (instrumental)-09/88 *

08 CLOSEDOWN -BAND DEMO (instrumental)-09/88

09 LOVESONG -BAND DEMO (instrumental)-09/88

10 2LATE (alt version) -BAND DEMO (instrumental)-09/88

11 THE SAME DEEP WATER AS YOU -BAND DEMO (instrumental)-09/88

12 DISINTEGRATION -BAND DEMO (instrumental)-09/88

13 UNTITLED (alt version) -STUDIO ROUGH (instrumental)-11/88

14 BABBLE (alt version) -STUDIO ROUGH (instrumental)-11/88

15 PLAINSONG -STUDIO ROUGH (guide vocal)-11/88

16 LAST DANCE -STUDIO ROUGH (guide vocal)-11/88

17 LULLABY -STUDIO ROUGH (guide vocal)-11/88

18 OUT OF MIND -STUDIO ROUGH (guide vocal)-11/88

19 DELIRIOUS NIGHT -ROUGH MIX (vocal)-12/88 *

20 PIRATE SHIPS -(RS solo) ROUGH MIX (vocal)-12/89 *

CD3 - ENTREAT PLUS RECORDED LIVE AT WEMBLEY ARENA 1989 REMIXED BY RS 2009 (* PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED PERFORMANCE)

01 PLAINSONG *

02 PICTURES OF YOU

03 CLOSEDOWN

04 LOVESONG *

05 LAST DANCE

06 LULLABY *

07 FASCINATION STREET

08 PRAYERS FOR RAIN

09 THE SAME DEEP WATER AS YOU *

10 DISINTEGRATION

11 HOMESICK

12 UNTITLED

THE SINGLE CD WILL BE THE 12 TRACK ALBUM, AS WILL THE DOUBLE VINYL …AND IT IS LIKELY A REMASTERED VERSION OF THE ORIGINAL 8 TRACK ‘ENTREAT’ LIVE ALBUM WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE… THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE REMASTERED CURE STUFF IN 2010… INCLUDING MIXED UP 2… THE CURE @ THE BBC BOX SET… IN ORANGE AND SHOW ON DVD… AND… ONWARDS!

NOFX - Coaster

So, punk is dead is it? Not of as 2009. Over the last 20 years we saw the rise and fall or rock as we know, from the initial grunge and garage rock in Seattle, stimulated by Kurt Cobain and his individual punk view.

Cobain combined his newly found punk rock views with his childhood influences of Neil Young and Leadbeddy to lead the revival of rock from the pop and dance of the 80s.

NOFX seems to come out of this era and produced some real solid punk rock riffs even after the greats in the 70s. Short, sharp, fast and sweet with strange nicknames like most punk rockers, led by Fat Mike, they produced one of my favourite albums of the last 25 years – Punk in Drublic.

Nowadays, in their 40s they still have the same energy and vigor although their intensity has diminished yet they still know how to produce a fucking rocking album.

Coaster begins with We Called It America and followed by The Quitter of which both have a high intensity rhythm and pretty convincing lyrics. The album works really well as the opening 2 songs follow through and work as one whole opening title – with the lyrics ‘You wanna be a winner? You gotta quit thinking about quitting’ making a great firing up song.

After some slower (you know it was coming) tracks we get to Blasphemy with a great catchy riff and faster to get those heads banging and legs jumping. Moving on, we reach Creeping Out Sara, with comical lyrics on Tegan and Sara.

Back with the faced paced music and good riffs mixed with the punk-inspired solos Eddie, Bruce and Paul and Best God in Show is catchy and reminds me too much of a poo song but rebounds with it reggae beats – every NOFX has something foreign.

Don’t forget the jazz guitar and trumpet in I Am An Alcoholic to move back to their weird humourous fillers and ends with One Million Coasters, a great finale with strange comparisons yet gets me jiggy with the retro references.

Rock on NOFX!

7.5/10

More anger

Alright. i’m back. With a vengeance.

No seriously, when i say punk what do think of? Leather. Long messy disgusting hair. Drugs. Sex. Fuck. Sex Pistols. And the like. Not today’s modern culture.

I just recently went out to NOFX and their gig out at Hordern Pavillion in Sydney finally waiting for them to come out after 2006. After witnessing Jane’s Addiction earlier in the year with the original Nothing’s Shocking line up I was not disappointed by Fat Mike and the crew. Entralling and outrageous with many hits from their new record Coaster, which I am looking at reviewing soon so keep watching, they produced a great performance and played many great hits from the past.

NOFX was one of those bands who were able to brink back rock after its so called demise in the 90s due to the chaos and fucking up era of grunge and garage rock. They did what punk did in the 70s (both in the USA and UK) – make it simple because they could play complicated stuff and play it double time with overdriven guitar and being there writing music to make a point – with your lyrics.

So, that’s the prime basis of punk and being able to say FUCK YOU! To anyone and everyone. However, as I mention punk to my friends one of them said, ‘I love punk. Green Day is awesome!’

Rookie.

Green Day for anybody out there saying it is punk IS NOT PUNK.

Remember, to be PUNK you don’t have to dress punk and play punk music but you can’t be PUNK just because you look PUNK. Punk was a movement in the 70s and it was about rebelling to everyone, in particular ‘the pigs’ and ‘the government’. Green Day don’t. If anything, they used to be pop-punk 10 years ago but now of couse they succumbed to labels and money and went shit. Not many bands don’t change after this. If any. Well there are some but you’d
need to find them yourself.
So, my angts against this whole thing will never stop but until another moment like today happens i’m gonna take a break from ranting at the youth and their bad education.

Watch soon.

NOFX – Coaster review coming soon (when I analyse it enough)

Popular Music Categorisation

So.You youngens out there who are listening to the new and ‘hip’ music of Today’s modern Western world think you know all about it. You don’t.
I admit. I am of the younger generation. I mean, I just got out of school. But let me tell you, after collecting close to 1000 records and CDs combined I know a fair bit. Of which about 100 or so comes from the last decade i.e. Since 2000.

My disgust is mainly directed at the musical direction and education the youth of today’s society. This has been botted up for a long time but it starts with a close and long-term friend of mine. She’s quite intelligent and knows enough about some of the better musical acts of rock (in particular) which gives her enough respect to loan CDs. However, what happened one day almost deprived her access to my stuff. Almost. While at university, there is this radio/stero thing that plays these same 40ish pop songs of which some I love. The main and possibly only one now that I think of it is, Friday I’m in Love by The Cure.

Back to the story and Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes is being blasted on the not so good speakers. She starts tapping her foot and says, get this, ‘Mm, i love this song. It’s Smoke on the Water right?’
My face drops in extreme disappointment and frustration for a huge mistake. One of the most iconic riffs in rock history has been mistaken for a Jack White piece of pop writing where he wrote ot while mucking around on the E string of his guitar.

More angst awaits with more stories lined up…

Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift Part 3

Comes A Time

A relaxing song, with slow tempo and soothing guitar arpeggios and melodies. I mean, the lyrics and great and work really well with his tone of singing. “Comes a time when you can’t judge no more” talks about the fact that there is a point in life where we become the lone figure and we are the ones being judged instead of judging other people to me.

In the Mirror

An up tempo song relative to the previous track, it sets into the mood of the song soon with lyrics coming in within the opening bars. The double tracked guitar lines work well with the simple percussion as the lyrics and recurrent rhythm melody, “I need a reminder of what I’m doing, I need a reminder that I’m human” tells me that once in a while we’ve gotta stop living and just see what we’ve done. What mistakes we’ve made, what bad choices we’ve made, because that essentially means that we are human.

Armies Walk

Soft guitar introduction with another simple bassline and percussion works well, but not a huge fan of this track, it seems more like a filler track and doesn’t really tell its own story.

Imaginary Friends

A great way to finish the album, we see a strong overdriven rhythm guitar lead the way of the final track of the album, as his soothing voice contrasts the melody with its strangely high range  as he tells us, ” Today, don’t want no one to tell me how it ends, meaning that he just wants to be alone and we need times like this in our lives.

A true indie rock record.

7/10

Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift Part 2

What Is Your Secret?

I love this song. I really do. Mix of simple guitar chords and piano melodies offer great assistance to the lyrics of the song. He really just states the reality of life that everyone has secrets and although they’ll always come out, he’d given up on finding out that kind of shit proven as he says “I don’t care about you anymore, people don’t care anymore.”

Your Legs Grow

Alright, this songs uses lots of dubs and works well with the song vocals. Essentially all he says is that he looks forwards and not backwards… ain’t that true bout love. Also, love it and saying that forget the bad stuff cos “Your Legs Grow”.

All Is A Game

This a is great song and sometimes i go way too deep for this one. Again, i love this kind of unique guitar tone he uses, slightly overdriven but still gets the clean and almost acoustic. Anyway, going deep for the time being, he really puts it right – “Is the weight of your own life too much for you?” and this line ties in with the album title: The Weight Is A Gift. Too right.

Blankest Year

This song became pretty famous after i listened to it, and really all he says is ’screw life, i’m gonna have fun.’ This is a true indie rock song with that rhythm guitar and well selected percussion. Ultimately, this track is just laid back and a really fun song to sing to – “Oh… Fuck it, I’m gonna have a party!”

Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift Part 1

Wow, great album. Their best album. Easily. Caws’ unique voice and lyrical writing shows the band’s prowess in developing into one of the better indie/alternative independent artists out there a well as his accompaniment from Elliot and Lorca on drums and bass.

Concrete Bed

The opening track is fitting with their love-based album The Weight Is A Gift and its predominant lyric “To find someone you love, you gotta be someone you love” shows its deep yet simple meaning – Only your OWN heart knows what it wants you know? There’s no stopping that. The musical composition is excellent as well, showing their new and unique version of indie rock with great rhythm acoustic guitar.

Do It Again

This song is another great rhythm song and I felt that when listening to this album, this song made it as a really good driving track. It has the album title’s lyric – “maybe this weight was a gift” and it makes so much sense; having a burden on your shoulders is a good thing, whether it be love or a friendship, it’s worth it. Funny as it is my friend actually interpreted as literal weights in the gym so now I get to tease him. Clearly, he’s what I would call a music person.

Always Love

This again is a good song, which still hasn’t demonstrated as of yet, their unique indie sound but is my personal favourite track on the record as it really sums up choices in life in a few lines – “To make a mountain of your life is just a choice.” Composed well with the soft guitar tone and then an overdriven verse as it simply compares those two great opposing emotions – hate and love with great assistance by Elliot on percussion. Be careful kids, this choice is between having a hill or Everest on your shoulders.

Welcome

Hi guys to all the readers out there.

Welcome to my blog based around music and art in general.Pretty much will be albums and songs I’m listening to and reviews of them (of which I all purchase, to you cheapscapes out there).

Upcoming: Nada Surf’s 2005 album – The Weight Is A Gift.