On this page I'll be aiming to introduce you to what I believe are some true treasures in the world of music. Hopefully you'll find your next favorite artist here, with my focus being on the quality of the music rather than quantity. Select a genre you enjoy from the sidebar to get started or hit the 'View Random Post' button below to discover something unfamiliar. You can also request reviews and uploads in the above links.
Disclaimer: I do not host any of the downloadable content featured on this site. All links refer to compressed files on various file-sharing sites, where other individuals have uploaded the content. All links were found through a Google web search, so if you've got a problem with any of the content, take it up with Google for listing it in the first place. This blog is about the promotion, not the piracy of music. If you like the music, delete the album after giving it a listen, then support the band and buy the album and merch.
Taking a break from posting on this blog for a while, but I will return to it eventually.
In the meantime I'll be focusing on a new site of mine, which will be a bit more genre specific, covering trancecore and trance metal and any other kind of electronic metal
1. The Quest 2. Leviathan 3. That Famous Ol' Spiced 4. Keelhauled ✔ 5. To The End Of Our Days 6. Black Sails At Midnight
7. No Quarter
8. Pirate Song
9. Chronicles Of Vengance ✔ 10. Wolves Of The Sea ✔
✔ indicates track pick
Rating
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Review
If you're a serious metal listener, after something bleak and brutal, then Alestorm, and their latest effort isn't for you. However if you're settling in for a cheerful drinking night with your mates and you want ten enthusiastic drinking anthems to accompany the whole intoxicated mayhem that follows, then look no further. I honestly don't think I've ever had this much fun with a metal album. Pirates have come back into fashion again in full swing, with the 'Pirates Of Caribbean' franchise smashing multiple box office records, so it's only fitting that a musical counterpart has presented itself. In case you haven't cottoned on to what this band is all about by now, Alestorm play what some have defined as 'Pirate Metal'; in essence it's a cross between folk and power metal. However after listening to the music, seeing the artwork, watching the music video and reading the lyrics, 'Pirate Metal' seems much more appropriate. After releasing their debut album, 'Captain Morgan's Revenge' critics were divided. While the album did receive some encouraging reviews, many pondered if there was anything else that was left to do in this very niche genre.
These fears were misplaced however, as 'Black Sails At Midnight' proves Alestorm are more than just a gimmick band. Yes it follows the same basic concept and formula of the first album, however everything has been taken to the next level; the diversity is greater, the songwriting is stronger, the instrumentation is richer. And through all this progression they've still managed to retain the sensational vibe of the first album, crafting a treasure chest of seaworthy pirate anthems. 'Quest' kicks off the album with fast paced riffs and swiftly pounding drums. The closest to a conventional power metal song on the album, it's also very theatrical and could almost be mistaken for a Rhapsody Of Fire or Sonata Arctica b-side, if not for the vocals. The vocals are - well just imagine what a pirate metal band's vocals would sound like and you'd be pretty spot on. Chris Bowes certainly has a rough pirate sounding voice; but it does wear a little thin after a few songs. He certainly doesn't scream or growl, but I'm not quite sure I'd call it singing either. Although he does attempt to sing in the general vicinity of the main melody, it's often a bit hit and miss and sometimes doesn't come through the harshly spoken lyrics. It especially apparent on the slower numbers, such as ballad 'To The End Of Our Days', which apart from a wonderfully traditional sounding singalong in the chorus, can be almost painful to listen to at times.
However it's obvious to see that this band isn't about displaying musical talent; it's just about having a bit of fun, 'Keelhauled' being a prime example of this. A hasty piano accordion riff leads us in, played by Chris Bowes on his key-tar (yes, you heard me; a key-tar), accompanied with some frantic violin work that will have you tapping your toes and humming along. However it's the chorus where things are at their best; the whole band joins in and sings the lyrics in unison;
"Keelhaul that filthy landlubber, send him down to the depths below! Make that bastard walk the plank with a bottle of run and a yo ho ho!"
As you can tell, it's not the most deep and meaningful lyrical content, however it's not trying to be. It's memorable, it's repetitive, but most importantly it's so dead simple that anybody could join in and sing along. See my problem with many bombastic power metal bands is that the vocalists have perfect pitch singing capabilities, creating beautiful operatic styled vocal lines, meaning they're often way above my pitiful one octave vocal range. In comparison it's obvious the members of Alestorm are not professionally trained or extremely talented in the vocal department, however this bridges the divide between band and audience, and it's hard to resist singing along whenever an Alestorm song comes on.
I guess it's the constant mixing up of styles and pace that keeps this album from becoming stale and repetitive. While on one hand you have songs such as 'That Famous Old Spiced' and 'Wolves Of The Sea', the latter being an inspired cover of a Eurovision song, which are both traditional grand old singalongs, with blaring trumpets and enough pirate cliches to sink a ship, you have theatrical epics such as 'Leviathan' and 'Chronicles Of Vengeance'. The album stops just short of being perfect however, as the same thing that makes it the worthy listen it is, is the album's major downfall; the key-tar. While the prominence of the key-tar taking lead melody is enjoyable and extremely cheerful, there's almost a key-tar solo on every song, and they easily outnumber the guitar solos, a strange occurrence for a power metal band, and it becomes tiresome. In any case, 'Black Sails At Midnight ' may not be the most technically impressive album to come out of the power metal scene in recent years, but it's certainly the most fun.
The Musicians Are...
Christopher Bowes - Vocals, Keyboards Dani Evans - Guitar, Backing Vocals Gareth Murdock - Bass Guitar Ian Wilson - Drums
The 80's were truly the golden age of neo-progressive rock. Artists such as Pendragon, Pallas and Twelfth Night were finding moderate amounts of success in album sales but without a shadow of a doubt, Marillion were clearly reigning supreme in the genre. Their popularity peaked with their third studio album, 'Misplaced Childhood', a commercial and musical success which can mostly be attributed to guitar led ballad 'Kayleigh' and piano led ballad 'Lavender'. But it couldn't last; due to differences between charismatic frontman Derek W. Dick, aka 'Fish' and the manger, the band parted ways with the Scottish vocalist and each of them forged their separate paths. Marillion would go on to write and release many more albums over the years, however none quite finding the commercial success of 'Misplaced Childhood'. Fish meanwhile assembled his band of merry men to begin his solo career, including keyboard virtuoso Mickey Simmonds, guitarists Frank Usher and Hal Lindes along with Job Giblin on Bass and Mark Brzezicki on drums. Iron Maiden guitarist Janick Gers even contributed on one song. The result was a creation which stands still to this day as possibly the best thing Fish has ever done, a worthy contribution to neo-prog rock.
I think it's the down to earth nature of the whole affair, crossed with the diversity that made me enjoy this so much. Every song is something different and exciting; there's no formula. Things kick off with the obligatory progressive rock epic and title track, 'Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors'. Lush, heavily laden synths and organs lead into the song, and after a few Pink Floyd-esque guitar licks, things really get going. The chorus comes in strong and grand, with gigantic guitar chords, and it's all filled out with an array of piano lines, trumpets, bells and another serving of that gloriously warm synth. But it never becomes too much; everything interplays so well, and I'd go as far to say that it matches some of Meatloaf's slower numbers as far as majestic symphonic rock goes. It's here when you first notice how brilliantly produced this album was; it's a very rich and full sound and this was only enhanced when it was later remastered. Next up is lead single 'Big Wedge', a big cheesy pop rock number, very upbeat and direct to the point, while 'State of Mind' also delights, with a deliciously funky bass riff. Just when you thought things couldn't get better, along comes 'The Company', with subtle folk rock influences and a chorus that you'll be humming to yourself for days. The traditional sounding folk interlude in the middle is truly inspired, and it leads on to a lush melodic string solo.
Fish also has a softer side, aptly demonstrated in 'A Gentleman's Excuse Me' with some dainty piano work and soft crooning from the rugged Scotsman. Derek W. Dick appears very rough around the edges, with the build of a lumberjack, so it's certainly a shock to hear such a man singing about flowers and fairytales. However it's the diversity like this that really makes this album the special listen it is. Also worth a mention is what I'd consider the polar opposite of 'A Gentleman's Excuse Me', 'The View From A Hill', and with future Iron Maiden guitarist, Janick Gers, at the helm I'd expect nothing less. While some of the other tracks focus on creating a melodic backdrop for Fish to demonstrate his powerful vocal chops, this is very much a guitar driven song, with a slow acoustic buildup to a heavy hitting chorus and a rocking guitar solo in the middle. The album closes with 'Cliche', a cruisy, bluesy laid back jam. It's just the brilliant songwriting and fantastic vocal performance from Fish that make this album. Mostly when bands split and each member goes off to start a solo career, things fall a little flat, and lack in creative energy. However Fish has selected a stellar ensemble for his debut solo effort. And the result? Masterpiece.
The Musicians Are...
Derek W. 'Fish' Dick - Vocals Frank Usher - Guitar Hal Lindes - Guitar Mickey Simmonds - Keyboard, Synths John Giblin - Bass Guitar Mark Brzezicki - Drums
10. Death Is My Holiday 11. For The Commonwealth And The Queen
✔ indicates track pick
Rating
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Review
Eleventh He Reaches London's sophomore record 'Hollow Be My Name' is certainly a tough sell. Half the prospective audience will notice the 'post-hardcore' label and instantly click away to something less repetitive and miserable. And it's most likely the other half will see the 'post-rock' label, and recoil at the prospect of no easily identifiable chorus and verse structures. It's also most likely that the few remaining will take one look at the album cover's rather dull depiction of colonial conquest and click away to something brightly colored and shiny. Now I'm not suggesting here that the reason this will never hit the mainstream is that most judge an album by it's label and cover. However if you do pass up listening to the music as a result of one of these reasons, you're truly missing something special; It's brooding, it's dramatic and it's brilliant. Although their last album was an engaging listen, the problem was it didn't sound like it was finished, and everything hadn't quite fallen into place yet. However this five piece from Perth, Australia have managed to pull all the elements together for 'Hollow Be My Name' perfectly.
It's a diverse mix of songs that comprise this album and I can suggest no better place to start than with 'Oh Brother'; essentially a campfire jam, which needs to be watched with it's accompanying video to get a real feel for the music. Taking you on a journey back through time, it builds up slowly with a mellow muted guitar riff setting the rhythm, giving plenty of space for the subtle guitar melodies to work their magic. The three guitars utilize a wide range of sounds here, providing a thick texture and there's even a banjo thrown in to spice things up! Lead singer Lenton's voice has certainly improved since the last release, delivering the bleak lyrics with raw emotion, while never detracting from the music; the vocals are always kept quite low in the mix. Then after an ambling guitar solo, the big finale comes in the form of a whole band singalong, interweaving guitars and frantic, crashing and clashing drums. The title track 'Hollow Be My Name' is also an obvious standout, with a basic rock beat and simple chord structures. It's based around one simple progression however it's stretched out to almost six minutes. This is one thing the band does well, and it's the reason for a comparison to post rock; it's not about the instant gratification of a chorus such as with modern pop. It's more about the journey and the way the tension builds until the climax is reached, where the listener is bombarded with a wall of theatrical noise, taking their breath away, before gently easing off the throttle and fading away.
The influence of traditional folk ballads in Eleventh He Reaches London's music remains present throughout the album; two prime examples being 'Son, You're Almost An Orphan' and 'Death Is My Holiday'. With the the latter you can almost picture a group of raggedy bushmen huddling round a campfire and signing in an off key unison. However the band's best showcase of traditional Australian tunes is shown in their take on the ancient ballad 'Botany Bay', where they breathe some much needed life into the classic. And if the convicts destined for Australia all those years ago had guitars and drums available, then they would certainly have sung and played this from dawn to dusk to provide comfort on their long and terrifying voyage. Overall it's a wonderfully written album, and indeed one of the best to come out Australia in recent years. It's driven by passionate songwriting, a thoughtful approach to instrumentation and a level of care taken in writing and recording the music that's rarely seen in modern music today. I think there's certainly a few bands that could take a lesson from Eleventh He Reaches London. The Musicians Are...
Ian Lenton - Vocals, Guitar, Banjo, Percussion Jayden Worts - Guitar, Backing Vocals, Synthesizer, Percussion Jeremy Martin - Guitar, Backing Vocals, Keys Craig McElhinney - Bass Guitar Mark Donaldson - Drums
This is an album and a band that is almost impossible to review. However speaking about the emotions that rise and fall as one listens to this album is easier, as this album is nostalgia in an easily listenable audio form. While their previous release followed a slightly more positive tone, 'In All The Empty Houses' tackles themes such as loss, change and decay, showcasing a more mature and somber sound. It will take you back to the days when things were so much simpler, when you were young and the weight of the world had not yet placed itself upon your shoulders. It's all the pictures on the wall, it's the dreams that take you around the world and back every night. It's the first time you fell in love and it's the first time you had a broken heart. Epic45 have given birth to something truly magical in the form of six breathtaking songs, creating an atmospheric symphony each time with the simplest of melodies, while never getting carried away like so many bands of a similar nature tend to do.
The instrumentation itself is certainty an unconventional, however thoroughly enjoyable mix. In a sense it's similar to many other more prominent post rock artists of the modern day, however the focus always remains on ambling along a gentle path instead of building up to a cacophony of noise. The music achieves this through a combination of soft acoustic melodies and laid back electronics. Using these sounds they cover a wide range of genres; 'Daylight Ghosts' and 'In The Empty Houses' being the prime example of the diverse ground covered. 'Daylight Ghosts' is an especially tough one to classify, with 'ambient stadium anthem' being the best terms that come to mind. Kicking off with a lively and happy sounding acoustic riff, strings and vocals slowly fade in along with a running bass riff that makes the song feel like it's been taken straight from U2's catalogue. However this will never be a song that makes it to the stadium arena; it's much too subtle, a suitable soundtrack for watching the sun rise over empty city streets.
On the other hand we have 'In The Empty Houses'. In a way it's the polar opposite of the previous track and would not feel out of place on Aphex Twin's 'Selected Ambient Works Vol II', Moby's 'Wait For Me' or anything from the Sigur Rós repertoire. It's got a laid back dreamy feel, and the echoing guitar notes work hand in hand with the general ambiance; a complementary score to lying on lying on your back and staring up at the starry night sky. 'Their Voices In The Rafter' is another stellar composition and a truly haunting one at that, which needs to be watched with it's accompanying video for the more intimate experience. The band have outdone themselves here, and weaved memories among the music; overlaying sounds recorded many years ago from the village hall, where members of the band had birthday parties as children. It's a incredibly eeirie effect, taking you back to time that's long gone. As with much of the rest of the album, a gentle acoustic picked riff forms the backbones of the song and is accompanied by slow shuffling drums, mellow solos, strings, bass and even bells. It's certainly music with many layers, and the thick texture gives it a complexity that other bands need to use speed and fancy playing to achieve. But sometimes keeping it simple is what it takes and if you're a fan of laid back post rock, dreamy ambient pop and haunting heart felt melodies, then download the album and simply immerse yourself in the music and the journey it takes you on.
Epic45 Is...
Ben Holton - Guitars, Keyboard Rob Glover - Guitar, Bass Matt Kelly - Guitar Oli Grocott - Synths, Keyboard Mark Oldfield - Drums, Percussion
Walk into a room and mention the term 'Trancecore'. There's almost no doubt that this will bring you a few collective groans; and they're certainly justified. If you've been living under a rock for the past five years and have no idea what I'm talking about, then I'll do my best to elaborate. Trancecore is a relatively new trend which has recently exploded into the mainstream, with acts such as 'Enter Shikari' and 'Asking Alexandria' leaping up the music charts. The basic concept is the combination of hardcore and metalcore music coupled with electronic elements, with the intention of appealing to both the metal heads and the clubbers. It's an innovative idea and while a couple of bands manage to pull it off with style, the talented acts are simply swamped by the number of repetive and dull musicians who are invading the scene and sucking the life out of the concept. High pitched auto-tuned vocals, chugging guitar rhythms and stale breakdowns; remove the electronics and you've just got yourself another post hardcore band filled with angst ridden teenagers trying to make it big. However disregard everything I've just said. 'Fail Emotions' are nothing like these bands. In fact they're like nothing you've ever heard before.
'Fail Emotions' are a Russian six piece band and I honestly believe they're the first true Trancecore artist, the first artist to craft the music that the genre name suggests. Their band page description reads across in comically broken English; "the band is rapidly gaining momentum and rushing forwards to the new tops". However they're certainly wise for attempting to reach out to an English speaking audience, as their location is the largest drawback that's keeping this band from becoming widespread, alongside their American counterparts. The reason that Fail Emotions stands out from the crowd is their consideration for both sides of the style; making sure there's a balance between the trance and hardcore aspects, rather than simply being a hardcore band with some crappy trance thrown in. As well as finding the perfect levels between both, they also explore a more technical side within both sub-genres. The instrumental opener, appropriately titled 'Intro' demonstrates this perfectly; rather than just ambient noise as with many album openers, this stands on its own as a proper song. Playful trance melodies escalate the tension for the first two minutes, before the pounding guitars and drums kick in. The drummer keeps the double kickers running while the electronics always remain center stage, backed by heavy guitar chords and climaxing with a crushingly brutal breakdown. And the album has hardly begun.
'Suit & Tie' and follows, and this is where we get the first look at the band's signature sound. A pulsating synth riff plays off against the hard hitting drums and guitar chords. Instead of following the song patterns of a hardcore song, it takes on more of a feel of a trance anthem. Soon after the clean auto-tuned voice enters, followed by a breakdown just before the minute mark, where we get the first taste of the screamed vocals. Personally I feel the clean vocals are nothing above anything else in the scene; they're certainly good but once a voice is auto-tuned it looses a lot of the individual characteristics in the sound that would usually vary from singer to singer. But don't let this put you off; the screams are certainly up to standard, and I'd listen to this band simply for the music alone. 'Wasted' is another album highlight among many; it's the pop song of the album. It's simply the contrast of dynamics that makes this song so powerful; opening soft and with mellow electronic verses, so when the infectiously catchy chorus comes along, it hits even harder. This is one of the songs where the auto-tuned vocals work so well, exploring a wide dynamic range and meshing perfectly with the gentle verses and powerful chorus.
In fact I could write a section full of praise on every song in this album if I wanted to. It's a brilliant creation from start to finish. It's also got such a brilliant overall sound production wise, with everything sounding heavy and large and featuring some top notch quality synths. What's even more amazing is the fact that the band produced and mixed this album themselves, crafting a better sound than you'll hear from most of the mainstream hardcore acts today. I used to think this was a dead genre, but after listening to this band my faith is renewed. Viva la Trancecore!
10. Eric's Song ✔ 11. Soon Love Soon 12. Lullabye For A Stormy Night 13. Decade And One
✔ indicates track pick
Rating
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Review
Before I started this review I had to type out the track listing, upload the album cover, then choose what I thought were the track picks from the album. And I must say; never have I been faced with such a challenge. Even when I went back and listened to the album again from start to finish, it was a still a struggle to narrow it down to four, as this is such a brilliant album. Debut albums are a special thing; for everyone has a handful of good song ideas within them; and it's the first album where many of these surface. And this is one album overflowing with them. It's such a hard sound to describe, but so simple at the same time. Soft piano pop is probably the most appropriate terms to apply to it, but this isn't a just another Vanessa Carlton, it's more along the lines of Sarah McLachlan and even Enya dare I say it; with elements of chamber pop and even folk music thrown in. It's so much more gentle than most piano driven albums of a similar nature, so much less predictable and sounds much more suited to the world of film and television than the likes of modern pop radio.
Although Teng has gorgeous voice, it's very much her touchingly beautiful piano playing that drives this album. It's kept simple at all the time; most of the songs just feature gentle shuffling drums and sweeping piano melodies with lush strings to add to the texture. First song on the album 'The Tower' is the song for the radio if there had to be one. A catchy drum beat and piano riff kick off the song, which builds into the verse where we get the first taste of Teng's voice. Things get a bit more lively in the chorus with guitars thrown in, but it feels like it's meant to be there. That's another positive aspect of this album; it's got that real under produced sound, and it's such a raw album in that sense. It's just the music straight to your ears as played by the musicians, with no fancy effects thrown in. 'Momentum' and 'Daughter' are prime examples of this; it's just Teng and her piano. Her vocal dynamics keep things varied here; switching from a gentle whisper into soaring high hamornies. It's very much music to loose yourself in.
'Between' and 'Drought' also deserve a mention; as they are two beautiful piano driven ballads. 'Between' features acoustic guitars and tribal sounding drums, then progresses into a soaring chorus, which uses the same four chords that songwriters have been using for decades. However her warm harmonies and graceful piano work keep this formula from sounding repetive and dull; it's almost as if she pioneered it. 'Drought' is a song with a driving rhythm which fades in with a piano riff as memorable as it is haunting. It's a song for thought, that will tug at your heartstrings and bring a grown man to tears; listening to this the first time I felt like I was being serenaded by angels. Just when you've thought you've heard everything, along comes, "Enough To Go By" which is an upbeat country pop song. The album closes on a gentle note, with four delicate piano lullabies that will soothe you to sleep even when extreme insomnia strike. "Eric's Song" really stands out with heartfelt lyrics and soft vocal work; its easy to see why this is a fan favorite.
It's experiments within her genre that makes this an album that you can listen to continuously on repeat without ever tiring of it. Vienna Teng (born Cynthia Yih Shih) has a gift on the piano and on this album she's crafted thirteen stunning compositions that are guarenteed to leave you breathless. It's never going to make it to the radio for many reasons; too soft, too sad, too under produced and just too damn musically talented. However it's fairly safe to say that if falling in love had a soundtrack, with all the moments of sorrow and joy, happiness and sadness, tears and laughter, that this spectacular album would be it.
The Musicians Are...
Vienna Teng - Vocals, Piano, Keyboards
Craig Wright - Drums
David Henry - Guitar, Cello, Bass
Eric Miller - Guitar, Synthesizer, Bass
Kim & Dave - Violin
I've never really listened to much swing before. It was listening to metal that ironically got me onto this band. Some time ago I discovered and fell in love with The Diablo Swing Orchestra; and their deliciously avant-garde combination of metal and swing. So out of curiosity I searched for 'swing metal' and one of the results that surfaced was a catchy little swing cover of 'Enter Sandman', or in the words of the band; 'The New Morty Show swings Metallica baby!" I quite enjoyed their straight swing cover of the Metallica classic, so went out and got hold of their debut effort 'Mortyfied' (yes, with that spelling). For a person who's only real taste of jazz up until then had been through 'The Blues Brothers' and an occasional episode from 'The Simpsons' which featured 'Bleeding Gums Murphy', 'Mortyfied' worked its way into my head and led me to impression that everything sounds good when swung. See the problem with swing is that it's a genre that's never really been embraced by the mainstream, however 'The New Morty Show' bridge that gap as their repertoire features that old style swinging big band numbers infused with a modern sound and just a hint of rock in the mix.
Led by trumpet player Morty Okin and with brilliant duo vocal performances from Connie Champagne and Vise Grip this is a excellent first record, filled with with infectious tunes that will have you bopping the head and tapping the feet all night long. It's a full sound achieved as well, and with a rich horn section, guitar, bass, drums and piano they've got it all. Opener 'Baby What's Up?' shows what this group is all about; giving each other a moment in the spotlight. A bold trumpet riff begins the song, taking turns with a playful little piano melody. We get some nice harmonies from the singers in the chorus, while the verses give each individual vocalist some room to play. It's the solos that make this song brilliant though; first we're presented with a dirty little sax solo, and the tones on the instrument are astoundingly good. And if that wasn't enough, we get a rocking little acoustic solo before it descends back into the chorus. It's because of this perhaps that this band is often tagged as 'neo-swing' because it follows a more standard verse chorus formula that's so common in music today, but this works to their advantage and makes it more easy to listen to.
Much of the rest of the album follows the same path as the opener; a tight horn section, a quick pace and solos a plenty. 'Blue Martini' stands out from the rest; it's the laid back piece that sounds like it's been directly pulled out of a romance movie's obligatory 'restaurant date scene', although the lyrics speak of sitting alone at a bar drinking expensive drinks late into the night. This is where the piano gets to shine; with slow meandering jazz chords and fills. The female vocals take lead here, and Champagne certainly has great range hitting the essential lows and highs. Although she covers a wide dynamic range, her voice never becomes harsh. The highlight of the song however is the two minute long brilliant improvised solo from pianist John Quam, which begins slow but quickly gains momentum, playing off the drums and building up to a fast paced climax with horns thrown in, after which it brings you back to slow and mournful tune of the start. And all in the space of six and a half minutes. At the start of the review I mentioned the band's take on Metallica, but they also cover Billy Idol in the form of 'White Wedding'. The 'Enter Sandman' cover is an innovative and creative take on the original, with some brilliant piano work and a funky wandering bass line. It sounds like it was meant to be swung, and although more could have been done with it, it simply worked. However the Billy Idol cover falls a bit flat; the music doesn't seem to match up to vocals. It resembles what can only be described as 'musical photoshop', in which they take a generic swing song and chuck the vocals over the top.
It's still music that's never going to find a mainstream audience which is shame, but The New Morty Show gives a good window into the past, while looking ahead to the future. And one can only imagine that when these jazz cats hit the stage, everybody on the floor will be dancing all through the night and day.
The Musicians Are...
Morty Orkin - Band Leader / Trumpet Connie Champage - Vocals Vise Grip- Vocal Van Hughes - Trombone Joe Escobar - Trombone David Murotake - Saxophone Tom Griesser - Baritone Sax John Quam - Piano Trevor Kinsel - Bass David Rubin - Drums Robert Castillo - Guitar
1. Enemies Closer 2. Vicious Girl ✔ 3. Unbreakable 4. I Am No One ✔ 5. Nerve 6. Lover Number One 7. First Page 8. Figure 8 9. All There Is 10. Out Of My League 11. Halo 12. The Way That I Am ✔
✔ indicates track pick
Rating
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Review I came across a two track sampler from this album purely by chance, in a small opportunity shop just off the side of a busy highway. It was tucked on a shelf in the back corner of the shop, between all the albums and singles that nobody wanted anymore. A few things made me buy it; the cover was engaging, it was less than a million years old, but most importantly it was put out by Roadrunner Records. Now for those who don't know, Roadrunner is a label that primarily focuses on heavy metal bands, and with the exception of Nickelback they're home to many talented rockers such as Killswitch Engage, Trivium and Megadeath to name a few. So naturally I was expecting something of the same mold from 'The White Room', however I have never been so delighted to be wrong. In fact I enjoyed the two songs on the sampler, 'Vicious Girl' and 'Enemies Closer' so much that it prompted me into a long and hard search on the net to find the rest of the album. I ended up to my dismay having to use iTunes, as it was a hard album to track down, but it was money well spent, as I enjoyed the whole album just as much as the sampler.
It's tough to attempt to describe this band. If The Goo Goo Dolls and AC/DC had a love child, I think it's safe to say that 'The White Room' would be the result, although this band actually sounds nothing like either of them. It's an incredibly diverse album and sound, with a combination of acoustic pop ballads and hard rocking tracks. It's also very much a family band. Wheelchair bound Marc Collins fronts up the band on guitar, with sister Steph on drums and together they share the vocal duties. 'White Room Music' kicks off with two hard hitting numbers; the first being 'Enemies Closer', which starts with muted guitar and a pumping drum beat, before progressing into a rocking chorus. It's much the same with 'Vicious Girl', and the guitar riff that begins this song is guaranteed to have you banging your head, as it has such a nostalgic old style hard rock feel to it, that you just don't hear in music anymore. The chords themselves are kept simple, much like the formula so it doesn't take long for the listener to identify with the audible pleasure they're experiencing. The drums are another high point of the album; they're kept simple, unlike some drummers who place fills everywhere. But they're still diverse, experimenting outside of the normal straight rock beat.
The album continues to delight as it progresses. Songs like 'Unbreakable' display a technique the band is fond of; acoustic chords and riffs to fill the verses and with distortion for the chorus, while 'I Am No One' almost takes the form of a rock ballad, with multiple harmonies in the chorus and a slower feel overall, with a guitar solo to cap it all off. 'Nerve' also deserves a mention. With a punk rock vibe, Steph gets to take lead vocals for the first time. Her voice is very much in the vein of Paramore and Flyleaf, and it was a wise choice to give her more of a forward role in this song, as her voice suits it perfectly. Then there's the other side of the band; the soft side. The best showcase of this is in the album's closer 'The Way I Am'. Normally I don't look too much into lyrics, but the wry reference to Marc's own situation is hard to miss; it's his message to the world that he accepts himself the way he is, and isn't about to let his disability become a hindrance to achieving his goals and dreams. Two beautiful picked acoustic riffs contrast each other through the introduction and into a positive sounding chourus. It's often said that the voices of siblings work well together, and it's certainly proven here, as Marc and Steph make this a beautiful duet, with gentle harmonies
It's a wonderful debut effort from some extremely talented songwriters. It's also easily marketable material and should have seen the band off to grander places. However most unfortunately 'The White Room' seems to have since dissolved and slipped into oblivion. The official website has closed down and physical copies of the album are now notoriously hard to track down. iTunes and Myspace remain as the only evidence that this band once existed. Hopefully they'll emerge again at some point in the future, as they showed great potential on this breathtaking debut album
The White Room Was...
Marc Collis - Guitars, Vocals Steph Collis - Drums, Vocals Ben Jarvis - Guitars Barry Brauer - Bass
