This should be fun. A new battle for the ages. There are so many songs out there and bands often times use titles that others have used as well. So I though it would be fun to put some of those songs/bands up against each other to determine who wrote the better song with the same title.
First up in this battle is Radiohead vs Stone Temple Pilots and their songs “Creep.” Both songs have been around for over 20 years now. They are both really good well written songs. So it seems like this will be a matter of preference. Personally, I’d pick Stone Temple Pilots as the winner.
Back in 2003 after the break up of Rage Against The Machine, singer Zach De La Rocha traveled to New Orleans and collaborated on about 20 songs with Trent Reznor at his Nothing Studios. Of all those songs they worked on together, this is the only one ever released. Then in 2004, as Michael Moore was preparing to release his Oscar winning documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, he approached Zach to be a part of the soundtrack. This track is one hell of a song. The production, the music , the lyrics and sense of urgency it brings are tremendous.
I had a weird thought last night. How about compiling a list of all the BEST bands out there that start with the word “The.” This should be fun.
As always, your input is more than welcome.
This list is in No Particular Order!!
01) The Cure
02) The Cult
03) The Clash
04) The Start
05) The Dillinger Escape Plan
06) The Black Queen
07) The Smashing Pumpkins
08) The Velvet Underground
09) The Doors
10) The National
11) The Smiths
12) The Bled
13) The Kinks
14) The Mars Volta
15) The Misfits
16) The Who
17) The Band
18) The Beatles
19) The Rolling Stones
19) The Moody Blues
20) The Black Crows
21) The Haunted
22) The Replacements
23) The Pretenders
24) The Verve
25) The Animals
26) The Afghan Whigs
27) The Allman Brothers Band
28) The Cars
29) The Damned
30) The Doobie Brothers
31) The Jesus and Mary Chain
32) The Byrds
33) The Seeds
34) The Yardbirds
The A to Z list continues to find the top ten bands/artists in the alphabet. N is here and needs help to complete the list. As usual your suggestions are wanted in completing this list. These are in no particular order as well.
01) Nine Inch Nails
02) Neurosis
03) Nirvana
04) New Order
05) N.W.A
06) Graham Nash
07) Night Verses
08) Nas
09)
10)
There are a lot of bands out there that catch a lot of flack. Sometimes it is justified and others well it’s just unwarranted. Recently,while putting together some topic ideas for an upcoming podcast and radio show (stay tuned for that!!!), a thought crossed my mind. Why do people hate on Godsmack so much? I will admit that their name isn’t the most original and at times the lyrics are a bit juvenile but, Godsmack are a band that is absolutely necessary. Think of them more as a gateway band into heavy music. Godsmack are a really solid hard/heavy rock band, mixing bit of Alice In Chains and “Black Album” era Metallica. They emit a sense of accessibility and melody, that sometimes gets lost in translation as you delve into heavier genres. For someone that is young and is starting to get into “rock” music, a band like Godsmack is a great place to start.
The reason I mention all this and single out Godsmack, is because of how good their second album Awake is. They really stepped up their game from their debut. The sound of the album kept a “raw” edge to it, without sounding too polished. The songs were riff heavy but with a ton of groove to them. For a second record, the band shows a sense of maturity throughout the music written. You can tell on the first single “Awake” that they were trying to separate themselves from being lumped into the “nu-metal” tag, by adding guitar solos, and the song being 5 minutes long. “Sick of Life” and “Greed” are solid rock songs, minus the lyrics. Other tracks on the album like “Mistakes,” “Trippin,” “Forgive Me,” “Vampires,” “The Journey,” and “Spiral” really make this album as good as it is. The production on this album was top notch as well.
Godsmack delivered a solid heavy rock album, and continue to do so. Over the years, the juvenile lyrics have subsided and matured. Awake showed a range of songwriting. Songs that weren’t all about depression and hopelessness. Instead themes of reincarnation, and rebirth were very prevalent. The band also has a secret weapon in bassist Robbie Merrill. He has a feel to the way he plays that stands out. Guitarist Tony Rombola, is a student of the 70’s and early 90’s. He’s able to blend those two together just as Jerry Cantrell, but on a simpler level. Sully Erna, on this album started to come into his own. It wasn’t until their fourth album though, that he really found his own voice. The drums on this album are something else to be intrigued by. Tommy Stewart laid down some really great grooves. Though I will say, Shannon Larkin has really taken the songs from the first two albums and made them his own. He’s a true underrated drummer, that should get a ton more credit.
Say what you want about them but, know this, without bands like Godsmack, generations of kids wouldn’t get into heavier music. Take a listen to Godsmack’s Awake and just appreciate the music if anything.
The time has almost arrived for one of my favorite bands to release their new album. With Our Arms To The Sun, have one hell of an album for you all. Their latest (upcoming) release, Orenda, is a journey that takes you beyond the normal realms of concept albums. Produced by Buzz Osborne of The Melvins, the 10 songs that make up Orenda, are unrelenting and full of unrivaled passion. The first single “Macrocosm-Prometheus” is a great way to show what With Our Arms To The Sun is all about. Musically, the band is tight and precise. The vocals and especially the lyrics, make them stand out among their peers.
I highly recommend this band to everyone. They are the type of band that restores hope in the future of music.
You can pre-order the album now through PledgeMusic below:
We are only a couple weeks into the new year and there is already an album released that will be in the top ten for the year. Code Orange’s new album Forever is the album I’m talking about and it will leave you pumped and begging for more. They have managed to transcend the hardcore genre and evolve into a dangerous force to be reckoned with. Let me further explain what I mean. While still keeping true to their hardcore roots, Code Orange has grown by leaps and bounds as songwriters that understand that there is more to music than just being “heavy.”
Starting off the album with the title track “Forever,” it’s chunky and crushing, providing a punch to the gut. “Kill The Creator” is a thrashy meets hardcore song that really shows the bands understanding of dynamics. “Real” is a doom meets hardcore track that continues the assault. “Bleeding in the Blur” is a dark and dreary song that shows another side of the band. This is one of those chance taking moments and it really pays off. “The Mud” is another track that continues to take a chance and pays off as well. “The New Reality” is what the bands origin was founded on. “Spy” continues to show off the evolution of the band. When “Ugly” kicks in you know you’ve gotten to a point in the album that ties it all together. “No One Is Untouchable” is back to the roots. “Hurt Goes On” is a moody and explosive song. There are bits of an industrial feel to the song as well. I personally think this should have been the album closer. “Dream 2” explores more genre bending and evolution and presents an interesting way to close out the album.
Code Orange have really stepped up their game. Their previous album I Am King, was a statement, and Forever is a full on call to arms. I personally love the way the album flows. It doesn’t feel like anything is out of place. Forever is an album through and through. The evolution of this band is showing that heavy music can come in many forms and still be pummeling. I will say this , if you have a member in the band that has a real “singing voice” use it and don’t be afraid of it. Melody is a great thing, and in this band, it really adds more depth. One more thing, if this is the way the band is evolving, I would love to see them work with a producer/engineer like Joe Baressi (Tool, Every Time I Die, Isis, Nine Inch Nails). I really think Joe could get great tones and songs out of the band.
Thank you Code Orange for doing your part to evolve and be yourselves.
Portishead is one of my all time favorite bands. There is something so captivating about their music, that it almost hypnotizes you and takes you on a vision quest. Recently one of my favorite newer bands of the last few years, O’Brother, covered Portishead’s song “Silence” from their album entitled Third. The guys in O’Brother really nail the space and dynamics that the music presents, along with the vocal performance by Tanner Merritt.
Since Metallica released Hardwired… To Self Destruct, I haven’t been able to take it out of rotation. In fact I don’t think I’ll be able to for quite some time. Because they have a new album out I thought, why not update the album rank of Metallica.
Keep in mind, this is just my personal order of how I see it.
Today marks the one year anniversary of David Bowie’s passing. Instead of going on and on about all the deaths in 2016, I thought I’d just share some covers of David’s songs, as a celebration of him.
Remember… “Heroes Get Remembered but, Legends Never Die!”
Smashing Pumpkins (well Billy Corgan and others)- Space Oddity:
