Three Days Grace - Transit Of Venus

Every song on this album has nothing going on, the band fail to write a good hook and the amount of ballad and mid-tempo drivel is astounding for a band that usually delivers in spades. The first single "Chalk Line" is nearly the worst single of 2012 and right now this album is in the top five or Splash's Toilet Bowl Nuggets in other words shit!

It pains me to say it but if you buy this you are allowing them to get away with delivering shit music. Don't buy it don't lie to them and tell them its great because it sucks ass and the kinda ass from a 50 year old guy who weighs 500lbs and hasn't been able to wipe it properly since 1975. Three Days Grace can now change their name to Three Days Dis-Grace because they have earned that title with astounding success.

Transit Of Venus is awful and if you don't understand what I'm saying go ahead listen to it and you'll hear for yourself unless your a deaf asshole who just likes to be stupid and like everything I hate and I have friends like that but most of the time they are trying to convince themselves it's good and they are cooler than me when it comes to music but they aren't. Conceited Guru Out!

Read More

John Fogerty Live @ SOFMA In Victoria, BC

Apprehensive to go to this show as I was I left with a much different opinion and feeling than what I walked in with for sure. As we sat and waited for the show to start the screens came to life with a little Fogerty history and a couple of advertisements for a new project from the coming soon bin. Being fifteen minutes late hitting the stage wasn't a terrible amount of time to wait and as soon as lights went out I witnessed one helluva rock n' roll show by a true legend in the genre. I'm not going to say I'm the biggest fan of CCR or John's many projects in the last few years but I do love Cosmos Factory to death and know it to be one of the the greatest albums ever made.

John's opening song was "Hey Tonight" an epic rock masterpiece that is still just as good today as it was back in '71. As the show progressed and the guitar playing skill of Fogerty unfolded in front of me I was blown away he had the chops he does. The man can rip and over and over he proved that to be true for the nearly 2.5 hour run of ass shakin' rock n' roll.

Even when he dropped into the quiet songs and the ballads the performance was excellent and energetic. The backing band was solid and the fact he had Kenny Aronoff bashing the skins for him made them even better. Kenny is a master skinsman and his 30+ Grammy award winning recordings that have had his drum skills proves that as fact. But back to the show John played all the songs from Bayou Country which was a treat and I enjoyed hearing some of the obscure album cuts. The fact that his voice sounded nearly pitch perfect comparing to the original recordings and that's amazing because he's no spring chicken.

The only time I thought the performance wasn't quite up to snuff was on "Have You Ever Seen The Rain" but it was still good enough. The real moments were when the band rocked it out on "Travelling Band" and "Up Around The Bend" two of my favorites for sure. Those songs filled the arena with thunderous power that you couldn't help but dance and sing at the top of your lungs. I'm not the most lively concert goer I have fun but I don't scream and yell and act like a maniac or dance until I'm silly. Last night there were many times I considered actually doing just that and at the end run of the show I stood and danced a little because I couldn't not do it. You know you've gotten your money's worth when I am driven to dance and cheer loudly.

For a guy who came to the show expecting nothing special I left knowing I just had one of the best concert experiences of the over one hundred and fifty plus shows that I've been to in my life. I would honestly say if you get a chance to see John on the next leg of his tour you have to make that happen because this is a legendary rock n' roll performer and all fans of the genre should experience something great at least once and this guy isn't going to be going at this level for much longer so get on it folks.

Read More

Check Out: Divine Fits - Like Ice Cream Live

A catchy song that should be in your current listening rotation.

Read More

Check Out: Chris Robinson's Brotherhood Live

This is what deliciously tasty rock n' roll sounds like, no glitter, no pomp just rock n' roll!

Read More

Masque: A Little Paul Stanley Sound-A-Like

Read More

Check Out: Telsa doing a great cover of "I Love You"

The original song was great but this version by Tesla makes the original boring by comparison enjoy

Read More

Papa Roach - The Connection

Anything will be better than the previous Papa Roach debacle Time For Annihilation. This album couldn't be that faceless right? Well lets have a run through of what The Connection brings us and that question will be answered by the end of my review.

The intro track ah they are bring back the 80's style again, remember when every metal album had an intro track? Does this add to the effect of the album and the answer is sort of but who cares lets get to the actual music right? "Still Swinging" is that first song and subsequently the first single as well. The song has great verses but lacks some in the chorus and sort of sounds like something Linkin Park would do in those verses. This song is a grower because the first time I heard I didn't care for it but after a few listens I've come to like it and I really like the breakdown @ 2:11 it is cool and shows some growth in a positive forward motion as well.

The band's hard rocking sound is ever present with "Where Did The Angels Go" one of the highlights on The Connection. The excellent pop rock inspired "Silence Is The Enemy" follows and Papa Roach have officially made a return to form, so far they are connecting with me. I love the new additons to their sound with the keys and such swirling around. It adds a dimension that makes their brand of Nu-Metal/Hard Rock much more enjoyable. The band's production level has really been stepped up bringing them into the modern era without robbing them of being Papa Roach we all have come to love. Sure they don't sound like "Last Resort" Papa Roach but rap rock is pretty much over now and I think that is a good thing in the end. The band have picked up some tricks from bands like the previously mentioned Linkin Park and The Muse and to some degree Nickelback and Shinedown as well. I'm totally OK with this slight direction change in sound because their fundamental sound is still intact.

As to be expected not every song is killer it does get bogged down a little with lesser songs "Wish You Never Met Me" a very Emo sounding song that just misses the boat. I wish I never heard it to be honest. The band jumps back on the track with "Give Back My Life" which is very good Papa Roach grinder and probably a future single/video for them. If I didn't know better I'd almost think this was Three Days Grace with the heavy riff that steers song into the stomping chorus. After another solid rocker the band spread their wings and soar with the near power ballad "Leader Of The Broken Hearts" that brings in that 80's feel again but never sounds derivative or old just has the solid elements from the glam rock generation when music was as pretty as the people who played it.

The sonic power of "Won't Let Up" is huge and the grasp of Jacoby's lyrics is actually quite deep. This song really blew me away upon first listen because there is something immensely crushing about the piece. The group just got the right mix to create a sound that feels like an enormous wave crashing down on you and this is not as easy as one would think to achieve because it takes more than distortion and volume to make it all happen properly. The albums closing number "As Far As I Remember" is a slow burner that builds to near epic status showing just how far this band has come since their debut in 1997 and their breakthrough album Infest in 2000. Obviously this is not the same band that first came together but the career they have built from nothing is a solid achievement and this album is a solid brick in the foundation of Papa Roach. The next chapter wow what can they have left maybe a seriously fun party rock record who knows but after this album I'm looking forward to hearing where the duo of Jacoby Shaddix and Jerry Horton take the freight train roaring to for sure.

Read More