Another day, another round up of records that I played through. I’m having a terrible month, and even though the holiday season should be full of joy and not about anything else, it’s really crappy. I’ve had to deal with a lot of financial troubles, to the point where everything is on hold. At the same time, I’m trying to hire writers to give me more time to work, and I’m trying to establish all sorts of new things to work on for next year. I want it to be the most productive year in terms of writing yet, and at the same time, I’m trying to register for my next set of classes for college. As long as I am enrolled, I can chip away at that coveted master’s degree. They can’t take it away once I get it, so it’s what I am aiming for right now. The following records are a mixed bag, mostly from the 2000s, and do not represent everything I listened to. I took time to listen to a mix tape from an up and coming rapper, listened to the albums reviewed recently, ended the day on a fast note ...
There’s something familiar about Hollywood Drunks, and yet I can’t figure it out. With their album “Swell” they go through a spinning wheel of genres and remind me of so many bands, and yet they are all alone on their platform of cool. At first you want to try and compare them to The Red Hot Chili Peppers, but they shake that vibe by the second track, and then take you on a course of catchy, rock infused tunes right before they drop you into a world that sounds all too much like television. That’s not a bad thing, it’s comforting, like a warm blanket on a cold day, it’s refreshing music and it’s got a lot to offer. The first track that struck me greatly was “That Age” as it has such a classic sound to it, modern rock, adult contemporary, jingle ready, commercial appealing, and full of melody, guitars, bass, and just “good” music. It took me back a little to the first time I heard The Roots on a skateboard video, because their sound plays so well with so many other talents, and it’s...
Throwaway that polished recording from modern punk rock rebellion. They are giving a bad name to the genre, and really, Broadway? Come on, get that out of here. Figures of Light shows the youngsters how it’s done with their 2012 release “Drop Dead”. The 15 tracks that are showcased on this record is an example of what punk rock was and is today. They may refer to themselves as proto-punk, but it’s once again so much more. It’s not just one genre, its garage, surf, rock, alternative, and nostalgic all in the same breath. From the opening track of “My Box Rocks” and the follow up “Fifteen Minutes of Fame”, you get something that fits so well in nearly every decade of punk and alternative from 1970 forward. Even with songs like “Alice” you can see that original rock sound that started to blossom in the late 50s and start getting kids in trouble in the 1960s. This is not just a retrograde record or something that nostalgia freaks are going to be pushing around as one of those “cooler” ...
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