Taking Back Sunday's 12 Days of Christmas.

As December has come so quickly, I thought I would share one of my favorite Christmas videos.

Taking Back Sunday |MTV Music

AFI - Beautiful Thieves (2009)

This is to prove my point about the changes AFI has made. Listen to their music from Crash Love

AFI - Third Season (1997)

Compared to their older stuff.

AFI |MTV Music

The Changing Faces of AFI

This one is for Ashley

AFI has changed musical styles as much as they have changed their fashion, but WHO CARES!? It is all good music.

The most criticism I hear from fans  of any band is that "the music has changed." 

After AFI released their latest album Crash Love in September 2009, I read a review that made me quite angry. The biggest argument in the review talked about how AFI has changed too much. It said that they loved AFI in the mid 90's because they sounded like the Misfits, and now they sound way too emo.

Really? You are upset because a band changed their musical style. Did you really expect them to stay the same for almost 15 years?

Yes, when AFI released their first four albums from years 1995-2000, they sounded very similar to The Misfits and this was primarily due to the fact that AFI lists The Misfits as one of their main musical influences, but after that AFI changed.

Why is this?

Well, in 2000 when Michale Graves left the Misfits, Davey Havok, the lead singer of AFI was asked to be the new lead singer of The Misfits, he declined.

This goes to show one thing. Davey didn't want to be like the Misfits.  He wanted to be something different.

After that, with each album came a new sound. They split from the pack and formed their own band.

For this, I applaud AFI. Their music from the mid 90s is awesome and Crash Love is also awesome.

I look forward to hearing your music in the future.

30 Seconds to Mars Film for Their Song "Hurricane" (New)

30 Seconds To Mars |MTV Music

30 Seconds to Mars have always been extreme with their music videos. Well, for their song "Hurricane" they got together with a director and created a film.

If you are confused after watching this, don't worry, you are not alone.

Warning: This film is very controversial and very confusing. Enjoy!

Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (New Album Review)

"Look alive, Sunshine
109 in the sky but the pigs won't quit
You're here with me: Dr. Death Defying
I'll be your surgeon, your proctor, your helicopter
Pumpin' out the slaughtermatic sounds to keep you alive
A system failure for the masses, anti-matter for the master plan
Louder than God's revolver and twice as shiny

This one's for all of you rock'n'rollers
All you crash queens and motor babies

Listen up!
The future is bulletproof!
The aftermath is secondary!
It's time to do it now and do it loud!
Killjoys, make some noise!"

This album is an American Rock anthem, but not today's America.  It is a future America. These leather wearing, ray-gun shooting, masked heroes are the saviors of the new world.

They will trap you in their world and before you know it, you are fighting along with the Killjoys.

This story of epic battles and renegade heroes is all narrated by the raspy yet intriguing voice of Dr. Deathdefying. He will guide you along this roller coaster ride of drugs, guns, and rock n' roll.

It is far from My Chemical Romance's previous 2006 album The Black Parade, but if you like MCR, you will not be disappointed.

Actually, after hearing this album, I really have no interest in listening to their older stuff.

It is a Punk Rock album from the future that has old school antics. (Very Hard to explain)

So, take a listen and hold on for your life. You will start as a child and end as a Killjoy.

Favorite Tracks: "Na Na Na"  "Bulletproof Heart"  "Sing"  "Planetary"  "Vampire Money"

Bruno Mars "Grenade" Official Music Video (New)

At this time of year it is always important to remember your roots.

Before rock n roll, blues, motown, folk, and soul were the most popular genres of music.  Then came the Beatles and the British Invasion.

This was the start of several genres, including British based Blues, Soul Rock, and Psychedelia.

Bruno Mars falls into the category of soul rock. It is a sort of soul and rock fusion that is really hard to place in just one genre.

In any case, Bruno Mars is very successful with this fusion today. Take a listen.

P.S. this is my favorite song off of his new and debut album Doo Wops and Hooligans

Alanis Morissette- Thank You

I will end the night telling the whole world "Thank you."

Sorry, I tried to find the official music video but I couldn't find it anywhere.

For anyone that doesn't know, the official music video is just Alanis walking the streets naked singing this song. And that is something to be thankful about.

Goodnight and Happy Thanksgiving!

Bob Marley - Give Thanks And Praises

Now as the night is here. Lets relax man. We be jammin.

Led Zeppelin -Thank You

lets get the led out on Thanksgiving

The Thanksgiving Song by Adam Sandler

Since I am home sick and not going to see the fams, I thought I would pump up some Thanksgiving jams!

We will start with a classic!

Taking Back Sunday (New Song)

Best Places To Be A Mom by Taking Back Sunday (New Song)


 "Sometimes it takes some time to remember where you were headed in the first place and the people you intended to go there with. There's no hard feelings, just the future."  This was the quote at then end of a video on Taking Back Sunday's website in March. The video included a picture of 5 men with their eyes crossed out. It was obvious who these men were. It was the lineup from their first studio album "Tell All Your Friends." For most long-time Taking Back Sunday fans, this was the best news possible (It was for me). Then it was officially announced that the band was going to record again with that original lineup (even better news).  On November 16th, lead singer Adam Lazzara posted a link to this song with a working title "Best Places To Be A Mom." A preview of the album to come. I feel whole again.

The Beatles are now on iTunes

For the last 9 years, iTunes has been the main source of music distribution. It has boasted that it is the music store that has the most music readily available for download.  But one of the few artists that Steve Jobs, Apple CEO, has never been able to get his hands on, happens to be the all-time top selling artist.

This would be The Beatles.  Jobs and The Beatles (mostly Paul McCartney and the son of George Harrison, Dhani) have never been able to come up with a deal that both parties agree on.

Dhani Harrison made it clear that the disagreement was due to the fact that Apple promises that a song will never be more than $0.99 and they feel that the Beatles legacy should not be treated like any other band.  I couldn't agree more. The contract was in a stalemate.

Each day that iTunes went without The Beatles music catalogue, possible income was being thrown away by both Apple and The Beatles.  After realizing this, it finally happened.

On Monday, apple.com could hardly wait to release the good news and their homepage displayed the phrase "Tomorrow is just another day that you will never forget." Then yesterday at 7:00am PST, The Beatles picture was displayed on the home page and the banner read "The Beatles. Now on iTunes."

Is it just a coincidence that just six months after Apple announced the price for popular music tracks on iTunes would be raised from $0.99 to $1.29, that The Beatles and Jobs finally came to an agreement?

Who cares? What matters now is that the most popular artist of all-time is for sale on the biggest online music distribution store.

The whole Beatles catalogue is now available on iTunes.

And yes, each song is $1.29, but money well spent if you ask me.

MAC and the Music Revolution (W#6)

I had to do a Video Blog for my COMM 435 class and so I decided on this. I have used the Garageband software to record my own music and I know of many artists that have used this software or similar softwares to record their music. Garageband makes it possible for someone to turn their computer into a home recording studio. Do you agree with me? Is this the future of music recording? Let me know. 

The Incredible Machine by Sugarland (New Album Review)

I know it sounds weird that I am going to write a new album review from a band that is primarily popular in the country genre, but it was requested by a family member (and I have to do it for family) and that family member actually read my first blog post which argued that there is no exact definition of rock n' roll (I hate it when people use my own words against me).

But the fact that I actually have readers and not just sympathetic family members, was not the only surprise that was in store for me.

The new album by Sugarland, The Incredible Machine, is arguably a rock album, if not arguably a rock anthem.

Besides the subtle twang in lead vocalist's Jennifer Nettles voice, there is no evidence whatsoever of the country genre anywhere in the album. It would take a music archeologist to dig up any trace of country in these rock heavy songs.

Instead this genre bending album has touches of many genres, including rock n' roll (throughout the entire album), rap and reggae ("Stuck Like Glue"), pop ("Find The Beat Again"), and even gospel ("Shine The Light").

Most critics would argue that this once country duo is selling out and going "mainstream," but I would argue the exact opposite.  After reading that this is the first album that Sugarland wrote by themselves and after hearing that they have named musical influences like R.E.M., Blondie, and The Clash, it is easy to argue that the duo are finally finding themselves.

THIS IS THE BEST ROCK ALBUM OF 2010 SO FAR! If not the greatest rock album since the millennium.  With powerful rock n roll style vocals that would put Jared Leto and Hayley Williams to shame, (if you don't know who these musicians are then it is time to test out your Wikipedia skills) a single like "Stuck Like Glue," shredding guitar solos, and emotional and moving lyrics, this album will have you dancing and singing along with the very first guitar strum.

It is a roller coaster ride for anybody that loves music. no genre exclusions. An album for the masses.

Hear me now when I say that people will be talking about this album for a while.  This is big. I mean really big.  This crossover album will be heard on many radio stations throughout the world. 

Sugarland, please keep doing what you are doing. you are going to face harsh criticism from the country critics. Do not let them slow you down. You are creating great music that is original and creative. You are finding yourselves and I am looking forward to what you will do in the future.

World, I am not afraid to admit it. I AM A SUGARLAND FAN!

Favorite Tracks: "Incredible Machine"  "Stuck Like Glue"  "Tonight"  "Find the Beat Again"  "Shine the Light"

My Chemical Romance's Na Na Na Official Music Video (New)

My Chemical Romance |MTV Music

I promise this will be the last thing I post about My Chemical Romance until their new album comes out on Nov 22nd.

This is the Official Music Video for "NA NA NA" off of the new album

Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

Invented by Jimmy Eat World (New Album Review)

I listened to this album multiple times and I came to one conclusion.  Jimmy Eat World is reliable.  I hate to sound like I am reviewing a car rather than a rock album but the term "reliable" couldn't ring more true in this case. 

Invented is the same Jimmy Eat World that I fell in love with.  It is a love that will forever be nothing more than a friendship.  And like a friend, Jimmy Eat World will always be there for me in good times and bad.

However, Jimmy Eat World will never be anything more than just a friend.  That friendship will never blossom into anything more intimate.

In plain English, Invented, like all other Jimmy Eat World albums, is a good one, but will never be great. It seems like the line between a good album and a great album cannot be reached by the band.

The album is good all the way through, from the first track "Heart is Hard to Find" to the final track "Mixtape."

The album also includes surprises along the way, including guitarist and back up vocalist Tom Linton providing lead vocals for the first time in eleven years on the track "Action Needs an Audience."

Also, small time singer-songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews provides soothing female vocals on five of the tracks.

Not to mention the powerhouse single "My Best Theory" with a strong raw rock n roll feel.

The album will satisfy any Jimmy Eat World fan.

P.S. I would advise buying the Deluxe version of iTunes. It provides five more strong tracks including two cover songs, an acoustic version of "Mixtape" and a bonus demo. It will be well worth the extra dollars.

Favorite Tracks: "Heart is Hard to Find"  "My Best Theory"  "Coffee and Cigarettes"  "Mixtape"

My Chemical Romance - Na Na Na

My Chemical Romance |MTV Music

I thought this was very cool and creative, plus it gets me amped for the new album out on NOV 22nd called Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

Rock Band 3

Rock Band has received a lot of criticism since its release due to the fact that the instruments do not teach any real musical skill. Rock Band 3 fixes all of that.

If I am reading their website right (and I think I am) this amazing game has become even more amazinger (See Dictionary of Alex).  

Now up to 7 people can play the game with all new controllers.  You can have 3 different sets of vocals (first introduced in The Beatles Rock Band), and a keyboard player in addition to the standard guitarist, bassist, and drummer.  

Not only can you "expand the band", but the game has introduced a new hybrid guitar/controller. It is a fully functional six string electric guitar and controller. Making it possible to actually play along with the game.

Then a mini keyboard was added along with three expansion packs for the drums, making a fully functional electronic drum set.

You can play all of these new controllers/devices on "Pro Mode" and learn the fundamentals of playing a real instrument!  The game that revolutionized the gaming and music world just revolutionized it again.

The game will release on October 26, 2010 in the US, but can be pre-ordered now!

Did I mention that my birthday was on Friday and if you are looking for a belated gift this might be a good one. Thank you!

My Chemical Romance's New Album?

So last week, I decided I was going to write a blog of how pissed off I am at My Chemical Romance and possibly start a rumor of a break-up.  This is a band that recently won an award on MTV.com for "The Biggest Band of Today," yet they have been teasing us with a new album for the last year.  Their last album The Black Parade was released almost four years ago.

Then at the beginning of 2009, they said a new album was going to release in the Summer. Summer came and went. Nothing happened. Then they said the beginning of 2010. Still nothing happened.  Than they said April 2010. Still nothing.

Then since April, they stopped doing tours to be with family. They stopped posting updates on their website. During the Summer, drummer Bob Bryar left the band, and nothing was posted on their Twitter for months.

I smelled break-up. I was so angry that the supposed "Biggest Band of Today" will never again release another album. Did the fame go to their head?

Then on their website, they posted this video.

My Chemical Romance, I forgive you.

Hurley by Weezer (New Album Review)

     I am sorry that it took me a week to get a review of Hurley up on my blog, but trust me, it took a week for me to figure out whether or not I liked the album.

    Lets face it, Weezer has been in a major downward spiral and after the release of their last album Raditude, I thought all was completely lost for the band.  I can see Raditude as the type of album that would break-up a band.

    And then I hear on their Twitter that they are releasing Hurley just 10 short months after Raditude and to top it off they are using that fat guy (I am sorry, I mean big-boned) from Lost as their album cover.   It almost seemed like this album was going to be a joke.  

     So I plugged my iPhone into my iHome and played the album.

     The first song was "Memories." It started off slowly with soft music in the background, and I thought to myself, "Oh great! Another power pop piece of crap. Thanks for wasting my $11.99 Weezer!" 

     But then Weezer came out of the speakers and slapped me in the face. All of the instruments came together with a crash. It was a beautiful crash. The song was good.  I was completely blind-sighted.  It reminded me of, dare i say it.... Old Weezer.

     Then the next song came, and that was good. It continued on like this throughout the album.

      But back to the reason why it took me so long to do an album review. It is because I didn't know if the album was good because I was expecting another Raditude or because it is actually good.  The answer is the latter.

    With the exception of songs like "Where's My Sex" and "Smart Girls" the album was really good.  And it isn't like those songs are bad, they are actually very clever, but they do not fit in such a serious album. (and Hurley is a very serious for a band like Weezer)

     Also, the Deluxe version is useless. I bought it on iTunes and the Webisode was just random, the song "All My Friends Are Insects" is more like a nursery rhyme than a song, and if I wanted to listen to "Viva la Vida," i would listen to the billions of different covers that have already been done.

     The actually album is great though. I still wouldn't compare it to "The Blue Album" or "Pinkerton," but it seems like Weezer is headed back to that direction again.

     Overall, it is definitely a record I will listen to over and over again. So buy it and let me know what you think.

Favorite Tracks: "Memories"   "Ruling Me"   "Trainwrecks"   "Unspoken"

Weezer's Memories Music Video (NEW)

Weezer |MTV Music

Weezer has a new music video out for their single "Memories" which is off of their new album Hurley. The new album is set to release this Tueday, about 10 months since their release of Raditude, and has both a Deluxe and Standard version. The music video premiered on MTV.com last week.

Dark is the Way Light is a Place by Anberlin (Album Review)

Have you ever gotten your ass kicked and loved every minute of it? Well, this album is kind of like that.

In a press release when lead singer Stephen Christian was asked what he thought the impact of the album would be, he replied, "I feel like we're on the brink of something... either world domination or destruction, but either way we're on the brink."


How about both. My world was dominated and then destroyed.  


I cant really compare this album to any of their past albums. The closest thing to it is their most recent album New Surrender, but even then it is like comparing a soy burger to a double angus beef burger. And this album is definitely 100% angus beef.


The album starts off with a punch right in the jaw with "We Owe This To Ourselves," a fast paced old fashioned punk anthem. The album then continues with a knee to the groin with "Impossible." A song that will be climbing the charts very soon in my opinion.


The rest of the album jabs at your stomach with harsh lyrics like "because of you, I'll never write another love song," "who needs enemies when we got friends like you," and "tie my hands before i burn this town."


Not to mention my favorite song on the album "Pray Tell" with lyrics that will make you cry, but a beat that will make you want to get up and dance (I refrained for the safety of myself and those around me).


The last song "Depraved" is a five minute 25 second knockout punch that will leave you on the floor in your own sweat and blood satisfied and wanting more.


My only complaint is that the album is only 10 tracks. Come on Anberlin! After those songs I want more!!! You big tease! Do I really have to wait until your next album to hear more!? I want it now! I am addicted!


I would get more in-depth with the review but this is an album that you really have to hear to understand the power behind it.


The album released officially today and you can buy it on itunes, best buy, and local retailers. Best buy is having a special  package right now and today only amazon is offering the album for only $3.99!


www.anberlin.com
www.amazon.com
www.bestbuy.com

New Anberlin Album!

Stay tuned, tomorrow I will give you a review of the new Anberlin album Dark is the Way Light is a Place. I pre-ordered this album a month ago and received it in the mail two days ago along with a surprise autographed screen printed album artwork (thanks guys!) . I have already listened to it multiple times, but I am holding off on my review until it officially releases out of respect for the artist and record label. If you want to purchase the album, it will be available at midnight tonight on itunes (usually it is on eastern time) or check your local record stores.  you might also want to check out anberlin.com for some bundles. (I got a t-shirt!)

www.anberlin.com

What is considered Rock?

With so many genres and such blurred definitions it seems so hard to define a musical style as rock.

I know there are music analysts out there that are going to give me some type of technical definition for Rock 'n' Roll or tell me what the history of it is, but i am not looking for a musical lesson.  I am talking about looking at general music listeners with general knowledge of music.

Look at all of the sub-genres of rock (for ex, punk, emo, metal, post-hardcore, southern rock, alternative, math rock, etc).  The list can go on forever.

Lets think about Lady GaGa for a moment. (I think I spelled her name right) Can she be considered a rock artist? it turns my stomach upside down to say this, but yeah, you can say she fits in the genre of rock. What about Toby Keith? Yeah, you can also argue that he is a rockstar.

Its funny that these two artists that are primarily known for their influence in Pop and Country music can be considered rock artists as well.  If I am confusing you then i have done my job.  Music in the last century has evolved so much that it seems impossible to group music into categories.  It is becoming easier for artists to crossover into a new genre.  There are no more boundary lines. Just a melting pot of musical artists so to speak.

I know this is terrible to think that rock, pop, country,blues, etc are very similar, but isn't that what makes music great! I can say that I am a fan of rock music and listen to both Led Zeppelin and Dierks Bentley without having to claim myself as a country fan as well.

Although, I seem to be on a tangent, this leads me to my main point. In this blog I can pretty much cover all "genres" of music and still consider it a rock 'n' roll blog. No, that doesn't mean that i will ever talk about Dolly Parton or Hank Williams (who played a major role in Rock 'n' Roll by the way) but don't be surprised if i talk about an artist who you don't consider a rock artist.

I hope you enjoy the blog. Thank you!