Punk Goes....everything

I figured this was a much needed review, as covers are a very big part of the punk/hardcore/etc industry and world.

Every Punk Goes...album has produced good covers, from Crunk, Pop, 80's 90's and yes, even Metal. I am always willing to pick up a Punk Goes... album from Fearless records, because more often than not, there is always a good listen.

Punk Goes Pop 2 is the newest release from the line of albums. I have to admit, I don't really listen to the radio all too much, so I don't even know a lot of "pop" songs I guess you could say. Most of what I do hear is from commercials, or have seen bands covering on youtube.

This album actually had a bunch of songs I already knew though. The bands range from the electronica-indie type deal, to some metal.

First off let me say that the choice of songs on here was an amazing...well...choice. My only complaint is enough with the Britney Spears covers already. Baby One More Time has been covered more times that my extended family has fingers and toes as it is. But, the cover of Toxic is quite alright. I believe its the first cover I have heard of it as well.

The only two songs I have to give a thumbs down to are Baby One More Time by August Burns Red and Icebox by There For Tomorrow. It seems August Burns Red tried a little to hard, or it just wasn't the right cover choice for them. And There For Tomorrow didn't interpret the song at all and it still sounds very R&B.

All in all, the best covers are by far those by Silverstein (apologize) and A Day To Remember (Over My Head), purely for the fact that they interpret the song, change it up a little bit, but don't over do it. After all, if you are covering a song, it should be something you connect with, and not struggle with. Bayside is in a close third place to all those.

I really don't have much to say about this album, it is quite good. All I can say is give it a listen.


























Album: 8 out of 10 zing.

Message to band(s): covers shouldn't sound like you struggled with them...if you hear it and it sounds like that, rethink your choice. Also don't just karaoke it either.

The Sleeping - What it Takes...

I need to start off by saying, the whole time this album was in production and they were writing/in the studio, I was very excited. I was a huge fan of Questions and Answers, so needless to say I was greatly anticipating what The Sleeping's new album would contain.

My hopes had been supported by an amazing single release on their myspace. "Bomb the World" kept the band in check with a sound resembling Question and Answers with a little new punch to it with a little more keys involved in the song. The frenetic pace of the drums and the calm vocals at the beginning, turning into more and more power as the song continued gave me hope for the rest of the album.

So needless to say when the album was released, I was eager to give it a listen. My first impression with the first track was, I was in for a bit of of a ride. The keys were still a major part of the song (as I could tell they may have been more involved from the single they had released on myspace). However, as the tracks played on, I noticed that the keys seemed to have take predominance over the strings.

It sounds like the rhythm started to come from the keys instead of the strings, a concept in which I was not entirely going to give the cold shoulder to, after all, I am all for innovation and experimenting. However, as the album passes through track after track, the keys and guitar seem to mix, and seems to distract from the strong vocals that the singer is capable of. At some points, it almost sounds too mixed to make out a rhythm or riff at all.

It is not a totally bad review, I totally dig the slower songs, the ones that sound more like ballads. They are really well formed, and have great connecting lyrics. I do find the drumming on this album to be outstanding, even though in most parts it seems to be drowned out by the keys and "noise guitar", as I dub it when you can not distinguish between random strumming and a definitive riff.

Those instances in which I can hear distinguished riffs, and amazing keyboard parts separately and not misharmonized, I enjoy both. I also enjoy the parts in which the band allows the vocalist to showcase his rough but assertive vocals.

Although the instrumentals for the most part bother me, lyrically, this album really hits.

I have to say, I am quite disappointed with this album, although not quite as much as I could have been if there weren't a couple slower songs in which had really good lyrics.





















Album: 4 out of 10 zings.

Message to band: The riffs and music stylings with "Believe What We Tell You" and "Questions and Answers" were a lot more catchy, and a lot funner to rock out to. Uncomplicate yourselves, don't focus so much on experimenting, especially through a whole album. Keep it simple, with a few complexities, and make it easy on the ears to pick up on enjoyable things.

Folie A Deux: A Madness Shared by Two

I figured I could start this blog by describing what is going to be in it, but I could not just sit and wait to start this. So on that note, lets jump right in, and I'll let you all figure it out as we go.

As you could probably guess, first up on the chopping block is the band everyone loves to hate, or hates to love, Fall Out Boy, and their most recent album "Folie A Deux"

Lets start off with the beginning, Fall Out Boy brings something very poppy and catchy, very good tune, and catchy lyrics of course. But as the album progresses it seems to lose its power, or its musical flow. The energy of the album seems to burn off in the first couple of songs, with a try for redemption, yet failed, later on.

This album yet again finds more synth and instruments that the band themselves does not even play. It reminds me a little bit of some late 80's or 90's pop rock. The instrumentals that the band does play, is greatly dumbed down, even since their last album (Infinity on High). This is not to even mention that since the first "well received" album, with each release, the instrumental playing seems to slide as well.

The lyrics take a little bit of a hit as well. It seems with more and more acceptance into public eye and "progression" as a band, their lyrics become more and more like every song on the radio and less about their joy. Many songs on this album revert to old songs and old times of being a band, and partially of how they don't seem to have liked where this is starting to veer off into.

In the early days, before the "Joe fro" and before Pete went all femme on us, there was background screaming (a lot in Take This to Your Grave, and some in FUCT), the drumming was insane, and there were fast paced guitar riffs that resembled some of their hardcore backgrounds as well. Have we all forgotten that Pete was once in a band with Tim McIlrath (lead singer of Rise Against) in which Pete was the lead vox (and yes, he scrame, check out Arma Angelus, who was also signed to an amazing record company for metal/hardcore - Eulogy Recordings).

I hate to say this, but it needs to be said. With each album, Fall Out Boy progresses and shows us great musical range, but with each album, their music is dumbed down and becomes less and less interesting to listen to. I can admit that they have catchy tunes and catchy lyrics, but it isn't an album that even if I liked one song on it greatly, that I wouldn't skip any songs. They once said in an interview on their DVD, that they were going to dress up their music, and Fall Out Boy music was always going to be Fall Out Boy music, and I have to disagree. I feel like they changed themselves for the money, and that they don't stay true to themselves.

All I can say is this, I used to love them, even designed a tattoo or two based on their lyrics. But where were you all when Fall Out Boy played with Acceptance on a nationwide tour in 2003 and entrance fees were about $8? Oh yeah, thats right, you were in 4th grade. Young ears are easily persuaded by media and peer influence.

Bands that go down this road, tire themselves out. Fall Out Boy's on stage performance looks so routine, it looks like they don't want to be there, and it looks like they don't enjoy playing many new songs from the past 2 albums. Find performances from 2003 or 2004, their attitude looks so much different. Look what happened to Good Charlotte, they were the "Fall Out Boy" when FOB was just getting started. GC got tired of how "sold out" they were and started writing songs about how they don't like where they are, and then tried to lay low.

To anyone who disagrees, to each their own, but Fall Out Boy needs to shape up and remember their roots. I have to say, when I first heard "Thriller" by them, I was excited and hoped they were going to incorporate a little more heavy riffs and everything into their music, something like Four Year Strong or New Found Glory started to do recently.

























Album: 3 out of 10 zings.

Message to band: bring back some of your old roots. I think old and new fans would love to hear some pop-punk/core fusion.