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Editors' Picks

Sam takes a look at what's happening in the world of metal.

What’s Your List?

Even if you aren't into music, there are certain songs that make you think, feel, or act in a certain way.  
If you think about it, I am sure you could come up with a pretty quick list of songs that mean the most to you.

The Who: Reactions

Some media reactions to The Who's performance during the Super Bowl.

Concert Review: Killswitch Engage, 02/04/2010

Killswitch Engage's Boston show is reviewed.

Today's Quickies for Friday, February 5th

Mike gives us the links he's checking out today aka Today's Quickies.

The Blurbs

Metal Roundup: Tuesday, Feb. 9

9 February0 comments

By Sam

Here’s a sampling of some interesting stuff going on in the world of metal:

- Disturbed have entered the studio to begin recording their fifth album. They plan to release it this summer.

- Godsmack have changed the title to their upcoming album from Saints & Sinners to The Oracle, claiming the former title has “already been done before.” While no official release date has been set yet, the disc is expected to hit stores in March or April. Song titles include “Whiskey Hangover”, “Crying Like A Bitch”, “War & Peace”, and “Devil’s Swing.” Singer Sully Erna said in an interview that with this album ending the band’s two year hiatus, they plan to “get back into it for the next 10 years again and really grind hard.”

- Black Label Society have parted ways with drummer Craig Nunemacher.

- Spin.com has an exclusive stream of the title track off High on Fire’s upcoming album Snakes for the Divine. It’s pretty damn awesome.

- In other High on Fire news, they just released the dates for their spring headlining tour with Priestess, Black Cobra, and Bison b.c.

- And in what may be the greatest tour of 2010, Mastodon is heading out on a run that will target the secondary markets with support from Baroness, Between the Buried and Me, and Valient Thorr. Now I know how Andy Samberg felt, because that lineup makes me want to…well, you know.

-Sam

Josh Ritter gives away new song

8 February0 comments

By Sam

Josh Ritter, who’s been hailed by many as the new Bob Dylan, announced today that he will have a new album coming out stateside on May 4th (April 23rd in Ireland).

The album will be called So Runs the World Away. And Mr. Ritter is nice enough to be giving away one of the tracks off the album, “Change of Time,” as a free mp3. All you have to do is visit his website and give your email address so the download link can be sent to you.

I first heard about Ritter through his songs “Thin Blue Flame” and “To the Dogs or Whoever” and this latest song matches up well. If you like honest folk rock with a sweet sound, you should give this track a listen.

-Sam

What’s Your List?

8 February1 comment

By Dan

Back in March 2005, Esquire Magazine ran a column written by John Mayer discussing the top songs he remembers from growing up. It started a string of emails, first from my oldest brother and then throughout the family, discussing what songs were important to us. Growing up in a music hip household, you get exposed to various genres and types of music. There are songs that maybe your favorite, but then there are those that just hold a special place for one reason or another.

As you grow up, your taste in music expands and refines. Some believe that to listen to mainstream “pop” music is to dance with the devil. To some, finding out the next “it” band first is more important than actually enjoying the music. To me, music is all about emotion. It is there to help you at all times, with joy and pain and everything in between. So what’s your memorable songs? Remember, these may not your favorite ten of all time, but those songs, that when you hear them on the radio, illicit the most emotional reaction!

The Who: Reactions

8 February10 comments

By Schiano

We got to see the No Fun League, excuse me, the National Football League give us The Who during the half time show of Sunday’s Super Bowl. If you’re over 30 and or fans of CSI, then you might have recognized some of their tunes that were played Sunday night: Pinball Wizard, Baba O’Reilly, and Who Are You.

Okay, I’m only joking a little as The Who are certainly in a class of their own and their tunes should be recognized, but lets be real here — was anyone actually interested in seeing them perform at one of the biggest sporting events of the year? I didn’t think so.

Lets get down to it. Here are some reactions found throughout the media world. continue reading

Sevendust leak new track

7 February0 comments

By Sam

Sevendust’s eighth studio album, Cold Day Memory, is set to be released this April.

The band released one of the new songs on Friday. It’s called “Forever Dead” and it hews pretty closely to the Sevendust formula that they’ve been sticking with for the past three or four records. It’s a formula that works, though, so there’s no complaining here (although I do hope there’s more screaming on this record than this song would suggest).

Check it out:

Full track listing for Cold Day Memory is after the jump:

Deftones plan May release for sixth album

6 February2 comments

By Sam

It’s been a tough couple of years for Deftones.

They last released an album in October 2006. Two years later, just as they were preparing to release their new album, Eros, bassist Chi Cheng was involved in a car crash that left him seriously injured and in a semi-conscious state. He’s yet to come out of the coma and leave the hospital.

Naturally, this tragic event derailed any plans the band had made, and they decided to indefinitely delay the release of Eros. At the time, the band released a statement saying that Eros‘ delay had nothing to do with Chi’s injury: “The decision to hold off on releasing Eros has no connection with Chi’s condition or anything associated. This was, and is, purely a creative decision by the band to write, record, and deliver an amazing product.” But it was obviously hard to take such a statement at face value.

Now, in a new interview with Spin.com, singer Chino Moreno reveals what everybody already assumed:

With everything we were going through, the Deftones needed to pour all of our thoughts, energy, and emotions into something new… something more optimistic. I couldn’t tour behind a record with all these memories of Chi attached to it.

Realizing that the band couldn’t stay dormant forever, they recruited Sergio Vega, formerly of the band Quicksand, to be their new bassist in Chi’s absence. Since then, the band has been working on a new album, entirely separate from Eros (which will still get released one day). They’ve written 11 songs and plan to release the album, the band’s sixth, in May.

Thus far, two track names have been revealed – “Rocket Skates” and “Nylons and Suspenders”. For a taste of “Rocket Skates” check out this video of the band performing it live at this year’s SmokeOut Festival.

-Sam

Concert Review: Killswitch Engage, 02/04/2010

5 February3 comments

By Sam

Killswitch Engage, those dyed-in-the-wool metalcore practitioners, began their first U.S. headlining trek behind their latest album on Thursday night in their hometown of Boston at the House of Blues.

And as any frequent concert-goer can tell you, the combination of starting off a tour and playing in one’s hometown generally combine to bring out the best in a band (if not some technical difficulties along the way).

KSE are a band particularly known for their live show due in large part to singer Howard Jones and guitarist/general goofball Adam Dutkiewicz. They understand that they are there to entertain and they usually seem genuinely stoked to be on stage performing. Of course, if you aren’t prepared to see a tall, gangly guitarist wearing a cape and headband running back and forth across the stage while jump-kicking and simultaneously shredding all while playing songs of a decidedly more serious nature, it can be a bit disconcerting. That’s just how KSE rolls; as far as live performances go, fun comes before all else. I know some people who strongly dislike that choice, but I don’t have a problem with it. After all, there’s always the album itself to go back to if you don’t like the band’s stage antics.

Anyways, the show started off with a bang as the band hurried on stage and dove immediately into one of their hits, “Rose of Sharyn”. Throughout the rest of the set they liberally incorporated cuts off their latest record, playing almost half of the songs from that disc. The new material is not drastically different from their back catalog so it fit in seamlessly.

Today’s Quickies

5 February0 comments

By Schiano

Diligent.Me gives us his February 2010 mixtape. I’m getting pretty addicted following his mixtape releases.

Luke Lewis, of NME.com, talks about music you once loved, but now can’t stand to listen to. Mine would have to be the entire ‘Purple’ album by the Stone Temple Pilots. As much as I loved that album, I can’t get myself to turn that baby on any longer. What’s yours?

Here’s a brief discussion on the pirate’s guide to paying for music. The authors touch base on Zune, Spotify, and Play.me.

Frances Bean Cobain, yes the daughter of Courtney Love and the late Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain, is getting set to make her singing debut. We’ll see the track in late March.

We learned, from guardian.co.uk, of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler had auditioned for a possible Led Zeppelin reunion. And Tyler was rejected because he barely knew the Zeppelin catalog.

Justin Timberlake will be heading to Harvard to be honored as Hasty Pudding Man of the Year. The Grammy and Emmy award winner will receive his pudding pot from the nation’s oldest undergraduate drama troupe at a roast scheduled for Friday.

FOB RIP? OMG!

2 February5 comments

By Sam

Fall Out Boy is one of those bands whose singles I enjoy yet leave me with no desire to get to know them better or discover their complete albums.

Now that’s probably my problem and not theirs. After all, Patrick Stump, Joe Trohman, and Andy Hurley seem to have decent enough chops and their pop songwriting is undeniably catchy. It’s just that…well, Pete Wentz comes across as a bit of a douche, and the band as a whole seems a bit too “scene” for me.

Well, the boys from FOB may have an opportunity to branch out soon, if the rumors of the band’s potential breakup prove true.

These rumors originated with none other than Mr. Ashlee Simpson himself. Writing on his blog, he had this to say:

i dont know the future of fall out boy. its embarrassing to say one thing and then have the future dictate another. as far as i know fall out boy is on break. (no one wants to say the “h” word). as much as i dont have a solo project, i also cant predict that id ever play in fall out boy again. not due to personal relationships as much as a band we grew apart. in this statement id like to include there is the possibility that fob will play again with out me or i will be a part of it when everyone is on the same page.

The other members of the band have been working on their own solo/side projects and perhaps that has been the catalyst for this news. Stump is working on a solo album where he is writing the songs and playing all the instruments. And Trohman and Hurley are working together along with members of Anthrax and Every Time I Die on a potentially cool heavy metal supergroup of sorts called The Damned Things.

Anyways, if FOB does break up, will anyone really be that sad? They wrote some really good tunes, but if what they’ve put out to this point is all I ever hear from them, I’ll be okay.

-Sam

Why I hate Beyoncé

2 February15 comments

By Schiano

If there’s one artist who I cannot stand, it’s Beyoncé. And it deeply troubles me because I thoroughly enjoy Jay-Z and his work.

For me, Beyoncé reminds me of a certain female from high school (the annoying yearbook chic in Can’t Hardly Wait). You know the girl; she’s involved with everything from student council, track, cheerleading, oh and she’s also active in her church. She’s also dating the captain of one of the varsity teams and she’s driving a brand new BMW (given to her by her daddy). She gets good grades and other students and faculty flock to her.

But deep down, there’s something you don’t like about her. You (or me, at least) can sense a fakeness about her – as if she’s trying too hard to be someone she’s not. Then you begin noticing she changes her personality to fit whatever situation she’s in (more so than J-Lo). And then before you know it, you’re hating her every move.

Yeah, that’s me with Beyoncé. continue reading

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The Blurbs

Metal Roundup: Tuesday, Feb. 9

Josh Ritter gives away new song

What’s Your List?

The Who: Reactions

Sevendust leak new track

Deftones plan May release for sixth album

Concert Review: Killswitch Engage, 02/04/2010

Today’s Quickies

FOB RIP? OMG!

Why I hate Beyoncé

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