Guns N' Roses: Chinese Democracy, Nov. 23

Have you heard?! Or have you been under a freaking rock?! Guns n' Roses! They're back! Chinese Democracy! Fire up the old Chevy Camaro and slick back that mullet. We're gonna rock out like it's...1991. Hmm.

Ok, they're a little outdated, but Axl and the boys are back to do what they do best! Rock out hard! Can you imagine the ensuing world tour coming to a major arena near you? Think of Axl coming out with his trademark bandana and...dreadlocks. But then comes out Slash and McKagen! Or you know... Dizzy Reed and Robin Finck. Close enough right?

The album's been a work in progress over the past 17 years. Fans should be getting quality right? The thing's been tweaked and speculated over for the better part of two decades. I wonder if there are any collaborators? What's that? Shaquille O'Neil reportedly rapped on a track? Former Skid Row frontman and permanent VH1 resident Sebastian Bach sang on a track? Wow. Uh, way to throw back guys.

So yeah. The fact of the matter is Chinese Democracy could either be the worse thing mankind has ever recorded on purpose, or relatively listenable. It won't be Guns n' Roses. It won't live up to the hype. It can't. The only thing we can hope for is for it to rise briefly above mediocrity to satisfy fans, and then plummet (and hopefully take Axl along for the ride). It's nice that Rose managed to deliver the album almost within the same century as his last, but after 17 years of waiting, how much does anyone care anymore?

Who knows? Maybe I'm just a cynic and the album will be fantastic. All I'm saying is that if you are one of those mulleted, chain smoking, wanna-be bikers who's waiting for the great second coming, well you might want to get back under that rock I mentioned.

The Profound Underground: Pretty Lights [UPDATE]

On October 24th (read it here) I reviewed Pretty Light's album which was available for free on their website. Well today I am writing to let you know that Derek Smith of Pretty Lights has just put out a 2-disc album entitled Filling Up The City Skies. After listening to the album for the first time I already could feel the potential. The album is great and I'd reccommend it to any fan of electronica, downtempo, hip hop, glitch...it's all good. The best part is: IT'S ALSO 100% FREE. That's right, the two and a half hour album is available on their website www.prettylightsmusic.com. Please donate if you can.

Below are two stand out tracks, "Finally Moving" appeared on the Pretty Lights album Taking Up Your Precious Time and in my opinion outshines the original.

Derek Smith of Pretty Lights: More Important Than Michael Jordan
Derek Smith of Pretty Lights: Finally Moving [Remix]

Check out their Myspace!

Live Review: Matisyahu w/ Flobots and HR (of Bad Brains)

Recently (on November 1st) popular reggae/hip hop artist Matisyahu's fall tour stopped in at Baltimore, Maryland's Rams Head Live. I was lucky enough (or so I thought) to get tickets to this show, however the first thing I noticed was that it didn't sell out, which has been usual for Matisyahu in the past. This was hardly discouraging to my hopes for this show though, I've seen him in the past once and it was spectacular. I had high hopes for this show, and sadly I was kind of let down.

I say "kind of" let down because the opening acts were fantastic. First up was HR of the legendary Bad Brains. Every time I'm presented with a chance to see a member of a legendary band I'm always skeptical, thinking it just won't be the same. I had this same concern when HR took the stage. I was right; it just wasn't Bad Brains, but it was one of the best performances I've seen in a long time.

HR's style is mostly a fusion of reggae and hip hop however he proved that he hasn't forgotten where he came from. I was ecstatic to hear the grungy sound of distortion in the guitars, see the keyboardist walk off stage, and finally hear the tempo pick up. I couldn't have asked more from their performance, great reggae and even a few hardcore songs. Watch out for HR on tour, this is definitely a show you don't want to miss.

The next act was rising alternative rock/hip hop band Flobots. I was extremely excited to see Flobots for one reason: I wanted to see "Handlebars" live. Coming into the show I would have been happy if they had just play that one song and walked off stage, but by the end of their set I was thinking their performance would rival what I was hoping to see from Matisyahu. They were easily the best part of the night with their most notable songs being "Stand Up" and "Rise." The band put on a brilliant performance showing their true talent as a band which only left me expecting great things from them in the future.

This is where the show took a heart-wrenching turn for the worst; the catalyst was Matisyahu taking the stage. Last time I saw Matisyahu was in 2006 at the last HFStival; his performance was amazing, the perfect end to a day of great music. Because of this it truly pains me to say that I was absolutely bored by his set, which lasted two and a half hours and was comprised of about 16 or 17 songs. If you do the math there you'll notice that that's about eight minutes per song. This wasn't uniform but it seems about right; just about every song included a long interlude which was basically the band jamming. Don't get me wrong, being a musician I can appreciate a good jam, but I can hear that without paying 30 dollars, especially when I'm paying to hear songs, not jams.

The band wasn't off, Matisyahu didn't seem like he was having a bad night, the set just progressed too slowly. I wouldn't take this as a deterrent from seeing him again, just a warning of what might be. A lot of people left during the set though, so we can only hope he'll take that to heart and get back to playing the songs that got him to where he is today. Overall I wouldn't count the night as a waste, the show was great, just a little disappointing. I skeptically await Matisyahu's next tour.

To find out more or hear these artists:
http://www.matisyahuworld.com/
http://www.myspace.com/matisyahu
http://www.flobots.com/
http://www.myspace.com/flobots

Electric Owls: Magic Show EP

Magic Show EP -Track List:

1. Magic Show

2. Darken Me

3. Cannibal Superstar

4. Throw the Switch

Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist of the band, Andy Herod, brings rapture to his listeners with the raw emotion in his vocals. Herod, one of the original founders of the NY based band The Comas, has turned to this solo project as they have been on hiatus for the past few months. Currently residing in Asheville, NC, Andy has been recording his still untitled full-length album that will be released on Vagrant Records in March of 2009, at the Echo Mountain recording studio.

This four song EP is an upbeat mix of acoustics and synthesizers that forms a short but inviting collection of what Herod likes to refer to as emo-pop. Herod’s voice is a complementing opposite to his beats, bringing out a feeling of ecstasy when listening.

The first track starts with a mix of acoustic guitar, maracas, and electronic melodies. Herod’s voice almost has an echo after it, giving the song an enchanted feel. In between verses, a girl’s voice sings the words “magic”. The song itself is a metaphor drawing a comparison to performing a magic show and playing a gig. It is a very happy song, as opposed to the second track – darken me, which is more mellow. Track two has more of a folk feel, its lyrics recalling a broken bond between two people that has left the narrator “darkened”. The third track is definitely a change of pace, although by listening to everything but the lyrics, you would not notice that the song is about the story of a man who is a cannibal and kills his wife. Throw the switch, the final song on the EP, is the perfect ending to the collection – fast in the beginning, progressing to a slow fade out in the end that leaves the listener satisfied.

It can be assumed Herod planned for this EP to be exactly what he calls it, a magic show, and each track a trick. I have had these four songs on loop since I bought it this weekend, and I strongly urge anyone interested in a good listen to check it out, and if you like what you hear, buy the album when it comes out in March.

Electric Owls on Myspace

Electric owls on Vagrant Records

Electric Owls New EP – Magic Show, now available on iTunes.

The Comas Website

Kids, They Always Come Back and They're Always Doing Something Different

If you've ever heard of MGMT, then you most likely know the song "Kids." What you probably don't know is that there is more than one version of the song; in fact, there is a version of "Kids" on each of the bands four releases. However the only difference in the versions on Oracular Spectacular and the We (don't) Care EP is production quality.

The four versions are (I'll refer to them as 1, 2, 3, and 4):
1. Kids (Oracular Spectacular)
2. Kids (We (don't) Care EP)
3. Kids (Time to Pretend EP)
4. Kids (Afterschool Dance Megamix) (Climbing to new Lows)

There are many interesting points we can bring up about this song. The first is the title: "Kids." I find this song to be a lot like kids actually. You never really know what kids are gonna do next, but they're always popping up in different ways. Not to imply that the songs are nearly spastic as children tend to be at times, but the four versions certainly do make an interesting set. Versions one and two are almost exactly the same aside from the production. Version three is also quite similar to the first two, save one section of the song, and version four is almost completely different. The first two would be like the kids wearing very similar outfits, the third would be the kid wearing something close, but the logo on the shirt is quite noticeably different. The fourth would be the one that decided to dress up as a fire-fighter for no reason.

All-in-all each version of this song has something different to offer, but why three different versions? Can we expect to see "Kids" on the next release? I can't really answer those questions with a concrete answer. However I can say that a track record of four out of four would lead me to think it's certainly possible. As far as why, there could be a multitude of reasons. Maybe they just like the song. Who knows.

So what do think? Let us know what you think of these different versions and if you think there'll be more to come.

Out of Print: MGMT (The Management) - "Climbing to New Lows" and "We (Don't) Care EP"

When people first hear of up-and-coming psychedelic rock band MGMT and decide to go buy an album by them, most of them go out to the store and pick up a copy of Oracular Spectacular, the band's "debut" album. While this album is the band's first major release and first release on Columbia records, their current label, it is not the band's first album and is far from their first release.

MGMT has actually been around for a few years now and Oracular Spectacular is their fourth release. The band's name comes from their old name The Management, under which they released their first EP and album in 2004 and 2005. Their discography also includes the Time To Pretend EP which was their first release as MGMT.

MGMT has come on to the scene and made a strong entrance with a psychedelic style that has an interesting take on the combination of electronic sounds, and the sounds of traditional instruments. Overall, their style is fairly innovative and not one that is normally heard on the mainstream level, which they are quickly breaking into. This is all fine and dandy, but what about their old material? Can we expect the same echoic and psychedelic sounds that we hear on Oracular Spectacular from the old stuff?

Put simply the answer is no.

When I first heard MGMT at this year's Bonnaroo I immediately went bought bought Oracular Spectacular and looked them up online. My search led me to some information that I think is crucial to understanding the transition from the old sound the their current one. MGMT did extensive touring with Of Montreal in support of the Time To Pretend EP. Based on their current sound this kind of makes sense, but when you consider their old sound it's like a hand fitting in a glove.

MGMT's original material under The Management sounds a lot like new Of Montreal actually. If you want a more concrete description, strip off all the live instrument's and a lot of the vocal harmonies. What you're left with is a lot of keyboard samples and some odd lyrics that create some incredible songs. The material I'm referring to can be found on the band's first release: the We (don't) Care EP and the band's first album: Climbing To New Lows.

While I have implied that the MGMT's current material is a drastic departure from their earlier stuff, this is not uniformly true. A precious few of the songs off of their old releases such as "We Care," "Love Always Remains," and even the version of "Kids" that is found on the We (don't) Care EP sound like they could be on Oracular Spectacular, in fact this version ok "Kids" is on Oracular Spectacular. Most of the songs are either drastically different, like "We Don't Care" and "Everything's Happenin' So Fast," or are transitional between the old and new styles, like "The Kids Quartet." Hints of this older sound can be heard on the Time To Pretend EP in songs like "Destrokk."

This older material is a window into the evolution of this increasingly popular band. A complete review of the their catalog really gives you a feel of where this new sound came from and how it began.

Take a listen and see what you think:
Climbing To New Lows
We (don't) Care EP

Album Review: Vessels- White Fields and Open Devices

If you've never heard of this five-piece British math rock band, you're in for an experience with this album. Minus the Bear or Maps and Atlases would be a good reference point if you were trying to decipher their sound, which is very ambient with riveting transitions between soft (and at points almost silent) extended pitches and smashing chord progressions that at points blow the listener away. None of this would be complete without the intricacy of the music that will only leave you in awe of the musical talent of Vessels.

The band recorded and released their debut album entitled White Fields and Open Devices. The album is definitely a strong first release. The opening track, "Altered Beast" was a good choice for first song on the album. Opening with what can only be described as a tidal wave (of sound) building up momentum and taking shape for a collision course with the shore. Mid-song the wave crashes down as chaotic chord progressions take over the canals of your ears.

The progression of the album is solid; listening to the whole thing beginning to end just feels natural, if that's what you're in the mood for. I don't mean that in a bad way though; listening to this album is like taking a journey of sorts and is best enjoyed when you can just let the music take you in.

All-in-all I'd say a journey through White Fields and Open Devices is one well worth taking with highly qualified tour guide Vessels. This is a terrific first release and an excellent start to the bands catalog. This critic anxiously awaits Vessel's next release and highly recommends that you all keep an eye on this up and comer to the scene.

For more info on the band:
http://www.myspace.com/vesselsband

Just a taste:
A Hundred Times In Every Direction
Yuki