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Thursday, March 30, 2017

The Big Gun Show Whips Up An Enticing Blend With Its Chablis and Weed

Many disparate elements come together to spell out a sure fire hit for local rockers The Big Gun Show and their intoxicating (pun intended) new single "Chablis and Weed". Lead vocalist Gunter Woodson fashions himself as quite the storyteller, serving up a batch of prime loneliness over vintage wine. For openers the drumming carries itself in he-man style, just smoky enough to command the attention of any of the bar regulars not ready for the slab of take charge attitude headed their way. Chris Collins drops in guitar licks tailor made for a sunny day in Central Texas, car windows rolled down, wind in both the driver's and the hulking pet dog's hair. Would Gunter's lady opt to hook up with him long term? The answer comes in the pasture over the chablis and weed referenced in the title. Adding to the flair of the song is some excellent piano work helping us to remember that, even though The Big Gun Show fits right in as a roadhouse inspired unit, it holds itself in good stead as one of the more sophisticated cocktail served neat outfits you'll ever come across. Yates goes on to tell the tale of how he wined and spellbound the lady of his affections in hopes that she'd commit to him. Meanwhile her baby blue eyes shook him in his shoes. Sound familiar to all you eligible guys on the make? Said female laughs flippantly at his desire for her affection. Despite their both being alone and stoned he wants her to commit to him. Meanwhile she whispers softly to him to pass her the chablis and weed. When you throw in the revival tent aura surrounding the song, "Chablis and Weed" can get the motor running in a variety of ways. The guitar solo at the bridge is explosive in a case of dynamite manner. If what draws you to music happens to be blazing guitar work I promise you disappointment left the room eons ago. Chris takes his instrument and works it down your spine, making sure to cover all the pressure points that need tension release pronto. This is burly fret work that's bound to leave you leaving your listening journey feeling ten feet tall. I'm impressed at how the pace is measured to glean maximum effectiveness. No wasted energy to be found here. The drummer knocks you upside the head, letting you know he means business. The guitarist unfurls his instrument in slow, copious doses so you get the benefit of each toothsome bite. You could be forgiven for swaying in the aisles as "Chablis and Weed" rolls in the jukebox of some honky tonk you've been aching to sample. True believers of the lonely hearts brigade can feel right at home alongside newcomers absorbing their first scar in the name of love. My advice to you is pour a bottle of the good stuff, give your wounds time to become less tender, and take comfort in knowing The Big Gun Show knows, respects, and sympathizes with your pain. http://thebiggunshow.com/chab

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Glass Animals Pour Some Divine Pork Soda

Some fine music you can sway your shoulders to. That's the modus operandi behind Oxford outfit Glass Animals new joint "Pork Soda". Admit it. You'll be bopping along to it after one solid listen. It sounds chilled out on any city brownstone you can name. As for the lyrics, they're quite silly but definitely have their rhyme scheme working. Exhibit A would most likely be "Somebody said that I'm a fuckin' slum. Don't know that I belong. Maybe you're fucking dumb. Maybe I'm just a bum. Maybe you're fucking scum. Don't you go psycho chum. Hmmm. Rhyming nonsense for the heck of it. Well OK. I'm good with that. Definitely room for that in the turbulent scary times we live in. Dave Bayley's vocals come out gritty, which is appropriate to the overall sound the other bandmates make. Bass player Edmund Irwin-Singer leaves a profound imprint on the track. Truth be told he's the standout player in the bunch. Note the shoulder swaying implication pointed out in the first line of the review. Thank Edmund for that. He lays down what you might think of as an all-day groove. 8 AM or 8 PM it sticks in your head and won't let go. Top candidate for chief earwig of 2017. Has a masterful rhythm that will guide you through the coming weeks, your companion for all the ups and downs of your week, month, and possibly year. Joe Seaward adds some impressive licks of his own that keep the deep seeded belly fire churning like crazy. Drew McFarlane throws in affable guitar. The resulting blend, which we've come to know as "Pork Soda" really grabs you by the balls and urges you to dial back the stone-faced seriousness. "Pineapples are in my head" stands out as a highly amusing lyrical visual to hone in on. Probably a riot for the X-ray technician at the hospital to latch onto as well. The pacing sits about mid-level with a small kick thrown in for good measure. Room to allow the neighboring sounds from the barrio to infiltrate your ears in tandem with the song itself. Bouncy as hell, and never apologetic about it. In sum "Pork Soda" goes down smooth and hits the sweet spot between casual listening and prime street jam. "Pork Soda" is the pause that refreshes.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Lizzo's Vibes Primed To Make You Feel Good As Hell

Lizzo is primed to be the darling everybody remembers from S X SW. Why? Because she gives us all reason to believe there's life in the world of Minneapolis music after the dearly departed greatly missed Prince. "Good as Hell" presents Lizzo's contagious, uplifting vibes to a global audience for the very first time. Black power gets shouted to the rafters on the wings of an amazingly beefed up chorus that makes you want to make a beeline to church to testify. Come to think of it she's not too hard on the eyes either as the accompanying video demonstrates. Lots of strong black women getting their style on. The chorus is also one of those memorable ditties that you'll be remembering long after the song hits its final note. You wish "Good As Hell" was longer than its two minute forty-five second playing time. At the heart of Lizzo's spirited romp is a plea to her soul sisters to walk out on the man who doesn't love them anymore and devote a little time to some self-healing. Get to the pool, make sure the hair's looking fine, and the nails pass muster. While there's no direct link to Prince in terms of sonic influence what the two do share is a certain level of roof raising panache that is sure to land Lizzo in crowd pleaser status wherever she goes. Lucky for us she's in our fair city to impress the locals. Most impressive is this notion that "Good As Hell" could be well received in any city backdrop imaginable. Pass the sunscreen ladies and crank that s--t up. Lizzo and the beach go like hand in glove. A church setting would be ideal and pay proper homage to Prince's legacy. Blasting from the car radio would be a tremendous way to keep that Austin traffic anger at bay. It might even make grocery shopping tolerable. Lizzo positions herself as a force to reckoned with for years to come. "Good As Hell" is a great track at a moment in history when we all could use some serious uplift.

Saturday, March 11, 2017

All That Remains Tears Into Its Innate Madness

To any of you out there who know what a piledriver move is in pro wrestling you know, choreographed or not, it's pretty mind blowing. That's how Massachusetts metal band All That Remains starts off its current cut "Madness". Drummer Jason Costa hits you like a battering ram, as does guitarist Oli Herbert. Check out the latter's solo at the bridge if you need some clue about how serious he is. Every note is calibrated to achieve maximum effect, that effect being total metal bliss. Bass player Aaron Patrick lays his instrument on real thick, kind of like the sensation you get when the sound of a locomotive gets cranking into fourth gear. Nowhere you can hide. Nowhere you can run. You have to steer away from the direction of the skid and hope the damage to your cranium turns out to be minimal. Of course "Madness" would be merely slightly unsettling without the stunning vocal octane shooting from Philip Labonte's obviously beefy throat. The choral refrain shows Phil has more than enough rope with which to hang himself and takes great pleasure in getting the noose ready for action. Basically the lyrics explain that history is going to repeat itself whether any of us are prepared to accept that grim picture or not. We're fallible beings who can't get out of our own way long enough to make any sort of long term social progress. Philip demonstrates how over the stretch of time friends become enemies. We spin around the carousel of time knowing full well how it ends. So much love lost becomes water under the dam because where else is it supposed to wind up anyway. "Madness" is only a three minute ten second track but boy does All That Remains know how to pack optimum punch into that short span of time. Nestle doesn't have nearly this much crunch on bone jarring display. If I were to compare "Madness" to a side of meat I'd have to go with the succulent T-bone steak. The song rolls around in its ample red juices unapologetic about rubbing your nose in it. The tempo isn't in the exceeding the speed limit range but revs up its combustion engine enough to remind you not to take your eyes off this band. All That Remains knows what a good head of steam looks like. The drumming energizes, the guitar cuts straight to your heart and rips out chamber by chamber. Phil's ability to project to the back of the room where the cheap seats are located makes him a consistent force to be reckoned with in metal circles. The overall sound combining Phil's voice and Oli's lethal guitar sends the right kind of shivers down my spine and no doubt possesses the ability to have that impact on countless other fans of both the band and the metal genre itself. Bluntly stated "Madness" gives craziness a very good name indeed.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Run, Don't Walk To Future Island's New Single

Oh 80s synth pop, how I've missed you so. You made my 80s listening experience the profound joy it turned out to be. You've come back to visit me in the guise of Baltimore's Future Islands and, specifically, its newest single "Ran," lifted from its soon to be released album "The Far Field". Go ahead and crown lead singer Samuel T. Herring as a force to be reckoned with. Physically he lays it all on the line. The video shows what kind of great shape he must be in. His expressive face hints at a style that can be compared to nothing we've heard in a painfully long time. His persona is equal parts playful and muscular. When his face addresses the camera no one dares look away. He commands your undivided attention and gets it no questions asked. Yeah programmer and keyboardist Gerrit Weimers and guitarist William Cashion also play their roles admirably but this is clearly Samuel's show and he's milking it for all it's worth. "Ran" glides on smooth like the highest quality anti-perspirant. It's very listener friendly like one of those travel programs where you don't have to leave home to take some semblance of a vacation. In clothing terms it meshes together fabulously. Samuel sounds very love-stricken. Some lady is lucky to be the object of his affections. The first verse doesn't skimp on enticing visuals such as the rabbit's foot in the locket with no key. He proclaims he "can't take this world without you." He sings of the out of control feelings love forces us to confront. One intriguing line that really speaks to me is "driving snow knows the cold." When last I checked snow was an inanimate object incapable of intellectual reasoning. But, there you have it in a nutshell, the reason why Future Islands merits closer attention in this and the coming years. This threesome gets many points for reopening the 80s nostalgia floodgates. In addition it strikes me as a band that earns its honeymoon get to know you period because it doesn't beat you over the head with saucy hooks. Future Islands has them but spreads them out gracefully over the course of the three minutes, twenty-six second running time. That's how the visuals and sound sync up so masterfully. Future Islands has bottled a formula for success that ought to keep them front and center in music circles for a good while. In essence "Ran" burns off calories and excites the ear in equal measure.

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Not Much To Show With Latest Mastodon Effort

Mastodon is back and they urge one and all to "Show Yourself". Unfortunately the Atlanta band doesn't have much to tell us that metal as a general rule hasn't already dished out to us already. If you've heard one valley in the shadow of death anthem you've pretty much heard 'em all. Not that vocalists Brann Dillor and Brent Hinds don't have talent, but it's not being put to the best possible use through a song like this. The standard drum acrobatics get their moment in the sun. Troy Sanders does a workmanlike job on bass but again the song works against his cranking his potential to fourth gear. The lyrics are deep and brooding with a splash of give 'em hell in between. We are urged to show ourselves, shed our skins, and lose ourselves among other things. We're warned that our safety is not as solid as we'd like it to be. Is our world a dream or cold reality. kind of a mixed message behind "Be afraid" which runs counter to "Don't be afraid". So which warning are we supposed to fall in line behind. Mastodon is guilty of using their combined rock aggression to throw a smokescreen over the song's lack of adding anything particularly innovative to the pot. "Show Yourself" isn't especially bad as rock tracks go. The problem lies in this being a voyage we could swear we've been on previously and in better chord selections. Give Mastodon the nod for lasting through what's going on 17 years. For any musical ensemble to stick around that long a pat on the back is warranted. Obviously the band does have a devoted following that's kept them out on the road year after year, giving the masses what they want. I will give them two points credit for the lyric "The truth will send a ripple through your body". That's meant to get those heart palpitations going full blast until you desperately need a crew of EMTs. However one cool lyric does not an epic effort make. Too much sound and not enough fury to go with it. Eventually the audio palate desires something that at least tries to be different. The creativity level of the accompanying YouTube drawing is higher than the tune it promotes. That's not much of an encouraging sign to say the least. In short "Show Yourself" reveals precious little that would suggest you should listen to it more than once.

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Alter Bridge Contributes a Track Worth Championing

I love it when a rock song goes all over the place musically. You know...not staying content to let one guitar riff be what a band coasts on until you forget why you liked the song in the first place. Alter Bridge does a tremendous job of demonstrating how mind blowing it can be to use the full range of chords to amp up their artistic intentions. "My Champion" gets the spine shivering thanks to equal contributions from the entire unit. Mark Tremonti is at his best vocally. His focused pipes can't be denied. He inspires at every level imaginable. Myles Kennedy does some incredible guitar work, particularly at the bridge. If he represents the pied piper he provides convincing proof that following him around is well worth the trouble. Over on bass Brian Marshall lays down the thunder, letting us know we're officially on notice that both spiritually and professionally he's bringing in the big guns. Drummer Scott Phillips adds stick work that's going to have you scanning the floor looking for your missing jaw bone. Mark carries hints of his tenure with Creed in that there's a highly potent spiritual message at work. He hopes "My Champion" serves as victory song for the downtrodden who've lost the will to continue. He sincerely hopes clarity counts as part of the reward for taking a moment to heed his words. In order to rise you must fall first. To know true gain you must first experience loss on an intimate level. The vigor of "My Champion" goes a long way. Everything takes on an electrified sheen that bathes this effort in enough light to power a mid-sized metropolitan area. Back to Mark for a little bit. His voice doubles as a mandate, a call to action that can only bolster the spirit. The guitar chords give you the roller coaster ride you secretly have been craving. It gets you psyched and ready to not be a passive observer in life. We live in an intimidating era. Uplift would be greatly appreciated. One of Mark's key stanzas happens to be "May this lift you up when you feel you'll fall again, you cannot win, no. Hope these words are enough for you to be strong my friend. Well Mark, having sampled "My Champion" for the first time I'd have to give you an unqualified yes vote. For Alter Bridge "My Champion" beats back the competition to emerge as a real heavyweight contender.

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Sweden's Avatar Charts a Course For a New Land

The melodic death metal served up by Sweden's Avatar dishes out a contrast in styles. If you like your examples of the genre to flex their muscles for you then rest easy knowing, at the very least, drummer John Alfredsson is listening to your impassioned pleas. Jonas "Kungen" Jarsby lends his own evil grimace courtesy of a blazing guitar that doesn't how to stop fueling your worst nightmares. Henrik Sandlein adds heft on bass. As for lead vocalist Johannes Eckerstrom, he can be both growling and unsettling in the same stanza of the current "New Land", plucked from the current "Feathers and Flesh" outing. Behind the mask we listeners are getting the business end of what appears to be an epic voyage. As one might expect, the focus is on the titular land and the safety promising aspects implied therein. Thankfully Johannes keeps the Cookie Monster vocals to the barest minimum. All the better to hear these Swedes hone their craft to its finest point. Danger lurks around every corner Darkness, its cold chill on display casts an undeniable pall over this song right down to its barest bones. You wouldn't confuse "New Land" with a speed metal hell on wheels although John and Jonas aren't shy about infusing that brand of free range attitude into the mixture. It's stunning how the guitar handily goes from fangs bared to a de-clawed prickly heat inducing strum that doesn't slow down to first gear but instead keeps its tempo juiced up enough to keep us uneasy since we're not sure such a thing as safe passage exists in these tremble worthy environs. Johannes insists the child sleep until Avatar reaches the new land but I suspect the poor boy won't be getting much in the way of sheep counting done. The lyric "Soon we'll be departed" doesn't exactly conjure up the most reassuring images if you grasp at the literal interpretation. The ace in the hole for Avatar lies in how easily its members grab you by the scruff of the neck and dare you to flee from impending doom. Even during Johannes's softer moments "New Land" still has the power to make you want to sleep with the lights on. It may be churning in old mythological waters but the trek proves to be breathtaking just the same.