Archive for the ‘Punk rock/Metal’ Category

Paramore’s new(ish) album!

Posted: July 9, 2013 in Punk rock/Metal
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It’s finally happened. Paramore has grown up. After coming out of group therapy, the Tennessee-originated  trio released a self titled album; that was not only the first of theirs  to debut at Number 1 on the Billboard 200, but it was also their first album after the departure of co-founders Josh and Zac Farro.

The album created a new identity for Paramore. All the teen angst seems to evaporate, leaving behind three passionate young adults, ready to take on the world and whatever comes after. They’ve left behind the blueprints of past singles and EPs, starting completely anew; forget two timing boyfriends and the girl that makes him stray, neglect the punchy poems about letting you heart decide what’s best (and then regretting it after). The band has turned their attention to writing about long distance relationships,  serious relationships, reading the newspaper,  saving money, and loving yourself ‘because someday you’ll be the only one you’ve got’. In short, GROWING UP.

There are also tracks that seem to be written about the group’s time in therapy, like ‘Now’ and ‘Future’, which both talk about disregarding the past and looking to tomorrow. This becomes obvious in the lyrics from ‘Now’:

Starting over/ Head back in/ There’s a time and a place to die but this ain’t it/ If there’s a future, we want it (now).

Or in the lyrics of ‘Future’

So just think of the future/ Think of a new life./ Don’t get lost in the memories,/Keep your eyes on a new prize.

I’d have to say my favorite songs so far from the album are ‘Last Hope’ , ‘Ankle biters’ and ‘Interlude: i’m not angry anymore’. Each one is dynamic in it’s melody, and really hits you in the heart with what they have to say. These guys can write about anything, even a two minute chant about Hayley Williams (lead singer) brushing her teeth in the morning could hit home, and get a listless listener to sing along at the top of their lungs, in their room at 2 am. Each of these songs tell different stories: chemistry that keeps you fighting through the darkness, edgy (and shouty) rhythms dedicated to people that need to pay attention to themselves, rather than the compliments of others, and dealing with your anger like a big girl!

I’ve seen a new side of Paramore, an unexpected, multicoloured explosion of punk that makes you grin with glee as you feel the emotion bubbling up inside of you. It does exactly that. The music makes you feel.

RosEbY.

 

Dear My Chemical Romance…

Posted: April 9, 2013 in Punk rock/Metal
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Dear My Chemical Romance,

I knew from the second that I first heard ‘I’m Not Okay’, while sitting in the living room with my 14 year old sister, that this would mean something special to me, maybe not in the beginning, because I was only about 7 at the time. But from that day, something in my pre -adolescent head switched, and I knew I wanted to be part of something more than what had been dictated to me from a child’s story book. As I got older, this something  kept me up at night, I felt so foolish because while you were  changing lives by doing the thing you loved, I was stuck in the same boring routine every day: wake up, go to school, come home, go to sleep.

It wasn’t even the fact you were  famous that made me think my life was mediocre, you were doing something, which was more than what I seemed to be doing.

The albums that I bought and the videos I watched became my escape from the mundane world that surrounded me. My Chemical Romance was my leather clad cheerleader, encouraging me to believe that I can be the next Teen Queen, or Prime Minister, or Albert Einstein. But I’ve since learned that i would much rather be my melodramatic, cynical and irritatingly stubborn self, because that is what will make me happiest, especially when I’m doing it while ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’ is my soundtrack.

I’m probably failing to make an individual tribute to a band I love so well. In fact  this has turned into another cliched declaration of undying love from yet another fan. But that’s okay… I think the main reason why all of your fan letters will sound the same is that you have changed lives… you still are. We have all become a part of ‘an idea’ and we never want to let go of  it, or you. Being the cruel, brilliant people you really are, you have decided to leave us with stardust in our hair, ash on our faces and dreams that we are ready to follow.

Alright My Chemical Romance, ‘the lights are out and the party’s over, and I know you’re going to miss me so I’ll leave you with this’: Just like you said, My Chem is done, but it can never die. I know that I and millions of others will always be marching beside you in the Black Parade, cheering for sweet revenge and will never stop screaming for the Killjoys, who brought color into our lives.

See you around My Chemical Romance. Thank you for every last drop of the Venom.

Roseby.

Best Alternative Christmas Songs?

Posted: December 17, 2012 in Punk rock/Metal
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So, incase you’re wondering, no I did not die. Over the past few weeks the economy has had its way with me and I have become somewhat oblivious to the highest blog views we have ever had! ……..Apologies my friends

Anyway, on with the post. If someone asked me, I would deny my incredulous fascination with christmas songs. However, my therapist has told me that being honest with complete strangers is the first step to being a happier person and I must say the results are… interesting.

To me, theres nothing more hilarious than a cheesy christmas jingle, what’s even funnier is the attempt by some of our current heroes to write anything that resembles a festive anthem. The stars of pop-rock have done their best, to bring you a new take on the cliche that is ‘white christmas’ type music. Here are some of my favourites.

Blink 182 – Won’t be home for Christmas: A musical list of all the things we hate about christmas with a jaunty, racy and perky soundtrack.

Fall Out Boy – Yule shoot your eyes out: A wonderfully bitter carol about a relationship gone sour with a lovely acoustic guitar and sleigh bell accompaniment.

The Killers – Dont shoot me santa: A song that challenges us to wonder, “What happens when you get on the naughty list?”

My Chemical Romance – All I want for Christmas is you: A wonderful, punchy and edgy cover of Mariah Carey’s fluffy heartwarming jingle. With an exhilarating melody of ‘jagged’ electric guitars, head thrashing drums and ground breaking bass rhythms. My favourite by far.

Let me know what you think,

Roseby.

All Time Low – “Will We EVER Be Weightless?”

Posted: November 16, 2012 in A question to readers, Punk rock/Metal
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When you’re under pressure, stressed and downright annoyed with everything in your life, asking yourself- “Why the hell am I here?”- The best thing (for me at least) is to know you’re not alone in your troubles. Listening to music is a hothouse of messages. The most frequent and constant being ‘You are not alone.’

When I listen to All Time Low’s song Weightless from their album ‘Don’t Panic’, I replay the lyrics in my head over and over again, even after the song has long since finished. I always end my train of thought with the same question: “Will any of us ever be weightless?”

“Maybe its not my weekend, but its gonna be my year,

And I’m so sick of watching while the minutes pass as I go nowhere.

This is my reaction, to everything I feel,

I’ve been going crazy I don’t wanna waste another minute,

here.” 

These lyrics expose my deepest and darkest yearnings. No-one wants to wait on the sidelines of life, no-one wants to watch it go by. However, because there is a small number of songs, written about actually being weightless, I fear that the feeling is only known to some. Will we EVER break out of the circle?, Be weightless?,  Put an end to these pointless rhetorical questions we ask ourselves?
Let me know what you think,

Roseby

Green Day’s…’Disguised’ love songs?

Posted: October 26, 2012 in Punk rock/Metal
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While sitting in my room, in an over sized Nirvana t-shirt, I stopped and listened to the lyrics of one of the songs from Green Day’s newest album UNO!

A couple of songs really stuck with me, such as: ‘Stay The Night’, ‘Fell For You’, ‘Sweet 16’ and ‘Oh Love’. Partly because I’m a hopeless romantic and to me, Green Day are great at writing ‘disguised’ love songs, a talent that is also possessed by Coldplay . I say disguised because theses songs are definitely about love, but they’re not the straightforward ‘I love you’ songs…….if that makes sense. For example, in Green Day’s song ‘Sweet 16’ Billie Joe Armstrong (Who has an AWESOME name by the way) sings

“Stab at my heart like a dart board,

brown skinned girl that i dream about, a long long time now from the Midwest to the beach,

Old days are fine, but are left so far behind, From California to Jane Street,

Kids alright, alright as they’ll ever be,

‘Cause you will always be my, You will always be my sweet 16”

Throughout the song he talks about how although the times when they were young and free have passed, he still loves whoever he is singing about like a he’s sixteen again. He does not, however sing “I love you” at all. instead he uses other words that create an even more imaginative and powerful picture in your head. The message that is created in my imagination when I listen to that song is “No-one is too old to love someone with the same ecstasy they had when teen angst, acne and low self esteem were the worst concerns in life.”

What about you?

Let me know,

Roseby

Sleeping With Sirens

Posted: October 19, 2012 in Punk rock/Metal
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While discussing music with a friend, I mentioned the band ‘Sleeping With Sirens’  hoping to get some recognition. Later on in the day she told me she’d you-tubed them and really liked the lyrics, but the melody was too harsh for her. That got me thinking. They do have some pretty awesome lyrics, that should be praised and acknowledged.

I’m not trying to say that Sleeping With Sirens do not have enough praise, they have a fans all over the world. However, what my friend said stuck with me (hence the post).
While I’m listening to alternative, post hardcore, metal and punk…most of my acquaintances my age are listening to R&B, pop and dubstep. My question to you is, Does music have a personality?

Take Sleeping With Sirens for example, one of their songs ‘If You Can’t Hang’ has an exiting build-up, punchy bass and great guitar. The lyrics tell a story and Kellin Quinn’s voice has a unique pitch that reels you in and leaves you wanting more. From the moment he opens his mouth to sing, you instantly know what the song is about. ‘If You Can’t Hang’ is obviously about a relationship turned sour, and the dumpee is getting their own back. You can easily tell by the lyrics:

“I don’t wanna take up all you time,

’cause you’re such a pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty face,

But you turned into a pretty big waste of my time”

I would say that the personality of that song is vengeful, angry and remorseful. To me, in certain ways, a piece of music is like a person. Unless it completley has no meaning at all, and the artist(s) does not have a story to tell; there is a hidden feeling in the music. Underneath all the anger in ‘If You Can’t Hang’, there is definately some sadness. Of course when someone leaves you, you become sad. Later, you get angry. Maybe that anger drove them to write the song. While they were writing it, the old sadness reemerged, creeping into the music.

Let me know what you think,

Roseby

Branding of the bands.

Posted: October 13, 2012 in Punk rock/Metal
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The moment I mention the bands Twin Atlantic and Biffy Clyro, the first response I get is, “Oh the Scottish bands, right?”

As a matter of fact, that is correct, both of the bands are from Scotland. It made me think that maybe all bands have a brand or unique selling point. For example, Def Leppard, the English rock band, are known as the band with the drummer that has only one arm. Or Slipknot will be known as the people who all wear slightly disturbing masks and bright orange overalls.

During the 2012 Reading & Leeds festival (if you haven’t heard of it…..I’m ashamed of you) Twin Atlantic held a sing along to one of their songs, and even though most of the people in the crowd were not actually Scottish, they sang the whole thing with a Scottish accent. Mainly because no-one would be able to imagine it being sung without a Scottish accent. That’s the beauty of the brand.

Let me know what you think, or if you have noticed any other ‘branded’ bands or singers.

Roseby