“Massive” Foo Fighters Album Anticipated Soon

Click here or read below for my feature on Foo Fighters and their new album, to be released later this year. It was published on Pure Grain Audio.

Do they still have it in them to rock?

Foo Fighters have been a household name in the world of rock music for around sixteen years now and are hoping to release their seventh album this year. It would be fair to assert that their previous two efforts have been slightly disappointing for the hardcore fan as apart from a few decent singles, the music has become stale. Despite this, the Foos' have generally sold more albums with each new record, arguably because their music has become increasingly radio friendly.

However, there is now genuine excitement for the original Foo Fighters fans, who enjoyed the raw debut album and the ear bending The Colour & The Shape. Lead singer Dave Grohl has revealed that the new album, due out before the festival season, will sound 'massive'. The former Nirvana drummer has reunited with Butch Vig who produced Nirvana's classic Nevermind in the early nineties and Vig has stripped back the music to help it become heavier, using as little computer technology as possible.

Picture: NRK P3

The album, as of yet untitled, was recorded in Grohl's garage and will not contain any any acoustic orchestration or ballads, but just pure, hard, rock music.

Do the band still have what it takes though? Grohl has a strong love of pop music and the Washington hardcore punk scene that he grew up with, will now be a far and distant memory. Despite this, it seems that Grohl has somewhat rediscovered his roots. Foo Fighters recently took a two year hiatus which allowed Grohl to step back behind the drums for Them Crooked Vultures and it appears that during this time the 41-year-old enjoyed being part of a band who did not care for fancy effects or quiet, reflective songs.

There are fears that Foo Fighters have progressed too far from their raw beginnings and that they are unable to produce heavy songs with a melodic hook. A prime example of how it can go all wrong would be Feeder's latest album Renegades. The band ditched the acoustic guitars, cranked up the distortion pedal and found themselves looking a little silly with a lot of noise, but little quality.

However, faith must be placed in Grohl and company. They are intelligent musicians whose experience in this sector of the music industry is second to none.

Children Collide - Theory Of Everything [Album Review]

Click here or read below for my review of Theory Of Everything by Children Collide. It was published on www.puregrainaudio.com

I reviewed Children Collide's debut album The Long Now earlier this year and felt that with a few extra touches, they could become Australia's best band of today. I gave that album a 9/10 rating and when their follow up album Theory Of Everything was announced to arrive on Australian shelves on August 27th this year, I realised I had become a little sceptical that they could somehow step up another level. Incredibly, they have.

The album starts off in unspectacular fashion with "Future Monks", but when it gives way to lead single "Jellylegs" you can't help but be blown away. The melody and power that this song possesses is nothing but perfection. The ultimate pop-rock song.

There are a few odd moments on the album which add a bit of individuality, as seen on track three "Asleep On My Feet". An unsuspecting intro suddenly cuts into an angst ridden rock song, but although caught out by the sudden change in pace you can't help enjoying it.

"My Eagle" is a return back to pop sensibility and was selected well by the band for their second single. Inevitably, John Mackay's vocals in the song will cause comparisons to Aussie sensations Wolfmother, but I can assure you "My Eagle" is far more satisfying than anything off Wolfmother's latest effort Cosmic Egg (which really should have been entitled Cosmic Trash).

"Arrows" can draw comparisons to a typical Stereophonics effort, but again Children Collide spice things up with the epic "Loveless", proving that the band have more up their sleeve than just loud rock music.

There are twelve tracks on the album and thankfully Children Collide keep up their form right until the last seconds. The final three songs are arguably just as good as the first three, which is quite incredible. Many songs at the end of albums could be described as 'leftovers', but with "Inventions", "Into The Sky With Ivy" and the Sonic Youth-esq "Seven Forks" you could easily be excused for wanting to listen to the whole album again, straight away.

It will take something spectacular to displace Theory Of Everything as the best rock album of the year.

Rating: 9.5/10

Ceremony - "Someday" [Song Review]

Click here or read below for my review of "Someday" by Ceremony. I was published on www.puregrainaudio.com today.

Some of you may have forgotten about Ceremony after they released their debut long play Rocket Fire in April this year. So I'm here to remind you of their brilliance.

"Someday" hit the music waves on January 26th, but despite it's relative modernity you could find yourself taken back to the eighties. New Order's much over-looked debut album Movement is the work that comes to mind when listening to "Someday". Like most early New Order songs it is noisy with distorted and ridiculously reverberating guitar licks. Thankfully, like New Order's efforts it is not overpowering and the solid synthesizer-esq bass helps smooth over the cracks. The accompanying thin drumming and almost emotionless voice of Paul Baker gets as close as it can to Movement without totally ripping it off. Although it must be said that seeking Ceremony's originality isn't helped by the fact that New Order released a song called "Ceremony"...

Enough of the comparisons.  Ceremony have their own sound and are (just) unique enough. Any fans of shoegaze really should give Rocket Fire a good hard listen and if not, at the very least try "Someday". It has plenty of melody packed together and I doubt many would be left disappointed after three blissful minutes. There is also the added bonus of actually being able to hear what Baker is singing, a rarity for a shoegaze band. Most singers appear to sing at their microphones through a brick wall.

Sure, there has been more than enough soft but noisy bands recently, but Ceremony are definitely one of the best.

Run Time: 3:25

Rating: 8/10

Soundpool - Mirrors In Your Eyes [Album Review]

Click here or read below for my review of Soundpool's new album entitled 'Mirrors In Your Eyes'. It was published on PureGrainAudio.com

 

  Soundpool - Mirrors In Your Eyes

Soundpool's record label, Killer Pimp, start off their biography of the band with a sentence containing the words "explosive third album." They have it wrong, completely wrong. Mirrors In Your Eyes is not 'explosive,' but wish-washy and dreamy. Although it did not come as a surprise to see them signed to the same label as A Place To Bury Strangers, to be fair to the latter, they actually provide moments of magic that keep you interested.

Although the above paragraphs may come across in a negative fashion, Soundpool are actually a decent band. The music is soft and melodic thanks to some lovely smooth bass-lines, slithering synthesizers, harmonic vocals and relaxed drums. You would be hard pushed to find a 'weak' song or indeed a terrible one.

While taking each song as one single entity is fine, a problem arises when you stick them all together. It would be too simplistic to say all the songs are the same, but unfortunately that is the term that Mirrors In Your Eyes will be labelled with. You hear the first track and greet it with open arms, but three tracks down the line you have forgotten that there is any music
playing at all.

It is the perfect record to fall asleep to as it glitters and glistens over your ears, but it really fails to keep the listener's attention. All the album needed was one or two tracks to take a different direction or just a change of pace. Unfortunately Soundpool have failed to do so and therefore produced a boring album.

Rating: 5 / 10

Track Listing:

01. Mirrors In Your Eyes
02. But It's so
03. Kite Of Love
04. Makes No Sense
05. Sparkle In The Dark
06. I'm So Tired
07. That Sunny Day
08. Shelter
09. Listen

Run Time: 45:56
Release Date: 04.27.2010

Blanc Faces - Falling From The Moon

Click here or read below for my review of Blanc Faces' album entitled Falling From The Moon. It was published on www.puregrainaudio.com.

Sometimes you have to wonder why music critics continue to provide positive reviews of albums that contain sounds that we've all heard before. While Falling From The Moon is packed to the rafters with rhyming sentimental lyrics and Robbie LaBlanc may possess an easy-to-listen-to voice, it is nothing short of dull. The LaBlanc brothers clearly possess talent and it is a shame that they waste a considerable portion of it by repeating the same songs that the world listened to in the 80s.

Frustratingly, there is actually little wrong with the album technically. It fits together well, but once you have heard one song there is no point in listening on because the next track after it will contain the same love-centric lyrics, the same slow paced rhythm guitars and will be topped with a cheesy solo. It is not sinful to produce music that has it's roots in a different decade, but there is no need to be so utterly bland by copying Bon Jovi et al.

If most rock music lovers enjoy listening to this album I'll be shocked. Sure, there will be people who enjoyed the 80s music scene and will feel sentimental hearing Falling From The Moon, but unfortunately, Blanc Faces are producing very little for the modern music fan.

Falling From The Moon lacks personality and depth. People can relate to emotional music, but when it continues in the same manner for another 45 minutes they will often lose interest. Unless you want to learn about how 'It's All About The Love' and that it's 'Deep In The Heart' backed with some middle-of-the-road music, then stay well away. 

Rating: 3/10


Track Listing:

01. I Come Alive
02. Falling From The Moon
03. I Swear To You
04. Everything
05. It's All About The Love
06. Goodbye Summer Goodbye
07. Deep In The Heart
08. Don't Take It Away
09. Like A Believer
10. Light Of The World
11. I Will
12. Fly

Run Time: 47:18
Release Date: 24/11/2009

The Reveling - 3D Radio EP [Review]

Click here for the link to my EP review of 3D Radio by The Reveling. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.

Like A Storm - The End Of The Beginning [Review]

Click here for the link to my album review of The End Of The Beginning by Like A Storm. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.

The Box Tiger - The Box Tiger [Review]

Click here for the link to my review of the self titled EP by The Box Tiger. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.

Daylight - Sinking [Review]

Click here for the link to my EP review of Sinking by Daylight. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.

The Soft Pack - The Soft Pack [Review]

Click here for the link to my review of the self titled album by The Soft Pack. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.

Kashmir - No Balance EP [Review]

Click here for the link to my EP review of No Balance EP by Kashmir. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today

Hawthorne Heights - Skeletons [Review]

Click here for the link to my album review of Skeletons by Hawthorne Heights. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today

Lostprophets - The Betrayed [Review]

Click here for the link to my album review of The Betrayed by Lostprophets. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.

Deftones - Diamond Eyes [Review]

Click here for the link to my album review of Diamond Eyes by Deftones. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.

Deftones [Skinny]

Click here to see my skinny on Deftones. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.

W.E.T. - W.E.T. [Review]

Click here for the link to my review of the self titled album by W.E.T.. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach [Review]

Click here for the link to my album review of Plastic Beach by Gorillaz. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.

Blood Red Shoes - Fire Like This [Review]

Click here for the link to my album review of Fire Like This by Blood Red Shoes. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.

Nakatomi Plaza - Ghosts

Click here for the link to my album review of Ghosts by Nakatomi Plaza. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.

Science Fiction Theater - Science Fiction Theater [Review]

Click here for the link to my review of the self titled album by Science Fiction Theater. It was published on the Pure Grain Audio website today.