Reviews

The Upgrades – Take A Risk

October 8, 2009 by Rich Leave a Comment

Influenced by the music of such bands as RX Bandits, Mad Caddies, and Rancid; The Upgrades is an incredibly talented five-piece ska punk band from Dublin. ‘Take A Risk’ is a supremely chilled out album effort from The Upgrades, with the band here showing a fantastic ability to combine powerful pop choruses with a laid back reggae/ska instrumental approach. The album has been fantastically well produced, with all elements of the music always here coming through incredibly cleanly.

Kicking off with intro track ‘The Thing Is’, the ‘Take A Risk’ album soon gets properly moving with ‘Rock’n’Fuck’n’Roll’, and never here does the album cease to impress as the band launches its way through the album. Of course there are some tracks here that are more successful than others, ‘Rock’n’Fuck’n’Roll’ being one of them, ‘Angel of Horror’, ‘Somethin, I Dunno…’, and closing track ‘This Is Us’ being several others. On the whole the band takes quite a soft approach to music here which works quite well, it is arguably the slightly harder hitting tracks that work out a little better however, with the band showcasing a little extra edge in these instances. The lead vocalist of The Upgrades has a great voice, and whatever style he chooses to sing it works well, with the tracks that I’ve picked out here his voice just seems to have a little extra spark however, and that is what separates these four tracks from the pack.

The Upgrades is a band that has been around for a number of years now, and in this time the band has played a number of high profile shows with such ska icons as The Beat and Neville Staple, as well as shows with a number of commercially successful rock/punk bands including Taking Back Sunday, Senses Fail, and Underoath. The band has a vast amount of experience, and this is something that most certainly shines through on the ‘Take A Risk’ album. The Upgrades is a band that plays its sound with a great deal of precision and confidence, and always this is a very good thing to find.

With the band having already achieved some degree of success, this is something that is sure to continue in the future as The Upgrades continues to grow in strength and stature as a band. The Upgrades is a band with the potential to go far; ska punk may not be as popular now as it was five or six years ago, even still, strong talent such as this is still sure to be spotted, and the fact that the band has enjoyed the success it has done suggests that people are well prepared to give this band a chance and give the music a listen.

For fans of ska punk the music of The Upgrades is highly recommended, and with the album available to listen to right now in its entirety over at Spotify, there really is no reason whatsoever not to give the ‘Take A Risk’ album at least one listen.

Label: SYWP Records
Release Date: May 4th 2009

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Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Jordin Sparks – S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)

September 30, 2009 by Rich 1 Comment

Sampling Shannon’s 1983 hit ‘Let the Music Play’, ‘S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)’ is the latest single from sixth season American Idol winner Jordin Sparks. The single sees Jordin Sparks take on a dance-pop approach, and she does a very good job of it too.

‘S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)’ is a very fun single, with Jordin Sparks here showing great depth as a recording artist. It’s always interesting to see artist’s looking down alternative musical avenues, and very exciting to hear when they pull it off, as is the case here with Jordin Sparks.

‘S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)’ is not the best dance-pop track ever written, it is a very well put together pop song however, and a single that is sure to go down well with many.

Label: Jive
Release Date: October 12th 2009

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Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys – Empire State of Mind

September 28, 2009 by Rich 5 Comments

A track surely destined for Number One, ‘Empire State of Mind’ is the latest single from Jay-Z, and is arguably one of the best he has ever written. Featuring the powerful vocals of Alicia Keys as well as the unmistakeable rap style of Shawn Carter, ‘Empire State of Mind’ is an incredibly hard hitting hip-hop song, and an absolutely fantastic follow-up to ‘Run This Town’.

With its infectious chorus and absolute style and class; ‘Empire State of Mind’ is destined to become an absolute Jay-Z classic, and the live performance at the MTV Video Music Awards this year was quite simply electric. Jay-Z is most definitely a man that knows exactly how to please with his music, and getting Alicia Keys on board here really has worked well. The whole track is just an absolute masterpiece, and this one has hit me in a way that no Jay-Z track ever before has done.

Jay-Z is an undeniably incredible hip-hop artist and businessman, and ‘Empire State of Mind’ has taken my respect for the man to a whole new level. ‘Empire State of Mind’ is without doubt my favourite song of the year thus far, and I very much doubt that anything else will come along to top it in 2009. A truly sensational track, and one that has just absolutely blown me away.

Label: Roc Nation
Release Date: November 30th 2009

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Flood of Red – Home Run (1997)

September 4, 2009 by Rich Leave a Comment

‘Home Run (1997)’ is the latest single from the Glasgow based band that is Flood of Red. It’s a very pleasant piece of music to listen to, and vocally here the artist always has a lot to offer. The vocal strength is definitely the best quality of the track, and this I feel is what stands out most about the music.

I do feel that the track as a whole is perhaps a little lacking in spark, and although definitely not a bad single, it could certainly be stronger. The instrumental element is well put together, but does seem to lack edge, and this I feel is something that therefore holds the track back.

Flood of Red is a promising British band that I’d like to hear more from in the future; on this occasion I do feel that the single could provide more though, and whilst the track is relaxing to listen to it is also rather forgettable, quickly fading from the memory once the music has stopped playing.

Label: Dark City
Release Date: October 19th 2009

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Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Bowling For Soup – My Wena

September 4, 2009 by Rich 1 Comment

Bowling For Soup is a band that will almost certainly never grow up, and thank goodness for that as hugely immature is just the way that we like them. The band is consistently able to amuse us with its tracks, and ‘My Wena’ is another track from the band that is sure to raise a smile.

The ‘My Wena’ lyrics are incredibly funny, and if you get a chance to check out the official ‘My Wena’ video then I seriously suggest that you do so. For pure comedy value, ‘My Wena’ is definitely one of my favourites from Bowling For Soup; it’s fun, catchy, and truly is incredibly funny.

Undeniably childish, ‘My Wena’ is a song that you just can’t help but sing along to, and whilst the humour here will not be to everyone’s taste; I for one am most definitely a fan.

Label: A&G Records
Release Date: September 28th 2009

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Twin Atlantic – You’re Turning Into John Wayne

September 1, 2009 by Rich Leave a Comment

Impressive lyrically, and absolutely fantastic vocally and instrumentally also; ‘You’re Turning Into John Wayne’ is the latest single from Twin Atlantic, a track that points a finger at artists that insist in singing in an American accent, no matter where they’re from. Twin Atlantic is one band that definitely doesn’t cave in to the Americanisation of culture, and lead vocalist Sam McTrusty here sings loud and proud in his native Scottish accent.

This is a very intelligent piece of music from Twin Atlantic, and the track as a whole has been incredibly well thought out and composed. The guitar sound is strong, and vocally also the music here really does hit hard. You get the sense here that Americanisation truly is something that bothers Sam McTrusty; he means every word that he sings out throughout the track, and ‘You’re Turning Into John Wayne’ is therefore all the more effective as a result.

‘You’re Turning Into John Wayne’ truly is an absolutely brilliant single from Twin Atlantic, and with the band’s ‘Vivarium’ mini-album due for release on September 14th; it’ll certainly be interesting to hear what the band can offer with the eight-track release.

Twin Atlantic’s ‘You’re Turning Into John Wayne’ is a track that I 100% recommend listening to, and if you do decide to give the track a whirl then you’ll surely not be left at all disappointed.

Label: Red Bull Records
Release Date: September 7th 2009

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Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Calvin Harris – Ready For The Weekend

August 31, 2009 by Rich Leave a Comment

Taken from the album of the same, ‘Ready For The Weekend’ is the latest single from the massively popular Scottish musician that is Calvin Harris. Harris first hit the big time back in 2007 with his ‘I Created Disco’ album which spawned the huge hits ‘Acceptable in the 80s’ and ‘The Girls’, and he’s now back, once again looking to conquer the charts.

‘I’m Not Alone’ was the lead single from the ‘Ready For The Weekend’ album, and with that track Calvin Harris was able to hit the number one spot; the ‘Ready For The Weekend’ single is an arguably weaker track however, and it doesn’t look as though Harris is this time going to hit the top.

The chorus here is catchy without doubt, the verse feels a little weak however, and this I feel is what lets the track down. ‘Ready For The Weekend’ is definitely not a bad track, I wouldn’t say that it’s one of Calvin Harris’ best however, and it’s definitely not a track that has got me too excited. The energy just doesn’t seem to be there, and the usual Calvin Harris wow-factor is sadly missing.

Calvin Harris has come up with some incredibly high quality tracks in the past, ‘Ready For The Weekend’ isn’t one that I’m really feeling though, and I definitely feel that Calvin Harris could here have done a better a job.

Label: Columbia
Release Date: August 10th 2009

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

David Guetta Feat. Akon – Sexy Bitch

August 31, 2009 by Rich Leave a Comment

‘Sexy Bitch’ is the second released single from the David Guetta studio album ‘One Love’. Featuring the vocals of R&B star Akon, ‘Sexy Bitch’ really is an incredibly catchy single, and one that will spend many months being played at clubs all across the world. The beat here is absolutely fantastic, and with the supreme vocal style of Akon over the top of David Guetta’s hugely impressive beat, never was this track going to be anything but a huge hit.

Guetta’s last single ‘When Love Takes Over’ was absolutely massive, and the man has once again pulled it out the bag with a very impressive piece of dance music. David Guetta is most definitely a man that knows how to press all the right buttons when it comes to creating club tracks, and it’ll now be interesting to see what he can come up with next.

‘Sexy Bitch’ is a track that you really need to be listening to with the volume high to get the best out of the beat, but whatever volume you listen to the track at, ‘Sexy Bitch’ is still sure to impress.

Label: Virgin/EMI
Release Date: July 24th 2009

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Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Cosmo Jarvis – She’s Got You

August 30, 2009 by Rich 1 Comment

‘She’s Got You’ is the new single from the much talented 19 year-old singer/songwriter that is Cosmo Jarvis. When I first heard this track it didn’t really strike me as anything special, the more I’ve listened to ‘She’s Got You’ however, the more I’ve come to love it.

The chorus here is incredibly catchy, and it’s very difficult not to sing along as you listen. The vocals have been sweetly sung out in the sound, and the gently presented instrumental sound really is incredibly beautiful.

‘She’s Got You’ is taken from the upcoming Cosmo Jarvis debut album ‘HUMASYOUHITCH SONOFABITCH’, and this will definitely be an album to watch out for. Cosmo Jarvis shows with ‘She’s Got You’ that he really is an exceptionally talented singer/songwriter, and I’m sure that he’s got a fantastic career ahead of him in music.

Despite his young age, Cosmo Jarvis has already written over 250 songs, and is an artist that we’ll no doubt be hearing a lot more from in the future.

Label: Wall Of Sound
Release Date: September 2nd 2009

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Dolly Rockers – Gold Digger

August 30, 2009 by Rich Leave a Comment

After releasing their last single ‘Je Suis Une Dolly’ as a free download and receiving close to 20,000 hits in the short time that the track was available; Dolly Rockers is now back, and ready to unleash a new single upon the world in the form of ‘Gold Digger’.

‘Gold Digger’ is a surprisingly fun piece of music from the girls that failed to get through X-Factor boot camp back in 2006, and although it’s not hugely original; ‘Gold Digger’ is still a pretty decent piece of music to listen to, and one that comes complete with some very honest and frank lyrics.

The band has worked very hard to get to this point after failing to get through to the X-Factor live shows, and with another new single ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ scheduled for release in October, it seems as though 2009 is going to be a big year for the band.

Dolly Rockers is not a band that is trying to reinvent the wheel, if you like fun danceable pop music then you may just like what the all-girl trio has to offer though, and it’s well worth giving ‘Gold Digger’ a spin.

Label: Parlophone
Release Date: August 31st 2009

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.