Basically, I'm complaining about musicians who take the names of their old band, with seemingly none of the old members. It's like, how can that even be the same band with only one or two members?

12 Days Of Christmas...
 

Alright, so let me explain the 12 Days Of Alternative. I will be looking at one Alternative band each day beginning on December 13th on ending on Christmas day. I will also give to you a special song or two by them, be it a well-known hit or a hidden gem.

But wait, there's more! Some days, I will throw in additional content, be it an album review, or an extra song by another band, and we're keeping it all under the wonderfully broad tag that is Alternative Rock! I hope y'all will enjoy!

1. Have A Nice Day
Great title track. Hard rockin', Jon Bon Jovi fiercely questions the listener. It sets a great impression for the rest of the album to stand up too, and it's quite a good track.

2. I Want To Be Loved
Interesting, talk-box guitarish track. It rocks hard, but I'm not entirely sure what to make of the song. It's pretty hard rockin' and quite interesting.

3. Welcome To Wherever You Are
Sweet little ballad. It was issued as a single, but for some reason bombed. I can't say I understand why. It's a cool, sweet, catchy song, that really had potential. As Bon Jovi said, "I thought for sure this was going to be a universal, timeless theme song of unity, diversity." But alas, dreams don't come true. Maybe because rock was starting to do around this time. I don't know.

4. Who Says You Can't Go Home
Pretty decent song. I enjoy it. Jon Bon Jovi said it was written as a thank you to fans and it can certainly be taken that way. Well, Jon, you're welcome and thanks for this song.

5. Last Man Standing
A cool heavy song about being the last rock n' rollers in the world. Sometimes it feels like the boys from Jersey are, and this song reflects the loneliness and anger that come with that. It's quite enjoyable, and probably one of the best songs on the album, it's really grown on me in recent years.

6. Bells Of Freedom
I liked this song before, but now I can see it's fairly generic Bon Jovi ballad fare. Meh, next.

7. Wildflower
And now a good Bon Jovi ballad. It's sweet and really catchy. It's one of the first songs on this album I came back to years later and still recalled all the words. Amazing.

8. Last Cigarette
Eh, it's not a bad song, but it's not that good either. Although during the bridge, I swear I heard the band vocalize "Brian Wilson" in the backing vocals during the bridge, even before I knew a thing about the Beach Boys. I swear, they do.

9. I Am
Really catchy hard rockin' song with (Haven't mentioned this in a while) really sweet dissonance. It gets the emotion flowing, gets in your head and stays kickin' around in there.

10. Complicated
Neat fast-paced song. Kinda catchy, I s'pose.

11. Novocaine
It's one of the few songs on the album that stayed in my head longer than the others when the album seemed to vanish from memory. It still holds up and is quite enjoyable

12. Story Of My Life
It's catchy, it's really cool, and would be a great way to end the album, if not for, oh lord...

13. Who Says You Can't Go Home [Country Version w/ Jennifer Nettles]
The country version of track 4. Now, on it's own, it's pretty okay, Jennifer Nettles's vocals are a bit obnoxious at times, but it's pretty cool as a bonus track...until the single became a success and country became the genre of their whole next album. Ah well, I best not rant on that now.

You advertise the "12 Days of Alternative" and then in the very next post do a Bon Jovi review:laughing:

Yeah, that is pretty ironic. Ah well, I'll be ditching the mainstream next month...not counting alternative bands who have had major mainstream crossover appeal. xD

Happy thanksgiving erryone! Don't eat too much or you'll end up like me...stuck on my deathbed...WRITING ABOUT ****ING MUSIC!

As one of the only other Bon Jovi fans it would seem on this site (NEVER make the mistake of calling yourself a BJ fan!) :rolleyes: I'd like to give my own impressions on your thoughts here. I did review this much earlier as part of a three-wy Bon Jovi review, but just a few comments...
Would agree it's a good hard rocker and a decent way to open the album, sort of reminds me of "Hey God" and "It's my life".
Yeah, decent but nothing special I feel. Could have come somewhere near the end and I wouldn't have minded.
Love this song, and like Jon can't understand why it was not a worldwide hit. Really upbeat in tone and very optimistic. We need more songs like this. Shut up, non-Bon Jovi fans!
And I love this too. A real "look where we are but remember who put us here" song. Bon Jovi have always been honest, which I think is something even their detractors would admit, and this song just oozes honesty.
A real attack on lipsynching and manufactured bands, I just love the whole "roll up, roll up!" aspect of it. Absolutely one of two of my favourite songs on the album. ("Now here's the band, they really play!") Incidentally, have you heard the alternative version on "100,000,000 Bon Jovi fans can't be wrong"?

I agree. It's very gung-ho, very God Bless America, and quite meh but...
I hate this song. It's a million times worse than "Bells" and is just for me totally lacklustre and boring. One I skip when I play the album.
Love this track. The whole idea of love being like one last cigarette, even though I don't smoke, I get it. Clever, and a great rocker.
Yeah it's okay. Good rocker but nothing terribly special.
Same really
My other favourite track. I love the way they describe the break up of an affair and the nods back to "Livin' on a prayer" --- just class! For some reason my ipod would never tag this right so I kept getting it left off the album. Had to fix that!
Yeah it's a good song but I think Novocaine would have ended the album better and more dramatically.
Glad to say I never heard this.
Good review, nice to see it! :thumb:

Oh yeah, trust me, I've made that mistake...
Oh that compilation...haven't touched it since I lost the third disc. My lord, just thinking about losing a disc of a hard-to-find BJ compilation makes me wanna cry...I felt so shameful...Anyways yeah, wasn't it slower and more subdued?
Don't get me wrong, The Circle was pretty good, I'm just saying it wasn't as heavy as this album. The closest I think it got was "Bullet," my favorite track off it.

WAN was more experimental, and still not very rockin', but it may be my favorite album by them.
No man. Thank [/b]you[/b]. It's been a long while since I've had this good a talk about music, let alone Jovi. This is also the biggest reply to my journal I remember. So yeah. Thank ya, dude.

Ladies and gents...

We'll start with maybe the most famous Alternative band. In 1989, Nirvana released their first album, Bleach, on indie label Sub Pop, but it wasn't until 1991, with the massive single "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and album Nevermind, that they really took off. Lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter, Kurt Cobain, later denounced the track, saying it was a "Pixies knockoff."

In 1992, Kurt married the leader of grunge band Hole, Courtney Love. It was then that the couple's drug use began to make headlines. Kurt was arrested several times for drug use and threatening to kill himself. In 1993, the band released the their album, In Utero. It would be their last. In 1994, Kurt Cobain was found dead in his greenhouse, of a presumably self-inflicted gunshot wound, with a suicide note.

After Kurt's death, Nirvana songs and albums continued being released, including the Unplugged album, and the hit single, "You Know You're Right." Meanwhile, bassist Krist Novoselic became a lawyer, and drummer Dave Grohl is still rockin' with Foo Fighters!

For the song, how about my favorite one from them, "Heart Shaped Box?"

You want a title card for this? Say the word and I'll knock one up for ya!

Yeah man, that sounds great!

*snazzy logo by Trollheart*
The Smashing Pumpkins originally formed in 1988, and became successful with 1993's Siamse Dream, which contained everything from Shoegaze, to Heavy Metal, to Prog Rock, to Dream Pop. The album was a huge success and put the band on the map. In 1995, they released what lead vocalist Billy Corgan called "The Wall for Generation X," Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The album was universally praised. It was around this time that Billy got his iconic bald-head. For their next album (This time, without drummer Jimmy Chamberlin), Adore, the band adopted an electronic sound. Then, they reunited with Chamberlin for a brief tour. But then bassist D'arcy Wretzky left. The band released Machina and (strange for 2000) free digital-only Machina 2 before splitting in 2000.In 2005, the band reformed, with only Chamberlin and Corgan as original members. In 2009, Chamberlin quit/was fired for unknown reasons. The band has continued since, but fan reaction has been mixed.For this, I chose their single "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" from 1995's Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Enjoy!

Ladies and gentlemen, the first alternative band to break into the mainstream, the one and only Stone Roses. Formed in 1983 from the remnants of a Clash-inspired band called The Patrol, The Roses had, quite possibly, the most well-regarded first album in all of the genre. The Stone Roses, released in 1989, with such great singles as "Made Of Stone" and "She Bangs The Drums," put the band on the map with their jangle pop sound.

Due to legal troubles, deaths of people close to the band, and loss of founding member Ian Fricke, it took 5 years for the follow-up, Second Coming to come out, and when it did, it was panned for changing the Jangle Pop of the first album to a more aggressive Blues Rock sound, though some have come to appreciate it. The band unsurprisingly broke up 2 years later.

In 2011, the Roses reformed and went on tour, and there may be a new album on the way.

For my song, I picked a single from the much-panned Second Coming. Enjoy, and remember, Love Spreads!

:clap:

The twelve days of alternative seems like a great idea, and you, sir, just gained one more reader!

Thanks man, always glad to have another reader!Muse formed in 1994, and released their first album, Showbiz, in 1999. They became popular in 2001 with Origin Of Symmetry, and continued with the critically acclaimed Absolution and Black Holes and Revelations, getting complimented by Queen themselves. Then they made a more electro album and everyone went crazy.You could say they went into "Hysteria!"

Wow, I should have been paying more attention to this journal. I love The Smashing Pumpkins so much, and really like Nirvana as well. Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness is a true alt classic... Gonna have to listen to some of it now I think.


Interesting you mentioned Hole in the Nirvana write-up... I wonder if Hole could make an appearance in this journal? I only ask because I kinda like them too.

Actually no, but that wouldn't have been a bad idea. I've heard a few of their tracks, and I like them a hell of a lot more than I like Courtney as a person. xD

As for Mellon Collie, I'm still trying to get into it, because of the double album fatigue. I do enjoy a few tracks off it now though.

In any case, thanks for reading! :)

Jellyfish
 

Jellyfish formed in 1989, and released their first album Bellybutton in 1990. It was a modest commercial success, but guitarist Jason Falkner left after the tour. In 1993, they released their second and final album, Spilt Milk. Then they broke up the next year.

Here's my favorite track by them, "Too Much, Too Litttle, Too Late."

Ah yes, one of the biggest bands of the grunge boom of the early '90s, Pearl Jam! Their first album, Ten, became one of the defining albums of the movement, with singles like "Alive," "Even Flow," and "Jeremy." They went to the top of the music scene near immediately. In 1994, they released their similarly well-received followup, Vs..

However, this was also the same year of Kurt Cobain's death, and the beginning of the end for grunge. The band's decision in 1996 to not play venues supported by TicketMaster was the nail in the coffin. However, even without grunge being popular, Pearl Jam remains so to this very day.

Here's "Even Flow," off Ten!

In 1984, Red Hot Chili Peppers their first, self-titled album, which fused funk/rock/rap. Vocalist Anthony Kiedes later said that meddling from the producer and the session guitarist made the album turn out differently than they wanted. They released 2 more albums, one with actual guitarist Hillel Slovak, before he died in 1988. Shortly after, drummer Jack Irons quit, as he did "not want to be in a band where my friends were dying." In 1989, John Frusciante and Chad Smith joined and the band released Mother's Milk.

In 1991, the band broke through with singles "Under The Bridge" and "Give it Away" with accompanying album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. After an unsuccessful album without guitarist John Frusciante, the band came back strong in 1999 with Californication. They continued strong with 2 more albums in the 2000's, until Frusciante left again in 2009. They still continue with new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.

Here's "Around the World!"

Radiohead released their first album Pablo Honey in 1993, with hit single "Creep." Multiple members of the band have gone on record saying the hate the song, feeling it turned them into a one-hit-wonder. In 1995, they released cult classic, The Bends and followed it up with another cult classic, OK Computer.

2000 marked the release of quite possibly the biggest cult classic they released, Kid A, where they experimented with many different genres. In 2007, they released pay-what-you-want album In Rainbows, and in 2011 thdy released the experimental loop-based The King Of Limbs.

Speaking of The King Of Limbs, here's "Codex!"

In 1992, one of the most controversial, political bands of the '90s burst onto the scene with their self-titled debut, Rage Against The Machine. "Killing In The Name" immediately became the Rap Metal group's signature song. In 1996, they reached their peak with what many consider their best album, Evil Empire.

They were infamous for their stage theatrics, which including lighting the American flag on fire, like during Woodstock '99. Speaking of '99, that's when their last album of original material, The Battle Of Los Angeles. In 2000, the band broke up and released cover album Renegades. In 2007, the group reformed, but only to tour. They have no plans to record new material.

From 1999's Battle Of Los Angeles, here's "Guerilla Radio"

WAAAIT! Don't quit the journal! They're not an emo band. In face, only their first two albums, You Brought Me Your Bullets, I Brought You My Love and major label debut Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge could even be mistaken for emo. After that, they changed their style in 2006, with concept album The Black Parade, which some have dubbed "The Sgt. Pepper of Screamo."

They followed up with another concept, Danger Days, and finished up with a stream of singles in 2013, the same year they broke up. They're releasing a new greatest hits album next year, so be sure to check 'em out!

...but bands in the emo scene would defend themselves by saying "we're not like MCR". :rolleyes:

In 1988, Seattle grunge band Soundgarden released their debut album, Badmotorfinger and followed it up in 1989 with Louder Than Love. They became popular with 1994's Superunkown, with such singles as "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman." After one more album, the group began splintering, culminating in their 1996 break-up.

In 2010, the band reunited and have released 2 albums since.

SPOON MA-AN!

Full friggin' circle, here's Foo Fighters. After Kurt Cobain's suicide in 1994, Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl attempted to get over it by recording some demos. These demos eventually led to the self-titled debut Foo Fighters album. Most instruments on the album had been played by Grohl. By the time of The Colour And The Shape in 1997, he recruited a full band. The band's fanbase was in for a shock with the lackluster One by One in 2001, and the slightly better In Your Honor in 2005. In 2007, they won back some of the fanbase with Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace and most of the remaining skeptics with the cranked-up-to-11 heaviness Wasting Light.

Speaking of Wasting Light, here's a song to end The 12 Days Of Alternative! Merry Christmas, everybody!

Remember kids, next month is Trollheart ripoff month!

Ladies and gentlemen, the lawyers are here! Get ready for all the lawsuit-related action in...

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Let's begin with a catchy single from one of my favorite bands. It has an addictive guitar riff and a chorus that will get you singing along by tomorrow.

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So I haven't talked about the Red Hot Chili Peppers yet. It's not that I don't like them, they're one of my favorite bands, I just have no idea where to begin. But I think their 1991 breakthrough would be a good place to begin, don't you? What do you mean no? This is MY journal! Screw you! Anyways, I doubt Trollheart would be into this album (He hates hip-hop) considering how heavy it is on the rap, but it's deemed a classic and I just got it recently, so...

1. The Power Of Equality
Though this track is a bit forgettable in my opinion, and it's hard to understand what Anthony Kiedes is saying in that loud aggressive rapping, it's still a good energetic way to start the album, and it segues perfectly into...

2. If You Have To Ask
A cool funky little song, despite a few lazy decisions (rhyming "guy" with "guy" with "guy" with "guy"), is the first of many catchy songs on the album, and it fades into...

3. Breaking The Girl
The first ballad of the album, with cool acoustic playing and a drum solo played on objects the Chili Peppers found in the dumpster, this is a sad, catchy, rap-free song that I recommend for that stuffy ol' TH! :laughing:

4. Funky Monks
One of my favorite songs on the album, probably one of the most underrated songs on it. It has two false ends with funky jamming and it's where the album theme of sex kicks in.

5. Suck My Kiss
More famous, catchy song about sexual relations. This one always makes me jump out of my seat to sing along. I love everything: the lyrics, the funky solo, the bassline, it's just perfect!

6. I Could Have Lied
Really sad ballad. The guitar playing is just excellent here, as is Anthony Kiedes's depressed-sounding vocal performance. It is also an amazing song, but in a different way.

7. Mellowship Slinky In B Major
Rap-filled sex song, with a neat reverb-drenched vocal. Not the best, but it's fairly catchy and has it's moments.

8. The Righteous And The Wicked
We begin with a bad ass bass riff from Flea and then all hell breaks loose on John Frusciante's guitar. This song's chorus is based upon the call and response between him and Anthony Kiedes. It was forgettable for me personally...at first. But then, it grew on me, like a fungus on my foot...well not quite, but you get what I mean.

9. Give It Away
One of the biggest hit singles of the album actually ISN'T about sex, but the RHCP said it was actually about giving away posessions...which still doesn't explain the "put it in you" bit, but hey.

10. Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Okay, kind of cool deeply sung choruses, it's an okay song.

11. Under The Bridge
The song that put the Peppers on the map, this is a great ballad about feeling isolated because of drug withdrawal. The guitar playing is great, and special mention must go to John Frusciante's mother singing "Under the bridge downtoooooooooown!"

12. Naked In The Rain
Opens with drums and then we add the bass (A very funky bass) and guitar. The lyrics are catchy, but rather extremely weird. Great song though.

13.Apache Rose Peacock
Odd lyrics, like "LUNATICS ON POGOSTICKS," which may be one of the funniest lines Anthony Kiedes has ever written. Oh, and they mention Louis Armstrong's dick, cuz why not? The verses are weird raps like that, but it has a really pretty chorus, an example of dissonance with the Peppers. I think it adds to their appeal though.

14. The Greeting Song
As much as Anthony Kiedes hates this song (Producer Rick Rubin told him to write a song about girls and cars and that's the sole reason it exists), I love it. Instrumentally, he likes it, saying it sounds like "a lively Zeppelin tune" which I can't argue with, but I think he doesn't give enough credit to the lyrics, they're not that bad. One of my favorites off the album.

15. My Lovely Man
A hard and heavy song about original guitarist Hillel Slovak, who died of a drug overdose. I particularly like when they drop the funk and get to the sad breakdown at the end, it just tears you apart inside.

16. Sir Psycho Sexy
The funk and the sex are both cranked up to 11 for the second-to-last, 8 minute song. And y'know what? Most of that is this simply BEAUTIFUL sounding fadeout! This is an amazing song, but the album isn't over yet...

17. They're Red Hot
We end off with a double-speed Robert Johnson cover. Truly great in every way. Now to the conclusion...

Conclusion: An amazing album, that totally deserves it's reputation as dirty, yet melodic and beautiful album.

My Favorite Tracks: "Breaking The Girl," "Funky Monks," "Suck My Kiss," "I Could Have Lied," "Apache Rose Peacock," "The Greeting Song," "My Lovely Man,"

Least Favorite: "The Power Of Equality," "Mellowship Slinky In B Major"

Do I feel, at the end,
A) I wish I had listened to this sooner
B) I'm sorry I bothered
C) I might end up liking this
D) Not at all sure, have to wait and see

Surefire A!

Final Score: 97/100 (There are no monks in mah band. There are no saints in this land)
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What do I know of Aqualung? NOTHING, except they're named after a Jethro Tull song. So uh, here's what I think the album will sound like.

1. Cinderella
I hear a slow intro that goes into a faster buildup. I think overall, it'll have a medium tempo, with a quiet verse/loud chorus sorta thing. Lyrics about...maybe a girl who's done something wrong, and for instruments, I hear some bells in this.

2. Pressure Suit
Slow and bass heavy song about drowning.

3. Something To Believe In
Fast and heavy with butt loads of guitar. Lyrics are about disappointment and a lack of something to believe in.

4.Glimmer
Medium and kind of calm with lyrics about a glimmer of hope. I hear some synth in this one.

5. Vapour Trail
Slow and ballad-y. Lyrics about going down a literal trail. Perhaps some acoustic guitar?

6. Rolls So Deep
Slow/medium, but REALLY heavy with pounding melodic drums. Lyrics about deep emotional wounds.

7. The Lake
Slow acoustic ballad about a literal lake, with a nostalgic feel. Lots of acoustic guitar and maybe some piano or synth.

8. Black Hole
Really fast. Frantic drums and ugly guitar. It talks about emotions being sucked in like a black hole.

9. Outside
Medium tempo song about isolation with distorted guitars out the wazoo.

10. Garden Of Love
Heavy, medium tempo song. Sarcastic lyrics about misfortune in love.

11. Broken Bones
Slow acoustic song about literal physical pain. Bonus points if it's extremely depressing.



Tomorrow, we'll see how I did!
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1. Cinderella
I got the slow intro right, complete with piano, though it doesn't end up getting much faster. The lyrics are close to what I predicted. There are no bells, but there is a lot of piano. The tempo is slow to medium.

2. Pressure Suit
Begins with some strings. It's piano-based with a slow-to-medium tempo. It has some semi-prominent bass, and lyrics make it a metaphorical love song, if that makes any sense.

3. Something To Believe In
Medium to fast tempo like I guessed, but it's not all that heavy. It has some tambourine, some piano, but I totally got the lyrics right.

4. Glimmer
There's some acoustic guitar. The tempo is medium and the tone of the song is calm. The lyrics seem to be about nostalgia.

5. Vapor Trails
Slow and ballad-y until the build-up, with a louder chorus and a quieter verse. The main instruments are guitar and piano.

6. Rolls So Deep
Acoustic, slow song. Not heavy in the slightest. It, once again, uses piano (That sounds like a bell) and tambourine. It's a rather happy love song, actually.

7. The Lake
This song has a gentle, high-pitched piano, with some orchestral overtones. It's quite a sad song, and the lyrics dwell into nightmares, time passing, and yes, a lake.

8. Black Hole
Smooth, almost RHCP-type guitar. The drums aren't frantic, it's not a heavy song. The ending does have distortion though. The lyrics are about heartbreak, so I was close-ish.

9. Outside
Main instrument is a piano (Noticing a pattern?). The tempo varies, but it's usually medium. The lyrics about love, and a lot happier than I assumed.

10. Garden Of Love
Slow piano-based love song played totally straight.

11. Broken Bones
We begin on a filtered piano. Piano happens to be the primary instrument (Who would have guessed?). It has a medium tempo, and the lyrics seem to be about love or writer's block.


Interesting album, I guess, but not my cup of tea. Won't be listening to these guys in the future. Tune in next time for the percentages.
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1. Cinderella
Tempo: 75%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 80%

2. Pressure Suit
Tempo: 75%
Instruments: 75%
Lyrics: 0%

3. Something To Believe In
Tempo: 30%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 100%

4. Glimmer
Tempo: 100%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 10%

5. Vapor Trails
Tempo: 70%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 0%

6. Rolls So Deep
Tempo: 0%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 0%

7. The Lake
Tempo: 75%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 90%

8. Black Hole
Tempo: 0%
Instruments: 10%
Lyrics: 50%

9. Outside
Tempo: 33%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 0%

10. Garden Of Love
Tempo: 0%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 0%

11. Broken Bones
Tempo: 0%
Instruments: 0%
Lyrics: 0%

Well that was a lot of work! I probably won't ever do that again, though, it was fun.
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As much money as this damn worm is sucking out of my bank account, I do need to keep this updated. How about a catchy song I just caught on the radio, by a band I've already covered this month?


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Dude, the 12 days of Alternative were incredible. I really like almost all of those bands. Chris Cornell is a guy who has really grown on me. I used to hate Soundgarden, but as I've gotten older I think I just appreciate the talent in his voice more. I was listening to Temple of the Dog the other night and it made me want to go listen to some Soundgarden.

Thanks man! I actually had a bit of a hard time finding bands, which means I should probably be into more. But alas, no good ways to make money at my age, no steady jobs at least. :(

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Well, I may be cheating here, but the cover is by a comedy act, so yeah. Rage Against The Machine's "Guerilla Radio," was loud, in your face, and political, the perfect kind of song to...lounge to? That's what Richard Cheese thought apparently! Here's both versions:

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