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Sick Puppies – Tri-Polar (Deluxe)
Sick Puppies – Tri-Polar (Deluxe) (2011, Virgin Records)
Disc 1
Tri-Polar
1. “War” … 3:13
2. “I Hate You” … 3:28
3. “Riptide” … 3:11
4. “You’re Going Down” … 3:07
5. “Odd One” … 3:47
6. “So What I Lied” … 3:42
7. “Survive” … 3:12
8. “Should’ve Known Better” … 3:52
9. “Maybe” … 3:29
10. “Don’t Walk Away” … 3:48
11. “Master of the Universe” … 3:33
12. “In It for Life” … 4:05
13. “White Balloons” … 3:39
Disc 2
Polar Opposite
1. “You’re Going Down” [Unplugged] … 4:09
2. “Riptide” [Unplugged] … 3:21
3. “Maybe” [Unplugged] … 3:30
4. “Odd One” [Unplugged] … 3:44
5. “Don’t Walk Away” [Unplugged] … 3:42
6. “All the Same” [Unplugged] … 4:16
7. “White Balloons” [Unplugged] … 3:24
B Sides
8. “Dead Space” … 3:12
9. “The Pretender” … 3:08
10. “Til Something Breaks” … 2:47
Bonus Track
11. “Monsters” … 4:08
Band:
Shimon Moore – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Emma Anzai – Bass, Backing Vocals
Mark Goodwin – Drums, Backing Vocals
Producer: Rock Mafia, Ross Hogarth
Tri-Polar (Deluxe) is a two-disc reissue of the band’s 2009 album Tri-Polar on Disc 1 with Disc 2 holding 2011′s Polar Opposite unplugged EP and a handful of B-sides.
I wasn’t too familiar with Australia’s Sick Puppies before listening to this album. I really one remember them from a blurb in UK’s Classic Rock magazine awhile back. In regards to the current hard rock scene, I know the praise about them has generally been positive and they’ve had a number of U.S. rock radio hits but the only song that rang a bell with me was “You’re Going Down”. “You’re Going Down” is a decent radio-ready tune but didn’t knock my socks off and I was expecting more of the same from this album. Rock radio is full of that generic post grunge guitar crunch and I was thinking that was going to be the case here.
When I finally had the chance to sit down and listen to this album, I was very happy to hear there is a much softer, melodic and introspective side than a song like “You’re Going Down” would have you believe. Not that this isn’t a hard rock album — it is! It’s just that there are so many catchy moments throughout the album with lyrics that I find easy to relate to.
“Odd One”, “Riptide” and “Maybe” were great choices as follow-up singles from the original album but “I Hate You”, “So What I Lied” and “Should’ve Known Better” also had hit potential to my ears. Based on Disc 1 alone, I am now a Sick Puppies fan.
Onto Disc 2, the Polar Opposite portion is acoustic-based with some orchestrations thrown in on a song such as “White Balloons”. These stripped down numbers only further show that Sick Puppies have more to give than angry hard rock tailor-made for radio. It’s a deeper, more thoughtful side that I hope they continue to explore. All of the Polar Opposite tracks come off just as well as their Tri-Polar counterparts (“All the Same” comes from 2006′s Dressed Up as Life) and it’s interesting to hear a different take on them.
As far as the B Sides go, those are fairly enjoyable as well with “The Pretender” really standing out as something that should’ve been on the album itself. The bonus track “Monsters” is a moody rocker that I also enjoy.
While comparing Sick Puppies to bands such as Hinder and Avenged Sevenfold is like comparing apples to oranges to pineapples, this group really shows a lot of promise for a long and fruitful career. Like those bands I am glad they have more to offer when it comes to their albums and they seem like they are not afraid to grow and offer up something different. Tri-Polar (Deluxe) shows a band that rocks hard, writes songs that can stand on their own when stripped down and they can also produce thoughtful tracks such as “Odd One” and “White Balloons”.
What a great young band.
Highlights: “I Hate You”, “Riptide”, “You’re Going Down”, “Odd One”, “So What I Lied”, “Maybe”, “Don’t Walk Away”, “Master of the Universe”, “The Pretender”, “Monsters”
http://www.sickpuppies.com/
http://www.facebook.com/sickpuppies
Concert Review: Poison (7/07/11)
Poison
Opener: Top of the Orange
7/07/11
The Amphitheater at The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama
Bret Michaels just doesn’t stop. It seems like he’s constantly touring. When Poison isn’t touring, he’s doing solo shows and even when Poison is on the road, he finds time to schedule solo shows! Poison is in the middle of a big summer tour with Motley Crue and the New York Dolls but the band has scheduled a number of headlining shows as well on off days. Warrant is opening for them on a number of those shows but unfortunately were not present for this Orange Beach concert.
Top of the Orange
I was hoping there would be someone opening the show but it wasn’t until a week before the show that The Wharf’s Facebook page announced that Mobile, Alabama-based band Top of the Orange would be curtain jerking. I checked a few of their songs out online and they seemed like a decent current-sounding hard rock band with songs that fit in with the rest of whatever rock radio decides to play these days.
Apparently they’ve been making quite a name of themselves in the Gulf Coast area and according to their website they’ve opened for 3 Doors Down, Staind, Shinedown, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin and Theory of a Dead Man among others… Now you can add Poison to that list!
While I didn’t expect Poison to do a 2 hour to 2 1/2 hour set, I certainly didn’t expect Top of the Orange to play so long either. I thought 4 or 5 songs and then it’d be time for Poison but The Orange had played a healthy set. While Top of the Orange won’t be drawing any similarities to a band like Poison and their sound owes more to the ’90s rock scene and bands like Theory of a Deadman and Nickelback that’s what made the experience cool — you get to see a young up ‘n’ coming playing a totally different style than the veteran headliners. Variety is the spice of life!
I know I’m going to completely screw up the set list, but here’s what seems familiar (though I think I’m leaving off a song or two and I know the order isn’t right):
Set list
“Let Me In”
“Nowhere”
“Truth Be told”
“Cutting Me Off”
“Immigrant Song” (Led Zeppelin cover)
“Who Turned Off the Sun”
“Sex Kitten”
“Why Can’t”
Poison
Poison is out on the road this summer with a tour they’re calling “Glam-A-Geddon 25″ in honor of the band’s 1986 Look What the Cat Dragged In debut. Odd then that some of the band would wear Open Up and Say… Ahh! t-shirts and that album cover was a part of the stage setup. Could it be they are embarrassed by their debut album’s super glammy cover?
I’d seen Poison once before but it was a good show. Much like Def Leppard, I know they don’t change up the set list much from year to year but these guys are still a fun band and certainly the premier glam metal band and are proud of that fact so to me it was worth taking the time and money to see them again.
As I said, there weren’t too many surprises with the set list. They band went through all their signature songs but actually sounded better than when I saw in 2009 (although I think it was more of a technical issue that day). Compared to when I first saw them, they’ve dropped “Something To Believe In”, which has been played on some of the Motley shows, but added “I Want Action” (which I thought was awesome) and “We’re An American Band”.
Poison started off the show in a cool way, or maybe it was just coincidental — the lights went out, the stage started to glow and then AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” started to play and it played in its entirety as Poison’s skull backdrop was raised on the stage. Seemed like part of the show to me. Both finished about the same time and then a spotlight hits the drum kit and a guy walks out in a jacket, hat and bandanna covering his face and spray paints “Orange” on one kick drum and “Beach” on the other. He takes off the jacket and bandanna and it’s revealed to be none other than Rikki Rockett!
From there the band was on fire — literally! You had green flames, yellow flames, orange flames, pyro, etc. going off at various times throughout the night. Backdrops were changed a couple of times, it was a get stage set up. The entire band was energetic all night long and Bret is really one of the best front men to come out of the ’80s.
I was counting on Setlist.FM to already have the set list up but it’s not there yet. I KNOW these are the songs played but I may have one or two out of order. I’m about 85% sure this is the correct order though!
Set list
“Look What The Cat Dragged In”
“I Want Action”
“We’re An American Band” (Grand Funk Railroad cover)
“Ride The Wind”
“Your Mama Don’t Dance” (Loggins & Messina cover)
C.C.’s Guitar Solo
“Fallen Angel”
“Unskinny Bop”
Rikki’s Drum Solo
“Every Rose Has Its Thorn”
“Talk Dirty To Me”
Encore
“Nothin’ But A Good Time”
Just a fun night all around, the venue was not as full as the Def Leppard show but still close to being packed. Top of the Orange got a good reception, it seemed like about a fourth of the audience knew who they were so that helped add to the enjoyment of watching them. Poison was indeed “nothin’ but a good time”. The band has caught a lot of flak over the years from peers and rock fans but I’ve always enjoyed them. They aren’t the best musicians or the most thoughtful lyricists but they always bring fun and a good time to the table and what more do you really need in a rock band?
George Lynch – Kill All Control
George Lynch – Kill All Control (2011, Rocket Science, Inc.)
1. “Kill All Control”
2. “Done”
3. “Fly On The Wall”
4. “Brand New Day”
5. “Wicked Witch”
6. “Voices In My Head”
7. “Resurrect Your Soul”
8. “Rattlesnake”
9. “Sun”
10. “Man On Fire”
11. “My Own Enemy”
12. “Son Of Scary”
13. “Go It Alone”
Musicians:
George Lynch – Guitar, Bass, Backing Vocals
London LeGrand – Vocals (Track 5, 11, 13), Backing Vocals
Marq Torien – Vocals (Tracks 1, 3, 9), Backing Vocals
Will Martin – Vocals (Tracks 1-4, 6, 9), Backing Vocals
Keith St. John – Vocals (Tracks 7, 8, 10), Backing Vocals
Nic Speck – Bass
Adrian Ost – Drums
Fred Coury – Drums (Track 12)
Just like Michael Schenker, George Lynch is a guy that stays so active and releases so much music in any given year that it’s easy to lose track of what exactly his current project is and if any of those projects are worth listening to. Despite being a guitar hero it seems like a lot of his music goes unnoticed (although the Lynch Mob reunion album Smoke & Mirrors was well-received). Hopefully with the buzz the Lynch Mob reunion started more people will pay attention to this solo effort because it’s definitely worth listening to.
George has never really been one to live in the past. While I can applaud some acts for sticking to or going back to their “classic” sound in order to appease the hardcore fans, as long as the music is good I see no problem with catching up to modern times and that’s exactly what Lynch is doing here. This is modern hard rock/metal featuring elements of alternative and more classic sounding hard rock. These are songs that would probably find their way to radio if only they were done by someone half George’s age. Some of the music at times it reminds me of SIXX:A.M. (though certainly not as dark) but all of it sounds current.
It’s worth noting that the music does not sound forced. A lot of people gave Lynch a hard time (rightfully so) when he took Lynch Mob in a rap-metal direction in the late ’90s but Kill All Control sounds much more natural. It’s hard rock but it’s up-to-date, not trend-jumping. I doubt at this point in his career George believes he’ll get any radio play anyway (no matter what the style of his music is), so this is probably just where his head is at right now when it comes to solo material.
Admittedly, the album was originally intended to be a follow-up to 2008′s Let The Truth Be Known from Souls of We (George’s side-project with former Brides of Destruction singer London LeGrand) and drummer Adrian Ost. During the process of writing the album, the decision was made to make it a solo effort instead due to the direction that the songs were taking. As such, a number of vocalists were called in to lend their talents in addition to LeGrand. Marq Torien (Bullet Boys), Will Martin (Earshot) and Keith St. John (Montrose) all make appearances while Cinderella’s Fred Coury plays drums on the “Son Of Scary” instrumental. By the way, I did my best in listing who sang on what song, I couldn’t find a complete list of album credits.
For those hoping for something similar to Dokken or Lynch Mob leftovers, you’re out of luck. But, Kill All Control displays the great riffs and solos George is known for and a fantastic collection of vocalists along with tons of groove and hooks. Definitely worth checking out.
Highlights: “Kill All Control”, “Done”, “Brand New Day”, “Wicked Witch”, “Voices In My Head”, “Resurrect Your Soul”, “My Own Enemy”
Buy ‘Kill All Control’ at Amazon.com
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CellOut – Superstar Protoype
CellOut – Superstar Prototype (2010, Nuerra Records)
1. “Dark Days” … 4:30
2. “All My Demons Inside” … 3:20
3. “The Gift” … 3:50
4. “Flooded” … 5:12
5. “Set Things Straight” … 3:45
6. “Blow” … 3:58
7. “Breathe” … 3:33
8. “As I Fall” … 3:31
9. “Fake” … 3:52
10. “In My Arms” … 4:06
11. “The Tragedy In You” … 3:55
Band:
Percy Mejhagen – Vocals, Guitar
Robert Monegrim – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Anders Sevebo – Bass, Backing Vocals
Martin Karlsson – Drums
Producer: Cellout & Michael Phelan
Sweden’s CellOut is a band that I think could really achieve some success in the United States if given half the chance. The band finds a great balance between being melodic and being heavy. That’s a product of vocalist Percy Mejhagen’s early influences such as Korn, Pantera & Sepultura and guitarist Robert Monegrim’s melodic rock influences. The album was mixed by Ulrich Wild (who has worked with Pantera, Deftones & Static-X). So CellOut are most certainly a band for modern times (I would place them under the broad “alternative rock/metal” category) which is why I think they tons of potential stateside.
While songs like “Dark Days” and “Flooded” have plenty of radio appeal, “Set Things Straight”, “Breathe” and “Fake” are heavy and brutal enough to please those they might be jaded by such commercialism. Personally, it’s the albums more melodica moments that I like best. And for my money, the band puts their best foot forward at the beginning of the album. “Dark Days”, “All My Demons Inside”, “The Gift” and “Flooded” are prime examples of GOOD catchy modern rock/metal tunes. See, this is the kind of stuff that would happily keep me listening to the radio.
You know how I know I’m really liking an album? I check out the lyrics. That is, if they are provided and luckily they are (lyrics should be a standard part of album packaging, get it together people): “I never wanted you to say ‘I’m sorry’/Hell no, dark days are far from gone/I never wanted you to say ‘I’m sorry’/Hell no, it’s all around/You can’t escape it”. Perhaps a bit emo if coming from one of Hot Topic’s favorite bands but when it’s coming from the pummeling and hooky opener “Dark Days”, I found yourself energized and singing along.
Superstar Protoype is a “must listen” for fans of Disturbed, Linkin Park, Korn, Static-X, etc.
Highlights: “Dark Days”, “All My Demons Inside”, “The Gift”, “Flooded”, “As I Fall”
http://www.celloutonline.com
http://www.facebook.com/CellOutband
http://www.myspace.com/cellout
SALIVA – Under Your Skin
Saliva – Under Your Skin (2011, Island Records)
1. “Badass” … 3:05
2. “Better Days” … 3:40
3. “Nothing” … 3:07
4. “Hate Me” … 4:02
5. “Never Should’ve Let You Go” … 3:33
6. “Prove Me Wrong” … 3:30
7. “Burn It Up” … 2:57
8. “Toxic Suicide” … 2:45
9. “Turn the Lights On” … 3:49
10. “Spotlight” … 3:11
Band:
Josey Scott – Lead Vocals
Wayne Swinny – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Dave Novotny – Bass, Backing Vocals
Paul Crosby – Drums
Producer: Howard Benson
With the band seemingly topping themselves with each new release, when I found out a new Saliva album was underway, I took notice. Cinco Diablo was easily the best of the band’s catalog so I was pretty interested in hearing this one. I first got into the band when most people did — with Every Six Seconds. Though I don’t think the band has ever delivered a knockout album, everything they *have* released has at least qualified as good.
I was kind of disappointed when I read some statements from Josey Scott where he talked about going back to the rap metal that the band originally was so fond of. Sure, it was fine for the time but it just seemed like an unnecessary step back as I don’t think the nostalgia factor has kicked in yet for that subgenre. Hopefully it never will and luckily this album isn’t really to relive 1999 or 2001. “Badass” and “Burn It Up” are really the only two songs that retread Saliva’s earlier sound and they are fine for what they are. They sound like Saliva.
As much as I liked Cinco Diablo, I like Under My Skin that much more. This is the band’s finest moment. For my money, the band has turned in their best effort yet. 10 songs and very little filler here. Whether it’s the bravado chest-thumping “Badass”, rock radio ready songs like “Nothing”, “Better Days” & “Spotlight” or the ballads “Never Should’ve Let You Go” & “Turn The Lights On” (Saliva has always done very well with their ballads), the album has stuck me and I can’t get it out of my head. “Toxic Suicide” is another favorite of mine, it has a slightly darker edge to it than the rest of the songs.
I bought this album to the day it came out and I must have listened to it nearly 10 times all the way through in that short amount of time. Some albums I listen to and even though I enjoy them I’m ready to move on to the next album but Under My Skin has stayed in my player for the majority of the week. I’m not getting tired of it and there’s no reason this album should not be a big hit. Well, other than the fact that the music industry has screwed itself to oblivion. So far, “Badass” and “Nothing” have been released as singles. I’m surprised neither has charted but I definitely think “Better Days”, “Turn The Lights On” and/or “Never Should’ve Let You Go” all deserve to get released to radio as well. Really, most of this album is radio ready though. The hooks, catchy choruses and melodies are all over the place.
Anyone who likes Saliva will like this album as well, I think. I guess Saliva is one of the more mainstream sounding rock bands that I listen to but they are so much more catchier than most of what makes it onto radio so that’s why I keep coming back for more.
Highly recommended, strong contender to make my Top 10 list for 2011.
Highlights: “Better Days”, “Nothing”, “Never Should’ve Let You Go”, “Toxic Suicide”, “Turn The Lights On”
http://www.saliva.com
https://www.facebook.com/Saliva
Buy Saliva’s ‘Under Your Skin’ at Amazon.com
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Press Release: SALIVA returns from Memphis with ‘Under Your Skin’, new album to be released March 22nd
Pre Order Saliva’s Under Your Skin today to guarantee your spot on the poster. Upload an image of one of YOUR favorite tattoos. Your tattoo will be featured in an official Saliva collage poster. All posters will be available for download after street date!
Pre Order Under Your Skin NOW: http://idj.to/SalivaUYS
Hoodless – Music For Jerks
Hoodless – Music For Jerks (2010, Hoodless Music)
1. “Touch & Cry” … 4:17
2. “Waiting” … 3:27
3. “Innocent” … 4:13
4. “Down” … 4:29
5. “GAPO” … 4:19
6. “Say It Loud” … 5:03
7. “Run Away” … 4:52
8. “Be My Whore” … 3:14
9. “Underground” … 3:42
10. “Why So Serious” … 2:35
Band:
Twon – Vocals
Paul Allan – Guitar
Finn – Guitar
B Lee – Bass
Carter – Drums
Producer: Joe Lambert
When this band was brought to my attention, I was excited because I had read they were being compared to Guns N Roses. Of course, GNR’s name is often thrown around for and by many unknown bands who are trying to get noticed. So what was my honest take after listening to the first handful of songs? They aren’t similar to GNR at all.
I have listened with an open ear (two, actually) and I just do not hear where you can draw the line between these two bands but I do not think it would be too far off to say that GNR fans would appreciate Hoodless. The band’s sound is something that I think would appeal to old school rock heads and to the alternative crowd as well. In fact, I can’t help but feel like ex-Warrant vocalist Jani Lane is singing on this album as Twon’s vocals sound very much like him at times and some of these songs sound similar to Saints of the Underground or some of the later (aka- alternative) Warrant albums with Lane.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to say these guys are some Warrant-worshipping retro act. Not at all. They are a completely modern band. It’s just that I can’t get over Twon’s vocals sounding so similar to Jani’s.
What I really like about this album and band is that they aren’t heavy just to be heavy or trying to sound like a party band or angry band or whatever. There’s tons of groove to this album, some nice melodic moments. There is a balance between heavy and harmony that many young bands completely miss the boat on. ”Be My Whore” and “Why So Serious” are pretty heavy numbers but then there are lower key moments like “Run Away” or “Innocent” that, while heavy own their own terms, still show a ton of musical sensitivity. They aren’t beating you over the head with thick guitars just because they can.
So Music For Jerks turned out to not be what I was expecting but it is still a very good album. Besides, who needs another GNR Lite? We’ve had hundreds of those dating back more than 20 years! Hoodless is doing their own thing and that’s all they need to keep doing. Definitely an album worth checking out.
Highlights: “Waiting”, “Innocent”, “Down”, “Run Away”, “Underground”
http://www.hoodlessrocks.com
http://www.facebook.com/hoodlessrocks
http://www.myspace.com/hoodless
Animal Confession – Animal Confession
Animal Confession (2011, self-released)
1. “A Thousand Lies” … 3:55
2. “Light My Way” … 4:28
3. “Drown In You” … 4:37
Musicians:
Andrew Gharib – Vocals, Guitar
Sean Finnegan – Bass
Mike Hogg – Drums
Producer: Andrew Gharib and Chris Crerar
Animal Confession is an alternative/ambient rock group based out of Ottawa, Canada. It is the brainchild of the band’s sole member – Andrew Gharib. On this three song EP, the influences are obvious: Tool, the Deftones, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, etc. Gharib himself notes U2 and Pink Floyd as an influence as well.
I’m finding that “A Thousand Lies” is my favorite of these three tracks. The guitars have crunch, the melody is there, the chorus is catchy. It was a wise choice to release this song as the single. The same can basically be said for “Light My Way”, which alternates between dreamy moments and guitar crunch. Next up is “Drown In You”, complete with some guitar distortion and again more melody. There’s a theme here — Gharib has done a great job of combining melody and heaviness. Neither is being sacrificed for the sake of the other. The album is dark, moody and there’s a psychedelic twist given it all as well.
Speaking of the man himself, Andrew’s vocals are absolutely fantastic. He does a great job letting the emotions come through in his voice whether he’s belting out the chorus or taking a low-key approach during some the the melancholy moments. The man definitely has a gift and is using that gift to its fullest potential on this EP.
I don’t follow the alternative scene much these days so I hate to even comment and what can/cannot be in this day and age but I can’t help but feel Gharib would’ve found some critical acclaim and commercial success in the alternative-friendly 1990s with songs such as these. Animal Confession is a “must listen” for fans of alternative music.
http://animalconfession.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Animal-Confession/150622668283886
http://www.myspace.com/animalconfession
Madlife – Angry Sonnets for the Soul
Madlife – Angry Sonnets for the Soul (2011, RBE/Fontana)
1. “Little Ray Of Sunshine” … 3:34
2. “Everyone” … 3:32
3. “Be Tomorrow” … 3:48
4. “Falling Apart” … 4:01
5. “Feeling Alone” … 3:25
6. “I Hate” … 3:19
7. “Think I’m Dead” … 2:59
8. “Money” … 3:06
9. “There I Stand” … 3:53
10. “Tantrum Of A Giant” … 3:03
11. “Screaming People” … 2:57
Band:
Angry Phil – Vocals
Isaiah – Guitar
Jimmy Minj – Bass
Kylio – Drums
Producer: Evan 9
Now this was a pleasant surprise! When this album arrived in the mail, based on the description of Madlife being an industrial rock act, I wasn’t sure if I would like it. It’s not a scene I was ever a HUGE fan of but I did like some acts like Rob Zombie, Nine Inch Nails, Static-X, Linkin Park and Powerman 5000. Even Marilyn Manson (who Madlife has toured with) and Orgy put out at least one album that I liked but I haven’t seriously listened to any of those bands since the late ’90s/early ’00s. Out of all the bands I just mentioned, the closest I could comparison to Madlife is Powerman 5000. Though this band is certainly not ripping off PM5K, a lot of the beats in the songs brought that comparison to my mind… even before I realized this album was produced by Powerman 5000 guitarist Evan 9! I think “Falling Apart” is the most like Powerman 5000.
Madlife isn’t as heavy or as electronically offbeat as bands like NIN, Static-X or Manson. They’re much more melodic. The band really does a great job pulling all of their influences together and coming out with one sound. It’s melodic, it’s modern hard rock, it’s industrial. A number of these songs bring me back to when industrial acts were all rage because they sound exactly like songs from that era (not complaining) but there’s also a number of songs that could just as easily find their way onto radio like “Be Tomorrow”, “Screaming People” and the awesome “I Stand There”, which is by far my favorite song on the album. By the way, kudos to vocalist Angry Phil for not resorting to the ugly screaming that is often found in industrial bands. Phil’s vocals are clean and convey a variety of emotions, depending on the song.
In addition to Marilyn Manson, Madlife has toured with numerous modern metal acts like Bullet For My Valentine, Trivium and All That Remains. Coupled with the hooks and ready-radio songwriting talent found on Angry Sonnets for the Soul, Madlife could have a very successful future ahead of them. I’m glad I’ve been turned on to this band.
Highlights: “Little Ray Of Sunshine”, “Be Tomorrow”, “Falling Apart”, ”There I Stand”, ”Screaming People”
http://www.madlifemusic.com
http://www.facebook.com/Madlifemusic
http://www.myspace.com/madlife
My Darkest Days – My Darkest Days
My Darkest Days (2010, Mercury Records)
1. “Move Your Body” … 3:13
2. “Porn Star Dancing” (feat. Zakk Wylde & Chad Kroeger) … 3:19
3. “Every Lie” … 2:56
4. “Like Nobody Else” … 3:41
5. “The World Belongs To Me” … 3:42
6. “Save Me” … 3:41
7. “Set It On Fire” … 3:27 (feat. Orianthi)
8. “Come Undone” (feat. Jessie James) … 4:08
9. “Can’t Forget You” … 3:53
10. “Goodbye” … 3:59
11. “Porn Star Dancing” (feat. Chad Kroeger, Zakk Wylde, & Ludacris) … 3:55
Band:
Matt Walst – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
Sal Costa – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Brendan McMillan – Bass
Doug Oliver – Drums
Additional Musicians:
Zakk Wylde – Guitar
Chad Kroegar – Vocals, Percussion, Acoustic Guitar
Ludacris – Vocals
Orianthi – Guitar
Jessie James – Vocals
Joey Moi – Percussion, Backing Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards
Ted Bruner – Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar
Scott Cooke – Backing Vocals
Producer: Joey Moi and Chad Kroeger
My Darkest Days is a post-grunge act. So why am I reviewing them? Well, I had read a few positive reviews on Amazon a few months ago and put the CD on my wishlist. I never got around to buying it but saw it at FYE the other week for $8 or $9 and knew it’d be cheaper to get it right then. If it sucked, well, I’d only be out a few bucks.
Does it suck? NO! This album is awesome and I can’t even explain why I like it! My Darkest Days is firmly entrenched in the radio-friendly post-grunge format but I think they are just a lot more melodic and hooky than most other “modern” acts and a bit more poppy. All of these songs are getting stuck in my head. There’s a good mix of the typical rock ‘n’ roll bravado with “Move Your Body” and “Porn Star Dancing” but I also dig the lovelorn moments like “Save Me” and “Can’t Forget You”, “Goodbye”. But never fear, there’s actually a POSITIVE love song called “Like Nobody Else”. I’m finding that I’m enjoying the lyrics to these songs as much as the music itself.
Here’s a fun fact: this group is apparently another pet project of Chad Kroeger (Nickelback). He co-produced and co-wrote all but three songs on this album. If I knew that before hand, I probably wouldn’t have bought the album. I’m not a Nickelback fan, they’re the #1 band to blame for the bland acts on radio these days and the last time I went for one of Kroeger’s “finds” it was Theory of a Deadman and they suck.
Kroeger definitely called in some favors for this album though. Lots of guest stars lined up for this one and I think that’s pretty cool. Zakk Wylde, Ludacris, Orianthi and Jessie James on the same album? What, is this a Slash record? With the guest stars, a cover of Duran Duran’s “Come Undone” and two versions of “Porn Star Dancing” it looks like the band is giving their all to become a success in the mainstream. There’s the “rock version” of “Porn Star Dancing” and then an alternative version featuring a part by Ludacris. It isn’t rap-metal or a hip-hop remake but I guess that version’s for the clubs or pop stations. There’s really only one dud in the whole bunch — The Police-influenced “Set It On Fire”.
This is definitely a band worth checking out for anyone who has a taste for modern hard rock that’s NOT influenced by the classic rock bands. I don’t really fit into that category but I’m enjoying it anyway so if you’re in the same boat as I am, you may end up enjoying this one too.
Highlights: “Move Your Body”, “Porn Star Dancing”, “Like Nobody Else”, “The World Belongs To Me”, “Save Me”, “Can’t Forget You”
http://www.mydarkestdays.com
http://www.facebook.com/MyDarkestDays
http://www.myspace.com/MyDarkestDays
