Alt-UK

Music, Film, and Gaming

Archives for December 29, 2004

Dude on a Mission – Moments Erased EP

by Leave a Comment

I need to be honest here, when I first heard some material from this band a while back they weren’t sounding too pretty. Since then the band seem to have found their niche as on this EP, DOAM come across as a fine band of quality musicians. Sure there are areas that the band can improve on, but then again no ones perfect! Having been together for around 3 years, DOAM seem to have acquired a unique and interesting sound and have an aura of intense enthusiasm and excitement about them.

With this EP the band supply 3 amazing tunes that will have you dancing away, singing along, and if you are a musician will leave you with the urge to replicate the sounds you are experiencing. The band describe themselves as a melodic rock band with a hint of punk and a hint of funk – and I guess this is a fair description really, but just saying that of them really doesn’t do them any justice at all as they are so original that from this description having not heard them you will inevitably get the wrong idea. All of these songs are awesome, but track 2, ‘Moments Erased’ particularly appealed to me with its strong vocal style, great bass lines, fine guitar riffs, and super drum beats. The backing vocals go really well with the lead vocals and make way for a truly amazing listening experience. The quality continues into final track ‘Bite The Bullet’ and the EP is rounded off nicely with a cool finisher which leaves you wanting to hear more.

This young band has a hell of a lot of talent and if they keep on improving at the rate they have been then before long they are going to be huge. They have certainly developed as a band, and these days far overcome the idea you get in your head of the band from their name. I can’t wait to hear the next CD from these guys because I’m sure that they’re going to further improve and produce a CD of even greater excellence. Dude on a Mission is most certainly a name you won’t be forgetting in a hurry.

Rating:
Review StarReview StarReview StarReview Star

Steriogram – Schmack

by Leave a Comment

Chances are, in 5 years time you won’t even remember the name of this band and will have completely forgotten about this album, however at the moment its fun to listen to and has some amazingly catchy tunes embedded into its 12 track line up. This band made it big over here after breakthrough single ‘Walkie Talkie Man’ was used for the iPOD adverts. I really don’t know what sort of genre you would put on this band but what I do know is that they have some seriously catchy lyrics, amazingly cool guitar riffs, booming bass lines, and demon drum beats.

Such tracks as ‘Walkie Talkie Man,’ ‘Fat and Proud,’ and ‘Wind It Up’ really stand out and put a smile on your face. They’re not the most technically advanced of tunes, but nonetheless they push all the right buttons and with them the band has really provided the listener with some solid listening pleasure. Steriogram combine normal vocals with spat out rapping and through doing so they really do sound excruciatingly good. It often makes me cringe when bands try and incorporate rapping into the experience, but when it is done well the sound is sublime and Steriogram are evidence of this.

This may not be the most memorable of albums, but is does have some catchy beats and fun songs that will get you dancing away and singing along for weeks. Be sure to check this band out, as if you enjoyed ‘Walkie Talkie Man,’ then chances are that this album will tickle your fancy. I can see Steriogram disappearing into the abyss after this album, but for the moment the fun of this album is up for the taking.

Rating:
Review StarReview StarReview Star

Senses Fail – Let It Enfold You

by Leave a Comment

Senses Fail is a once cliched emo band from New Jersey. The music on this ‘Let It Unfold You’ album is generic bilge that offers nothing new to the genre whatsoever. This album was followed by ‘Still Searching’ however which I personally believe to be a greatly impressive album; proof that the band did not need to be as generic as they were with this release.

The music is all very similar on this album and none of the tracks really shine through. Tracks contain titles such as ‘Rum Is for Drinking, Not for Burning’, ‘Lady in a Blue Dress’, ‘Irony of Dying on Your Birthday’, really however you will not be able to tell where one track ends and the next begins. All the music is here incredibly similar and when you finish listening to this album you will not be able to relate to any of the tracks by their titles as all are just so similar and when listening it is incredibly difficult to tell them apart.

With this ‘Let It Unfold You’ album Senses Fail stuck to the scream-melody-scream format and the music is therefore greatly lacking in depth. Each and every scream is seemingly precisely planned, you know where each and every shout will come and never does the music surprise you. Instrumentally this band has a little to offer but still the music is lacking. There is a definite absence of originality here, Senses Fail do not prove themselves to be a particularly exciting band at all with this album and as the band drones from track to track never does the bands sound contain any underlying energy or passion.

‘Let It Unfold You’ was released back in 2004 and was followed in 2006 by the greatly superior ‘Still Searching’. There is just no comparing these two albums, with ‘Still Searching’ the band sound so accomplished and yet here the music lacks direction and power and merely washes over you as you listen. There is little originality on display on this album and as you listen to it you’re just left hoping for it all to come to an end. ‘Let It Unfold You’ is not at all an album that I would recommend listening to, I do however suggest giving ‘Still Searching’ a listen as this is a greatly more enjoyable album. ‘Still Searching’ is packed full of promise, little on this album however will impress you in the slightest and ultimately the ‘Let It Unfold You’ album I feel will always leave you disappointed.

Rating:
Review Star

The Wildhearts Strike Back

by Leave a Comment

Everyone loves The Wildhearts – they’re one of those bands with universal appeal, regardless of your musical genre/s of choice you will find yourself singing along to this band at every opportunity. This is a double CD of some of the bands greatest material taken from a variety of live performances between April and May 2004.

For your money here you will get the renditions of 21, yes that’s right kids, 21 of the bands finest tunes including ‘Vanilla Radio,’ ‘Caffeine Bomb,’ ‘Love you till I don’t,’ and ‘Turning American.’ There are too many great tracks on this CD to mention really but you can be sure that you will be getting your monies worth and more with this fantastic album. I don’t usually comment on album artwork, but the artwork for this CD is just too good to miss out really. For your money you will get two covers, one in a Star Wars fashion, and another in a crazy psychedelic style. They both look really cool, but then again it’d be shame to ruin a CD of such high quality with a poor cover, so the cover here does the CD proud.

The Wildhearts are a truly electric live band and this really comes across on the CD here. Sometimes you can be at a gig thinking how amazing it is, then later hear a clip from the gig and be really disappointed with what you hear. With ‘The Wildhearts Strike Back,’ the excitement of the live shows has definitely been captured and comes across full throttle. If you are a fan of the band then this CD is a vital one for your collection and needs to be picked up sharpish. However, if you are not a Wildhearts fan then firstly what do you think you’re playing at, and secondly go and buy this CD now as I swear it will leave you converted to the wicked ways of The Wildhearts.

Rating:
Five Star ReviewFive Star ReviewFive Star ReviewFive Star ReviewFive Star Review