10 Songs That Should Be On Everybody's I-Pod

I was thinking about doing this top 10 with those headbanger ball favorites of mine that are pretty much obscure to the masses and so this is what I'm going to attempt.

10. Give It All You Got by Shy England
09. Shout by Grand Prix
08. Me Against The World by Lizzy Borden
07. Tainted Angel by Southgang
06. When Your Brains Go Your Balls by Sleez Beez
05. Walking Shoes by Tora Tora
04. Lonely Rose by Sons Of Angels
03. No Easy Way Out by Roxx Gang
02. 777 by D'Molls
01. Feel The Shake by Jetboy

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Shakra - Back On Track

Here is a band that's been around for a long time but unable to break into the North American market. This is their ninth album release and I think it's the best of their career so far. The album's opening number is called "B True B You" and its a mover that sounds similar to the modern rock currently being released by Shinedown, Tantric and so forth. The band is another in a growing group of top notch hard rock/heavy metal from Switzerland. If the band get some label to release the album over here I'm fairly sure they could penetrate the market enough to get on some major tours in a supporting role. With the internet a major label is not necessary for them just a team of promotion folks to get their music out in the channels and to satellite radio stations.

The bands song "Crazy" could easily be a hit single without a ton of effort just a chance to be heard and it would grow into a hit all by itself. The band can really grind too just listen to "Back On Track" the albums title cut. It's a seriously good song that has a good chorus and a great riff in a Zakk Wylde vein for lack of a better comparison. The uptempo tunes are all decent and they do have a couple of slower songs or power ballads which are also good. Not quite as good as the Art Of Dying power ballads but are radio friendly and a cut above much of the stuff hitting the charts from this genre for sure. The Dio influenced guitar on "Lonesomeness" makes me smile when I hear it every time knowing his legacy and impact on heavy metal will forever be.

Overall this album deserves to be a huge success for the band and it is one of their strongest albums so far. Let's all hope that this is the one that makes them more famous over here so they can continue to grow their legacy.

Song Highlights: Lonesomeness, Brand New Day, Crazy, Stronger Than Ever & Someday

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Michael Monroe - Sensory Overdrive

This review will be short considering there isn't much to say about the new Michael Monroe record. It's pretty good considering he's not usually much for making deep albums single wise. Since the release of his best solo album Dead, Jail or Rock N' Roll the Monroe output has been sketchy at best. That album is a monster though and if you aren't familiar with it I highly recommend a listen or twelve. I've been listening to the album mostly in my car while driving and I've become fond of a few tracks and admittedly enjoy this album more than all his solo records since the previously mentioned one.

Song Highlights: '78, Later Won't Wait, Modern Day Miracle, All You Need, Gone Baby Gone & Another Night In The Sun

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Electrci Boys - And Them Boys Done Swang

The excitement that exploded from me when I saw this album was surprising even to myself. I absolutely loved this band when they first debuted in 1989 with the illustrious Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride. That album was unlike most of the so called hair metal of the era with a depth not heard by most bands even outside the hard rock/heavy metal world.

The band continued their astute creativity on their follow-up which was bathed in a darker shade of psychedelic sound scape's. After the explosion of grunge and the alternative rock genre the Electric Boys seemed to panic and stripped all the layers off their sound when releasing their third album. The label change and money for a big production also limited this albums quality hurting some of the songs. Still a solid hard rock record and "Sleeping In The World's Smallest Bed" is still one of the best rock songs that is lost in obscurity.

Seventeen years have passed since the last album by this exquisite band of rock n' roll gypsies. 2011 returns this band to their fans better late late never too. Now the absolute most important part of this band was the chemistry of the members. They are a team that made the music special with individual greatness, with the meritorious drumming of Niclas Sigevall driving their sound forward the band had their own signature sound. All that and more is present in 2011 and the band sound as if the years between releases never happened. That's what makes And Them Boys Done Swang as great as it is. Conny Bloom outside of being an incredible vocalist is also a great song writer. His understanding of writing a hook in a song is uncanny sometimes verging on brilliance.

This album is almost as good as the debut because of the immediacy of the songs. From the first note of "Reeferlord" my fears were laid to rest and my excitement level gained even more momentum. "Sometimes U Gotta Go Look For The Car" has the groovy swagger those of us who are familiar with the band love. The album is long at fifteen tracks but never falls off the rails at any point, just one cool tune after another. Overall this is another strong album from a band I never thought would get back together in their original form. It's my first shocking music moment of 2011 and I have to admit I didn't realize how much I missed this band until I became re-connected from hearing this sensational new set of tunes.

Song Highlights: The Day the Gypsies Came To Town, Father Popcorn's Magic Oysters, Reeferlord, A Mother Of A Love Story, Chickalicious & My Heart's Not For Sale

Electric Boys - Father Popcorn's Magic Oysters by Cosmos Music Group

Conny Niclas Andy Franco

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Art Of Dying - Vices & Virtues

Another of more modern metal bands that lean towards alt. rock brings forth their new album. The difference between Art Of Dying and my last review Protest The Hero is that AOD are focused and understand how to form songs into listenable music. All the aggression is present that is needed to make this genre what it is. After listening to the latest Saliva album and being a little disappointed in them I find AOD has released the album I more so expected from Saliva.

AOD is not a band I've been really familiar with but I will spend time getting acquainted with Vices & Virtues. The band have a song called "Sorry" on this album that sits right in my wheelhouse when it comes to power ballads. This is a truly brilliant power ballad that even though it might have familiar styling to others in the genre is a classic slice. It will forever be added to my rotation of regular listened to songs. I can't find anything about the song I don't think is great a flawless piece of songwriting. The band have another song on here that is flawless called "The Best I Can" worth a click over to I-Tunes for a purchase.

Overall Vices & Virtues is a well produced hard rock record that could make this band the next big thing. I love this album!

Song Highlights: Best I Can, Sorry, Breathe Again, Die Trying, Whole World's Crazy & Get Thru This

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Protest The Hero - Scurrilous

Well Protest The Hero have written another song, well re-hashed the same song ten more times. I will be honest I didn't get through one song completely that's how dull this crap is. This is like those weak ass funk metal albums from the 90's bands that thought they had something great except these forgot to bring the funk part or are too bloody white to find a groovy grind. Over the top rhythmic pattern changes a drummer who just runs all over the place all the time doesn't make this progressive metal folks.

Bands like Faith No More, Electric Boys, Dream Theatre, Mind Funk, Living Color and Suicidal Tendencies all do this music better than Protest The Hero can ever dream of doing whether is be progressive metal or Funk infused metal. They can't touch Bullet For My Valentine and can't match the metal depth of Avenged Sevenfold and when your playing in those bands schoolyard you have to have some ammo to bring to the fire fight which this band is sorely missing. At least your dad's painting is good cuz that's all there is that's good on this waste of studio time and the time I spent listening to your crap. Break up already would ya nobody needs more of this sludge.

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We Made God - It's Getting Colder

Great name for a band because it's the absolute truth about humanity and the age old bullshit storybook called the bible. The album title given the bands name another winner for sure in its cynicism. I really knew before playing through this album that it was going to be complete shit post-metal alt. rock and boy was I ever right. This band needs a lead singer to start and with the addition of an actual vocalist that has skill and talent their U2, Kyuss, Tool, Radiohead, Pink Floyd psychedelic rock might be listenable. The musicianship on display is there and I like some of the atmosphere they create but then the vocalist ruins it every single time. Another band that can't live up to their clever name and album title and one that will probably be gone by next year if all is right in this year of 2011.

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Adam Lambert - Glam Nation

I like this kid and his stink on American Idol was excellent. His solo album on the other hand was pretty run of the mill. Now we have a live album for the label to milk his fans of more money. Is it worth it the honest answer is no it's not. The reason for my no answer is that he's only got one album and hasn't earned the right to have a live album in my opinion. His ability to sing live is already a gimme so this being anything but a cash grab is impossible.

On the intro to the second track he yells the word motherfucker which I find stupid considering his fans are pop kids under 18 mostly girls. This is not needed and being a professional entertainer its freaking time to realize that. I don't want to take my eleven year old daughter to his show if he's going to be cursing and saying things that my daughter doesn't need to hear at her age. I hope he can pull this part of the act together as he matures. Finally the title of Glam Nation is kind of a joke unless its to state his ability to wear make-up because one song (20th Century Boy) doesn't make his show musically glam. This album is a fail! Save your money it doesn't even sound that good for a live album even though he sings well.

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Yellowcard - When You're Through Thinking Say Yes

For some reason I am drawn to the album cover art and with that I was keen on hearing the new Yellowcard album. The band's able to kick into high gear instantly with the spunky "The Sound Of You & Me" which is a little rushed and uneven but listenable. As we listen through the very long winded titled platter it is a more uptempo affair than what the band has been playing of late. All the songs are kinda on the same level some being a little stronger others a little weaker but nothing is overtly awful nor awesome and so there we have the issue.

If more consistently written hook laden songs had been the focus of the album instead of gleeful happiness in tempo and timbre this could have been a better and much more enjoyable record for sure. Still "Hang You Up" is a good song and deserves some listens the opening riff of "Life Of Leaving Home" is good the song is ok as well but once it's over I was sure I wasn't going to play it again. The mid-paced "Sing For Me" is another one of the albums stronger songs and shows that Yellowcard's best suited at this type of song and was correct in leaving their pop punk to a minimum. If you like hearing songs that have no definition between them that fall somewhere between mediocre and not bad then here you go buy this album. I on the other hand prefer to get a little more from an album no matter what genre.

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The Sounds - Something To Die For

A sonic power pop thud with a wink and a nod to the disco era unfolds as The Sounds new album reveals its music on Something To Die For. This band incorporates all that is good about the indie genre into their brand of rock music. The album has no shortage of catchy chorus's and hook laden material to grasp a hold of as it plays. Sure, the album has some weak songs maybe even a couple that could have been left behind in favour of something else ("Diana", "Yeah Yeah Yeah") but when they put it all together it is very good, even a breath of fresh air.

Song Highlights: Won't Let Them Tears Us Apart, The No No Song, Something To Die For, Dance With The Devil & The Best Part Of Me

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Sum 41 - Screaming Bloody Murder

I'm so over this band by 2011 and now they surface again after four years with Screaming Bloody Murder the funny thing is that when they are doing what they usually do best, pop punk they fail nearly every time. It's when they drop a song like "What Am I To Say" they shine brighter. I don't know why they can't write spunky concise pop punk anymore without sounding nearly emo/screamo.

The band gets their Panic! @ The Disco, Fallout Boy, My Chemical Romance going on much of the album always sitting deep inside those bands shadow. Whibley and company don't embrace their love of glam rock and heavy metal enough this time which would have been a much better emulation of sound for the album. I'd prefer to hear a new Treble Charger album a band that does this sound to a much better end and one listen to "Sick Of Everyone" will prove that without malice. When Sum 41 does lean towards their metal influences the music is much more interesting as "Happiness Machine-gun" proves. Probably the most cohesive progressive tune on the album that works the Nirvana style loud-soft-loud-soft-loud formula to a very good conclusion.

The piano ballad "Crash" sounds like it was stolen off of a Something Corporate album and that's not saying much considering how derivative that band turned out to be. The dirgy crush of "Blood In My Eyes" is one of the albums most successful moments. It's probably the last song they wrote in the studio because it seems to have a spark and spontaneity that is otherwise missing on the record. It's not a Billy Talent or AFI quality song but it walks in their footsteps for sure. The AFI comparisson continues onto the next song "Baby You Don't Wanna Know" and it is another of the standouts that keep the album from being a total piece of dog doo doo. The airy breeze of "Exit" and it's short length make it a nice closing to a very weak and disappointing album after having four years to write and create and record. It's time for this band to re-invent themselves and figure out who they want to be because neutered wanna be pop punk with a Queen bend isn't what will keep this band from heading to has been land.

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David Bowie - Toy (The Leaked Version)

I have been listening to the leaked David Bowie album called Toy which is supposed to be his long awaited new (but old) album. The one thing present from the first track is that this is way more interesting than what we've been getting from him for pretty much two decades. Sure he hits one now and again for a double or triple but always lacking when it comes to an album.

Here we finally have an album that plays as albums are meant to in their long form LP version front to back. This is probably the best album of Bowie material in thirty years. Some of that is because the material is re-recorded obscure or unknown music from years before but this album has some new magic as well as re-imagined stuff that all comes together in a way we haven't heard in a very long time. I believe this is going to become one of my all-time favorite David Bowie albums and sit along side Ziggy, Diamond Dogs and the forgotten/unknown self titled 1967 masterpiece.

The music's production level is one part of what makes this album glow. The over-processed sound which has become synonymous with him has been stripped greatly to allow the song to have an ebb and flow that hasn't been present for many years. That is ever so true on the gem "Baby Loves That Way" where his vocals sound so organic you almost feel guilty not to have paid for each note. Now there is still a modern day Bowie here but he has allowed himself to connect with the past finally. One of his best songs to date is "Hole In The Ground" I haven't heard anything this good and immediate from him since he wrote Blue Jean (a personal favorite).

As Toy unfolds I as a Bowie fan have been taken on a glorious ride that I'd be happy to go on again and again and again. This album, when released properly has earned my money and it will be the first David Bowie album I've bought since Never Let Me Down in 1987. I recommend Toy to anyone who is a fan or fanatic of David Bowie's genius. This is one Toy I won't be getting bored of any time soon. This Toy is out of the box and it's not going back for a very, very long time.

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The Top 100 Heavy Metal Songs Of All-Time

Here is the top 100 heavy metal songs of all-time according to me! I've been a metal fan for all of my life from as far back as I can remember I've been a fan of crunchy guitars and powerful drums. In grade two in Salmon Arm my class was told to learn a song for music and sing it for the class. So I went home and learned me a song by Alice Cooper who still is one of my favorites. I stood up and began singing Dead Babies from Killer. In no time my teacher deemed me the spawn of Satan (I wish that could be true) and refused to have me in her classroom.

So here is my list of the metal that I love and what I believe is the best of the best from the multi-faceted genre melting pot.

100. Wild Boys by Hardcore Superstar
99. Scream Machine by Beyond Fear
98. Animal by Nickelback
97. Lick It Up by Kiss
96. Walk by Pantera
95. Cavalry by Flybanger
94. You're In Love by Ratt
93. Long Way To Love by Britney Fox
92. Save Us by Helloween
91. More Human Than Human by White Zombie
90. Run To The Hills by Iron Maiden
89. Tooth & Nail by Dokken
88. Man In The Box by Alice In Chains
87. Behind The Crooked Cross by Slayer
86. I Wanna Be Somebody by W.A.S.P.
85. The Good Life by Three Days Grace
84. All For You by Annihilator
83. Ace Of Spades by Motörhead
82. No One Gets Left Behind by Five Finger Death Punch
81. Were Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister
80. Click Click Boom by Saliva
79. On The Road To Rock by Kick Axe
78. Shake Me by Cinderella
77. Rusty Cage by Soundgraden
76. Poison Ivy by Faster Pussycat
75. Feel The Shake by Jetboy
74. Children Of The Grave by Black Sabbath
73. I Love The Things You Hate by Bai Bang
72. Children Of A Worthless God by Exodus
71. Girls In Black by Airbourne
70. Lunatic by Static-X
69. Don't Change That Song by Faster Pussycat
68. Forgive Me by Burn
67. Down With The Sickness by Disturbed
66. Save Yourself by Stabbing Westward
65. No More Mr. Nice Guy by Alice Cooper
64. The Trooper by Iron Maiden
63. Kings Of Metal by Manowar
62. Bombshell by Powerman 5000
61. Don't Care About Nothing by Shotgun Messiah
60. War Pigs by Black Sabbath
59. Painkiller by Judas Priest
58. Walks Like A Woman by Baton Rouge
57. Henchman Ride by Testament
56. Devour by Shinedown
55. Shoot Down The Night by Banshee
54. Smoke On The Water by Deep Purple
53. Bad Girlfriend by Theory Of A Deadman
52. Smokin' by Boston
51. Bodies by Drowning Pool
50. Rock You by Helix
49. Looks That Kill by Mötley Crüe
48. Symphony Of Destruction by Megadeth
47. Fire Walk With Me by Brainstorm
46. 2 Minutes To Midnight by Iron Maiden
45. Fire It Up by Black Label Society
44. Have A Drink On Me by ACDC
43. Burning Like A Flame by Dokken
42. Antisocial by Anthrax
41. Breaking The Law by Judas Priest
40. Detonation by Trivium
39. Teutonic Terror by Accept
38. Seek & Destroy by Metallica
37. King Of The Kill by Annihilator
36. Rainbow In The Dark by Dio
35. Cum On Feel The Noize by Quiet Riot
34. At The End Of My Daze by Trouble
33. Turn Up The Radio by Autograpth
32. Freewheel Burning by Judas Priest
31. Paradise City by Guns N' Roses
30. Trick Or Treat by Fastway
29. Sex Type Thing by Stone Temple Pilots
28. You Can't Stop Rock N' Roll by Twisted Sister
27. Lil' Devil by The Cult
26. Livin' After Midnight by Judas Priest
25. The Beautiful People by Marilyn Manson
24. The Bells Of The Seven Hells by Helloween
23. Aces High by Iron Maiden
22. You Can't Bring Me Down by Suicidal Tendencies
21. Eat The Rich by Krokus
20. Paranoid by Black Sabbath
19. Elimination by Overkill
18. Photograph by Def Leppard
17. Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin
16. Under My Wheels by Alice Cooper
15. Nailed To The Gun by Fight
14. Number Of The Beast by Iron Maiden
13. The Zoo by Scorpions
12. Got The Time by Anthrax
11. Princess Of The Night by Saxon
10. After Midnight by Fastway
09. Neon Knights by Black Sabbath
08. Low by Testament
07. Peace Sells by Megadeth
06. Running Free (live 1985) by Iron Maiden
05. Battery by Metallica
04. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath by Black Sabbath
03. Made In Hell by Halford
02. Shout At The Devil by Mötley Crüe
01. You've Got Another Thing Coming by Judas Priest

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Saliva - Under Your Skin

Upon first listen to "Nothing" on the bands website I was a fan of the tune and had high hopes for their new album and single. The album's now out in cyberspace for advanced listening. Under Your Skin kicks off with the "Badass" tune which was previously available on Saw VI's soundtrack. It's a good Saliva grinder this time around the band are balancing their abrasive metallic sound with some really good power ballads and mid-tempo tunes. I find that the Memphis boys are doing their best to drive their truck into the same territory as bands like Nickelback, Three Days Grace & Collective Soul.

I have been a long standing fan of the band and this album doesn't change that but it is a much different listen than what I was expecting from one of the best hard rock/heavy metal bands of this generation. The album does have some complete fails where the band cross over into the fringes of emo. "Prove Me Wrong" is just such a mistake and to a lesser degree "Better Days" but then they hit a homerun now and again as well. When you listen to "Never Should've Let You Go", "Turn The Lights On" or the closing track "Spotlight" you can still hear the stuff of potential greatness from the band.

Overall this is not their weakest album quality wise but it is surely is their most mellow album and with all the searching for a hit single to make the radio drones happy has sort of neutered them. One can only hope Seether don't follow this formula with their upcoming album.

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Whitesnake - Forever More

Let's start this review off with the proper words to describe the new Whitesnake album:

AWESOME! KILLER! SMOKING! FANTASTIC! KICK ASS! ok that should do. The return of David Coverdale and his current vision of Whitesnake a couple years back was welcomed and happily so by myself. The album was strong even a couple that would be classics on the album. 2011 arrives and with little fanfare Forvermore is unleashed upon us. The album opens with a driving blues number called "Steal Your Heart Away" and as soon as Mr. Coverdale begins to sing you know that this renaissance period is in full swing. Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach are if even possible better. The grindy grooves that just slither out those two only lift the songs to higher hieghts. Not only does this album have two of the best six string slingers on the planet Mr. Coverdale went out and got a drummer of distinct pedigree in Brian Tichy. His skin bashing has been present in Ozzy's band, Foriegner, Sass Jordan, Zakk Wylde and numerous others. Whitesnake has always been about the musicians who back David Coverdale's majestic rasp and snarl, sometimes the band has been on his level and other times not quite.

This is easily the best group of musicians he has ever assembled at one time. If the Slide It In group included Steve Vai it would bar-none be the greatest but even in comparison this collection of talent it other world. New bassist Michael Devin is no slouch either and his Rudy Sarzo like sliding bass style works perfectly in this band. Forvermore does not dissapoint at any point when it comes to a strong album. Each song kicks some ass whether it be a mid-tempo groover or a powerballad which says a lot when a band can write powerballads on this level. Overall this album is probably the best hard rock album of 2011 as of right now.

Song Highlights: Tell Me How, One Of These Days, Dogs In The Street, Steal Your Heart Away, My Evil Ways & I Need You (Shine A Light)

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Singles: A Quick Review Of New Singles

A new session and some pretty cool stuff this time that you might already know and some you probably don't.

Kimberly Caldwell - Desperate Boys & Stupid Girls
American Idol contestant she was and one of my favorites at the time. Her smokey voice rivals Kelly Clarkson at points and this song is a pretty slick bubblegum pop tune that has all the trappings of a great song from this genre.

Andrew Allen - Loving You Tonight
This is a great singer/songwriter tune that is every bit as good as what Jason Mraz or Jack Johnson has put out. Hailing from the sunny Okanagan, Andrew masterfully combines his fresh and original acoustic beach grooves with some mainstream pop overtones, creating an absolutely ear pleasing adventure! It almost seems as if the West Coast vibe feels at home in his tunes.

Big Heed and Alien - Tipsy by JIVE Records
A little hip-hop here and its a dancefloor tune that has pretty much taken over the genre's sound right now. Everyone's trying to be as successful as Flo Rida by dropping club rhythms.

Bob Schneider - Let The Light In
Another airy pop ditty that has a breezy sweetness tailored made for a summer day. Bob's been around for a long time releasing 2 previous albums and some side projects. This should be his biggest claim to fame next to dating Sandra Bullock.

Caroline Chevin - World Full Of Lies.mp3
Another of the retro styled female singers is Caroline. She's got a nice twang in her voice as she displays her pop sensibilities. I can't find a flaw anywhere on this track or in her performance, this is the type of female singer that I absolutely love. The Swiss singer won a Swiss Award for Best Breaking Act National.

The Crystal Method Feat. LMFAO - Sine Language (Original Mix)
Well this is a great song, catchy as hell and is probably in my top 20 so far this year. I sure hope that it blows up and takes over the music charts soon because it deserves to do so.

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10 Songs That Should Be On Everybody's I-Pod

This is a ten pack from this month of March 2011.

10. Sexy DJ (In Da Club) by Gabry Ponte Feat. Maya Days
09. Who Says by Selena Gomez
08. Sticks & Stones by Jason Reeves
07. Hillbilly Rockstar by Bridgette Tatum
06. Let The Light In by Bob Schneider
05. Backseat by New Boyz Feat. The Cataracs & Dev
04. Country Thang by Colt Ford
03. Let The Light In by The Young Veins
02. I'm Only In It For The Country Girls by Jason McCoy
01. Lies Of The Beautiful People by Sixx AM

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Children Of Bodom - Relentless Reckless Forever

Considering the sad state of new metal albums so far in 2011 a couple of decent records have appeared finally. Their has been some real shit up to this point with very little to cheer about. Children Of Bodom have returned with their latest platter Relentless Reckless Forever. The band blend gothic, progressive, modern and European with a nod to the Nordic scene as well (considering their Finnish) with their high octane album. The production is absolutely stunning this time around with the layering of the vocals never over bearing and the guitars always clear and present. The big fat drums are slick and smooth and even when at their most ferocious move the song along without overtaking the melody.

I find the keyboards are effective and are sometimes a little intrusive as on "Roadtrip To Hell & Back". If not for my nephew I would have never even tried to listen to this band but he loved them so much a few years back I had to give them a chance. I'm glad I did because depending on my mood I get enjoyment out the screechy vocal metal. I would like to hear more growth in the singing department to more coherent pronunciation. So in the end I wanted to like this album but I just can't get enough out of it to truly recommend it to anyone outside of their already in place fan base.

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Cavalera Conspiracy - Blunt Force Trauma

Music to scalp your enemies by is pretty close to what Blunt Force Trauma contains. One thing that makes this album a five star heavy metal headbanging party is that the songs are concise and short in length. Each track is completely effective beyond necessity creating nothing but heavy metal happiness every single time. If any album was going to make your head explode this one should be it. The absolute crushing aggression on "Rasputin" is so devastating that you don't realize the impact until its over and the pain in your neck from banging thy head begins to grow.

From the opening monster through track six this album is almost perfect in every way brutal thrash inspired speed metal can be. The album does weaken as it unfolds but never enough to say that a track is a throwaway. Most bands this heavy in style can't bring it like Cavelera Conspiracy have on Blunt Force Trauma. If you like it heavy, mean and loud then this is what you need in your ears. "Oh Hell Yeah!"

Song Highlights: Torture, Killing Inside, I Speak Hate & Lynch Mob
Cavalera Conspiracy-I Speak Hate by oli02
HORNS UP!

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Aaron Lewis - Town Line

Aaron Lewis from the bland and faceless drivel known as Stained has released an E.P. that is outlaw country, a bit of southern rock and a touch of his standard post grunge folk rock. The music is actually pretty decent albeit mellow but what would you expect from the introspective styled artist he's always been. I actually believe that this is a much better style for Lewis and exactly where he should be as a writer and performer. I only hope that if a full length album is recorded he can grab some Rockstar Engery drinks and Tequila and rev up the tempo for a few more songs. The whole E.P. is solid and worth a listen and I'd recommend it to anyone who appreciates Southern Rock and Alternative Country.

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REM - Collapse Into Now

This album should have been a return to their renaissance period in the 1990's but what we get is wet turd from REM. There is nothing on this record that would light a fire under any of the bands fans. After listening to Stipe's hollow lyrics and with a large echo added to them to take away most of the flaws and nuances any music fan would never want to repeat listening to any of the albums twelve cuts.

I can't help but hit the skip button about halfway through each song. The music is just so pedestrian and pales in comparison to their post grunge era music. I can understand them being an older band and maybe not having the creative inspiration to give up an album of amazing tunes but when your nowhere in the same league and devoid of all aspirations it might be time to retire or move on to something more inspiring. This is the culmination of the bands worst period of output. With the weakness of Up, Revel, Around The Sun and Accelerate then the bad drops the limp and empty Collapse Into Now REM have nowhere to go but up. I don't think they can do any worse and if the next album does happen to be even less than this one I hope it will be their last if this album doesn't turn out to be just that, their last.

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...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Tao Of The Dead

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead is one of my favorite bands and I quietly enjoy their indie excellence keeping it to myself. None of my friends would hear what I hear in them nor would they enjoy them for the most part I'm pretty sure. Tao Of The Dead is another solid release from the band that encompasses all that is great about them. The greatest thing about the band is that they record albums and they are meant to be heard as a complete listen. You don't listen to Pink Floyd albums for that one song or Dream Theatre for that single the radio is playing you listen for the experience and journey the music takes you to in your mind and soul.

Tao Of The Dead has all the parts that make an album classic and epic. This is definitely not an album for anyone who doesn't like progressive or psychedelic music.

Song Highlights: Pure Radio Cosplay, Cover The Days Like A Tidal Wave, Weight of the Sun (Or, the Post-Modern Prometheus), Somewhere Over The Double Rainbow & Strange News From Another Planet...

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DevilDriver Unleash Their Inner Beast

Now when it comes to metal I prefer more melodic stuff or thrashing metal madness. This band do have some of both in their metallic aggression. The trouble is over the course of an album it all sort of loses its way because the sameness of each track or at minimum the structure repetition. This album does have much head splitting fist pounding headbanging goodies to enjoy but its all a little boring after a short while. They hit the mark on "The Blame Game" but songs like "Blur" and "Shitlist" are the same song to most ears unless you are a huge fan of this brutal shrieking metal.

I don't hate this record but I can't say I'd recommend it to anyone who isn't a full on headbanging metal head. I would give it 2 deaf ears out of 5 as it could all be done better by this band at this stage of their recording career.

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Jerusalem - She

Here is an album I listened to that is tagged as Christian Metal. Well outside of their stupid need to package their religion to the headbangers in a product to further the supernatural dumbness of Christianity this album couldn't be much more lame. I can get past the holy roller bullshit sometimes as long as its kept to a minimum and the music is good. This is not the case on She as the album has nothing going for it from the song writing to the vocals to the guitar playing to the production. The entire album sounds as if it was recorded in a sewer somewhere as its all echoey.

This isn't metal either it's lame stoner rock that makes crap like Queens Of The Stone Age sound genius which its absolutely not. Don't buy this ever, don't even take this for free and it is in no way worth wasting bandwidth on it's so lame. A complete zero!

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BloodBound - Unholy Cross

The new album and debut of a new lead singer has the Bloodbound crew all revved up and ready to rock. The album is pretty tight power metal with a good vocalist that has some seriously good chops but uses too much verbrato as he attempts to replicate the sonic sound of Bruce Dickenson or Michael Kiske circa 1989. Overall the music is excellent with a slight weakness shown only on the vocals of Patrik "Pata" Johansson. I have admit I can get past the initial annoyance to find great enjoyment of the album. This album could not be much stronger than it already is in the power metal genre.

Song Highlights: In The Dead Of Night, Reflections Of Evil, The Darkside Of Life, Message From Hell & Drop The Bomb

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Destruction - Day Of Reckoning

Some new heavy metal sub genre thrash to be had on Day Of Reckoning. This is classic in style and a little tinny on delivery. It is very much what you've heard from Annihilator, Exodus and Overkill and that's good company for sure. I like the riffing and the drumming but it all could have been much fuller in sound. The drums do not carry the thunderous pound that could make this album a real killer. Overall nothing new to report but if your a fan of old school thrash from the Bay area this will be pleasing to your ears. Don't expect too much outside of typical speed metal and you won't be disappointed.

Song Highlights: The Price, Armageddonizer, Devil's Advocate & Destroyer Or Creator

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10 Songs That Should Be On Everybody's I-Pod

Where do we go from here? Let's take a trip down memory lane and here is a ten pack from the year I graduated from highschool being the vintage year of 1985. There were some pretty excellent tunes to choose from so here we go.

10. Revolution by The Cult
09. Lovin' Every Minute Of It by Loverboy
08. Four In The Morning by Night Ranger
07. Wounded by Honeymoon Suite
06. Holding Back The Years by Simply Red
05. Captain Of My Heart by Double
04. Raspberry Beret by Prince
03. We Close Our Eyes by Go West
02. A View To A Kill by Duran Duran
01. Crazy For You by Madonna

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Singles: A Quick Review Of New Singles

This week I'm just gonna put up some newer songs that are worth hearing not exactly shiny new but new enough.

Millionaires Feat. Jeffree Star - Catch Me If You Can
This song is a hard house tune with a decent chorus. They are an Electro-pop group consisting of two girls from Orange County, California. The sisters Melissa and Allison Green's claim to fame is a goof around with Garage Band."I Like Money" and "Hoe Down" were posted to their Myspace page and the end result a few years later is "Catch Me If You Can featuring Jeffree Star.

Dev-Fireball
Dev's single Fireball is seeing a re-release one more time. Maybe since G6 and "Bass Down Low" have seen major success third times the charm for "Fireball".

B.O.B-I'll Be In The Sky
A bouncy new single from B.o.B. is set to take over the airwaves. This song will probably be another smash from probably the best new rap artists in ten years.

Avril Lavigne - Stop Standing There
Avril's new album is a good record that has only minor flaws. This is one of the best songs on the record and one of my favorites from her over her career. The song is getting its fair share of listens as evidenced on my LastFM chart.

Imelda May-Mayhem
A song that has been around for awhile but hasn't been getting the airplay it rightly deserves. This song is completely addictive with a driving beat that makes dancing a whole lot more fun.

Noah & The Whale-L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
I'm one of the few who just adore Noah & The Whale's folk rock quirkiness. They are brilliantly simple that take everything good about pop, rock, folk and indie blend it all together making a margarita flavor all their own.

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American Idol:Song Choice Is Always More Important That Performance

This season has all the same crap surrounding it as the last season and the hype about best season of contestants ever. Well last season was obviously the season of suck and anyone with good taste in singers and ears that work properly can't deny the absolute garbage that was paraded around the stage last season. The crew chosen for season 10 is a major improvement and has some actual talent to present. Now if only they could have someone like me who knows music helping them with their song choices. I find too many times a good singer goes home because they don't have the musical depth knowledge wise to choose songs that work.

We have see many times when a bad song choice murders a contestants momentum. How about when Kimberly Caldwell sang "It's Still Rock N' Roll To Me" and was booted or Carmine Rasmusen and the awkward choice of "Love Will Lead You Back" completely unsuited for their voices and with some sort of direction neither would have sang those songs. Carmine's song "Nothin' Like Summer" proves she was leaps and bounds ahead of her competition but needed direction. Another of the bad song choice deaths and probably one I was most invested in emotionally was when Constantine went home after missing the mark and singing the Nickelback tune "How You Remind Me" which didn't sound good in rehearsal but nobody told him to change his song.

So once again we watched a group of capable singers hit the live stage and sing their bad choices to elimination or near elimination. Clint Gamboa did himself a diservice singing a Stevie Wonder song which has been the downfall of many contestants. It was painfully bad but he wasn't the worst at least. Brett Loewenstern which sadly was sent packing because of his terrible stage presence and complete disappearance of his originality. His version of "Light My Fire" wasn't the worst and he could have been one of the best contestants ever on Idol but we will now never know what might have been and for the bad song choice.

Stefano Langone wins a wildcard spot which I don't believe he should have it should have been Brett over him. Stefano will be gone early I believe because he can't sing as well as others and if his over singing of "Grenade" was the best he had to offer it might even shorter of a stay than I anticipate. Rachel Zevita who totally played the stupid card ruined what was her top five slot on the show and a chance to go onto the Idol tour with something that I was told was "Criminal" by Fiona Apple. She has everything, looks, style and talent but now the world might not ever get a chance to see her become an incredible artist. I really hope that she finds another way to success and can make the impact on the world she has the talent to make. Ashthon Jones who was a wild card choice makes no sense to me at all other than she's black and affirmative action put her in the show because talent surely did not. Kendra Chantelle was so much more in every way and the only reason I can see her not making it was for a more multi-coloured group.

The show if the contenders pick songs that work for their abilities and don't dog it are far and few in between their are five with the top three pretty obvious if they don't fail miserably with choosing their songs each week. Scotty McCreery, Casey Abrams and the eventual winner Lauren Alaina are my choices to battle for the title this season. There are a couple of dark horses in Naima Adedapo has an opportunity from the wildcard and could be a great save by the judges. Another of those dark horses who again could be there come finale night Haley Reinhart who is not only a good looking girl but a great singer. She might not have enough knowledge to pick the right songs on a regular basis come the horrible theme rounds. Lastly the guy who has the ability to upset my top three is Paul McDonald who is a star. No matter how good he's been so far this guy could win the entire show and I wouldn't be surprised to see him do just that this season on American Idol.

Overall this season reminds me of the best season of Idol season seven when there was a lot of talent and predicting the last man standing was almost impossible. This season is set up to be much the same and considering how bad it was last season overall this can only be better no matter what happens. Lauren is my call to take it all but she will have to be almost flawless to take the 2011 American Idol crown. Now let the Idol game begin!

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