Powerstars reviews any album he feels like!
 

Hey, Powerstars here! That last journal, run entirely on requests, killed me, because a lot of the albums I had no motivation to review. So now, I'm starting a new one. I may still take some requests, but not all. Anyways, this is a fresh start. I'll link my previous reviews in the below post. Also, please give me feedback. I'd love to spark up some conversation.

NOTE: Scores do not necessarily reflect my preference on the album.

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ml#post1367837

OLD TEXT REVIEWS:
-Metallica - Beyond Magnetic
-Love Story In Blood Red - Hot Cha
-Dream Theater - When Day And Dreams Unite
NEW TEXT REVIEWS
-#1 - Bon Jovi - What About Now
-#2 - Queen - Hot Space
-#3 - Paul McCartnery - McCartney
-#4 - FearOfDark - The Early Attempts
-#5 - Richie Sambora - Aftermath Of The Lowdown
-#6 - Nintendo(?) - The Fantastic World Of Super Mario Bros. 3
-#7 - The Beatles - Let It Be
-#8 - 3 - The Ghost You Gave To Me
-#9 - Sonny Moore - Gypsyhook
-#10 - Nirvana - Nevermind
-#11 - Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
-#12 - David Bowie - The Next Day
-#13 - The Killers - Hot Fuss
-#14 - Dragonforce - Inhumane Rampage
-#15 - Life In HD - Life In HD
-#16 - The White Stripes - Elephant
-#17 - Paul McCartney - Memory Almost Full
-#18 - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
-#19 - Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
-#20 - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
-#21 - Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon
-#22 - The Killers - Sam's Town
VIDEO REVIEWS:
-01 - They Might Be Giants - John Henry
RANTS:
-#1 - WMA files
-#2 - 12-12-12 Album
-#3 - Covers That Overshadow The Original
-#4 - Bands Who Ditch All But One Member
MOVIE NIGHT
-#1 - Kurt And Courtney
THE SONG OVERTHINKER:
-#1 - "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction
-#2 - "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" by The Backstreet Boys
-#3 - "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons
MUSIC FORUM FLAME WAR
-#1 - Roblox's Linkin Park Conflict
-#2 - Bowie vs. Cobain

As much as I love Bon Jovi, even I have to admit that their recent albums haven't been as good as I'd been hoping. He's been singing the same songs about the everyman fighting the battle of life, with occasional variety. "Lost Highway" was full of dissapointing country schlock, while still listenable, it wasn't all that great minus a couple tracks. "The Circle" was a great return to form, but it didn't really do anything new, nor did it rock hard enough. With a quick track by track analysis, let's see if this one did any better.

1. Because We Can
Whoa. Right off the bat, we have something way different from anything the band has ever done before. Very poppy, but with generic Bon Jovi lyrics. Catchy, but not terribly special.

2. I'm With You
From the very beginning with the reversed guitars, I was hooked on this song. Described by a random friend of mine as "the perfect song to get stoned to," this track is, unlike the opener, something very special indeed. Why couldn't this have been the lead single? :thumb:

3. What About Now
Generic Bon Jovi at it's finest. Out of all the songs on the album, this sounds the most like their older output. Generic, but not in a bad way. Generic in a very enjoyable way.

4. Pictures Of You
Intro is very '80s poppish, not Bon Jovish, but I like the '80s, so it's awesome. This is the kind of song filled with emotion that causes me to always sing along to the chorus in an out of tune manner. The solo is also really dissonant against the backing track, and it is glorious.

5. Amen
Kinda boring and not that memorable, but not all that bad. Mediocre.

6. That's What The Water Made Me
One of those songs designed to drive the crowd wild at concerts. No really. I went to his concert, and this song drove the crowd wild. Lyrics are Bon Jovi at their Bon Jovi-ist.

7. What's Left Of Me
More like "What's Left Of Lost Highway," this song has a bit of a country twang to it, which disappointed me, because it shouldn't have that twang. It's still a really good song.

8. Army Of One
Keyboard in the intro is pretty awesome. It's an awesome song, but once again, it's Jon writing about what Jon really freaking likes to write about. Catchy, no less.

9. Thick As Thieves
Chorus is okay, rest is forgettable.

10. Beautiful World
Pretty good song, kinda forgettable. I don't know why, but it kinda sounds like The Killers to me. Maybe it's just me.

11. Room At The End Of The World
Dreamlike and cool. It's lyrics are like half-generic Bon Jovi, half-not. It's cool, but, once again rather forgettable.

12. The Fighter
Nice little acoustic ending song. Not forgettable, not memorable. Nevertheless, a good way to end the album.

CONCLUSION: Bon Jovi has redeemed itself after a bad album and a mediocre album, they've showed they still have a huge load of rock left in them

Final Score: 75/100 (Pretty Dang Good)

Hot space!
 

REVIEW 002: HOT SPACE BY QUEEN

In 1980, Queen released "Another One Bites The Dust." It became a hit very easily, with it's funky bassline. The band wanted to repeat this success, so they recorded a funky Disco/RnB/Dance-influenced Rock album. This alienated their older fans and made Queen less relevant than ever before. Guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor did not like the new sound, believing that Freddie Mercury's current manager had influence over him. But is this album as bad as many seem to think? Let's find out.

1. Staying Power
Perfect for an opening track, but it sets the tone for things to come. Less rock, more funk. It has a (pretty good) funky horn arrangement and a drum machine. Yes, Queen used a drum machine. This was indeed a low point in their career. Decent, catchy track, but it sets the tone of the album.

2. Dancer
Synth bass. Indeed a low point. It's a decent dance track, but it's not at all memorable. The only catchy part of the song is the chorus.

3. Back Chat
I rather like this song. This is what the whole album should've sounded like. Catchy Rock-Dance fusion with the Rock being the leading element. Y'know, or just do a Rock album. But this is indeed a great catchy track.

4. Body Language
Worst song on the album. There is barely any guitar here, and the guitar that is here is barely freaking noticeable. Synth bass sounds lame here. And Freddie Mercury wrote this song, so you'd think he'd know what he'd be doing here, right? Wrong. The entire song is about a hot chick. Mix it in with a lame pun of a title, and you've got what may be the worst Queen song ever released.

5. Action This Day
Decently rocking song. It's quite catchy and has almost trippy vocal harmonies. It, once again, uses a drum machine, but hey, what're ya gonna do?

6. Put Out The Fire
The song that sounds most like Queen on this album. It rocks out loud. Thank you, Brian May, for not completely selling out on this one. He recorded the solo drunk. Now, that, my friends, is rock and roll.

7. Life Is Real (Song For Lennon)
Given that this album was released in 1982, 2 years after John Lennon's death, it should be fairly clear what this song is about. It's a gentle piano ballad with quite a few nods to Lennon, musically. Well-done boys.

8. Calling All Girls
Rocking song with only one clear influence from other genres: record scratching. Ah well. Still a good, catchy song.

9. Las Palabras de Amor (The Words of Love)
A twangy ballad with acoustic guitar, and once again, no clear dance influences. Wow.

10. Cool Cat
Well, I guess we needed one more funky song, but a good one. Funky bassline with Freddie Mercury showing his vocal abilities by singing in falsetto. Catchy tune that'll get the head bopping. :yeah:

11. Under Pressure (Ft. David Bowie)
Best song on the album. Period. PERIOD. The only clear dance influence is the emphasized bass, which improves this song so much. The falsetto parts are amazing. It's such an amazing song, no body can do it like the studio version. Bowie can no longer sing it as he did here.

Conclusion: A decent album with a few gems. I'd say you're best buying a couple of the more Rock songs I mentioned on iTunes or what have you. Overall...

McCartney (1970)
 

REVIEW 003 - MCCARTNEY BY PAUL MCCARTNEY

Ah yes, I remember when I got this album. I was really into The Beatles. My mom had bought a turntable. I was excited, because I could listen to more albums this way and my mom already had a collection. She went to a garage sale and found this album, among one by Ringo Starr and one by Wings. I was so excited to play the album...and then I found the phonograph didn't work because it needed speakers which we still have yet to get. This happened like last year. :banghead:

But, never one to be discoraged, I brought the album to my Grandpa's house and listened to it with my aunt. I was surprised to discover how experimental it was. I've been looking for an album to review lately, but it's been right in front of me all along. Review this one.

1970 was a dark time for The Beatles. There were creative issues more than ever before and they officially broke up. Paul was peeved off when Phil Spector remixed Let It Be, particularly "The Long And Winding Road." He officially announced the Beatles breakup and recorded an album with no help from anyone except his wife. This would explore the "back to basics" approach Let It Be was meant to have, but it was a ton more experimental. Aside from that one well-known gem (Maybe I'm Amazed), how does this album stack up?

1. The Lovely Linda
Very obviously in an unfinished form, it's a decent song. I wish it was more than just a demo though, for then, we could have a great little opening track. It's still a catchy "song" though.

2. That Would Be Something
First finished song on the album, it's more what I would expect from Sir Paul. A catchy little ballad, it's a pretty decent song. I like it. I particularly like where Paul beatboxes along to the drums. :rofl:

3. Valentine Day
A more rocking, still acousticish song. It's a cool little instrumental demo, and I don't really mind it being a demo, I'm starting to appreciate the tone of the album.

4. Every Night
Oooooh! This is awesome! A more commercial song. This album really does have quite the acoustic twang to it. This song alone could prove it. One of the catchier songs to break up the experimenting.

5. Hot As Sunglasses
Sounds like almost like an acoustic version of The Beatles' song "Flying." It's fairly folkish, but the twang really stops it from being spacey like it should be. The only spacey thing is the keyboard and the ending with a bit of the then unreleased "Suicide". It's okay, though, just forgettable.

6. Junk
My personal favorite song on the album. It's such a simple, catchy tune. A demo left over from The White Album sessions, it would have fit there perfectly. I can't get enough of this song.

7. Man We Was Lonely
The panning on the intro is really cool. I dig it. Other than that, it may be the most county song Paul's done with the possible exception of "Dance Tonight"

8. Oo You
More electric than all the previous songs. I really like it. It has a lot of great percussion, but unfortunately, I must say it is forgettable, as it was one that I did not remember after listening to it, while a lot of others stuck in my head.

9. Momma Miss America
Drums, bass, and wah-wah guitar. I didn't like it much on the first listen, but it's really grown on me listening to it again. It's funkyish, hardish, rockish stuff. One complaint, it repeats itself too much for an instrumental.

10. Teddy Boy
Good stuff, although I prefer the Beatles version. It's a really good song, very simple, very diggable, very catchy.

11. Singalong Junk
Ugh, maybe I can get enough of this song. Why include an instrumental version with more instruments? I don't understand.

12. Maybe I'm Amazed
The classic ballad that everyone knows and loves. Made popular by Wings in 1976, though the studio version is the one we hear the most now. I dig the screaming Paul does, and the backing vocals are superb. Not much I can say that hasn't already been said.

13. Kreen-Akrore
Cool drums at the beginning. They do go on a bit long, but that's alright, they have variety. The vocal part after that is cool, but one of the most noticeable voices isn't really that interested in doing it. Then more drums. Then finally, we close off the album with almost a reprise to Maybe I'm Amazed. K, that was definitely the most experimental thing Paul's ever done.

Conclusion: Pretty good album with gems, but some of the experimental things don't really do it for me. They're either too short or too long.

FINAL SCORE: 77/100 (Great, but flawed)

You're saying you only got a phonograph (turntable I assume) last year? Why not just get a USB turntable? Mind you, mine's still in the box: one day, I will unpack it! I used to have a turntable (being from the seventies/eighties generation it was for a while all we had to play music on, other than cassette decks) and have a sizeable collection of albums on vinyl (which we used call LPs; any oldies here know what that stands for?) ;) but the last deck I had came literally crashing down when my shelf collapsed, taking my CD player, CD recorder and amp with it, and I've just never got around to replacing it.

I never heard of an album of demos, sounds interesting although I am not a Beatles fan (put that gun away!) and less of a McCartney one (and that axe.. slowly now, careful...) :p:

Good review though.

What is that?

Was that a Pink Floyd reference? =P BTW, any albums you'd like me to review?

Seriously? :confused: It's a turntable that links to your PC via a USB slot, so you can play/record albums with your computer. One of these...
http://www.geekalerts.com/u/ipod-usb-turntable.jpg

Actually no it wasn't, but kudos for making the connection! :thumb:

Albums to be reviewed, eh? Well.... considering you did Bon Jovi, you might be interested in Richie's third solo album, "The aftermath of the lowdown", which I reviewed last Christmas. Brilliant, brilliant album. Would be interested to hear your thoughts. If you need a copy, PM me if you're interested...

I don't think that would work on mine considering I have a PC from like 2003. :(

Cool. I've actually been considering doing that album. Sure, feel free to PM it to me, if you do I'd review it. The only song I know from it is World, which I love...a lot.

Well all you need is a USB slot, so I would imagine it would work. It doesn't need any other special conditions to make it work. Could be worth a try. Look at it this way: if you can hook your ipod or iphone to your PC then you should be able to hook up a USB turntable...
It's on the way as we speak! Enjoy!

Review 004 - the early attempts (2012) by fearofdark
 

...And now for something completely different. Yes, in an effort to show everyone who reads this (All 1 of you) that I'm not a one-trick pony, I'm going to review an album that is categorized in another genre I'm interested in...Chiptunes. In the future, I will continue to review Rock albums, but will also review albums from a wider variety of genres. You name a genre, I (probably) listen to it. But enough gab. Time to get to this lovely album.

1. Downtown Psychedelic
Opening up with some nice 16 bit drums, I have high hopes for this album. The synth is really weird, but it's kinda cool. The lead, when it comes in, is nice. As the title implies, it is indeed psychedelic. Sounds almost like a menu theme. I like it. I'd say this is a nice way to open the album.

2. Influenza
Ooh. Almost latin/funk fusion we got in dat intro. More funky for the rest of it, though. Bass is nice, but not loud enough in comparison to everything else. Synth does do some really stuff at times.

3. My Spectrum's On Fire
What better way to follow funk than with chill? Don't say more funk! But really, I like this. Chill with some experimentation. It's also pretty soulful. The lead really just carries me away. It is incredible.

4. Dancing On The M%n
Some chill dance fusion going on here. I like it, but it feels a little repetitive. "My Spectrum's On Fire" really did a better job of conveying chill than this one. It is at this point that the listener notices the album begin to drag, with each track going on longer than it needs too. It does have some good moments, though.

5. Get A Brian Morans
More fast paced stuff? Good. Catchy riff at the beginning, after that, the lead is still pretty good, it's good stuff. The rhythm does some really cool stuff later in, also. Halfway in, we also get that part without the drums and then things get rather chill. Pretty sudden end, I have to say.

6. Plagiarism
O.O That awesome spacey intro. The awesome drums and bass. The awesome awesomeness. The dissonance in this song is really awesome and allows it to have some emotion. This is one song that doesn't overstay it's welcome.

7. We Must Perform A Quirkafleeg
More mindless funk! Mindless certainly doesn't mean bad, as the harmonies on this one at the very beginning almost remind me of an asian folk song. After that, it's just some good funk stuff, but they bring back the harmonies sometimes. Later, it becomes more chill.

8. In Retrospect
We start off with distorted drums and then some arcade-like sounds. Then an electric guitar sounding chiptune. This is probably as close to Pop-Rock as Chiptune can get. Very creative. Nice break from the funky chill we've been getting. Almost gets a dream pop vibe towards the end.

9. Sleigh Ride
Yup, that old Christmas song. Very holidayish with the bells. It's pretty great...as far as album filler goes. But really, I like this version.

10. Spectronosis
Whoa, the guitar at the beginning surprised me. Trippy chillish funk, probably the best funk song on the album. Fantastic, psychedelic way to end the album. Psychedelic. Going out the same way we came in.

Conclusion: The album is strong, but is carried down a bit by it's dragging and repetitiveness. It is still, definietly worth a listen, considering you can get it for free. Google it. Also, if you like what you hear, please pay some cash for these tracks. Join me next time, where I review...something. Maybe "Aftermath Of The Lowdown." :3

FINAL SCORE: 79.5/100

Okay, this isn't just gonna be album reviews. The time has come to rant about a minor inconvenience of mine lately.

Remember when Windows Media Player would simply rip MP3 files, easily? Neither do I. Now, it rips this stupid WMA file. Basically, it's an issue with copy protection. Okay...that's totally fine when that was just the default. But then, they seem to have removed the option to export files as MP3's. One question. Why? That is all!

Aftermath Of The Lowdown
 

Ah yes. In 2012, Richie Sambora, lead guitarist of Bon Jovi, deeply inspired by the amount of personal experiences he had in recent years, wrote and recorded an album about them. Noteworthy is that, for the first time, he has signed to an indie label. Can this man still rock out without Jon Bon Jovi and the band at his side? Let's find out!

1. Burn The Candle Down
Answer: Yes. We open with a very hard rocker. Richie's vocals are better then I initially thought. In fact, I had trouble believing it was Richie at first. He has a very diverse voice. This scape of sound is punctuated by funky organ that really brings the track together.

2. Every Road Leads Home To You
Very obviously inspired by his personal experiences, this emotional, almost power ballad is decently catchy and does it's job. My favorite part has to be the acoustic breakdown at the end.

3. Takin' A Chance On The Wind
Don't get the intro. It's this twangy country thing. The rest of the song is great though. It gets more and more electric as it goes on, and, as with "Burn The Candle Down," we have an organ that holds the song together. It's much more in the background though. Really rockin' and catchy one right here.

4. Nowadays
Dang, this one came and outta nowhere and was a pleasant surprise. We get this kick-ass drum intro and a surprisingly good metal scream from Richie. The whole track reminds me of the Foo Fighters, which can never be a bad thing. Very alternative inspired. Distorted solo really blows me outta my chair. On further listenings, I find the vocals are more than likely about the issues he'd been having. With his recent break from Bon Jovi, it kinda makes me wonder...Still, I love it when Bon Jovi made new songs with a more modern rock sound on What About Now, and I love it here.

5. Weathering The Storm
Softer sound, that is rather enjoyable. It also seems to be about Sambora's personal life. Has a pretty cool, grungy riff in the background of the chorus that I wish was more emphasized. It's probably the weakest song on the album, but it's okay.

6. Sugar Daddy
Upon hearing the title, I was scared Richie was going to make a rap song. Nope. Pop Rockish, actually. Don't run away, Hard Rock fanboys! It's actually pretty good! I like it. Synth during the verses surprised me, but I grew to really like it. It's probably the equivalent of Because We Can for this album, a poppier tune, though this is on the dirtier side of pop in terms of instrumentation. A song I thought I was going to hate. I ended up digging it. It's like Lady Gaga if Lady Gaga didn't suck and was moar RAWK.

7. I'll Always Walk Besides You
Opening with the good ol' acoustics, and Richie almost sounding like Jon. Then we get a synth sting. Very cool, mysterious sounding song, with seemingly experimental synth at times. The second half of the song was meant for head bopping and singing along badly. I really like this. Parts of it remind me of "The Circle" era Bon Jovi. Guitar solos sound really spacey and awesome. Distorted guitar at the end is weird but cool. Great ballad for the album.

8. Seven Years Gone
Acoustic-y ballad is what this track starts out as. Builds up into sort of a Mid-2000's style rock ballad. This is not a bad thing, it's not all that generic. Very obviously inspired by Sambora's personal issues, it's pretty good, and we get a pretty cool bridge at like 3 minutes in. Some parts, like that bridge, are almost Linkin Parkish to me. This is a diverse album.

9. Learning How To Fly With A Broken Wing
Ooh. Don't know how to describe it really, but I love these types of dark contemporary rock songs. Almost like "Complicated" on Bon Jovi's "Have A Nice Day," but heavier, which is totally a plus. The darkness of this song is really masterful. It gets surprisingly heavy. We know that one good thing came from all the crap that Richie had to go through: This album.

10. You Can Only Get So High
Beginning with a backmasked instrument, it is mildly psychedelic. It's a really emotional, deeply sad song. It makes me feel really sorry for this man. Deep, heartfelt, beautiful. There's only so much I can say about something this heartfelt. I love it so much.

11. World
Possibly my favorite song on the album, maybe excluding "Nowadays", this Beatlesque ballad lightens up the mood a little bit after this story of Richie's lowdown. It's short, sweet, and beautiful. It's lyrics are simple. It's orchestration is lush. It's execution is beautiful. It's perfect.

Trollheart also sent me the bonus tracks. Special thanks, I'll look at them, but won't factor them into the overall rating

Backseat Driver (Japan Bonus Track)
I rather like the song. It's heavy and tells it's story well. Most likely not included on most releases of the album, because it doesn't fit. It almost sounds like that song, "I Don't Wanna Be," at times. I really do love this song though. It just didn't fit, unfortunately.

Forgiveness Street
Chill, trippy opening. It's pretty okay I gu-HOLY CRAP DISSONANCE YES! If an emotional song has dissonance, it wins with me! This is actually pretty good, though it does have the feeling that it is simply a bonus track. It would have knocked the album down by like what, one point? It's still alright.

Conclusion: This is a man that knows what he's doing. This album is very comparable to What About Now, it's just a much darker take. Overall, I want to hear more solo Richie. I really hope for him to have more creative control in Bon Jovi, also. Maybe a song on a future album that features him on lead vocals. I think that's actually a good idea. I mean, The Jimi Hendrix Experience did it, why not Bon Jovi? Ahem, anyways...

FINAL SCORE: 88/100 (Rock on, Richie)

Review #006 - THE FANTASTIC WORLD OF SUPER MARIO BROS. 3 BY NINTENDO(?)

Incredibly freakin' rare Japanese album from the '80s, it's easy not to know this exists. I'm not exactly sure who to pin the artist down to, so I'mma just say Nintendo themselves. It is official. And yes, they misspelled "Fantastic" on the cover. Morons.

1. In the Fantastic Mood
Cheesy big bandish arrangment of the main Mario 3 theme. It's okay, I s'pose, I just really don't know what to say about it.

2. I Can't Help Fighting With You
Ooh, this is better! Cheesy '80s glam rock style arrangement of the battle themes. The drums have a delightful amount of reverb and the bass can be very funky! Also, at about 2:30 in, they use the "Smoke On The Water" riff! What? Why?

3. Mario Concerto
Ah. Less cheesy, more sophisticated. I always love hearing classical arrangements of Mario tunes, this one in particular is of various themes. It's well done, but sounds a bit weird sometimes.

4. End Of The Fantastic World
Ah yes, more cheese, this time Sambaish. I honestly don't know what the heck is up with this album. WHY WAS IT MADE? Anyways, later we get some more cheesy drums and funky bass and shiz. So yeah.

5. Selected Medley
What the frick is this? It sounds like someone playing the game with a weird reverb effect condensed down to 10 minutes. Yes, the sound effects are in there. What the frick was Nintendo thinking with this track! It was probably literally only made to fill up album space and prevent this from becoming an EP. It's weird and it shouldn't be on an album. It shouldn't be considered a piece of music. And yes, I did sit through this whole thing. The only unique thing about it is what seems to be some added drums at parts, though they're so horribly distorted and in the background that I don't really think it matters. That's another thing wrong with this. The horrible amounts of feedback from the drums and the reverb effect make this even worse than it already was. A very large disappointment.

CONCLUSION: Overall, I didn't really know what to think of this album after my initial listen. Thinking it over a bit, it's really not that good. I mean the only "song" I really liked was "I Can't Help Fighting With You" and that's not even taking into account that "Selected Medley" bullcrap. Overall, just seek out "I Can't Help Fighting With You" and maybe some of the other tracks if you're into that kind of style, but for the love of God, stay away from "Selected Medley"!

FINAL SCORE: 45/100 (Decent, but logged down with some absolute bull)

Wow, been dead here! Should have a new entry up sometime soon. Requests would be greatly appreciated!

Review 007
 

Review #007 - "Let It Be" by The Beatles

1970 was a hard year for The Beatles. Having just recorded and released Abbey Road after suffering through the hellish "Get Back" sessions, the band's future looked bleak. One thing was for sure: They had to call in someone to make something of the trainwreck that was the "Get Back" sessions. They called in Phil Spector, infamous for his "Wall Of Sound" approach.

When Paul McCartney first heard Spector's version of "The Long And Winding Road," he was furious. It went completely against the stripped-down sound that the original song, and album, for that matter, was supposed to have. He angrily called Spector and demanded that he change it back. He didn't. So, was this album any good? Or was it The Beatle's darkest hour. Let's find out.

1. Two Of Us
Opening with a bit of studio banter from John, this first song really has more of the "raw and real" feel than any other song on the album. McCartney wrote this, presumably about his wife at the time, Linda, though for whatever reason, John barged in one time and claimed he wrote it. A lot of fans interpret it as being about John and Paul, which is an easy assumption, they sing it together. Overall, a real solid track

2. Dig A Pony
Cool, groovy lil' track. The only new song that John wrote specifically for this album ("Across The Universe" was written 2 years prior, "One After 909" was written WAY back before the Beatles hit it big, John's part of "I've Got A Feeling" was also written 2 years prior), the track consist of word salad lyrics that Lennon later dismissed as garbage. Doesn't matter John, you may not like it, but this song is instrumentally tight and generally good.

3. Across The Universe
Now for a taste of the over-production. I feel this song is better when it's not orchestrated. John said that it was a lousy track...of a great song. This is one of his songs that he still loved late into his life. He just felt it hadn't been recorded properly. The guitars were out of tune, he said, and so was his voice. I personally still love it though, but I felt 2003's "Let It Be Naked" got the best take on the lousy take.

4. I Me Mine
Ah, George. Good ol' George. Great song, but once again plagued by overproduction. Not only is there an unneeded orchestra, but Phil Spector took the track and looped a section over again to make the song longer. YOU DON'T DO THAT TO THE BEATLES! THE BEATLES ARE SACRED! Still, one of the best songs on the album, and one of George's best cuts with the Beatles. While The Beatles considered it filler, George was smart enough to know it was good, and his autobiography, named after the song, proves that he retained a liking to it.

5. Dig It
This song just makes me feel sad whenever I listen to it. Not because it's a sad song or anything, but because of all the wasted potential. It was a jam session, that originally lasted 7 minutes. They actually went and recorded it again, which lasted 12 and a half minutes. On the original "Get Back" album it was supposed to be cut down to 5 minutes. We get 30 seconds of it here. Then, when "Let It Be Naked" was released, it was removed entirely. Why, Phil Spector? Why would you cut it down when it had so much potential?

6. Let It Be
The title track also suffers from overproduction with an unneeded orchestra. Still, it is one of the Beatles' signature songs, and easily recognizable.

7. Maggie Mae
More filler, although I can say at the very least that it wasn't cut down, just short to begin with. Come to think of it, why did Phil Spector make "I Me Mine" longer, only to include 2 short filler tunes. Back to the song, it's John and Paul running through an old Liverpool standard, nothing special.

8. I've Got A Feeling
My favorite song on the album, this is possibly the last time John and Paul wrote a song together. It is not plagued by overproduction, it just feels right. Combining John and Paul's concepts for songs in a perfect way, this song may be too perfect for any more words. Just listen to it now.

9. One After 909
An old Beatles number that they didn't think was good enough to include on any of their albums until this one. I disagree. It really showcases the Beatle's influences in the most Beatley way. Listening to the 1963 version on "Anthology," I can tell you that they reinvented this song. They made it so much better and it became something truly great. Paul remembers it as not a great song, but a great favorite of his.

10. The Long And Winding Road
Ugh! Phil Spector turned this jazzy tune into a more easy listening song. This is not a good thing. You can't ruin this song, but Phil Spector came close...and his version became the hit! Listening to the "Let It Be...Naked" version just kind of makes me angry at how he drowned out the original drums, guitar, and even McCartney's voice! The anthology version is also less easy listening, but more spacey and folkish, which is a really cool sound. I can see how Paul would've been mad with what he did to this version. It's a meh take on a stellar song.

11. For You Blue
Another song that Spector (thankfully) didn't try orchestrate. Bluesy tune, I was completely obsessed with it for a time. As George puts it, it's a simple 12-bar song. Simply, catchy, and damn good. I really love the lap steel solo by John.

12. Get Back
The original title track, Spector thankfully left this one pretty much as is, although I prefer the single version by a small margin. This one is a good note to end on though and overall, there wasn't much he could've done to ruin this song anyways.

Conclusion: Some songs suffer just a bit from Spectorization ("I Me Mine," "Across The Universe"), while others are drowning in it ("The Long And Winding Road"), while others yet suffer none at all ("Dig A Pony," "Get Back," etc.) It's a good album, but unbalanced and suffering bad production. Overall though, Phil Spector can decrease the quality, but he will never ruin the Beatles

Final Score: 78/100 (Go, Johnny, Go)

Honestly I think you have a decent enough journal. I don't necessarily listen to the same genres as you but I think being straight to the point and short works for some people. My opinion would be to expand out and maybe try a totally different genre then soft rock/classic rock. Thats my opinion since you asked for it in the shouty. I've read better and worse and I haven't created a journal so you have a head start on me. Later.

Thank you my friend. I am, in fact, into many genres, but Rock most of all. If you can think of an album from another genre to review, lemme hear it, I'm open. If you even have a genre in particular you want me to look at, go ahead. :)

In other news, I got 2 requests in my inbox. Thank you guys, I will look into getting your albums reviewed. You guys know who you are! You sent me albums by 3 and Cheap Trick, respectively. ;)

The 2nd album Trollheart has sent me, he described it by saying that he reviewed 2 years ago and didn't know what to think of it. I decided to give it a whirl, cuz good ol' Trolly sent it to me. Yes. I called him Good Ol' Trolly. Get over it

1. Sirenum Scopuli
Nice little acousticky opener. Very mysterious and dissonant. One of the cool things about this song is that it leads directly into...

2. React
..."React." Good God, I love this song. It starts off mysterious and almost like a combination of folk and metal and then goes distinctly Hard Rock. I love the sound of this track. Not too heavy, but heavy enough. Very dark, but not too dark. Guitars, vocals, and drums are all brilliant. Sheer brilliance on a plate. I really like how dreamlike it sounds towards the end. Those guitars almost sound like synthesizers. All I can say is...REAAAAAAAAAAACT! REAA-AACT!

3. Sparrow
Ooh. Heavier stuff! Bang that head! Intro reminds me of "Black Dog" by the Zeps, but muuuuuuch darker. Once again, we have guitars that sound like synths during that first verse! It goes from heavy to dreamy to heavy again. It's like a metaphor for not being able to find what decisions to make, or what paths to take. But, instead of sounding weird, the transitions are very natural. I really like the transition from the verses to the choruses with the band yelling. Also, that solo!

4. High Times
Almost like an ever so slightly lighter combination of "React" and "Sparrow." It's very heavy, but not as dark as those songs and very melodic. The harmonies during the chorus are a personal favorite part of the song for me. Also, the drums in the early verses truly have a great song, necessary for this song. I love it.

5. Numbers
Funky intro that allows me to hear more bass. I like the bass there. Then...Oh my God, it's even heavier than "Sparrow!" This is really nice and still doesn't manage to be too heavy, though I do believe it may cross the line into METAL. Not a bad thing, mind you. The processed vocal near 3 minutes in is surreal, mildly psychedelic, and awesome. The guitar chord morphing at the end is really cool. Once again, oozing with love for this album.

6. One With The Sun
One of the longer tracks on the album, it starts off very surprisingly joyful. Which is a good thing, I like it. Then there was a little dissonant chord. And a line about crazy people while we go back to happiness. Lyrical dissonance, indeed. It still ends up being a happy song through and through, even with the little dissonance on occasion. Even with the lyrics about crazy people committing murder. I mean really, lyrical dissonance. Little happy guitar solo is a nice touch to the false mood the song sets considering what the lyrics are about. This is certainly a highlight of the album.

7. The Ghost You Gave Me
Opening with heavy drums, guitar, and mysteriously reverbed vocals. Actually I don't know if that's reverb, double tracking, harmony, or really good production. Proves how good these guys are. I do like the harmonies we get around 50-60 seconds in, which I can actually tell are harmonies. I do know they have really good production though. They really managed to make that guitar solo sound like a synth solo. And no, there are no synths on this album. Wikipedia (The most reliable site ever) said so. On a more serious note, Trollheart said so in his review. Anyways, back to the song The chorus is one of the catchiest parts on the entire album. Pure awesome

8. Pretty
Very trippy verses. It's also very calm and cool. I love later on when they add like the whispery thing (lolwat). Then the guitars crunch, baby! Chorus is pretty bouncy as far as dark experimental hard/prog rock goes. Yeah, that's what I'm calling it. But yeah, chorus is cool, as is that little guitar break around 1:30. I'm getting used to 3 by now, and I like them very much.

9. Afterglow
Ooh, cool lighter intro. Still dark, but lighter than anything we've heard up to this point. And, ooh! OOH! Hints of orchestration! Also, dem harmonies during the chorus! The lightest song on the album, and trust me it's not a bad thing. It allows the band to show off their more melodic side as well as still experiment with the spacey effects and orchestration! Seriously, that was a nice touch! Another highlight and certainly a great song!

10. It's Alive
Right on back to the heavier stuff, the drums really shine on this one! At least, I thought it was heavier (and darker), but dat verse is almost jazzy. That's right, they're throwing another musical genre into their musical palette, but only for the verses. What can 3 not do? The flanger guitar is truly enjoyable to listen to. I love when it slowed down a bit for a solo and then for a bridge. Not to mention the "It's A Lie" part. Very catchy at times.

11. Only Child
I love the intro to this one. I have no idea how to describe the wonderful intro. Anyways, this is the longest song here, so I'mma be typing this track's part up for a while. The acoustic guitar on this one seems almost mexican folk songish at times. That's really the only way I can describe it. And wonderfully, we have some more harmonies. These guys can harmonize very well! And then, we get slidey wah-wah guitar parts. Ooh! OOH! OOOOOOOOOOH! These guys seem to take influences from every musical genre that involves a guitar and then some! Then at around 3:45, the drums pick up and, once again, it is glorious! Then, we have the lead vocalist playing "Call-and-Respond" with himself, which is very nice. The finest hour for the producer on this album, whoever they may be. We get a trippy "Piano and violin" solo thing that is probably the single best part of this wonderful track and closes it out.

12. The Barrier
We have slow spacey folkish thing going, and the vocalist sings folky very well. It almost reminds me of "American Pie" at times and unlike "One With The Sun" this is a legit optimistic effort. The guitar solo is certainly a highlight. And of course, they gotta give us some awesome, yet subtle harmonies. Spacey and awesome. A unique end to a unique album.

Conclusion: I really enjoyed this album. They use the same formula on almost every song, but manage to introduce enough variation to keep it fresh. An awesome album.

Final Score: 90/100

Sorry for posting so many posts that I don't want published, but I submitted the updated 3 review.

No problem. :)

BIG NEWS UPDATE
My brother saw the CD's that I had checked out of the library ("Oceania" by The Smashing Pumpkins and "Axis: Bold As Love" by Jimi Hendrix), so he brought down his CD collection is allowing me to "do what I will" with them. That means review. But, in order to keep things balanced, I'll see what other things of other genres I can find. Thank you guys for your requests, this journal is now really gonna take off!

Review #009 - "Gypsyhook" by Sonny Moore (AKA Skrillex)

This is one of the different things I was talking about. In 2009, before Sonny Moore (AKA Skrillex) hit it big with his dubstep stuff, he recorded an EP of Electronic songs called Gypsyhook. He was also supposed to record an LP, but the tapes went missing and he took a completely different approach: Dubstep. So, let's take a look at Skrillex before Skrillex was Skrillex.

1. Gypsyhook
Quite a catchy little song. Sonny sings well, albeit sometimes sounds a little odd. This song could've been a big hit had it been released as a single, but not in a bad way.

2. Mora
Quite possibly the most famous of the "Skrillex before Skrillex was Skrillex" tracks, this one is a heavy electro track with a few clear rock influences such as the synth crunching resembling guitar crunching, and just generally the presence of distorted guitar sounds. It does sound a bit like the stuff Sonny became known for, but not much.

3. Copaface2
Intro almost reminds me of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," in the most mediocre possible way. It gets better from there. Out of the 3 songs that aren't remixes on here, I gotta say, this one foreshadows Sonny's future the most with the heavy bass. Ending is real nice.

4. Gypsyhook (Vs. DMNDAYS)
Ooh. I like this. Bassalicious. Not much to say, a nice mindless remix of a good song.

5. Mora (Vs. The Toxic Avenger)
Neat smooth little intro there. Then comes the bass. This is a very nice remix and is very much a precursor to Sonny's later work, like much of the EP. Later on, it even draws influences from Glitch, which is really cool.

6. Mora (Vs. LAZRtag)
Even more bass heavy, I can't say much about this track that hasn't been said of the others. Although, I must say, the heavy bass really compliments the vocals here.

7. Copaface2 (Vs. Dan Sena)
The song is one that was meant to be played in clubs in an extended mix. With it's bass, drums, bleeps, and bloops, heck, even some symphonic elements, this may be the most danceable song on the album.

8. Kai Sui
"Mora," but in gratuitous Japanese. Just weird, not sure if I like it or not.

Conclusion: A cool thing to listen to hear the roots of the single most controversial dubstep (I'm sorry people who consider Skrillex Brostep or whatever) artist of all time.

Final Score: 70/100 (Danceable, but mildly forgettable)

Oh well, whatever, Nevermind!
 

Review #010 - "Nevermind" by Nirvana

Ah yes, as some of you may have read from my signature, this is my favorite album of the moment as of Late May/Early June 2013. This is one from my brother's previously mentioned collection. I had wanted to hear this album for a while, and while looking through the collection, I found that I had it, so I popped that sucker in. I watched a documentary on it's history also, so I know a thing or two about it. Let's do it.

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit
One of the two tracks that I already knew going in, Kurt Cobain hated this song. It came from when his ex-girlfriend wrote "Kurt smells like Teen Spirit" on his wall. When finding out that Teen Spirit was a deodorant, he was very disappointing. Still, a great song. Not one of Nirvana's finest, but still, as my brother put it, "the theme song of the early '90s."

2. In Bloom
My favorite single from the album, also one of the two that I knew coming into this album. A song about the underground music scene, the verses are groovy with the drums and bass, and the chorus is stereotypical Nirvana awesome. I really love the video for this, where the band stars on a '50s/'60s-esque variety show and then trashes their instruments at the end.

3. Come As You Are
Cool, chill song. One of the songs where you can understand what Kurt is saying is what we needed. The guitar has some cool EQ on it, and overall, it's an amazingly catchy song that I'm surprised wasn't a hit. The hit of the album was "Teen Spirit" and the label thought it would be "Lithium." If I had to guess, I'd think this would be the one. Only real problem I have with the song is that the line "I don't have a gun" is very painful after Cobain's death.

4. Breed
One of the first truly heavy songs on the album. As Butch Vig put it (Paraphrasing here), "Even if you couldn't quite understand what he was singing about, you knew it was intense as hell." I really love this song with it's guitars and Kurt's constant yelling. Yelling Kurt is Kurt at his best. Not much more you can say but SHE SAID! SHE SAID! SHE SAAAAAAAAAAID!

5. Lithium
As previously mentioned, the label thought this would be the hit of the album, and it certainly has the makings of one. It's one of the few Nirvana songs you could dance to, though, upon further inspection, the lyrics are rather dark. He's imagining having friends, not to mention the whole, "I kill you, I'm not coming back!"

6. Polly
A song written about a rape victim at a punk concert. The twist? It's written from the perspective of the rapist. One of the things that adds to the eeriness is the simple cheap sound of the guitar. Another cool thing about the song is how Krist holds it together with a little bass groove. It's a great song.

7. Territorial Pissings
We open with Krist singing "Get Together." Then we get heavy. This song isn't really all that memorable, except when Kurt's tone completely goes and he's screaming at the top of his lungs.

8. Drain You
Kurt considers this one of the finest songs he's ever written, and that's a point that's hard to argue. It's a fairly cheery alt. rock song until you realize it's about two babies in the womb draining each other. Yeah.

9. Lounge Act
Underrated, but still forgettable. Bass is nice, though.

10. Stay Away
Another catchy heavy song. I don't really have much to say. STAAAAAAAAAAY. STAAAAY AWA-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

11. On A Plain
A pretty catchy song about writer's block that has also been interprited about being how hard Kurt can be to understand sometimes due to the line "What the hell am I trying to say?" The ending is nice, showcasing the vocal harmonies and the original take also had some synth at the end which many hate but I like.

12. Something In The Way
Kurt is once again hard to understand, but that's because of his sad mumbling. Very melancholy song, and also my personal favorite song from the album. It's so amazingly good, I love it, I can't describe how good it is.

Conclusion: No, I'm not reviewing "Endless, Nameless" because my copy doesn't have it. Anyways, this is an amazing album with a few amazing standout songs. If you don't already own it, you should pick it up right now!

Final Score: 95/100 (Dude, Kurt, you're awesome!)

Never got the appeal of Nirvana. Hate "Teen spirit" and well, that's about it. If that's seen as their best then I need go no further. How they became the spokesmen for a generation is quite frankly beyond me, but then I'm a bitter old man, so what do I know? Good review, but definitely not ever a band that's going to get anywhere near my ears.

Matter of interest, who is Krist?

Krist Noveselic, the bassist of Nirvana. "Teen Spirit," in my opinion, is not their best, even Kurt Cobain hated it later in his life as I said in the review. Kurt's personal favorite is "Drain You" while I'm partial to "In Bloom," "Lithium," "Breed," and "Something In The Way." Oh well. Nirvana can't be everyone's cup of tea. Just curious, what do you think of the Foo Fighters?

Teen spirit is almost never considered nirvana's best, though. In Utero is a much better album.

Wouldn't know if it's better, only heard Nevermind. I'm interesting in grabbing "Bleach," "Incesticide," and "In Utero" though. Also, Trollheart, if I send ye the album, will you review it?

Sorry guys, no new review this week. I'm kinda burnt out. :/ Next week, I promise.

I'm not going to review this album because I don't know (or care, in some cases) about some of the respective artists and I don't really know how to approach reviewing a live album. But I am going to rant. Why? Because in all, the concert featured 62 songs. But the album only has 24. I understand they wanted to fit it in the space of a double album and all, but here's an idea: if we had a triple/quadruple album, we could raise more money to help New York recover from the god dang hurricane! I understand it may take time to produce the album and such, but personally, I think the audio sounded fine at the concert itself, it didn't need much production. Heck, I probably could've produced everything in Audacity myself.

Second thing wrong with this rushed release is the fact that 2 of the artists from the concert aren't even on the album. First up is Kayne West (Which I'm not too bummed about, but still), and second, and way more maddening is the removal of "Cut Me Some Slack" by Paul McCartney and the remaining members of Nirvana...Sirvana, if you will. I might've let it slide if I thought it was because Courtney Love would've sued (Being Courtney Love and all), but no! It's on the Sound City soundtrack, which I now have to go buy because, for one reason or another, they decided including one of the highlights (along with The Who doing "Bell Boy" with Keith Moon via archival footage, also not included on the album) wasn't gonna be a good idea! *sigh* Hopefully I'll get a new review out this week, but ya never know, so until next time, peace!

Song Spotlight #1 - The Birds And The Beedrill (NSFW)

Review #011 - "Franz Ferdinand" by Franz Ferdinand

Another selection from my brother's CD collection, this time some Indie Rock. I saw "Take Me Out" on the track list and immediately popped it in. That was one of the defining singles of the early '00s for me, so yeah.

1. Jacqueline
Amazingly catchy, high energy song that works really well to open the album

2. Tell Her Tonight
Ooh. Chorus sounds kinda '60s-poppish, but a lot of it seems to be soul and funk inspired, such as that funktastic opening riff. It's cool to see a collision of genres like this.

3. Take Me Out
In my opinion, this is the defining anthem of '00s indie rock. It's the classic, but a lot of people don't realize that it's about the death of Franz Ferdinand, the group's namesake. His death inspired a little kerfluffle called World War I. Still, amazingly catchy song, my personal favorite indie rock song.

4. The Dark of the Matinée
Another tune with a funky intro. This one particularly makes me want to bop my head until we get a calm, cool verse. The calm, cool feeling during the verses is really enjoyable. Once again, catchy tune. Also if you listen closely, the bass groove is pretty cool. Just saying, cuz I noticed it.

5. Auf Achse
Ooh, piano overtones, hello. Trippy intro guitar, good to see you, how have you been? Funky drums to go along with it all, nice to meet you. Upon the second listening, I want to sing along, but I don't entirely know the lyrics. But hey, that's better than usual, a lot of times it takes a couple listens for a song to get lodged in my brain. This one is trying to work it's way in.

6. Cheating On You
The more Punk side of Franz still has funky bass. Not as catchy as some of the other songs on the album, but it's the kind of great, distorted, high-energy song that I'm in to. Really good stuff.

7. This Fire
Another single from the album. It's also really catchy, and pretty awesome. If I were a pyro, I would say it's a great song to light things on fire to.

8. Darts of Pleasure
More funky drums and bass, please come in. Guitars are also pretty heavy as far as Franz Ferdinand goes, which compliments the sound quite nicely. Also, is it just me, or are the vocals more distorted than usual? Also, supah fantastic. :yeah:

9. Micheal
No, as far as I know, this song isn't about Micheal Jackson. Pretty good though. Drums really kick in this one. Guitars are almost ska-ish. Chorus is a mess in the best possible way (Not an insult). The guitars in the chorus are just WOW. I love it. And the lyrics are kinda gay, which isn't a bad thing ("Don't Stop With Me Now" is awesome, for instance). Great stuff.

10. Come On Home
Dat intro. This one is a solid headbobber at times, and deeply emotional at others. Mainly headbobbin'. Also, I love the synth/keyboard/whatever it is that we get in some places. So, come on hooooooooooooome...

11. 40
Opening guitar is pretty bad ass. Guitar in this one in general is pretty cool. Sounds like the rock equivalent of circus music at times. Lyrics actually seem to be about a tight rope walker. Harmonies at points is a plus for me, I love subtle harmonies. Great closing track. La la la la la la la la la la la laaaaaaaaa. *Scary trippy solo*

Conclusion: Great first album from a great group. While it does get kind of repetitive at times, it's not long enough to truly overstay it's welcome.

Overall score: 87/100 (Glamorous Indie Rock 'N' Roll)

Got "The Next Day" by David Bowie. Expect a review when I'm done digesting.

Teasing a new segment. Don't worry, the segment will fit in with the rest of the journal fine.
http://i.imgur.com/tc2txY1.png

I love the Beatles. I love it when artists make songs with lots of homages to The Beatles. That's what this is. So, backstory time. In the '90s, the 3 remaining Beatles found 2 of John Lennon's unfinished demos and turned them into Beatles songs. For as many people that liked these (Like me), just as many thought it was an insult to his memory. This song was written by one of them, and I find it hilarious. So yeah.

This is the new segment. Basically, I take a look at a film related to music in some way shape or form, and I'll tell you if it was worth said look. A concert film, documentary, history, etc. Tonight...

Kurt Cobain's suicide was a mysterious event. He had injected more than a lethal dose of heroin into his system and then shot himself (That's the official story). How'd he pick up the shot gun? Was he actually murdered? This film focuses on exploring the conspiracy theories. Along the way, producer/writer/director/all-around-cool-guy Nick Broomfield faces troubles with Courtney Love's legal people, and Love's suppression of freedom of speech, which becomes one of the main focuses of the film alongside Cobain's death. Among the people interviewed are Hank Harrison (Love's father), Tom Grant (A private investigator), Kurt's aunt Mary, El Duce (A man who claims that Love offered him $50,000 to kill Cobain), among others, including a very brief appearance and not-really-interview by Love herself.

So, what did I think of this movie. Well, as soon as I listened to Nevermind and became a larger Nirvana fan (very recently), I became very interested in Cobain's death. I had heard about this movie, so as soon as I saw it on Netflix, I had to see it. Along the way, we see various film and hear various audio that takes us through Kurt's life, although, no Nirvana songs, because Courtney is a jerk. We get some stuff Kurt recorded when he was about 2 on his Aunt Mary's recording equipment. She also claims that she saw a lyrics sheet for a song Kurt wrote called "Seaside Suicide." Many of the interviews with people Kurt personally knew suggest that he was in fact suicidal, though Tom Grant doesn't believe he could have picked up the gun after injecting all that heroin into his system, as there is no known autopsy that suggests that anyone could have had that much tolerance for heroin.

I think that, for the small budget the movie had, it's pretty good, although Nick seems to be a little bit of a jerk at times when trying to get information out of people, though in Courtney's case, that's perfectly understandable, as she wouldn't answer his questions. At one point, he talks to someone that he says to be Kurt's best friend, who you can see during the interview, is very quiet and depressed. That part was just saddening. Overall though, if you're interested in the conspiracies surrounding Kurt's death, this is essential. Did it change my viewpoint? No, I didn't know what to think before I saw the movie, and I don't know what to think now. But, overall, it is thought provoking and gets you wondering.

Overall: 65/100

The Next Day And The Next And ANOTHER DAY!
 

Review #012 - "The Next Day" by David Bowie

January 8th 2013. After 10 years with no new album or single, David Bowie mysteriously drops a song called "Where Are We Now?" on iTunes, with no announcement or anything. Word of the song blows up all over the internet. David Bowie is back. 2 months later, an entire album of new material drops. This is that album. I picked it up because I had heard some of my brother's Bowie CD's and was curious as to what this one sounded like. Did Bowie still have it? Let's find out!

1. The Next Day
Solid rocker to open the album. Not necessarily the most memorable song, but it works well for an album opener, showing that Bowie's voice has barely changed and that he can still pull songs like this off.

2. Dirty Boys
This is a pretty cool song. A '50s style thing with distorted vocals, the horn section really helps with the feel as does the guitar part. Great song, showing that Bowie can pull off any musical style he dreams of. Hm, now I wanna see him do dubstep (xD).

3. The Stars (Are Out Tonight)
My favorite song on the album, it's a fast paced song with very subtle elements that improve it. The percussion, the bass, the occasional spacey sounds, and the orchestra. The lyrics are about Bowie wanting to live a normal life, but he can't, because he lives right next to celebrities. It's kinda funny when you think about it, especially lines like "They burn you with their radiant smiles." A solid track.

4. Love Is Lost
Another solid one. Opens with cool guitar and synth and the little quirky sounds. Dissonant chorus helps round out this solid, but mildly forgettable track. Don't get me wrong, I really like it, but compared to some of the other songs, it has a harder time sticking in my head.

5. Where Are We Now?
The first look we were offered at Bowie's next masterpiece, it shows that Bowie hasn't dodged aging completely. It's a ballad that I interpret as being about the coming of age. At least that's how I read into it. Touching, catchy, this song was truly the best way to show us that Bowie was back.

6. Valentine's Day
We open with a cool drum intro. Catchy song, with some...OOH! Cool little dissonance. Not enough to be terribly obvious, but still cool! Also, the solo's pretty awesome. Surprisingly good, yet lighthearted lyrics, fantastic song!

7. If You Can See Me
Rocking trippy song! Lyrics seem to be about crossdressing in one of his friend's or his wife's clothes...oh man, classic Bowie. Probably the most kickin' song on the album, just what he needed to restore our interest. Most albums start to drag around 7 songs in, so Bowie decided to kick it up a notch to keep our attention. And, boy, did it work! I can't express how much I like the drums and harmonies!

8. I'd Rather Be High
As the title implies, this is like the perfect song to get stoned to. It's trippy with it's guitars, but sober people like me can still appreciate it because of some of the melodic elements like the chorus and the drum beat. The drum beat almost reminds me of Ringo Starr's experimental style that he had with the Beatles, which is never a bad thing if you're trying to write a song to get stoned to. Nothing much to say but DOOOOD!

9. Boss Of Me
Dat opening. Bowie going for more of a modern rock song, but the bass kinda brings in a mix of '50s/'80s which complements the song well. It's another catchy one, although not terribly notable this time.

10. Dancing Out In Space
Really cool spacey stuff in this one. It sends me almost a Killers-y vibe mixed with a showtune. It's creative, it's cool, it's trippy. Bowie just had to do another song about space.

11. How Does The Grass Grow?
Another trippy rocking song, this one has a really weird sound with the lead instrument (it sounds like a harpsichord) and the harmonies. The lyrics aren't exactly the best, but it doesn't matter. I like the sped-up part with the YEAHYEAHYEAHYEAH. It's a really cool song. AND DUDE THE FREAKING SOLO IS SO COOL.

12. (You Will) Set The World On Fire
Guitars sound pretty cool. It's another pretty cool song, with female vocal harmonies. It's fairly catchy. Drums are once again pretty cool and we have the really nice subtle elements like percussion.

13. You Feel So Lonely You Could Die
Opening harmonies and synth are a good sign. A cool ballad with a subtle orchestra, that somehow reminds me of easy listening while completely avoiding that tag by being actually good. A very nice song, it's catchy, it's lovely, and I love it.

14. Heat
Downtempo song with cool harmonies, spacey effects, and dissonance. Emotional, it almost makes me want to cry at times. It ends the album in an eerie light, which is the only way to end the album.

Conclusion: Solid album with little to no flaws. It brought back Bowie in the best possible way.

Overall: 92/100 (B-B-Bowie's back?)

Great review man: I told you you'd like it! ;)
One or two points though: "Love is lost" a weak track? Man that's my favourite on the whole album! Bowie doing Krautrock? Sweet!

And the lyrics to "Valentine's Day" are anything but lighthearted: it's about someone who's setting a plan to go on a killing spree at his school....

Other than that, solid review and nice work. As you say, the TWD is back! :thumb:

Thanks man, two things. One, I never said "Love Is Lost" was weak, I just said it wasn't very memorable...I was wrong. After repeat listens, it keeps getting stuck in my head. :)

Second, that's what "Valentine's Day" was about? That would explain the "icy heart" bit and it gives a new meaning to what's in his "scrawny hands!" :laughing:

Yeah. Look at it again:

Valentine told me who's to go
Feelings he's treasured most of all
The teachers and the football star
It's in his tiny face
It's in his scrawny hand
Valentine told him so
He's got something to say, it's Valentine's Day
The rhythm of the crowd,
Teddy and Judy down

Makes sense really.

No, I just said that Love is Lost was the track that stood out to me the most, which is why I was surprised you said it wasn't memorable at first. It was the first track on the album where I really sat up and said OOH YEAH!