Hammock - Asleep In the Downlights

Ever since I heard Kenotic I've been in love with Hammock. With every release the band solidifies themselves as one of the best musical acts going. The bands latest ep features 2 new songs plus two "remixed" versions of Chasing After Shadows b-sides. Asleep in the Downlights features the vocals of Steve Kilbey and Tim Powles from The Church. The new Hammock songs feature the vocals of Andrew Thompson and Marc Byrd.

4 songs, 4 different voices singing. The music is beautiful as it always is when it comes from Hammock. Asleep in the Downlights is another beautiful addition to the already brilliant career that has been Hammocks.

Free Music Friday: Jars of Clay - Gather and Build

It's not really a secret that I like Jars of Clay. Ever since their self-titled debut, I've always enjoyed what Jars of Clay was playing and their growth in sound has been perfect over the years (although it took a long while I get If I Left the Zoo).

The band is now offering a collection of songs called Gather and Build as a free download on Noisetrade. You can download Gather and Build for free here: http://www.noisetrade.com/jarsofclay

M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

M83 has always been a band that's been able to successfully change their sound and introduce new ideas. Anthony Gonzalez has taken M83 from an unknown electronic band to indie/shoegaze superstars. Each albums growth has been perfect, winning more fans and gaining well deserved popularity. So a double album isn't really a stretch for an artist who is always pushing themselves.

Hurry Up, We're Dreaming almost feels like a step backwards. It seems like a lot of the great shoegaze elements from Saturday = Youth are missing. Instead Hurry Up, We're Dreaming plays like an extended version of Before the Dawn Heals Us without any great songs. A lot of solid songs but nothing that sticks out. There's no Kim and Jesse, no Teen Angst, no Don't Save Us From the Flames. The album's first single, Midnight City, has a nice synth lead line but the hock falls short of ever being really catchy or memorable (although the Kenny G sax at the of the track is a nice touch). Hurry Up, We're Dreaming does continue to push musical elements, as the overall sound pushes the 80's/disco line even further then M83 has gone before.

The biggest problem is that there is so much music that the most solid songs get lost in the shuffle of these one minute musical interludes and songs that are ok but maybe should have been a b-side. I'm convinced that there's a good album in this two disc set but it's not my job to go through and put together the best tracks to make a better album.

Hurry Up, We're Dreaming is a moment where Anthony Gonzalez's brilliance has gotten the better of him. Had he taken the best songs and given us one record, it probably would have played a lot smoother.

Close Your Eyes - Empty Hands and Heavy Hearts

Close Your Eyes is a band that makes my heart happy. Hardcore/punk fusion done well. I love it. I discovered We Will Overcome way too late but boy was I glad when I did. Positive punk infused hardcore has always been a favorite of mine and Close Your Eyes might be doing it better then anyone else right now.

Empty Hands and Heavy Hearts not only picks up where We Will Overcome left off but is a sign of major improvement and maturity. The songs are stronger, the hooks more memorable, the subtly variety more explored.

Hope Slips, Erie, Injustice, Keep the Lights On are all tracks that are great hardcore songs similar to old school Stretch Arm Strong and Comeback Kid, while songs like Empty Hands, Valleys, and Paper Thin all explore either more punk sounds or a more melodic sound that keeps each track fresh.

Close Your Eyes really upped their game and have delivered a great record. Close Your Eyes is proving themselves to be one of the best bands in the hardcore scene. Great songs, positive lyrics, all around good vibes.

Immortal Souls - IV: The Requiem for the Art of Death

Immortal Souls is European metal through and through. That ridiculous dark death metal imagery that's almost always over the top but the music never matches the dark tones of the song titles and are... Fun seems like the wrong word but in the realm of death metal Immortal Souls has an element of fun in their music.

IV: The Requiem for the Art of Death is the band's latest album and in my opinion their best album to date. It's their most consistent sounding album for sure. In a day and age when the Christian metal scene is dominated by metalcore and deathcore, Immortal Souls, while nothing new, a still a fresh sound amidst a sea of similarity.

The best moments on the album are the more melodic moments. Songs like I Wept, Absolution, Last Day on Earth carry enough change that it keeps IV from ever getting stale or boring. Evil Believer, Nuclear Winter, and Reek of the Rotting Eye all are heavy hitters, so no worries about it being a strictly melodic death metal record.

Immortal Souls delivers a solid record and the best album of their career.

The Meltdown 52

New music from Close Your Eyes, Deas Vail, Holding Onto to Hope, and The Violet Burning

Deas Vail - Deas Vail

It took a long time for Birds and Cages to grow on me. I instantly liked Excuses but the whole album just didn't hit me.

The band's self-titled new album on the other hand was an album I instantly connected with. With beautiful songs and catchy melodies, Deas Vail have created a great indie pop record. The album's first single, Sixteen, is a perfect example of the pop perfection on this album and the song is a showcase of how much Deas Vail has improved. Tracks like Quiet Like Sirens, Towers, Pulling Down the Sun all have a slightly quirky indie feel that keeps the album from becoming a stale pop record while Summer Forgets Me, Bad, and The Right Mistakes keep a light poppy feel.

Deas Vail have matured and delivered a fantastic pop record that shouldn't be missed.

Free Music Friday: The Soft Drugs/TW Walsh

Tw Walsh had released a handful of solo records before joining Pedro the Lion as the band's drummer. Walsh left Pedro right before the band "broke up" and put out a record under the moniker of the Soft Drugs and has continued to record singles for the past couple of years. Well Walsh has compiled all his tracks on Bandcamp. Soft Drugs' In Moderation is available for free, as well as a handful of single tracks. Walsh's early albums are also available on the site (at a pay your own price rate so you could download them for free as well). The songs are great and it's well crafted indie pop.

You can download music from TW Walsh and The Soft Drugs here: http://twwalsh.bandcamp.com/

Holding Onto Hope - Holding Onto Hope

Holding Onto Hope's Of the Sea was probably the first album on COme and Live that connected with me. Post-hardcore done well normally works for me. So seeing the band's new self-titled record was finally available excited me.

The band's self-titled album is pretty good and it's hard to say anything negative about it. The album starts really strong with Old Voids, Hollow, and Low (best track on the album). The album doesn't waste any time with an ill advised intro track, as Old Voids bust right into the guts of the album. A solid click in and then Holding Onto Hope rocks out. My only issue with Holding Onto Hope's self-titled record is that it's not very diverse song to song. The lack of variety takes what is a very solid record and makes it pretty forgettable about halfway through. Forsaken: Take 1 is a killer song with a great worshipful and catchy hook to end the track but that's the only great song after Low.

Having said that, I still enjoy Holding Onto Hope's new record and as a free download, I highly recommend people picking this one up and giving it a spin.

The Meltdown 51

New music from Mutemath, Thrice, Lights, Hundredth, and more.

Free Music Friday: Miss Angie - Time and Space

Anyone else remember Miss Angie? Back in 1997 Miss Angie released a great little alternative record called 100 Million Eyeballs which featured the minor hit Lift My Eyes Up. Apparently she released 2 other records after her debut but I've never heard either of them.

ANyway, after a hiatus she has returned with Time and Space and is offering it as a free download. The late 90's alternative rock is gone and in it's place is a synth drive, slower pop record. I've only spun the record once so far and it's enjoyable. The songs are solid and worshipful. Different from what I was expecting.

You can download Time and Space for free here: http://missangie.bandcamp.com/

Lights - Siberia

I've had a recent obsession with pop music. Yeah, like radio pop. What can I say, it makes me want to dance and I like dancing. Anyway...

Trolling the internet I came across a post with a list of this weeks new albums and included on the list was a new album from Lights called Siberia. It was labeled as Christian dance/electronic. As someone who's always look for quality electronic music I picked up the record.

Siberia is a great pop album! Lights isn't going to reminding anyone of Katy Perry or Britney Spears. But Siberia is catchy, upbeat, and it's fun. The songs are well crafted. The title track kicks the record off and is a little... quirky. The hook gets in your brain but the rhythm in the delivery of the lyrics is just off beat enough that the harshest of pop music haters will find something to enjoy here. Where the Fence is Low has a great driving synth bass line. The album's first single, Toes, is pop music perfection. Super catchy and would fit on any pop station in America and be the best track on the radio!

14 songs at nearly an hour long, Siberia is another surprise find this year. The album features guest appearances from Holy F-K and Shad. Another great pop record. I highly recommend checking this album out.

New Found Glory - Radiosurgery

I love New Found Glory! Catchy pop punk just works for me and unlike many other artists who have shifted their sound as they've gotten older, you pretty much know what you're getting with New Found Glory. And I like that. The band's seventh full-length, Radiosurgery, is more pop punk goodness. While I won't be declaring this the best or my favorite NFG record (because Coming Home holds a special place in my heart) but it's hard to argue that NFG is good at what they do.

The title track, and album's first single, kick the record off. Fun song, not the greatest opening track but not bad. Drill It In My Brain, I'm No the One, Caught In the Act, and Memories and Battle Scars are my favorite tracks on the record but that's not to say that the other songs suck. Every track is fun and that's exactly what this record should be.

If you're a New Found Glory fan you're going to love this record. It's fun pop punk. What more could one want?

Relient K - K is For Karaoke (Full-length)

Over the summer I reviewed Relient K's cover ep K is For Karaoke, an album I really enjoyed. The band re-releasing the album as a full-length with more song excited me. Pop punk is a great style of music for cover songs and Relient K's ep was excellent.

If you have the ep... You probably don't need the full-length. The best songs on the album are the ones that were on the ep. Baby, Crazy, Doctor Worm, Surf Wax America, Here Comes My Girl, Everybody Wants to Rule the World... Those are the best tracks on the record.

The new tracks are nice. One Headlight is probably the best of the new songs. The Distance, Interstate Love Song, and Africa are all nice cover but they don't grab you. Inside of Love is great and I enjoy You're the Inspiration and Motorcycle Drive By but neither of those are tracks whose original I'm familiar with.

If you didn't pick up the ep, I do recommend getting the full-length. Even though the best songs are the ones from the ep, K is For Karaoke is a solid record start to finish and is just a lot of fun. Put it on, sing-a-long, and enjoy.

Mutemath - Odd Soul

I've been critical of Mutemath in the past. I wasn't super impressed with the band's self-titled debut (although I do enjoy that record) and Armistice didn't do a thing for me. A band that was hyped as a great live act wasn't translating to their albums for me. Nice band but nothing special for me.

Odd Soul is on a different level though. And by different level, I mean the band has completely switched their sound up and that switch is working for me. While fans of the band's previous albums will probably be disappointed, as someone who didn't connect with Mutemath, Odd Soul is a perfect reintroduction.

The first three tracks remind me of Gnarls Barkley, which could be why I dig this record so much. Odd Soul, Prytania (especially this track), and Blood Pressure all feel like they could have been tracks on Gnarls Barkley's Odd Couple record. Blood Pressure begins to kick things up high gear. Heads Up has a really nice swagger... Like an updated version of the Isley Brothers or something along those lines. A really groove laden track. Allies has some great guitar riffage and a ton of fat synth layers. Cavalries is a great throwback, classic rock sound instrumental that flows out of Allies. The Beatles meets the Mars Volta.

Well songs get repetitive at moments and at times my interest was in and out, in my opinion, it's still the best album Mutemath has released yet.

The Meltdown 50

New Music from Maylene and The Sons of Disaster, Switchfoot, Hands, Braille, and Friends.

Hundredth - Let Go

Melodic hardcore is a genre that I think a lot of people have similar feelings towards that I do for metalcore. While I understand people's thoughts that it's a stale genre with no originality... I like the genre. Misery Signals and Your Memorial are two of my favorite current bands in the heavy music scene.

Hundredth is a band I probably would have ignored but they released a video for the album's first single Remain & Sustain. And while the song was catchy, the fact that Hundredth had a Sandlot inspired music video was really all it took for me to download their album.

Let Go is a lot better then I expected it to be. The album starts with a 20 second intro that, as most intros on albums go, is useless and unnecessary. But outside of that, it's just good, uplifting, positive hardcore. The clean vocals are used sparingly. There isn't breakdown after breakdown. Nothing is super catchy or poppy but Remain & Sustain has a great gang vocal that gets in your head and We Can Take Them All ends on a strong note with a great declaration that gets stuck in your head.

Let Go is a great record and hardcore fans should love this album.