Surreal Soundz Music Blog

New Look!!!

2010-10-26T17:08:00.000-05:00

I know I know, I said back in July that we'd be back up and running soon, but, things get in the way offline and on, and even though it makes me look like a jackass for saying so, we're still on track to get things running again as soon as we can.

We really do love to do this for those of you that read our stuff, or just come here for the free things, or even by accident, and look forward to getting things running up to speed again and cranking out the albums soon.

So again, thank you for your time and we hope we've not lost alot of you in the delays between posts and albums.

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BC

Back Up And Running Soon!!

2010-07-10T12:19:00.002-05:00

Ok so afew things of note...

First off: we're sorry that we've been missing in action sense December, it wasn't ment to be that way, we were just planning on taking like January and maybe a week or two into February off, but one thing led to another and between connection issues and internal group and personal stuff, we just all never made it back here to put up new music, sure it sucks, but sometimes that happens and its beyond anyone's control. But none the less, we are back and with a return and atleast one new addition to the staff, or which we hope there will be more to come along as we go, we hope to be back on track and running at full speed and putting out atleast two to three albums a month, or more if time allows or we find some really good stuff, you all know how it is.

Secondly: We as a staff would like to welcome back Tamara, who given her busy offline schedule might not be able to post alot, but she always finds something amazing and awesome for when she does get her chance to post. We would also like to welcome the addition of Mojo, he's been a long time friend of ours who's been trying to get into the group for awhile now and we just got tired of his whining and let him in, hopefully he'll have his first album up soon, if not he'll get the boots to him. And hopefully in the near future we'll have afew more additions coming along to make the group bigger and better and more diverse, because thats what surreal soundz is all about, bringing your ears things its never heard from all over the world.

Thirdly: We've been emailed some rather good albums by afew artists in the 8 or so months we've been missing in action, we will be sorting through them and putting them up when we're able too. And again, thank you all who have sent us music, we love it when people do that, its like a delightful surprise!

Again, any artist or group that would like to have their stuff put on here, please email us either a link to where we can download your album, or atleast 5 to 10 tracks (this allows us to get a full range of your work's feel) at the following address: surrealsoundzaccount@gmail.com However, please be advised, this is a download site and though we don't host anything here, we do provide links to where albums or songs can be downloaded, so as long as you have no issue with that, we'll be glad to help promote you.

Fourth: We would like to thank artist Casey Desmond for her lovely thank you note for including some of her music on our site, we love getting letters of that nature from artists who are happy we can give them some free press and try to broaden their fanbase and are glad to do so. BC's been a big fan of hers for a long time now and was glad to include his fellow Bostonian in the list of artists from new england he's brought here, and he says he plans on adding more in the near future. He says his only regret isn't having some acapella tracks of hers for a remix album he's kicking around the idea of putting up on here.

And Finally: Expect us to be posting again in the near future, hopefully in the next two weeks is our goal, BC and Bez would be back to putting stuff up around that time, and hopefully soon Sherry, Tamara and our newest edition Mojo will have some things up and ready to go in the near future as well.

Thank you for your time, and for staying with us even though we weren't here, and also, if there are any dead links floating around, please let us know so we can go about fixing them for you all.

Again, thank you all for your time, and we are sorry for the delays....

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The Surreal Soundz Staff

Mamas Gun - Routes To Riches

2009-12-06T02:43:00.000-05:00

Mama's Gun - Routes To Riches

Every now and then, I'll find a band that just stops me in my tracks, makes me listen with all of my attention and focus, and makes me just instantly love what they do, many of these bands and artists I've shared with all of you here, and today, I share another with you, the UK band called Mama's Gun, taking their name from a recent album by the brilliant Eryka Badu, its hard to really garner where they fit in the world of music, but I do know that i love them and this album is just amazing, I've yet to find anyone thats not listened to it afew times through, which to me is a sign that a band or artist is amazing at what they do. What they do is a sort of retro style pop, where bands like The Magic Numbers, who i love immensely are all about the retro british pop style, Mama's Gun is all about the 1970s soul, funk, and general mid 1960s pop from both the world over, I hear alot of The Jackson Five and The Beatles in them, which though not a fan of the beatles so much, i find when others take their style and expand on it, is a lovely trip through the nuances of music's past that many for whatever reason see as hallowed ground. Taking risks and reworking what we see as classic, thats brave and so very made of win, most artists should do that.

The album itself, Routes To Riches opens with the song I find myself listening to more then anything else on the disc, the brilliant "House On A Hill" which is just a brilliant upbeat Jackson Five style pop love song that just blows me away whenever I hear it, I wanna just get up and party like its 1972 all over again and everyone's trying to be 10 year old Micheal Jackson, the party continues with "Rico" which is a brilliant fusion of Stevie Wonder and early Eagles music, its got enough rock for the rockers to like and enough funk that you could pop and lock like nobody's business to, its a great groove with a great flow and a great hook which a funk song must have, followed by an even better bridge thats just brilliant. From there our trip through the music spectrum takes us to "You Are The Music", which starts with a beautiful string arrangement and then drops you a very soulful Earth, Wind and Fire or maybe Ohio Players style uptempo ballad of love, you could really hear this on the soundtrack of any blaxploitation movie ever made and you wouldn't know its a group of British white guys, it switches tempo and feel at the bridge, and becomes gritty dirty funk for a verse, then back to original, its brilliant really. From there our next stop is, "Finger On It", an upbeat dance heavy funk track that you can almost hear George Clinton's influence in it with lines like "hotter then a hot potater hotter then sex in an elevator, shake your funky junk, shake your funky junk for me" its almost guaranteed to get you up out of your seat and moving around and singing around to it, brilliant dance track really. Next up in this party is "Pots Of Gold" a slowed down ballad that seems to almost smack of the influence of mostly forgotten but still a favorite of mine neo-soul singer Maxwell, which delighted me, Maxwell doesn't get enough love these days, it also drips of Marvin Gaye, which is just all sorts of win for a guy like me, who grew up to old Marvin Gaye records, its a beautifully romantic and meaningful song, one of my favorites on the disc really. Its followed by "Chasing Down Shadows" which is a great sweeping ballad that has a great retro late 1960s style british pop feel to it, which is great because though am eating up the retro funk and soul vibe with a spork, I was craving a change in style just to see what they'd do with other ideas, incredibly pleased by the result. Next stop on our tour is, "Phycho Territory" a great fast paced upbeat funk track you can totally see people getting their late 70s boogie on too, its fast paced and bouncy and just plain awesome no matter how you see it, its almost like the BeeGees came out of the past and gave them this track and showed them how to make it brilliant, by this point I'm completely lost in this wonderland of sound they've created for my ears, they follow this up with "Bitch" which is a great funk blues track with an INCREDIBLE guitar riff that leaves me in awe and makes me kind of think they went into the past and stole it from Bootsie Collins, its a thick and sexy straight up funk blues song, its kind of like if you mixed John Lee Hooker or Howlin Wolf with Parliament in a blender and mixed them till it was all liquid, with just afew thick chunks left for the guitar, totally brilliant. From there we go to "Lets Find A Way", a song that sounds like an uptempo Disco era BeeGee's song, or some other uptempo Ballad, you find yourself wanting to roller disco to this one, which is pretty awesome really, its great when music sends you back in time like that, shows a great power to it, next up is "Miracle" which has this great guitar arrangement and is like a total Marvin Gaye song, its just so damn brilliant, the soul falsetto, the upbeat Barry Gibb / Marvin Gaye style vocals and the whole funk dripping beats its just amazing, I find myself listening to it over and over and just living it more and more each time, and the bridge? i totally love it. Our journey ends with "Big Betty" a dirty, gritty, chunky as hell guitar driven funk rock track that sounds like something close to Stevie Wonder's Superstition or something very akin to it, with its brilliant rocky vocals, its untouchable guitar riffs and its overall sound that makes you feel like its a summer night in 1975 and its coming out the speakers of your home stereo at a backyard barbecue somewhere, it leaves you wanting to just loop the disc so you can hear it all again, because you aren't done with it blowing your mind into a million little shards yet.

Now the big question, Is this album for everyone? Oh hell yes it is, i mean come on, this is one of the best discs I've heard in YEARS, this thing blew me away from the very opening and continued to do so all the way to the very end, and left me wanting more, so ofcourse this disc is for everyone who wants to take a nice trip through the music spectrum and relive an era that alot of us wish music would get back to because of just how great it all was. So yeah, if you are a lover of music, if you're a lover of retro music, if you're a lover of fun loving good time music you can dance too and not feel embarrassed to play around your kids, parents or grandparents, all of which who more then likely will wanna get down with their funky selves to this, much to your horror at the image of that, even though it speaks to the beautiful feel and joy put into this. So yeah give it a listen, you'll love it as much as I do.

This is a brilliant accoustic version of their song "House On A Hill" which is by far my favorite song of theirs, so catchy, the album version is alot more funky though, but still love this version to death, wish it was on the disc really...

Artist: Mama's Gun
Album: Routes To Riches
Genre: Soul, Funk, Retro Pop, Britpop
Homepage: Mama's Gun's Homepage
Myspace: Mama's Gun on Myspace

Download: Download the Album here

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BC

Hugh Dillon - Works Well With Others

2009-12-05T16:57:00.001-05:00

Hugh Dillon - Works Well With Others

Like many, i first encountered Hugh Dillon on the insanely good Canadian television series "Durham County" where he plays the completely out of his mind, super violent cop Mike Sweeney, Hugh also stars in a series called "Flashpoint" where he plays a sniper for a swat team or something, I've never actually cared for or watched that series. Now you might question why I'm actually promoting an album by someone who is famous in another field, well, thats a simple answer, for 20 years before Hugh got into acting, he had been playing a distinct brand of hard rock meets blues rock all around Canada, even gaining a rather noted amount of success in the 1990s with his old band The Headstones, who happen to be one of my favorite Canadian rock bands of the 1990s in case you were wondering. And its based on that, not his recent turn to acting and the fame its garnered him that makes me want to share this album with you, plus, its a really good album and i'm pretty sure it'll get dismissed as just some famous guy attempting to cash as much in on his fame as possible unless you know who he is and his history. Its not too hard, not to soft, not to gritty, its kind of like a brownie in music form if you will allow for the sarcastically funny metaphor.

The album starts off with "Friends Of Mine", which if I recall happens to also be the lead off single of the album. As you'll be able to tell by the video embedded below, its a nice pop friendly rock song, not to hard, not to soft, somewhere nice and in the middle, a nice introduction to Hugh's work if you've never heard it before really. Following that is "Sentimental Me", a nice mellow song that finds hugh reflecting on many things, this song has a brilliant opening few bars and a great guitar riff and has this whole bar song feel to it, its great. Next is "well On Your Way" a nice faster pace song which has Hugh looking forward and sending someone he cares about away because he feels they deserve better then him, its a nice enjoyable track honestly. Following that is "Ten Feet Tall" which has this completely awesome 1970s southern rock feel to it with a guitar riff and feel that sounds something like a ZZ Top song if ZZ Top were Canadian, its a great upbeat catchy bouncy song its totally awesome. After that is "Surface Of The Sun", which is a nice slow down then speed up song about how life should not always get you down no matter what comes your way, that reminds me abit of a slower Tragically Hip song, but thats understandable, there is alot of The Tragically Hip in Hugh's music, and I like that just fine. After that is "reel to Reel" a song that starts out with a brilliant stevie wonder style opening, and has a nice upbeat flow to it that has Hugh looking at his life talking about his if its his time to leave the spotlight he'll just quietly bow out with out flair and notice. Next up is "Lucky" a nice rock blues style song that seems downtempo and relaxed for this album, its a really good track, its followed by "Lost At Sea" which is a great downtempo moody song, thats all awesome and hypnotic. From there the album's second half kicks in, with songs like "Raido Plays", "Bottom of a Dream", "My Mistakes", "Ignore that Call", "Puzzle I am", and finally "Don't Be Fooled". All rather good songs, and abit more of a rocky feel to them, with "Puzzle I am" being the stand out really, its all a great disc and a joy to listen to over all.

Now, the big question, is this really for everyone? Sure i'd think so, its mellow enough for those who like mellow, its rock enough for rockers, and blues enough for the blues lovers. I feel most people will enjoy "Puzzle I Am" the most, but thats just me, and a personal favorite, but please if you are up for something different and not exactly what you'd expect, then give this a listen, hopefully, you'll enjoy it as much as I have.

Here is a video for Hugh's song "Friends of mine"

Artist: Hugh Dillon
Album: Works Well With Others
Genre: Rock, Blues, Pop
Homepage: Hugh Dillon's Homepage
Myspace: Hugh Dillon's Band On Myspace
Download: Download The Album Here

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BC

Hideyo Blackmoon - Blackmoon

2009-12-04T20:16:00.000-05:00

Hideyo Blackmoon - Blackmoon

I've always been a fan of out there electronic music, most people will tell you that in truth electronic is my wheelhouse, and I don't really mind that statement, its fairly true, most of you long time readers will remember my raving about bands like The Boats and Magoo and artists like Paul Duncan who straight up use electronica to drive or enhance their music, proving that it is possible to take the most limitless genre and make it work with just about anything. There is no ceiling when it comes to electronica and i personally feel its time the world started to pay attention to that fact.

A key element in my beliefs on this is DJ turned trance/electronica artist Hideyo Blackmoon, a stunning female DJ from Japan who is more of a preformance artist then she is anything else, Its hard to actually explain Blackmoon's work with out an audio example, its like mixing traditional Japanese and Asian musical sounds and imagery with modern trance and club themes together behind mostly upbeat fast paced high energy stuff, the album sort of flows together like one giant track with enough distinction to know that a new one has begun but just continues on the same journey. Its really quiet interesting, like a concept album that takes you through the history of Japan and the Asian counties, but that trip happens when you are apparently on acid or something. Its really mindblowing.

There aren't any real stand out tracks, they all blend together into this brilliantly lovely trip through time and space. I know I'm not really doing the album justice, but you really need to hear it, which is why i'm short reviewing this one. Is it for everyone? Maybe yeah, if you are interested in something completely different and new that you've probably not heard before, so sure, give it a try, you'll probably be glad you did, i sure know i am. And again, i'm sorry for the short review, but i gotta tell you, you gotta just hear this, words won't do it justice that hearing it will.

If you need abit more convincing, or are unsure, here is the video for her song Kokoro One

Artist: Hideyo Blackmoon
Album: Blackmoon
Genre: Trance, Electronica, DJ, Drum and Bass
Homepage: Hideyo Blackmoon's Homepage
Myspace: Hideyo Blackmoon on Myspace
Download: Album Download Here

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BC

Aloan - Pretty Freaks

2009-12-04T16:33:00.000-05:00

Aloan - Pretty Freaks

There aren't many artists these days that actually make me excited when I hear a new song or that there is a new album coming soon, maybe I'm too picky, maybe I'm jaded, I don't really know, but what I do know is this, one of the few bands that actually do make my excited, is the phenomenal Swedish fusion band Aloan. Many of you will remember back in the early days of Surreal Sounds, I bought you their album "Better In Springtime" which to this day I am still raving about, and having recently acquired the rest of their musical catalog, which i will share with all of you, I felt first I should share their most recent album, the not so long ago released "Pretty Freaks". Which as I'm sure you can guess is a magnum opus in the art of fusion. It stays true to Aloan's constant commitment to their many flavors, showcasing their soul, jazz, hip hop and trip hop sounds, and adding little elements of rock and metal in there just to average things out for the masses. Its an amazing trip through the worlds of sound and sight, and truly worth a listen too, and more so, its been truly worth the wait its taken for them to release this album, even if the wait seemed like more years then it was.

The album starts with "Liquid Girl", an upbeat and rather funky mix of pop and retro 1960s style pop, its abit different for Aloan, but I love when a group or artist takes themselves out of their comfort zone and tries something new, it shows care and dedication to their craft, you don't get that much these days its lovely to see, the song is pretty catchy too, which always helps. Next is "Swinger" the first single released off the album, it follows the same fast paced late 60s pop guitar with traditional trip hop beats over blues style vocals and rap, its a great big loud song thats just so incredible, the booming chorus is incredible and Granite's rap is just so damn onpoint is actually makes me wonder why he's not more respected among rappers, brilliant song. Next is the downtempo "Whitehair Child", which is a touching and beautiful soul style ballad about love and innocence lost, its alot deeper then most of the songs Aloan does, I was very pleased by this actually, I love when artists open up as they progress musically, its so amazing when it happens. Next is, "Invisible" a catchy beat driven funky blues style song that is just incredible, its a great hook, a great beat, vocals that are just flawless, its just so right and a great almost midway in the album point, most artists don't take care in stuff of that nature, the whole caring what point in each album a song is thing is normally the last thing on an artists mind, I love that its at the forfront here. Next is possibly the greatest song on the album, the incredible trip through sound called "Kabuki" continuing that thick retro guitar style, added with some soul and funk elements and enough catchy lyrics and backing beats to make this just the most perfect song I've ever heard from Aloan, Kabuki is a catchy fast passed song that I personally just love to play loud while I'm driving or just moving about the house, Granite's flow is again a clinic on how to use rap effectively outside of the genre, this is the track you'll be playing over and over, and singing along to the background hook on. Next is the surreal "Into A Werewolf" which is haunting, catchy and beautiful all at once, its a great blend of styles and metaphor, which has always been par for the course with Aloan, I've found over the years their imagery is just as impressive as their music and lyric content. After that is "Pain And Sky", another slow and eerily sexy ballad, thick booming guitar and bass drums, with just enough electronica style backing to make it unique and distinctly their own, its a beautiful song about how no one is truly pure and clean anymore, I seriously love when they do this style stuff. Following that is "Wanna Be A Rocker", takes them back again to the retro pop style that they've been trying to keep with on this disc, the music itself is amazing and the vocals and lyrics are catchy and just so perfect, I wished there was more of Granite in it though, we're almost done the disc and there hasn't been the feature track of his yet, normally there are one or two, also, I completely LOVE the reference to The Matrix in this song, its just so delightful, retro style with a modern reference, just awesome. Next is "I Slowly", which is a nice electronica mixed with rock and blues song, it at first felt slightly out of place, but once it gets going it fits right in with the rest of the disc, I completely love how Granite's using his laid back deep voiced flow on this song, it so fits the song perfectly, its just this booming, beautiful and sexy gritty track, its like a gangster movie in trip hop fusion form. Next up is "Beat Of The Black Heart" which starts out with this incredible bass beat that leads to a sublime soul and rap song, its almost like a battle song really, which I gotta admit I been fiending for sense the last album, its just a perfect blend, and its catchy as all hell, with also helps, the acapella in the middle, totally brilliant. This is followed up with "Dragons Are Frail", a rather sexy blues trip hop song that just makes me wanna listen to it over and over again, I love when they use imagery and metaphor for things, its so unique and brilliant when they do it, this is a love song hidden behind the metaphor of a dragon and the lady of the lake and other medieval imagery, its just so out there and yet so awesome at the same time. And finally the last new song on the album is "Try Not To Forget" which starts out alot different then most Aloan songs, it has a distinct and unlike anything else they've done sound to its start, in a sense the closest thing to a simple guitar and vocal song you'll find on an Aloan album, its a sad song about remembering one's self no matter what they go through in life, and the questioning of how far you have to go before you lose who you are and who you feel you are. The album ends with a reworking of Swinger, which I feel is a pretty good way to end the disc honestly.

Now the big question, is this album for everyone? Well, i like to think that as long as you aren't someone thats pigeonholed into one form of music and nothing else, that Aloan is a great band for everyone, but I guess that comes down to personal taste, I would like to think that there is something for everyone, some pop, some rap, some blues, some rock, some electronica, some jazz and rock too. I like to call Aloan one of those groups that takes you on a tour of the music spectrum in the course of their albums, and i'd like to think in the future more groups and artists would move in this direction, it keeps music from getting stagnent and overflowed with sound alikes and boardroom created and marketed bands. So if you want to try something different, and new, and unlike most of what I'm sure you've heard out there in the world, give this album and the band Aloan a try, Ill be posting their other albums soon to combine with this one and their earlier effort "Better In Springtime" soon.

And if you aren't convinced by my review, here is a look at the video for Swinger..

Artist: Aloan
Album: Pretty Freaks
Genre: trip hop, blues, funk, rock, jazz, hip hop
Homepage: Aloan.ch
Myspace: Aloan On Myspace
Download: Album download here

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BC

Thea Gilmore - Strange Communion 2009

2009-11-12T08:52:00.004-05:00

With each coming Christmas season I become more and more troubled by what the music scene is going to thrust upon us. This year has been filled with surprises more than disappointments and for that I am eternally grateful. From Halford to Dylan to Weezer I have been pleasantly gifted by each new release so far, but this one I say takes the cake so far. Britain's Thea Gilmore , folk singer and lyricist extraordianaire, has released her own contemplative if not cynical Christmas themed "Strange Communion".

With the exception of a few tracks, Strange Communion doesn’t seem particularly Christmassy, or even wintry, but it feels as comfy as a pair of slippers. Of the ten tracks, eight were penned by Thea and/or her husband and long-time producer Nigel Stonier, and the remaining two are covers of lesser known recordings by Yoko Ono (‘Listen, The Snow Is Falling’) and Elvis Costello (‘The St Stephens Day Murders’). Consequently, what we get is a very personal reflection on the festive season, exemplified best on the tellingly titled ‘Thea Gilmore’s Midwinter Toast’. Starting out plaintive and honest, Semay Wu’s cello accenting the melancholic twinge in Gilmore’s vocal and acting contrapuntally to the faint, synthesized choral backing that emerges later, it’s part love letter to her fans, part affirmation of her faith in the power of song.

Having given us a whopping nine studio albums in 11 years, it’s forgivable that Gilmore hasn’t shown the same amount of artistic progression between releases as some of her peers, but Strange Communion shows this fact up more than any other. So while ‘Cold Coming’ sounds uncannily like a leftover from Harpo’s Ghost given extra bells (no whistles), both ‘Drunken Angel’ and ‘Old December’ echo the weary ruminations of last year’s Liejacker. That’s not to say that Gilmore doesn’t stretch herself at all here; she does, in good and bad ways. By recruiting BBC Radio 2 DJ Mark Radcliffe to be her male vocal foil on ‘The St Stephens Day Murders’, Gilmore turns a very silly song even sillier. Even looking favourably on Radcliffe’s dominating gusto, the delivery so acutely recalls the infallible Pogues and Kirsty MacColl duet, ‘Fairytale Of New York’, that its ramshackle nature feels a little forced.

Ever the outsider, you get the sense that Gilmore has an indefinite struggle with the idea of Christmas. On album opener ‘Sol Invictus’ (Latin: ‘the unconquered Sun’), beautifully recorded with a cappella choir Sense Of Sound, she sounds much more at home with the straightforward Pagan sentiments of the lyric than when rolling her words around to avoid overt Christian terminology. Likewise, the spoken-word ‘Book Of Christmas’ sounds awkward on paper, but the heavily politicised lyric, courtesy of Irish poet Louis MacNeice’s ‘Autumn Journal’, is so very Thea that she pulls it off. It helps that Nigel Stonier’s electric piano and harmonium backdrop on this song is probably Strange Communion at its most musically interesting, with all its shades of Moon Palace-era Lisa Germano. For pure evocative songwriting, though, a timely re-recording of ‘December In New York’ from the long out of print As If EP is the album’s main draw, achieving a difficult balance between stark and poetic over a simple circular melody.

Of course, what the vast majority of people seem to want at Christmas is a feelgood pop singalong, and Gilmore bravely steps up to the plate with ‘That’ll Be Christmas’, Strange Communion’s only real attempt at the money shot. Drawing on various Christmas staples – mulled wine, ‘The Sound Of Music’, Jona Lewie, mistletoe – Gilmore cleverly crafts her words to take a sideways swipe at Christmas while simultaneously celebrating it, a two-handed approach that probably captures how a lot of us feel about the whole ordeal. In fact, it’s this attitude that really serves to sum up Strange Communion as an entity, a Christmas album for people who don’t really like Christmas, or at least who view it with a healthy dose of cynicism. Even pseudo-Scrooges need music, and this modestly ambitious and solid collection caters to them perfectly.

here is a clip of Mrs. Gilmore for those that heven't the pleasure to have heard her as of yet.

Artist: Thea Gilmore
Album: Strange Communion
Genre: Folk,Indie, Acoustic
Country: UK
Download: Here

Beatallica - Masterful Mystery Tour 2009

2009-11-07T11:21:00.002-05:00

The concept is pretty simple...take one half mega-sellout metal band Metallica and one half legendary God's of classic rock, The Beatles, put them in a blender on puree and voila! You have the new entity known as Beatallica. Formed by 4 devotees of both bands who lovingly go as the pseudonyms Jaymz Lennifield, Kirk Hammetson, Ringo Larz and Kliff McBurtney. Of course, this is a piece of brilliance layered with such hilarity that it is truly hard to convey in text alone. Yes, this is a band that must be heard.

The only thing better than the band members names are the song titles, "Fuel On The Hill", "Tomorrow Never Comes", "I Want To Choke Your Band", and my personal favorite title "Got To get You Trapped Under Ice". Even with the obvious humor in tow, one cannot escape the fact that this band is definitely talented as well as irreverent in their reverence to each band and the combination of songs and lyrical themes. Just for example let's look at the lyrics from album title song..."the masterful mystery tour is waiting to pull all your strings"...that is nothing short of brilliant.

As I said before, the music is so tight and complete in its structures that it is only complimented by the uncanny impersonation of Hetfield that Jaymz is able to convey in his vocals..even down to the several instances of the obligatory "YEAH YEAH" trademark of Metallica.

These guys only prove that by taking the Beatles and Metallica they can sell out and be bigger than Jesus....evey single copy of the album they will produce. (Didja see what I did there?)

This gets my vote for best comedy album of the year hands down.

Artist: Beatallica
Album: Masterful Mystery Tour
Year: 2009
Genre: Metal/Comedy/Classic rock/mash Up
Download:Here

Swallow The Sun - New Moon 2009

2009-11-07T10:03:00.004-05:00

Hailing from Finland, Swallow The Sun are quite the enigma in the modern doom scene. With this, their fourth full-length release, they are continuing to progress with every album further into the depths of despair and utter bleak doom. They have matured beyond their early works with sweeping lush soundscapes and melody for a more straightforward songs with intense lyrical subject matter. Their last album, 2007’s Hope, was a leap in this direction from 2005’s Ghosts of Loss (they apparently like to work on the evens; see you in 2011, boys), and the latest output from the Jyväskylä six-pack, New Moon, confirms the shift that seemed so sudden last time around.

Of course, there are still melodic/melancholic parts. It wouldn’t be Swallow the Sun without them, but as heard on opener “These Woods Breathe Evil,” it’s much more about the structure of the song, and in this case the catchy chorus, than trading off between heaviness and atmospheric. The atmospheres have become part of the songs, to put it another way. We hear that in the Katatonia-esque “Falling World,” and later in the title track, where vocalist Mikko Kotamnki gives what might be his most accomplished performance yet, showing a melodic range and dynamism with his deathly growls that only speaks to the growth he’s undergone as a performer since the band started out.

What’s happening more than anything else on New Moon is that Swallow the Sun are coming into their own. They’ve toured Europe and the US, they’ve been around the world, they’re coming up on their first decade as a band, and they’re in a position where more and more people know who they are. For melodic death/doom, they might be the top name out of Europe today that hasn’t already been around for 20 years. Are they this generation’s My Dying Bride? Maybe, if you take away some of the gothic drama and consider the fact that while the seminal UK doom act had a full scene supporting them, with bands like Paradise Lost, Katatonia and Anathema to accompany, Swallow the Sun are pretty much doing this with zero companionship on their level. In a way, that makes it all the more admirable.

As with anything, some will bemoan the loss of the extended ambiance, but just as many will delight in the chunky riffs of guitarists Juha Raivio and Markus Jämsen, appreciating the more condensed Swallow the Sun approach. I say “condensed” and mean it in terms of their songwriting. There still isn’t a song on the album under five minutes and synth-heavy closer “Weight of the Dead” clocks in at a respectable 9:05. Certainly no one who heard last year’s Plague of Butterflies EP, which boasted a half-hour-long title track, could accuse the band of shortening their songs to gain commercial appeal. No one who isn’t an asshole, anyway.

“Weight of the Dead” might be my personal pick of the album, since it seems to contain so many of the elements that make Swallow the Sun a special act. Mikko Kotamnki’s vocals range from shrill screeches to growls and sad melodicisms, while the song itself follows an agonizingly slow pace (yet somehow also features blast beats in its earlier moments) while seeming to touch on just about everything the band has in their arsenal, including some epic moments. Skip to six minutes in and find me another act on the world stage making music like this. Please.

But naturally there’s more to Swallow the Sun than wide distribution and a hectic touring life. I, for one, have been glad to follow them as they morph into themselves musically, and New Moon, as the latest episode of that process, is a more than satisfying listen. Anyone who’s followed European doom at all and not been exposed to these guys yet would do well to climb aboard the bandwagon before it gets even more out of hand.

Artist: Swallow The Sun
Album: New Moon
Year: 2009
Genre: Melodic Death Metal/Doom Metal
Country: Finland
Download:Here

Halford III - Winter Songs 2009

2009-11-06T15:25:00.005-05:00

First off, let me say this...in a million years I would have never even fathomed the idea of Rob Halford of Judas Priest fame doing a Christmas song, let alone an entire album...but now I must say I truly thank him from the bottom of my heart for doing so. In my younger days blaring Defenders Of the Faith I would have never conceived one day he would be singing odes to little baby Jesus's birthday, although, his vocal talents lend tremendously to the awe inspiring renditions of such traditional carols as " O Holy Night" and "Come All Ye Faithful". Yes, For this household Christmas has come a bit early already.

I am sure there will be a spark of outrage among the die hard try hard metal fans that will refuse to accept the fact that Halford has made a disc filled with Christian lyrics, sentiment and sincere reverence...but to be frankly honest, those douche bags aren't the people Rob made this album for anyway. Let the die hard tryhards listen to shitty hate filled bands like Deicide and the rest of us will feast upon this holiday buffet of metal prowess.

From beginning to end this album is filled with the Christmas spirit. Launching first into "Get into the spirit", Halford set into an 80's-tastic metal rhythm that will get your spirit flowing and your blood pumping. Rob's vocals are outstanding as usual and the mix up of metal tracks and traditional takes make this an all around winner for the season to come.

Highlight moments are "We Three Kings, "O Come O Come Emanuel", Winter Song and What Child Is This?". This is a definite for the avid Judas Priest/Halford fan and collector and also for fans of modern Christmas music acts like Trans Siberian Orchestra, The December People and even last year's shocker, Twisted Sister's "A Twisted Christmas".

Artist: Halford
Album: Winter Songs
Genre: Power metal/Christmas Music
Country: UK
Download:Here

While Heaven Wept - Vast Oceans Lachrymose

2009-11-05T15:02:00.006-05:00

Little can compare to the feeling of being truly leveled by the work of an artist, whatever the medium may be. The stroke of Vermeer's brush, the flow of a Gehry building, or even the seemingly simple written words that whip up an epic tale of rabbits fleeing to a hill in northern England: it's a wonderful experience, this personal mesmerization through art, and one of the added benefits of having it done by a piece of music is that you can carry this particular medium and enhance the pleasure of its twisting tendrils by experiencing it in an environment of your own choosing. Such was the case with my encounter with Vast Oceans Lachrymose. After I listened to this disc the first few times I knew I needed to go somewhere quiet and free of distractions. I walked out into the woods near my home and nestled upon a log where I had gone times before to think. And holy shit did that endeavor open the album's majesty to a new crowning achievement. Now, understand my point is obviously not that one need pack up for the closest shore or the quietest forest in order to cull this platter's full reward, but rather that when you come face-to-face with one of these seemingly rare beauties, you want to figure out means to enhance the experience to towering levels. That's precisely the type of album Virginia's While Heaven Wept have accomplished with Vast Oceans Lachrymose, their third full-length in two decades of existence.

So, what exactly is on the menu? Well, to put it simply, While Heaven Wept play epic doom with strong traditional and progressive metal leanings. You can clearly note the influence of sole founding member Tom Phillip's supplementary bands, Solstice and Twisted Tower Dire, but throw in healthy measures of Solitude Aeturnus and John Arch-era Fates Warning to better paint a true picture of what's in store. That essentially means you new-fangled metal fans out there with your heads in the screamy/posty numetal clouds should probably pass on by; this record isn't likely to blow your hair back. But if any of the above-mentioned bands are held close to your heart and you've not yet experienced this band, it's quite possible you'll soil your pants heavier than a baby that's just huffed down five helpings of mashed carrots & broccoli.

The perfect score, while admittedly directed within the stated sub-genre, is something I stand by whole-heartedly. The production is crisp and clear enough to draw out each player's necessary role, not just the expected guits/vox/drums. Past classics from the band's peers have occasionally skimped on bass, but such is not the case here. Jim Hunter (Lord Vicar, October 31, Revelation and Twisted Tower Dire) is clearly audible throughout the album and definitely adds another layer of heaviness to the surprisingly dense riffing dropped by Phillips and fellow axe-man, Scott Loose. In addition, the record's keyboard-play is folded in perfectly as backdrop atmospherics and only take a more prominent role when there's an added emphasis on upping the epic ante.

Songwriting strikes the bull's-eye due to the overwhelming amount of fluid tempo and mood shifts pouring from the speakers. There's pure pounding heaviness (37-seconds into opener "The Furthest Shore"....wow), loads of exquisite acoustics wrapped in doleful mellowness, stretches of knotty prog, and of course piles of sweeping, melodic grandeur immersed with outright epicness. And it all flows so smoothly from one measure to the next, revealing the sheer amount of work it must have taken to string all the pieces into the Vast Oceans Lachrymose whole. Ultimately, there's just too much going on throughout the album's relatively short length (a mere 42-minutes: my only criticism) for me to pinpoint highlights in one review. It's safe to say your emotions will run the gamut between galloping triumphantly to "looking out to sea with heavy heart" from the second the album starts to the moment it draws to a close.

Just looking at the sheer number of bands these folks have all played in over the past two decades should be sound evidence of While Heaven Wept's expertise in the musicianship category. But I'd be remiss if I didn't focus a little attention on the vocals provided by newcomer, Rain Irving. Before his entrance, Phillips filled the role, but eventually decided the band would best be served if his focus remained purely on six-stringing and providing background vocals: a wise move, as Irving's version of the higher register epic doom vocals puts a smidge more grit into the mix -- something I've always felt was missing from the band's previous full-length. Beyond the proggy feel of the music throughout Vast Oceans Lachrymose, it's Irving's vocals that also help bring to mind the Arch-era of Fates Warning mentioned earlier; the 1-minute mark of the excellent "To Wander the Void" is ample evidence of this. Rain certainly stands as the band's rookie of the year, and he truly shines during the emotive chorus that repeats throughout the wonderful "Vessel" that hits at the midpoint of the record.

It's a little embarrassing to gush on at such length about an album as I've obviously done here, but Vast Oceans Lachrymose does such a wonderful job of throwing down the perfect mix of undiluted emotion and crazy amounts of depth, I can't help but trumpet its worth from a mountaintop. In a word, I'd call the record Magnificent, with a capital "M" dropping shadow clear into the next county. It's a fantastic work of metal that's undoubtedly deserving of high accolades, and it just might turn out to be my album of the year.

Just on album cover alone I give this band high accolades. John Martin's (1789-1854) Christ Stilleth the Tempest commandingly augments the entire "epic package" delivered by this work, and it's something I hope to dive into at great length once the record eventually comes out on vinyl.

Pants soilingly bombastic and wholly recommended!

Artist: While Heaven Wept
Album: Vast Oceans Lachrymose
Year: 2009
Genre: Epic Doom Metal/Power metal
Country:: USA
Overall Rating: 10 out of freaking 10 stars!!
Download:Here

Trans Siberian Orchestra - Night Castle

2009-11-04T06:11:00.008-05:00

"Believe".

If there is one word in the English language that can sum up the music and stories that Paul O'Neil and Company conjure up it is that one. Their latest epic tale is finally here and yes they have beat McDonalds on Mars as the band has jested about on tour for the last few years. Was it worth the wait? Let me just tell you that if there is one disc that you purchase this year, this has to be it.

Let's start with the story. As with all the tales that Paul has produced it is one that deals with faith, hope, fate and the inherent belief that there is good in all people. Without giving the storyline away, let me just say that one of the most unlikely folks you will meet is shown the power of love and faith. He also comes face to face with another twist of fate that shows to him that people do have choices. It is what we do with those choices that determine our destiny.

O'Neil also makes it clear that everyone can make a difference. In this story, one man touches the lives of many across the globe and in such a way as he will never know. Sometimes it is the smallest act that gives the biggest reward. This is quite a story, one for the ages and a timeless tale that I cannot wait to share with my daughter and hopefully for her to pass on to her kids someday. If you take anything away from these discs, I would hope it is the message that Mr. O'Neil is delivering.

And how he delivers it!! With all the pomp of a Broadway spectacular, O'Neil and TSO bring you a musical masterpiece that will have you on edge one moment and weeping like a baby the next. Breathtaking in its scope, this is as good of a concept work that you can ever imagine finding. Using the style of telling a part of the story and then musically creating that scene, TSO brings to life the tale of Night Castle vividly with the wide array of musical talent at their disposal.

Starting off with the guitarist: Paul himself, Al Pitrelli, Chris Caffery, Angus Clark and Alex Skolnick, TSO has a virtual high powered six string arsenal! They deliver a multitude of styles that combine to create some of the most majestic metal moments you will hear. This shines through very much in many of the instrumental tracks such as "The Mountain (Hall of the Mountain King)", "Tocatta-Carpimus Noctem" and the closing track to the story "Embers". Of course this is not the only places they shine as this is a disc that has been in the works for so long that every note and nuance is so well thought out you should expect to hear only the most phenomenal music.

The magic of the TSO is in a large part the work of not only the orchestration but also the way that they bring a very epic feel to all they produce thanks to the glorious keyboardist involved. Co-Producer Robert Kinkel along with the legend Jon Oliva, Luci Butler, Shih-Yi Chiang, Jane Mangini and Derek Wieland bring the music to a level that is unsurpassed. Just a couple examples would be the amazing "Dreams We Conceive" and the exhilarating "Moonlight And Madness". These are just two of many fantastic keyboard moments on Night Castle.

Drums are handled by John O.Reilly and the man…Jeff Plate. On this disc they both bring just the right touch no matter where the music takes them. Never overpowering but done with the idea of complimenting the story, it is that cymbal crash or the dynamic roll at the perfect time that is the final touch that completes the picture TSO is painting.

The voices of TSO are some of the most dynamic artist on this planet. With singers like Jeff Scott Soto, Jay Pierce, Tim Hockenberry, Rob Evan and Jennifer Cella just to name a few, they bring this epic to life. Each one of these vocalist have the ability to make us feel each of the characters involved. I cannot wait to see them perform this live. It will be amazing I am sure of it.

I don't know if it was intentional or not but Paul O'Neil has made this album one that will make all the fans of the core group Savatage drool. There are so many moments that make you think of the group in their heyday. He even manages to touch on different periods in the bands history. "The Mountain" was of course partially taken from The Hall of the Mountain King. "Moonlight And Madness" is a spin on Mozart and Madness from the Savatage album Dead Winter Dead. The song "Another Way You Can Die" has a similarity to another song from the same album "Doesn't Matter Anyway". Then of course there is a version of the classic Savatage song "Believe". Most of the songs that are credited to Jon Oliva and Paul O'Neil as songwriters seem to have this quality. Not much of a stretch when you think about it.

The bonus tracks on the disc are just as good as anything else on here. The first song "Child Of The Night" is kind of the epilogue to the tale. It is the final twist that happens twenty years later.

"Believe" is one of the best songs ever done by Savatage. As Jon Oliva's song to his brother who was taken from us way to soon, this is as touching a song as you will find and although it isn't Jon singing this time, Tim Hockenberry does a find job and I am sure that Jon must agree.

TSO enlist the help of one Greg Lake to perform a scintillating take on the Emerson, Lake & Palmer classic "Nutrocker". ELP is one of the founding groups of this style that blends classical with rock and the band pays tribute to them in a way dynamic way.

The final two songs "Carmina Burana" and "Tracers" are amazing, if you have seen the band in concert the last few years than you are familiar with these songs already. If you haven't seen them than you are in for a treat!

I have tried to not give too much away about the disc as this is one of those that the thrill of hearing it and being enthralled is something to cherish. There are few times that you will have the chance to be swept away in this kind of manner so I suggest that you forget about what you are doing and find a way to get this into your home as soon as possible. This is the stuff that dreams are made of and you cannot help but be touched by what Trans-Siberian Orchestra has to offer.

Artist: Trans Siberian Orchestra
Album: Night Castle
Genre: Symphonic/Orchestral/Prog Rock/Metal
Country: USA
Overal Rating: 10 of 10 stars
Download: Here

Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More

2009-11-03T09:46:00.006-05:00

It’s fair to say that that 2009 has been a pretty great year for albums and while mentally checking the more impressive releases of the year past there seems to be a much healthier British contingent than there would have been in the last couple of years. The Twilight Sad, Bat For Lashes, Wild Beasts and Noah & The Whale have all made records to be proud of, and Sigh No More sees Noah playmates Mumford and Sons produce a debut album that deserves to be held in the same honorable company...maybe even the cream of this proverbial crop.

Let’s get rid of those NATW comparisons right away, another London based four piece from the same somewhat incestuous nu-folk scene, if you were being overly simplistic you might say The Mumford sound is a pretty even mix of the rustic pop of the first and darker more world weary sound of Fink and co’s second record, but such comparisons would be doing a disservice to the band to only talk of them in the context of their more famous friends.

From the opening title track, it’s Marcus Mumford’s gravelly voice that dominates the record, and he has the depth, wisdom and timbre of a man older than he is. In terms of influences Sufjan Stevens is perhaps the most relevant touchstone. Whilst Mumford’s lyrics are not explicitly religious they do contain a certain spiritual zeal, the chorus of ‘Sigh No More’ being a case in point as he sings of a “love that will no longer betray or dismay you, it will set you free/make you more like the man you were meant to be”. There is also The Cave with it’s refrain of “I’ll find strength through pain/I will change my ways”.

Perhaps those lyrics look a bit cheesy written down, but executed with such belief and sincerity and carried perfectly by the band it’s pretty powerful stuff. There are also hints of Sufjan in the trumpet playing throughout, particularly the melodious ‘Winter Winds’.

It’s not perfect though by any means, musically there is a deal of repetition by which the band only get away with thanks to the strength of songwriting; dizzying banjo arpeggios are often employed to pick up the choruses on the quicker, more bluegrassy numbers and drive them along although they use this trick just one too many times.

‘A White Blank Page’ is a particularly weighty performance as Mumford fantasizes a letter to someone now beyond reach as dramatic violins and sudden chunks of piano melt with an angry yet sorrowful vocal performance. Despite the mournful surface of the song there does seem to be a sense of redemption by the song’s end.

Marcus Mumford is clearly someone who believes in learning from mistakes, or at least being made a stronger person by them. Latest single ‘Little Lion Man’ is more rueful, less vitriolic but finds a kind of all encompassing relief in it’s confession of wrong doing, although the less than sly radio edited cry that he “fucked it up this time” may prevent it becoming a radio smash...not that I give a shit about the radio and its corporate bullshit, but I digress.

The level of quality and attention to detail on display vindicates the amount of time the band took to get the record out and although it does trail slightly towards the end but what really impresses is the way that Mumford & Sons ideals and personal philosophy seep through the lyrics of the record to make it a far deeper and overall more rewarding listen than those made by their more chart-friendly peers.

This is highly recommended for fans of The Decemberists, Noah And the whale, The Steeldrivers..and folk music in general.

Artist: Mumford and Sons
Album: Sigh No More
Genre: Folk, Nu-Folk
Country: England
Overall Rating: 8.5 of 10 stars
download has been suspended by request of greedy music companies and RIAA.

The 11th Hour - Burden Of Grief

2009-11-03T09:27:00.004-05:00

"Diagnosed with a terminal lung disease, haunted by unspeakable nightmares..."

...so begins the explanation of the concept behind "Burden Of Grief", the debut album from part-Dutch/part-Swedish duo The 11th Hour. Behind the facade of The 11th Hour lies a supergroup of sorts: we have main man and multi-instrumentalist Ed Warby of Gorefest, Demiurg, Hail Of Bullets and others, and growler Rogga Johansson of Edge Of Sanity, Demiurg and Paganizer collaborating on a "wish-come-true" album of pure doom for Ed, a significant deviation from the death metal past for both of them.

New to the creation of doom the duo might be but a long history of appreciation towards the genre is imminently obvious in the slightest listen to "Burden Of Grief". Recalling most prominently the legends Candlemass (both new and old) and Solitude Aeturnus, and the less ancient Isole (raising a credit to their brilliant "Silent Ruins" this year), the style played is a most honest and humble take on the epic doom sub-genre flexed in a modern suited production (ala Isole). Being humble and true to the genre's ethos "Burden..." is not one for moving faster than it needs to, usually residing in the 'slow-mid paced' section of the genre, yet the defining aspect of it is the growled vocals of Johansson. Now of course I trust the idea of a pure doom album was a collaborative one between two good friends, but with Warby writing all the songs, playing all instruments and contributing some worthy clean vocals of his own I wonder if the growls of Johansson are really required. His Akerfeldt-meets-Swanö death metal style provide a sharper edge in their moments than Warby's soulful croons but such is the way in the world of epic doom, a pleasantly haunting clean vocal goes a long way further than in many other metal genres, and I'm just not sure if the music is dark and brooding enough to necessitate the throaty growls we are sporadically treated to.

As well as judging the variation in the vocal styles the quality of music mustn't be forgotten, oh no. Epic doom has never been awash with a multitude of bands, and for that I am eternally grateful O Lord, meaning much of what one hears is entirely listenable, and this dear reader is the case with "Burden Of Grief". But little more. Those I rate most highly in the genre of late have either taken the genre in a fantastically epic direction (Doomsword) or simply pushed the classic template that bit further (Isole, again) but The 11th Hour could be well accused of simply playing by the rulebook without offering anything new. Yes there are much worse accusations out there but "Burden Of Grief" is just a little too safe in it's epic doom regimentation to garner top marks. "Atonement", thanks mainly to Warby's passionate requests of a dying man, backed by a wonderful synth backing, is a very good listen and "One Last Smoke" is so Candlemass it would fit right in on their recent "Death Magic Doom", but the special element of fragile beauty key to the genre is noticeably missing. Even with the intelligently inter-woven theme of a dying man's last moments, concluded by the cold beeping of a life-support machine come the end of "Longing For Oblivion", the ingredients for a great doom experience are somewhat incomplete, leaving us an album for the 2nd tier of the epic doom pantheon. With all of that said, for a freshman release this is not bad whatsoever and I look forward to seeing them improve with age. A definite listen for fans of Candlemass, Opeth, Isole, Solitude Aeternus and My dying Bride.

Artist: The 11th Hour
Album: Burden Of grief
Genre: Epic Doom/Death
Country: Denmark/Sweden
Overall Rating: 7 out of 10 stars
Download: Here

State Of The Art - Hilltop Hoods

2009-07-29T16:14:00.006-05:00

Its never been a shock to anyone that I'm a huge fan of international hip hop, and in particular Australian hip hop, which is why, when the group that introduced me to rap from down under, The Hilltop Hoods, released their new long awaited album "State Of The Art", I jumped with joy. looking through the backlog, I've only posted The Hard Road Restrung by them, I'll have to fix that... Anyway, for those that aren't aware, I first heard of The Hilltop Hoods in 2003, when I was sent an mp3 of "The Nosebleed Section", and been hooked sense. Its been a joy to watch their evolution.

Which is why its no surprise that I rather enjoy the innovative "State Of The Art" which though remaining true to its roots in Aussie Hip Hop, broadens and expands and at times crosses into other genres, in a sense its a concept album hidden as a rap album thats abit more aggressive then what most of us are used too from the hoods, but don't let the harder edge turn you off, the album is the same awesome mix of perfectly crafted beats and both meaningful and innovative lyrics, even their freestyles are unlike what we get here in the states, as a child from the tail end of the first generation of hip hop, I enjoy that. But enough of that, lets get into the tracks shall we?

The album starts with "The Return", a nice Run DMC style rock mixed with rap beat where the group freestyles their reintroduction after being off for three years, its a great track that sets the tone for the album, a perfect opener I think. The second track is called "Super Official" and is a return to whats made the hoods loved by true hip hop lovers the world over, a nice easy to listen too party friendly track that just begs to be put on repeat. and played through some big speakers. Next is "Chase That Feeling", the album's first single, which was a nice choice, a really nice opening that sounds kind of like "Kung Fu Fighting" played on a piano, the track is a great easy to listen too track about the tribulations of life and what it means for everyone to chase their dreams, you actually find yourself repeating this one afew times when you first hear it, its just awesome and vintage hoods. Following that is "She's So Ugly", a battle rap thats just so straight for your head its just brilliant, the song is their commentary on the current state of hip hop the world over and how radio is slanting toward "radio friendly" american pop hop, its similar to Downsyde's song about the same subject, but I still love it. Next song is "Still Standing" a great bass heavy party track with an awesome hook that you find youself singing along too by the end while you nod your head to the beat of the awesomely smooth groove that makes you kind of wanna get up and dance, I do love this track so very much. Following that is "Classic Example", a nice freestyle track with american rapper Pharoahe Monch, who makes his first apperance on a song sense 2007, which is a big surprise for me, I'm a big fan of Monch's complex delivery and slant toward the more intelligent lyrics, much like most rappers that aren't from the states, he blends well with the hoods on this track, its got a nice jazzy beat and a nice flow all over all. Next song is "Chris Farley", a song that names off many different famous people of note that are dead, and their desire to gain that level of legend like rappers, singers, and actors known for living a hard lifestyle before them, the chorus on this is just so catchy that you don't realize how far into the song you are by the time you start feeling it completely, brilliant. After that is "The Light You Burned", which starts out with a catchy little sample that I can't really seem to find who does it, but I'd like too, the beat has that sort of rock meets rap beat, which is fast tempo and goes for the head right off, the hoods flow keeps up that pace from the onset, and doesn't really let up, this is another of those great play it on a loud sound system tracks, even if it is basically a break up song, I always enjoy when you can make a song about breaking ups and it be so awesome you have to play it loud and often, its just so catchy that you can't not do it. Next on the list is "Parade of The Dead", a nice hard edged track with a very unique beat, that normally I'd see MCs stumble over, but not the hoods, its a nice hard edged freestyle, which seems to be abit of a theme on this album, but i don't really mind it, its actually a nice change of pace after their last album, it shows they're growing as artists, which I always love. Next is "Last Confession", a nice "redemption track", which is kind of a staple of the Hilltop Hood albums, a smooth laid back jazzy beat sometimes with an obscure old audio sample played in the background, this is one of those things you don't feel complete with out hearing atleast once on a hoods album, they're just so well done, smooth beat with a live piano and violin in there, meaningful interspecies lyrics that make you look inside yourself, I honestly think they're the best group in the world at this kind of track. The second to last song is "Hillatoppa", a song that starts with this nice not to fast beat and a piano beat, as the hoods muse about their place in Hip Hop and its history, its a nice track that gets you from the start and keeps you all the way through straight to the end, a great listen. The final track is "Fifty in Five", which is something really rare in hip hop, its kind of "We Didn't Start The Fire" but done in rap, its a very strange track but its also an incredibly brave track, that I sat here and listened through to repeatedly just to get the whole impact of it, that actually makes it a great choice for a final track for the disc, I love when an album ends on a high note instead of a fizzle, it shows respect and care for the craft instead of just tossing some things together at the end to make it seem like you knew what was going on.

So, the big question, is this album for everyone? I'm not really sure, I'd say its a must for hip hop fans, be it if you've not ever heard international hip hop or are a lover of the genre no matter where the artist comes from, my one downside would be that the album seems alittle like they're trying to mimic the american heavy swearing style at times, the hoods have always had afew swears in their tracks, but this is the most to date, I don't dislike that, I just think it makes it seem slightly american, if that makes sense. As for everyone else, if you are up for an interestingly different take on a genre that is both brilliant and trash at the same time depending on your exposure to it (american radio being trash, the stuff you don't hear on the radio being brilliant at times), I'd say give it a listen, you probably won't be let down, you might even find something you enjoy on here, who knows?

But, if you aren't sure still, here is a video/whatever for "Chase That Feeling", for some reason the actual video for the song is unable to be embedded, which sucks, so this is the closest to thing to it, I can gather, it still lets you hear the song, so not a total loss.

Artist: Hilltop Hoods
Album: State Of The Art
Genre: rap, hip hop, australian hip hop, freestyle hip hop
Homepage: Hilltophoods.com
Myspace: Hilltop Hoods on Myspace
Download: Album Download Here

----

BC

Rest In Peace Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T07:00:00.003-05:00

1958 - 2009
May The Angels Bring You To Your Rest

Clutch - Strange Cousins From The West

2009-06-23T07:52:00.004-05:00

Back once again from the other psychedelic realm where Clutch reside, the band is ready to assault the masses with their ninth studio release, "Strange Cousins From The West". On this release they take a back to the past approach while still incorporating their metal attitude. Ever since Blast Tyrant, Clutch has been readily infusing a heavy blues influence into the mix and with this release they continue along that same glorious path.

Several songs even feature two guitar solos as Clutch inches steadily closer to jam band status. Many of these songs, from the first single “50,000 Unstoppable Watts” to the blues dirge “Abraham Lincoln,” seem ready-made for live improvisation. Strange Cousins isn’t a radical departure from the sound Clutch has honed on their last few albums. On songs like ”Struck Down” and “Let a Poor Man Be,” Clutch trots out the bouncy, Southern-fried riffs and subversive, sardonic lyrics that we’ve come to expect from the veteran band. It’s that rare breed of music that simultaneously makes you want to shake your booty and throw the horns.

This album is a winner for anyone who has been a big fan of the last 3 discs, even though Mick Schauer is no longer present on keyboards(Or Per Wiberg for that matter, Opeth). The lack of keys is the only detraction from this being a full rating of 5 in my book. The fans out there that were hoping that Clutch was going to return to the bombastic sounds of the past, like their self titled masterpiece, I am sorry to say that it looks like that will never happen. This album will find its place among my top ten albums of the year I am sure...maybe even the top 3..I can hardly fathom any other releases scheduled this year to be as kick ass as this one.

Band: Clutch
Album: Strange Cousins From The West
Genre: Stoner/Prog/Doom Influenced/Blues/retro Classic Rock
Country: USA
Download: Here

By Bez aka Hand Of Doom

Ghetto Fairytale - Mira Craig

2009-05-29T15:41:00.002-05:00

Well its been awhile sense I've put up an album, but i thought what better way to come back then by dropping the third album by one of my personal favorites Mira Craig on y'all. Now then, lets get down into this...

As many of you know Mira Craig is abit of an oddity in music, she's the first "do it yourself" artist to reach the number one spot in any country, and the first to do it multiple ones as well. By "Do It Yourself" I mean she started out making beats and recording songs on her laptop and home pc, something she still does alot of, to keep herself true to her form. She also writes and produces for other artists now, as well as being somewhat of a fashion plate in many countries. Defining style and music were never really goals of the half American half Trinidad girl with the at times uniquely booming voice who calls Norway home, they just happened. She mixes styles both in music and vocal together that most would think twice about or even question the idea of, but she makes it all work, its unique and instantly hers.

With that said, Mira comes along with her third album "Ghetto Fairytale", which brings her signature mixture of club, dirty south style american hip hop, Caribbean dancehall, latin and african drums, and sometimes, even almost operatic tones, it, like her other two albums, were kind of a roller coaster ride through all of her musical influences, I gotta say, three albums in, still a hell of a ride.

The album opens with a bass heavy booming anthem called "I'm the One" a nice sly yet sexy song with a smooth and slanky baseline and some rather nice lyrics, thats always been abit of a strong point of Mira's, mixing a song that would make a nice slow ballad with the right bass heavy beat to make it that extra bit of awesome, I'd actually like a nice toned down remix of this one, maybe a bonus track or something. the next song is, "Soul" a sort of sing along style song where Mira's mixing a simple guitar with a backbeat and uplifting lyrics about being true to yourself and what you feel is distinctly you. I find myself wondering if this is her trying to shut down her detractors and their complaints about her unique style. The next is "Jig", this is one of her somewhat standard dancehall tracks, Mira has this thing, where she loves to make tracks that you can just put on a playlist at any dance club anywhere and it just gets people going, last album it was "Leo", and the one before that was, well most of the album, but "Jig" is the first of those on this disc, its just awesome, the perfect mix of her brilliance and sassy style. After that is "Live" which starts out with a brilliant guitar and tribal drum mixture as Mira goes between singing really high notes and using her booming lower register, not alot of artists can do that as well as her, the song itself is the kind of song you expect to see middle eastern bellydancers or bollywood desi girls dancing in a group too, i do love this woman's world of influence more and more with each album. Next is one of the stand out tracks "Nightingale" this is her take on slow sexy seductive music, its a mix of light electronica and tribal style, mixed with rather suggestive lyrics done in her lower range coming out almost like a sexy growl, just amazing. Next is "Do It Yourself" an upbeat song that sounds almost like the kind of thing you'd hear in one of those cheerleader movies that suck so much, but unlike those movies, the song is rather catchy, its a testimonial to the work she's done musically, even directly referencing the fact she's made all three albums herself with no help, its almost a straight up calling out of those who have detracted her in the last few years. From here the album takes you back to various spots and doesn't fail to get you out of your seat, as you would expect from an album of this nature, the stand out of the last half of the album is infact the title track "Ghetto Fairytale", which brings Mira back to her mixture of slow and sexy basslines, sultry lyrics and enough of that middle eastern style bellydancing style sound that makes you wanna listen afew times through just for how awesome it is, the album ends afew tracks later with "When Tomorrow Comes" and "Shine" both beautifully tender in their own way tracks that make a great end ot the album.

So the big question, is this album for everyone? I would say so, if you're up for a nice trip around the musical world with stops that most people would think of mixing together this side of an obscure album by Truth Hurts, one of Dr. Dre's forgotten projects, that had a similar concept musically, just not as perfectly done. Mira is one of those artists where if you don't like what she's got to say, or the way she's saying it, you can enjoy the beats or the backing, or if you're in the mood for a singer that can mix high upper range, growling lower range anywhere in between and still bust out a rap that'll leave even the most stoic MC's jaw dropped open, then definitely give her a try, you will not be sitting down by the end of the album, seriously, you'll be on your feet or atleast chairdancing more then once on this disc. Definitely giving it my highest recommendation.

But if you need more convincing, here is her video for "I'm The One"

Arist: Mira Craig
Album: Ghetto Fairytale
Genre: HIP Hop, Dancehall, Club, Latin, African, Funk, Pop
Download: Here

By: BC

Amorphis - Skyforger 2009

2009-05-27T03:50:00.006-05:00

I have been a fan of this band for a very long time. Like what their name signifies, they are ever changing and ever progressing with each passing release. The evolution of this band from brutal death metal to the addition of Finnish folklore and melodies and now even delving into a bit of psychedelia thrown into the mixture has been astounding. Much like other bands I hold in such high regard (Opeth, Gojira and Trouble), Amorphis defies a genre label.

Over the years they have gone from only growling vocals to a mxture of clean/growl and then only clean. Then with Eclipse they brought them back, which I feel greatly improved the band. I had almost lost hope after hearing Far From the Sun. It has truly been an epic journey for Amorphis.

Finally Amorphis has released their ninth full length album, Skyforger. I have to say I have been looking forward to hearing this album for ages now, and when I received my advance copy of Skyforger I was quite ecstatic. I had to listen to it immediately. The opening track. "Sampo", is Amorphis at its most catchy. The chorus will be stuck with you for hours. “The days they blend into the night.” This song also has some very catchy guitar work. It reminds you that Amorphis is a metal band and not the Prog rock group some people accuse them of being. There is also some nice piano work that adds good contrast to the crunching guitar and even a little of Amorphis’s signature keyboard work from the olden days of albums like "Tales From The Thousand Lakes".

I can go on and on and dissect each and every track for you but I wont. This is one of those albums that is a gem and the listener needs to find these treasures on their own. It will not be hard as there are literally NO songs on this that are mundane.

Go out and buy this disc. Support the band. They deserve it.

Band: Amorphis
Album: Skyforger
Genre: Melodic Death Metal/Prog Metal/Folk Metal
Country: Finland
Download: Here
Torrent: Here
Rating: 4.25/5

By Bez

Sirens Of Titan - S/T 2009

2009-05-10T15:10:00.007-05:00

I was talking with my wife the other day about how bands with female vocalists seem to have a harder time making it in the metal scene than those with male singers. She said it was because they get lumped in with bands like Nightwish or Otep. I for the most part agree with her and maybe even have to push it further. It isn't just in the metal scene but in the rock scene as a whole. Female vocalists tend to get thrown under the comparison bus or simply classified as a clone.

That's what sparked my interest in the band Sirens of Titan. I had read a couple of things about them recently, most notably about Felicia Mitchell, singer. I had heard the obvious comparisons that most traditional female rock vocalists get...Ann and Nancy Wilson (Heart) and Grace Slick. I was sold on the premise that the band had some of that 60's hard rock mentality mixed with a good helping of stoner metal grooves similar to Trouble, Kyuss and Clutch. Add in the female vocalist and wow...I had to get it.

And I am really glad I did.

First of all, Felicia does bring up those names of comparison, but she is unique all on her own as well. Much like Janis Joplin had a sound to herself, so does Mitchell in that aspect. Her voice can be tender and flowing, haunting even...and then as brash and powerful as Dallas Brasca or Grace Slick...while invoking the depth of the Wilson sisters. She's not one to have comparisons brought against...she's a new name to be compared to.

Named after the 1959 novel by Kurt Vonnegut, Sirens of Titan slip a few other science-fiction references onto their self-titled debut album, most notably in the Scientology-tweaking 'Thetan Audit.' But their chief interest isn't sci-fi, but sludgy stoner metal in the vein of Sabbath and the Melvins, with guitarist Sam Rhode, drummer Conan Malady and bassist Matt Duffin brewing up a cauldron of noise that is well matched by vocalist Felicia Mitchell, whose tough-girl roar makes her sound like the kind of woman who might not start a bar fight, but could certainly finish it.

This debut album is a full hour of epic kick ass in the vein of the bands I mentioned before: Sabbath, Kyuss, Trouble, Clutch and even Soundgarden in some ways. The end result is a straight up mixture of doom laden, bluesy heavy rock and metal that will get even the most jaded rock fan bobbing their heads. SoT have a few standout tracks on this disc, most notably the funky "Lothario","Hang me Twice" and "Thetan Audit". Other tracks like "Dancing Methusaleh", "43" and "Washed Away" are in your face balls to the wall metal monsters. Even the slower, doomier tracks, such as "Saltonaut" are I daresay brilliant in their composition.

This band is not about having a female vocalist as their hook. They are about riffs and groove first and foremost. The fact that they have Felicia taking on the vocal tasks is just another feather in their hat.

This is a definite winner for any fan of female fronted rock and metal bands. It is even more of a winner when you realize that every single track on this kicks ass.

Band: Sirens Of Titan
Album: S/T
Genre: Stoner Metal/Psychedelic Hard Rock
Download: Here

By Bez

The Black League - The Ghost Brothel 2009

2009-05-01T14:56:00.007-05:00

When I first got my hands on this disc I was a little cynical as to what the sound would be like. After all, the band is made up of members from some pretty extreme metal acts, most worth mentioning Sentenced, Impaled Nazarene, Chaosbreed, Beherit and Lullacry. I had a sort of trepidation, a prejudgment if you will, as to "just how are these straight up metalheads gonna sound doing a stoner throwback to the 60's". Well....pretty damned good as it turns out. Make no qualms about it now, this is a metal band, but a metal band with some serious hippie/southern fried blues.

Fronted by Taneli Jarva(Sentenced, Impaled Nazarene), whose vocals fall somewhere between a Frankenstein mixture of Danny Joe Brown(Molly Hatchet), Glenn Danzig, Roy Orbison,and even Jim Morrison, The Black League is a torrent of sound. Heavy laden guitar riffing from Maike Valanne and Kim "Heavy" Hiltunen resembles Steppenwolf and Sabbath without being a blatant copycat as is all too common in this genre. The soloing is excellent and just eminates the psychedelic sound the band has worked 3 years to craft down to perfection.

Ilkka Tanska is one hell of a bassist and his work with Rale Tiiainen on the drums laying down the monstrous backbeat pushes this release fully into the win category. From the beginning track, "Zero Providence" to the final bars of "Heavy Downer" this album does not have one lacking moment.

This album is a must for fans of the Stoner/psychedic rock and metal genre. Hell, anyone who likes old school rock bands like Molly Hatchet, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Sabbath, Steppenwolf, The Doors and Cream should look into getting this gem as well.

I don't know what it is about Scandinavia, but I can say this: That region of the world has done little but produced some extraordinarily good bands for more than a decade now and The Black League is among the cream of the crop.

Band: The Black League
Album: Ghost Brothel
Genre: Stoner metal/Retro 60's Psychedelic Rock
Country: Finland
Rating: 4/5
Download: Here

By Bez

Serpent Throne - The Battle of Old Crow

2009-04-23T15:09:00.004-05:00

Alright, from the onset I must say I love everything about this band. Everything. The album cover for this release for example. Perfection. Secondly, everything else about "The Battle Of Old Crow" is a pure vein mined of it's epic win.

"Old Crow" is pretty much a riff fest from the second one. They're one of those stoner-rocky kind of bands that pretty much live and die by the quality of their riffs. Fortunately for Serpent Throne, the riff-quality is more than enough to carry this record through 10 songs.

I should also point out as well that riff quality matters all the more for Serpent Throne because they're instrumental. Not too many instrumental stoner rock bands out there, but the lack of a vocalist on this record is decidedly not a bad thing. When you consider the fact that the vocals on a lot of records like this are some guy either trying to sound like Ozzy Osbourne and failing or some guy trying to sound like King Buzzo and failing, the lack of a vocalist isn't much of a problem. In fact, I think it gives them a lot of room to really kind of put how epic their riffs are front and center.

Serpent Throne is basically two parts straight ahead fuzzy riff-rock, with well worn riffs and beats, mixed with one part NWOBHM type epic, twin-guitar shredding, and a little dash of Morricone-esque dustiness. It's these last two elements that really set this record apart and push it over the top for me. I love riffs and I'll never knock a band for just piling thick stoner riffs one on top of each other, but Serpent Throne manages to kick it up a notch by giving what they do a kind of grandiosity which is sometimes lost in dirty riff-rock kind of stuff.

Overall, "Old Crow" is a great album to put on and just kind of bob your head to. If you're like me and you like your riffing with a little bit of epic, then I would suggest checking out Serpent Throne. I hope this record comes out on vinyl because I'd prefer to have that nice cover all big and stuff. To sum it up, this album rocks.

Band: Serpent Throne
Album: The Battle Of Old Crow
Genre: Stoner Rock/Metal, Instrumental
Country: USA
Rapidshare: Here

By Bez

Seventh Void - Heaven Is Gone 2009

2009-04-23T14:55:00.004-05:00

I have been waiting for this bands first effort to to come out for a while now. Take half of Type O Negative and some guys from other underground bands(Uranium 235 and Inhuman) and stir thoroughly. Sounds kinda good, right? Well it is. Heaven Is Gone is a damned good disc and in short, Seventh Void are a decent somewhat radio-ready stoner metal band. Not that that is a bad thing, per se, but with Type O being as unique as they are let's just say I was expecting something new to be added. Still though, that is my one and only complaint.

Kenny Hickey (vocals, guitar) and Johnny Kelly (drums) are joined by Matt Brown (Guitar, formerly Uranium 235) and Hank Hell(Bass, formerly Inhuman) have molded a polished, well produced virgin effort. The guitar team of Hickey and Brown is rock solid and sounds almost as if they were made to play off of one another. The groove on the title track is a pure wall of awesome. Hickey is a damned good vocalist as well, reminiscent of Chris Cornell in his heyday with Soundgarden. As a matter of fact, alot of people will draw correlations between Soundgarden and Seventh Void. They do come off as a retro classic rock band melded with the grunge metal attitude of Soundgarden in both vocals and music. Like I said, nothing new but nothing bad either.

Seventh Void is a slow paced monster of a band for sure. Fans of old school metal like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Cactus, and Uriah Heep will find a place with this album as will fans of the grunge-era alike. As for the fans of the stoner rock/metal genre, you are right at home here.

Band: Seventh Void
Album: Heaven Is Gone
Genre: Stoner Metal/Retro Grunge/Old School Doom
Country: USA
Rating: 4/5
Rapidshare: Here

By Bez

Black Pyramid - Self Titled 2009

2009-04-22T15:09:00.004-05:00

Hailing from Northampton, Massachusetts comes Black Pyramid, an epic old school doom band that plays the music the way it should be played. A trio, formed out of the ashes of the now defunct groups Artimus Pyledriver, Black Fucking Doom, and Palace In Thunderland, they have already made a tsunami of a wave for themselves with their 7 inch released last year that managed to end up bringing the unknowns all the way to being labeled the best 7 inch of the year in the underground doom scene.

Andy Beresky (Guitars and Vocals), Gein (Bass) and Clay Neely (Drums) have now gone from such accolades to releasing their new full length self titled disc on Electric Earth Records. This album is a killer! From the Sabbathy guitar tones to the bombastic drumming to the epicurean psychedelia of the bass riffings, this album is going to be legendary. I cannot tell you how surprised I was to hear how well each song has been crafted to perfection. Surprised and purely overjoyed. I find myself still losing my train of thought as I am trying to write this as I keep starting to nod my head with the rhythms.

I tried several times to pick out one or two tracks to comment on but I found it to be very hard as they all are of equal value. Let's just say that the album is a crushing triumph from beginning to end. Even the production is reminiscent of early Sabbath and Hawkwind in its tones and clarity.

Fans of Black Sabbath, Sleep, Trouble, Clutch, Wolfmother, The Sword...take notice right now. This is one not to miss. It is by far the best Stoner metal disc released yet this year and may just be the best that will be released.

Band: Black Pyramid
Album: Self Titled
Genre: Psychedelia/Stoner/Old School Doom Metal
Country: USA (Massachusetts)
Rating: 4.5/5
Rapidshare: Here

By Bez

The Moon and The Nightspirit - Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold 2009

2009-04-21T07:41:00.005-05:00

The Moon and The Nightspirit are a neoclassical/folk band from Hungary. Their new album, "Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold" is a follow up to a promotional EP they released in 2004 for Portugal's label, Equilibrium Music. Having impressed the crew at Equilibrium Music this Hungarian duo was invited to record their first full length album.

They utilize quite a few instruments to create a delicate blend of classical and folk inspired music that transports the listener to realms of fable and mysticism. Drawing upon pagan tales and Hungarian folk stories The Moon and the Nightspirit seek to renew and revitalize tales once told and ways of wisdom once known but now forgotten by many.

The music on “Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold” is a highly crafted blend of acoustic and classical instrumentation that is nearly devoid of electronic corruption. They deliver introspective songs filled with romanticism, mysticism, and beauty. The strings sing, the guitars glisten and the percussion is rousing. Each song illustrates mature musicianship and a sensual sensibility that allows the music to embrace the listener’s heart and spirit in totality. The lyrics express a desire to invite the listener into the shrouded and lonely worlds that the musicians have journeyed through during their own personal quests for spirit and truth. The songs of The Moon and the Nightspirit strive to bridge our collective past and our lost beliefs which now threaten to slip into obscurity.

“Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold” begins with the introductory song “Egi Taltos, and is one of only two songs delivered in the bands native Hungarian tongue. It begins with gentle waves of sound that are quickly overtaken by acoustic guitar and woodwinds. Just as the listener becomes absorbed in the warmth of the woodwinds and guitar, pulsing acoustic percussion joins the guitar and woodwinds contributing a strong ethnic feeling to the composition. The song winds its way skyward like tendrils of smoke rising from an outdoor fire. Agnes Toth’s voice joins the music like an ancient priestess calling forth over the instrumentation. Her voice is pristine and flawless as she sings with the utmost control as her voice flows like water without obstruction or force. Agnes’s voice entwines the instrumentation leading the song forward yet she also retreats at times allowing the musician’s their own moments to flush out the song instrumentally. “Egi Taltos” is a rapturous offering akin to Lorena McKenna’s work though The Moon and the Nightspirit communicate a more authentic feeling than McKenna ever achieved.

Track number four titled “Secret Path” offers the listener a more delicate and restrained approach to The Moon and the Night Spirit. The composition begins tentatively with acoustic guitar and violin. The violin and guitar court one another in a graceful dance that ensnares the listener in the interplay between the instruments. Akin to following the music drifting from a gypsy caravan in some remote landscape the listener is seduced both mentally and emotionally by the interaction of instruments. Once again acoustic percussion joins the song lending an ethnic feel to the music and imbuing it with rhythm. Agnes descends upon the song ever so gently with her angelic voice reciting a tale all too familiar to those who have wandered the forests and natural places of this earth seeking truth and wisdom. Agnes sings of turning away from the towns and cities that hold so many people in favor of returning to the forgotten path found in the heart of the woods. The violin and guitar support her voice once again adding passion to the song and communicating a longing for things lost and forgotten.

“Pagan” is the eighth track on “Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold” and continues the theme of returning to the natural world that man has abandoned in favor of material gains. “Pagan” starts off on a rather festive note with violin, guitar and percussion working together to create an upbeat and driving atmosphere. The violin dances about the composition like a sprite dancing in the moonlight as Agnes sings unto the old gods and the unseen guardians asking for a return to remote times and enchanted lands. The music weaves between moments of energetic surges and more subtle moments that allow for Agnes’s voice to remain prominent while singing. The musicians do a good job of weaving instruments and voice into a rich tapestry that allows both Agnes’s voice and the instrumentation to be appreciated by the listener.

The Moon and the Nightspirit is a wonderful addition to the neoclassical music genre. The band reliance upon pagan myth and their vision of a return to ancient times and beliefs brings the ideological enchantment found so often in the neofolk genre into the realm of neoclassical music. The strong ethnic influences in the music of The Moon and the Nightspirit are also quite refreshing. The melding of neoclassical instrumentation and ethnic percussion makes for enchanting songs that distinguishes the music of The Moon and the Nightspirit much like the Italian influences in Ataraxia distinguish the music of Ataraxia amidst their peers. Fans of neoclassical and heavenly voice music should take note of The Moon and the Nightspirit, as they will certainly be impacting the genre with this release. Music lovers who like to be transported away into realms enchantment, myth, and wooded mysteries should also try out The Moon and the Nightspirit.

Band: The Moon and The Nightspirit
Album: Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold
Genre: Neoclassical/World/Pagan/Gothic/Dark Ambient
Country: Hungary
Size: 74MB
Rating: 4.5/5
Rapidshare: Here

By Bez

Dark The Suns - All Ends In Silence

2009-04-02T06:12:00.005-05:00

Dark The Suns is a Finnish melodic death/doom/gothic metal combo. Like quite a few other bands from the region, they play a kind of Gothic metal but have delved deeper into the aggressive side of the genre in the aspect that they use alot more in the way of growling. It's in now way a progression of the genre but is very pleasing and will surely satisfy anyone who loves this style of music.

All the songs on this release are depressive and dark in nature, with mid tempo beats being the general theme. It is really a melody driven album and I think that is what is so captivating about it as a whole. Do not get me wrong, nowhere on the album are they reminiscent of HIM or To Die For and it does not lack character or energy. This is a metal band, make no mistake about it. In fact, at points it reminds me of a faster paced Swallow the Sun or Funeral album.

Overall, it is a good album in the genre style and extremely appealing to those who even are not fans of Melodic Death Metal. Comparisons will be drawn to Eternal Tears Of Sorrow or older Theatre Of Tragedy by some as well. Dark The Suns is even a bit like a really melodicMoonspell,their influences are vast and it shows in the crafting of this disc.

If you like Swallow The Sun, Moonspell and (new) Paradise Lost and are not afraid of dark Melodic Finnish Metal, this release was made for you but of course if you're looking for something dark and really heavy I'm afraid that it will be too melodic for you. Have a listen to "All Ends In Silence". Without being perfect, I think that some of you will like it a lot. I know I do.

Band: Dark The Suns
Album: All Ends In Silence
label: Firebox Records
Genre: Gothic/Melodic Death Metal
Rating 4/5
Rapidshare: Here
Torrent:Here

By Bez

The Decemberists - The Hazards Of Love

2009-03-27T07:23:00.006-05:00

First things first, I have been jaded by one too many crappy albums from one too many crappy bands that get thrown under the label of indie rock and as a result I tend to be leery of even giving a new one a chance after reading their "genre" labeling. I am really thankful in this case that I took this leap of faith and got The Decemberists new rock opera masterpiece, "The Hazards Of Love".

Yes, rock opera, because anyone who would try to fit this into any other category is an idiot. From the silent and majestic build of the first track to the sweeping refrains of the last Hazards is a work of art. Ranging from elements of hard rock reminiscent of Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Sabbath, Floyd, The Who and Queen to folksy almost civil war era style mid tempo waltzes, one thing can be said about The Decemberists, they are not afraid to take chances to craft an album. And it shows, as the end result left me stunned at how I had managed to overlook this band, who has several full length albums under their collective belts, including their epic last release, The Crane Wife.

Does it work? You're damned straight it does and on many levels. Anyone who loved The Crane Wife (with its own embedded narrative, and two tracks clearing the 10-minute mark) is barely going to notice the difference, and longer-term Decemberists fans should know from ‘The Tain’ EP that Colin Meloy’s had plenty of practice. Importantly, too, this could actually bring in more fans than ever before, because the constraints of the rock-opera mean that Meloy’s writing some of his simplest, most immediately affecting songs. Musically, it’s Maiden/Sabbath/Floyd, without quite reaching the melodic complexity of Led Zep/Queen, because Meloy’s shooting for riffs that can stand being played for five minutes at a stretch. (Incidentally, Meloy took the album-title from a 1966 EP by Anne Briggs, best known for being covered by Led Zeppelin). Think also A Night at the Opera (1975) for the lesser known songs by Brian May (folk-ballad '39' and bombastic-as-it-sounds 'The Prophet's Song'), if that means anything to you. In the final suite, everyone should be thinking ‘Another Brick in the Wall, pt. 2’ (for the use of a children’s choir), maybe ‘Comfortably Numb’ , and certainly bustling-classic ‘Wish you were here'. These echoes are inevitable because rock-opera’s all about pushing the right buttons with tried and trusted chord progressions; plus, Meloy’s anglophilia serves him well. It is almost reminiscent of Frank Zappa sans the zaininess.

You may have guessed by now that the narrative’s not much to write home about. True –but it’s better than the standard folkloric opera-fare; young Margaret is crossed by "The Rake", there’s a period of exile, a royal intervention, captivity, and so on. What’s important is that like ‘Pinball Wizard’ from The Who’s Tommy), the narrative doesn’t get in the way of the tunes, and the choruses are pretty versatile as anthems go. In particular, Shara Worden AKA My Brightest Diamond is a superb female foil to Colin Meloy, and other guests (Jim James, Becky Stark from Lavender Diamond, Robyn Hitchcock) are surprisingly unobtrusive, although that may be a testament to the high standard that The Decemberists hold themselves to. The actual highlights are ‘Hazards of Love, pt. 2’, ‘The Wanting Comes in Waves’, a beautiful bit of fingerpicking in ‘An Interlude’, ‘The Abduction of Margaret’, but you’ll want to listen to the whole thing because the story will prove to grow upon your soul as it has mine.

This is an album that should be in the catalog of any fan of really well done rock music especially if you love rock operas. Go buy the album and support the band. This is one group that truly deserves the support.

Band: The Decemberists
Album: The Hazards Of Love
Label: Capitol Records
Genre: Indie Rock
Rapidshare: Here
Torrent:Here
Rating: 5/5

By Bez

Wine From Tears - Through The Eyes Of A Mad

2009-03-26T05:15:00.010-05:00

As one can see from the majority of my recent reviews I have been on a journey into the realms of new doom metal releases and thus far 2009 has brought some wonderful additions to the genre. Wine From Tears's latest epic "Through the Eyes Of A Mad", is one among them that truly stands apart from the crowd in its darkened glory.

The album flows effortlessly through almost an entire hour and a half of epic ethereal doom metal in the vein of bands like Katatonia, Candlemass, Draconian, My Dying Bride and Saturnus. The music as a whole is filled with glorious elegance tapered by deep growls and haunting piano refrains amidst deeply distorted guitars and a wall of bass and drums that reminds one that the sky could indeed fall at any moment.

Through The Eyes Of A Mad will fit into any fan of doom and gothic metals collection and be held in high regard. It is an epic journey through grief and doubt, suffering and hope, and love both celestial and terrestrial. While not progressing the genre, Wine From Tears will emerge as a new breed of royalty in the halls of doom.

Wine From Tears hails from Russia, where winter is a constant companion and it shows within their work. This album is a feast for the palate. The mournful concoction is a pale winter potion to which one cannot be sated of lightly and even the most discriminating of connoisseurs will hardly find any fault in it whatsoever.

My only sadnesss about this album came about when it was over. Alas, I shall have to wait for the next batch that will most assuredly be aged to perfection.

Band:Wine From Tears
Album: Through The Eyes Of A Mad
Label:Solitude Productions
Rapidshare:Here
Rating: 4.5/5

By Bez

My Dying Bride - For Lies I Sire

2009-03-24T13:33:00.009-05:00

I still remember that cold Chicago winter day in 1992 when I first purchased a My Dying Bride CD. It was called "As The Flower Withers" and my friend at Reckless Records, the cd shop I frequented, was just raving about it being the best doom metal album he had heard since Candlemass "Tales Of Creation" had hit the shelves some 5 or more years before. I finally gave in to his peer pressure and picked the disc up and hurried my way back to the train to get warm and go home before the next snowfall started. Once at the station I unwrapped the disc from it's cellophane skin and placed it into my walkman. From the very first few notes I felt a shiver creep up my spine, colder than the air about my flesh...colder than I had felt from music in a very long time. I felt the music instantly crawl deeply into my psyche and take root like some sort of dark possession.

The albums that followed this masterpiece brought about the same dark pleasures for me. "Turn Loose The Swans", Songs of Darkness, Words of Light" and "The Light at the End of the World" and The "Dreadful Hours " all held their place among my my musical treasures and I still own all of the original copies to this day. I look upon MDB's work like I would a Hieronymous Bosch painting, dark and foreboding, miserable and forelorn, but entrapped in a beauty that cannot be extinguished. Both damning and full of salvation entertwined into a fount of musical artistry.

So, here we are, 2009 Anno Domine, and MDB is back with a new glimpse into their dark world of doom and despair. No longer do I dwell in a climate of snow and bleakness, I can still feel that same coldness I felt creeping about me so long ago the very second the first few notes come into play. It is a perfect analogy to this dark opera, "For Lies I Sire", that it was released in the midst of winter. The crystalline guitar work resounds throughout the album all the while reminding the listener of the legendary albums they have released already. Then we hear Aaron's sullen voice that haunting the melodies. It is a perfect accompaniment to this epic performance. MDB is a band that has music that is felt as much as heard. Even with your eyes closed you can see visions that drift along with the violin's melodies. Much like the Raven is a part of Edgar Allen Poe's legend, so is the violin to MDB.

With this album, the band leaves the cerulean, dark grounds to step into more pale, wintry, evening-like realms. It seems to be lighter then others in the line of deathless kings. It doesn't mean of course, that they have changed stylistics. The characteristic melancholia still oozes, trickling into the heart, and the ghost of the bride constantly looms among naked trees, summoned by the clear voices of poet in his bitter pain. Aaron has filled this opus funerali with vulnerable, shady, haunted bemoans, sang with clear, rending voices echoing from where no pleased tranquility shall ever dwell. There are some parts, when the unbearable bereavement grows and finally bursts into tears. The monumental and blackened gives way under tremendously roaring guitars.The haunted voices are but dreadful auras amongst the gathering winds. Still violin resounding in the distant, fading away like a spectre of beautiful death. The guitars last passages underline the end of the album, bringing some energy into this dark dream…and winter night is rocking the dreamer in her arms forevermore.

After listening to the previous album "A Line of Deathless Kings", I desperately missed such cold and austere stories. Finally I am moved by that latest sonic manuscript . I can assure you won't be able to get rid of the feeling, that you want to experience this album again and again.

Personally, I don't need any other piece of music for the upcoming weeks. I bow before the band for this alone.

Band: My Dying Bride
Album: For Lies I Sire
Genre: Doom Metal
Release: 2009
Label: Peaceville
Rating: 5/5
Rapidshare: Here
Torrent: Here

By Bez

Ajattara - Noitumaa

2009-03-24T09:05:00.007-05:00

OK, right from the get go I need to make it expressedly clear that I am highly biased
when it comes to Ajattara. Being a fan of Amorphis and Pasi's vocals, I was already on board before I even heard them. So, from their very first album I have been a dedicated fan of their unique sound. With that said, I will now attempt to give a fair and balanced review of the new effort, "Noitumaa".

It seems with this kind of music, black/folk metal, you either have an intense passion for it or against it.There is really no middle ground. Of course, some readers right now are probably formulating an argument against what I just said but for the most part it is true. So when I first got Ajattara's new disc to review it felt as if a war was already waging before it even was put into the cd player.

First of all, this is an acoustic black/folk metal album. Egads and ods bodkins! I know what you are probably thinking and believe me, I felt the same upon hearing that it was as such before getting the disc. But yep, no denying it. It's acoustic..not one single electric instrument throughout the entire album. Instead, they have created some of the darkest sounds ever recorded upon traditional acoustic instruments. The outcome is an extremely dark, tribal like sound that conjures up images of ancient pagan ceremonies to summon up dark ancient gods for nefarious deeds. So, all in all....it is a brilliant piece of progression in the black metal genre.

The instruments are extremely downtuned and this adds to the overall heaviness of the sound. This is a brilliant example of why Ajattara is such a good band. They utilize so many different sounds and efforts on this album to bring forth a true acoustic feel to it wihtout losing the overall intensity. On top of the traditional guitars and bass, they are using a Jew's Harp(mouth harp), pump organ, an accordian, cello and violin, and tribal drums that sound as if they are being beaten upon with bones.

"What about the vocals?", I am sure some of the readers are now wondering. No worries there, they are true to Pasi's black metal style and have not been hindered whatsoever. At times he even presents some darkly beautiful melodies while maintaining his demon spawned growl.

"Noitumaa" is likely one of the most interesting acoustic albums I have ever heard and with good reason. It is very odd and unreasonably charming. The production is spectacular and the performance is top notch. In fact, if you can find an acoustic album out there with greater clarity, I would be surprised. In the sea of acoustic releases over the past decade, it is really nice to encounter such a standout album. It may not be for everyone and some of the fans of this bands heavy albums may actually despise it. Who knows? If you love Black Metal and acoustic performances then you will certainly appreciate and enjoy this release. Personally, I think if you are a fan of black metal and don't love it..there is something wrong with you.

Band: Ajattara
Album: Noitumaa
Label: Ranka Records(Finland)
genre: Black/Folk Metal/Experimental
Rating: 5/5
Rapidshare: Here
Torrent: Here

By Bez

Believer - Gabriel

2009-03-24T06:47:00.023-05:00

I may catch some hell for this from long time fans but I’m glad this band broke up when they did. The reason I say this is because the original albums progressed so quickly I can't help but think they had literally nowhere to go from there. They were the pinnacle example of progressive technical thrash and they quickly became derailed amidst grand ideas about expanding their sound to the point they lost their focus on what made them a great band. They went from blitzkrieg speed to a rock opera album in just a few years and somewhere lost the heaviness that made them a contender in the very genre they were in. I mean, come one, the last album had a 20 minute song with female vocals, full orchestra, opera themed movements and all with a subject matter that paralleled C.S.lewis's Narnia. Don't misunderstand me, Dimensions is a brilliant album, especially for its time, but where in the hell do you go from there? Anything further would have been lost on pretentiousness. Again, as a fan of Kurt Bachman and Believer, I am glad they called it to a halt when they did.

The break up gave them sixteen years to think about were they wanted to go as a band and ended up making the strongest album of the bands life in the process of it. They have refocused on what made them so vital to begin with...technical thrash without the erroneous additions.

Gabriel delivers the heavy thrash riffs of Sanity Obscure and the technicality of Dimensions in equal doses without sacrificing either element. This entire package is delivered with a crystal clear production that is better than anything the band managed in the nineties. Of course, taking sixteen years between albums also means that most of you young'n's are unfamiliar with their old albums, so at this point all comparisons to past albums are kind of pointless.

Believer has always played fast-paced thrash composed of heavy, groove-oriented riffs with complex rhythms and beats fronted by a high, spoken-word rasp similar to Atheist’s Kelly Shaefer. This album basically builds on that but it’s apparent that great care was made to make sure that it didn’t sound dated as well. While the tracks all feature the kind of chunky riffs that have been a thrash-staple for years, they’re interspersed with modern sounding progressions, pace-changing musical interludes, as well as a subtle layer of samples and industrial sounds. Even a song such as, “Focused Lethality”, with its reliance on a thrashy main riff still manages to avoid sounding dated by including supporting riffs that are heavy but have a modern touch. That is really where this album shines; in its ability to deliver the thrash fans would expect, but with modern enhancements that will keep it from being dismissed by the current generation of metal fans.

The other area it shines is in its ability to remain fresh by always including little extras such as backing piano, laid-back solos, clean guitar parts and groovy bass-lines. It’s this attention to detail that sets it above a lot of what is coming out lately. I do however have one real complaint about the album, it is concerning the song, “The Brave” which features Howard Jones of Killswitch Engage. I’m not going to try to theorize about why things went wrong but Howard’s clean vocals and the melody itself are just downright horrible. His clean singing during the verses just doesn’t fit the song and the only salvation is when he and Kurt Bachman trade growls on the choruses. Their contrasting styles (Kurt’s high rasp and Howard’s deep growl) sound excellent together and it only makes me wish they had maintained that vocal style throughout the song.

It seems ironic that the bands that really appear to be bringing about quality, unique music right now are the ones that have members well into their thirties or forties (Believer, Cynic, Pestilence, Atheist, etc), but it’s true. As odd as it might sound, this album is actually a breath of fresh air for a metal community that is becoming increasingly stagnant. With Gabriel the band has managed to bring back that old-school thrash sound, but also mix in a large dose of technicality and originality while still sounding very current. The question now remains to be seen whether new listeners will welcome the band or arbitrarily dismiss them as their older brother’s (or father’s) metal. Hopefully it’s the former, and with that I say welcome back guys, hopefully you stick around for awhile.

Band: Believer
Album: Gabriel
Label: Metal Blade/Cesspool Records
release: 2009
Genre: Technical Thrash Metal
rating: 4/5
Megaupload: Here
torrent: Here

by Bez

New Look!

2009-03-18T17:12:00.000-05:00

Thought it was time to come out of the darker colors and into something abit more bright and colorful. Hope you enjoy..

also we've got some great stuff coming up, we know its been a very long time sense we've posted a new album, but we been busy as hell with stuff..

so till then, enjoy the new look!

-
BC

Re-Stock!

2009-02-11T23:53:00.002-05:00

Sorry we've been gone sense sept. various things were keeping us offline, pc issues, connection issues, boring crap like that... anyway I see three requests for re-uploads, so here they are, hope they aren't too late

Live At Adam and Eve's by The Cult Manaix

We made It For You by The Boats

Tomorrow Time by The Boats

sorry for the delay, we're been offline do to net problems, hope this helps.

--

BC

Jim Stafford - ST(1974)

2008-09-18T14:24:00.027-05:00

I have been listening to alot of new releases lately, trying to find ones to present to you, the reader. After exhausting my recent additions I was left with a quandry, I had a desire to write yet another review this month...and and several new but rather mundane albums left untouched to choose from. Unfortunately, as much good music that comes out there is tenfold that are just plain awful. Thanks for that goes to the corporate music industry and its MTV friendly ideology.

After a couple of days relistening to the new additions, it finally occurred to me, why not go back into my vast catalogue of music and pick out a "couple" to give some proper credit and light to? I had made a list of about 20 or so to choose from, dating back to 1965 to about 1986. As the list was weeded out, 1 album kept registering to me as a definite keeper, 1974's Jim Stafford self titled LP.

That's right, LP. Some of you readers have probably never even held a real on in your hands. My how the times have changed.

Jim Stafford is the very definition of originality. No one has ever looked at life or music in the same way, except for maybe Frank Zappa, and that from me says alot to his favor.

His debut album is a testament to his surreal musical nature I am speaking of. Blending comedy, blues, jazz, country, rock, funk, doo wop, 1930's crooner and even early elements of hard rock all into one big melting pot of kick ass. This album must have been a godsend to the music fans of that era who probably spent alot of time trying to figure out how to drown out "Billy Don't Be A Hero" and "Seasons In The Sun".

Hailing from southern Florida, Stafford pioneered the genre of swamp rock, like I said, blending so many different elements of ALL music into one. His hilarious take on the Mississippi Delta Blues, "16 Little red Noses And A Horse That Sweats", is both bizarre and progressive all at once. Who else but Jim Stafford could play the blues with such proficiency....on a banjo?

Only Jim, that's who. Who else would write such lyrics to go along with it like, "My wife ran off with the garbage man — I don’t miss that woman, but somebody gotta empty my can.". While he is ranting about infidelity, garbage men, dippity doo, miniature horses that sweat and nudists you tend to lose the reality that he is really laying down some solid blues riffing.....ON A BANJO.Absolutely revolutionary and it paved the way for artists like Bela Fleck and even Weird Al to follow along in his footsteps.

Stafford liked to make us laugh but he also wants us to think. “The Last Chant.”, with it's dark distorted guitar driven harmonies, Jim is showing us all his dislike for the land developers who came in and destroyed his family's and the swamp cultures way of life by putting up amusement parks and old stodgy retirement communities.

“You just keep dragging my swamp water down,move to florida! We'll build you a town.”
Jim doesn't need to say another word for us all to really see how he feels. I always thought this song would make an awesome cover for a metal band...maybe even a death metal track.

Every song on this album is a standout which is why I brought this out of semi-obscurity.“Nifty Fifties Blues” he rocks right in the same groove as Fats Domino or Little Richard. “I Ain’t Sharin’ Sharon” sees him singing as if he was a 30's crooner.

"Swamp Witch"shows he can tell a story as does his rendition of the classic "Mr. Bojangles". Both tracks are outstanding.

The modern scene lacks the humor and intelligence of a man like Jim Stafford, and that's a shame. In the glitz and glamour of the modern music scene albums and artists come and go in the blink of an eye and most are truly forgettable. Sadder still is the fact that classic albums like this one fade into obscurity and are lost in the abyss of tide and time as a result.

Get this album. Go out and buy it. If you're ever in Branson, Missouri, he has a theatre. Catch a show. It's worth it.

Artist: Jim Stafford
Album: self titled(1974)
genre: blues, rock, jazz, country, comedy, experimental
download: here
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Bez

The Steeldrivers - Self Titled

2008-09-17T03:58:00.017-05:00

A couple months back my friend and cohort Chris messaged me and started raving about this new band he had heard called The Steeldrivers. Him not being one usually to go on a tangent about a group, it peaked my interest, especially when I was informed that they were a bluegrass driven band he likened to one of my current favorites, Old Crow Medicine Show. In my younger days I would have cringed and fled simply at the label country, let alone bluegrass, but over the last 20 years or so I have come to the realization that the label country just sucks. The bands that are lumped into that category are just as diverse as the one in the heavy metal genre. I tend to think of artists like OCMS, The Steeldrivers, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and even Bob Dylan and Neil Young to be more of what should be referred to as American Folk music...not lumped in with the inane yeehawing of Toby Keith and the plethora of other atrocities that fill up the CMT lineup on a daily basis.

For those of you that are not familiar with The Steeldrivers, they are among some of the ELITE among Nashville's session musicians. The group is comprised of Michael Henderson on mandolin, Tammy Rogers on fiddle and vocals, Richard Bailey on Banjo, Chris Stapleton on guitar and vocals with Mike Fleming holding down the bottom end and contributing on vocals. Each one of them seperately has had a Grammy nod in the past and well deserved I must say.

For “The Steeldrivers” project, Michael Henderson and lead vocalist Chris Stapleton teamed up to write eight of the 11 tracks and Stapleton had a hand in co-writing the remaining three tracks. The songwriting is superb throughout the CD. Henderson has never been one to pander to the Nashville establishment in hopes of finding commercial success and his songwriting here with Stapleton continues to mine that same vein of integrity…music for only music’s sake.

It’s something new, different and exciting for bluegrass. It’s continually shifting gears, musically speaking, without ever losing continuity from song to song.The influences on the album are varied, fresh and full of energy and run the gamut from traditional bluegrass, blues, country, soul and rock. Be forewarned that this isn’t a straight-up traditional album, though it has enough songs in that vein that should appease all but the staunchest die-hard traditionalists. It’s also not a “newgrass” album by any stretch of the imagination.

Vocally speaking, Chris Stapleton sings right up there with the best in the business on the traditional sounding songs. Stapleton ups the ante on a couple of the more genre bending numbers, singing like a man possessed - oozing pure unadulterated, raw, uncontrolled emotion and intensity.

Tammy Rogers and Mike Fleming’s harmony vocals on the record make for some of the most exciting and expressive backup vocals I’ve heard in a while. On some songs, they’re in such sync with Stapleton, matching him nuance for nuance.

Rogers’ fiddle work, featured throughout the record, demonstrates why she’s such an in-demand session player in Nashville. While she has a firm grasp on the bluegrass bag of tricks, she also has plenty of other influences to draw upon and manages to inject some new sounds and direction to the fiddle and it’s role in the genre’s standard instrumentation.

Live vid of the band doing, "Blue Side Of The Mountain"

Richard Bailey’s banjo playing on the album is a lesson any aspiring banjo player should take note of. Bailey knows how to pick his spots, often playing the role of the great minimalist in support of the groove and the song. No need for a flurry of notes when three or four will get the job done to greater effect.

To try and point out standout tracks on this album is a hard thing to do as a result of every song being "The song". But if I had to be cornered on it, I would say "Blue Side Of The Mountain", "Heaven Sent", "Midnight Train To Memphis", "If It hadn't Been for love", "Hear The Willow Cry" and my personal favorite, the heart wrenching "Sticks That Made Thunder".

The common theme through out “The Steeldrivers” album is “The Song.” It’s as simple as: Write a great song. Arrange the instrumentation to put the song front and center. Add some stellar musicians who understand how to stay out of the song’s way. Add some influences not usually found in the genre. Record it live. Sit back and enjoy the magic.

Artist: The Steeldrivers
Album: Self Titled
Genre: American Folk/Bluegrass
Website:www.steeldrivers.net
Rating: 5 stars
Download:Here

By Bez

Gojira - The Way Of All Flesh

2008-09-15T21:55:00.007-05:00

I need to say right off the bat, this is a band that does not get the recognition it deserves. I really hope that this album will serve to change that. I have all 4 of their releases to date and there is a reason for that, let me tell you.

The Way of All Flesh seems to have picked up right where the last disc, From Mars to Sirius left off, almost literally (specifically note the guitar in the opening part of “Oroborus” and the end of “Global Warming”. This is most definitely a good thing, because From Mars to Sirius was one serious progressive death metal album. From their first album on, this band has gotten noticeably better. With From Mars to Sirius being one of my favorite albums as of late, I was very excited to put this one on.

In terms of the album’s structure, there are no problems. I would not say it is a strength either. Interestingly enough, the album’s first single does not appear in the first 3/4 of the album. It is in fact the third to last track, which is something I have not personally encountered very often. The single is an interesting choice, in my mind, however. It is very much unlike most of their music, whereas a lot of their other stuff was very quick-paced, and involved a lot of speed, half of “Vacuity” is slow, and pulsing - then moves to some familiar stuff - then changes to unfamiliar territory once again. A great track all in all, but a surprising choice and placement on the album.

The two main strengths of this album are it’s consistency and strength of the individual songs. Excluding “The Way of All Flesh”, “A Sight to Behold”, and “The Silver Cord” any of the tracks on this album would have made a solid single. The non-single-worthy tracks, however, are almost essential to the album itself. Each provides a fair change of pace, and a break of the monotony that Gojira can become.

The fact that each song on the album is quite distinct is what separates it from From Mars to Sirius, which could really be the only real difference (aside from the obvious fact that the songs are not exactly the same). On From Mars to Sirius all of the songs sort of blended together after a few listens, whereas this is not the case on The Way of All Flesh.

On a more technical note, the production quality of this album is absolutely perfect. The mixes range quite differently at times, sometimes being guitar heavy such as the track “The Art of Dying” but are also very balance at times, such as the track “Esoteric Surgery”. The one thing I noticed that I really like, though some others may dislike, is the volume of the snare drum and toms. I liked the fact that they were fairly loud in the mix for almost the entire album. They have such a bright, crisp sound that adds a lot to the songs that have such a dark sound. The best example I noticed of this is in the track “Yama’s Messengers” where each snare hit is very clear and obvious in the mix, bringing attention from the constant grind of the guitar and bass drum parts.

With a fresh batch of brutal songs, Gojira has put together a very strong fourth release, and in my opinion their best to date (inches out From Mars to Sirius by a nose). While staying in-character and using slow triplets and grinding guitar sections, they have added a few small dimensions to the mix that only help make the listener appreciate the things that make up what Gojira are known for. Where the band goes from here in unknown to me, but I can almost say for certain that it will be good.

Download Here

Artist: Gojira
Album: The Way Of All Flesh
Genre: Prog Death/Thrash Metal
website:www.gojira-music.com/
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

BeZ

DezperadoZ - An Eye For An Eye

2008-09-14T15:10:00.006-05:00

I think most of the guys among us (like myself) used to dream of being a tough cowboy. Come on, admit it; living your life in the whole outfit, complete with the boots and the guns, smoking, drinking beer and whiskey and looking like a savage, learning everyone a lesson by being a hot-shot gunfighter sounds rather attractive and charming. And not to forget that cowboy boots and hats have been a wanted item among metal fans for a long time. When the German guitar player Alex Kraft (also known as guitarist for Tom Angelripper's drinking project Onkel Tom) released Desperados debut album 'The Dawn Of Dying' together with Angelripper, he showed that metal and the Wild West can be a great combination.

The name was changed into Dezperadoz with the second album 'The Legend And The Truth' and two years later the third output 'An Eye For An Eye' is unleashed. From the very first seconds you get the feeling back and gets sucked into the world of deserts, saloons and gunfighters, supported by pounding heavy metal with country and Western tunes. The movie and soundtrack feeling has been captured in for example horse hooves and breathes, but also Western guitar tunes, mouth harmonica and whistles that fit perfectly to 'The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. Kraft has also created a concept for this album, which fits perfectly to the music and makes the soundtrack feeling even more present. In general the songs sound a bit more natural and better worked out than before, although I have to admit that not all are equally convincing. But when a band can create songs like 'Wild Bunch', 'May Heaven Strike Me Down' and 'Days Of Thunder', you would easily forgive the rest. Especially when Onkel Tom adds his contribution to 'Here Comes The Pain'.

Next to the ten self-compositions this album contains two (in my eyes) rather convincing cover tracks. This time the choice has fell on The Doors' 'Riders On The Storm' and of course mister Johnny Cash can't be forgotten and gets his tribute with '25 Minutes To Go', which makes 'An Eye For An Eye' the perfect record for the headbangers who also enjoy a good Western. YEE HAW, MoFos!!

Download pt1 here

Download pt2 here

Artist: Dezperadoz
Album: Eye For An Eye
Genre: Western Metal
Website: www.myspace.com/dezperadoz
rating: 4 golden spurs out of a possible 5

By Bez

A Bitch Called Hip Hop - Tomahawk

2008-09-13T23:42:00.004-05:00

And to conclude my week or so long vibe on hip hop, I figure I'll go with one of the more raw MCs I've found out there, that would be Tomahawk, a rapper who either on his own, or with his group Clandestien, always brings 100% to what he does, his delivery is raw and angry, though, his accent sometimes gets in the way of the actual lyrics, but don't let that bother you, the skill is there and thats what matters, least that what true fans would believe anyway, after all thats what hip hop is about, the lyrics and the beats and the marriage they have. Tomahawk's crew, Clandestien, are kind of like an aussie version of Living Legends or (going back afew years) canada's Monolith, meaning they all are solo artists, who flow amazingly together and will do albums together just so they can rhyme, most of them are infact represented on this album, which is great. Their style as a whole is kind of in your face social conscious themes done in street level dialect.

This is Tomahawk's second album, though most argue its the better of the two, which is infact why I'm reviewing it. It starts off well, with an over 6 minute introduction track thats ment to be metaphorical of his "marriage" to hip hop and how he loves it, but it doesn't seem to love him back right now, its rather symbolic of many an MC's complained these days, I find it rather raw and to the point personally, but thats just me, I'm like that. the second track is "Straight Outta Tragged Corridor" a battle track that makes you wanna go beat someone up to it, he's joined on this track with Layla, a female MC I'd like to hear more of, its also got one of the best MC diss lines I've ever heard "the only friends you have exist on myspace" which kind of takes a shot at how anyone who thinks they can rap can get tons of "fame" just by having a myspace account. Next is "The Sith Lord" where in Tomahawk drops verses as his alter ego, Darth Hawk, metaphorically calling mics lightsabers, which isn't so bad, I rather like the track, even if the batman/robin line seems out of place, still a great song honestly. Next is "Spoken Homing Beacon" which has a lovely amped up beat to it, the verses themselves are pretty well done, following his theme of being angry with hip hop as a whole, I like that he keeps to the theme instead of just tossing random stuff together and calling it an album, thats always bothered me, when an album makes no real statement, that is after all what hip hop is about, making a statement. Next is "I'm Sorry I Hate You" again with Layla on this track, which makes me just wanna hear a whole album of hers even more, again following the theme that hawk is mad with hip hop and what its become, though I love the use of the "baby love" sample, still Layla is the stand out on this one, lovely. Followed by "Cry Me A River" again with Layla, who at this point on is on just about every track and the album's first appearance by the lovely Porsah Laine, hawk's lyrics hit hard and boom off like bullets out of a sniper's gun as he freestyles, leading into Porsah's sexy vocals which lead into Layla's vocal, you get the feeling of an old smokey club in an inner city in a 1940s film nior gangster movie, just brilliant. Next is the song that first made me wanna find this album, "Love 2 Love Ya", a lovely sample of song of the disco song of the same name, on which hawk and layla go verse for verse in whats almost a mixtape must track, this is one you wanna turn up loud and repeat. Next song is "Now I'm In The House", a "chillin' with the crew" track, its got a killer bassline the lyrics just bang, Layla's verse is almost like a sexy panther stalking around her pray waiting for the moment to go for the kill move. Its followed by the very sexy "At The Strippers" which has a beautiful sample of that awesome classic "black velvet" which porsah laine just drops the sexiest vocals I've heard on a rap track in a very long time, completely amazing, even for a song about a strip club. From here the album follows the same theme, the angry self and outwardly introspective tracks by hawk, layla and porsah laine, beautiful samples that aren't what you'd assume from a rap album, and beats that bang so hard you almost sad when its over, beautiful disc, beautiful statement, and in the end, a beautifully dark love letter to a bitch called hip hop.

My only real compliant about the album is that there aren't more people from Clandestien on the album, for anyone thats aware of who they are, and how they sound together, you'll feel let down in that respect, but still love the disc because of how onpoint the three featured here are. I can see why it would have few though, one would love to stand on their own and make their own sales, not just sell because of who else is on their disc. Other then that though, I've nothing but love for this disc and what it stands for. I can see how many might get put off by hawk's overly angry delivery, but well, when you're angry, you deliver angry, its just how it goes, you know? Definitely a must listen if you've not actually heard it yet.

Here is the video to Introduction for those who want a sample...

Artist: Tomahawk w/Layla and Porsah Laine
Homepage: N/A
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/tomahawksbx and http://www.myspace.com/clandestienclan
Genre: Rap/Bass/Aussie Hip Hop/
Download: Here

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BC

The Grey Space - Horrorshow

2008-09-13T16:16:00.003-05:00

As I've stated before, I'm really picky about my hip hop, to the extent I present to you the group "Horrorshow" out of Sydney Australia, with their debut album "The Grey Space", which i guess you could list as "new age rap" which is what they themselves call it, and i guess that fits for lack of a more to the point description or someone to list them as similar too. Though if I had to pin them down, I'd say its kind of like if the Boats did hip hop. And well, those of you who have been following us for awhile know just how much I love the boats and reserve comparison for those who truly deserve it. I'm not trying to sell you on it when I tell you right now, if you give this album a listen you WILL be blown away, there is no way around it.

This is one of those albums that just feels so awesome that you don't realize you've listened to the whole thing till you've come to the end, there are gems like "All Summer Long" that are just beautiful, a lovely uptempo blues hop track that lets the beat showcase just as much as the vocals, which I love, its like most of their songs honestly, a nice long mellow laid back bit of brilliance. Other major stand outs on this album are "Celapram" which has an incredible Jeff Buckley reference in it which made me roll back the player and listen to it afew times over just because of how it seemed together perfectly over the "ready or not" style eerie bassbeat, "Choose None" with rapper Just Enuf, a nice fast pace track that will have you nodding your head and turning it up because you'll just feel it. Other songs include the track "Days Past" which is just a beautiful jazz hop track thats got a great laid back beat that gets deep meaningful hip hop love story lyrics laid down over it, just amazing, its one of my favorites on the entire album, and believe me, finding a favorite was really hard to settle on. This whole disc is seriously full of gems, I'm not kidding, songs like "Dire Straits Pt. 1" which I could make a good argument for being the best rap song made this year, even though its only like 2 minutes and 30 seconds or so long. Both versions of "No Rides Left" are awesome beyond words, I love the flow, the piano beat, you couldn't believe this is their debut album with tracks like this, it shows awareness of having to have "radio style singles" that will get the masses hooked but not distort the album and its flow, not many artists do that, they'll just toss singles in and not care they don't fit the album's theme. It really is hard to not give you way to much of the album, but the rest I'll leave a mystery, after all, a fun album isn't as fun if you have a roadmap of what its gonna all be as you're doing it.

Now for the big question, do I think everyone will like this album? Yes, I think that this album, and more like it, should be more prominent in hip hop the world over, and should be given airplay, as to show the world that hip hop isn't all the horribly clitche violent "gangsta" stuff that gets forced down our throats. It shows that there is always room to grow and that hip hop is not dead as an artform, so yes, I believe that anyone, should they give it a listen will enjoy this. I know i did.

Sorry I couldn't find a video of them, but if you want a sample, their myspace has a fair amount of them to give you an idea.

Artist: Horrorshow
Homepage: http://www.elefanttraks.com
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/horrorshowcrew
Album: The Grey Space
Genre: Hip Hop/Australian hip hop/D.I.Y Music/Blues Hop/New Age Rap/Jazz/Blues
Download: Here

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BC

Thirst - Blacklight

2008-09-12T17:45:00.003-05:00

A solid period of fifteen years the Polish duo Thirst has under its belt. Curiously, or let’s better say tragically nobody seemed to give a damn about them in yon space of time, maybe except for some patriots. Admittedly, one definitely wasn’t suchlike conspicuous in the past. Indeed, two full albums, three demos and one split are a firm balance. But among this there’s nothing which raised a kind of real attention.

So, for the jubilee one comes up with a full-lengther, which at least technically dwarfs all the former stuff of the band. Obviously, one attaches great importance to a powerful and unutterable massive sound. Though, musicians, especially in this genre, first of all with this make a glaring mistake. Because, only a few things are more horrible for a listener than having to endure what one for himself wishes to relish in a mostly rawer sound-garb. “Blacklight” after some cycles of listening embodies exactly this wish. Viewed musically, throughout effective riff-leadings are expressed, which, though, not necessarily emerge in frequency, but in their certain moments, be it those of evilness, melancholy or coldness, without doubt show force.

Otherwise this force steadily decreases rapidly when yon winks are strangulated in form of unexpectedly annoying breaks and this absolute massiveness. One has to imagine that like following: The throughout high tempo by dint of the clearly overproduced and artificial drums builds up a bass-dominated wall, which only after some time fills the listener with antipathy. Additionally, the anywhere polished sounding guitars squeeze into the arrangement and by virtue of their baggy character develop a kind of warm aura, what in the end also for the appearance of many riffs is everything else than conducive. Finally, one adds some chant as well as a bass-guitar-layer and some symphonic keyboard-elements, and already this can become too much. To pile it on one would say for that. And de facto the arguably well meant overdose of sound-quality displaces everything what this music without question was able to rear up: atmosphere.

This would –while taking the Emperor-sound from `94 - whirr around in gloomy fields of magic, of black magic; would sound infernal and occult, soothed by some latent kept moments of light.It's not the best Black metal disc I have ever heard...but it is definitely better than the horrible ones I have had to endure over the last couple of years. Too bad they decided to go for a more polished sound instead of paying tribute to the Gods of youre like Emperor and Bathory's first couple of discs. Sometimes raw IS better.

Download here

Artist: Thirst
Album: Blacklight
Genre: Progressive/Melodic Black Metal
Website: www.myspace.com/thirstbm
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

By Bez

Verjnuarmu - Ruatokansan Uamunkoetto

2008-09-12T16:49:00.005-05:00

What is savo metal?

Verjnuarmu might be savo metallers, but they are also the only band that plays this kind of music. Does this make them that good automatically? Yes and honestly they do deserve all the praise you can give them.

I thought it was a joke when I found out that Verjnuarmu labeled themselves as savo metal. Great another genre to add to metal, that’s what we need right now. It turns out their kind of metal music is most welcomed to this melting pot known as metal.

Savo stands for Savonian, which is a spoken Finnish language spoken in Savonia and other parts of Eastern Finland. To put that in terms most people can understand…this album isn’t in English. Instead of having an easy time understanding the band you have to do some homework to understand it. I didn’t find this a real problem since I listen to other foreign bands, Rammstein being the biggest of these foreign bands.

Even though Verjnuarmu is doing their own thing with their language you can easily get into this album. From the albums first track, Tulesta Pimmeyvven, I was really into this album. The growling, gothic, and epic sounding vocals are extremely good. Puijon Perkele is defiantly a force with his clean, or as I called it, epic vocals.

Fans of melodic death metal should feel right at home with this release as well. The guitar riffs are blasting with energy and the solos, God are the solos great on this record. It is so hard for me to pick my favorite guitar song; everyone has its own touch to it that’s so special.

One track that really sticks out as a masterpiece is Huaskalinnut. The combination of heavy riffs, blasting drumming beats, and Perkele’s vocals send a bolt of lighting through my body. I haven’t heard this much passion and energy in a song for a long time. This is what metal is about!

Most of the drumming tracks are pretty intense on this record. They have a melodic death metal/doom metal sound to them, which goes real well with the album...Add in the tight bass parts and you have a double whammy. Good vocals, guitars, bass, and drums? Yeah this album pretty much has it all.

I can’t express enough how much I enjoy this album. True, American metal fans might be turned away with none English lyrics. You need to forget about that and buy this album. I am not kidding when I say how good this album is. I’m having a real hard time taking it out of my mp3 player.

Download Here

Artist: Verjnuarmu
Album: Ruatokansan Uamunkoetto
Genre: Folk/Melodic Death Metal
Website: www.verjnuarmu.net
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

By Bez

Love War and The Ghost of Whitey Ford - Everlast

2008-09-12T16:35:00.003-05:00

Awhile back we brought you Everlast's "White Trash Beautiful" which, though not your standard Everlast rock/rap/blues hybrid was enjoyable, with that I figured sense i got my hands on this advance copy of his next album "Love, War and the ghost of Whitey Ford", and though to newer fans this might not be the best album to start out with, to fans of Everlast and that unique sound that he's been creating ever sense his groundbreaking "Whitey Ford Sings The Blues", this will be more of the same, but not in a boring tired way, Everlast always seems to bring something new to that blues rock folk hop sound he's created, which i think is great, after all, if you create a genre, you should be the one that defines it and is at the front of it. Least thats what I think anyway, I'm odd like that.

The album starts off with "Kill The Emperior" which is kind of a backhanded political protest song, which I must admit, is shaky for the first minute and a half or so, then settles into an awesome flow once Everlast starts to rap, its not a bad lead off track, though that beginning might turn off newer listeners who might switch to the next track at that point. Next is a cover of the blues/folk classic "Folsom Prison Blues", Everlast completely reworks the song and brings it into his personal style very well, he even manages to make it upbeat and enjoyable with the fun rhythmic guitars and returning to that whistle that Everlast used in his days with House of Pain on their song "Jump Around", he's done rather well with this song, I might have rathered it be the lead off track honestly. Next is "In My Hand", which starts with a Ravi Shankar style sitar bit that crashes right into some upbeat electric guitars, then a nice awesome driving bass beat to bring him through another protest style track, not many people can make you wanna turn up a protest song, let alone make it sound funky, as normal Everlast makes it all work, rather impressive. Next is "Anyone", this is the first uncomfortably raw slow sad love songs on this album, one of Everlast's signatures is that he can make these blues/folk rock style love songs that are so depressing but also beautiful in their depression, this is no exception as he expresses the depths that he will go to for the love of his woman, great track this one is. Next is "Die In Your Arms", which brings the tempo up to one of those fast paced 1980s style rock songs about a woman, this is the kind of thing you crank up at a cook out and groove to with some sweet thang who looks hot enough to melt tarmac in the deep south in the middle of the summer, this track best be a single, its THAT good, seriously. Next is "Friend", a nice upbeat love track in the vain of "Babylon Feeling" off the "eat at whitey's" album, this is another that would make a great single actually, probably good enough to put Ev back in the spotlight for awhile. This is followed hy "Everyone", which is a sexy sort of electric blues song trying to make up for cheating on his girlfriend that I find myself listening to over and over, its got this sort of sexy john lee hooker style feel to it. Next song is "Naked", which starts off with a nice bossanova style beginning and leads into a nice electric blues rock rap track, which is again a protest song aimed at George W. Bush. Next song is "Stay", another mellow beautiful love song, it sounds kind of like a song by the legendary (but forgotten) harry chapin, I rather enjoyed this one.

The rest of the album from there is pretty much more of the same, all enjoyable to their own and worth a listen. I found myself really enjoying this disc as a whole, it didn't feel like it was lacking anything or just missing its mark, you can really feel the time it took to work on the disk, which most people would enjoy, even if you weren't a fan of Everlast's before. Give it a Listen, won't be let down.

Here he is doing the theme to the rather good tv series "Saving Grace", saddly this beautiful track isn't on the new album, something about contracts and whatnot.. so enjoy it anyway...

Artist: Everlast
Homepage: http://www.martyr-inc.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theofficialeverlast
Album: Love, War and The Ghost Of Whitey Ford
Genre: Rap/Rock/Blues/folk/Fusion
Download: Here

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Just A Simple Poet

Jeanius - Jean Grae

2008-09-12T14:21:00.004-05:00

As you all know, I'm very picky about my hip hop, growing up one of those kids with a notebook full of rhymes that traveled from cypher to cypher, to this extent, its made me very critical of my lyrical content when it comes to hip hop, and made me reject 95% of whats played on the radio and labeled hip hop. and though I am very vocal about the fact the better rappers and lyricists are out of the United States these days, I happily will admit when I find a great mc based here. I've known for many years of the legend that is Jean Grae, the female MC from New York City with a flow that I might actually have trouble finding a female or even male MC that can match it. Makes alot of sense really, Jean's musical pedigree is abit hard to touch, born in South Africa to two well known jazz musicians, and learning on her way up from artists like Talib Kweli, and The Roots (ironically the roots also started off the career of Jean's sound-a-like Eve also.) It seemed destiny for Jean to get into the business, and with 8 albums to her name (2 mixtapes, 5 albums and 1 album dropping in late sept.) its safe to say that Jean's reached her destiny.

I've decided to give you all the kind of controversial album "Jeanius", which saw its offical release in early 2008, but bootlegs have been available sense 2004, its an album she's done with production maven 9th Wonder, one of the greatest producers i've come across in many years, but then I do love his other work, so yeah.. as a whole "Jeanius" is a great disc, very easy flowing and enjoyable, the beats are tight and work perfectly with that lyrics which are as sharp and onpoint, as in the standard when it comes to Jean. Even from the intro, you hear how perfectly everything fits together, its followed up with "2-32's" a great banging track with rapper Daily Planet, the uptempo flow works amazingly well with the piano and bass guitar backing. That sets the flow and tone for the album, deep intellectual tracks, mixed with uptempo bangers that'll get play everywhere that people care about actual lyric content and not about who's shoes they're wearing.

Its hard to really go into detail with this album, its not that its not good or worthy of listening too, its just that you gotta really listen too it to fully get what Jean's saying with it, its a blueprint of who she is, kind of a hard to pick apart something of that nature, when really you must listen too it completely to understand it, its kind of akin to Marven Gaye's "Whats Goin On?" or any other classic soul album back in the day. She talks about her childhood, her teenage years, to her miscarriage, love, hate, life and such, its really a beautiful painting of who she is and the world around her. From drug tales to young girls selling themselves at early ages, to everything in between. Its really abit mindblowing as a whole, and you must listen, thats really all I can say.

Will everyone like it? I think if you're a fan of well constructed beats, and inanely good lyrics, then you'll love it, or if you're interested in seeing what real hip hop is about, instead of that on the radio crap, give her a listen. I know I didn't go into alot of description, but seriously its one of those discs you gotta just hear to understand.

here is a video sample....

Artist: Jean Grae
Homepage: http://www.ihiphop.com/jeangrae
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/jeangrae
Album: Jeanius
Genre: Rap/New York Rap/Female Rappers/Intelligent Rap
Download: Here

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BC

Haggard - Tales Of Ithiria

2008-09-12T09:56:00.003-05:00

Some 8 years ago i saw a video performance at the now defunct Eurorock festival in Belgium of the band Haggard, who were trying hard with about 15 band members on a small stage to bring across their musical message to the audience with a back then special mix of metal, medieval and renaissance folk with neo-classical elements. They really delivered.

Now the band has its new album out in four years time. Tales of Ithiria is a concept album about a fantasy world created by Haggard where the eternal battle between good and evil is fought. What is immediately noticeable is that the neo-classical part is more present on this recording than the metal part. This makes the Tales of Ithiria album quite accessible to a much larger audience than the metal crowd only. Apparantly a great deal of work has been devoted to this album and musically this metal chamber orchestra again operates on a very high level.

Especially the vocals are a real delight to listen to with the combination of soprano voice and other classical voices, the grunts from band leader Asis Nasseri and the voice of Mike Terrana who has lend his expressive voice to tell the epic stories from Ithiria. The instrumentation consists of bombastic percussion, rock, metal and an orchestral backing. Musically Haggard really found the perfect balance between accessible melodies and harmonies on the one hand and highly complex arrangements on the other.

At moments the atmosphere reminds a bit of Therion due to the opera vocals, but musically Haggard taps from a somewhat more tranquil and majestic vein. Fans of neo-classical music as well as gothic metal will find this a great recording. Quite unexpected is the interpretation of the classic poptune ‘Hijo de la Luna’, originally performed by Mecano and later on also by a.o. Sarah Brightman and the Flemish Latin diva Belle Perez. Haggard invites you to enter the hall of the king and let yourself be enchanted by the stories from the land of Ithiria. A truly magnificent musical work!

Download Here

Artist: Haggard
Album: Tales Of Ithiria
Genre: Classical/Orchestral/Symphonic Metal
website: http://www.myspace.com/haggard2007
rating: 5 out of 5 stars

By Bez

Clutch - Full Fathom Five

2008-09-12T09:29:00.005-05:00

The awful truth is Clutch is basically unkown among the MTV generation. They aren't radio friendly and they aren't pc. They do not compromise their songs to make money or their integrity to sell albums. But that has never stopped Clutch from beng one of the best bands to come along in the heavy metal/hard rock world in about 15 years.

With Full Fathom Five being released Clutch has not only released a stellar live album but a full length concert DVD as well to enlighten the masses that are willing to open their eyes and take a look. They even went as far as to create their own label, Weathermaker Music, so that they can retain complete creative control over their music and merchandising. Not only proficient and funky...but intelligent as well.

The set list is a masterful combination of songs the band's early successes, some follow-up glories and some very recent releases as well. The CD contains 15 live tracks and the DVD contains 13 of those songs and seven tracks that are not on the audio release.

And that is what makes this collection so great. As a band, Clutch has steadfastly refused to remain constant, changing up its sound and mixing in new twists and turns in its nearly 20 years of existence. Elements of hardcore punk, the blues, classic rock, heavy metal and even some funk have been present in the band's eight full-length albums.

The audio release is an interesting collection of the band's history, taking songs from various spots in the Clutch discography. They start with "Dragonfly" from their 1998 Elephant Riders release and then jump right into "Child of the City" and "The Devil and Me", two songs on 2007's From Beale Street to Oblivion, Clutch's last AMAZING studio release.

Keeping the audience on its toes, the band deftly mixes in songs from their self-titled album, as well as from Blast Tyrant, and Robot Hive/Exodus, bouncing from new to old and then right back. The tracks are definitely live as they take liberties with the band's studio sound. While it is not fair to call their live sets a jam session, there is a definite sense that the band feels a certain liberty when playing live. The result is often an interesting take on what most fans who have only heard them from their albums know.

Listening to the live album, it is very easy to get lost in the music, which in this case is a very good thing. The band's ability to translate individual songs from various points in its career into one mesmerizing live sound shows that Clutch is a band that likes what it does and is very good at it as well.

Full Fathom Five will definitely be a must buy for fans of the band, and it is good enough as a live album that it just may drag a few new fans into the fold. For those whose experience with this live CD/DVD set does make you a fan, welcome aboard. A lot of us have known since the early 1990s what you are now just finding out – Clutch simply rocks.

Download Here

Artist: Clutch
Album: Full Fathom Five
Genre: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Website: www.pro-rock.com
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By Bez

Trevor's House - Dallas Frasca and Her Gentleman

2008-09-10T14:50:00.003-05:00

Not to long ago, a blues singer I know introduced me to an artist she was rather fond of, given her rough and raw delivery and driving hooks and backing, she called it "dirty down under mississippi delta blues", which, being the blues man I am at heart, drew my attention. The band she introduced me too was Dallas Frasca and Her Gentleman, a blues duo from Pambula, New South Wales, Australia, though by listening to Dallas' voice, you'd never know that. their style is kind of a amalgam of sub genres of blues and old school rock with the modern heartfelt female power ballading women of today's rock. Its kind of like if Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin formed a band, musically and vocally, with Dallas both singing and doing guitar, while her gentlemen as it were, picks up the rest, vocally, Dallas seems to be somewhere in a class of her own, as a woman who was self taught by means of a radio who was her only company on 12 hour shifts as a lab tech, has a stand alone sound that shifts effortlessly from soft and beautiful to raw and an almost thunderous Battlecry on the gruff and hard edged tracks.

These reasons are why, of Dallas' few albums to her name, I picked "Trever's House" as the one to showcase here, it swings the entire length of Dallas' spectrum as an artist, from slow and beautiful to harsh and guitar driven, to everything in between. I've always believed an album should be a trip around the universe in sound, not just a drive around the block in your grandmother's old car just to show off for the neighbors, in that respect i wasn't let down once with this disc. The album starts out with "Define Addiction" a slow starting track that builds to these beautiful hard rock guitar hooks that crash and boom like thunderheads in the night sky, lovely start track, very smart choice. Followed by "No Coincidence" a lovely hard driving rock track, its very reminiscent of those grandus 1970s rock ballads you'd find as an album track on a Led Zepplin album, just on a shorter scale, lovely as well. Next is "rejuvenation" which is infact my favorite track on this disc, i find myself singing the hook at odd times, and the music is awesome, I love the 1940s mambo style beginning that goes into one of those trippy late 60s british rock style tracks, it actually had me kind of dancing in my chair, which, not easy to do.

The rest of the album expands from there, high energy booming guitars, driving drums and well constucted hooks and lyrics. As I listen to her I get a feeling like I'm at this smokey little club in Oz and just watching in awe of the power and drive the band has, which is what really sells the album, its that feeling that this is what they live for, what they love and what they can't breath with out, their desire to sound like no one thats out today, mixed with improvisation and knowing when to put the right songs in the right places, just make them a joy to listen too, another stand out track on the album is "positive contagious" which might be the most mellow song on the whole disc honestly, I love how there is no real growling, or howling, or power ballading, its just nice mellow music with nice mellow vocals as well, beautiful track, its follow up is "One Cent" which has this amazing blues rock song with guitar beats that are like rough hot sex in music form, with vocals that match it perfectly, the song also gets points for the word "shitabyss" which is a lovely reference to the canadian cult tv show Trailer Park Boys, where it was introduced.

There are more tracks on the album, but I have this sort of "you have to listen too it instead of me telling you about it" kind of feeling on it, I mean would you want to tell someone about a rollercoaster ride or would you rather put them in the cart and make'um ride that bad boy with you? Yeah, its conflicting that way, I wanna rave about it, but i don't wanna ruin the surprises. I would say though, everyone should have a listen to this, atleast once, the journey it takes you on is just so beautiful to the ears. Beautiful music by a beautiful and unique woman, which I hope you all will enjoy.

as for kind of a sample... well, I couldn't find a video from this album, but I did find a video of Dallas doing "Old Fashion Morphine" which will give you an idea of her vocals.

Artist: Dallas Frasca and Her Gentleman
Hompage: http://www.dallasfrasca.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/dallasfrascamusic
Album: Trevor's House
Genre: Rock/Blues/Old School Rock
Download: click this

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BC

Surreal Soundz Female Vocalists Vol. 1

2008-08-28T17:26:00.008-05:00

This is something I've wanted to do for along time now, and after spending about a year kicking the idea around my head, I decided its time to take the dive and give this one a go, and hopefully you all will enjoy it as well.

I've always been a fan of "female vocalists" I use it in quotes because of how broad this term is, a the direct definition is simply a female singer, be it solo or with a band, but the greater expansion of the term means a woman who sings by herself, or with a band, or does that "chick with a guitar" thing, or a jazz and blues singer, even a female rapper these days can be seen as a female vocalist, though some would argue that point, but not me, I'm just that way. So, with my love of female vocalists as it were, and my having large amounts of them stored on my hard drives, some greats, some known, some obscure, some unknown and some forgotten as the flow of time has gone by. And though some of them I don't really have enough to do my normal "first look" or "10 Tracks" compilations with, I felt maybe this would be the best way to go, one big awesome sampler of awesomeness... Plus I figure by doing this I might get the rest of the staff here to maybe put together some similar sets from other genres of music..

now with that said, lets get into this shall we? Oh before I get to the first artist, I'm leaving out artists I've already done things on, so Beth Hart, Mieka Pauly, Kate Klim, Jodi Shaw, and Inkubus Sukkubus, though deserving, I felt it best to let others shine just abit... Ok, lets get into this shall we?

The Artists....

Allison Crowe: Allison is represented with four songs in this compilation with four songs, Allison is kind of like a Canadian maritime Tori Amos but with ALOT more power in her voice, which to be fair does get away from her sometimes given its actual range, but it doesn't get away enough to make listening to her unenjoyable, she mostly does piano songs, and tends to cover the afore mentioned Tori Amos alot, and afew others as well, included are her covers of "Smells like Teen Spirit", "Let It Be" and "Me and Bobby McGee" as well as her own song "Northern Lights" which i just love, its a beautiful love song that makes you just feel how deep it really is.

Amy Speace: Amy is also represented with four songs, she is kind of a mix of Jewel, Sheryl Crow and Eva Cassidy, her masterful guitar playing and deep soulful lyric content, makes her a rarity, I find her voice to be strong and powerful but also tender and soft when needs be, she's got that 1970s Carol King feel to her, but with a guitar instead of a piano, which doesn't hurt it any, to many solo female vocalists do the girl with a piano thing these days, not that its a bad thing, but you know, been there done that. her songs here include "Make Me Lonely Again", "Weight Of The World", "Idle Hands" and "Two Ships" of which, I can't pick a favorite, though I do love "Idle Hands" and "Two Ships" a great deal.

Nadirah X: "Nadz" as she's called is a Jamaican/Islamic rapper who though you might not recognize her name, the more learned music fans will know her voice from her duet with Annie Lennox on the song "Womankind" as well short guests on remixes and album tracks by many bigger name artists, look for her on tracks by Will Smith, Lauryn Hill and The Roots in the near feature. Her unique style is very akin to a sort of mix of Eve and Lady Saw, with enough Queen Latifa in there to make it interesting, I love her flow and lyric content, its rough and raw and rocksteady, she has two songs "Tuff Lyfe" and "Ordinary Girl" and for her album to appear here later this year when it hits the net, or a retail store near you.

Casey Desmond: There is no way that I could have excluded the Boston based flame haired songstress Casey Desmond, specially sense she commented on my "musical hotness" post about her over on my music news blog (lol), and though its hard to not show some favoritism after that, I did feel the need to include her in this, her sweepingly haunting ballads "Boy Like You" and "Julia Buttlerfly Hill" which are almost too good for pop radio, in the sense they're crafted on a level that almost seems an insult to call them "pop music", think along the lines of Jewel on "Foolish Games" by done in a deeper haunting tone instead of that high operatic tone, truly a great talent waiting for the right song to hit.

Molly Venter: Molly Venter is one of those old school guitarist types, very Carly Simon meets the blues, her raspy voice reminds kind of a Stevie Nicks type vocally and emotionally, she is strong vocally which i love, but you can feel the passion in her voice as she sings, which i also love, she's got two songs in this, "Good Mother" and "Love Me Like You Mean It" which are both touching songs in their own way, though i must admit I like "Good Mother" a song about her mother's final days living with out knowing who she is or where she is, the more important of the two songs to listen too.

Selena Cross: Selena is an odd sort vocally, I do enjoy her lyrics and her music, and her haunting high end voice, but the reason i only included her song "warrior Spirit" is because I feel this is the kind of song she should be doing constantly, its got the right feel too it, the right tone, and that eerie back beat, I love that in my female vocalists, that spooky feeling you know? I love that to no end.

The Tina Jones Band: The Tina Jones Band are a group from Gabriola Island off the coast of Vancouver, a lovely little island shaped like a foot and known for eccentricly hot used bookstore owners and good music when it doesn't involve burn outs playing Bob Marley constantly, among the many non-marley related jam bands is The Tina Joens Band, who are listed here with two of their better songs "scream and shout" and "Sugar Bowl" of them Sugar Bowl being my favorite, they've sort of hard to think of a description for, they're not a blues band, they aren't a pop band, they're somewhere in the middle, kind of like the sort of band you'd find doing coffee shops and poetry slame if that makes sense, very listenable though.

Cindy Alexander: Cindy is a very pop sounding vocalist, her music is very polished and "radio ready" if you believe in the term, she's kind of generic in the sense she sounds a slight bit like atleast three or four other women out there today, though her lyrics are alot better, her two songs in this are "Soldier's Song" and "Immortal", hard to pick a favorite of them though, both excellent songs.

Danielle Miraglia: I had alot of trouble trying to pick what songs to include from Danielle, she has alot of songs that are just amazing, she's kind of good that way though, like an album of hers would be hard to find stand outs, because each song tops the one before it, I settled on the quirky but great "Hot Mom" and "You Don't Know Nothing" which could be about any bar in her homebase of Boston, I really enjoy her, would love to do a write up on her sometime.

Dinah D: Dinah D is a lovely big band style jazz singer from the same place as The Tina Jones Band, but with a completely different style, Dinah's style is rather sexy and slow, with a nice deep voice thats kind of like a refined Big Mama Thorton, Dinah is a joy to listen too, no matter the song, I had alot of trouble picking what to use from her, i picked "Grinning In Your Face" and "Renaissance Man" both lovely tracks with a nice sexy feel to them and insanely strong vocals. Hightly recommended.

The Drive: The Drive is kind of the definition of completely obscure rock, infact they aren't even together anymore, which says something about the rarity of their music, though why an all girl hard rock band where they all dressed like hot goth girls failed I've no idea, I rather enjoyed them, they had a rather stand out sound plus half their album was for free on the net on every site they promoted themselves on, i've even got videos by them infact, which for a band that just disappeared off the face of the net is pretty rare! Their style is kind of like an american twist on Nightwish, or maybe a deep voiced take on Evanessance with abit of that gritty Everlast style rock in there too, its really rather good and i'm amazed they're no more apparently, the songs "Be Bold Be Brave" and "Drip Trickle" are included in this set, I felt they were their best to reach out with.

Sarah B and the Gist: Finally we come to one of my favorites of all time, I know you hear that alot but this is 100% true, I love this band, I love delta blues mixed with rock as it is, but I love the sound they have, that old school sound mixed with Sarah's vocals are just so outstanding, I almost didn't put them in this in stead opting to put them in a thing all by themselves, but I felt this needed that little extra kick in the head. I included the songs "All I said" and "Angry Enough" because I felt they were the two best for a "sampler" like this, both songs are great, the band plays very well and sarah's vocals are strong and powerful the whole way though, it should be a delight to anyone who gives them a listen...

Bonus Track: Nadia Flijer: I chose to include a cover of a lovely Anna Nalik song called "Wreak of The Day" by a promising young singer out of Argentina named Nadia Flijer, sure she's a friend of mine and of fellow Surreal Soundz Staff member Tamara, but I feel she is worthy of some notice, she isn't yet where she can be, and she is still refining her sound, but i personally love her version of this song so much I felt the need to include it on here. Plus I'm a nice guy who believes in giving people a start.. so please enjoy..

Well thats it for volume one of this series, i hope you enjoy it and allow me to do some more in this series, I'm thinking next one will be obscure and forgotten singers sense this one kind of became an unknown artist free for all.

anyway here are the links if you're interested in more by these ladies, the download link is below...

Allison Crowe
Amy Speace
Nadirah X
Casey Desmond
Molly Venter
Selena Cross
The Tina Jones Band
Cindy Alexander
Danielle Miraglia
Dinah D
Sarah B and The Gist
Nadia Flijer

None for The Drive though, sorry :(

Download Link
Surreal Soundz Female Vocalist Compilation Volume One

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BC

New Look!!!

2008-08-28T16:18:00.003-05:00

After almost 2 years with the same look, figured it was time for a radical change, and well, thats what we did...

rather enjoyable I think, but hey I'm bias... lol

more posts coming soon, sorry for the long delays, but you know how summertime is, always outdoors and enjoying it while its here...

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Surreal Soundz Music Blog Staff

Amaseffer - Slaves For Life

2008-08-01T20:33:00.004-05:00

Musical expression comes in many forms, and there is no "one" right or wrong way to deliver it. Israel's AMASEFFER have clearly laid out their vision for their debut album, "Slaves For Life", one that is the culmination of months upon months of hard work, arrangements and just plain blood, sweat and tears. While listening to this album, it becomes obvious that the band are not only conscientious about what they do, but also about the message they are relaying to people, and it is much deeper than one might expect. The theme of this album, the first of a projected trilogy, tells the tale of the history of the Israeli people portrayed in the Old Testament.

It's nearly impossible to place AMASEFFER into one specific sub-genre because their music is so diverse, and their sound so distinct. Technically this could be classified as Prog, but AMASEFFER amalgamate several different styles into their music, including Rock, Metal, Film Score and atmospheric elements. The songs themselves each deliver their own individual flavour, but Middle Eastern influences are the main focus.

AMASEFFER - Hanan Avramovich (guitar), Yuval Kramer (guitar) and Erez Yohanan (drums, percussion and narration) - managed to summon one of the most respected vocalists in Metal music in the extraordinary Mats Leven (KRUX, ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ex-AT VANCE) , who diversifies his voice to fit each tale perfectly. The songs speak for themselves. The title track follows the two and a half-minute intro with mesmerizing soundscapes beautifully crafted by AMASEFFER's core. The pair of epics "Birth Of Deliverance" and the near 12-minute masterpiece "Midian" (which includes guest vocals by ARCH ENEMY master growler Angela Gossow) are probably the most sophisticated tracks here, while songs like "Wooden Staff" and "Return To Egypt" capture several levels of emotion with a mixture of real-life sound effects, skilled guitar work and chanting.

This is one of those albums that requires the listener's complete attention. It almost commands it because there is so much going on, and in order to grasp the experience to the fullest effect, you need to be able to listen to it without interruption. AMASEFFER, though not a Death Metal band or a Black Metal band, are an important addition to the Metal genre because they are unique and have something to offer. Simply put, "Slaves To Life" is a masterful work of art that needs to be heard, not just for its musical enjoyment, but also for the message it sends.

Band: Amaseffer
Genre: Progressive Metal
Nationality:Israeli
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

slaves for life pt 1

slaves for life pt 2

By Bez

5000 hits.

2008-07-03T09:55:00.002-05:00

As of half after midnight today (July 3rd) we passed the 5000 hit mark, which is in itself a very amazing thing for a music blog thats not updated constantly and has no actual promotion whatsoever. Sooo....

For myself, and all of the staff here at Surreal Soundz, I'd like to thank you all for coming by, downloading our music, and hopefully enjoying it in the process (and maybe leaving afew thank you posts here and there so we know we're getting somewhere). We hope to continue to bring you all good music from outside the mainstream for a good long while. We hope to be back up and running full steam again soon, work, real life and the summer has been keeping us all away for the most part as of late, but y'all know how that goes.

So again, thank you all for the milestone and enjoying what we do, we look forward to giving you more in the future... after all sharing music is how we all connect on the most basic of levels...

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Just A Simple Poet

Hail Of Bullets - Of Frost and War

2008-06-22T17:54:00.006-05:00

With ex and current members of Asphyx, Houwitser, Thanatos and Gorefest amongst their ranks, you wouldn’t be expecting anything less than a full-on death metal assault from Hail Of Bullets, and that’s exactly what you get on the WW2-themed ...Of Frost And War. This is one of the heaviest death metal albums I’ve heard this year, sounding like the forgotten pupil of the class of 1991. Coming on a bit like Dismember and Obituary if they were mashed together and buried under several layers of sludge, Hail Of Bullets have churned out a relentlessly brutal release, but I’m not sure if that will be quite enough for the discerning death metal heads among you.

Opening with a routine atmospheric instrumental, ...Of Frost And War really begins with "Ordered Eastward", and the thick, heavy sound, buzz-saw guitars and harrowing vocals of Martin van Drunen (great to have him back) are immediately satisfying. And that pretty much sets the tone for each and every track that follows. Hail Of Bullets use speed in a very old school way, in that they don’t go beyond thrash tempos and refrain from blast beats and excess double-kicking. But it’s the slower parts that really characterize these songs, allowing the layers of tar-thick guitar noise to take precedent. Solos are somewhat infrequent, which is a bit of a shame as when they do appear, such as in album closer "Berlin", they’re rife with melody and emotion.

I’d cite at least half of the songs on ...Of Frost And War as standouts. "General Winter" goes out with perhaps the album’s slowest and most brutal passage, with a flurry of guitar squeals layered on top. "Advancing Once More" brings on the groove big-time before shifting into a full-on speed assault not unlike Obituary. "The Crucial Offensive" is an unrelenting barnstormer from beginning to end, while the last two tracks "Inferno at the Carpathian Mountains" and the aforementioned "Berlin" end the album strongly with noticeably more focus than some of the earlier songs. The only problem I really have with ...Of Frost And War is that every one of its twelve tracks exceeds the four-minute mark, needlessly blowing out the runtime to almost an hour. Given the fairly straightforward nature of the music, there’s not enough variation either within or between songs to really justify the album’s length.

...Of Frost And War is easily one of my favorite death metal releases of late, but it’s not perfect. The old school stylings, thunderous sound and intense delivery are all part of what makes Hail Of Bullets rock, but there’s a slight lack of restraint in their arrangements that means these songs fall short of being truly tight and clinical pieces of death metal songwriting. Having said that, I’m sure there are guys out there who appreciate a band sticking to what they do best and will happily bring a ‘more is more’ attitude to this album. Despite my slight misgivings, ...Of Frost And War is a monstrously heavy slab of quality death played by guys who know, and most importantly love, what they’re doing.

artist: Hail of Bullets
cd: of Frost and War
label: Metal Blade
website:Hail Of Bullets MySpace
rating: 4 out of 5 stars
download: HoB - Of Frost and War brought to you by SurrealSoundZ

By The Blackened Priest

Some Wallpapers

2008-06-21T01:41:00.003-05:00

was messing around with photoshop and came up with these... back soon with more music, we all been busy with work and family and home stuff... y'all know how it goes.. anyway, here we are...

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Re-Adding

2008-05-26T16:38:00.002-05:00

as requested.... on May 1st (sorry for the delay)

Leave The Light On by Beth Hart

Enjoy :)

Elijah Drop Your Gun by Mieka Pauley

2008-03-22T15:00:00.005-05:00

Afew months ago I borrowed the "10 Tracks" concept from my fellow contributor BC, and brought you all some music by one of my favorite artists, Mieka Pauley, a singer/songwriter/hot chick with a guitar from my hometown, the indie music mecca Boston Massachusetts, and to follow that up, I'm proud to bring you her latest album "Elijah Drop Your Gun" a title taken from the song "Run" which is as stated my last time out with her, is a personal favorite of mine. This time though, Mieka's taken a different turn form her down to earth basement studio style thats gained her critical acclaim and awards for so many years. This is a more stylistic and radio geared Mieka Pauley sound, and though I do miss the style I've come to love over these many years of watching her live, listening to her albums and downloading live shows, I don't overly mind the musical risks she's taking on this album. Plus every good artist knows that its a smart thing to change up their style just abit every few years anyway as to keep from getting stale or stagnant in their genre. So though afew songs probably shouldn't have been changed, over all this album is solid, incredibly done and takes Mieka's music to another level all together, which brings her just abit closer to finally being the success she deserves to be.

The album starts out with a new more rockish version of "All Of The Same Mistakes" which transitions well from a slow sad blues song into a somewhat angry chick rocker style which actually brings the song out more. the second song is "Be Like the Man" which is a pretty nice little southern rock style song, you wouldn't think Mieka's voice would lend well to a song thats music sounds like something akin to "Bad To The Bone" but it does, it really comes through when she starts bringing out the more angry tone to her voice near the end then drops back to her normal tone, this is followed by "Secret" which becomes a very upbeat but still sexy song over its simplistic guitar style of before, I love this song's transformation really. The next song is "Bravely" which goes from a somewhat uninteresting song into a very beautiful bit of music written over lyrics that make more sense with the new arrangement, love when a song makes me see it in a new light like that. The next song is 9:45, one of her newer songs I've not exactly heard enough of it to really judge any of its versions, but i'd assume its about getting up and running away in the middle of the night, if thats so the music on the studio version works so well with it as that, its the kind of thing you'd hear in a movie when a woman's trying to get away from an abusive relationship. The next one is "Devil's Got My Secret" not alot was changed for this, a piano is more pronounced and secondary guitars, but honestly, this song is so beautiful that anything they do to it is just amazing, it really is. Followed by "Fate Day By Day" which has become sort of a signature song for Mieka, its updated well but i'm still more in love with the latest live version of it, just so great.. the next one is "Stronger" another of her signature tracks, I rather enjoy this one's new take, the crashing guitars fit the chorus so well not much was done other then that to it from its original form, but still a very nice listen. The next song is "Run" the track which the album's name comes from, and though i love the bluesy "hunter" feel of the original version of the song, I am slowly gaining love for this more pop friendly version that just seems so, different, i understand what she's doing with the song and all, but, dunno just doesn't seem to fit 100% for me, but thats ok opened mindedness is key to life. the last two songs, "Left To God" and "Draped In Blue" though great songs live, seem so much more deep and meaningful in their new forms, no idea why but they just speak so much more, truly beautiful songs they are.

All and all as long as you aren't one of those closed minded "it must always be the same" kind of music fans and aren't open to new takes or ideas then this album isn't for you if you're a fan of Mieka's work before now. BUT, if you are open minded and willing to watch as a great artist comes into her own voice and her own musical space, then this album will be great for you, its not too pop for us not mainstream lovers and its not too indie that mainstream people will go "eww this isn't top 40 so it sucks" though really no one cares what anyone that thinks that way thinks anyway.. I would say this is the kind of album that everyone should atleast give a listen too, you might love it, you might like it, you might hate it, but its still something you could give a listen too just so you know..

here are some sample tracks and a video

All Of The Same Mistakes

Run

and the video for "Secret"

Artist: Mieka Pauley
Myspace: Here
Homepage: here
Album: Elijah Drop Your Gun
Year: 2007
Genre: Indie/Rock/Blues/Pop
Download: Elijah Drop Your Gun by Mieka Pauley

By: Just A Simple Poet

New Format...

2008-03-22T14:27:00.002-05:00

in our continuing hopes that you all who visit here will continue to do so, and maybe now and then leave some thanks or comments, we've decided to change up our format alittle bit, we'll be adding abit more info; Artist Homepage, Myspace links, stuff like that, as well as, when possible some sample tracks as to allow you to preview the album before downloading it.

Other then that, we're just abit slow given offline stuff keeping all the staff here busy, and the lack of really top quality unknown or unsigned or obscure/not mainstream artists at the moment, so we do apologize for things being really slow around here as of late, but hopefully things will pick up and we'll be bringing you the best in not exactly mainstream music again as soon as possible.

Also we ask again, if you're an artist, or in a band, and have ATLEAST 10 songs in mp3 format, and would like us to give you a review, please contact us at the following email address ... SurrealSoundzAccount@gmail.com ... give us a detailed description of yourself or your band (members, what they play, history, ext..) and afew pictures to chose from for the review, if we like your work, we'll give it a shot..

anyway, thats all for now..

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BC

Chris Martin - Prologue

2008-02-06T08:46:00.000-05:00

Review by: SftnPnk

I’ve enjoyed Chris’s mixes, from the first time I listened to him. His music is extremely diversified,,not really sticking to a genre, for lack of better wording. Chris always seems to be busy making music, while attending Miami-Dade College as a Pre-medical major. Chris has lived in Miami all his life; he’s just 23 years old. Starting out playing piano at the age of 11, then buying his first guitar at the age of 13, it would appear that Chris was destined to make music or be involved at some level of excellence. Always being musically inclined, between the ages of 16 and 18, Chris played in some local bands as a session musician, mostly playing drums, bass or guitar parts for bands that needed a temporary musician to complete a demo. 1st Live Show on February 1st, 2008, at Florida International University Back in 2003, after graduating high school, Chris took a sharp interest in electronic music after a close friend introduced him to a demo copy of Fruity Loops, and admittedly confesses to being hooked on the latest technology in software and various gadgets used to make electronic music, trying to push his creative limits and exploring the potential for electronic music, ultimately providing himself challenges and presenting fresh and exciting music to his listeners.

As stated before, Chris’s music tastes are very broad, not sticking to any one genre. Some influences that have helped shape his interest in electronic music production, range from artists such as Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Orbital, Boards of Canada to J Dilla, Pat Metheny, Sigur Ros and Luke Vibert, then to My Bloody Valentine, Pete Rock and Daedelus and onto Ulrich Schnauss, Plaid, Radiohead and Prefuse 73, a buffet of varying styles of music!

Track #2 off the featured album, Syntax is one of my favorites, while listening to it, you feel a sense of deep darkness at the start, and then it takes you into this trippy jaunt and gives the feeling of hyped tranquility (if you can imagine), that plays well with your head.

Chris played his first live show on February 1st, this year, at Florida International University in support of this album, “Prologue”. I hope it’s the first of many!

Please show some love and give his new album a listen. Very nice sounds!

Chris Martn - Prologue

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T22:38:00.000-05:00

From all of us at Surreal Soundz, to all of you who come here, we would like to wish you all the best for this holiday season and hope that you and all of yours are happy and safe..

all the best.

-
The Surreal Soundz Staff

Mira Craig - Tribal Dreams

2007-11-11T14:05:00.000-05:00

I was excited to recently come into ownership of Mira Craig's second album, most of you recall my overly raving review of the Norwegian hotness in a can's debut album, and I was waiting for her second time around to see if the queen of do it yourself music could return with the same or better then she did the first time around, and I must tell you, she did not disappoint, as I assumed she wouldn't, she did infact, grow, there is alot of maturity and growth in this second release Tribal Dreams, and I assume that she will continue to grow. There are heavy influences of American hip hop, Eurodance, Drum and Bass, and like 5 different types of Latin music, obviously her time on tour with American and Spanish acts through out Europe has helped her... well more then that knee shattering stagedive did anyway.

Now lets get into the album itself shall we? It starts out with an introduction track as most albums do, I rather like this because its very dark and sinister (more sinister then Nathanial Essex even!) drum and bass meets horror movie score kind of thing with Mira's eerie upper range mixed in for a chorus of just the right feel. The first actual track on the album is "Dada", a very upbeat jazzy bass track thats very dance friendly, sure the track is about sex and the lyrics are very suggestive in their own unconventional way, but still, an awesome track. The second track is "Leo" the defining track of the album, don't get all wigged out, I just mean defining in this is the track that you'll be hearing for years in clubs nonstop, not that its the peak of the disc, Leo is your standard issue club dance track that is gonna get women all over the world up on the dancefloor shaking the junk in their trunks better then any song this year will, the track just drips pools of American hip hop and Latin dance all over the floor around your speakers. The next track is "Fatty Girl" another song thats gotten alot of air play through out the world, well the world thats not the US anyway, damn US radio and its blandness, this track is very American hip hop influenced, you can hear alot of her time touring with Snoop Dogg in this one, even over its thick guitar heavy dirty south style beat that blows the top of your head off, the heartbeat baseline ending is awesome as well. The next song is "Dream", a very nice acoustic guitar and bass track which has Mira proving again the differences in her range, she goes from her normal deep vocal to her higher church chorus vocal range as well, she runs the whole gambit in a very nice love song about her dreams of this guy who she's really into. Thats followed by "Look At Me Now" a very sexy song, akin to snake charmer off her first album, that sexy Turkish/Trinidad traditional meets club beat over a very sexy song thats also one of her more empowering and positive songs, I love how she can mix lyrics about being a strong woman and enough sexuality to remind you just how this song is ment to be danced too into one song so perfectly. Next is "I'm So Ghetto" the beat is something like a mix of dirty south American rap and something like Jill Scott, which might not sound right, but I have to tell you, this works, she also pays homage to her father's home of Baton Rouge Louisiana on this, the track might sound like a skip over or album filler to some, but I see it for what it is, an experiment and attempt to grow her style and grow as an artist, I love it just for that alone. Its followed up with "Run and Hide" which is kind of mix of tribal, call and response and angry American hip hop, the beat to this track is just so amazing, the chorus is as well, a definite favorite. This is followed by "What My Name" one of those tracks that is just booming high level blast out of your speakers awesome, very much in this new club meets hip hop and Latin and jamacian dancehall that Mira has created through out this disc, this is kind of the song you expect to see a fight scene or a boxing match between two women set too, its just complete booming bad ass kick you in the mouth and make you spit out teeth music, I love it! Next is "Tell Me", which is as close to a downtempo track as you'll get on this album, its very sexy and very seductive in its own way, this is the kind of song you see a very hot sex scene in one of those movies where the whole time you're waiting for the two main characters to get together, its almost to sexy for this album really, meaning that it almost doesn't fit the feel of the rest of it, if that makes sense. The last song is "My Lion King", another of the sexy bass heavy Turkish/Trinidad snake charmer style slow dance tracks mixed with bit of europian traditional guitar and African drums in there as well, and unfortunately, when you're all prepped up and ready for a second disc, it doesn't happen, the album ends on this track and you're left wanting more.

As a whole I believe Tribal Dreams is a big step forward for Mira as an artist, she's kept true to what made her stand out to me from the first album, built upon that and made it more polished as well as infused more international styles learned from those who she's worked with the world over, and added more drum and bass and club style tracks to her arsenal as well. My only complants about the album would be there is no slower side, last time around we had afew slow, almost diva style R&B tracks that show Mira's vocal range with out the booming and swelling backing music, i did miss that given that she really has an incredible range, I was also hoping for atleast one track with someone else, not saying that Mira needs help or anything because she most definitely does not, but it would be interesting at this point to see what Snoop Dogg or Wyclef or Timberland or one of the other musicians she's met and gained the respect of the world over could do side by side with her, I was almost fiending for maybe a middle eastern style dance track with Nancy Ajram or Ruby, or a reggatron track with Ivy Queen (sorry Tamara lol), or maybe a Japanese style dance track with Ayumi Hamasaki, or even one of them all girl hip hop remixes with maybe MC Trey, Mia Jupiter, Jean Grae, and afew other under respected and unknown to most female rappers.. but in any event, the album is still a great leap forward and an incredible listen.

Do I think this album is for everyone? Hell yes. Mira makes some of the best music in the modern era and has never been a let down for me, add to it that she's the best selling do it yourself artist, meaning she makes everything and records in her home all by herself, that just adds to the awesomeness that she has and shows just how dedicated to her craft she is. That alone deserves respect, if not atleast giving her your ear for alittle while. I said it before and I still say it now, I want and expect big things from her and many years of music as well, I don't think i'm gonna be let down. Give her a try if you haven't already.

Tribal Dreams by Mira Craig

Artist: Mira Craig
Album Tribal Dreams
Genre: Dancehall,Drum and Bass,Hip Hop,Latin House,Latin Dance,Reggatron,Eurodance,Turkish Dance,Trinidad Dance,Rap,DIY Music

By: BC

Redikuluz: A First Look

2007-11-10T00:34:00.000-05:00

Afew years ago, all of us here at surreal soundz crossed paths with an up and coming rapper from out of the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada area, a rapper who calls himself Redikuluz, and we've been lucky enough to watch his progression from a young man who had flow, to a young man who works day and night to make his craft something that though unorthodox compared to what we here in the states find in our underground, and isn't exactly like anything you'd find in the UK underground either, he is, in alot of ways, a musically created singularity in a the mostly untapped hip hop world of the great north.

The first thing you must understand when listening to a track by Redikuluz, or Redz for short, is that he has a delivery unlike anyone you have ever heard, its useless to try and figure out who influenced him or who he's based his flow off, there is no one. Second thing you need to understand is, his content is very similar to a Mos Def of Common Sense, everything from depressed children, to single parents, to suicidal thoughts to faith in god and enough freestyle to make things interesting when listening. I should also mention that afew of the 15 tracks in this are with his former crew SCA (Soul City Allstars), and alot have other local rappers and singers from around the greater Vancouver area.

Some stand out tracks for me personally, "A Story of Billy", one of his more recent tracks, but its a good starting point so you can see just how far Redz has come in a scant few years of recording, its the story of Billy (duh!), a lonely kid who's spent alot of time in his room writing lyrics and working on his flow and how it eventually paid off for him and how at the end, you can gain everything but still be empty inside, a sad but true fact. Another is "Sandy Lou" a track about a single mother where he's joined by the very vocally gifted Gina Yorston, Sandy Lou is the story of a woman who grows up the daughter of drug addicts and how she lives through her live that becomes sex and drugs, and then eventually becomes pregnant, as often in those cases, and how she takes a second chance to become so much better then the life she was raised into. Make no mistake Redz is in perfect form but so is Gina on this, I remember how I was blown away when i first heard how good it was, this is one of those early career defining tracks right here. "Still Ain't Happy" is a song which Redz does with fellow rapper H.Notik, who is also rather gifted, sounds abit like a southern style rapper, maybe one of the ones from Nappy Roots, can't place who exactly, the song is about how you have to stand tall through the struggles that we all go through everyday and the things one has to go through to get to where they want to be, I always loved the beats on the track, it fits so perfectly with their lyrics and delivery. "I'm A Warrior" is another favorite of mine, its a complete detour from Redz normal flow, its alot faster over a very fast blockparty breakdancing circle beat. Its your standard "Don't fuck with me" track, but like everything Redz does, there is more thought put into the lyrics and is far from your normal "fuck you nigga cause I can" fair you find normally in tracks of this nature in the modern hip hop world. I also included my favorite track of his, "Still Standing", this track for me, was the harbinger of what Redikuluz would grow to become, knowing his story behind it and knowing this song is, of sorts a rebirth for him and his craft, it speaks more about Redz and what he's gone through then anything else, though simplistic in compare to alot of his newer tracks, I still find it my favorite.

I included a very good mix of his work spanning from few year back to as recent as last week and afew freestyles he did just for fun, to give you a full idea of what kind of artist Redikuluz is, and the length that he's come even though he's not fully at his peak yet, i am infact putting this out because I believe that though there is still a long road for him before getting to where he will be by the time he matures as an MC, there is really no harm in giving a guy that lives for his music and works harder then most rappers selling millions, his first props.

So give Redz a try if you want something thats completely unlike any rapper you've heard, or if you want to remember what REAL hip hop is.

Redikuluz: A First Look

Artist: Redikuluz
Genre: Hip Hop,Breakbeat,Christian
Album: 15 Track Compilation

By: BC

Apocalyptica

2007-10-25T17:57:00.000-05:00

This band has always had me in awe. I'm a huge fan of bands that take music just a little further. One example is 'Jethro Tull', rock with added flute, how wonderful is that? Just that little deviation is enough to be considered 'unique', in my opinion. So here we have another band with that deviation/twist. Imagine, a rock/metal band with only cellos for instruments. How impressive! These band members from Finland, met at Helsinki music students have brought us unbounded diversity, expertly played, driven to core exquisitely orchestrated music, and done with class.

Excerpt from another site:

There aren't many rock bands on this planet that wouldn't like to be regarded as unique. Of course, in these times of nostalgia and endlessly recycled ideas, very few actually deserve that description. Finland's Apocalyptica deserve it more than most. Utterly original in every respect, these classically-trained merchants of genre-shattering metal sound quite unlike anything or anyone else in musical history.

Formed in the early ‘90s Apocalyptica chose an entirely individual path from day one. A few years earlier, while students at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, these young virtuosos joined a cello band that specialised in playing music by everyone from Bach to Hendrix. However, Eicca Toppinen and his three comrades had something louder in mind. All fans of heavy metal, they decided to form their own band. Toppinen wrote some unique arrangements of songs by Metallica, Slayer and other metallic legends and the group embarked on a series of shows at student balls. As their services became more and more in demand, Apocalyptica took the bold step of playing a gig at a bona fide heavy metal club...
1993 in Helsinki, Finland

We got to play at an after-Christmas party for metalheads at Teatro Heavy Metal Club in Helsinki in 1995," recalls Toppinen. "There were three other bands and every band was doing covers. It was one of the first shows when HIM played. They were covering Type O Negative, we were covering Metallica. It was really scary to go there and play in front of metalheads. We didn't know what was going to happen. We thought they might kill us! But they really freaked out and had a great time."

Lurking in the audience at this soon-to-be legendary gig was one Kari Hynninen of Zen Garden Records, who was so bowled over by the band's ingenious interpretations of metal anthems that he instantly offered them a contract and the chance to release their 1996 debut album, ‘Plays Metallica by Four Cellos'.

"He called us and asked us if we wanted to make an album," says Toppinen, shaking his head with bewilderment. "For ourselves, we never thought we could make an album out of what we were doing. It was just for fun, some therapy away from practising all those shitty scales! So when the first album was released, we didn't expect much. If it had sold 1,000 copies in Finland that would've been great, but it sold over one million copies worldwide!"

Apocalyptica were an overnight success in their native land, embraced by a surprisingly large audience that contained both die-hard metal fans and chin-stroking classical aficionados. It might seem a peculiar combination, but for the band the two genres have a logical and natural relationship.

Inspired by their sudden and surprising rise to prominence, Apocalyptica spent the rest of the ‘90s riding a towering wave of creativity and earning themselves a formidable reputation as a jaw-dropping live act. In 1998 they released their second album, ‘Inquisition Symphony', a second batch of cover versions that this time included songs by Faith No More, Pantera and Sepultura.

It also featured the band's first original material: three songs that revealed that there was far more to Apocalyptica than novelty. By the time the Finns reached their third studio effort, 2000's ‘Cult', they had decided to move away from cover versions and produced nearly a whole album's worth of fresh material that set the band's wild and compellingly diverse blend of disparate genres in stone once and for all. Now reduced to a trio Apocalyptica were determined to establish themselves as a powerful creative force.

"Writing our own songs brought a new dimension to the band," states Toppinen. "We already knew what we could do with cover versions and it wasn't interesting anymore. We needed to write new, fresh music for the instruments. We didn't think ‘We need to do this to be credible', we just wanted to keep it interesting for ourselves and not to repeat the same shit."

With their reputation soaring, Apocalyptica entered the new millennium with another major step forward when they collaborated with legendary Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo on their fourth studio album, ‘Reflections' (2003)

"We were playing at a metal festival in '97 in the Netherlands and Dave was giving a drum clinic," recalls Toppinen. "He came up to us and said ‘Can you play some Slayer as well? Would you like to play with me?' so we said ‘Sure!' We played ‘South Of Heaven' live together with him, and after that he said ‘Whenever you need a drummer, call me.' We've been friends ever since."

Realising that Lombardo's rhythmic muscle had given their sound a new lease of life and enabled them to veer off in numerous new directions, Apocalyptica enlisted their own full-time drummer, Mikko Sirén, for 2005's self-titled opus. Easily the strongest album of their careers, ‘Apocalyptica' saw the band strengthen their song writing skills and invite some guests into the studio, including HIM frontman Ville Valo, Lauri Ylönen of The Rasmus and, again, Dave Lombardo, all of whom helped metal's premier bow-wielders to reach a wider audience than ever before.

And so to 2007, and Apocalyptica's brand new album, ‘Worlds Collide'. Produced by long-time Rammstein muse Jacob Hellner, this is plainly the pinnacle of the Finnish ingénues steadily accelerating upward ascent; a dazzling collection of stunning mini-epics that touches upon every aspect of the band's history while introducing countless new ideas and unexpected detours to their unmistakable sound. Or simply put: a collection of great rock songs. Work began on the record back in August 2006, and since then the 40 or so songs the band wrote for the project have been whittled down to a concise and flawless dozen, including collaborations with Stone Sour/Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor (on first single ‘I'm Not Jesus'), Lacuna Coil's sublime Cristina Scabbia, 3 Days Grace vocalist Adam Gontier and again their long time friend and collaborator Dave Lombardo.

"It's been really exciting," enthuses Toppinen. "For the last two albums we were producers, song writers, everything. This time we opened the door for different singers, a producer and even some co-writers. We've allowed other elements to come into Apocalyptica's world. It's been really interesting and exciting."

When Apocalyptica took centre stage as special guests at this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki, millions of music lovers around the world were blown away by the sight and sound of a band that create an ear-boggling spectacle wherever they go and who wear their uniqueness as a badge of ho*nour. With the release of ‘Worlds Collide', Apocalyptica are poised to conquer hearts and minds all over the globe

"We have tried to deliver a world class album," concludes Toppinen. "For us, it's an exciting time. We have great people working for us and I'm absolutely thrilled. For the first time in 11 years I feel that the whole team is working together. With that team we should be able to wake up all the people that knew about Apocalyptica but wouldn't have bought a ticket or bought the album before. We want to spread the word."

* Apocalyptica release the new album "Worlds Collide" worldwide in September 2007 through 20-20 Entertainment / Sony-Bmg.

Member include: trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Max Lilja, Antero Manninen, and Paavo Lotjonen.

Worlds Collide Tracklisting:

1 Worlds Collide 4:29
2 Grace 4:10
3 I'm Not Jesus 3:35
4 Ion 3:48
5 Helden 4:23
6 Stroke 4:32
7 Last Hope 4:50
8 I Don't Care 3:58
9 Burn 4:18
10 S.O.S. (Anything But Love) 4:22
11 Peace 5:49

Apocalyptica - Worlds Collide - 2007

By: SftnPnk

Aloan - Better In Springtime

2007-10-11T13:56:00.000-05:00

Aloan is a acid jazz trip hop band out of Geneva Switzerland, who after the release of their third album, "Better in Springtime" are starting to gain a following throughout Europe and making their way to the more enlightened ears through out the Americas and the Eastern world as well. They have a sort of unique mix of styles who makes them stand out from many of the others in their field. A delightfully refreshing mixture of blues, jazz, trip hop, rap, ambient, classical, and soul with small hints of atmosphere tossed in there where it just makes it gold. Its no wonder that "Better in Springtime" is being called the album which will get them noticed.

The album starts out with a beautiful acid jazz track called "One Dance for Destiny" a song that reminds me alot of Eryka Badu in both vocals and in music, a truly beautiful track about giving one last chance with someone she just can't give up, incredibly done, the right mix of old and new, great way to start off an album, and also the best way to set the tone that will carry through to entire disc, many times through out your musical journey you'll find yourself coming back to this, normally with some incredibly well done rap put in there too, from there we jump to two club ready disco tracks "Rise" and "The Good Day" both great in their own respects, though i would personally give the edge to "The Good Day" but thats just me. From there we go to "In Time" a very mellow downtempo acid bluestronica track, all the things you need for a good track are here, the beat, the perfectly done vocals, the right touches to the music at the right moments, just beautifully done. the next track bring us back to the style from the start of the disc again but with alittle more aggressive this time "I'm Your Tears" its called, the beat is hypnotic and the rap is dropped in at just the right spots, very well done. "I'll Never Be A Woman" is a very dark and smokey electronica song hidden as a blues song, I love the bridge of this, it just drives me insane with how great it is, this is the kind of song you would find as the background music in the sex scene of some indie movie, its just amazing. "Tonight I'll Kill You" is probably the harshest track on the album, and about as close to angry aggressive rap you'll find on here, which I like, not that I mind harsh hard rap, but well, this just makes the concept awesome, not bad for a song about not really believing in god I think, angry rap that makes you think, who knew that was possible in this day and age eh? From there we jump downtempo again with "Hopefully" a very lovely song that starts out with this great classical and piano bit, which highlights the vocals to a level thats almost acapella, which makes me wonder just how great it would have sounded that way, as the song progresses you find bits of crashing almost nightwish like guitars tossed in at the right spots, and an angry bit of rap tossed in, this is a song is a true adventure in sonic manipulation and I love it for that! "Get On Top" is a very awesome base heavy lowrider ready rap track thats just awesome and would get played on any rap station anywhere in the world and get tons of play, course that'll never happen, but hey, a guy can dream right? "Dreaming" is a nice contrast to the track before, a very lovely track that again brings us back to the flavor from the begining of the album, there are more hints of the trip hop and electronic in this one though, I love how they expand the sonic envelope abit, then come back to the feel at the start again, its such a great trip to be taken on. "Sick Little Doll" sounds alot like a soul song straight out of the 1970s golden age of soul, there are bits of Tammy Tarell and later career Diana Ross before she started doing horrible disco tracks in there, and little bits of Roberta Flack and Minnie Riperton in there too, very nice, I also love how it was run through a filter to give it that old scratchy record feel, it just adds to just how great this is. "We Got What You Want" is a really nice autobiographical track, its a very middle eastern infused laid back rap track that jumps between the bands history to political fuses to just plain boombastic hip hop. The album ends with "Better in Springtime", a lovely track that starts out like a blues song and ends up something akin to "Black Velvet" that great one hit wonder track by the underated and shouldn't be forgotten but is Alannah Myles, its a lovely end to an album that takes us all over the musical map and leaves us wanting more.

I'm not sure if everyone will like this, I know I did, and I would guess that most people would give it a chance, there is after all something for everyone in it, which is a rarity in the world of music these days, I would even go far enough to say its actually worth going and buying a copy of it, but to a sad end, most music shops probably wouldn't have something this obscure, shame too. Give it a try, see if you like it, they've got two other albums out there if you like this one.

Aloan - Better in Springtime

Artist: Aloan
Album: Better In Springtime
Genre: Trip Hop,Electrojazz,Jazz,Blues,Bluestronica,hip hop,Disco,Club

by: Just A Simple Poet

10 Tracks with Mieka Pauley

2007-10-11T00:06:00.000-05:00

Mieka Pauley, for just about 8 or so years now, has been a long standing fixture of the Boston area indie club scene, she's also toured the country and opened for Edwin McCain if I recall correctly as well, she's one of those acts you hear and you wonder why when artists who are like her, people like Sarah McLaughlin and Jewel and others of that type, though deserving in their own rights, are out there selling out theaters and concerts the world over, why isn't Mieka doing the same? This idea comes through my head alot when listening to her music infact, but then I remember, sometimes, for an artist, staying low key and not making it to the headline spot, sometimes is more rewarding.... so with that said, I give you my 10 songs to let you make up your mind about this beautiful and talented young singer...

1. Blunt: Blunt in Mieka's words, is an angry song about playing shitty clubs for shitty and drunk people all over the country, she tends to tell a really funny story about how she came to write it, however this version doesn't have that, I went with the better quality recording instead this time. Blunt is basically her answering every crap line she's been given in a very sarcastic manor, the title "Blunt" in in reference to the chorus where in she sings about hitting people with her guitar. "If this guitar wasn't so expensive, and I didn't need it night and day, it would make a pretty good blunt object, to make you back away..", I give it a 10 for style and content, as well as style for the obscure Quickdraw McGraw/El Kabong reference it brings to mind.

2. Devil's Got My Secret: This is one of those songs where Mieka's fragile side comes through more then most would find comfortable, this, like many of her songs, is her lamenting over her secret love for someone whom she either never spoke too or has lost for some reason yet still loves. Its a deep emotional song that cuts deep for more people then you would think, "The Devil's got my secret, he promised not to tell, I left it for safe keeping, I'll pick it up in hell" as the chorus says, her voice mixed with the lyrics and downplayed background music makes this a work of art.

3. Fate Day By Day: This is one of the first songs of Mieka's I'd heard, and still one of my favorites, its her singing about her outlook on life and the things you take and the things you miss as well, "I will not wait, I will not wait, for what the world may not create" she sings, and I find this to be so true about so many things, this was also the only track off her demo to make it on her first album (2000's Mieka Pauley), though I went with the version done on a college radio show in Boston from I believe 2003 or there abouts because i like her voice on it better then the studio recording.

4. Fields of Gold: This is a live "cover of Eva Cassidy covering Sting" as Mieka claims, I think if anything this lovely cover, shows how much like the great Eva this young girl really is, its not just a statement about how well she can do the song, its a statement of who's place in the music industry she could rightly fill of she so wished. Its truely beautiful.

5. I wanna see the City: this is one of those great songs that I've only been able to find one version of her singing, this was taken from the same radio show Fate Day By Day was taken from, and is a song of her looking out over a large city and wondering what is really out there, not just what is put out for the tourists to see, but the real city, the real heart and soul of it, wondering just what there really is out there or if its all just facade and there isn't anything else to see.

6. Left To God: this song is a very introverted look at herself and those around her, and to an extent the world around her as well, she challenges herself and her ideas of life and religion and what life is really like for everyone, the unfairness and the luck some have, as well as the power and weak of the world. "I have heard thunder loud as god is great, where everyone ran inside weather or not it rained, I knew a devil he was white as any saint, he fell right through the ground where Lucifer remains..." she sings in the third verse, I find the deepness of these lines abit scary at times.

7. Spirit: This song is about life, death and being alone, some could even argue it could be seen as a suicide song if they wanted, it speaks of her travels and how she's gone this distance in life alone, and how at the very end, when she feel like giving up given how weak her spirit seems, she still has the willpower to try and carry on. I've never been sure if she is singing about life after death, or just carrying on with very little willpower or depression in general, either way, this is and will always be a beautiful song that will strike a chord with most.

8. Daydream: Daydream is maybe my all time favorite of hers, its a song of a love she never had, and as anyone can tell you, the love you daydream of but never say anything of because of fear and depression believing they don't feel the same as you, "have you ever spent your nights dreaming of someone you could not call your own? I close my eyes in a little daydream, and I pretend that you can love me, and I pretend that you are mine" she sings, this is truly one of the greatest love songs ever written I believe.

9. Companion to a King: this is one of the best tracks off her demo, why its never gone past that I'll never know, its excellent, the best way to describe it, think a song as masterfully written as "Let Her Cry" by Hootie and the Blowfish (you know, before they got lame) but told by a woman instead of a man, its the story of a woman who just can't leave a man who ignores her most of the time and hardly speaks to her, its a very sad tale but also a very well written one as well. Her guitar strumming even brings the emotional frustration of the lyrics through, simply great.

10. Run: Run is a song off her demo that saw play on a NEMO (New England Music Organization) compilation put out by Starbucks of all places afew years back, and where the title to her soon to be released second album "Elijah Drop Your Gun" came from, I like to call it a "Bluesy Stalker Song" because I see a scene in like, a cop movie playing out in my head as the song folds out, like the scene where the cops are chasing this guy through back alleys and stuff, its a nice mellow delta bluesy sort of feel to it.

11. When I'm in Chicago: Ok the bonus 11th song on this is because I just couldn't let this one not be put on here, this is a song looking back at a former love, she mentions various other places and who she's thinking of at that point in time, and it sort of has a feel of someone thinking back wile drinking abit, infact she jokes at the end "when i'm in Kenya i simply forget ya, when i'm in russia i'm not thinking of ya, when I'm not sober I think of your mother" to sort of hint its ment to be a sort of drunken looking back wile in the city of Chicago. Its a lovely little song and a lovely little highnote end to this set...

i hope you all enjoy, I do believe that anyone who hears Mieka will grow to like her, if not love her music, it just has this sort of sound that strikes everyone to it, its hard to explain really, but you just have to hear her and hear what she's saying, her voice and her lyrics truly are a gift for all to share.

10 Tracks with Mieka Pauley

Artist: Mieka Pauley
Genre: Indie,acoustic,singer/songwriter,female vocalist,folk,blues

by: Just A Simple Poet

Thank you!

2007-10-10T23:33:00.000-05:00

We've finally made it over 1000 hits officially, we've have made it there sooner, but we replaced the old counter and map with one that serves as both, so we're more somewhere in the 1500 ranger or so, but those older ones don't count because they're not listed in our facts here... so... going by our current system, we've finally made it!

and its thanks to all of you who come here, read our reviews and download our albums, though, y'all could comment abit more, we plan on giving you more and more good and different things in the future, we're still sticking to our idea of unknown, unsigned, small label and obscure artists, we won't ever jump from that, but we're talking about other things too, bringing in more people so we've got a larger base to work with, maybe expanding into movies too, maybe opening a forum... the sky is the limit for us right now! And its all thanks to you all who come here... so thank you.

--
the Staff

Post of Self Promoting Whoreadelic Awesomeness ....... to the XTREEME!!!

2007-09-27T17:06:00.000-05:00

Yes I intentionally spelled the misspelling of "extreme", with that said...

I had abit of time today and thought instead of working, like I should have been, I would muck about in photoshop, and well I did, because i'm awesome like that, anyway, I made these userbars, because really, who can ever have to much promotion? So here they are.. all y'all are welcome to them, to you know, show us some love...

so, you know, feel free to show us some love.

As for me (BC) I'll be back over the weekend with something new hopefully, not sure when everyone else is gonna get themselves going yet, but, more to come! thats what matters!!! So till then!

-- BC for Surreal Soundz Music

Above The Trees by Paul Duncan

2007-09-22T19:23:00.000-05:00

Paul Duncan is billed as, and very well could actually be, the greatest musician you've never heard of. His style is a never interesting mix of folk and acoustic rock, with elements of electronica fused in where it fits, and where you wouldn't think of finding it. Personally I think thats Paul's charm, that he does things you wouldn't always think of, and as anyone will tell you, an artist that keeps you excited and guessing on what their next move is, and how their going to end a song, such a nice distraction from the modern standard flair precut stuff they pass off as "indie" alot of times these days.

Its hard to break up his new album "Above the Trees" into single tracks for a write up, seeing as it seems you were ment to listen to them all one after another as it sort of tells a story of things that happen with in a picturesque secluded valley somewhere away from the rest of the world and the cares of the big city. which is ironic given that he's from Brooklyn if i recall. But, whatever works works, thats the way i see things. Its interesting, listening to Above the trees as I write this, its very, captivating, it draws you in and kind of makes you want to listen to more, if for no other reason then to see how the album ends. I love when that happens, and I love when its done by well crafted and well made albums more so. I find myself respecting Paul more and more as an artist as I listen as well, and I find myself getting abit angry that there is so little of him available both in shops and on the net.

I will say that some of the better chapters in this story told in music are "country witch", "above the trees", and my peronal favorite "The Lake Pt 1", and that the downside is, most of the tracks on this album really only work or make sense when you play them all one after another, and that does hurt the songs, just a slight bit, but not enough for me to ever claim this is a bad album. Infact, stand alone factor aside, this is everything I would look for in an album of this kind. Its melodic, its exploitive, and its innovative too. I can't help but love it.

Do i think this is for everyone? Maybe, its definately for the explorers out there, and saddly thats why there is no way it would ever get noticed on on radio or something, but in a way, that also helps it, it makes it something rare, and something that really only those who are looking for something new will find and enjoy, so give it a shot, see how you feel.

Artist: Paul Duncan
Album: Above the Trees
Genre: downtempo,Folktronica,Melodic Electronica,Acoustic Rock

Above the Trees by Paul Duncan

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BC

White Trash Beautiful by Everlast

2007-09-22T15:21:00.001-05:00

Everlast might be well known in some respects to many of you, either from his days as the front man for the unforgettable hip hop group House of Pain, or from his amazing blues/hip hop/rock solo album "Whitey Ford Sings the Blues" in which is fused rock, old school hip hop and rock together and made amazing tracks like "What its like" and "The ends" both of which gained him a good amount of solo success in the summer of 2000 if I remember my times correctly. Now, what most people don't know is that after that album, and the failure of his follow up album do to lack of promotion or radio support, Everlast still kept on making music. And not just music, he kept making good music. Its very hard to understand the idea of a rapper fusing blues and rock and rap together, but I guess if Kid Rock can fuse all of those things and country together and make it work, I guess anything is possible in this day and age. Now, though Everlast has done afew albums in his time since his time in the spotlight for Whitey Ford Sings The Blues and the tracks off of it, I wanted to present to you all the album that just speaks to me the most, after all, isn't that really what this is blog is for?

White Trash Beautiful is a very down to earth grass roots look at life kind of album, songs about love, relationships and how they seem to go wrong, fear of death before your time, everyday hardships that cause people to do some horrible things, and just enough old school hip hop tossed in to make things worthwhile and remind us just where Everlast came from. Its a beautifully dark picture of his world and his vision of the rest of us, and I just love it! The first track off the album starts out with "Blinded by the Sun" a lovely track about some of the darker things he's heard as he travels around, its very much like "the ends" in lyrical style, but more upbeat, I like that. The next track is "broken" a sort of love song, where you can here Everlast's vocals straining in a way that seems very fitting for this song, giving it a very human quality to this song about how he wants to make up with his girlfriend, its a really beautiful song, you should give it a listen. The next is the title track "White Trash Beautiful", a love song about a woman pregnant woman who works at a dinner, and the man who tries to drive home to her as much as possible, and the love they have. Followed by "Sleeping Alone" a lovely blues style rap song trying to get this girlfriend to come back to him while she is dodging his calls, Everlast's flow is still one of the best I've ever heard, over 15 years after "Jump Around" he still has it. "The Warning" is a nice blues club style inspirational rap track, its very hypnotic actually, I rather enjoyed it personally. "Angel" brings us back to the blues rock with a nice hip hop beat flushed in, telling the tale of how he lost the perfect woman while describing the woman he desires in life. "This Kind of Lonely" is another of those tracks that reminds you just how human and emotional Everlast's lyrics are, its a very introspective song, you feel for him by the end of it. "Soul Music" is a very dark nod head low rider angry rap track with a very nice flow to it and pays respect to those who rocked the mic with him in the 80s and those who he wanted to be like. The last few tracks on the album are standard fair for this outing following the same concepts and formula of blues, rock and hip hop all together, "Lonely Road" is my favorite of the later tracks, a sort of uplifting coming to terms with the things he was dealing with all album sort of track, a light at the end of the tunnel if you will. A nice addition.

Do I think this album is something everyone could listen too? If they're up for a unquie mixture of various types of music that you hear mixed together alot these days, but done in a style thats not exactly what sells these days, then yeah, I think this would be for everyone, I can't see why it wouldn't be actually, there is atleast one or two songs on the disc that each person can take away and enjoy near as i figure. So give it a shot, see how it goes down, and show some love from a guy who shouldn't have dropped off.

Artist: Everlast
Album: White Trash Beautiful
Genre: Blues,Hip Hop,Rock,Indie Rock,Blues Rock,Blues Hop

Everlast - White Trash Beautiful

*Half of these tracks might actually be labled as the song after them, I noticed this after already uploading the album, be aware of that please.

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BC

37 Days by Beth Hart

2007-08-17T16:41:00.001-05:00

After the overwhelming response i got for releasing Beth's beautiful album Leave The Light On, I figured I would follow it up with her new album entitled 37 Days (named for the amount of days it took to make from start to finish for you music trivia buffs). A Return to Beth's raw powerful range spanning vocals and lyrics, she's grown alot since Leave The Light On, you can not only hear it in her voice, which ranges from soft and beautiful to raw and in your face screaming like a mad woman just trying to make herself noticed in a world thats so easy to brush aside those who aren't like others. Even more then in past albums solidifying her place as the successor to Janis Joplin's throne in the kingdom of white girl soul, a kingdom thats sadly vacant these days.

As you would expect, Beth jumps from blues to soul to rock to gospel to pop and hints of jazz in there, much as she's done on her last few albums, the songs again range from love songs to uplifting to angry, but yet, I find myself not really being bored with this formula from Beth, I don't know if its her voice or just her in general that makes me want to hear more and more, whatever it is, its on this album in spades, just as I had hoped it would. That in itself is a big sign, if i actually am looking forward to an album for months on end, you know its gotta be good... so lets get into it shall we?

The album starts off with "Good as it Gets" a loud ruckus blues rock track thats got number one hit all over it, assuming its given wings and let fly. Its sort of like the kind of song you'd hear in any blues bar down in the south when a waitress stepped up to sing a song with the band, that whole raw yet lovely song about love and life and living as best as she can. A great opening track honestly. Followed by "Jealousy" a sad bluesy love song about wanting to love someone with all that she has in side of her, but he doesn't want it anymore, Beth has this way of making the saddest things a picture painted in words that everyone can look at and see exactly what she means with it, assuming this album gets any press at all, "jealousy" will be one of those big break up songs. The next track is the awesomely done but strange "One Eyed Chicken", this is a definite rock anthem if I've ever heard one, the beautiful guitar work, the easy to sing along too chorus and bridge, this is the kind of song you wanna turn up really loud and just make the people around you know just how awesome it is. The next song is "Over You", another of her empowering blues ballads, this is normally where Beth shines, her voice comes through so vulnerable and so beautiful in songs like this, I just love it. The next song is "Sick", a very high speed almost kinetic rock anthem that just makes you wanna play it really loud and yell along, its just incredible, normally by the middle of the album for most artists start getting choppy, but not here, still pushing through with the same fury and fire as always, is the next song, "Face Forward" a straight up rock song about the "war" in the middle east, it sounds like Fortunate Son had wild sex with the time in the 1980s when women knew how to rock, not that thrashing around a stage like a stripper excrement you find today in "rocker chicks", there is alot of Joan Jett in this one, oddly I also here some late 1960s Tina Turner in there too, lovely track. The next song "soul shine", brings things down to a lovely "spotlight" style sound with mostly Beth, a piano and some smaller instruments, very lovely and a very positive track about being yourself no matter what happens. This is followed by the lovely "Forever young" a very low indie track that I honestly believe is the best track on the album, its looking back at her first love and those summers we never want to end when we're teenagers, this track speaks so much about Beth as a person its just so great. "Easy" is a song where Beth spends alot of time talking about life and death and her ideas on both, very uplifting, and lovely done. "Heaven Look Down" is next, and its almost an uptempo gospel track, though its really a social commentary about the world as a whole and how we've all kind of lost our way. The tempo picks up abit with "Missing You" a song that though you think is about someone else, makes me wonder if its really about Beth missing who she believes she once was, the next song "Waterfalls" I must admit I'm not really sure what thats about exactly, but its really a neat little song, it gives you a great incite into Beth herself and the music is just awesome. The album ends on a nice mellow note, the last two songs "Crashing Down" and "At the Bottom" seem almost linked in a way, speaking about Beth's depression and her inner demons and how its so easy for those sort of things to eat you alive if you let them. They're rather sad, but beautiful in their own way as well.

As a whole this album is a beautiful opus of a person's continuing struggle to come back from losing it all and how even though you can come back from a huge setback, you can feel not complete, and spend all your time trying to rediscover that side of yourself that feels lost. Do i think this album is for everyone? hell yes, do i think that long time fans and new ones should give this a listen? Most definitely. So what more are you waiting for? Click the link....

Artist: Beth Hart
Album: 37 Days
Genre: Blues, Rock, Soul, Indie

37 Days by Beth Hart

-BC

Bird York (aka Kathleen York)

2007-07-25T22:41:00.000-05:00

A friend recently recommended this album to me,,I was hesitant, thinking,
ewwwww....doesn't sound like my thing, but, whewwwwwwww...I really like
this,,and hope you enjoy also. Following is a little background..from
wikipedia that i found,,......

Taken from Wikipedia

Kathleen York (aka Bird York) is an Academy Award-nominated artist singer-songwriter and actor.

After spending years in the indie circuit, York achieved global recognition with her song "In the Deep", which appears on her album Wicked Little High and was written for the 2004 film Crash. "In the Deep" debuted at #64 on the Billboard chart and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song. On March 5, 2006, York performed the song live at the 78th Academy Awards.

Her songs have also appeared in The Black Donnelys, Nip/Tuck, CSI: NY, House, In Justice and Everwood, as well as many other film and television projects including all the songs for the 2001 season of the Paul Haggis CBS series Family Law.

As an actress, York has starred in numerous film and television projects. York starred as Naomi Judd in Love Can Build a Bridge, a four hour NBC miniseries about the country singer's life. In addition, she recurred in all seven seasons of the The West Wing as Andrea Wyatt. Other credits include films with Tom Waits, Northern Lights (with Diane Keaton), Crash, Curb Your Enthusiasm and starring roles in indie films Sister Island, The Big Day, Footsteps and most recently in the 2007 Warner release Sublime opposite Tom Cavanagh. She also wrote and performed three of the film's songs. Her new cd is expected out early next year.

Album: Velvet Hour
Year: 2003

Tracks
1. Haunting You
2. Open Wider
3. Wicked Little High
4. Had a Dream
5. Save Me
6. Remedy
7. Lovely Things
8. Come Be With Me
9. Up in Flames
10. In the Deep
11. Never Gonna Find Us
12. Have No Fear

Bird York

Posted by: Sherry

Northwinds - Great God Pan/Masters Of Magic

2007-07-12T05:06:00.000-05:00

Great God Pan

Highly inspired by the early Black Sabbath the band Northwinds has added elements from progressive rock, Celtic influences, NWOBHM (Witchfynde, Quartz, Diamond Head), doom metal (Candlemass, St. Vitus) as well as early thrash metal (Celtic Frost, Sodom) to their otherwise original compositions. The result can be heard on Great God Pan where the band adds the Black Sabbath cover “A National Acrobat” to their five original songs. Should you have no info about this release then you might think this concerns a re-release of a long forgotten gem from the seventies. The atmosphere which the band creates is stunning: a dark gravy coming from the Candelmass/St. Vitus/Count Raven/Black Sabbath roast, spiced with Jethro Tull/Camel/Rush herbs.

Especially the combination of heavy parts with beautiful, soft passages performed on authentic Celtic instruments (tin whistles are very prominent) results in wonderful music. Listen to “The Pain” which takes you from one mood into another and has singer Nicolas Vincent’s voice get very near to that of a young Ozzy Osbourne. At some points it is eerie how much he emulates him.

Northwinds evokes the atmosphere of little elves running around the nearby cemetery: not very original, yet urging you to hear more and more. Highly recommended for those of you who also like some "harder" edged music. Sabbath Bloody Northwinds!

Masters Of Magic

I must admit when I first heard Northwinds the last thing on my mind was that they played Doom-metal. My immediate associations went out to, for example Jethro Tull mixed with Black Sabbath. Giving the album some more time, I must admit… I still don't think it's all that doomy at all. Riffing Doom rock with a strong 70's vibe and a paganistic feel to it, would be the best quick description I can come up with.

It's clear that the band has been inspired by Black Sabbath (just listen to a track like 'Lost Paradise'), but their overall sound is less dark and has a tendency to be more spacey. Remember those old space cartoons in the late 70's and early 80's? Where you always felt like they had transported the feel of that time directly into outer space? That is the feeling I get when listening to 'Masters of Magic'. It sounds like the 70ties have been transported forward into time. Next to this the music also holds mystical and progressive elements.

Everything on this album combines to create some very relaxing and easy listening music. Enjoyable 70's prog. rock combined with sporadic doomish and Sabbath inspired riffing and a spaced out feeling. Some of the songs are sung in French as well, which should be no surprise as we are dealing with a French band. People who enjoy acts such as Pentagram, but also Witchfinder General, will probably really enjoy this release. I also think a lot of stoner fans will might enjoy this release, despite it not being "groovy". Its very relaxed and "Outer space/Medieval" atmosphere however might appeal to fans of stoner rock as well.

As a final note I must say that I find the vocalist's voice to have a really soothing, almost hypnotic voice. He really for me lifts the entire album up to much greater highs then as what it would have been with an average vocalist.

Band:Northwinds
album(s): Great God Pan and Masters Of Magic
genre: Doom, space, prog rock

Great God Pan

Masters Of Magic

By Bez

Assort'd Mash Ups

2007-07-01T00:23:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile, I know,,so here are some mash ups I've currently been downloading or adding to my shares. They're great fun,,,this is a 1st of a few I'd like post. Here is the wikipedia definition of "Mash Ups", with a little more added info, of course,,,

Mashup, or bootleg, is a musical genre which, in its purest form, consists of the combination of the music from one song with the a cappella from another. Typically, the music and vocals belong to completely different genres. At their best, bastard pop songs strive for musical epiphanies that add up to considerably more than the sum of their parts.
Synonyms
Mashups are known by a number of different names, including:

* Bootlegs (mostly in Europe)
* Boots (but not Booty which is a branch of Electro)
* Mash-ups
* Smashups (or Smash-Ups)
* Bastard pop
* Blends
* Cutups (or Cut-ups)
* Powermixing (Usually the pace has to be sped up to allow for more song to be played and thus cannot play any single blend for the full length of the song)

In addition, more traditional terms such as "edits" or (unauthorized) "remixes" are favored by many "bootleggers" (also known as 'leggers).

History

Though the term "bastard pop" first became popular in 2001, the practice of assembling new songs from purloined elements of other tracks stretches back at least to the 1950s, and, if one extends the definition beyond the realm of pop, precursors can be found in Musique concrète, as well as the classical practice of (re-)arranging traditional folk material and the jazz tradition of reinterpreting standards. In addition, many elements of bastard pop culture have antecedents in hip hop and the DIY ethic of punk.

The 1999 Eminem album The Slim Shady LP with acapella vocals from the track "My Name Is" combined with the music of many other artists, including "Back in Black" by AC/DC, "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice, and "This Charming Man" by The Smiths served as an early inspiration for the British bastard pop movement.

In the mid-1990s, bastard pop was not yet a distinct genre, but formed a significant portion of the output of a few North American experimental artists such as John Oswald, Negativland, the Evolution Control Committee, and the Emergency Broadcast Network. At that time the tracks, when they were referred to at all, were often just considered "remixes", though some other terms were used, such as tape manipulations, cut-ups, and mashups.

Soooooooooooo...I've cheated and used the copy and paste method,,,sorry :)

Medley 80's Megamix - (Rick Astley, Pet Shop Boys, Forrest, Kool & The Gang, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Taylor Dayne, Black Box).mp3
21:22 mp3 192 Kbps

1. Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Matt Aitken, Mike Stock, Pete Waterman)
2. Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls (Chris Lowe, Neil Tennant)
3. Forrest - Rock The Boat (Wally Holmes)
4. Kool & The Gang - Get Down On It (Robert "Kool" Bell, George "Funky" Brown, Charles Smith, James "J.T." Taylor, Dennis "D.T." Thomas, Curtis "Fitz" Williams)
5. Whitney Houston - How Will I Know (George Merrill, Shannon Rubicam, Narada Michael Walden)
6. Madonna - Into The Groove (Stephen Bray, Madonna)
7. Taylor Dayne - Tell It To My Heart (Ernie Gold, Seth Swirsky)
8. Black Box - Ride On Time (Daniele Davoli, Dan Hartman, Mirko Limoni, Valerio Semplici)

TRACKS [Just my own compilation of assorted mash ups]

Soft Cell Vs Salt'n'Pepa-Push It Tainted Love
60 s, 70 s, 80 s, 90 s, - musica disco de los 60, 70 y 80 da
CHEEKYBOY_NWA_VS_NIRVANA_SMELLS_LIKE_COMPTON
Madonna Mega Mix (DMC Megamix)
Michael Jackson Vs Lionel Richie - All Night Long Wanna Be Starting Something
Sexy flat back beat [Mr. Oizo beats the shit out of Album]
PartyBen-ChicFranzieBoys
nwday [Green Day vs. N.W.A.]
Lean back beatles (fidelski remix) [Beatles vs. lil'jon]
1nce Again [A Tribe Called Quest vs. Aphrodites]

Assorted Mash Ups

Posted by: SftnPnk

New Design!

2007-05-15T17:09:00.000-05:00

I been playing with the look to see if I can get it looking just right for us, I think i've done a good job, new visitor map, new background, new color scheme, we're starting to look professional around here if I do say so myself.

Anyway, thats it for now, we'll be back soon with more reviews! See you soon!

--
BC

10 Tracks with Jodi Shaw

2007-05-14T00:12:00.000-05:00

I've always been a fan of female vocalists, I've made this well known I think given some of my releases here, but among those whom I like, this one stands out, this is a woman by the name of Jodi Shaw, one of the greatest and well crafted artists to come out of the north east music scene, the newfoundland native has traveled and lived the gambit from Boston to New York and back again many times over, playing her heart out whenever she could and slowly gaining a very big following in clubs and now thanks to the wonders of the internet, there as well. Jodi knows how to write a story, and she knows how to write it out in song. Such a beautiful range of content she has, from happy to sad to introspective, to in some places dark. Its a lovely range and I am glad to share it with you all.... Here are the tracks...

1. The President Knows: This track is a lovely sort of tongue in cheek reference to the resistance in france when it was under german occupation, it tells the story of spy woman who worked in the media at the time, its a very cool very run and uplifting song, I just love it.

2. The Forger: this version, like afew others in this set, is taken from an old boston collage radio show called Main Streets and Backroads, The Forger tells the story of a person who makes a living by forging fake works of art and selling them to those who've no idea its fake, and how inside he's fooling everyone but himself.

3. The End: The End is a song about Abortion and thoughts of suicide, its possibly the darkest song she has ever written, and I love it.

4. Out of Love: this is the version off Main Streets and Backroads, again because its a better quality then the original recording. Its a song about how you always seem to fall in and out of love with the right person.

5. Kristine's Lullaby: this is a lovely song thats done as a lullaby to a child, there are so many lovely images and its just so amazingly crafted, I love this song and it makes me think of parenthood and the joy of it.

6. Kenny: This is a song about the life and struggles of a man named Kenny thats been through a very hard life but ended up on in the end. Its really an uplifting lovely song.

7. The Singer: This is a lovely track about a singer that works her whole life to become what she dreams, and tells the story of her travels to stardom, its a lovely introspective track.

8. Savannah: is a great track about a woman named Savannah who seems to be sad more times then not, and that when she smiles, she apparently had a great smile, its really a nice calm song that is great in so many ways.

9. In Cabrini Green: This is in my opinion, the greatest of her songs. it tells the story of a murder in Cabrini Green in Chicago and how everyone even though they've seen it, will not say a word, its a masterpiece in audio, it really is.

10. Evangeline: this is a lovely song that tells the legend of Evangeline and how it reflects the life of someone who goes through something similar and looks to Evangeline for guidance.

Do I think that Jodi will be for everyone? Sure, I think everyone can find atleast one song in her catalog that will make them happy on some level, which to me is a great statement of her true abilities and the love of music she brings to her songs. So give her a shot if you're up for something outside the normal, but still good listen.

Name: Jodi Shaw
Genre: Indie Rock, Pop, Indie Pop, Chick Rock, Folk Rock

10 Tracks with Jodi Shaw

by: BC

Foreign Heights

2007-05-03T09:54:00.000-05:00

Many years ago, I became bored with the hip hop scene here in the united states, its not that I lost my love for it, I shall never do that, I just felt that the scene had degraded to nothing more then a marketing tool filled with 3 to 5 minute adds that crammed as many high priced products into each video and each verse as possible, I felt that was insulting to the listener and to legacy of hip hop as a whole. I got tired of seeing "artists" like 50 Cent and Nelly who base their sales more on a faked image and songs about shoes and 5 minute songs that are a verse and a half of nonsense lyrics and a hook repeated over and over, become multi million seller wile countless artists who take the time to well craft each track lyrically and beatwise and try to make every album and experience that doesn't insult the listener, are starving. I don't get it, and thats why I turned outside of the United States for hip hop, I figured hip hop is global, there has to be some good stuff out there right? Boy was I right! You've all seen me post albums by artists from Denmark, Norway, Canada, Trinidad but living in Denmark, I got afew coming up soon from the UK and Sweden even, but when you think of Hip Hop, you don't normally think of the land down under (where women roll and men plunder!), but believe it or not, the Australian hip hop scene is blowing up and with the power of the internet and networking places like myspace and the like, is set to possibly take the world in a maelstrom that merges that well crafted underground american sound (living legends, ect) and the old school hip hop feel of beats that make you wanna blast them with the bass up, and enough aussie slang to make you know where they're from.

At the front of this charge are a group called Foreign Heights out of Sydney NSW, its a "supergroup" of sorts, all three members are solo artists in their own rights, Nick Toth is their DJ and sometimes male emcee, the beautiful Maya Jupiter and needing alittle more mic time MC Trey do most of the rapping, they're a sort of Salt'n'Pepa with a male DJ if I had to find something that most would know to describe them. And I must say, I do love them as a group, its very hard to find their solo work though, that kind of let me down because I was looking forward to it, but I shall endeavor to hunt and eventually bring to all of you whatever I find, I think they are that damn good both alone and as a group, thats a big thing from me, because I do hate the concept of most supergroups, for one, even a foreign one to grab me, trust me, its good.

The album itself, is self titled "Foreign Heights" and it kicks you in the face from the very start, the first track "It Goes On" (with Mr. Zux) though a normal crew flow track, blasts you out the box right at the first note and doesn't stop for a minute, flows beautifully into the second track "Get Yours" a track about how everyone needs to stand up on their own and get their own in life is a great guitar and scratch track that will keep your head nodding the whole time and singing along by the end, it flows right into "The Feelin" a great chill hip hop track that is great to just sit back and chill too the beats are light and relaxed and the lyrics are great too, it actually compliments the previous two tracks really well showing they can chill as well as bring the hard beats, excellently done, "Main Street" speeds things up abit more still a chill style but faster then the one before, its a track about where they each grew up, they all rap about what life is like and mention various things about the areas and life there, its really a nice track, the lyrics will miss most though if you can't listen fast or find a lyric sheet, still a great track. The next track "Mess with my Flow" is a nice crew freestyle track, featuring Maya, Trey and Eternia, I've heard of eternia before, I can't remember if she's Canadian or Australian, or maybe there is two, i'm not really sure, its still a great track with all three ladies they all flow rather tight and the beat is a great bass guitar driven track. The rest of the tracks on this 13 track disc are all rather great too, there are afew other guest shots from fellow aussie rappers of various sorts, all rather good on various levels, afew other stand out tracks near the end are "Journey On" which sounds almost like Timberland on Bubba Sparxxx first album, the song itself is a very deep track that seems very biographical and uplifting, a very nice addition and it was smartly placed near the middle of the album, "In His World" is a love song that reminds me of a mix of TLC (the Crazy Sexy Cool era) and Natile Ozborn and Urban Underground (notably their song "True Love"), and "LaLa" a very uplifting song about keeping your head up and not letting life get you down, I do love when they mix tracks of these sorts into albums that are mostly kick ass club ready hip hop, it shows just how well versed the artists are, a true joy to listen too.

As a whole, I was surprised at how great this album really is, I got it passed my way and was told to give it a listen, I wasn't expecting what I got, I love when that happens, when an album surprises me in a good way. Always a welcome surprise. I'd say give this a shot if you're a fan of REAL hip hop, stuff you don't hear on the radio and doesn't rely on gun and drug talk or degrading women to get noticed, if you're a fan of rappers that just wanna rap and flow and live for beats and lyrics that are real and honest and hard at the same time. Seriously give it a shot, it'll surprise you.

Artist: Foreign Heights
Album: Self Titles
Genre: Hip Hop, Aussie Hop Hop, Abstract Hip Hop, Beats

Foreign Heights by Foreign Heights

By BC