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Music Review Tuesday – The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Today I am reviewing another new, up and coming, band. I had not heard of this band until I heard them on the local college radio station. The song I heard impressed me so much that I had to seek for more of their music. Of course a serious search was never initiated until a conversation with my youngest daughter, Crysta, about music revealed that she liked this band too. That conversation coupled with Crysta getting me an iTunes gift card for Christmas prompted me to use it to download The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus album. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus was formed in 2003 and are based out of the Jacksonville, Florida area. You will have to admit like me that one of first things I wanted to know about the band is how did they come up with the cool band name. According to a couple of web sources the name was derived by placing random words on the wall and a blindfolded band member selecting three words. So we have The “Red” “Jumpsuit” “Apparatus”.

Their debut album “Don’t You Fake It” was released July 18th, 2006 and has sold well over 1 million copies in the U. S. alone. The album begins with a hard rockin’ song which contains the album title in the song’s chorus. The song is called “In Fate’s Hands” and it starts the album with a nice head-banging rhythm with some not-so-subtle screaming vocals stating:

Shake it, break it, get off your feet,
come dance with me and don’t you fake it.

The guitars rock your face off. The next track is “Waiting” and is a simple rock and roll song coupled with the typical young man searching for meaning in life and trying to break from a depressing, monotonous life. The lyrics to the next song “False Pretense” are more sophisticated and speak about being careful what you take seriously, because it just might be built on a false pretense. The next track is the band’s hugely popular song called “Face Down”. The music is a fast paced rhythm with a great guitar sound. It also contains pinch harmonics and pick scrapes. It’s almost old school. The lyrics are very mature. Here is the chorus:

Do you feel like a man
when you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well I’ll tell you my friend, one day this world’s going to end as your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.

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Music Review Tuesday

02 Jan

Happy New Year everyone! I want to thank everyone out there in the blogosphere who The Classic Crime - Albatross has read and even commented on my Music Review Tuesday’s. My first review was April 27th of this past year. I don’t think I have missed but two or three Tuesday’s since. Music is one of my loves and I totally enjoy doing these reviews. Today Music Review Tuesday falls on the very first day of the new year so it is only befitting that I review an album and band that I am brand new to. I found them purely by accident. I was looking up feedback for a future MRT in Amazon.com and saw this band in the amazon.com “people who bought this bought these also” section. This is where I found The Classic Crime. This band began in 2004 and are originally from Bellingham, Washington. They are now based out of Seattle; the maternity ward for the grunge music scene in the early nineties that birthed such bands as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. There is a distinct difference in the lyrics and music of The Classic Crime than that of their geographic predecessors. Their music is more optimistic and hopeful. I have read some interviews since finding these guys from the Pacific Northwest and the one constant is they are “very energetic on stage” and they “connect with their audience.”

The debut album from The Classic Crime is “Albatross“. The album came as a result of Matt Macdonald, the bands singer, watching a nature channel and getting fascinated by the bird. He stated in an interview “It just metaphorically embodied what we wanted for our music and for our band as a whole.” “I think the bird magnificence reflected the more hopeful songs on the record.” The album was released May 23rd, 2006 through the Christian label Tooth & Nail Records. The album begins with “The Fight” a very catchy and energetic rock song. The chorus lyrics keep repeating:

I’ll take my heart back and set the people free. I’ll leave the dead to die, and take who’s coming with me.

The last part there rings of the words of Jesus as written in Matthew 8:22 of scripture. The next track “Flight of Kings” is a more melodic song with some mature lyrics such as “Do you know this songs for you?” “My heart goes out to the hurt you feel.” A very hopeful song of compassion to the hurting people in this world. The next song touches me musically the way the light guitar strums along in the verses and then crashes in on the chorus. The song is so salvation oriented in such a subtle way with “I’m drowning but I don’t care, when you’ve got what I’ve got, who needs air.” Christ is the one who sustains us. The next track “Blisters and Coffee” reminds me of one of my favorite Christian rock bands Kutless. I wonder if the song is about writing songs. With blisters and coffee.

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Posted by barrydean on January 2, 2008 in Albatross, Music Review, The Classic Crime

Music Review Tuesday

11 Dec

Today “Music Review Tuesday” is taking a gentler approach to the music. I am also following the course laid out from last week and reviewing another Christmas album. It is the season to be sure and I hope I don’t turn off my usual head banging readers. The artist I am reviewing today is Josh Groban, and before I hear anymore groans from the hard core element of my readership which could likely have been me, I need to remind that this is music review Tuesday and I am trying to pursue a variety of music. Josh Groban is a Grammy nominated American singer/songwriter known for his mature baritone voice. He is a very talented vocalist and has recorded with many like musicians in his young life. He was born in Los Angeles in 1981. He is mostly known for his classical pieces but he has also performed and recorded songs more in line with the pop culture. I encountered an example of this just last night while searching for Christopher Parkening performances. Groban and Parkening perform “Vincent” originally written and recorded by Don McLean.

Noel is the name of his Christmas album. It was released October 9th, 2007. It sold over 1.5 million copies in the first eight weeks of it’s release. The sales for this release have exceeded his previous releases by more than 3 times. The album begins with a solitary church bell ringing in the background and then Groban’s voice gently comes in with “Silent Night”. It is beautifully done. The next track is “Little Drummer Boy” one of my Christmas favorites and one that can be done very well by talented folks. This version is done very well. The next track is “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and is even hard for me to write about. The recording has messages from family members of service men and women added throughout. I have listened to it at least four times now and I have yet to get through it without tearing up. Seriously, this head banger does tear up. What would any Christmas album from a very talented singer be without performing the classical “Ava Maria”? This is the following track and Groban nails it so to speak. He was born to sing these kinds of songs.

The album highlights are “Silent Night”, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” (sniff sniff), “Ava Maria”, “The Christmas Song” which is not as soulful as Nat King Cole but a great version in it’s own right. “First Noel” which is a duet with Faith Hill, “Petit papa Noel” is a classic French Christmas song, translated “Little Santa Claus”, “Panis Angelicus” which means “bread of angels” written by Thomas Aquinas, “O Come All Ye Faithful” performed with The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is done very well and is the perfect end to this beautiful Christmas album.

For a Christmas album this is by far one of the best I’ve heard in a long time (Trans-Siberian Orchestra aside). It would be an excellent purchase and add to anyone’s Christmas music collection. It is very well produced and the song selections are perfect for Groban’s voice. I will give it a conservative four stars out of five.

For your pleasure I also have included the video for “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” from Good Morning America.

Music review Tuesday

05 Dec

Christmas is almost upon us again. When I think of Christmas music I almost immediately think of the music from the band I am going to review today. I have mentioned them in some of my other postings but have never reviewed any of their albums. I have been waiting for Christmas to come around because most of their albums focus on Christmas music. The band is Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I will refer to them as TSO in order to save me some key strokes. Anyone who is a fan of their music would recognize the acronym anyway. TSO was formed in 1996 by Paul O’Neill, Robert Kinkel, and Jon Oliva. Together they wanted to write rock operas. O’Neill dreamed of writing music so melodic it did not need lyrics, and lyrics so poetic they didn’t need music. The sum of the parts for the songs would be greater than the whole. Their biggest dilemma was that in order to create the opera the way they envisioned it they would need to have several different voices for the vocal parts. Most bands only have one lead vocalist, and on rare occasions two members who have strong vocal abilities. So they proceeded out into the classical, rock, Broadway, and R & B worlds to find the very best singers and musicians to bring each song to life. I love this quote by Paul O’Neill. When asked what Trans-Siberian Orchestra is about, Paul O’Neill replied “It’s about creating great art.” When asked to define what great art was, Paul said, “The purpose of art is to create an emotional response in the person who is exposed to the art. Seeing the pieta, the world famous sculpture by Michelangelo can cause someone to feel the pain of losing a child even if they’ve never had one. When you’re trying for these emotions the easiest one to trigger is anger. Anyone can do it. Go into the street, throw a rock at someone, you will make them angry. The emotions of love, empathy, and laughter are much harder to trigger, but since they operate on a deeper level, they bring a much greater reward.”

TSO has three Christmas albums but I am going to review their most recent one. The title is “The Lost Christmas Eve” and it is one of their best so far. The album was released October 12th, 2004 and begins with “Faith Noel” which is their version of “Noel” and “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” with piano and rock lead guitar. The next track is the album title “The Lost Christmas Eve” and introduces the story behind the music. The story surrounds a little angel coming down from Heaven on a mission from God to find a person most like the image of His son. “Christmas Dreams” is about a little girl that is met by the lead character and touches his calloused heart. It’s a neat story of hope. “Wizards In Winter” is and instrumental piece the next track. The piece has been made famous as the music that accompanies the Christmas lights displays seen on YouTube.com and the like. It is a great rock orchestrated piece of music.

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Posted by barrydean on December 5, 2007 in Music Review, The Lost Christmas Eve, Tran-Siberian Orchestra

Music review Tuesday

21 Nov

I guess Hell froze over again. The Eagles have released another album. I say that in reference to the response Don Henley used to give many years ago when asked if the Eagles would ever get back together. He would say “when Hell freezes over”. The Eagles began recording in 1971. The band has consisted of many different musician lineups over their 35 year on again off again career. The band has had 5 number one singles and 4 number one albums. The lineup for this release is the same one they have had since 1994 less Don Felder. Felder was fired from the Eagles in 2001. Don Henley and Glenn Frey felt that Felder ‘s creativity and performance hindered the band and so he was removed. Felder followed with a lawsuit and then Henley and Frey counter sued. The case was eventually settled out of court and so goes your typical life of a contemporary rock band.

The album is called “Long Road Out Of Eden” and was released on October 30th, 2007. It is their first studio album in 28 years. The release consists of two CD’s and 20 new songs. The musician lineup is mostly the same line of their last studio album “The Long Run”. Glenn Frey on guitar, vocals, and keyboards, Don Henley on drums, vocals, and guitar, Joe Walsh on guitar, vocals, keyboards, and talk box, and Timothy B. Schmit on bass guitar, vocals, and guitar. The first track starts things off with an acappella styled song called “No More Walks In The Wood” reminiscent of “Heartache Tonight” their last number 1 single. The second track “How Long” really kicks things in with it’s rockabilly rhythm and classic Eagles vocals. This really brings back visions of their first few albums. “Busy Being Fabulous” is a country blues styled song about good lovin’ gone bad, along with the next track “What Do I Do With My Heart” which tries to teach us how to deal with a broken heart. “Guilty Of The Crime” is the next track and sung by Joe Walsh. He has such a distinctive voice and all of his songs have such a humorous and upbeat theme. I think this is where my wife Robin and I really got interested in the album as we listened to it in the car after the purchase. The next track is sung by Timothy B. Schmit and is a very neat song and reminds me of “New Kid In Town”. The rest of the tracks on the album really bring out the diversity of the group in song writing and performance. The title track “Long Road Out Of Eden” is the first track on the CD number 2. It really starts out slow and is a bit to artsy for me. I have not listened to it a second time.

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Posted by barrydean on November 21, 2007 in Eagles, Long Road Out Of Eden, Music Review

Music review Tuesday

14 Nov

I do not know how many bloggers out there read my blog but according to my WordPress statistics there are a few of you. To you I wish to apologize for being absent with Music Review Tuesday last week. I hope that I can make it up to you by what I review today. Today’s artist is one many of you know and love and have listened to for many years now. Since coming onto the music scene in 1987, Steven Curtis Chapman (or SC squared as dcTalk labeled him years ago) has won 5 Grammy Awards and 51 Gospel Music Association Awards. The most by any Christan music artist to date. Chapman and his wife Mary Beth have three biological children and three adopted children from China. They all live in Franklin, Tennessee (one of my favorite states) and are all involved in many ministries. For details just check out any of the links provided in this posting. Seven Curtis Chapman has been a personal favorite artist of mine since hearing his song “The Great Adventure” in 1992. My wife and I also saw him live that next year at Carpenters Home Church in Lakeland, Florida. Since then I have been a fan of his music. If you have listened to his music at all you come away with an understanding of the emotion he has for music and his love for the Lord. For indeed loving the Lord and being obedient to His will is in fact a “Great Adventure”.

The new release from Steven Curtis Chapman is called “This Moment“. The album was released October 23rd, 2007. To be honest I expect good quality music and lyrics from this artist, because I become accustomed to it over the years. This album is no exception. From the first track to the four acoustic bonus tracks. The first track is “Miracle of the Moment” and it starts the album out perfectly. In the bible Philippians 4: 6-7 says:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

and the song echoes

It’s time for letting go
All of our if only’s
‘Cause we don’t have a time machine
And even if we did
Would we really want to use it?
Would we really want to go change everything?
‘Cause we are who and where and what we are for now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

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Posted by barrydean on November 14, 2007 in Music Review, Steven Curtis Chapman, This Moment

Music review Tuesday

31 Oct

It is great to be back for Music Review Tuesday. I have decided to do another artist from my daughter Crysta’s bag of favorites. Family Force 5 is the name of the band I am reviewing for this week. I have really come to like and appreciate the music of this band. Their music is so different from anything else I normally listen to. The band also goes by FF5 which is what I will refer to them as well to save keystrokes. FF5 is a Christian rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. The three leading members of the band are brothers Solomon, Jacob , and Joshua Olds. Their dad Jerome Olds was a Christian artist from the late 1980’s. The band is rounded up to five with the addition of two friends Nathan Currin, and Derek Mount. It is hard to classify the music of FF5 since there songs are so diverse. Some of the genre’s they have been labeled with are Rapcore, Southern Rock, Crunk, and Christian Rock. Their music employs mostly heavy keyboard and guitar. They rap some, they scream some, they funk some, and they definitely rock.

The title of the the album is “Business Up Front/Party In The Back“, and the one I have is the bonus “Diamond Edition”. This edition has three more unreleased songs on it and it was released March 20th, 2007. The first track of the album is “Cadillac Phunque” which is a unique way of spelling “Funk”. The name is definitely and indication of how the song plays out. It is southern funk, if you can imagine that. Distorted guitars and everything from keyboards to DJ turntable disk scratching are present on this cut. The next track “Kountry Gentleman” is a fun song from it’s lyrics such as:

I come from the land where the mullet attacks
Business up front
Party in the back
You gotta style in the south when ur stepping out
Put a gold tooth in ur mouth
Look at you now
Tank top, ur ball-cap, you think ur all that
But ur looking like Scott Stapp
Ur just another redneck from back in the woods
Not a Kountry Gentleman that can bring the goods, Tayoooo

to the funky rhythm of the song and band playing the sounds baby. Did you catch that? They p’owned Scott Stapp? The next track “Ex-Girlfriend” is totally about relationships, especially the ins and outs of teenage relationships. The music is very diverse with the hip hop, funk rhythms, and heavy sounds in the chorus. “Drama Queen” is one of my favorites because it reminds me of my youngest daughter Crysta. Not the mean spirit portrayed in the lyrics “you go behind my back, don’t you know that’s whack, it’s a personal attack … Ur such a drama queen” but the just the way she is always performing and overly sensitive at times.

Album highlights would be “Kountry Gentleman”, “Drama Queen”, “Love Addict” which is about the greatest commandment L-O-V-E, the song has a great slow driving rhythm, “Earthquake” which is such a fun dance song, makes you get funky with head banging rock, “Replace Me” is the most theological song on the album about being broken into pieces and having the Lord “Replace Me” and make me new, “Peachy” is a very cute and nice song to tap your foot along with, I feel so peachy. The best thing I like about this album it it’s diversity. Each track is different from the last. The music is professionally performed and yet you can tellFF5 had a ball recording it. It give it four and a half stars out of five.

Please check out the video below for “Kountry Gentleman” and shut yo mouth.

Music review Tuesday

10 Oct

Today I did something a bit unusual. I did not have a definite idea on what album to do for Music Review Tuesday. So while I was out and about running some errands I stopped at a local big box retailer and cruised their new music racks for something interesting to review. I selected a CD based on it’s cover art. The band is Alter Bridge. I have heard some of their songs on the local college radio station 89.7 The River here in Omaha. I really had no idea who they were or where they came from until I read the Wikipedia site. All of the band members are original ex-members of Creed except the lead vocalist. They are Miles Kennedy on lead vocals and guitar, Mark Tremonti (founder) on guitar and vocals, Brian Marshall on bass guitar, and Scott Phillips on drums. The band was formed by Mark Tremonti in 2004 after the breakup of Creed. I have listened to Creed for many years so I have heard many recognizable characteristics from these band members, especially Mark Tremonti. The name Alter Bridge was derived from the bridge on Alter Road that runs between Detriot and Grosse Pointe Park in Michigan where Mark Tremonti grew up.

Blackbird is the second album from Alter Bridge, and I will have to say that after listening through it twice now that it is definitely much better than the Scott Stapp solo work. Stapp is the troubled singer/songwriter from Creed who split with the rest of the band. But enough of that. It is yesterday’s news. Blackbird is good enough to prompt me to check out their debut album. You may see it here in the near future. The album was just released today October 9th, 2007. The first track on the album is “Ties That Bind”. This song is such a hard rock guitar song. The constant wailing on the low end strings drive the rhythm of the song and the guitar solo is awesome. It is so nice to have two accomplished guitarists in the same band, because as a result you get some incredible guitar music. Which anyone here can attest to, I love that guitar music. The lyrics to the song tell of breaking free from a controlling influence. Most likely a controlling person like a parent or a spouse. The next track “Come To Life” sounds so self descriptive of the struggles the members have been through. The music is classic Mark Tremonti with an added rhythmic harmonic presence. It sounds so cool, reminiscent of Zak Wylde of Ozzy fame. “Brand New Start” is a song that tells of starting afresh from a life of sorrow and agony. The song rings true of a passion for starting over. It reveals the great vocal talent of Miles Kennedy. The style is very similar to Brent Smith of Shinedown. They both have a great vocal range. The next track is called “Buried Alive” which is another song of life struggles and overcoming them. I am starting to see a pattern here, are you? The theme of the band is definitely overcoming life’s obstacles and reminds me of the rock band Triumph from the late 70’s and 80’s with a much heavier sound.

Album highlights are “Ties That Bind”, “Come To Life”, “Coming Home” about missing your home, “Rise Today” the album’s first single and a great rock song, “Before Tomorrow Comes” it has such great guitar effects and awesome vocals it definitely showcases the talent of Miles Kennedy “we could be so much more than we are” , “Watch Over You” which asks the question “Who is gonna save you when I’m gone, who’ll watch over you when I’m gone?”, “White Knuckles” and its fast paced head banging guitar riffs and great drumming. The album and the band as a whole are similar to Creed in some respects but different in vocals and they have a much fuller guitar sound. More importantly it Rocks!!! This component is very important to BarryDean. I give the album 4 stars out of 5. But it may go up the more I listen to it. Rock On!!!

Please check out the video for the albums first single “Rise Today”, it is a great rock song.

5 Comments

Posted by barrydean on October 10, 2007 in Alter Bridge, Blackbird, Music Review

Music review Tuesday

03 Oct

This fine Tuesday morning I was driving to work listening to the album I will be reviewing here today. It was raining and very dreary looking along the way and the music seemed to fit right in to the mood of the day. The artist is one of my favorite guitar players. He is not what you would call a guitar god but he is a very accomplished player. His name is Mark Knopfler. You might remember him from the rock band Dire Straits. “Money for nothing, and your chicks for free.” Dire Straits has not recorded music since 1995 but Mark Knopfler has continued to make great music although not the kind that would appeal to the masses. His style is so eclectic that his albums don’t usually sell hundreds of thousands, but he has a very loyal following as I am one. His solo albums are all very different from each other. From the Country “Neck and Neck” album he did with Chet Atkins, to composing film scores for two of my favorite films “The Princess Bride“and “Local Hero“, to recording a full duet album “All the Roadrunning ” with Emmylou Harris. He has touched all musical genres. His latest project is no exception.

The album is called “Kill To Get Crimson” and was released September 17th, 2007 and it is such a different album in sound and feel than anything he has done to present. According to Mark Knopfler in a video about his new album (which can be seen here) the title comes from the passion of an artist desiring to get crimson on his paint palette. The songs on this album are supported by many different instruments and makes for a very eclectic album. (I can’t believe I used that word twice in one posting) “Kill To Get Crimson” starts with a love song of sorts “True Love Will Never Fade”. It speaks mainly of a tattoo artist and the picture he put on the shoulder of his love. A picture that will always remind us that “True Love Will Never Fade.” The second track “The Scaffolder’s Wife” is a beautiful song about the wife of a scaffolder who is aging gracefully although as the song says “she is losing her looks over the company books” you understand that she is loved by her husband the scaffolder. The music is filled with a beautifully played flute with piano and of course Knopfler’s recognizable guitar licks. “The Fizzy and the Still” is a beautiful piece of guitar work and tells the story of young man who comes home after trying to make it in Hollywood. The next track “Heart Full of Holes” reminds me so much of an old pub song sung over many beers. Musically the song is adorned by a banjo, and I think I hear a mandolin, but the bridge to the song an accordion is definitely played and fits the song so well. Sing along with “Heart Full of Holes.”

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Posted by barrydean on October 3, 2007 in Kill To Get Crimson, Mark Knopfler, Music Review

Music review Tuesday

25 Sep

I have had today’s music review waiting in the wings since it’s release last month. Due to the exclusivity of the release and the new digital format of the downloadable tracks (which are currently incompatible with my MP3 player) I have had to delay this review until now. The name of the band is Collective Soul and they are from Stockbridge, Georgia. They have been recording great music for about 12 years now. The band name was derived from a term used in Ayn Rand’s book “Fountainhead”. As Ed Roland, the band’s singer/songwriter, puts it “we’re not preaching Ayn Rand, objectivism, egoism, or anything….we just dug the name…it could’ve come out of Motorcycle Magazine.” Collective Soul consists of original members and brothers Ed and Dean Roland, Ed on lead vocals, guitar, keyboard, and producer, Dean plays rhythm guitar, Will Turpin on bass percussion and vocals, Joel Kosche on lead and rhythm guitars, and Ryan Hoyle on drums and percussion. One final note before I get to the album. The brothers Roland grew up pastor’s kids. Their dad was a southern baptist pastor for many years, this must be why their songs are full of elements of Christianity.

The title of Collective Soul’s newest album is “Afterwards” and is the seventh studio album from the band. It was released August 27th, 2007. Collective Soul has been characterized by heavy guitar riffs with catchy melodies and this album is no exception. The first track “New Vibration” is definitely both heavy and melodic. It has a heavy guitar groove rhythm while Ed looks for a “new vibration.” The next track “What I Can Give you” will no doubt be the second single for the album behind “Hollywood”. The song is very catchy, and makes you hum right along. “Never Here Alone” is such a unique and upbeat song. I read a review on Amazon.com where the reviewer liked all the songs but this one. The guitar riff played throughout with it’s synthesized effect is very cool. I like it just fine. The next track is called “Bearing Witness”. The lyrics look so personal, like he is writing to his wife or girlfriend while he is on the road, “I’m promised here, you’re precious there”. The following track “All That I Know” is such a great song to sing along with. It is a slower song with some very nice lead guitar work that flows into a cool jazzy sound. The first single from the album is “Hollywood” and the song could be a song of love expressed to someone named “Hollywood” or a somewhat sarcastic tone for the “movie town”. It is a very likable song and it rocks.

Album highlights are “New Vibration”, “All That I Know”, “Hollywood”, “Good Morning After All” for it’s use of lyrical contrast by expressing pain and hurt but when it’s all said and done you still encourage folks with “Good Morning!”, “Never Here Alone”, “Persuasion of You” and it’s super cool use of guitar sounds and great solo, and finally “Georgia Girl” and one of my favorite lyrical verses on the album: