Review Rundown: Kill Hannah, Calvin Harris, Blessthefall, the Summer Set, Banco de Gaia
This Review Rundown will features looks at the latest
releases from Kill Hannah, Calvin Harris, Blessthefall, the Summer Set and
Banco De Gaia as well as briefs takes on new releases from Death on Two Wheels
and Kristeenyoung.
Kill Hannah – Wake Up
the Sleepers (Original Signal Records): Even if Wake Up the Sleepers isn’t as strong as the bands previous works,
it is a step deeper down the rabbit hole as they continue to embrace this whole
nu-romanticism thing they have going for them. There aren’t many in the
industry that can do the things that frontman Mat Devine can do. His vocal
emotionality and ability to be heartbreaking in one breath and effervescent in
the next is almost unparalleled in today’s scene. Wake Up the Sleepers will soothe even the most spurned, and will
awaken the most daring dance floors. So yeah, it definitely works on a number
of levels. Wake Up the Sleepers is a
record that is altogether endearing and heartfelt (“Living in Misery,” “Promise
Me”), full of track that can subtly pulsate (“Why I Have My Grandmas Sad Eyes”)
and bounce with a full menu of glitz and glam (“New York City Speed,” “Strobe
Lights,” “Tokyo (Dance in the Dust)”). The guitars on “Strobe Lights” are the
best the band has ever committed to wax, just another example that this band is
ready to ascend to the next level. (www.killlhannah.com)
Grade: A
Go Download: “Why I Have My Grandmas Sad Eyes”
Who Gives a Tweet? (Your review in 140 characters or less) –
Kristeenyoung – Music for Strippers,
Hookers and the Odd On-Looker: Awful title. Sounds a bit like a chaotic modern Sioux and the Banshees. Fall
Out Boy’s Patrick Stump guests on “That’s What It Takes Dear.” (www.kristeenyoung.com)
Grade: C
Go Download: “That’s
What It Takes, Dear”
Calvin Harris – Ready for the Weekend (Fly
Eye/Columbia/Sony): Calvin Harris is one of the most progressive DJ’s in the
world today, one not afraid to try new things and new sounds – a trait he
flaunts on his latest record, Ready for
the Weekend. He seems to always have one ear to the ground, always thinking
in the forward direction. Calvin Harris is a trend setter, plain and simple. He
leaves virtually no stone unturned in his quest for sonic diversity, or maybe
sonic individuality serves as a more apt description. Normally you don’t know
what you are going to get with a Calvin Harris record, which is an underlying
facet of his charm, but with Ready for
the Weekend, you do – what you are getting is a great dance record that is
a snowflake – there isn’t another like it. Harris explores sounds from the
70’s, 80’s and 90’s, combining elements of disco, funk, pop, electronica and
drum/bass, just to name a few. (www.myspace.com/calvinharristv)
Grade: B
Go Download: “Ready
for the Weekend”
Who Gives a Tweet? (Your review in 140 characters or less) –
Death on Two Wheels – Separation of
Church and Fate (The Ghost Umbrella): Classic rocks not dead. Go ask Death on Two Wheels. Their debut, Separation of Church and Fate is full of
classic grooves & worthy vocals. (www.deathontwowheels.com)
Grade: C
Go Download: “Sweet
Love”
Blessthefall – Witness
(Fearless Records): Blessthefall have always been a band that has had the
potential to be huge. Dating back to the days when vocalist journeyman Tyler
‘Telle’ Smith fronted, these guys have sounded like budding stars. Well, with
their latest, Witness, these boys
have fully lived up to, if not far surpassed, their potential. Never before has
Blessthefall sounded so massive or so layered. Witness is easily the most impressive bunch of melodic metalcore
the band has put their name behind. It impresses immediately upon the initial
thunderclaps of the opening track “2.0,” and continues to hammer home the fact
that these guys have only gotten better with track after track of blazing
guitar windmills and dexterous vocals, delivering along the way as they balance
stunning punishment like title track “Witness” that surprisingly calls to mind
As I Lay Dying with outings that air on the melodic side of things (“Hey Baby,
Here’s That Song You Wanted”). With how good His Last Walk was, and with Witness
only stronger yet, it’s hard to fathom just how good this bands next record
will be. (www.myspace.com/blessthefall)
Grade: A
Go Download: “2.0”
The Summer Set – Love
Like This (Razor & Tie): This record is surprisingly not shallow, all
be it’s not the most profound record you’ll ever hear, but it isn’t immediately
dismissible and instantly vapid like most of this bands ilk and their scene
brethren. The Summer Set has dropped some of the year’s best powerpop with this
disc, and it would be a damn shame if it went overlooked. Love Like This is a record that is almost impossible to ignore,
thanks to a combination of some of the better pure hooks in the game today and
the records ability to be brazenly boastful. You don’t have to invest much into
this record – you can just pop it in and go, which is just part of its appeal.
Sure, the scene theatrics are there (synth, electronics, etc.) but since they
aren’t used in abundance, they actually succeed in adding to the overall
product. This record can balance reflective and powerful tracks like “Can You
Find Me?” and “Where Are You Now” (featuring Meg & Dia’s Dia Frampton) with
sunny, jocular scene entries like tracks “Girls Freak Me Out” and “This is How
We Live,” with seamless transitions, just another trait proving the strength of
this disc. (www.myspace.com/thesummerset)
Grade: A
Go Download: “Can You Find Me?”
Banco de Gaia – Memories
Dreams Reflections: The trippy and synth laden 23-minute cover of Pink
Floyd’s “Echoes” should tell you all you need to know about Banco De Gaia’s
massively extroverted two disc affair, Memories
Dreams Reflections. Incredibly thorough covers of Hawkwind’s “Spirit of the
Age” and King Crimson’s “Starless” flank De Gaia’s take on the Floyd classic,
but the madness doesn’t end there. Disc two picks up where one left off,
trotting out one mind altering session after another, tracks full of ambient
noises and atmospheric touches with grooves all their own. There is no song
that doesn’t break the five minute barrier as most average around seven. De
Gaia definitely has succeeded in creating an alternate universe on this record,
even if you don’t really know where you are or what track you’re on at any
given point. By the time the second disc rolls around, everything is pretty
much a blur. (www.banco.co.uk)
Grade: C
Go Download: “Soufie (Now That’s What I Call 2009)”
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