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Chromeo – Fancy Footwork

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Chromeo is an electrofunk duo from New York City. The music created by this pair is an energetic dance sound, vocals are laced excellently over a funky backing of guitar, keyboard, and synth. The music is fun and greatly entertaining, albeit quite repetitive. The problem with this ‘Fancy Footwork’ album is that sometimes in the tracks the same beats are looped over and over to absolute irritation, at the start of each track the music sounds superb but before long you find yourself wanting for it all to come to an end.

With each track here Chromeo put across their funky electro flavours, the music possesses great energy and there is no denying that this duo are talented at what they do. Each track has something slightly different to offer, the music is entertaining but the tracks are at times a little too long. Some of the tracks are four or five minutes long, in these cases the looped music is not particularly effective as before the tracks come to a close the music becomes greatly irritating. It is when the tracks are around the three minute mark that the music of Chromeo is at its best; three minutes is just the right length for music of this sort and when the band sticks to shorter offerings I find the music to be absolutely excellent.

‘My Girl Is Calling Me (A Liar)’ is an extremely funky offering from this album that I feel works extremely well. The groove is excellent and every element of the music here sounds fantastic. ‘Momma’s Boy’ is another fine track from this release and perhaps is my favourite. It’s a stripped down track and for the first minute there is very little going on here other than the vocals. I like the minimalist approach that Chromeo take here; less is more as they say and this is certainly true with this track. The music is fun, the vocals come across exceptionally well and I for one have no cause for complaint whatsoever with this one. The vocals possess an echo, it works well and does in fact suit the sound of Chromeo superbly.

The problem with this album is that it is not consistently excellent, there are great moments of promise here but there are also other times when the music is not very impressive at all. Instrumentally the music is always upbeat, sometimes the sound just doesn’t quite work out however and it all sounds a little messy. I would definitely recommend this ‘Fancy Footwork’, it’s not all smooth sailing however and with the good here you must also accept the bad. With some tracks the sound can become extremely repetitive, the vocals can repeat constantly at times and at others it is the instrumental loops that offend. Chromeo is a talented duo, when the sound works here the music is absolutely sensational but sadly this album lacks the consistency required to ever be considered as a classic.

Label: Backyard
Release Date: 30th July 2007

Rating:
Review StarReview StarReview Star

The Films – Don’t Dance Rattlesnake

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‘Don’t Dance Rattlesnake’ is the début album from American indie pop band The Films. The music is not hugely exciting, and this is in fact probably one of the most annoying albums to have emerged in 2007. The vocal approach is whiny, instrumentally the music is often just unenthralling noise, and on this album The Films show very little talent whatsoever. It all begins with the stomping of feet, the clapping of hands, and instantly you know that this album really isn’t going to be up to very much at all.

What is present on this album is twelve fairly terrible tracks of indie annoyance. The lyrics often take on the issue of lost love and this album is just too predictable and uninspiring for my liking. With a début it’s always best if you do things a bit different, nothing new is here offered by The Films and as the band progresses through this album constantly you are waiting for the music to explode into action but never does it actually do so.

The music moves along at a snails pace, instrumentally this band does very little to impress and vocally The Films do everything to disappoint. I can’t stand whined out vocals of this sort, there are so many indie bands out there that have this exact same vocal approach as this and never does it actually work. Not once would I say that this album offers up anything that is remotely enjoyable, as the album progresses you find yourself reaching for the ‘stop’ button increasingly more often as the vocals build and build in annoyance. So many hand claps riddle this album, and there’s only so much you can take of this before it all becomes a little too much. In the interest of giving The Films are fair hearing I made sure I listened to this ‘Don’t Dance Rattlesnake’ album from start to finish, all I can say of this matter however was that this was an absolute waste of my time.

One of the tracks on this album is fittingly titled ‘Being Bored’, I can definitely relate to this situation having listened to this album. Bored is probably an understatement for what I felt when listening to The Films though, I’d suggest irritated is far more appropriate a term. I’m sure there will be some that this music appeals to, who exactly would listen to this out of choice however I’m not too sure. Indie is not a genre of music that I loathe, I can’t stand the music of The Films however and for me ‘Don’t Dance Rattlesnake’ was certainly not an enjoyable listening experience.

Label: 7Hz
Release Date: 18th June 2007

Rating:
Review Star

Soho Dolls – Ribbed Music For The Numb Generation

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‘Ribbed Music For The Numb Generation’ is the début album from the British electro sensation that is Soho Dolls. The music has a dirty electro pop feel, the female vocals come across well over a backdrop of distorted guitars and fuzzy keyboards. It’s an interesting album of succulent electronic pop music. When you first listen to this album the music will all seem extremely familiar, the band is instantly recognisable and as you listen to this album the music of Soho Dolls should surely impress you greatly. For those that are pure of mind however, be warned that the lyrical content of this band is extremely sensual and in fact overtly sexual.

The album begins with ‘Stripper’, an excellent opening track that instantly throws you right into the heart of it all. From here on in not once does the music of Soho Dolls disappoint. Every track present on this album is a delicious display of synth-pop. The album is not perfect, but with ‘Ribbed Music For The Numb Generation’ this band most definitely grabs your attention and holds it throughout the entire duration of this release. There is an underlying punk energy that runs through many of the tracks here, most notably this is present on ‘Stripper’, ‘Right and Right Again’, and ‘Weekender’ also.

‘Weekender’ is perhaps the highlight of the album for me. It has an upbeat energy, a fast pace, and the vocals are absolutely excellent here. Throughout all twelve of these tracks the vocals are brilliant in fact, but particularly here and helped perfectly by a fantastic chorus. There is something just a little more enjoyable about this track, something that makes it stand out from the pack as exceptional. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes this track so special, it’s more the culmination of separate superb qualities here adding up to an all in all sublime piece of music.

In ‘Pleasures of Soho’ front woman Maya von Doll states ‘Give me your attention, I’ll show you all the pleasures of Soho’. It’s an interesting track which incorporates the name of the band and goes some way in explaining why the name of Soho Dolls was chosen. The band is from London and always the female members of the band incorporate the title of ‘Doll’ into their stage name. This is sleaze rock at it’s finest, a dirty display of sexually ambiguous savage anthems. The music is greatly interesting, the lyrical content is fantastic, and every element of this bands music comes together beautifully.

As well as the super stomp of ‘Right and Right Again’, another track to have been released commercially from this album as a single is ‘My Vampire’. You can definitely understand this decision, the track is impressive and the music here comes across as fine as ever. In truth any one of these twelve tracks could be released to commercial avail; not one track from this album does not possess the quality to make a decent single. It’s a strong album, sexual language riddles this release and personally I find this brilliant to hear in the band. I always enjoy when a band has interesting lyrical content, and you certainly can’t say that Soho Dolls lyrics are not something special.

London’s Soho Dolls is an incredibly fine band. I wholeheartedly recommend giving this album a listen, you’ll surely not be disappointed with this highly sexed display of electronic excellence. Steve Lyon and Robert Harder were in charge of the production here, men that previously produced artists such as The Cure and Babyshambles respectively. A bad job has certainly not here been done, the production work of this album is in fact excellent and for this these two men must be congratulated. Everything about this album is excellent, right down to the individuals that produced it. All five members of this band contribute crackingly to the albums brilliance, such musical talent is on display here and not once does this album disappoint. Give ‘Ribbed Music For The Numb Generation’ a listen, I personally can’t get enough of it and am sure that you too will find great enjoyment in listening to it.

Label: A&G Records
Release Date: 24th September 2007

Rating:
Review StarReview StarReview StarReview Star

The Getaway Team – Haven’t You Heard…

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Guildford based band The Getaway Team formed in mid 2006, producing a brand of energetic music which blends the genres of pop punk and indie. It’s an excellent mix I must say, I’m a fan of both of these genres and this band certainly captures the energy and excitement of both to perfection. ‘Haven’t You Heard…’ is a pop heavy display of brilliance from The Getaway Team, five tracks are put on display for all to hear here and all impress hugely. Not once does this band sound anything short of sensational on this release, the music is highly energetic and there’s definitely a large focus here on having fun. The music is bouncy and you get a genuine sense that the bands members are enjoying it all, it’s a warm and welcoming sound and all five of these tracks have absolutely fantastic choruses.

The EP begins impressively with ‘I Regret’, there is no build up here whatsoever; the vocals kick in instantly and right from the offset this band grabs your full undivided attention. Although all of the tracks on this release possess a definite pop punk influence, this is perhaps the purest pop punk display here and I for one absolutely love it. Pop punk has always been a favourite genre of mine and I have to say that The Getaway Team do this sound a lot better than most. A great deal of enthusiasm and genuine enjoyment is required to pull off pop punk tracks I feel, The Getaway Team here have no problems with this and as such the music comes across excellently.

‘Not What I Signed Up For’ has a lot more of an indie feel about it, the mood changes in this one and a definite shift in sound of the guitars can here be heard. This track comes complete with Futureheads style outbursts of ‘oh oh oh’, it has a familiar feel about it and comes across well. It’s not the most original track in the world, it’s done well however and has a supreme powerpop energy running through the heart of it all. Always the bands choruses are brilliant, not once does the music fail in this department on this release and always in fact this area of the music is entirely excellent.

‘Lost All Hope’ is reminiscent of The Ordinary Boys in its approach, the guitar riff that leads into this track is shockingly similar in fact and vocally the chorus comes across fairly familiarly also. It all seems a little stolen, again however the track impresses and this is definitely another one from this release that definitely deserves a listen. The music is fun, the approach is energetic and always this band makes the sound produced interesting through its upbeat nature. The members of this band actually met whilst attending The Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Surrey, seemingly they all shared a similar passion for music and vision for what sound they wished to create. There’s a great unity with which the five members of this band put the music across, the music is played by the band as one unit and all contributing parties play together perfectly.

The track that ends it all here is ‘Make Pretend’, it’s slow to get going but eventually it does so and does in fact turn out to be quite an impressive little number to finish this release on. Once more the band here possesses a great indie energy, the sound is not the most original you will ever hear but it’s effective nonetheless. There’s something quite unnerving about the way in which the vocals bounce happily through the line of ‘Haven’t you heard that the world’s about to end’, it works though and you find yourself smiling along to the music before realising what the band is saying and suddenly becoming a little shocked. The music is light hearted and fun, it’s effective pop music which combines beautifully the genres of pop punk and indie. The sound that The Getaway Team produces is a lot of fun, music that is perfect to sing and dance along to.

The music of The Getaway Team will never change the world, it will however put a smile on the face of many and I’m sure that there are plenty out there that will thoroughly enjoy the bouncy pop tones of this bands music. There is a definite focus here on having fun, perfect pop music for playing aloud on a warm summers day. With the bands B-sides featuring titles such as ‘Going To A Gay Bar, Will Be The Straightest Thing You Ever Did’, I feel that the fun and light hearted nature of the music is explicitly displayed for all to see and is really rather self explanatory. For those that like their pop music to be fun and upbeat, the music of The Getaway Team should be seen as essential listening. Pop punk opens this EP, indie rears its head throughout, and always the music is greatly enjoyable to listen to with hugely impressive melodies always present, and astronomically catchy choruses attached to all five of these excellent pop songs.

Label: Easy Tiger
Release Date: 12th May 2008

Rating:
Review StarReview StarReview StarReview Star

The Orphanage (2007) Review

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‘The Orphanage’ is the first full length feature film from the director Juan Antonio Bayona. It is filmed in the Spanish language and is also set in Spain. Strictly speaking the title for this film is actually ‘El Orfanato’, but the title has been kindly translated and is therefore given the name of ‘The Orphanage’ for those of us that speak the English language. The film works largely on a cerebral level, it does however contain a certain degree of visceral involvement but when viewing bear in mind that most of the scares here are on a psychological level. Some of my favourite horror films of all time work on a psychological basis though, so I was greatly enthused about viewing this film and I’ve got to say that ‘The Orphanage’ certainly didn’t disappoint.

Right from the offset the film has an extremely creepy feel about it. As the credits roll children’s hands are shown tearing off bits of wallpaper to reveal the names of those involved with the making of this film. The music that accompanies this is really quite chilling, immediately you feel a little concerned and yet the film has not even yet truly begun. Dark lighting is used during the opening as we hear the disconcerting cries of ‘Mama’. A child can hear noises outside of his bedroom, nothing particularly out of the ordinary and yet from the fear on his face we start to feel that this is perhaps no laughing matter. Aside from asking a lot of questions of his mother though, nothing out of the ordinary happens at this point and instead the film merely continues and although we learn that the child has imaginary friends; at the age that he is this is really not too unusual.

The young child is named Simon, and as it turns out he is actually adopted by the two people he believes to be his parents. The films name becomes apparent in that the house the film is set in was once a small orphanage. The boys adoptive mother Laura lived in the orphanage as a child and always wanted to go back there to the place she grew up and so she now lives in the old orphanage with her partner Carlos and adopted son Simon. Simon has an illness and his adoptive parents are therefore very protective of him, they want the best for the young boy and clearly care a lot about him. This is no ordinary child, he is troubled and this was something that was made incredibly clear right from the very first moment that the film began.

Sound plays a large part in this film, the lighting is often incredibly dark and mysterious and the use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound heightens the frightening nature of this film. Due to the use of sound here the tension builds and builds to breaking point. Never quite do you know where the film will go next and the way in which sound is used here makes for an extremely disturbing and truly frightening viewing experience. As a house the old orphanage is extremely impressive, it is large and mysterious and is an excellent location for this film to take place. Every element of this film comes together perfectly, making for an extremely spine chilling tale. What I love most about ‘The Orphanage’ is that long after you have finished viewing it, you are still left thinking about it and the creepy nature of the film continues to haunt you. Often when I watch a film I tend not to take it all in, some of it drifts over me while I think of and in fact sometimes do other things. What’s great about this film being in Spanish is that this requires of you to pay very close attention to what is going on and continually follow the subtitles in order to stick with the film (unless of course you’re quite fluent in Spanish).

As the film is so psychologically scary and does require for a lot of thought power, I would say that it’s one of those films that can be watched multiple times and on each and every viewing you will almost certainly take more and more away from the experience. As you walk away having witnessed ‘The Orphanage’ you start to ponder over the film that you have just viewed, gaining valuable insight into what went on in the film and why. It’s not simple, it’s this though that makes the film such compelling viewing. Visceral horror films portraying much blood and gore can be great for a bit of light entertainment, but ‘The Orphanage’ goes far beyond this and impresses hugely as it does so. The lighting is always dark, and the musical score is excellent as it shocks and soars; never do you truly know where the film will go next, and the journey that you are taken on here is led largely by the music.

It is not strictly a horror film I would say, it is in fact more of a haunting ghost tale; a chilling film which focuses on contact with the spirit world. Mediumship has always been a great area of interest to me, no one can ever truly say as to what happens after we die. Is that the end, or does our spirit live on and is there in fact an afterlife? Obviously I can’t honestly answer this question, I may have an opinion about it but it is purely that; my personal opinion. Films involving contact with the spirit world I always seek avidly to watch, and although often done badly when they are done well they can be incredibly impressive. I would say that ‘The Orphanage’ is the best film I have seen that focuses on contact with the dead, it’s a truly frightening film and never does it disappoint. It’s not comical like some films of this sort can be, but instead is deadly serious and really does make you think long and hard about the events that are taking place within the film.

In terms of acting performances, once more I would say that ‘The Orphanage’ is excellent. Young actor Roger Príncep is brilliant as the seven year old Simon, he is hugely believable in his part and should surely have a great future ahead of him. This was the first film for Roger Príncep, he is however currently involved in a second and given that he is only nine years old he certainly seems to be starting his career extremely young; by the time he hits his teenage years he shall already be a veteran of the film world it would seem. Although the character of Simon is extremely central to the plot, it is Belén Rueda as Laura that is given the task of carrying much of this film and I must say that she does an excellent job indeed. She certainly isn’t lacking in confidence, and given that much of the film we spend with her it was obviously important that she were perfect for the part. I can’t fault this casting choice whatsoever, everything is handled well by her and she takes all that is asked of her as an actress here completely in her stride. Always Belén Rueda is impressive here, I fail to find any fault with her part whatsoever. Whilst the part that Fernando Cayo plays is quite important in that he is Simon’s adoptive father, his part within this film is on the grand scale of things quite small. For this I am really quite grateful, his smug face reminds me of Neil Fitzmaurice who plays Jeff in in the hit TV series ‘Peep Show’ and had he played more of an important part in this film then this could well have ruined it all for me.

If you liked films such as ‘The Sixth Sense’ and ‘The Skeleton Key’, then I’d say that you’ll love this. It’s far better than those two films put together; ‘The Orphanage’ is a spooky psychological thriller that will shock you at every twist and turn that it takes. To call this film unpredictable would be a huge understatement, if you claim to have known what direction ‘The Orphanage’ would take next then you my friend are a liar. There is no way that anyone could possibly know what twists ‘The Orphanage’ will behold, unless of course you happen to read an entire plot breakdown somewhere but that doesn’t really count. I would say that only once a year if you’re lucky will a film emerge that is genuinely scary, ‘The Orphanage’ is one of those films however and will most certainly have you on the edge of your seat and crying for your ‘Mama’ just as the character of Simon does in the opening scenes of the film.

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

Exit Avenue – A Thousand Odd Lines

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Exit Avenue is a five-piece band from Hitchin, a band that combines perfectly the genres of pop punk and electronica. For fans of bands such as Hellogoodbye and Furthest Drive Home this music is absolutely essential listening. Such energy, excitement and above all enthusiasm is contained within this EP; throughout each of the four tracks here the music is thoroughly enjoyable and always the five members of this band prove themselves to be extremely proficient, highly talented musicians.

This is exactly the kind of music that I love to hear, there is a great energy about this band; always the music possesses a frantic pace and supreme excellence as all five members of the band smash their way through this ‘A Thousand Odd Lines’ release with a great level of enthusiasm and commitment. This is great music to get up and dance to, and given that this band has supported Pendulum I feel that this is exactly what everyone would be doing at the bands live shows.

The use of synth within this EP reminds me of that of Enter Shikari, the music is entirely different in all other respects and yet the synth element here sounds uncannily similar to Enter Shikari. For those that enjoy a good bit of synth in their music then I feel that the music of Exit Avenue will be right up your street. ‘Gotta Get Out’ begins this EP perfectly with a fine bit of synth energy, and throughout this EP the synth is often utilised to great effect. Often it can be heard in the background, it is when it’s brought to the fore however that the synth comes across at its most brilliant.

Throughout the entirety of this EP a great zest for life is put forward by this fantastic band that is Exit Avenue. All of these four tracks entertain to a great degree and not once does the music here disappoint. ‘Sweet Sixteen’ is perhaps my favourite track from this release, there’s something truly brilliant about the way which this track builds. The vocals come belting across, the lyrics are excellent and every element of the music just seems to come together perfectly. For want of a better word the music comes across beautifully, the sound that is produced here borders upon perfection and I personally can’t get enough of the bitter-sweet harmony of this delectable aural display of excellence.

The final moments of this EP must here be mentioned I feel. ‘Better Off Alone’ brings this ‘A Thousand Odd Lines’ release to a perfect close. It is rare that I enjoy a track as much as this, I have found myself listening to this one many a time though and every time I listen I smile. The music is so energetic, the melody is superb, and all five members of this band here put across the sound supremely well. Such talent can here he heard with Exit Avenue, the music possesses such terrific energy and not once does it let up in the slightest.

Exit Avenue is a greatly talented band, this ‘A Thousand Odd Lines’ release more than proves the proficiency of the bands five members in the field of pop punk. The influence of electronica just gives this band that extra edge and the music is all the more effective as a result of this. There is a great pulsating nature with which the four tracks are here put forward, such energy is contained within the music and always it is brilliant. Before I heard this EP I was not aware of the great talent of Exit Avenue, now that I have heard the bands music however I will definitely be looking out for this band in the future. I can’t wait to hear more, every move the band makes with this release is hugely impressive and I truly find ‘A Thousand Odd Lines’ to be a flawless display of absolute magnificence. I’m sure there’s plenty more to come from Exit Avenue, this band really is ready to hit the mainstream in my opinion and if Hellogoodbye can make a success of themselves making music of a similar sort then so too can Exit Avenue. Exit Avenue is probably the best band of this sort that I have ever heard, investing in this ‘A Thousand Odd Lines’ EP is in my opinion a definite must.

Release Date: 11th February 2008

Rating:
Review StarReview StarReview StarReview Star

Ruiner – Prepare To Be Let Down

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‘Prepare To Be Let Down’ is an interesting yet fairly unspectacular album from the Baltimore-based hardcore punk band that is Ruiner. This is not the best album you will ever hear in the genre, it’s certainly got something about it however which makes this album extremely satisfying to listen to. The tracks are kept short and simple, the album contains twelve tracks and yet runs for a total of just over twenty minutes. The shortest track here titled ‘Bottom Line: Fuck You’ is a mere 27 seconds, despite the short length of the tracks however the music is effective and works successfully as a decent display of hardcore punk.

Ruiner has a definite talent for the music that is created here, the bands members are not hugely talented and yet somehow this sound works well. By keeping the music simple and the tracks short, Ruiner is able to disguise the fatal flaws of the band through powering through the tracks and not really allowing for you to think too much about the music that you are listening to. By the time the tracks have sunk in, the music has long since finished and the band is already well into the next track on the album. At times this can be quite infuriating, there are times here when you’re really quite enjoying a track and after a mere minute the music reaches an abrupt close. You never truly know when each track will end, each passing track is signified by a second of silence but really it all comes as quite a shock to the system. The plus side of this is that if you’re not liking any given track then you can rest assured that it will soon be over and before long the band will fling themselves into another speedy number.

Closing track ‘Kiss That Motherfucker Good Night’ is by far the longest track on this album at just under six minutes in length. It takes up nearly a whole third of this album in fact and it’s decision to do so isn’t entirely justified. It’s interesting enough, but the music of Ruiner is at its most effective I feel throughout the shorter tracks of this release. It’s quite a light way to end the album, it melds finely both melodic moments and dirge attacks of hardcore assault. Although it’s interesting, the apparent lack of musical ability on behalf of this band means that it’s definitely not as impressive as the quick kicks of life that riddle this release. ‘Kiss That Motherfucker Good Night’ ends the album memorably in that its triple the length of anything else here present, it’s certainly not the best that this album has to offer however. You can certainly understand the decision of the band in here including a track of this sort, it does bring the album to an amicable close and in truth had Ruiner brought closure to this release with an abruptly ended thirty second spell of hardcore then this would not have sounded right at all.

‘Prepare To Be Let Down’ is an extremely well chosen title for this album in that you’re really expecting more and yet in truth Ruiner’s album here is quite an average hardcore punk offering. Ruiner is far better a band than most in this genre, the music however is not the strongest you will ever hear and this album is most certainly no hardcore punk classic. If you enjoy your hardcore punk then I’d say that you’ll like Ruiner, there are better bands out there than this but the music here is still enjoyable to listen to and this ‘Prepare To Be Let Down’ doesn’t completely disappoint. Ruiner is hardcore punk at it’s most average; it’s fast, it’s fun, but ultimately there is no real depth of intelligence about the music. Ruiner will never be the most successful band in this genre, they do however do the hardcore punk scene loud and proud with this, their Bridge Nine Records début.

Label: Bridge Nine Records
Release Date: 6th August 2007

Rating:
Review StarReview StarReview Star

The Handshake Affair – Oh,Oh…Get Her In!!

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The Handshake Affair is a German screamo band from the town of Dessau. When not screaming The Handshake Affair vocally sound quite similar to Rise Against, albeit with a distinct German accent clearly present. Musically the sound that The Handshake Affair produces is quite impressive, vocally however it is all a little too contrived for my liking. The guitars are promising, the drum beats are strong, but for me the vocals just let it all down.

Vocally I feel the music of The Handshake Affair is at best when singer/shouter Eric Cipowicz is screaming his lungs out. The screams are impressive, the sung vocals however are extremely whiny and really quite irritating. The problem is here that with the screams you must also accept the cleanly sung verses, something that I find extremely difficult to do. Were it not for the whining nature of the sung vocals then I feel that this would be quite an impressive EP, as it stands however the music is extremely difficult to listen to without wincing.

Were this band to remove the clean vocals and stick purely to screaming then the music would be a lot more impressive. Instrumentally the band is greatly talented, the shouts are fiery, and the sound that is produced by this band is at times excellent. A synth element is brought in sporadically to great effect, I just can’t take this band seriously however at the times when the vocals are not screamed or shouted. It’s as though front man Eric is trying to mimic Rise Against with his vocal display; it just doesn’t quite work out for him however I’m afraid to say. ‘Sins And Alibis’ is the best track from this release, it features far less sung vocals than all other tracks on this release and for that reason it is all the more entertaining to listen to.

The Handshake Affair has played on the Munich leg of the Taste of Chaos tour so the bands members are no strangers to a sell out crowd, the band is yet to develop to it’s full potential though I feel. If The Handshake Affair make a few alterations to the music as a band then I feel that the sound output will be a lot more effective than it is at current. The leaps between sung and screamed vocals are all too predictable for my liking, when listening you can more of less judge when the shifts in vocal style will occur and the music is therefore a little too predictable and bland. As it stands The Handshake Affair has a lot more to learn, give it a bit of time though and I feel that we may well see the best that this band has to offer.

Release Date: 28th April 2008

Rating:
Review StarReview Star

Beastie Boys – The Mix-Up

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With latest album ‘The Mix-Up’, Beastie Boys tread new ground in that it’s the first album the band has ever released of all new instrumental material. Whereas in the past the albums of the Beastie Boys have been littered with all the bands best rap licks, here the voices have been cut out, the computers have been left alone, and an album has been produced which utilises instruments such as drums, guitars, organ, bass, and synth. Twelve tracks are contained on this album of entirely instrumental Beastie Boys music, a change in direction for the boys and in all honesty an incredibly strange move for the band to have undertaken.

Beastie Boys have never been my favourite hip-hop artist in the world, I have however greatly enjoyed some of their music in the past and in picking up this album was expecting the music to come alive with great energy and excitement. All that is present on this album is a tame instrumental offering in which Beastie Boys fumble their way through this release with a great sense of confusion. Musical ability is here not a strong point, the depth of this album is extremely lacking and nothing here seems to come together particularly well at all. The basic back beat here is the drastically dull drum work of Mike D. The drum beats plod and never does the music here impress, there’s just very little going on whatsoever on this album. Were the musical ability of the band a little greater then perhaps this album would be more effective, as it stands though every element of the music is poor and at no point during the progression of this album do you ever feel particularly inspired or in fact interested.

Since 1979 the Beastie Boys have been making music together as a band and for many years now the band has been producing a similar hip-hop sound, the decision to try something a little different is therefore entirely understandable. The problem here is that this experimental album just doesn’t work out, it’s an interesting idea that just doesn’t work out in practise. Given that Beastie Boys started out life as a hardcore punk band under the name of The Young Aborigines, you’d think that there would be a little more going on in the music here but there just isn’t. The roots of this band would lead you to believe that this ‘The Mix-Up’ album may possess a bit of bite, an underlying energy driving through, nothing of this sort can here be heard however and this album is just an extremely disappointing bore of a release. ‘The Mix-Up’ runs for just over 42 minutes and not once in the albums progression can any excitement ever be felt. There is no heart in this album, no interesting music whatsoever, just the vacant sound of background music. I fear this album would be too dreary even to be used as lift music, even people travelling up and down want a little more life and soul in the air than this.

In making this album there is no doubt in my mind that the Beastie Boys had terrific fun. It would have been great for them to let off a little steam and have a forty minute jam session, to then turn that jam session into an officially released album however is an entirely different issue. This album should never have been released, Beastie Boys make some brilliant hip-hop music but what is contained within this album just isn’t the bands forte. Beastie Boys should stick to what they know best, if the band does so then this will lead to less infuriatingly dull album releases in the future. ‘The Mix-Up’ is not even a worthwhile album for hardcore fans of Beastie Boys I would suggest, it’s so far removed from the bands usual material that you really can’t compare the two. No real musical ability is expressed on this album, it’s a tiresome jam session that ultimately leads nowhere. Stick some talented musicians together in a room for a few hours complete with their instruments and chances are that they’ll unite to make some truly exquisite music, stick Beastie Boys together in a room of instruments and they’ll come up with rubbish like this. Beastie Boys make good hip-hop, this instrumental album however leaves a lot to be desired. My best advice is to avoid this album at all costs, not only will it save you some money but also forty minutes of your life that would otherwise be wasted in giving this album a listen.

Label: Parlophone
Release Date: 25th June 2007

Rating:
Review Star

Enochian Theory – A Monument To The Death Of An Idea

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It was September 2004 that this band first began its assault on the music industry. The four individuals that make up this fine band that is Enochian Theory got together and started writing material, tracks that would be included on the bands first EP ‘Our Lengthening Shadows’. With an EP behind them the band was then able to be taken seriously as a unit and began to secure shows for themselves up and down the UK. Enochian Theory began working on début album ‘A Monument To The Death Of An Idea’ in June 2006, completed it in August 2006 and it was then that the album was released independently. In April 2007 the album was given an official release through Anomalousz Music and from then on the band has continued to go from strength to strength.

‘A Countermeasure In Hindsight’ kicks this album off, a nine minute epic as Enochian Theory here unveil their sound and the music unfolds. A mere five tracks make up this album and yet the albums runs for over half an hour. The tracks are long, Enochian Theory cruise through them with great accuracy and precision however and all four members of the band prove themselves to be excellent in their field. The vocals are excellent, the guitars superb, and the drum beats provide a brilliant backbone for the band. The music is a mix of Prog Rock and Metal, it’s an interesting sound that is produced here and definitely one that I would recommend.

With some Prog Rock bands you listen to the music and are constantly waiting for it all to kick into action. The end of an album can sometimes be reached and you’re left feeling as though nothing has really happened, this certainly isn’t the case here though and Enochian Theory provide plenty of excellent music to keep you entertained throughout the albums run time. It’s great music to relax to, for the most part the sound that is produced here is reassuringly soothing; every element of the music is strong and yet you can easily unwind as you let the music pour through every inch of your soul. In contrast to this however there are times when the music is quite heavy in its approach, at the end of ‘For Those With Conscience’ for example it all explodes as the band enters the final minute of the track and decide here to thrash out a bit of heavy metal. The vocals are rough, the guitar riffs are huge and every element of the music is here extremely heavy. The album offers a great deal of variation in sound, never do you quite know where the band will go next and it is this element of the music that makes it all so brilliant to listen to. The sound is constantly changing throughout this album, the music is always out to shock and surprise you and it is this that I love most about Enochian Theory.

‘Namyamka’ is the track given the task of bringing this album to its close. It’s an excellent one to end it all with I feel, a truly exquisite piece of music which finishes the album on a definite high for the band. The track was actually released in August 2007 as a single, you can definitely understand why the band would choose this one from the five that are present on this release. For a start it’s the shortest track here at just over 5 minutes and I would also say that it’s perhaps the most approachable of all that are included on this album. The album has so much going on, a vast array of music that really makes you think for long after the music has met its end. As this track ends and silence ensues due to the albums finish, you really feel a great sense of satisfaction and appreciation for the brilliant music that you have for the last half an hour been listening to. Although the tracks could all easily stand alone as superb examples of music, the album as a whole really is superb and in order for the music to be fully appreciated I really feel that you need to listen to this album from start to finish without any breaks or pauses.

Five tracks will not be everyone’s idea of an album, there will be plenty out there that would prefer this half hour of music be spread over double or even triple the number of tracks that are here present but there is just no denying the quality of this release. Enochian Theory is a greatly talented band, the music is full of depth and never does this album disappoint. The sound that is produced here I feel is supremely successful, the music holds you deep in thought as the album unfolds and the talent of the bands four members shines through strongly. Enochian Theory is an extremely tight unit of musicians, you can really feel the great group unity that this band possesses. You really get the distinct impression when listening to this album that as well as being in a band together, the groups four members also hold an extremely close bond in the form of friendship. This album is made all the more excellent I feel due to the bands ability to play together as one individual unit rather than as four separate components; all elements of the music fit together perfectly and the sound that is executed here is extremely well rounded and thoroughly enjoyable to listen to.

Label: Anomalousz Music
Release Date: 30th April 2007

Rating:
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