I figured it might be easier to just start a running thread on CDs you pick up and listen to for those who haven't had the pleasure. The first one, I finished a couple of days ago:

 

 

Ten Thousand Fists

Disturbed

 

Tracks to Download: Guarded, Stricken

I went into this album expecting big things. I mean, Guarded and Stricken had been playing on the radio constantly and I really liked both (especially Stricken). I went in expecting Disturbed to have made The Leap from ok band just starting out to the Big Boys. They tried to jump, but didn't get very high off the ground. After the two songs on the radio, the CD is very top heavy. Nothing stood out much from the CD - just two really good singles and twelve songs that were just kind of there.

 

My opinion might change the next couple of listens, but I don't know when that'll be. I wasn't very much impressed - it's not the best hard rock album out, and that's by a long shot. Don't think it takes too much effort to figure out who I think is tops right now.

 

Recommendation: Download those two songs, just skip the rest.

If you're a fan of these, you might like this: Disturbed's 1st CD, KoRn, System of a Down (Toxicity)

 

Next on the list:

Yellowcard's Lights and Sounds

Think Differently's Wu-Tang Meets Indie Culture

Good idea here Juanky. :thumbup

Great idea. I thought a subforum for Music would be great. I'd love to write reviews weekly as I've been working with music most of my life its my passion. Even this thread stickied would work

i wouldn't mind seeing a constant concert review thread, one that isn't devoted to one band, but whenever a member sees a show just throw the review on the thread

 

i've been to a couple shows this past month and have another coming up next week .. i'd be happy to get it started if there is any interest from the masses

By the way, any CD can be reviewed in here (doesn't have to be recent). Also feel free to include your own review for a CD that has already been posted about, since two opinions (or more) are better than one.

 

 

Lights and Sounds

Yellowcard

 

Tracks to Download: Lights and Sounds, City of Devils, Martin Sheen of JFK, How I Go, Holly Wood Died

I have to say, this album exceeded expectations. I never thought much of Yellowcard after their Ocean Avenue LP (though it had one or two catchy tracks), so I went into this one only with the expectations of a more "mature" sound according to the Alternative Press article I read. Well, it was definitely more mature. In this album, Yellowcard sounds like a band in transition from one phase to another. The lyrics and voice are still pretty similar, emo stuff that you're going to be able to find in their last CD and in a lot of the radio rock around today. However the instruments seem to be coming of age of sorts - the violin especially. It's used as both a tool for lead and for rhythm; it's always around in the songs. It's also so potent that at times you'd think there was a full strings section playing along with the songs when in fact it's only one guy (to my knowledge).

 

City of Devils really is a great track, my favorite of the CD, followed by How I Go and Holly Wood Died (the final two tracks on the CD). While still containing emo-ish lyrics, they come at you with epic instrumentals that remind you of a blend of rock and symphony that is rarely tried and successfully done even less. Don't get me wrong, these aren't orchestra tracks with a guitar and drums just happening to be there - the rock aspect still dominates. But the presence of the strings adds a lot of color and seems to set the tone for a break from the emo culture that could come in a later album.

 

Overall, Lights and Sounds is a solid album that gives you a bunch of catchy rhythms with a few damn good individual songs. It might have been too early to try a concept album (the CD is based around a fictional character named Holly Wood), but the seeds have definitely been planted for Yellowcard to move on from TRL overkill to legit big name status over the next couple of albums. Time will tell.

 

Recommendation: Download the listed tracks, and if you like them give the whole album a try.

If you're a fan of these, you might like this: My Chemical Romance, Coheed and Cambria

First Impressions of the Earth-The Strokes

 

OMG it's The Strokes!!! They are more awesome than you. You know, they know it. After Is This ? and Room on Fire(way underrated), the Strokes have decided to change their music slightly, with some nice results, but the middle few songs(7-10) are nonsense. They still capture enough of what makes the Strokes great on many tracks though, and who can complain about that? The CD could have about 20 minutes shorter by removing those songs. Juicebox is clearly the best on the album and is on their best songs yet. Overall, the Strokes are still going strong, but this isn't a CD for someone looking for another Is This It?/Room on Fire.

 

You Only Live Once: 8.5/10

Juicebox: 9.5/10

Heart In A Cage: 9/10

Razorblade: 8.5/10

On The Other Side: 7.5/10

Vision of Division: 7/10

Ask Me Anything: 5/10

Electricityscape: 5.5/10

Killing Lies: 3/10

Fear of Sleep: 3.5/10

15 Minutes: 8/10

Ize of the World: 8/10

Evening Sun: 8/10

Red Light: 7.5/10

 

If nothing else, anyone who likes any kind of music should at least download Juicebox.

I'll do one that I picked up this summer ... i originally bought one of their CDs after seeing them live and this is their most recent release

 

 

 

Throw Rag - 13 ft. and rising

 

this is their 3rd full release and is definitely cleaned up more than the other 2 with the production of cameron webb. Lemmy, Jello Biafra & Keith Morris all make guest appearances, but that isn't the strength of the album.

 

Earlier efforts could be described as a mix of hillbilly, punk and sailor speak. They definitely are more organized in their approach to this album. In the past the music was very enteraining and the grit had an appeal.

 

Songs like swingset superman and she don't want to definitely profile the newer sounds. South 5th Street shows a nice blend of hillbilly rock that is one of my favorites.

 

Overall this is more of your traditional CA rock music. There is still some notes of washboard mixed in and other unique sounds.

 

However this is a band that is progressing into something very nice.

 

Check out their myspace page for samples

 

http://www.myspace.com/throwrag

 

www.throwrag.com

City of Evil

Avenged Sevenfold

 

Tracks to Download: Bat Country, Betrayed, Sidewinder, M.I.A., Seize the Day

Unless you've been under a rock (or have signatures turned off), you've seen the attention I've been giving this album. And for good reason - I think it's the best album of 2005. When I first heard Bat Country on the radio, I was instantly hooked. M. Shadows' voice wasn't the most common of sounds, but the tag team riff from guitarists Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance after the Synyster solo was enough to have the track playing on a constant loop at my house that day. I downloaded Seize the Day, a ballad, and Strength of the World, an epic 9 minute anthem complete with a full strings and acoustic section to open the song and compliment the metal instruments for the rest of the track, and began to include them in the rotation. A couple of weeks later when I decided to finally pick up Good Apollo: I'm Burning Star IV, I decided that I would give Frances the Mute and City of Evil a try. Since that day, I've been having trouble keeping A7X's third CD out of my player.

 

Those who had listened to songs from the first two albums such as Chapter Four, Eternal Rest, and Waking the Fallen such as myself were definitely very much surprised when they popped in the CD and Beast and the Harlot came on. From the very first track, the stereotypical metalcore screams and pseudo-punk influences are gone. The first track hits you with a guitar-heavy metal intro before kicking into the riff for the song. The double bass craziness, the double guitar feel, the heavy bass, and the sped up pace of the song as a whole establishes the band's newfound heavy metal sound right from the getgo. I found myself in love with the album before I even got to Bat Country at track four.

 

The entire effort just leaves you with greatness. The combination of the band's heavy metal influences, M. Shadows' going to Catholic school for a while (the band's name comes from the story of Cain and Abel and some of their songs deal with events touch upon inside The Bible such as Revelations), Synyster Gates' education in jazz music (he added many of the standout parts of the album, such as Sidewinder ending with Synyster and Vengeance trading off solos on Flamenco guitars), and the band's heavy influences from bands such as Metallica, Guns N Roses, Pantera (Betrayed is about Dimebag Darrell's murder), and Iron Maiden combine to produce an effort that has kickstarted a possible return to prominence of the larger-than-life world dominating arena metal (Bat Country arrived surprisingly on TRL, and has since been putting up performances not seen from a heavy rock band in a long time). Once you get used to Shadows' voice, which is definitely very unique, you'll be hooked. It's that good.

 

Recommendation: Go out and buy it, it'll be worth every penny

If you're a fan of these, you might like this: Metallica, Guns N Roses

 

I'll try to do the Think Differently album next, but I found myself stopping it at track five because I had a headache. Never a good sign.

I "got" Yellowcards "Lights And Sounds" and I think the album is AMAZING. I listened to the whole album about 8 times today while playing NBA Live. The songs Juanky listed are great, along with Down On My Head, Grey, and my favorite, Two Weeks From Twenty. I've loves Yellowcard ever since I heard Starstruck and Sure Shot from their first album and they don't disappoint.

Leave A Whisper

Shinedown

 

Tracks to Download: 45, Burning Bright, Fly From the Inside, Simple Man

Though this CD came out in 2004, I didn't hear of it until very recently thanks to Shinedown's second CD, Us and Them (which came out in 2005). I had heard one of the singles from the CD, Burning Bright, and always thought it was a solid song but never really thought more of it. Once I finished the first time through all the songs, I was convinced that Shinedown has some serious potential. My opinion might be skewed a bit due to my listening to the second CD before the first one, but I still liked the overall quality of Leave A Whisper. When you consider that this was the band's first CD, it's a very promising effort.

 

From the moment I heard the song 45 for the first time, it's been constantly playing in my iTunes (along with the acoustic version, which is badass if you can find it). It really is an amazing song, one that you just find yourself singing over and over again through the day. Easily the best song on the CD, and it comes with some support from other songs. Burning Bright is more than just radio filler, it's a solid song that can get stuck in your head easily. Songs like Simple Man give a glimpse of how good Shinedown can sound on acoustics, while songs like Left Out give you the edgy riffs mixed with a melodic set of vocals that seems to becoming popular (10 Years comes to mind, more on them at a later date). Another plus, of course, is that Shinedown is part of the "Hey, btw, guitar solos still exist!" movement that lets instruments carry songs at times unlike some other modern musical movements.

 

Overall a very good piece of work. Definitely one of the better first CDs I've heard in a while, since most good bands take a couple of CDs to really find their niche and run with it. That Shinedown was able to pump out such a good effort on the first try is fills the mind with untapped potential for future CDs. I'll just wrap this up by saying if you like this CD, you'll really really like the second one. Take that for what's it worth until the next time.

 

Recommendation: Listen to those tracks listed above, and if you like them definitely give the CD a shot.

If you're a fan of these, you might like this: Matchbox 20, Audioslave

Waking the Fallen

Avenged Sevenfold

 

Sure, City of Evil is incredibly awesome and Avenged Sevenfold is going to be big with their new style, but this album was absolutly amazing. It's certainly one of my favorites of this decade so far. I've always been afraid of shouting and still am afraid of most, but for some reason I just love this album's screaming.

 

The album opens with Waking the Fallen, a short little diddy is pretty cool, but not the kind of song you listen to by itself. Next is the most popular, Unholy Confessions. It took me a few listens to really appreciate this song, but it's really an amazing song with not a whole of shouting. After that is Chapter 4, which most people have probably in Madden 2004. This song is made great by the parts where singing and screaming occur simotanously. The next 5 songs are all have a lot of screaming, and the singing parts of these songs make them beautiful. After the screamfest is I Wont See You Tonight Parts 1 + 2. Part 1 has no screaming and is absolutly incredible, probably one of my top twenty songs of all time. If you've never heard it, there's something wrong with you and you need to download it NOW! To top it all off if And All Things Will End, which is an great epicish song to finish the CD.

 

Overall, this album can be heavy at times, so it may not be for everyone, but anyone who likes rock should at least check this out. I can't see how anyone can listen to a song like I Won't See Tonight and not like it though. Some people just have bad taste I guess. Avenged Sevenfold will never be the same it seems, but I guess it was time to evolve, but everything comes together for a great effort on Waking the Fallen. The vocals are great, especially the screaming, and the guitar/drums kick arse. I don't think people should run out and buy it, but I certainly think it wouldn't heart to at least check on some of the songs on the CD.

I figured it might be easier to just start a running thread on CDs you pick up and listen to for those who haven't had the pleasure. The first one, I finished a couple of days ago:

 

 

Ten Thousand Fists

Disturbed

 

Tracks to Download: Guarded, Stricken

I went into this album expecting big things. I mean, Guarded and Stricken had been playing on the radio constantly and I really liked both (especially Stricken). I went in expecting Disturbed to have made The Leap from ok band just starting out to the Big Boys. They tried to jump, but didn't get very high off the ground. After the two songs on the radio, the CD is very top heavy. Nothing stood out much from the CD - just two really good singles and twelve songs that were just kind of there.

 

My opinion might change the next couple of listens, but I don't know when that'll be. I wasn't very much impressed - it's not the best hard rock album out, and that's by a long shot. Don't think it takes too much effort to figure out who I think is tops right now.

 

Recommendation: Download those two songs, just skip the rest.

If you're a fan of these, you might like this: Disturbed's 1st CD, KoRn, System of a Down (Toxicity)

 

Next on the list:

Yellowcard's Lights and Sounds

Think Differently's Wu-Tang Meets Indie Culture

 

 

D/L those two songs and skip the rest!!?? Are you nuts!!? Disturbed is AWESOME! All three of their albums are amazing! EVERY SONG! I actaully saw them LIVE just a few days ago. These guys know how to put on a show. In my opinion I would suggest to get every single album, every song! There great!

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, and in mine there is nothing on that album that distinguishes Disturbed from any other post-Metallica metal band. The two songs I listed are the ones I deemed to be the best, and also the only ones I thought were worthy of more than one listening. You have an opinion, good for you. It'd probably be nicer if you gave a reason besides "Are you nuts!!?", "Disturbed is AWESOME!", and "There[they're] great!", though.

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, and in mine there is nothing on that album that distinguishes Disturbed from any other post-Metallica metal band. The two songs I listed are the ones I deemed to be the best, and also the only ones I thought were worthy of more than one listening. You have an opinion, good for you. It'd probably be nicer if you gave a reason besides "Are you nuts!!?", "Disturbed is AWESOME!", and "There[they're] great!", though.

 

 

 

I know and understand that everyone has their opinion. I hope that you respect my opinion as I do yours. It just seems that you are paying attention to the mainstream singles and havent given the other tracks a chance. Ten Thousand Fists, Overburden, Im Alive, and Deify are deeper songs that the two songs you mentioned. Those songs espically Deify pushes away from the same-ol disturbed. It pays attention to Bush and the troops overseas. If you listen to the lyrics they are real deep. The only reason I said you were nuts is because its seems like you are telling readers that Disturbed has only those 2 tracks. Thats it... Not trying to JUMP on ur back or anything... I agree with most of your other reviews actually...

I listened to the CD, twice. You might think that the lyrics are very deep, I personally think they are just run of the mill. As far as the other tracks go, just because the subject changes doesn't mean the band matures. The instrumentation is pretty much the same, the lyrics while on a different topic have similar turns (or lack thereof). Disturbed is close to running out of time to make the jump from just another metal band to bigger than life potential, and with a band like Avenged Sevenfold already fast on their way to completing the leap (they're even embarking on their first arena tour after Global Gathering) and bands such as 10 Years and Shinedown rising up the ranks of rock Disturbed could find themselves jumped rather quickly unless they get innovative.

I listened to the CD, twice. You might think that the lyrics are very deep, I personally think they are just run of the mill. As far as the other tracks go, just because the subject changes doesn't mean the band matures. The instrumentation is pretty much the same, the lyrics while on a different topic have similar turns (or lack thereof). Disturbed is close to running out of time to make the jump from just another metal band to bigger than life potential, and with a band like Avenged Sevenfold already fast on their way to completing the leap (they're even embarking on their first arena tour after Global Gathering) and bands such as 10 Years and Shinedown rising up the ranks of rock Disturbed could find themselves jumped rather quickly unless they get innovative.

 

 

I would have to disagree with that. Although Shinedown, Avenged, and 10 years are up and coming they wont pass Disturbed any time soon. Their music is not similar at all plus Disturbed fan base right now is triple than those three bands combined. Alot has to do with them being somewhat new, ok, but those bands, espically 10 YEARS, has alot more to PROVE!! They have had one album and as of right now one HUGE hit. Disturbed actaully has new music tracks ready for their new album, but there is no need for a new album. Disturbed will most likely never go away from their famous "sickness" theme. Disturbed is only on the rise in my opinion, this years OZZ-FEST Headliners.

They're headling Ozzfest and that's good for them, but who else is going to do it?

 

And Disturbed's music isn't similar to Avenged and 10 Years? Shinedown I'll give you, but the rest fall squarely into metal. Granted there are sub-genres within metal, but as far as the public is concerned all three are going to be the same. 10 Years obviously has a lot of work to do since they've only had one album, but they're on the fast track to success after that first shot. The reason I included them was to show there are people coming up ready to take Disturbed's place.

 

And as far as A7X is concerned, they did on City of Evil what Disturbed hasn't been able to do to this point: establish themselves as something that isn't just another band lost in the stream of trying to replicate the Black Album. You have to look at something like who is headlining Ozzfest in perspective: it's based on name value. Quick, off the top of your head, think of a metal band that means anything to the general public. There's a reason you can't think of one - there hasn't been one since Load's first week out. In the wake of any great metal CD overtaking the public's eye (which we could be in the wake of, stay tuned) you see bands that would be supporting acts otherwise taking center stage roles just to fill the gap. The converse happened when there were so many great bands at the same time in past memory. It's a cycle, and we seem to be switching gears now.

 

Just look at it this way.....how does this CD stack up against those of great bands around the same timeframe?

Other Ozz-Fest bands already confirmed include Slipknot and System of a Down. Many more to come. I actually think some of the bands you mentioned could end up being there.

 

I see what your saying about Disturbed and how they are just another metal band and still have to prove something. But what im getting from you is that Disturbed is headed towards a downfall. Am I correct? I may be wrong but if I am correct I would say Disturbed is still rising. Yes they have pretty much the same theme throughout their albums but that is what the fans like. I mean Korn kind of dipped from their theme I think with their latest album and lost some fans... Overall I think Disturbed has alot more in them...

No, on the contrary. My whole argument on the album is that it's more of the same. Disturbed isn't going anywhere because they haven't shown the balls to take a risk and do something that might piss people off but is in the best interest of their music. Every big metal band needs to make that leap to become larger than life. Hell, Metallica did it on three different albums plus all the individual stunts they pulled, and I'd say they turned out well for themselves. Every band period that has meant something to the world at one point or another has done so because they've gone from their original stuff that was cool to like five people to actually using their talent for good music which in turn became popular.

 

Some people would say hey, Disturbed hasn't sold out good for them. But 'selling out' is a bulls*** term anyways. Bands mature and in doing so change the sound their listeners were accustomed to. They're just selling out because they're changing the sound you're used to, and since people don't like change they get angry. Thing is, when a band sells out what they're really doing is establishing themselves as a group that actually means something. One that cares more about the music they're making and not about the opinions which that music will or will not harbor from those who listen to it. A band that never makes the leap from just being there to actually using their talent won't ever be remembered.

I agree with you and the term "selling out" is is very much bull****! But I am pretty neutral on the Disturbed situation. If they want to change their "sickness" style then so be it.. I wouldnt mind to see something new. But, if they were to stay with that theme lets say another album or two I wouldnt mind either.. I means its what they like, so be it!

 

Pretty cool views we've had on this whole Disturbed topic, hell of an idea coming up with this thread dude..

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Bloodsimple

A Cruel World

 

Tracks to Download: Falling Backwards, Straight Hate,Path to Prevail

 

I think this band is one of the up and coming. It consists of 5 people: Tim Williams (Vocals),Mike Kennedy (Guitar), Nick Rowe (Guitar), Kyle Sanders (Bass) and Chris Hamilton (Drums). I mean they do have tons of work to do considering that this is their debut album. I would consider them pretty hard, more of the yelling type. Would take some getting use to if you dont like this music. Falling Backwards is without a doubt the best track on this CD. If you get a chance listen to this cd do it! I do have it if anyone wants to have some tracks. I had the oppertunity to see them live and DAMN can they put on a show. They are very much into the pumping up the crowd. Good way to start off their rock career.

Leave A Whisper

Shinedown

 

Tracks to Download: 45, Burning Bright, Fly From the Inside, Simple Man

Though this CD came out in 2004, I didn't hear of it until very recently thanks to Shinedown's second CD, Us and Them (which came out in 2005). I had heard one of the singles from the CD, Burning Bright, and always thought it was a solid song but never really thought more of it. Once I finished the first time through all the songs, I was convinced that Shinedown has some serious potential. My opinion might be skewed a bit due to my listening to the second CD before the first one, but I still liked the overall quality of Leave A Whisper. When you consider that this was the band's first CD, it's a very promising effort.

 

From the moment I heard the song 45 for the first time, it's been constantly playing in my iTunes (along with the acoustic version, which is badass if you can find it). It really is an amazing song, one that you just find yourself singing over and over again through the day. Easily the best song on the CD, and it comes with some support from other songs. Burning Bright is more than just radio filler, it's a solid song that can get stuck in your head easily. Songs like Simple Man give a glimpse of how good Shinedown can sound on acoustics, while songs like Left Out give you the edgy riffs mixed with a melodic set of vocals that seems to becoming popular (10 Years comes to mind, more on them at a later date). Another plus, of course, is that Shinedown is part of the "Hey, btw, guitar solos still exist!" movement that lets instruments carry songs at times unlike some other modern musical movements.

 

Overall a very good piece of work. Definitely one of the better first CDs I've heard in a while, since most good bands take a couple of CDs to really find their niche and run with it. That Shinedown was able to pump out such a good effort on the first try is fills the mind with untapped potential for future CDs. I'll just wrap this up by saying if you like this CD, you'll really really like the second one. Take that for what's it worth until the next time.

 

Recommendation: Listen to those tracks listed above, and if you like them definitely give the CD a shot.

If you're a fan of these, you might like this: Matchbox 20, Audioslave

 

 

Shinedown's second album, Us and Them, is also pretty good. Maybe not as good as their first, but it is definetly worth a listen. Also, please don't compare Audioslave to Matchbox 20. Matchbox 20 is not anywhere near in the same league.

I actually like Us and Them more than I like Leave A Whisper. I'll post that one later on, though.

 

And when I put a band like that, it's not that I'm comparing the two. The instruments of Shinedown remind me of Audioslave, while the voice reminds me of Matchbox 20. Hence both being listed.

If anyone is interested I am posting CD reviews here and there that I pick up on my blog. I recently picked up a new electro bass cd which I am sure is not everyones cup of tea but if you are interested check it out here:

 

http://www.marlinbaseball.com/forums/index...log&blogid=123&

I guess I'll review Ghostface Killah's new album Fishscale, when it comes out along with Only Built for Cuban Linx 2 by Raekwon and NasDaq Jones by Nas. :shifty

I bought Shinedown's debut CD when they just started to hit the airwaves in South Florida. They are a band that formed in Jacksonville, and I have to say, they have a lot of talent.

 

After buying and listening to their newer CD, which I have gone through 7-8 times or so, I have come to the conclusion that their first CD was better. The new one has 3-4 good songs, and then just some other OK stuff. The first CD was filled with excellent songs, I can't remember any bad ones off the top of my head.

 

Disturbed seems to just keep getting better, much like System of a Down. I wasn't really a fan of SoD until they came out with the two recent CD's, which I found to be a lot better than their previous work.

 

I also agree that Audioslave is a LOT better than Matchbox 20 could ever be. The recent Audioslave CD was excellent.

 

Someone should review the upcoming Red Hot Chili Peppers CD on here, it's coming out pretty soon.