The Fury - CD Review of "Truth Comes Out"

The Fury, photo courtesy of the band.

CD Review – The Fury – Truth Comes Out

by Jade Sperry

The Fury are a Vancouver based hard rock band whose debut CD is dynamite. Right from the first notes of Truth Comes Out to the last notes on Waiting, they are a force that leap out of the speakers to assault your ears with hard rock and melodies that fuse together very well. Lead singer Chase Patterson has got a major set of pipes that belt out a song which make you want to headbang to the beat of the rhythm section that Colin Campbell on bass and Jay Vidler on drums create. Guitarists Jonathan Wu and Royce Whittaker create some diverse and tasty licks for every song on the CD. I particularly like the tempo changes in each song and a good example of this is Just This Time. Many songs send a message if you listen closely to the lyrics. For example, in Beauty Queen, the message that I get is that you need to see beyond what someone looks like, look below the surface to the inner person. In our visually driven culture, this is a good statement to make. All in all, this CD is highly recommended if you are into bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden and Bon Jovi.

The Fury are playing a show on Friday January 29th @ The Fairview Pub in Vancouver with Bullets Over Beauty and Kill Matilda. Doors @ 8pm.

You can find The Fury at their MYSPACE page, at their online merchandise STORE and you can follow them on TWITTER.

Sex With Strangers - CD Review "The Tokyo Steel"

Sex With Strangers - photo courtesy of the band.

Sex With Strangers – Cd Review – The Tokyo Steel

by Jade Sperry

Vancouver band Sex With Strangers are one funky band. Led by the mysterious duo of songwriters who call themselves Hatch Benedict and Magnus Magnum, their 80's inspired electronic/disco/new wave music is a crazy, fun filled adventure. The songs are well constructed and thought out and are arranged perfectly on the CD. They bring us not just music but an entirely new idea – vision music with a purpose and story. Every song is well worth listening to but for this writer, We Want The Fire, Sharpen The Knife and I Will Be The Last One are the standout songs. I admire the vocal work by Isabelle “Bobbie” Dunlop on all of the tracks on this CD and each member brings something to the musical table. Some of the songs like Tokyo Steel sound punk while others like Last of the Unreals are pure dance tracks. This is a band that has more versatility than most other major acts anywhere on the circuit today. I highly recommend this CD to anyone who likes versatile music at its best.

Sex With Strangers are playing a show here in Vancouver BC on Thursday January 28th @ The Lamplighter with guests Fake Shark Real Zombie. Doors are at 8pm.

You can find the band at their MYSPACE page, their WEBSITE and on their YOUTUBE channel.

The Nightmares - CD Review and Interview

The Nightmares in concert courtesy of the band.

The Nightmares CD review/interview

by Jade Sperry

The Nightmares hail from Toronto ON and just recently opened for The Misfits Halloween show. As I was doing this review of their CD, I decided that I wanted to ask the band members a few questions to round out the review. The band members are: Nick Hall (lead vocals/guitars), Dave Fulton (lead guitar/vocals), Dan Szabolcs (bass/vocals) and Ari Greenberg (drums/vocals).

The Nightmares self titled CD clearly reminds me of The Cure meeting The Misfits while plotting to kill everyone by ear splitting guitars, hard hitting drums and rhythmic melodies. The CD opens with “Stand Up and Fight” which is very high energy and talks about fighting for what you feel is important and for what you believe in. “Bella Gloom” is this writer's favorite song on the CD. This song has great melody, excellent guitar work by Dave Fulton, and sounds reminiscent of Billy Talent but with a much harder edge. Nick Hall's vocals are very good and go well with the general chaos of the song itself. I especially like the break mid-way through the song that highlights the bass by Dan Szabolcs. “You're Too Late” is also high energy and is a really good rocking, head-banging kind of song. I really like the drums in this song that Ari Greenberg created. A really well constructed song with a great backbone of drums and bass. “We're Alright” has a real garage-punk feel to it – hard hitting drumming and loud guitars – which makes me want to pogo all over my apartment. “Static State” is rhythmically a great song. The drums and the bass make this song sound really garage in a good way and carry it through to the end of the song. Lyrically and musically chaotic is what punk, and this song, is about. The last song, “All My Friends Are Nameless” is well constructed musically and lyrically. Nick's vocals are well done, as is the guitars and the rhythm of the song. The CD stands on its own as independent garage punk at its best.

I knew that this band had formed quite recently in the early part of 2009, and I wanted to know roughly how long the guys had known each other, as musically, they have great chemistry and the sound is seamless on their self titled CD. It turns out that they have known each other for a while. Nick, Dave and Dan all met in a previous band called The Famous Monsters. This band was together for about 4 years, and then called it quits in 2008. They found it natural to form a new band and Ari joined them on drums, and The Nightmares were born.

When I asked how they all came to be in the same band, Nick says that “building this band took time and consideration, but once the idea of the band was conceived, it took time to find the right people to fill the spots. Luckily enough, good friends joined the band.” Dan says that “I don't know that there was a defining moment, there was just a great fit with each other's style, talents and chemistry.” And there is definitely talent and a whole lot of chemistry between all 4 members of this band.

With any interview, I wanted to know who wrote most of the lyrics for the songs. “All of the lyrics are written by Nick (Hall) and that's where most songs usually start with a hook and a focus”, says Dave. With that, I wanted to hear what Nick had to say - “Song writing in this band is a process. The majority of the songs typically begin with a rough structure and everyone works together to build it into a finished coherent song with purpose, focus and tone. The imagery and tone of dreams and nightmares inspire me to write the way I do because everyone can relate to those thoughts and feelings. There is also an urgency and intensity that comes across in the content and that's definitely intended.”

In forming any band, there has to be some kind of drive or inspiration. Rock and roll is the one passion that all 4 members share. “We were all raised on it – from classic bands like Motorhead and The Ramones up to current bands like Muse, Turbonegro and the Living End” says Nick. They all have a broad range of tastes but all agreed on the bands named above.

When asked about what are some short term goals for the band in a two year time frame, Dan says that they would all like to “get noticed. We're still in our infancy as a band but we're starting out strong.” Ari states that "I'd say a definite goal is to find some form of support from a label or group who are willing to work with us to help propel this band out of obscurity and onto a larger, more accessible plane." Nick adds “I think the more contacts and relationships we build with people the closer we come to the recognition for what we're doing. We also want to connect with other people out there who share our vision.” I think that all of these goals are realistic and attainable by this band.

This leads me to ask what the guys think of the current state of the music industry as a whole. Dave says that “it's certainly a great thing if they're on your side!”while Nick states that “A lot of people are jaded when it comes to the music industry because they have a lot of assumptions about how it should be rather than understanding it as a business. When it comes right down to it, you just have to know what you're doing and have the right expectations about how to do it. The music industry is still an industry and it must operate like any other industry to survive by making money. So that being said, if you know what you're doing and you do what you like, the industry is more of an afterthought.”

One final piece of information I wanted to know is how the guys felt about lack of media coverage for unsigned and independent talent as well as lack of venues in which to play unknown and unheard songs. Ari says that he's “upset that there is such a lack of legitimate venues in Toronto but I think its due to the over saturation of bands in such a large city. The independent music scene has become largely unfocused and scattered in my opinion.” Dan feels that “its hard to expect mainstream media to spend valued airtime broadcasting coverage of bands that the viewer probably doesn't want to see. It's all about what people like. Everyone has a personal responsibility to seek out the kinds of music and bands that interest them.." And Dave feels that "So many independent, unsigned bands out there should be seeing more media coverage since so many people are involved in what they do and it's really interesting to watch."

I believe that this band will attain their goals stated here and then some. You can find the band at their MYSPACE page.

The Nightmares - Video - Static State - The Making of ...

CD Review: Acres of Lions' Working is Pure Pop Pleasure

Alright, I admit it. I have a soft spot for pop punk, or emo, or even, in this band's own words, purveyors of "catchy pop anthems". Sounds like a recipe for radio friendly rock...and for hipster dismissal. But when this music is performed with energy and passion and grit - and done well - it is pure musical bliss. It's a fine line, and Acres of Lions fall squarely on the side of wonderful music.

Good pop punk makes you swoon - slick production, sing along vocals, heavy drums, an edge of hardcore guitar, and that drive at your emotional pit - all combines to make you feel "I know what that's about; I've been there before; these guys are bang on...."

BC's Acres of Lions are THAT kind of emo/folk/punk/hardcore band. They take all the elements of those disparate styles of music and boil them into a simmering cauldron of emotion and joy: the heart of passionate music. The band has released its first full length on Cordova Bay Records, and this is a band you should be watching in 2010.

If you want some touchstones for their music, think the Weakerthans, Hot Water Music, Alkaline Trio and more - these guys take all the highlights of those seasoned bands and mix it up in their melodic, loud, and friendly sound. The first single, Closer, calls to mind hardcore greats like Hot Water Music and Boysetsfire, but tempers the strong guitars, pounding bass lines and drums with awesome sing-a-long vocals and great video. Another single with a great video - Dance Sequence - features programmed big drum beats and vocals, swirling keyboards, and a thoroughly catchy melody that could cross over onto the dancefloors of many bars.

With Working, Acres of Lions sounds a lot like recent Weakerthans, with mellow guitar strumming, sentimental lyrics, and pretty keyboards - and the track captures the band's essence in a lot of ways: "Work hard, make your body sting. Make something out of nothing." This is not mere sentiment - there's no doubt this band really lives that way - hard and passionate - the way great music ought to be.

The balance of the record fills out this ambitious sound - from the Get Up Kids meet Alkaline Trio style in Let's Get Sentimental, to the mellow This Was Not My Best Day Ever, the band shows it has the skill and range to tackle a variety of styles and to put out a sound that is confident and polished. It is hard to think that this is the band's first full length, second only to an earlier EP.

A quick search on youtube reveals that Acres of Lions is able to replicate its energetic studio work in a live setting. No - that's too mild - these guys look ike they would tear down the house at a show near you. There's no doubt that the considerable touring has molded a fantastic live show - something I definitely want to catch whenever I can.

Overall, Acres of Lions' deserves radio play but, more importantly, deserves play on the sound system of your choice. I had a chance to exchange some questions with band members Jeff Kalesnikoff (Vox, Guitar) and Tyson Yerex (Guitar, keys, vox) and here's the edited result:

NxEW: It wasn't surprising to see some Weakerthans covers when checking out your stuff on Youtube. What's your view of bands like that, who have been on the scene for so long, and who are so much a part of that sound?

Jeffrey K: For the most part, our view of bands like that, ...our personal favorites - Canadian artists such as The Weakerthans, Attack In Black, Constantines, Billy The Kid - is that they make sense to us, kind of paved the way for smaller bands like us, to help us at least attempt to do the same thing they inspired us to do when we were younger, drawing us to it with songs about being in road-side diners, living in a van, seeing the beautiful country we grew up in for what it really is, making an endless amount of friends at the shows you would book by yourselves, those kinds of things. They are as much a part of that sound as they are part of the nostalgia and joy they give us through making it.

NxEW: These days, it can be suicidal in some circles to embrace 'pop punk' or 'emo' - but from your promotional materials you do that and more. Do you have any issues with the incessant labeling of music? Or is it just enough play what you love and play it well?

Jeffrey K: We encourage it! To be proud of what you play and not to worry about the labeling, everything is everything else, it's mixed up and it feeds off itself and has been doing so for years! We have no issues with it, we write what we write and are always happy with it, even if there are people out there that aren't, which is totally okay, you need that. We don't think it's suicidal at all, to wear "pop-punk" or "emo," as long as you wear it proud and enjoy it for what it is.

NxEW: Victoria is not exactly known as a music mecca in the rest of Canada. But I know there is still a great scene there, and some great festivals as well. What's it like trying to break in to a relatively small music scene and then break out into this large land mass we call Canada? Is it tough getting your sound out? What about touring? What do you think of Canadian focused websites like NxEW?

Tyson Yerex: The music scene in Victoria is actually one of the best in the country. Obviously it doesn't attract the same attention on a national level as bigger cities like Toronto or Vancouver, but I think per capita there are actually more great musicians and more supporters of music than almost anywhere in the country. Hopefully the NxEW coverage of Victoria's sold out Rifflandia Festival this past September has helped make some of your readers a little more aware of the great music scene we have out here!

As far as making a name for ourselves in Victoria goes, it took a couple years of playing as many shows as we could around town before we really started to build a fan base and get noticed. We are really fortunate in Victoria to have a local rock radio station, The Zone 91.3 FM, that goes out of their way to support local acts. They've been helping us out since the day we dropped our demo ep on their music director's desk, and we can't begin to thank them enough. Their support actually put us on Cordova Bay Records radar, which subsequently led to us signing a record/publishing agreement with them for both Canada and the UK via their sister label Fierce Panda.

As far as breaking out into the rest of Canada goes, Victoria certainly presents us with some geographical hurdles to overcome. We're a long way from where the majority of Canadians live, so when we found out that our debut album was going to be released with national distribution in February we knew that we had to immediately start booking ourselves a cross Canada tour. That was perhaps not the most brillant idea - touring Canada in the dead of winter - but it definitely helped us to start making connections with promoters and building a fan base across the country. We've spent about 4 months on the road so far this year, and we know that to achieve any sort of success on a national level that we absolutely have to keep making touring our top priority.

We've also made it a priority to maintain a solid web presence so that we can stay connected with our fans across the country whether we're at home in Victoria or out on the road. It's amazing what a powerful tool the internet has become. Years ago, the only thing you could get done on an 8 hour drive from Saskatoon to Winnipeg was read a book or watch a movie. Now I spend hours on my iPhone - answering emails, chatting with fans, sending news out to our mailing list, uploading pictures/videos/blogs, updating our status across all our various websites (myspace/facebook/twitter/etc), etc, etc. Way to go science!

NxEW: Your latest record, Working, features pretty slick production, some great accompanying videos, and awesome music as well. What's it like when you finally see and hear that product of all your hard work? What can we expect next for Acres of Lions in 2010 and beyond?

Tyson Yerex: It's a great feeling when all the hard work comes together and you can finally share what you've created. We had some amazing people working on our the production of our record and our music videos - Adam Sutherland (Producer/Engineer), Warne Livesey (Mixing/Mastering), Brian Dutkewich (Music Video Director/Editor) - and we couldn't be happier about how it all turned out.

As far as 2010 goes, we're planning to do a bunch more touring - BC/Alberta dates in Jan/Feb, and Ontario/Quebec dates in March including showcase performances at Canadian Music Week in Toronto. Beyond that we're hoping to start production on a follow up album to "Working" sometime this summer.

NxEW: And...where does the band's name come from?

Tyson Yerex: When the band first got together and needed a name, my bandmates were at a party with local guitarist Jory MacKay (from TheSet) and after numerous beverages he suggested the band name should incorporate "Lions" cuz that sounded "hip"; and he said "Acres" of them - well that would be "Epic" indeed! The name stuck, end of story.

End of the story about the name, yes, but not about this awesome band. Looks like 2010 will bring more for them - check them out when you can.

Canadian Album Hall of Fame (as voted by YOU) : Arcade Fire's Funeral

Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004)

Merge Records

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Really, who didn't see this coming? From the bright piano tinkling of the opening seconds of "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)," to the triumphant swell and fade of strings in the final seconds of "In the Backseat," Funeral maintains its artistic tension and delights with orchestral beauty. Win Butler and Régine Chassagne's voices, at times urgent and discomforting, complement the ambitious instrumentalists in theatricality. Not a singles album by any stretch of the imagination-- although it did produce five (Neighborhood #1, #2, #3, Rebellion (Lies) and Haiti), Funeral grabs a hold of you for the duration of its 48 minutes and paints a musical landscape that lingers long after its last notes. And boy, does it grow on you over time.

There's little doubt as to why Funeral remains one of the most highly regarded, most critically acclaimed and best-selling indie (over half a million sold) records in not just Canada, but the world. It garnered near-perfect rankings and scores with international music critics, landing on more "best of" lists than could be counted with all your fingers and toes. It was nominated for the Grammy for Best Alternative Rock Album and Arcade Fire won Songwriters Of The Year at the Junos for three of Funeral's singles. Despite its name, the album injected a shudder of life in the Canadian independent music scene. This album also helped launch the formidable careers of successful Canadian independent artists Final Fantasy and Bell Orchestre. So although the album was inspired by deaths, many regard Funeral as a milestone in the coming of age of Canadian independent music.

Big name fans of Arcade Fire include David Bowie, U2, US President Barack Obama and director Spike Jonze, who reportedly said that he listened to Funeral while writing the screenplay for his adaptation of the popular children's book Where the Wild Things Are. 

Current Arcade Fire line-up: Win Butler, Régine Chassagne, Richard Reed Parry, William Butler, Tim Kingsbury, Sarah Neufeld, Jeremy Gara.


Track listing:
1. "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" – 4:48
2. "Neighborhood #2 (Laïka)" – 3:31
3. "Une année sans lumière" – 3:40
4. "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" – 5:12
5. "Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)" – 4:49
6. "Crown of Love" – 4:42
7. "Wake Up" – 5:35
8. "Haïti" – 4:07
9. "Rebellion (Lies)" – 5:10
10. "In the Backseat" – 6:20

Arcade Fire website, Twitter, Myspace.
More of Arcade Fire on NxEW.

CD Review - Matthew Joel - The Axe and the Evergreen

Matthew Joel's The Axe and the Evergreen CD cover art, courtesy of the artist.

Matthew Joel has some interesting songs that he recorded to form his CD The Axe and The Evergreen. One thing I'd like to say is that Matthew is a really good slide guitarist. This is evident from his song “Some Different Shades of Grey”. And he doesn't overkill it. This song is probably the best offering for this writer, but having said that, Matthew's music is delightful to listen to. Lyrically solid and musically interesting, The Axe and The Evergreen is melodic, soulful and interesting in its simplicity. The title song “The Axe and The Evergreen” is a melodic song acoustically played with honest emotions. This song speaks about nature and the comparison to the human element and is constructed and performed well. But, in a twist, the song “Hello Spectrum” is a bit on the darker side and has some edge to the music. Musically this song is bit more lush sounding with the piano being brought in with the acoustic guitar which fills out the sound. A mournful whistle can be heard in the background which is the only human voice as there are no lyrics. Another song that stands out is “A Different Coloured Sweater”. This song starts out slow and easy and ends on musical hard edge. This song consistently builds through it's entire 6 minute life. At the 2 minute mark, the music changes and you can feel the emotion of the song change as well. That is very hard to get across to a listener, but Matthew manages to do this. Lyrically, the song speaks of big changes, human nature and emotions we feel. Overall, the 10 songs on The Axe and The Evergreen are appealing, well constructed and played with emotion. I highly recommend at least one listen through to hear what Matthew has to say.

To stream or buy his songs and read a bit about Matthew, visit the following links:

http://www.thesixtyone.com/matthewjoel/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matthew-Joel/108974785111?ref=ts

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-axe-and-evergreen/id334813042?i=334813157&ign-mpt=uo%3D6

Green Diesel - CD Review - Prairie Rose

Green Diesel - photo courtesy of the band.

CD Review - Prairie Rose

Green Diesel rock the Canadian western province of Alberta, calling Edmonton home. This 3 piece band is surprisingly fresh and honest in their music and lyrics. Opening the CD with an acoustic song entitled "Open Road" to the last acoustically sombre song "Confession for Kiddo", This is a CD that speaks frankly about life on the edge in relationships with family, friends and lovers. Pleading at times, hard rocking and angry at other times, there is a song here for everyone. There is good chord progression and changes, solid bass lines and hard drumming through the entire 11 songs. "Hey Hey (Settle Down)" is the catchiest song on the CD with good hooks and background vocals. However, for this writer the standout song is "Hey Mother". The harmonicas are very effective in the overall sound of the song as well as the bass and drums locking into the groove. Overall, this CD is well presented in its lyrical, musical and melodic sounds.

You can find Green Diesel at the following links to check out the music:

Green Diesel - MySpace

Green Diesel - Supernova

Green Diesel - Facebook

Green Diesel - Reverbnation

You can find their music for sale on iTunes, Amazon.com, Napster and eMusic.

CD Review - Fallan Soldier, Above the Call of Duty

Fallan Soldier show tomorrow, Friday July 24
(this poster was provided by Harris Allan).

Above image is Harris Allan, Fallan Soldier.

Above image is the CD cover for Above The Call Of Duty.
(both photos provided by Dedication Entertainment)

Fallan Soldier is Harris Allan, a native of the Vancouver area who has a number of acting credits behind him. His debut CD, Above the Call of Duty, is a mixture of pop rock, hip hop, rap and some fused reggae in the mix. It's fresh, upbeat and exceptional for it's sound performance by Harris. His vocals are reminiscent of Eminen but are not quite as controversial. They are more personal and straight up as they hit your ears consistently.

The CD begins with “A Big Front” which starts out in a hip-hop/rap way but then it morphs into pop rock/hip-hop as the chorus starts and goes back to hip-hop/rap. The transition of this is seamless and is very effective not only in this song but in most of the songs on this CD. “The Edge of Disaster” is a pure hip-hop song that speaks about just being on the edge of something that is self-destructive, going down in flames, crashing and burning. I like this song particularly for the layering of 3 sets of vocals which is very effective for the song in its final dying seconds. “60 In The Tank” is a slow 4 beat rap song that talks about sacrifice to get where or what you want. I like the references to pop culture in this song – vampires, were-wolfs and Cyndi Lauper. “Suppressed” clearly reminds me of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with that funky late 80's early 90's reggae-inspired vibe. It speaks of drug use, making a million dollars and ends suddenly after saying “I know what it's like to be so stressed”. “Fights” starts off strong and has a pop rock feel to it in the beginning and in the chorus, then it goes back to rap. I like this component in Harris' music. This song is basically fighting with your partner or a friend, and how there is a reason for some fights that take place through a lifetime. “Hands Up High” has a mellow slow start and then launches right into some heavy beats of hip-hop/rap. This is a really well constructed song that breaks in the second and third verses. This song is about balance in one's life, and how to achieve that by being yourself and to support your friends and family. “Blood on the Pin” is my favorite song on this CD. It has a real rock pop sensibility mixed in with rap and hip-hop. This is the strongest song in this writer's opinion that moves into heavy guitars, almost like grunge, in the choruses. Harris actually sings very well and this one song really reflects how strong his vocals are. It speaks of the dark side of life and how to try to balance the dark side with the light side, and how we all deal with this issue. “Fallan Solier” has a short dreamy start and hits you with slow rap lyrics in the first verse. It's a song about personal issues on falling from the top and how your urge to succeed in your chosen field motivates you to rise above it again. The music is solid. “Morning” has a darker tone musically and is forlorn by the slow minor keys used in this song. It has a dark overall tone with being sick and tired of life and having no motivation whatsoever, which anyone can relate to. “Against Me” is about pleasing the person you love but having to constantly struggle between the pleasure and the pain of a relationship. This song is musically well put together and reminds me of a pop rap song. The layered vocals work well. “At Night” is a slow beat low tempo song that is haunting musically speaking. The laid back vocals work well and the song speaks about longing for something that you once had but lost. The final song “You Were Alive” is a fast paced, dance along, short song to get up and move to. This song reminds me of feeling helpless and having lost hope in a relationship gone bad but neither person can leave. Tragic lyrics and strong vocals propel this song, and it ends the CD well and leaves you wondering if Harris will pick up with the next CD where this one left off. Overall its a great piece of work and worth at least one listen through.

If you are in the Vancouver area, Fallan Soldier is playing a show on Friday July 24 @ Boss Nightclub, 1320 Richards Street with guest DJ's. A night of hip hop, rap and house music - the flyer for this show is listed at the top of this post.

The following links will take you to various pages for FALLAN SOLDIER:

Fallan Soldier - Dedication Entertainment

Fallan Soldier - MySpace

Fallan Soldier - follow on Twitter

Fallan Soldier - Facebook

CD Review on The Sound Technicians

CD Review of The Sound Technicians

by Jade Sperry

Sounds like: power pop with a bit of grunge/glam in the mix

Power pop songs with catchy riffs are what this Ottawa ON band have in this 7-song self titled EP. Kicking it all off is "Reset", which is a fun song with catchy guitar riffs and easy sounding lyrics, followed by "Looking At You" that made me laugh the first time I heard it. It's a solid song musically with melodic guitar riffs, strange noises that compliment the guitar riffs, solid drumming and interesting lyrics that really mimic being at a concert. "Po Boy" is a song that slows it down somewhat and is interesting in the sense that it's more of an observation song. I can see the front man and bassist, Pete Ling, watching someone like the poor boy in the song. It's also an interesting song musically with frequent stops and starts but it works. "Aldo Nova" is a much slower tempo song about the 1980's singer/songwriter Aldo Nova, who Pete admires quite a bit, and it's a tribute to him. Quirky lyrics and noises make this song a memorable one. "Not Coming Home" is a song that is power pop at its best. This is a song that is for dancing and grooving to, with drums that are solid and bass lines that jump with the guitar. "The Sun" is an interesting song that feels very mellow although it's up tempo with a bit of hip-hop lines thrown into the mix. It's an original song that gets crazy towards the end and is a lot of fun. "Make A Million" is the final song in this line up and I feel that this song is one of the better ones. It's a song that makes you want to get up and dance. It also gives you some kind of inspiration that maybe one day you could also make your mark on the world, not so much in a financial sense, but in an original one of a kind way. All in all, this is a fun, energetic and crazy EP that shows this band is going on to bigger things. There's no need to run out to your local CD store to buy it... as the album is exclusively available electronically on iTunes, Amazon, Napster, Rhapsody and eMusic. You can find the band's website here and their My Space page here.

CD Review of Pamela Brennan's One Hundred Photographs

Pamela Brennan CD Review - 100 Photographs

By Jade Sperry

This is the kind of CD you put on when you want to be chill and relax. The CD starts out with "Departure", which has a bluesy/folksy feel to it. Pamela's voice is lush and the music behind the vocals really suits her style perfectly. The song is a good choice to be the first song on this CD. I find that this song in particular has a whimsical feel as well. The instrumental choices of banjo and mandolin suit the song very well. "Amsterdam", "Epiphany" and "Sleep" are pretty much the same as the first song, but "One Hundred Photographs" is just Pamela's voice,a guitar and some hand drums. Simple and sweetly sung. "Sometimes" is a song that has a real jazzy feel - the piano at the beginning gives it that feel and the lyrics are slightly mournful. "Another Lonely Day" is a perfect hot summer day song. It has a dreamlike quality to it. Although a sadder song, it still delivers a slow sucker punch to the listener. The song "Dream" is melodic, strong and is a very busy with all the instruments and the vocals are solid and fresh. The final song, "Victoria", is a celebration song of sorts to honor a city that she obviously likes. I like the end of the song where some people can be heard cheering, which is a fitting end to an enjoyable 40 minutes of this CD. You can visit her website here or you can go to her MySpace site.

The Decade of Sleep - CD review and interview with Phil Laffin

The Decade of Sleep – Morning Sun EP

CD Review by Jade Sperry

I would like to introduce you to a band that is definitely going places – they are The Decade of Sleep. Their debut EP, Morning Sun, is probably the best music I've personally heard in 2 years. Their music is very original, but you can hear some influences throughout their songs.

“Pushing Daisy” is the first track on the EP. The song opens with a slow, melodic rise with the instruments. Eric Walker on the bass plays funky and fast, and there is some really good intricate guitar work by Lance Schibler with the bass on the off beats. The drums give the song it's backbone courtesy of Mat Pataki. The bridge is fast paced and grinding when suddenly it goes back to a mellow groove. Lyrically this is a very solid song. And vocally, Phil Laffin has a voice that is his own but you can hear some influences like Chris Cornell and Billy Joel.

“Soldiers of Spring” is a song that starts with a 4 bar start on guitars, and Mat's drumming is particularly hard and punky, meshing perfectly with Lance's guitar work and Eric's bass lines. The vocals are soft and melodic towards the end with good range on Phil's voice.

The song “Morning Sun” sounds completely their own and original. The vocals are raunchy and loud but well controlled on Phil's part. There's a good build through the bridges and it has a melodic and jazzy feel to it. Mat's drumming is hard and Lance's guitars sound big and crunchy.

“Pressure” is a very cohesive song that Lance Schibler wrote. The very beginning reminds me of Billy Joel's music from the mid to late 1970's. Phil's vocals are strong, melodic and powerful and I'm reminded of Chris Cornell's voice in this song. I really like the guitar on the off beat which in turn off-sets the drums and bass. This is a well constructed and well played song by all 4 members.

“The Lull” is a very well constructed song, lyrically and musically. It has a bluesy feel with the rocking melodies, the vocals are steady and soft in the chorus but raw and powerful on the bridge. I found that the lyrics fit the music well.

The last song is called “Perfume and Cigarettes” which is a pop song that has catchy guitar riffs and drum beats that mesh wonderfully. Lyrically, this is a very well put together song, and musically, this is a choppy and up tempo song.

Overall, this is a really solid EP, and the yeasome big names. Keep an eye on this band and you will not be disappointed. You can check out the band's myspace page r and a half playing together and writing songs has paid off. I wouldn't be surprised that in the very near future, they will be opening for some big names. Keep an eye on this band and you will not be disappointed. You can check out the band's music on their myspace page located here.