the_lc | Recent Entries

"The Downfall of Us All" – 3:26
"My Life for Hire" – 3:33
"I'm Made of Wax, Larry, What are You Made of?" – 3:00
"NJ Legion Iced Tea" – 3:31
"Mr. Highway's Thinking About the End" – 4:15
"Have Faith in Me" – 3:08
"Welcome to the Family" – 3:00
"Homesick" – 3:56
"Holdin' it Down for the Underground" – 3:23
"You Already Know What You Are" – 1:27
"Another Song About the Weekend" – 3:45
"If It Means a Lot to You" – 4:03

For Fans Of: Four Year Strong, Set Your Goals, Silverstein

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Coming off of the stellar success of their last album, “For Those Who Have Heart”, post-hardcore outfit A Day To Remember have gained critical praise, a killer live show, and legions of adoring fans (me included). They first soared to the spotlight with their amazing cover of Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone”, which is available on the re-release of “For Those Who Have Heart”. The self-dubbed “Heaviest Pop-Punk Band Ever!” out of Ocala, FL, had a tall order to fill with their fans with this next album. And “Homesick” doesn’t disappoint at all.

The album is really spectacular from start to finish. From the gang vocal intro of “The Downfall Of Us All” to the final (again) gang vocals of “If It Means a Lot to You”, it remains high-energy, exciting, and fun. The album has a little bit of everything. It has heavy tracks (such as “Mr. Highway’s Thinking About The End”), pop-punk tracks (“Have Faith In Me”), tracks that are a blend of the two (“I’m Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?”), and even an acoustic ballad that turns into a rocker (“If It Means a Lot to You”).

The first track, “The Downfall Of Us All”, is a perfect example of a great album opener. The gang vocals come in by themselves, only to be replaced by a thrashing drum line and huge power chords that give the song (and the album) a huge energy boost right from the start. “I’m Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?”, track three, is one of the most amazing songs I’ve ever heard: amazing intro, amazing chorus, amazing screaming, and one of the best breakdowns EVER (ahem). This song is the key track off of the album, and my iTunes is a testament to that (it’s my #1 played song). The first single, “NJ Legion Iced Tea”, has a huge opening guitar hook and is a great sing-along song. It was a perfect choice for a single, and is sure to be a crowd favorite live. The next track, “Mr. Highway’s Thinking About The End”, is one of the heaviest songs on the album. It also has the best breakdown in any song that I’ve ever heard (DISRESPECT YOUR SURROUNDINGS!!!)

But possibly the best and most surprising song on the album is the last one, “If It Means a Lot to You” (you probably could’ve guessed that since I’ve mentioned it three times now.). Here, ADTR shows off their diversity and musical skill and vocalist Jeremy McKinnon gets to show off his stellar voice. The addition of VersaEmerge vocalist Sierra Kusterbeck singing with him and having the song descend into a full-blown rocker doesn’t hurt either.

“Homesick” is one of the premier albums of 2009, in my opinion. Even though there is one song that I really don’t like, (“You Already Know What You Are”, which is ADTR’s metalcore song), the album really succeeds on every front. ADTR has released a great album which should bring in more fans while making existing fans ungodly happy. Sometimes the songs can blend together a little, but another listen always freshens up the songs again and shows other things that you didn’t know were in there. Please, for the love of all things good, get this album. Like right now.

Rating: 9.5/10

Current Mood: artistic
Current Music: Relient K - Who I Am Hates Who I've Been

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"Devil On My Shoulder" - 3:50
"Rusted from the Rain" - 4:13
"Saint Veronika" - 4:10
"Tears Into Wine" - 4:13
"White Sparrows" - 3:15
"Pocketful Of Dreams" - 3:34
"The Dead Can't Testify" - 4:28
"Diamond On A Landmine" - 4:31
"Turn Your Back" - 3:22
"Sudden Movements" - 3:39
"Definition Of Destiny" - 4:15

For Fans Of: Anti-Flag, Sum 41, Rise Against

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I've been a big Billy Talent fan since their beginnings in Canada and have been following them since Pezz. Packing a hard punch with every album, BT have earnt themselves a place in the top rock charts as well as the hearts of many punk fans across the nation, Canada and US alike. Their vocals are so distinguishable with every album and almost every song on their previous CD has lasting quality. Now releasing III, following the pattern of I and II, they seem to be taking no chances and no hostages, bringing an album that mixes the good elements of their soft songs with their signature heavy riffs and growling vocals.

The first track, Devil On My Shoulder, has a similarity to Devil In A Midnight Mass not only in the mention of the Devil but with how guitar heavy is, chugging like a train about to fly off the tracks. A noticeable change on III that makes it different from the other albums is how much more complex the guitar is. They have been practicing for sure and aren't letting their fame slow them down their improvement. Rusted From The Rain, though not the best single choice, is a good song. A bit more mellow but it grows on you after a few listens. This is not something that should be a characteristic in a single but it works. Saint Veronika works the bassline with dark lyrics about a girl named Veronika who attempts suicide, another topic from the first album that carried on. White Sparrows has single quality as does Pocketful of Dreams, a track most resembling Where Is The Line to me. It attacks a certain scene and tears it apart. The Dead Can't Testify has a complex sound to it, what the band seems to be aiming for on this album, and what the- ....harpsichord!? Odd! This track is truly experimental but it works! I loved it. Turn Your Back was well known as it was featured in NHL 2K9 which gave the band that extra exposure they needed; that little push. Definition of Destiny follows the pattern from other albums once again, leaving a fast song for last. Comparing this to Voices Of Violence shows that the band has certain mellowed considerably but are going for a more composed approach.
Billy Talent have made their mark on punk culture and have earned their place in the hearts of many. With comparasions to System of a Down, The Police, and Green Day, Billy Talent have pushed limits with this disc. They've come a long way from their days as a small Ontarian punk band named Pezz. They've excelled at what they do and this album is guaranteed to be the ice breaker for the UK and US to expose them even more than anyone else could have expected. Props to you guys, you've outdone yourselves with this one :]

10/10

Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Billy Talent - Rusted From The Rain

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1. Happy
2. Hummingbird
3. I Just Laugh
4. Simple Enough
5. On The Brightside
6. Losing It

For Fans Of: Nickasaur, Chase Coy, A Rocket To The Moon

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Christofer Drew, known simply as Nevershoutnever!, has completely exploded in the last year. He's gained a following of fans and has been touring almost nonstop to gain more. "BIg City Dreams" topped the Billboard Hot Singles chart last year, leaving him nowhere to go but up. He's gaining rotation on MTV and is currently in the studio writing his first full length album. Until then, The Summer EP will be coming out on June 23.
The first single, "Happy", follows the same formula that the Me and My Uke EP did. Upbeat ukeleles and a metronome ticking in the background. Though it's a simple formula, it works for him. It upsets me that he seems to be veering further and further away from his electronic roots and delving into the acoustic side of his music. "Hummingbird" is a very quiet song and works completely well. Though NSN's songs are often soft, they are not slower or ballad-worthy. This track works as his first, backing band and all. "I Just Laugh" is the oddest track byfar but is very marketable, with actual guitars and drums throughout the entire song giving it a pop-rock feeling. "Simple Enough" is obviously influenced by The Beatles, reminding one of "Yellow Submarine" or one of Panic! At The Disco's new tracks. "On The Brightside" is a miss for me. Too corny, too repetitive, just not for me. "Losing It"'s lyrical content is good and the song itself holds up quite well. It has a slower tempo just as "Hummingbird" did, but it doesn't come off as effective.
Nevershoutnever! will be getting bigger in the next year, there's no doubt or stopping it. He already has a legion of preteen girls pleased as well as many other fans. His appeal is so widespread that he can get several audiences and with his stops on Bamboozle along with other shows, he'll be getting his name out across the nation. The Summer EP s good enough to appease some fans for a while but the electronic influences need to make their way back into his music. Hopefully the full length this summer will fare better with my opinion.

Rating: 6.5/10

Standouts: Happy, Hummingbird

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Current Mood: calm

jackinthebox

Hey there everybody. Sorry that there's been NO updates lately, but it's the end of the year and EVERYBODY is swamped with stuff.

We're planning on having a bunch more reviews coming up soon, of both new and older albums, along with Staff Bio's and much more.

Just hang in with us, and it'll be AWESOME!

Thanks.
JackInTheBox

Current Mood: blah
Current Music: System of a Down

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1. "I Can Get Back Up Now" (3:40)
2. "Could It Be Sunstroke?" (2:58)
3. "A Symptom" (2:02)
4. "Colorful Language" (3:07)
5. "Sometimes We Have Too Much Fun" (2:50)
6. "Happy Birthday" (3:59 )

For Fans Of: Valencia, Hit the Lights, Say Anything

Genre: Pop-Punk, Rock

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I had never heard of this band until I got this EP recommended to me by a friend of mine. Free download on MySpace? Hells yea. Downloaded it with kind of mediocre expectations, until I actually listened to it. Oh. My. God. After listening to this at least 8 times, I've decided that this is one of my favorite EP's ever. The first song, "I Can Get Back Up Now," has this great little happy riff that starts the album off right. It's such a great guitar line. Also, one of the verses has guest vocals by Max Bemis from Say Anything, which is rather ironic, because lead singer Ben Liebisch's voice has been compared to Bemis's frequently. But Bemis just makes a great song AMAZING. The third song, "A Symptom," is probably my least favorite off of the album. But I still quite like it. It really shows that YMAEWK can work outside of the little pop-punk box that they could be trapped in. Another GREAT song is track 5, "Sometimes We Have Too Much Fun." This is just a straight-up great pop-punk song. It also has a really really cool vocal effect in Liebisch's voice right before the chorus. It's just a happy song. The final track, "Happy Birthday," has grown on me. It's got some great lyrics, and builds in tempo and in heavyness. It's got an amazing chorus, and some stellar vocals. This entire EP is amazing. It's just happy, fun, and amazing. It's got amazing vocals, some sweet choruses, and really cool guitar lines. Is it really innovative? No. But do they do it well? Oh yea. Extraordinarily well-done and extraordinarily professional. I can't wait to see them on Warped this year. (August 1st in Chicago!)

From me, this EP gets a 9/10 stars.

Standouts: I Can Get Back Up Now, Sometimes We Have Too Much Fun, Happy Birthday

For more music, check out our parent site at www.leakagechannel.proboards53.com.

JackInTheBox

Current Mood: meh.
Current Music: Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown

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01. Song Of The Century 0:57

Act I - Heroes And Cons

02. 21st Century Breakdown 5:09
03. Know Your Enemy 3:10
04. ¡Viva La Gloria! 3:30

05. Before The Lobotomy 4:37
06. Christians Inferno 3:07
07. Last Night On Earth 3:56

Act II - Charlatans And Saints

08. East Jesus Nowhere 4:34
09. Peacemaker 3:24
10. Last Of American Girls 3:51
11. Murder City 2:54
12. ¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl) 3:47

13. Restless Heart Syndrome 4:21

Act III - Horseshoes And Handgrenades

14. Horseshoes And Handgrenades 3:14
15. The Static Age 4:16
16. 21 Guns 5:21
17. American Eulogy (Mass Hysteria/Modern World) 4:26
18. See The Light 4:35

For Fans of: Foxboro Hot Tubs, Blink 182, Sum 41

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Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown is arguably one of the most anticipated albums of 2009 so far. Green Day has had fame since the 90s when Dookie shot them to the top of the charts and they always managed to stay somewhat relevant but were never able to follow up Dookie's success. Then in 2005, the made American Idiot, a policital beatdown, unforgiving and generally pissed right the fuck off at the Bush office. The album spawned many chart topping singles like Boulevard Of Broken Dreams and Wake Me Up When September Ends but when they were done touring on the disc and pumped out plenty of singles, what could they do? They were stuck beneath the gigantic shadow that American Idiot had created, leaving it near impossible to follow up. Making Stop, Drop, and Roll under the alias of Foxboro Hottubs, Green Day got music out that was just fun, something that made it alot easier to breathe and to follow AI. Now, 4 years after the release of American Idiot, Green Day is releasing 21st Century Breakdown and the first single Know Your Enemy is shooting up the charts across the country again. Know Your Enemy is a little repetitive but it is owhere near the track that could define the album.

The setting of 21st Century Breakdown is the post-apocalyptic world left from the Bush regime. Though perhaps not very noticeable, the album IS a concept album, seeming to follow the two protagonists, Gloria and Christian, two freedom fighters. It's a fine string it follows along but it still carries on like a story. Song of the Century acts as the introduction, a transistor radio scratching to recieve a truly epic album. It fades into the title track which acts alot like the Jesus Of Suburbia or Homecoming of this album, clocking in only at 5:04 but switching tempos and moods like a kid with ADD and sugar. As I've said, Know Your Enemy is good, but not the best track on the album at all. It works when you listen to the album as a whole but alone, ehhhh. lol. ¡Viva La Gloria! is one of my faves, starting off with a beautiful piano and shifting into an equally beautiful but more uptempo and heavier chorus. Before The Lobotomy is good and is another one of those tracks that switch back and forth with tempos again. When it picks up the song really grows on you. I didn't much care for the "dreaming, I was only dreaming" part. This, in my opinion should have been the opening single. Sure Know Your Enemy is radio ready and all but this is radio ready AND good. East Jesus Nowhere in my opinion is the best song on the album. The start, "And we shall see...how godless a nation we have become" is the perfect start, the riff that carries the song is heavier and grungier. It would do PERFECT as a single were it not for the controversial and heavily sacreligious lyrics in it. Unless they wanna push the barrier, they won't put this as a single. lol. Peacemaker, all I can say is it's just weird. It's good, just kinda more folky, if I put it in any way. Murder City is a little more reminiscent of their Dookie days, fast paced and ruthless. Horseshoes and Handgrenades is a great kick off to the third act, just as fast as East Jesus Nowhere and placed itself as one of my top tracks of the album as well. The Static Age is a good track but not something I'd skip tracks to listen to. I think I've just listened to it too much. American Eulogy goes back to Song of the Century but switches up the lyrics and extends it, switching into a regular song which I liked. It made it cooler :D See the Light also goes back to the start of the album, to the 2 key piano at the start of the title track and moving into the perfect closer, fast paced and working just like the conclusion to this story, the climactic last battle coming to a close, freedom finally found.

This disc is more than just a follow up to a commercially huge album. It's a story, a celebration of our freedom from Bush, still letting out the issues and rage they had. They had alot to follow up and they pulled it off brilliantly. This album will be heavily dominant in 2009's charts as well as being a good selling disc. They took 4 years to do it but they manage to match American Idiot's hype and pump out an album that has such a variety, it works out perfectly.

Rating: 10/10 stars

Standouts: 21st Century Breakdown, East Jesus Nowhere, Horseshoes and Handgrenades, Before The Lobotomy

Current Mood: angstay!
Current Music: Green Day - East Jesus Nowhere

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01 - Kind Of A Girl 03:13
02 - Messing With My Head 02:56
03 - Dead Serious 04:14
04 - Can’t Get A Read On You 02:54
05 - Back With You 03:44
06 - Without Love 03:01
07 - Cha Cha 02:21
08 - We Got Something 02:35
09 - Nothing To Me 03:24
10 - Doncha Wanna 04:03
11 - Take Me Back 03:29

For Fans Of: Hanson, Everybody Else, Bleu

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This is quite possibly the WEIRDEST supergroup to ever form. Taking guitarist James Iha, previously of The Smashing Pumpkins and A Perfect Circle, singer Taylor Hanson of Hanson, bassist Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne and Ivy, and Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick, this band was a hard 10 on my WTFometer. Now my first impression of this band is that it’s nothing very special. This isn’t the sugar coated pop music you see in many of today’s bands, this is the Splenda of pop music. In the safe comfort you won’t hit a sugar rush, nor will this cd hit a real peak in my opinion. The highest point for me was the opening track, Kind Of A Girl. It was a wise choice as a single but if the band wants to be taken seriously, they should release We Got Something as a single. It’s not anything special lyrically but it’s got a catchy riff to it. My expectations were risen quite a bit when I heard Doncha Wanna, which finally takes hold of James Iha’s guitar skills. I actually think this is a good track. They go in this direction, I’ll be pleased. Partway through the CD, I became aware of something. THIS CD SOUNDS MOSTLY LIKE THE JONAS BROTHERS’ REJECT TRACKS!!! Like sure, maybe it’s just Taylor Hanson’s voice but I kept thinking of the Jonas Brothers as I heard these songs. It’s not saying it’s a horrible thing, I like the Jonas Brothers, but alot of the tracks just give me a big meh-on. The final track, Take Me Back made me a little more positive towards the band as well. They ended on a good note, so to say. Putting it simply, this CD was a big risk for the members to take with all of them coming from different sides of the genre. Props to them for trying, but really, all that I could find myself thinking while listening to this was that I wanted it to be over..I may be being harsh, this is as a new listener as many people will be. Hopefully it will be a grower, we shall see!

So overall, Tinted Window’s self titled debut gets 5/10 stars from me. Most of the tracks are just meh for me.

Standouts: Kind Of A Girl, We Got Something, Doncha Wanna, Take Me Back

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Current Mood: meh
Current Music: Kelly Clarkson - I Do Not Hook Up

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1. That’s What’s Up

2. Make This Count

3. Word On The Street

4. Make This Count (Remix)

For Fans Of: Cash Cash, The Friday Night Boys, Red Car Wire

Genre: Powerpop/Pop/Rock

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Oh god this band, oh gawwwwd. I would like to start off by calling it. This band is going to be one of those that is gonna break it big this year. They have exactly what is needed to make the big time and they’ve got a spunky attitude to them, not to mention the killer beats and chugging guitars they boast. Starting off the EP with a bang, That’s What’s Up is the opening track, killing it with a sick chorus that will have you bobbing your head, the tune stuck in your head for days on end. This is a track that I have literally played on repeat. “Make This Count” follows suit, the verses not seeming just like filler for the song. It builds it up to the chorus [mad catchy once AGAIN ;P]. “Word On The Street” has more of a pop punk influence than the other songs on the EP. The lyrics are clever in their own way, sticking to the cliche of the powerpop song, but adding their own zazz to it [you can NEVER have enough zazz xD]. The remix of Make This Count replaces the electric guitar with an acoustic one, making it feel like much more airy track. It seemed pointless at first but it really grows on you. This band has everything that they need to hit it big. They just need to promote, promote, promote, tour their asses off, and get this to radio! Psyched for the full length boys, can’t wait ^_^ So, boys were boys. Word on the street was that they made it count, and oh they did. That’s what’s up =P

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Standouts: That’s What’s Up, Make This Count

CashCashCash

Current Mood: giddy
Current Music: Nevershoutnever! - Hummingbird

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01 she’s so sorry

02 321
03 trip
04 for the nights i can’t remember
05 never too late
06 gunnin’
07 on my own
08 bones shatter (never say never)
09 old school
10 narcissist
11 hand grenade
12 dying to live again

For Fans Of: Marianas Trench, Ten Second Epic, Faber Drive

Genre: Pop-Punk/Rock

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Many people don’t know about Hedley, being a band with Canadian origins. Starting off on Canadian Idol, Jacob Hoggard (lead singer of the band), Hedley was founded after Jacob gained popularity as the 3rd place winner. Gaining more fame than ANY Canadian Idol winner, Hedley blew up in 2005 with their debut self titled album. Following it up with their sophomore album Famous Last Words, they have earned their place on the Canadian charts. Now setting their sights on the worldwide scale, Hedley is going to be releasing Famous Last Words on May 19. The album, simply a combination of their first and second albums, is going to introduce them to Europe and perhaps give them a bit more exposure in the states, where they have a small fan following. This band has always had a place in my library, at the very least for their first disc. Their self titled debut was amazing. This disc is made up of the singles which did very well on the radio and on Much Music. She’s So Sorry, the first single from Famous Last Words, is more like their debut album which is showcased alot on this CD, thank god, buddha, and allah. Aside from that I’ve never really been able to get into the tracks from their second album! The tracks I myself would skip are “For The Nights I Can’t Remember”, “Old School” (definately gonna be a big grad song), and “Dying To Live Again”. It might just be the amount of radio play they got here. The other tracks from Famous Last Words are at the least acceptable They’re alot tamer and they don’t show how out there Hedley is. They were unique, that’s what I loved about them. The album is definately worth a listen at the least! It all depends on whether your tastes are shifted towards faster pop punk music or its more radio ready brethren. Their first album is for the former and the second for the latter. This album displays the variety of Hedley and it gets props for that.

So my rating for Hedley’s Never Too Late is a 6/10

Standouts: 321, Trip, On My Own

CashCashCash

Current Mood: awake
Current Music: Watchout! Theres Ghosts - Sleeping At The Movies

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1. Where I Want To Be
2. Settle Down
3. Weathered
4. Symmetry
5. Surfaced
6. A Space To Grow
7. Reach For The Sun
8. The Permanent Rain
9. Northern Lights
10. This Is War
11. Never Feel Alone

For Fans Of: Valencia, Brighten, My Favorite Highway

Genre: Pop/Rock

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The Dangerous Summer was not a band that was high on my radar in 2008. They had released some albums in 2007 but aside from that, they were but a mere blip. 2009 changed that for me and everyone else as well. People have already started reacting to this album. I have seen countless upon countless people asking for this album on the blogosphere! Is it because the band is the hot new thing to listen to? No. It’s because they’re legitamatly GOOD. Where I Want To Be kicks off the album, one of my more favored tracks. The track is so melodic and flows so well with the lyrics that make this album truly special. As fun as hooky choruses are, this band does not rely on them. AJ Perdomo is an amazing songwriter and his vocals are so clean. They’re not messy, they’re not heavily tweaked, they’re just plain out beautiful. The title track is another song that pulls clever lyrics and REALLY fuses it with a beat that just seems to fit like a glove. “I wrote a song about war/The kind that lives in your head”. The guitar that comes in at the start of The Permanent Rain is beautiful and just made it for me. It could work so well as a summer driving song! This band is a summer band, not because of their name but because of the music they make. It just screams it. They’re a band that’s made for the summer, a warm time of year with newfound love and love lost, time being free and just spending time with your friends. So give this band a shot, you won’t regret it. Hop on the bandwagon before they take off everyone, because don’t worry, they will.

Rating: 8.5/10 stars

Standouts: Reach For The Sun, Symmetry, Never Feel Alone, Where I Want To Be, Permanent Rain

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P.S.: Gotta be the most beautiful artwork ever. Had it as a desktop for a while :]

Current Mood: Fwee!
Current Music: Watchout! Theres Ghosts - Ghost Town

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Just Dance (ft. Colby O’Donis/Akon)
LoveGame
Paparazzi
Poker Face
Eh; Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)
Beautiful; Dirty; Rich
The Fame
Money Honey
Starstruck (ft. Flo Rida/Space Cowboy)
Boys Boys Boys
Paper Gangsta
Brown Eyes
I Like It Rough
Summerboy

For Fans Of: Britney Spears, Katy Perry, The Saturdays

Genre: Dance/Electronic/Pop

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What is Lady Gaga to me??? Amazing? Yup! Unique? Ooooh yes. Revolutionary for pop? We’ll see.. Lady Gaga appeared out of what seemed like nowhere in 2008 with her hit Just Dance featuring Colby O’Donis, another up and coming hip-hop star, and Akon. The song, though a bit overplayed, helped introduce the world to the Gagadom, a world where everything is a party, love found and shunned, and dirty, dirty double entendres. Lady Gaga began her career as a songwriter for some of pop music’s biggest stars, including Fergie, Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears and New Kids on the Block, and Akon. After Akon recognized that Gaga also had vocal talent, he signed her to a joint deal with his own label, Kon Live Distribution, and then she started to work on her own new material for her first album. The Fame is full of songs that are all potential chart toppers. From 2008-2009 thusfar, Lady Gaga has had 3 top ten singles. Believe me, if you don’t think you’ve heard them, you have. Just Dance, Poker Face, and Lovegame were some of my favorite tracks when I had first bought this album. Lovegame was the song I had waited forever to have as a single and finally, my wish was granted. The line, “Let’s have some fun/This beat is sick/I wanna take a ride on your disco stick”, seemed a little too risque for the radio but that’s what made it even more fun! I can tell it’s gonna shoot up the charts soon enough. Paparazzi was one of those tracks that took a while to grow on me since it was a little bit more sultry than her other songs but when it did, it hit me hard. I found myself listening to this track on repeat one day. Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say) is more reminiscent of the days when she played music as just Stefani Germanotta (her real name) and released the Red & Blue EP, which I will include at the end of this review as well. It has a breezier sound to it and there are less electronic influences in it. Beautiful, Dirty, Rich was the single used to promote her musically originally and did not fare as well as the other singles but I can see it being rereleased. Boys Boys Boys is an amazing song which would do amazing in the clubs. It’s a great dance track that pushes a great chorus and synth beat. The only low on this album for me is probably Brown Eyes because it uses almost no electronic factors in it. It’s a raw track, much like her old music. It was a tiny blip though, nothing to deter my love for this album. It picked up to the breezy tracks I love oh so much with Summer Boy. This was playing in a Buffalo store in Toronto when I was shopping and it fit perfectly. Nevermind it only being a good summer song, it would make a great Abercrombie or American Eagle song. It’s a nice way to close up the album; on a calmer note. So all in all, Lady Gaga’s debut did not disappoint me in any way. She was new to me when she came out and people need to look at her below the oddity, below the popularity, and they will see a truly beautiful and talented woman who deserves all the fame that she has gained. There are gonna be big things happening for Lady Gaga this year. I’m hoping for many more singles off this album as well as a sophomore disc soon

Rating: 9/10 stars

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PS: Stefani Germanotta Band’s EP, Red And Blue

Current Music: Taking Back Sunday - Sink Into Me

jackinthebox

This is a review from our old site, The Tune Tribune. Originally posted April 26th.

1. Sassafras - 3:15

2. I Hate Buffering - 3:05

3. Assistant to the Regional Manager - 3:37

4. Dez Moines - 4:04

5. Big Wiggly Style - 4:13

6. Danger: Wildman - 4:02

7. Ben Has a Kid - 3:57

8. Wapakalypse - 3:44

9. Gimme Half - 4:22

10. Louder Than Thunder - 2:38

11. Lord Xenu - 3:26

For Fans of: As I Lay Dying, Attack Attack!, Norma Jean

Genre: Metalcore, Post-Hardcore

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The Devil Wears Prada and I have an interesting relationship. This isn't really my FAVORITE type of music, (and I don't really know what that would be,) but I listen to it frequently. And for you hardcore TDWP fans out there, their new album, "With Roots Above and Branches Below" definitely doesn't disappoint. This album starts out amazingly. The opening track, "Sassafras," gives you awesome screaming and thumping double-bass, and sets the tone for the rest of the album. After just pulling you along with some of the same stuff, track 5, "Big Wiggly Style," sonically destroys you with a totally un-expected intro that blew my socks off. This song really shows everything about The Devil Wears Prada that I really love. The screaming, which is always top-notch, the great guitar lines, some cool orchestration, and the melodic, softer, tender bits of the songs that really make The Devil Wears Prada stand out from their peers such as As I Lay Dying. This is why I like them. I need some sort of melody, and TDWP always gives you some. This is again evident on the "acoustic" track on the album, "Louder Than Thunder." This track really shows off the diversity of vocalist Mike Hranica and the way that he can go from screaming his lungs out to singing as good as any emo band out there. My one problem with this album is that as I listen to it, I sometimes think that I'm listening to "Plagues" all over again. "Roots Above" doesn't have the uniqueness that first drew me into TDWP with "Dear Love: A Beautiful Dischord," and the albums are beginning to, with a few exceptions, sound very samey. But all in all, I would recommend this album to a fan of the genre, a fan of TDWP, or maybe even someone looking to get into the genre. Just know what you are getting into.

Rating: 8/10 stars

Standouts: Big Wiggly Style, Louder Than Thunder

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