James Morrison – You Give Me Something
This is the first single taken from James Morrison’s debut album ‘Undiscovered’ which is out now, and it seems that with a voice like this he wont remain ‘Undiscovered’ for long. James Morrison is a young English singer songwriter, and despite his young age of 21 he sounds like he has been doing this for years as he has an amazing voice which is incredibly strong and powerful. It is a hard concept to grasp that this is merely Morrison’s first single release from his debut album and I’m sure that he will be well received at this years V Festival.
Here we are treated to Morrison’s voluptuous voice over the top of a superbly soulful brass section. While the horn section offers a backbone for this track, it is the searing vocals of James Morrison that really capture your attention as they come booming out over the top of the music. His soulful voice works extremely well with the instrumental backing making this an extremely well rounded single that should impress those that have the pleasure of hearing it. Expect to see a lot more of James Morrison over the coming months as this young man is destined to become a star with a voice like this.
Label: Polydor
Release Date: 17th July 2006
Rating:
Humanzi – Diet Pills & Magazines
Ireland’s Humanzi have here produced a promising single with a dirty, distorted guitar riff which drives the track through it’s near on 4 minute duration. This single seems to have a lot of promise, with its guitar heavy approach where the main riff is very much the key focus of the single. The vocals are fairly quiet, and all other instruments toned down so that the guitar can come through strong, with the vocals like an echo in the background. Although the vocals are quiet, the lyrics will still run through your mind and have you singing along in no time.
The band should have a lot to offer with debut album ‘Tremors’, and although this single is nothing groundbreaking, you will find the main riff stuck in your head after the first listen and the single will definitely have a lasting impression. This is a decent single and should showcase that Humanzi are a band well worth checking out. If you’ve never heard Humanzi then give them a try – you may well like what you hear. Humanzi are clearly a band with a lot going for them and with this single show that their brand of distorted guitar rock is definitely enough to keep you interested and craving for more.
Label: Polydor
Release Date: 17th July 2006
Rating:
Dashboard Confessional – Dusk and Summer
Dashboard Confessional was originally a basis for Chris Carrabba to release acoustic solo releases as a side project away from his main band of the time, Further Seems Forever. Dashboard Confessional have come a long way since then, with a million selling album under their belts in the form of ‘A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar’, however there are moments on this album where the band actually sound like a continuation of the aforementioned Further Seems Forever. It could quite fairly be argued that this was the point at which Carrabba sold out, and that ‘The Swiss Army Romance’ is the album which embodies the true spirit of Dashboard Confessional – something that I would be inclined to agree with. Having said this, ‘Dusk and Summer’ is not a bad album, and with it’s bitter sweet pop harmonies – it is actually a competent offering which will no doubt get used for countless teen romance films over the coming months.
This is a decent album in that there are ten tracks on display here that could easily be released as singles to critical acclaim, along with one bonus track in the form of Spiderman 2’s ‘Vindicated’ which has already achieved this. I feel that the albums centrepiece ‘So Long, So Long’ is probably one of the finest moments on the album – a collaboration with Counting Crows singer Adam Duritz which is an incredible piano led track that really works well in it’s place at the centre of the album. It is a great collaboration where much time and effort has obviously gone into this track in order to make it the best it possibly could be. If it wasn’t for the amazing ‘Slow Decay’ then I no doubt would have been saying that ‘So Long, So Long’ was the bands finest moment on this CD, however ‘Slow Decay’ would definitely win this award. This is probably the most angst you’ll ever find on a Dashboard record, with the band really tearing through this one and making it a stand out track for me.
The band will release the album’s opener ‘Don’t Wait’ as the first single on August 21st – something which should see the band achieve success over these shores. This is a strong track which is simple yet extremely effective. It’s one of those deja vous tracks where the first time you hear it, you’ll feel like you’ve already heard it before. I think it is this that makes this track so strong as it’s instantly recognisable and should make a good single. If it doesn’t do well, then it will merely serve to prove the fact that whatever Dashboard Confessional does, over here they will remain virtually unnoticed.
Although you will stop playing this album and forget most of what you’ve heard almost instantaneously – for what it’s worth, this is not a bad album. If you want an album that you can sit back and relax to, then this is the ticket. Sure, the originality isn’t exactly groundbreaking and the lyrics aren’t exactly genius – but this Dashboard Confessional release definitely deserves a place in your CD collection. It probably won’t ever become your favourite album, but you’re bound to find yourself giving it a spin from time to time. Once you get past the fact that this album is targeted at 14 year old girls, you’ll probably find yourself quite enjoying this album.
Label: Vagrant
Release Date: 10th July 2006
Rating:
Underoath – Define The Great Line
In 2004 the band rose to fame with their ‘They’re Only Chasing Safety’ album which sold more than 350 000 copies. Underoath are now back after a 2 year wait with this new album ‘Define The Great Line’ with which the band have a great stab at success in the metalcore genre, a genre they started off in with their first two albums ‘Act of Depression’ and ‘Cries of the Past’ before moving onto the melody, scream, repeat formula of the ‘They’re Only Chasing Safety’ release. I feel that this was a wise move for the band as I feel that this is a genre that they do a lot better, and so in returning to their roots as such (doing it better, mind) the band are definitely onto a winner. The band makes strong use of their double bass pedal with this release, producing a heavy album that should go down well with many of those that listen to it.
This album is full of great tracks that are not only heavy, but also well written and effective meaning that this is a strong release that the band is bound to be pleased with. Whereas with previous releases the band have penned tracks that have been overly preachy, the band here remain obviously Christian – however do so in a far more subtle fashion that although shows that they are proud of their religion, does not seem this time round like they are trying to convert the listener. Underoath definitely seem to have matured with this release, and right from the word go with track ‘In Regard To Myself’, the band are showing great promise and proving to be a band well worthy of your full attention. When the album begins, from the way it starts you just know that any second the band are going to kick into action and have returned to their metalcore roots. I don’t know what it is exactly, but the opening is reminiscent of so many metalcore albums out there that you just know what your ears are about to be treated with. This is probably one of my favourites on the album and kicks it off perfectly, preparing you nicely for the rest of the album.
The band remain strong throughout the three quarter hour run time of the CD and show that they are back and better than ever. It’s tracks like ‘Ever So Inviting’ and ‘Moving for the Sake of Motion’ where the band really seem to do it for me. Particularly with ‘Moving for the Sake of Motion’ – a track that starts off promisingly with some great double bass work and continues into a strong track that is possibly the heaviest you will ever hear the band. The vocal work here is extremely strong, with some fine guitar riffs that compliment the double bass drumming and perfectly finish off this fine track. With ‘Define The Great Line’, the band really are breaking barriers and bursting into new territories of heaviness as a band, making a strong name for themselves with this release and showing that they haven’t lost their knack for writing strong metalcore full of crushing power and utmost energy.
In this album the band are unpredictable and you never quite know where the band are going to go next. I think this is what make this such an intriguing album as you listen on, wondering where you will next be taken making this an extremely exciting listen which is aural gold. There are the epic adventures of ‘Casting Such A Thin Shadow’ and closing track ‘To Whom It May Concern’ as well as shorter displays such as those of the crashing ‘Everyone Looks So Good From Here’ and the relaxed ‘Salmarnir’, however no matter how long or short the tracks happen to be there is one thing that is always sure; the band will never fail to impress and there will never a dull moment be. With this latest offering from the Christian metallers, entertainment is always guaranteed as is great style and flair, and ample musical intelligence.
It is not every day that you come across an album as strong as this, and with this album the band really does show just how great they can be when they really put their minds to it and get down to it. This may well be one of the albums of 2006, as at just over half way through the calendar, it is definitely a contender. When bands revisit a genre they have done in the past, they tend not to do it as well and it is often argued that they should have stuck to what they were doing before they revisited their past, however this is definitely not the case with Underoath as they have more than adequately shown that they are just as vital to the genre, if not more than they were in the past.
Label: EMI
Release Date: 19th June 2006
Rating:
Adequate Seven – Here On Earth
Adequate Seven are a band that use to often get misplaced in the bracket of ‘Skacore’, however their sound has always been far more than this in truth and bridges the divide between Funk and Hardcore, fusing the two in order to produce their own unique brand of music. I feel the band have always been at their best when they show off their more Hardcore side, however the band do this less on their second album ‘Here On Earth’ in favour of exploring their funkier nature.
The album kicks off with last years catchy single ‘Splitting Up’ which was released to critical acclaim last August, gaining the band extensive Radio 1 airplay. I feel that this is probably one of the strongest tracks on the album as it is extremely catchy, showing the bands ability to pen a catchy song that will get stuck in your head for months to come. From here the band move on to track ‘Head Up High’ which some of you may have heard on the bands My Space account – it is another catchy track with a powerful chorus, with the horn section here being used perfectly and really complimenting the bands sound. From here the band move on to ‘Now It’s Time’, and it really feels as if the band have put the albums catchy tracks first in order to forefront them from the rest of the album. From these three catchy tracks the band move through a number of tracks ranging from the hard edged all out hardcore sound of old which is present on ‘King Leopold’s Ghost’ to the funk dual male and female vocal led ‘Like It Or Not.’
Much like they did with ‘No Space’ on the ‘Songs of Innocence and Experience’ album, the band have chosen to re-record ‘Gotta Stay Focussed’ for this album. It’s a fairly decent song, and had you not heard the original version you’d probably say that it was one of, if not the strongest track on the album, however I feel that in re-recording it, the band have lost some of the edge that it had originally, and by changing the emphasis have given this one a different feel about it. At first I was horrified by what the band had done with this one, however after repeated listens the track has grown on me, although I still prefer the original version and feel that this one lacks the bite of the original.
There are some great tracks on display here, with the hard edged ‘King Leopold’s Ghost’ really having a lasting effect on me. I can’t get this one out of my head – it really is an amazing track. Adequate Seven are a band that never ceases to amaze me, and what with the gang vocals on display here, fiery guitars, strong drum beats, and killer choruses – this track does nothing but further my love of the band. Another of my favourites on this album has to be the epic closer ‘Pimpin’ The Funk Draining The Blood’ which rounds the CD off nicely and really ends the album on a high leaving you craving for more.
All in all this is a pretty decent return from the band, and had it not been for my high expectations of this album then I probably would have been more impressed by it. I’ve always been a massive fan of the band, but I feel that where the band truly comes alive is on the gigging circuit. They never fail to impress live and are always full of energy, even on the not so hard hitting of their tracks they always seem to be raw and brimming with energy and exuberance. If you’ve never heard this band before then check this album out – it’s well worth your time as it’s a good offering of Funk, Punk, and Hardcore – blending them all to form the end product which is ‘Here On Earth.’
Released: 19th June 2006
Label: Breaking World Records
Rating:
Fall Out Boy – A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More “Touch Me”
It seems the band are running out of steam a bit, with this new single only entering the UK single charts at number 38 – the record label will not be happy. In all honesty this is not a bad single, it just doesn’t really have the drive that previous singles ‘Sugar We’re Goin’ Down’, and ‘Dance, Dance’ had. It is not as powerful as these tracks, and coupled with this the video I feel is not as good as the previous two were. These two factors will have led to it’s low chart entry, and the record label exclusives will be kicking themselves about the single that they have chosen to release which I feel is a bad decision on behalf of the label as there are far better tracks that they could have chosen to release.
On the live stage this track belts out of the sound system and is a powerful track, however I do not feel that this is reproduced on record, and while not a bad track – it is not Fall Out Boy at their finest and is not a fair representation of their fine talent to pen a fantastic pop song. Fall Out Boy have some great songs to their name, however this is not one of them and although it is not unpleasant to listen to, it has no real lasting impact, and is definitely not one of the album tracks that you will find stuck in your head for weeks.
Released: 19th June 2006
Label: B-Unique
Rating:
The Automatic – Not Accepted Anywhere
It’s been hard to avoid this young Cardiff based band in recent months regardless of whether or not you like them. Most notably has been the fact that everywhere you go, someone seems to be singing along to ‘Monster’, usually changing the theme of the song. Just yesterday in fact there was a young lad that looked about 11 or 12, and as someone approached he sang ‘What’s that coming over the hill, is it a homosexual?’ Not the best fitting word change I’ve heard, but still – it seemed to impress his mates. It is clear that this track is getting stuck in the heads of people both young and old, and all I can say about the album is; there’s more of that where that came from, with the album jam packed full of catchy tracks where any of the twelve tracks on the display here could easily be released as a single.
The album kicks off with the fiery ‘That’s What She Said’, with the band quickly getting into their stride and showing what they are capable of. From here we begin to move through a few familiar tracks such as ‘Raoul’, ‘Recover’, and the aforementioned ‘Monster’ which have all been released as singles. I have a feeling that ‘Recover’ may be re-released at some stage, much like label mates Kaiser Chiefs did with ‘Oh My God’, as it is probably one of the strongest, if not the strongest track on the album, however when it was first released the band did not have the notoriety that they currently have. It would make sense to re-release this single as I’m sure it would do well, however whether it will be or not is yet to be seen.
The band makes their thoughts known about the current state of commercial music in this album, stating on catchy track ‘You Shout You Shout You Shout You Shout’ that there is ‘so much trash on the radio today.’ In this one they also make reference to the Panic! At The Disco album ‘A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out’, and in many respects it can be seen that the band are much like them in that they are also having great success with an extremely catchy debut album. Another thing these bands have in common is that they are both synth heavy, and it can be seen that this is definitely the sound of 2006; to forefront a synth in your music. Some may argue that the band have been handed it all on a plate, however I’m sure that the band would disagree with this and argue that they’ve worked hard for what they have achieved.
There are many great tracks on this album, aside from the obvious single releases, and the aforementioned ‘You Shout You Shout You Shout You Shout’, other tracks that automatically spring to mind are ‘Seriously…I Hate You Guys’, ‘Team Drama’, and epic album closer ‘Rats’. What is most notable about this band is that there isn’t a single track on this album that doesn’t have an astonishing chorus. I feel that the choruses are often the driving point of this band, with the immaculate vocal styling of Rob coupling with the screams of keyboardist Pennie providing a perfect contrast and working brilliantly throughout the album. The band are extremely catchy, with the synths, screams, and lead vocals creating a perfect blend when placed alongside the booming bass lines, fiery guitar riffs, and powerful drum beats.
The Automatic are not always instant, for instance the first few times I heard ‘Raoul’ I really didn’t see what anyone saw in it, however with repeated listens it really began to grow on me and became one of my most heavily played songs for a while. Once you get used to the bands quirky style, which can range from disco-punk to Indie, and then onto pop-punk seemingly at the flick of a switch with flashes of Screamo added into the mix every so often, you really begin to enjoy their music and admire ‘Not Accepted Anywhere’ for the range of genres it manages to cover in its 40 minutes. It is clear that The Automatic have varied influences, ranging from the likes of At The Drive-In and Refused, to Radiohead and Blur.
‘Not Accepted Anywhere’ entered the official UK album charts at number 3, a testament to the bands current popularity. They prove to me with this album that they deserve all the success that they are achieving at the moment as it is a great album especially with it being their debut. It is not often that a band releases such an exciting debut, and when their young age is taken into account, with the fact that they are still quintessentially still teenagers, this achievement just seems even greater. I feel that with age this is a band that we will see blossom, releasing a number of albums in the process – hopefully they wont just be another flash in the pan throwaway rock band that we see so many of in this day and age.
Released: 19th June 2006
Label: B-Unique
Rating:
