Sneak Peak

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Sleazy rock from Wales' finest

This might've come out something like 7 years ago but it still hits a chord. Superbly written, climatic rock n roll by Stereophonics. The song is called 'Devil' and has all the elements that made Nirvana so big. Softer verses with simple melodies building up to a big chorus that surely goes down a treat in festivals!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

New Gojira Album!

Stream the new Gojira album right HERE!

We've posted about them before... they are awesome... they are one of the best metal bands in the World right now... do it, do it now!

Noah has some chops!

Acoustic covers can be hit or miss and this is HIT! Big time. It's doing the rounds on the social networks and keeping us all entertained.

This dude obviously has skills and needs to get a bigger following, we need more of his skills!

Give me some FUNK!

A few years back I thought I was really cool cos I learnt this song on guitar... never got to play it live or even jam it with a band but loved playing along to the track anyways. I'm currently at work... struggling with insomnia, consuming an insane amount of caffeine and bouncing about to Rage Against the Machine... things could be worse.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

The Rooster got Snuffed!

As far as acoustic covers of Alice in Chains songs go there aren't too many on the net that I've liked. It's a toughie really because you're looking at an iconic voice and there's there harmonies etc. But this dude, does both 'Rooster' and 'I Stay Away' very well! So impressed infact that I checked out the rest of his vid's and there are some Cornell tributes in there too.

Blast from the Past!

Scrambling round youtube looking for something stimulating and up pops Jane's Addiction! Just before I hit play on 'Just Because' I see this live clip of the 'Mountain Song' and taking all into consideration I figure, that's the way to go!

Awesome performance from the days when Flea was playing with them and Perry Farrell has his usual 'alternative' look about him.

The Mars Volta - The Widow

The Mars Volta are still considered one of the pioneers of experimental music among music critics around the World. It is easy to see why once you start checking out tracks from any of their albums. In all honesty, I can only take them in small doses but I do understand their appeal to those of you that are into your jazz, weird drum patterns and crazy ass lyrics!

One song that does it for me though... is this one!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Portsmouth Rockers Should be Rocking out More!

Portsmouth's premiere rock band (in my eyes) is the Sabbath/Clutch/Down influenced 'Belligerence'. Simply put these guys rock out with their c**ks out. Punch in the face riffs, aggressive vocals, great back line. Love it.

Filmed on top of the council offices in their hometown I hope the neighbours complained... a lot.

Sons Rival the very best at Download Festival

A good friend of mine in the UK went to the legendary Download Festival recently and when I asked him how it went he simply said 'Rival Sons'. He loved them. Now, I've heard the band before, happen to have a cd somewhere but not given them the time of day they clearly deserve.

Here's the stand out track from their last album. Enjoy!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Call me a sucker...

...for a good soundtrack but if there is one tv series that really got it right it's 'True Blood' with Jace Everett's 'Bad Things'. This song stays stuck in my head for days on end after every episode and lyrically the references are obvious, musically the lead guitar has this eerie playfulness to it that lends itself to the shenanigans of both Bill and Eric. Masterful.

Linkin Park are Firestarters

Back in 2000 I got my copy of 'Hybrid Theory' based on a KERRANG review and the album was an instant hit with me. Fair enough, it's full of pop-rock anthems and I guess any teenager would've felt the same especially as the band hadn't blown up and become so main stream.

Now I find myself intrigued by every Linkin Park release almost hoping that they will stumble upon a new way of hitting the right spot. Alas, I don't remember the last song they released that I've added to my playlist.

2012, a new album (Living Things) and I still haven't heard something special. Sure, they can blast out these anthems but musically and structurally the pattern seems too similar to previous efforts. I for one, am not impressed. Still, here's their latest video.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Now it all seems Clear...

I hear the name Creedence Clearwater Revival and I think 'classic band'. But ask me to name a song and I draw blanks. So distressed have I been about this in the past and yet I've never bothered to see if I really do know about these guys. Today though, despite being a Monday, has been a good day and I was sent some links to the two songs below. I know these songs! I've known them for years! I won't forget who recorded them... ever!



What's this? Country style hip-hop cover from Thailand?

Being a sucker for random cover versions and a bit of country every so often I was surprised when this came to my attention. Hugo, from Bangkok apparently has a huge following in Thailand and is slowly making waves in the States too.

Here is his version of the Jay-Z hit '99 Problems'.

Ahhh, the Dream

The dream? 'What Dream' you say? The dream to never have to work another day in my life, that's what!

Monday's and I have a love hate relationship. Today it's fueled by hate and I wish I was at the beach doing sweet FA. Still, there are things to do and people to see so I'm blasting some Monster Magnet for inspiration that perhaps one day the dream will come true. Let's just hope that it's not thanks to me having a pension but rather due to an early retirement!

Friday, June 8, 2012

New MUSE album could go the Dubstep way

MUSE is one of those bands that seems to catch the imagination of most thanks to their ability to produce anthemic songs that are both alternative and mainstream at the same time. Using a variety of different sounds and arrangements you could say they are one of the most innovative bands that you've heard of (cos let's face it... we don't know everything that's out there!).

Anyways... they have a new album due in September and below is the official trailer for this. If you love MUSE no matter what then watch away, if you hate dubstep... don't.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Breed 77 to Return to Gibraltar this Summer

Rumours are flying around that Breed 77 will return to Gibraltar this summer. The band dubbed 'The Gibraltan Mafia' have played on the Rock several times over the years and although they will be welcomed back with open arms it is yet to be confirmed if they would be playing a full electric or acoustic set.

Either way it doesn't really matter as we love having the guys back for what is always a great night of live music.

For those of you who don't know them they burst onto the scene in the late 90's when they supported Black Sabbath and have since gone on to play all over the World sharing the stage with bands such as Machine Head, Firewind, Mago De Oz, One Minute Silence, Danzig, Napalm Death and many many more!

Look out for them at the Download Festival this year!

Jump in at the Deep End this Weekend!

If you're down the Cadiz way make sure you get yourself to the Alrumbo Festival which features a whole load of top bands from the region.

Amongst these bands is the Puerto de Santa Maria based Deep End. A band that fuses funk, electronica and rock these guys have one of the most unique sounds out there and it's a surprise they aren't hitting it big time on a national level. One could argue that their sound is better suited to different countries and perhaps they'd have more chance of making a name for themselves if they ventured to one of the bigger cities. But hey, give them a listen and don't forget to hit them up on facebook (deependofficialband).

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Honestly... Band of Skulls...

Found out about this band months ago and slowly spammed friends with their songs and it's come full circle and now they spam me with random live versions. Well, here's one I got sent of Band of Skulls performing one of my favourite tracks 'Honest'.

Slash - "Apocalyptic Love" Review

The album opener is the title track 'Apocalyptic Love' and is straight into a typical bluesy rock riff and once Myles Kennedy's vocals come in its clear this one is a sing-a-long especially with chorus hitting before the first minute is up. Containing all the dynamics required to make a standard Slash hit this track is good, perhaps not a stand out one though. My main worry is that it has too many changes to make it memorable but that being said, the solo rocks and Kennedy hits some sweet notes.

'One Last Thrill' certainly starts off thrilling and could've been a Velvet Revolver track as you can't help but think Myles took a page out of the Scott Weiland book of melodies for the verse! Followed by 'Standing in the Sun' which has something very familiar about the opening riff, I can't put my finger on it, but I'm here thinking about late 90's sci-fi movies. The chorus is catchy and the guitar work is among the best in the entire album.

The first single off the album 'Youre a Lie' has all the elements of a stand out track. Super simple but effective riff to open then the harmonies join in, followed by low vocals. Slowly it builds up and once you get to the chorus its all guns blazing! See the post below for the music video! Track 5 is 'No More Heroes' and sounds like it should be on a Superhero soundtrack simply for the lyrical content. Potentially an anthem if promoted right, if not, we'll forget about this one very soon.

'Halo' is one of the heavier tracks and Myles' lyrics are somewhat more dark and personal. Personally love the chorus and musically it's got groove, depth and some excellent touches. I reckon this song is gonna slay live! 'We Will Roam' has a radio friendly feel about it. I wouldn't be surprised if this one hits the airwaves but it's certainly not one of the strongest tracks on the album. It lacks a certain edge despite the commercial appeal.

My favourite, 'Anastasia', is perhaps the most interesting of songs thanks to Slash's homage to classical music. A beautiful nylon string intro followed by guitar line that screams Bach! This song has some serious guitar chops and Myles seems more at home when singing along to riffs that have more meat. Perhaps not a single but I reckon it will the one that fans talk about in years to come.

Followed by another favourite and possibly the song that will command stadium tours, 'Not For Me' displays all the makings of an anthem. As the song develops it climaxes with huge choruses and guitar licks. One of the weaker songs for me is 'Bad Rain'. It has it's positives but is far too generic for my liking and I get the feeling it is more of a filler than a killer track.

'Hard And Fast' has Slash written all over it. Super rock n roll riff to kick it off, great groove and Myles' high vocals are the perfect compliment. Sure, not every track can have this vibe but this is what I hear in my head when I think of Slash. Having got this far I had forgotten that there was a ballad on this album but then 'Far And Away' starts and you feel like kicking back and chilling on a beach with some wine and pinchitos. Not much to say about this one other than it's a beautiful song. Lyrically simple but engaging and of course Slash gets his moment with a sweet guitar solo that has all his classic guitar touches.

'Shots Fired' hits me so hard that I think it could be the surprise track. Cool riffs and vocal melodies leave me impressed from the start. The chorus is instantly memorable and I've got no doubt it will be sung by the thousands if they play it live. One of the faster guitar solos is thrown in and then a last extended chorus to end what will be a fan favourite on the live circuit.

I got a couple of bonus tracks with this version of the album and 'Carolina' is good enough to be on the regular version. It's another classic Slash effort and once again Myles does everything right. I realy can't imagine this album being sung by anyone else. The last song is 'Crazy Life' and you can hear the live element of the recording process here with the band kicking off together. Some cow bell gets thrown in for good meassure as another stomping chorus full of harmonies and melody makes this song another potential fan sing-a-long.

All in all this album might not be another 'Appetite for Destruction' but let's look at the positives. Slash has found the right singer to work with for the next few years in Myles Kennedy. If he had got someone similar to Axl we would be comparing notes but although Myles has a high register he doesnt fall into the trap of trying to sound like Axl. Slash is still churning out super riffs and solos despite working his ass off for the best part of 30 years and I'm already looking forward to hearing more new material. This album isn't a classic but it's a lot better than most of the crap being released and it's already growing on me.

8/10

Friday, June 1, 2012

Got the Slash album? Full Review on its way!

Just got the new Slash album... first impressions are good! Already picked out a favourite track but hey I won't bore you with the details just yet.

Here's the first single off the album to keep you entertained whilst I work on my review!