OK, so couple of bits coming out today:
-The Killers' have officially released their cover of Joy Division's "Shadowplay", which will appear on the soundtrack to the upcoming Joy Division biopic as well as The Killers' rarities and B-Sides album Sawdust. The track is available on iTunes and Ruckus, I will make it available here ASAP.
-Yesterday Maroon 5 debuted the video for their third single off It Won't Be Soon Before Long, "Won't Go Home Without You". It's one of the better songs off the rather overwhelmingly average album, though it definitely reeks of "She Will Be Loved". Two things come to mind as I hear the song/video:
1. Does any other band have a member that looks more out of place than the guitarist (guy on the far right in the video) from Maroon 5? He looks like a cross between Kurt Cobain and Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters' drummer), whereas Adam Levine looks like a perpetually angry Justin Timberlake.
2. After watching the video, I realized how not-so-nice the song is. Could this song be this decade's answer to "Every Breath You Take"? Watch the video and you'll see what I mean.
-The Fray put the Reason EP on iTunes today. Reason was a set of 7 songs (including "Vienna" which eventually made it onto How To Save A Life) written and recorded before their debut album was released. Most fans of The Fray have already gotten this EP through illicit means, but at least now the band is trying to capitalize off it.
-I know this has been out for awhile, but I only just heard it a few days ago:
Paramore - My Hero (Foo Fighters cover)
I've been looking to hear some of Paramore's music, but hadn't found a way in til this track. Awesome cover, definitely worth the listen.
Listen for all this stuff and more on the radio show today at 4.
Maroon 5 - Won't Go Home Without You
The Fray - Without Reason
==TJ==
Showing posts with label The Fray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Fray. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Face the Day Like You Did Before
I generally try to keep my personal life out of this blog, because it just hasn't seemed appropriate whatwith the LJ and Facebook. But this past week has been one of those weeks where everything gets affected, especially the music. In light of all that's gone (wr)on(g), I offer you a sampling of what I've been listening to these past few days. Downloads to come later for some tracks.
Oasis - Live Forever
Oasis - Stop Crying Your Heart Out
Daniel Powter - Bad Day
Secondhand Serenade - Vulnerable
Snow Patrol - Make This Go On Forever
The Fray - How To Save A Life
Jack's Mannequin - Into The Airwaves
Hinder - Better Than Me
Dashboard Confessional - Standard Lines
Daughtry - Used To
Something Corporate - Forget December
Ronnie Day - Coming Home Soon
There's probably some more, but that covers the bulk of it. One more thing; music brings out a lot of emotions in me, but very few pieces of music can bring me to tears (the ones that can...we don't talk about). Ronnie Day's debut album, aptly titled The Album, came damned close to being one of those. If you can get your hands on The Album, buy it. Till then, check out his myspace, it gives you just as good a glimpse. He's playing Penn's Landing on the 29th with Dashboard and a bunch of others as part of MTVU's concert series...looking into trying to go to this one...
That's all.
==TJ==
Oasis - Live Forever
Oasis - Stop Crying Your Heart Out
Daniel Powter - Bad Day
Secondhand Serenade - Vulnerable
Snow Patrol - Make This Go On Forever
The Fray - How To Save A Life
Jack's Mannequin - Into The Airwaves
Hinder - Better Than Me
Dashboard Confessional - Standard Lines
Daughtry - Used To
Something Corporate - Forget December
Ronnie Day - Coming Home Soon
There's probably some more, but that covers the bulk of it. One more thing; music brings out a lot of emotions in me, but very few pieces of music can bring me to tears (the ones that can...we don't talk about). Ronnie Day's debut album, aptly titled The Album, came damned close to being one of those. If you can get your hands on The Album, buy it. Till then, check out his myspace, it gives you just as good a glimpse. He's playing Penn's Landing on the 29th with Dashboard and a bunch of others as part of MTVU's concert series...looking into trying to go to this one...
That's all.
==TJ==
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Can You Cover Up These Eyes?
Apologies on the 48 hours without updating. But this is a good one, I promise.
So AOL's music branch has started a project where they bring in current rock bands and have them do stripped-down covers of songs/artists that influenced them. It's actually a pretty good idea. The best example by far is AFI doing David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust":
(Video may not work on Firefox. If so, here's the link. I'm gonna try to upload an mp3 of it in the near future)
They have other covers from bands like Hellogoodbye (Frank Sinatra), 30 Seconds to Mars (The Police), and Rise Against (Buffalo Springfield). So that got me wondering about other bands and what covers I'd like to see them do. Here are 5 of my picks.
Bright Eyes - Like A Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan): A lot of people say artists like Dylan or The Beatles are untouchable and that their work is so perfect it shouldn't be redone by anyone. I disagree. No artist has reached such an echelon. As proof of how a cover can be done right, go youtube Jay-Z, Linkin Park and Paul McCartney's performance of "Numb/Encore/Yesterday" from the 2006 Grammys. Conor Oberst has already drawn Dylan comparisons, and the thought of him hearing him wail on the chorus to one of the greatest songs of the '60s makes me giddy. Odds of this one happening are slim, but it's still one a great musical fantasy of mine.
The Killers - Live and Let Die (Paul McCartney/Wings): I don't know if its The Killers' '80s revival sound, or the fact that the opening lyrics are "When You Were Young..." (also the name of a Killers hit), but I think this song is in Brandon Flowers's wheelhouse. It's got a perfect mix of bravado and campiness, and its totally not impossible to see The Killers try to pull it off in the near future. I'm dead serious here. Can I please get someone at Island Records on this?
Foo Fighters - Carry On Wayward Son (Kansas): Dave Grohl and co. are already known to do this one live from time to time. Since Grohl has already said that the chances of covering anything from Nirvana are slim, perhaps they could do a studio version of this one just for kicks. Ignoring the Foo's lack of a keyboardist, I think this one has some real potential. Foo Fighters have proven they can do the big arena rock-style tracks, I want to see them go all the way with it.
Godsmack - Nothing Else Matters (Metallica): We all know Godsmack can do the 3-minute, balls-to-the-wall rock, but the closest they've come to expanding was "Serenity", which was a solid track to end the Faceless album, and The Other Side EP, which had little to offer since they ignored it after that. Sully Erna has the voice to pull off the soft end of the Metallica hit, and I think trying to expand on the softer edge of their range might yield something pretty cool.
Go Your Own Way (Fleetwood Mac): I haven't come up with who I want doing this one, but there are a couple candidates, and this is definitely one that could turn into a hit for someone if done right. I can see The Fray doing this one (they've got the vocal harmony to do it), or even the Barenaked Ladies (though it might be too serious for them nowadays), or perhaps give it to 30 Seconds to Mars (for a much angstier take on it). But I think The Fray have the best shot of a hit with this one.
That's my list. If you read this blog, please comment and let me know. It'll make me feel better and give my ego that tiny little boost.
==TJ==
So AOL's music branch has started a project where they bring in current rock bands and have them do stripped-down covers of songs/artists that influenced them. It's actually a pretty good idea. The best example by far is AFI doing David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust":
(Video may not work on Firefox. If so, here's the link. I'm gonna try to upload an mp3 of it in the near future)
They have other covers from bands like Hellogoodbye (Frank Sinatra), 30 Seconds to Mars (The Police), and Rise Against (Buffalo Springfield). So that got me wondering about other bands and what covers I'd like to see them do. Here are 5 of my picks.
Bright Eyes - Like A Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan): A lot of people say artists like Dylan or The Beatles are untouchable and that their work is so perfect it shouldn't be redone by anyone. I disagree. No artist has reached such an echelon. As proof of how a cover can be done right, go youtube Jay-Z, Linkin Park and Paul McCartney's performance of "Numb/Encore/Yesterday" from the 2006 Grammys. Conor Oberst has already drawn Dylan comparisons, and the thought of him hearing him wail on the chorus to one of the greatest songs of the '60s makes me giddy. Odds of this one happening are slim, but it's still one a great musical fantasy of mine.
The Killers - Live and Let Die (Paul McCartney/Wings): I don't know if its The Killers' '80s revival sound, or the fact that the opening lyrics are "When You Were Young..." (also the name of a Killers hit), but I think this song is in Brandon Flowers's wheelhouse. It's got a perfect mix of bravado and campiness, and its totally not impossible to see The Killers try to pull it off in the near future. I'm dead serious here. Can I please get someone at Island Records on this?
Foo Fighters - Carry On Wayward Son (Kansas): Dave Grohl and co. are already known to do this one live from time to time. Since Grohl has already said that the chances of covering anything from Nirvana are slim, perhaps they could do a studio version of this one just for kicks. Ignoring the Foo's lack of a keyboardist, I think this one has some real potential. Foo Fighters have proven they can do the big arena rock-style tracks, I want to see them go all the way with it.
Godsmack - Nothing Else Matters (Metallica): We all know Godsmack can do the 3-minute, balls-to-the-wall rock, but the closest they've come to expanding was "Serenity", which was a solid track to end the Faceless album, and The Other Side EP, which had little to offer since they ignored it after that. Sully Erna has the voice to pull off the soft end of the Metallica hit, and I think trying to expand on the softer edge of their range might yield something pretty cool.
Go Your Own Way (Fleetwood Mac): I haven't come up with who I want doing this one, but there are a couple candidates, and this is definitely one that could turn into a hit for someone if done right. I can see The Fray doing this one (they've got the vocal harmony to do it), or even the Barenaked Ladies (though it might be too serious for them nowadays), or perhaps give it to 30 Seconds to Mars (for a much angstier take on it). But I think The Fray have the best shot of a hit with this one.
That's my list. If you read this blog, please comment and let me know. It'll make me feel better and give my ego that tiny little boost.
==TJ==
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
A Thousand Faces We'll Choose to Ignore...
Current Music: +44 - No It Isn't
New links on the left. More on those later (as in tomorrow-ish).
Before I get into the meat of this entry, I (somewhat shamefully) watched the first 5 minutes of American Idol yesterday (this anomaly is the result of my girlfriend, who is addicted to reality TV). The announcer claimed that Chris Daughtry's aptly named band Daughtry and their self-titled debut album was the best selling debut rock album in history. This would mean that it beat Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction. I'm not saying this is impossible, seeings how it sold 304,000 in its first week going up against the likes of Justin Timberlake's new album, but could someone please confirm this for me? My attempts to find out more came up with nothing useful.
I've been thinking about all the music I heard over the past year. I think thanks to things like iTunes, used CD shops and other various methods (legal or otherwise) I listened to more music than I have in previous years. I know for a fact my tastes have expanded, and I feel the need to elaborate. So the following is a look at my thoughts on 2006 as far as music goes.
Best album of 2006: I was originally trying to come up with my pick for best song, but like always there were far too many. I scoff at those that say that good music ended 20 years ago. There were any number of great albums this year. Pearl Jam came out with their best work since Ten, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers came back to form with the massive Stadium Arcadium. Then there were bands like The Goo Goo Dolls, The Fray and Snow Patrol and their ubiquitous radio hit singles. Meanwhile you had grandiose, over-the-top efforts from Angels & Airwaves, The Killers, and the incredible release from My Chemical Romance. The snob in me says to give it to RHCP or perhaps The Raconteurs, but any punk band that references Queen, The Beatles and Pink Floyd and melds them all into a punk-rock concept album that isn't fueled by gratuitous political statements (looking at you, Green Day) gets a mark in my book. The best album of '06 had to be The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance. Just two years ago these guys were lumped in with all the other goth-punk bands du jour. I dare you to a) name one of those other bands, and b) tell me what they're up to right now.
Worst album of the year: This is a hard one to pick simply because I take pride in the fact that I don't buy bad music. I tend to know what's bad when I see it (though as Gina will happily point out, I have been wrong about some artists). A lot of albums got mixed or less-than stellar reviews, and of course anytime Hawthorne Heights releases an album, you've got a contender, but this year someone even worse found his way into a recording studio. Without a doubt the worst record of the year honor goes to Kevin Federline's Playing With Fire. I trust I don't need to justify this to anyone.
Best new artist: Lots of new artists made their way into the spotlight this past year. Fueledbyramen Records (former home of Fall Out Boy) churned out a slew of them, from Gym Class Heroes to The Academy Is.... There was also Cobra Starship, best known for the lead single for the cult hit Snakes on a Plane. Grey's Anatomy helped propel The Fray to the top of the charts, while American Idol made stars out of Chris Daughtry and Taylor Hicks. Ultimately I think the award has to go to a band that's been able to work its way out from the shadow of what is allegedly the best drama on TV. Adantage: The Fray.
Most overrated band: Gnarls Barkley. While there's a case for Angels & Airwaves and their unnecessary grandstanding as well as The Raconteurs on the mere basis of Jack White alone, no band annoyed me as much as this second-rate OutKast. All the reviewers kept trying to tell me that I secretly liked "Crazy" but no, I really didn't like it. It was a dumb song. If I wanted some upbeat hip-hop this summer, I went for Fort Minor, not two guys that don't have real names.
Most underrated band: A few months ago The Killers had this one wrapped up. I am in the minority of people that thought Sam's Town was if nothing else on par with Hot Fuss. But then in November Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker (formerly of Blink 182) released the +44 album to the sound of no one caring. +44's When Your Heart Stops Beating is great, solid, no-strings-attached punk rock, especially when compared to the droning whine of Tom DeLonge. If you haven't already, go out and at least sample some of WYHSB. Trust me on this one, you'll like it.
That's all for now. I'll be back tomorrow.
==TJ==
New links on the left. More on those later (as in tomorrow-ish).
Before I get into the meat of this entry, I (somewhat shamefully) watched the first 5 minutes of American Idol yesterday (this anomaly is the result of my girlfriend, who is addicted to reality TV). The announcer claimed that Chris Daughtry's aptly named band Daughtry and their self-titled debut album was the best selling debut rock album in history. This would mean that it beat Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction. I'm not saying this is impossible, seeings how it sold 304,000 in its first week going up against the likes of Justin Timberlake's new album, but could someone please confirm this for me? My attempts to find out more came up with nothing useful.
I've been thinking about all the music I heard over the past year. I think thanks to things like iTunes, used CD shops and other various methods (legal or otherwise) I listened to more music than I have in previous years. I know for a fact my tastes have expanded, and I feel the need to elaborate. So the following is a look at my thoughts on 2006 as far as music goes.
Best album of 2006: I was originally trying to come up with my pick for best song, but like always there were far too many. I scoff at those that say that good music ended 20 years ago. There were any number of great albums this year. Pearl Jam came out with their best work since Ten, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers came back to form with the massive Stadium Arcadium. Then there were bands like The Goo Goo Dolls, The Fray and Snow Patrol and their ubiquitous radio hit singles. Meanwhile you had grandiose, over-the-top efforts from Angels & Airwaves, The Killers, and the incredible release from My Chemical Romance. The snob in me says to give it to RHCP or perhaps The Raconteurs, but any punk band that references Queen, The Beatles and Pink Floyd and melds them all into a punk-rock concept album that isn't fueled by gratuitous political statements (looking at you, Green Day) gets a mark in my book. The best album of '06 had to be The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance. Just two years ago these guys were lumped in with all the other goth-punk bands du jour. I dare you to a) name one of those other bands, and b) tell me what they're up to right now.
Worst album of the year: This is a hard one to pick simply because I take pride in the fact that I don't buy bad music. I tend to know what's bad when I see it (though as Gina will happily point out, I have been wrong about some artists). A lot of albums got mixed or less-than stellar reviews, and of course anytime Hawthorne Heights releases an album, you've got a contender, but this year someone even worse found his way into a recording studio. Without a doubt the worst record of the year honor goes to Kevin Federline's Playing With Fire. I trust I don't need to justify this to anyone.
Best new artist: Lots of new artists made their way into the spotlight this past year. Fueledbyramen Records (former home of Fall Out Boy) churned out a slew of them, from Gym Class Heroes to The Academy Is.... There was also Cobra Starship, best known for the lead single for the cult hit Snakes on a Plane. Grey's Anatomy helped propel The Fray to the top of the charts, while American Idol made stars out of Chris Daughtry and Taylor Hicks. Ultimately I think the award has to go to a band that's been able to work its way out from the shadow of what is allegedly the best drama on TV. Adantage: The Fray.
Most overrated band: Gnarls Barkley. While there's a case for Angels & Airwaves and their unnecessary grandstanding as well as The Raconteurs on the mere basis of Jack White alone, no band annoyed me as much as this second-rate OutKast. All the reviewers kept trying to tell me that I secretly liked "Crazy" but no, I really didn't like it. It was a dumb song. If I wanted some upbeat hip-hop this summer, I went for Fort Minor, not two guys that don't have real names.
Most underrated band: A few months ago The Killers had this one wrapped up. I am in the minority of people that thought Sam's Town was if nothing else on par with Hot Fuss. But then in November Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker (formerly of Blink 182) released the +44 album to the sound of no one caring. +44's When Your Heart Stops Beating is great, solid, no-strings-attached punk rock, especially when compared to the droning whine of Tom DeLonge. If you haven't already, go out and at least sample some of WYHSB. Trust me on this one, you'll like it.
That's all for now. I'll be back tomorrow.
==TJ==
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