Queens Club - Young Giant

A band made up of former Chariot members playing dance music didn't really hold any interest to me. Listening to some demo tracks and ep songs on their myspace page I wasn't to impressed and wrote them off as another one of T&N's bullshit pop culture signings. So I was a little shocked to find myself enjoy Young Giant as much as I do.

Comparing the band to Bloc Party might be a little cheap because QUeens Club is far more upbeat and danceable then I think Bloc Party is but the genre lines are similar and if Queens Club was british you'd draw the comparison instantly.

Young Giants is a surprising enjoyable dance/rock album. And outside of Bloc Party I can't really find a place to draw comparisons to any of what would be contemporaries. It's not so emo or autotuned to find a place along side bands like Brokencyde or Oh3Oh but it's not indie enough to roll in that scene. Young Giant is just well crafted rock music.

Th first 4 tracks are fun loving rock music that make you want to get up and dance. It's not until you hit Dust that Young Giant takes a turn into something extremely pop culture, hot topic scene. After the first run through the chorus the song picks up but still feels like something that's popular in music (just not getting radio play).

And then it's back to good times rock music. Lydia sounds like something I've heard a hundred times before but can't completely place where and is none the less worse for being something standard.

Overall Young Giant seems like a throwback record. It's just on that line of punk and rock that makes it an interesting record without falling into something that hot topic teenagers throw up on the internet every day. Another good record from T&N that makes me hopeful that the label could be taking a turn back to being relevant in my music conversations.

Poema - Sing it Now

Tooth and Nail continues to release albums that surprise me. When I saw they had signed Poema, it didn't seem like a normal T&N signing. Teenage sisters who make simple pop music.

Listening to their debut ep Sing It Now has familiar vibes. It reminds me a toned down Eisley. The album is simple, good pop music. Upbeat songs about love, Sing It Now is a good 6 song showcase of T&N latest offering. I look for more great pop music from these two young girls from New Mexico.

A handful of new records

The new album from Dillinger Escape Plan, Option Paralysis came out today. I've only given it one listen through but it's good. Also out today the debut ep from Poema, Sing it Now (which I'm listening to now and enjoying) and the new full-length from Queens Club, Young Giant.

Wrench in the Works - Increase/Decrease

There was something about The Lost Art of Heaping Coal, Wrench in the Works' debut, that caught my ear. Just a quality metal album that I found way after it's release. So I was pretty excited to be giving Increase/Decrease a listen.

Increase/Decrease presents the same problem that I had with The Famine's The Raven and the Reaping, the machine gun double kick. On a whole Increase/Decrease is faster then The Lost Art of Heaping Coal. Which isn't any better or any worse. The album just moves quicker and feels more metal then hardcore. If you're into the afore mention The Raven and the Reaping, you should give this record a listen. Increase/Decrease is fast and heavy from the gate and doesn't let up.

If you've read this blog and my metal reviews at all you know I take offense with drum replacement and when it's the machine gun double kick that's right in your face for 30 minutes, I can't take it. And the nature of this album being so fast is that you are assaulted with machine gun drum replacement for the albums duration. The briefs moments where it lets up or the album "dips" are a welcome to relief to my ears.

The last track comes as a need respite from the fast attack of the album and Vows(He Must Increase) is the track that would fit in with The Lost Art of Heaping Coal. It's much slower going and longer then any other track on the record.

Over all Increase/Decrease is a good record. It's just a pet peeve of mine that keeps me from really loving the album. If you're looking for something fast and heavy, give it a listen.

New Music Tuesday

There's really only two note worthy albums out today (in my opinion). The new Wrench in Works, Increase/Decrease and the new Flatfoot 56, Black Thorn, which I guess technically comes out tomorrow.

Eluvium - Similes

There seems to be a point in solo ambient and post rock careers when artists decide it's time to try their hand at singing and song writing. Similes is Matt Cooper's try.

Musically Similes is on par with Cooper's previous work, although not as lush and landscaping as Copia. The songs tend on the shorter side and work as songs. The instrumental pieces make you wish the album was vocal less. It isn't that Cooper's vocals are offensive or terrible. But they don't ever seem to fit and find their place in the music. Given also that the music is so nicely composed and a joy to listen to on it's on, having a droning male voice in the background offsets the beauty just enough.

Overall Similes has a more electronic feel then Copia or any of Cooper's other work. Between the minimal drum machines and the synths sounds used it's just a different feel. It's more about the music and the songs as opposed to former Eluvium record which are more landscaped and flowing. The album ends with Cease to Flow, an 11 minute song which sounds like something from Hammock's Maybe They Will Sing for Us Tomorrow. The vocals are minimal (given that the songs 11 minutes) and it's a beautiful closer.

Similes isn't Cooper's best work and of course if you're looking for a place to start in Eluvium's discography, Copia is the way to go. But Similes is a nice album and something fans of ambient music will enjoy.

High on Fire - Snakes For The Divine

So I've been spinning Snakes For The Divine for a couple of weeks now and trying to formulate what to say about it. I sadly only discovered High on Fire late in 09 when I saw them open for Dethklok and Mastodon. I've since become a fan and I have their albums but I haven't digested enough to really know how Snakes For the Divine fits in. So sadly anything I say will probably not do this album proper justice.

It's good metal. It reminds me of Mastodon's Leviathan.

Demon Hunter - The World is a Thorn

There are some bands that you either love or your hate. I feel like Demon Hunter is one of those bands. At least, I don't really know any fair weather DH fans (and my brother-in-law doesn't count because he's a fair weather music fan).

The World is a Thorn sees Demon Hunter with two new guitars and down one-half it's song writing team. Ryan Clark wrote all the songs on this record and from his own mouth, this album would be a more thrashy version of DH. And I guess to a degree that's true. All metal bands seem to hype their albums as the heaviest and fastest of their career and I think very rarely is that the case. There are more thrash metal songs on this album but Demon Hunter isn't complete without a ballad or two. The World is a Thorn isn't far from the DH mold, but on the same hand it's one sick metal record.

The first two tracks, which play as one, Descending Upon Us and Lifewar are straight forward bang your head metal songs. The album's first single "Collapsing" sounds like good old Demon Hunter. I read on some site where they compared the song to a Soilwork ripoff, and it should probably sound something like Soilwork because Björn Strid lends his vocal talents to the song. This is the Line is one of the most anthemic Demon Hunter songs I've ever heard. Driving Nails is your first ballad of the album and it's very good. It's not Heartstrings, but it's good.

Then we get to the thrash metal. The title track hits in a similar manner that Storm the Gates of Hell did. Just straight forward and fast. Tie This Around Your Neck was the first track they put up on myspace (an excellent choice), and it's my favorite song on the record. I love the song. The album ends with Blood in the Tears, another ballad, very touching.

Overall, It's the best sounding and sickest Demon Hunter record to date. The guitars sound great and the solos are well done and fit very nicely. Probably the first real solos on a DH records. These are by far by the best drums sounds Demon Hunter has captured on an album.

If you like metal give this record a spin.

Johnny Cash - Ain't No Grave

If you picked up Johnny Cash's last effort, A Hundred Highways, you understand just how haunting it is to hear a man on his death bed sing with so much passion. Ain't No Grave takes that haunting beauty and magnifies it. Not only are these the last songs ever recorded by Johnny Cash but all the songs revolve around death and dying.

The album's opening song and title track, Ain't No Grave, sounds like the ghost of Johnny Cash has come back to give us one last glimpse of one of the greatest american recording artist ever. Cash's voice is strong and full, every bit the man of black he's always been. But it's also frail, broken, dying. Ain't No Grave is one last batch of fantastic songs recorded by a legend.

If you haven't already picked up Ain't No Grave there's something wrong with you. Listening to Johnny Cash's last moments before death is a treat, even though it feels like you're listening to a ghost sing to you.

1997 - The Year Christian Music Changed

There are people who don't care about Christian music. And I completely understand why they don't. And that's cool. But I do.

The mid-90's saw a change in Christian music. Christian music icons within the scene were largely CCM figures who had come into the scene in the 80's and we're continuing to make an impact in the 90's. The adult pop scene that was the face of christian music was big. Stephen Curtis Chapman, Amy Grant, Carman, Michael W Smith, all popular. All not making very relevant music. At least not to teenagers. The biggest albums in the rock genre at the time were Jars of Clay's self-titled debut and DC Talk's Jesus Freak, both of which came out in 95.

The 80's were a mixed mess. Bad adult pop music and bad metal. Stryper made a name being the christian hair metal band. ANd there is a secret love for Stryper in my heart, it's so cheesy and bad. Bands like Petra and Guardian weren't much better. Yet despite that, the underground christian metal scene that started to take shape in the late 80's had a lot of promising bands.

The early and mid 90's started to see and underground alternative and punk scene take form. REX and Blond Vinyl records were key points in Christian music for metal and indie rock. And I would say that Tooth and Nail records is the single best thing to ever happen to christian music.

But this was all underground. The face and representation of Christian music was nothing worth shouting about. But that was about to change.

I might go back and say the shift started to happen in 1996 but the carry over into 1997 and the way that year has shaped christian music and to a point mainstream music, to this day is incredible.

Forefront records was DC Talk's label. In 97 they released Audio Adrenaline's Some Kind of Zombie. Audio Adrenaline was a pretty well know alternative band to begin with anyway. But Some Kind of Zombie really pushed them into the same area that DC Talk was in. Some Kind of Zombie was a little more pop sensible. More toned down from Bloom and Don't Censor Me. Some Kind of Zombie took an alternative band and made them Christian superstars.

Forefront records discography for 1997 alone is an impressive string of alternative rock records that were reaching kids across the country.

Audio Adrenaline - Some Kind of Zombie
Skillet - Hey You, I Love Your Soul
Grammatrain - Flying
Seven Day Jesus - Seven Day Jesus
Small Town Poets - Small Town Poets

In 96 they released the first Bleach record and Static would come out in 98 (another big record for they Christian alternative scene).

Hey You, I Love Your Soul was Skillet's second record. In 2009 Skillet released their 8th full-length on Lava Atlantic. Their a main stay on modern rock radio.

Also out in 97 was Switchfoot's debut (and I'd argue their best record) Legend of the Chin. Switchfoot is freaking huge now. Switchfoot has been on every late night talk show and been a part of VH1's top 20 countdown. All Star United had just released their first album and although their popularity at the time and over time was much less then many of their peers, it was still a part of a large growing alternative rock scene in Christian music. Small labels were popping up and putting out some quality rock. Sublime had Silage, Kosmos Express, Honey. Jackson Rubio was started in 97 and was a hub for indie music for a couple of years.

But the real change in 1997 revolves around 2 moments.

The first was the worship revolution. Delirious changed the face of worship music. In 97 they released their second album, King of Fools. The lead single from that album Deeper skyrocketed Delirious into christian superstardom and also changed our perception of what worship music was. A worship band from England with one album lead a movement that took worship music from traditional hymns and songs, something that many people would define as boring and began what would be years of new songs by new artists that continues to change and transform the songs we sing in worship. Delirious was the new face of Christian music. But they weren't the only ones.

As I said earlier, Brandon Ebel starting Tooth and Nail records is probably the actual moment that changed Christian music but 1997 took Tooth and Nail from small indie label to Christian music juggernauts. From 1993-1996 Tooth and Nail has a ton of great releases and some might argue those days were when Tooth and Nail was putting out their best music. But in 1997 Tooth and Nail, via their sister label BEC, released The OC Supertones Strike Back.

The Supertones were originally called Saved and according Brandon Ebel weren't very good. They tried hard to sign to Tooth and Nail, albeit unsuccessfully. They added a couple of members, changed their sound to ska, and were a better band. According to Ebel, Mike Herrera from MxPx even gave the band props and so Ebel consented and sign The Supertones to Tooth and Nail.

Now ska was a flash in the pan genre to begin with anyway. 1996-1997 was it's rise and fall in mainstream music. Both Reel Big Fish and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones had hits and ska was a staple at the Warp Tour for years to come. No Doubt infused ska on their breakout record Tragic Kingdom. And ska hgit christian music just right. Five Iron Frenzy, The Insyderz, and The Supertones were the big 3 in the christian ska scene but ska was suddenly everywhere in christian music. But no band was bigger then the OC Supertones.

The Supertones Strike Back really seemed to come out of nowhere. Adventures of the OC Supertones was a raw album and a very good ska album but it was relatively unknown to the masses. Supertones Strike Back came out and the Supertones exploded. Talk about right place, right time. The Supertones were headlining the mainstages at Creation and Cornerstone festivals. They had music videos and every church youth group you went to peoplle were rocking Supertones t-shirts (myself included).

Another moment in T&N's history is MxPx. In 1996 the band released Life in General. The lead single Chick Magnet thrust MxPx into the national spotlight and they caught the attention of A&M records. In 97 A&M rereleased Life in General, MxPx hit warp tour and Christian music hit the mainstream again. But this time it was different. MxPx would become a mainstream pop punk staple. MxPx entered the mainstream music and never left. MxPx was accepted as a good band. They weren't the christians coming and ruining the scene. They were just another good band, making good music. They were the first band to break through and really make way for bands like P.O.D., Underoath, Switchfoot, and all the other bands that would follow in their footsteps.

97 also saw the formation of Solid State Records, which is a big deal. In 97 Solid State released Living Sacrifice's Reborn, Strongarm's Advent of a Miracle, Overcome's When Beauty Dies, Zao's Splinter Shards the Birth of Separation, and Blindside's selftitled debut. That's a big year for hardcore and metal in Christian music. Blindside ended up touring on a national level and releasing music on Elektra Records. Reborn was the new era of Living Sacrifice. Zao completely changed after Splinter Shards but it was Zao's debut on the world. And Strongarm's Advent of a Miracle is on of the best hardcore records ever!

Yes there were still problems and issues with Christian music after 97. For years Christian music was just about having alternative bands to whatever was popular in the mainstream music scene and only in the past 5 or so years has Christian music started to break through and come into it's own. And to be honest, there will always be music that sucks both Christian and non.

Some might point to a moment early as a more significant shift in the christian music industry and some might argue that it came later, but for my money 1997 was the year where things changed.

Lack of new music Tuesday

There seems to be a number of albums coming out today. Nothing that catches my eye, which is good because I'm still backed up from last week. Working on reviews of the latest from Johnny Cash and High on Fire.

If you're looking for something this week I will recommend the new album from Clogs, The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton, which hits stores today.

Fair - Disappearing World

It's been a while since I've done one of these. Let's see how this goes.

I had never heard Fair's debut record, The Best Worst Case Scenario, so I was unfamiliar with them as a band, but I'm no stranger to Aaron Sprinkle's work. Poor Old Lu are alternative rock pioneers, Rose Blossom Punch was a great band and I own all of Sprinkle's solo records. So I had a rough idea of what to expect.

Disappearing World might be the most pop sensible thing Aaron Sprinkle has ever done, which is saying something. In a world where indie pop and indie bands are thrown around by Pitchfork and Jimmy Fallon as the hottest and greatest thing in music, Fair has produced a pop rock record that would rival any on the market to date.

Disappearing World is a pop record that will go largely unnoticed and unappreciated by the average music fan. The record is a driving affair that doesn't slow down for the first four songs. Taking Some Risks sounds like a song that you might've heard on one of Sprinkle's solo disks but the rhodes piano keeps it from sounding like something he's done before.

Hearing Disappearing World, I picked up The Best Worse Case Scenario and I can say that in my opinion Disappearing World is a huge step in a better direction. This is some of Aaron Sprinkle's best song writing to date. An upbeat pop record a good songs. Who can argue with that?