Mrandmrsmays: Mrandmrsmays Review

Mrandmrsmays are a married couple born in Englad and now residing in Austin, TX. The Brit in them tends to stick out substantially more than the Texan when it comes to their music. Although, they do say everything is bigger in Texas, and their music packs a pretty massive punch. On their self titled debut, Mrandmrsmays create this unique brand of art pop/rock and infuse an array of other genres ranging from techno to garage. What comes from all this, is a raw sound which is on far more often than not.

The album opens up with the brash rocker "Milestone", a song that is completely unpredictable and energetic. The energy throughout never lets down, even when the tempo drops the band is still haunting and powerful. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mays share vocal time and the combination works really well, especially when singing together, like on the unbelievably catchy "Remedy". As well as "Remedy", "Lifeline" is another track which has a killer melody and loads of drama backed by a fantastic hook.

There are however moments when the music just seems to meddle about with no real direction, but when the music is off, it’s just missing the boat. Sometimes it can be a little rough around the edges but Mrandmrsmays were able to put together an uncensored album which knows no boundaries, and in the end, that reckless abandoned made for an enjoyable experience.

Grade: B-

Heavy Water Experiments: Heavy Water Experiments Review

The Heavy Water Experiments self titled album, is pure stoner rock. You can almost watch the dark and distorted music floating through the haze of a desolate and scorching desert. The problem however, is that the music is overly catering to stoner rock, to the point where they make the pioneers of the genre, like Kyuss, look like they were doing it wrong.

Where bands like Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age have some kick to their music, the Heavy Water Experiments sound like they were pushing for dull music. Many of the songs sound like they’re bound in a tight circle, just constantly rotating, but never breaking outside to explore new territory. The dark and ominous distortion and fuzz of the instruments and vocals becomes monotonous due to the flatness of the songs, rarely reaching out for heavier sounds or more emotion. Vocalist Melbye slowly pronunciates each syllable of every word making it overly relaxed and borring. Most of the album lacks much of a melody, but there are a select few songs which heave enough of a melody to be memorable, like the track, "Anodyne".

I was hoping after repeated listens to find something more to this album, but it is rather mundane, never breaking out of the spacey and haunting mellowness which drones from start to end. I really wanted to like this album, but it is plagued by monotony. If this album could have gotten a little kick in the ass then maybe I would be listening to the music I was expecting.

Grade: C-

The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour Memories DVD

Here is another Beatles related DVD slated for release on September 2, 2008. The Magical Mystery Tour album just might be my favorite Beatles album, and the movie is quite good as well. Unfortunately the movie received a poor reception for a number of reasons, the main reason being because when it debuted on television it was played in black and white and this is a movie that demands color because of all the psychedelia.

The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour Memories is an upbeat rockumentary featuring the vivid memories of those who witnessed the making of the cult Beatle movie, The Magical Mystery Tour, in 1967 and features a celebrity cast along with anecdotal stories and unseen 8mm home movie footage, as well as eye-witness accounts from fans, on-lookers and the cast of the movie. Featuring Dame Peggy Spencer (choreographer), Neil Innis (Bonzo Dog Do Da Band), Tony Barrow (Beatles press officer and close friend of Sir Paul McCartney), Keith McCartney (Paul McCartney's brother), Frieda Kelly (principle secretary to the Beatles Fan Club), Spencer Davis (Spencer Davis Group), Tony Bramwell (Beatles road manager), and Victor Spinetti (actor and close friend of John Lennon) sharing their memories with Victor supplying a fascinating commentary to the film. "This is a happy, upbeat film" comments David Lambert, producer and director of Arthouse Pictures, who produced the movie. "Probably the last time the fab four were all still getting along." Keith Badman (author and Beatles expert) said "I have seen the rough cut screener and can't wait to see the finished program. It is fantastic." This film is a must have for all Beatles fans worldwide and an opportunity to look back fondly at the heady days of the swinging 60s.

Bonus Materials:
Beatles related stories from Mike McCartney, Frieda Kelly, Spencer Davis, Victor Spinetti, Tony Bramwell and Miranda Ward.

Release Date: September 2, 2008

Desperately Seeking Paul McCartney

Remember that movie, "My Date With Drew"? A documentary which follows a mans journey to obtain just one date with Drew Barrymore. Well this movie, "Desperately Seeking Paul McCartney", has the same premise:

August, 1965. Ruth Anson, a teenage-reporter for ABC-TV news, is covering the 'teen-beat.' One of her first interviews: the Beatles, where she asks a young Paul McCartney if he has any plans for marriage. His response, "Only if you'll marry me." Forty years later, Ruth, in search of "closure," obsessively attempts to reconnect with McCartney. "Help" is provided by an opportunist film director who sees Ruth's personal quest as a golden opportunity to reach his professional heights. He assigns a camera-crew to follow Ruth as she, in turn, follows McCartney. But it's not long before the director realizes this 'serious documentary' could just turn into a money-pit with limited marketability. And then he has a brainstorm: in the spirit of reality-TV, he manipulates his production to become more entertaining ... and far more embarrassing for the unsuspecting Ruth.



The movie is set to be released on September 2, 2008. Hopefully I will have a review in the near future.

Why Am I Posting Speculation About Chinese Democracy?

In all honesty I didn't want to post this because of how useless of news this is, all the speculation is useless, this album doesn't even deserve to see the light of day. I do believe it will be released one day though, and that day will come after Axl dies. At that point, people say one of two things, "We waited fifty years for this?" or "My God! This album is amazing, Axl was a genius" And the only reason people would say the latter is because of the fact that Axl died. I'm posting this because I want to see if anyone has anything to say about Chinese Democracy, the album, not the political system.

During the E3 video game convention, a member of the Guns N' Roses fan site NewGNR.com questioned a representative from Harmonix Games, the company releasing Rock Band 2, about the new track from Chinese Democracy that is going to be released with the game.

The rep. said that the track, titled "Sheckler's Revenge" sounds nothing like what you would expect from Guns N' Roses. He claimed that the song is in an industrial rock style similar to Nine Inch Nails, and that Buckethead was the guitarist recording the song. He also said that the track would be available right when the game is opened, and wouldn't have to be downloaded separately.

Then, after the Harmonix employee believed the camera to be turned off, he started discussing the possible release of the Chinese Democracy albums. He said that although nothing was confirmed, there may be four albums simultaneously released this September to coincide with the MTV Video Music Awards and the release of Rock Band 2.

In the past it has been rumored that there would be multiple albums, most notably by Sebastian Bach, the close friend of Axl Rose, who claimed that Chinese Democracy was the first of a trilogy of albums. Chinese Democracy has been in the works for upwards of fifteen years, and with the speculation of a release imminent, there’s just one thing to say. I want my Dr. Pepper.

The Harmonix interview can be seen here.

Absentstar: Sea Trials Review

There are some albums out there which are so difficult to review. Absentstar’s Sea Trials fits the category. It sounds extremely generic-- just like something you would hear from any of the big pop rock acts of today. This puts me in a tough position, I love to jump on bands who don’t sound original, yet this album sounds way too good to slam.

It is one of those feel good albums that has you singing along from the minute you hear it, despite never actually listening to the songs before. Everything sounds familiar, and the choruses are immediately ingrained into the listeners head. There are no elaborate song structures here, it’s straight up, fit the mold rock, that is predictable on practically every level. Somehow, through all the predictability and unoriginality I find myself taken back by this album. Some of the songs have a slight edge, but not edgy to the point where they cannot be played on mainstream stations. Some songs like "Give In to Me" are even a little bit spacey, sounding they could have been pulled from 30 Seconds to Mars’ debut album (before they went emo.) In the end, I feel like the most fitting comparison for Absentstar would be a modern day Bon Jovi, and that comparison is mostly due in part to the very impressive vocal talents of Derek Ingersoll.

Absentstar’s Sea Trials is hardly breaking any new territory, but effectively sets out on what it is supposed to do-- which is to execute on all things which make pop rock successful, from the catchy choruses to the smooth interplay of guitar, bass, drums and vocals. Will Absentstar be the next big thing? Well there is certainly nothing holding them back from being bigger than pop rock bands like Coldplay and Nickleback, besides a God awful album cover.

Grade: B

Do Music Videos Serve a Purpose?

A long while back I had a post titled If Video Killed the Radio Star than What Killed the Video Star? Well today I was thinking about music videos once again. Some videos are classic, meshing with the music so well. Then there are others which have you shaking your head saying, "What the does this have to do with the music?" Better yet, does video have any place in music?

Growing up I remember some of my favorite music videos, The Smashing Pumpkins "Tonight, Tonight", Weezer’s "Buddy Holly" and Korn’s "Freak on a Leash" to name a few. They all had their little quirks which made them special, but they weren’t necessarily my favorite because they accented the music well. They grabbed my attention because they were well done visually. I also recall each year around September, getting psyched for the MTV Video Music Awards where the best music videos of the year would be rewarded. I even appreciated the early days of TRL with that chump Carson Daily. Boy, those were the days.

Now, with Music Television dead, I don’t think I’ve ever really seen a music video in its entirety for quite some time, and damn, I love music a lot more now than I did in the 90s. There is just no need to watch them anymore. Music doesn’t need visuals to correspond with it. It’s lackluster bands like Kiss for example who need to stimulate the eyes because of their inability to stimulate the ears. Thinking back on it, there were actually bands who sold records because of their fancy videos. It’s almost funny to think that a person would buy audio to be reminded of a video.

Music videos were great when I was younger, when visuals took precedence over audio, but it’s just not what music is about. I’m not going to argue against their presence, because they certainly aren’t hurting anyone, but the world is just as well off without videos than with them. Maybe there was a reason Music Television died. Music videos were tapping in to the most dominant medium (television), and television is being taken over by a medium which has become practically just as dominant and certainly more efficient, the internet. Through the Internet we have flushed out the unimportant elements relating to music and honed in on what is important, the music itself. We once again are listening, not watching.

Interview With The Rosewood Thieves

Over the past month you may have noticed that I reviewed three Rosewood Thieves albums, all of which were phenomenal. I was lucky enough to get in contact with these guys and asked them a few questions about their music, career, and inspiration.

Which bands/artists would you cite as your strongest influences?

RT: We love T-Rex, and all the 60s stax stuff, anything that has soul...

On Lonesome I seem to hear a strong influence from Dylan, specifically the album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, what Dylan albums if any are amongst your favorites?

RT: Nashville Skyline is my favorite, I can go back to that one at any given time and it always makes me smile.

From the Decker House had a more upbeat sound while Lonesome was slower and a bit more folky, what led to the different sounds?

RT: I think it was the atmosphere we were in. We were snowed in, so everyone was relaxing around the fireplace singing songs. when we went to record that seemed to carry through to the recordings.

Your music has a strong resemblance to that of the 60s, would you say that this is just natural based on your influences or are you trying to replicate that period in time?

RT: We listen to so much stuff from the 60s and 70s, that it finds its way into our sound. Everything comes full circle, maybe we are on the next cycle.

Since your music has such a strong correlation with music of the 60s, what do you think of music today? Also, what modern bands have you been listening to the most?

RT: Lots of bands, we love Lemon Sun and the Growlers from LA and David Vandervelde too.

Have you noticed an increase in the number of fans since "Heavy Eyes" was featured on Grey's Anatomy?

RT: I'm not sure, I'd like to hope some people found our music through that. We just want as many people as possible to get a chance to hear what we are doing.

Lastly, if you were stranded on an island, what five albums would you bring?

RT: Nashville Skyline

Rubber Soul

Electric Warrior

After the Goldrush

Solomon Burke's Greatest Hits.....It’s a double disc but give me a break

Gavin Rossdale: Wanderlust Review

Gavin Rossdale, married to the beautiful Gwen Steffani, and former lead singer of the 90s grunge band Bush. Believe it or not, until I reached High School, Bush actually stood as my favorite band (right now they would be lucky to rank among my top 30.) Many nailed Bush for being a Nirvana knock off, which I suppose is a fair critique, one that I personally disagree with, but understandable. Gavin Rossdale’s first solo album WANDERlust is more deserving of negative critiques for being too safe and generic than Bush ever was.

From start to end this album never gets going, it’s dull and uninspiring and far too safe of an album to actually enjoy. Admittedly, the first half of the album is listenable with some hooks here and there and a modestly upbeat sound, but the second half is a complete bore. The music is just sappy and never relays any ounce of emotion. It’s an album that is so stagnant and unemotional that you will actually feel emotionally drained after listening to it. Even the lyrics are completely bland, who wants to hear about family life? Hell, if I’m going to hear about family life from a celebrity I’ll go look towards the elder Bill Cosby, the “American Dad” before I listen to Gavin Rossdale. Cosby is more relatable being born before World War II than Gavin Rossdale is having played with the bands of my youth.

It was painful getting through this album in its entirety once, and the second time around was like entering a battle I knew I was going to lose. Come on Gavin! You’re married to one of the most beautiful women in the world, and you were the lead singer of a grunge band (grunge bands are heavy, right?) If getting married means that your life will be as dull as his music, then there is a good chance I might die single.

Grade: D

Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten DVD Review

If The Clash was the only band that mattered, was Joe Strummer the only frontman who mattered? Probably not, but there is no doubt that Strummer had one of the biggest impacts on rock history.

The Future is Unwritten has an interesting twist compared to most documentaries about deceased people. What makes this documentary different is that it is narrated by Strummer himself through old interviews which detailed his life. The narration works well and the clips presented along with the narration fit seamlessly. There is plenty of interesting footage shown in this film, like live sessions with bands he was a part of prior to the Clash and footage outside of performing.

Another odd characteristic about this film which also pays off well is the odd cast of people who were chosen for interviews. People who had no personal connection with Strummer chime in around a bonfire to give their opinion on his music, and how it touched their lives. People such as John Cusak, Johnny Depp, Bono, and Matt Dillon tell why Strummer was so influential on not only themselves but the world.

Strummer’s life wasn’t necessarily that intriguing, which won’t make this a must watch for people who have no interest in the Clash or Strummer, but the documentary was so well put together that it is able to hold strong even due to the lack of excitement.

I do however have one gripe about this documentary. I found that the mixing of the audio was poorly done. The narration and interviews were far too low in comparison to the volume of the music. I would be cranking up the volume late at night to hear what Strummer was saying and then a few seconds later "Rock the Casbah" was erupting in my house waking up the entire neighborhood. I tried turning off the subwoofer, and putting my stereo in modes which are more adequate for night time watching but nothing really worked. I only watched in 5.1 which may have been the problem, but I really wish that the audio could have been mixed better.

All in all, this is a good DVD, with a ton of extras in interviews and a great collection of footage and narration from Strummer himself.

Grade: B

Lost Hendrix Album Discovered

World Entertainment News Network reports that a lost album Jimi Hendrix recorded with rocker Stephen Stills has been discovered more than 30 years after it was recorded. Stills recently found the recording among a stack of material he taped during the 1970s, and his Crosby, Stills And Nash bandmate Graham Nash is helping him prepare it for release.

Nash tells the Las Vegas Sun, "He has an enormous history of recording. In the '70s, he was a recording fool. He just found a bloody album he made with (Jimi) Hendrix.

"'Oh yeah, I forgot that.' We've got to listen to that... I want to listen to every track he ever recorded in case he recorded with Al Jolson."

Hendrix's solo work in progress at the time of his death has previously been issued as the album First Rays Of The New Rising Sun, but the news of extensive recordings with Stills is a revelation.

Stills' 1970 self-titled debut album did feature Hendrix on one track, Old Times Good Times, but now it seems that there is an album's worth of material. Stills' album also featured Eric Clapton, but it's not known whether there is attack featuring all three guitarists – Clapton has never claimed he recorded with Hendrix, even though the two were friends.

Well this is certainly exciting news. We can only hope that this actually gets released and doesn't hit any major obstacles. While Stills doesn't seem like the most likely of recording partners with Hendrix it should certainly turn out to be interesting. What could this possibly sound like? Will Hendrix be wailing psychadelic solos with Stills backing him on bass, or maybe a more bluesy sound like "Red House." Maybe even folk like CSNY! I doubt it, but the thought of it is tearing me up inside.

When doing a little research on the most trustworthy site on the Internet, Wikipedia, I found that Stills was actually invited to join the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The invite was never accepted however due to Stills' manager not passing along the news to Stephen. Maybe it was a good thing, Stills went on to have a succesful career and it was a great oppurtunity for Noel Redding.

John Mellencamp: Life, Death, Love & Freedom Review

Don't expect a little ditty about Jack and Diane on Life, Death, Love & Freedom. Mellencamp throws away the catchy hooks which made him famous and opted for a dark and depressing bluesy folk album which laments the end of the road. Yet, when listening to Life Death, Love & Freedom, I can't help but think about the lyrics to "Jack and Diane". Mellencamp had seemed to realize how dismal life would become with older age.

Hold on to sixteen as long as you can
Changes comin' round real soon
Make us women and men

Maybe he doesn't note how bad life would become but he obviously sees that changes are coming. Hopefully, Mellencamp enjoyed his younger years, because his current outlook on life is bitter and grim. Old age isn't all that bad though, for one it brings a raspy voice perfect for howling the blues. Secondly, it brings the maturity and wisdom to look at life the way it truly is. Mellencamp luckily takes advantage of both. Aside from all the loathing of personal anguish, Mellencamp also tosses in some social messages, the best example of this is the song "Jena", about the Jena six incident. The song is very powerful as is the entire album.

Mellencamp delivers sincerity and despair on Life, Death, Love & Freedom. In all honesty, this may be the strongest album of his career. It is stripped down music without any drive to be radio friendly and it works. The songs are folky yet melodic and Mellencamp's emotions are so powerful and clear.

Grade: A-

Lost Beatles Interview to Air After 44 Years

LONDON, England (AP) -- The British Broadcasting Corp. will air a long-lost Beatles interview featuring John Lennon and Paul McCartney talking about the day they met and their songwriting partnership.

The precious film sat forgotten for 44 years in a garage in south London until film fan Richard Jeffs realized a piece of pop history was contained inside.

Experts were surprised to find the audio portion still usable for radio broadcast.

The nine-minute interview was recorded at the Scottish Television studios in April 1964 during the early days of Beatlemania. The interview with the two Beatles will be broadcast for the first time on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday and repeated later this week.

On the tape, Lennon tells how he was playing with a skiffle band outside Liverpool when McCartney introduced himself.

Article taken from CNN.com