aerosmith

New Music Monday Blog Shinedown Amaryllis

In this Music Monday Blog, we are going to get into the latest from Shinedown.  It is Amaryllis.  We will get into the history and then the music from this new record.  Let us get into the history.

History:

Shinedown was formed in 2001 in Jacksonville, Florida with members, who are Brent Smith (Lead Singer), Brad Stewart (Bass), Jason Todd (Guitars), and Barry Kerch (Drums).  Shinedown’s first record, which was “Leave A Whisper,” was released in 2004 under Atlantic Records.  Shinedown’s second record, which was “Us And Them, was released in 2005.  Their third record was “The Sound Of Madness.”  This was their most successful record to date.  This is also the frist record without Brad Stewart on bass.   Eric Bass, who is bass player, replaced Brad Steward.  and Zach Myers, who is a guitar player, joins the band.  Shinedown’s fourth record, which is Amaryllis, marked the first time band history Zach Myers as the only guitar player and the new one in this band.    Let us get into the music.

Song List:

Adrenaline

There is some nice drumming at the beginning.  I am loving the music and drumming in this song.  The singing is pretty strong.  I love the pace of this song.  There is some awesome lyrics.  This is a great opening track.  The drummer is playing out of his mind.  I love the focus on him on this song.  I love the short and to the point guitar solo towards the end of the song.

Bully

This was the first single of this record.  I love the guitar work at the beginning.  I love the bass playing during the main part of the song.  There is a nice pace on “Bully.”  I am not really a fan of the lyrics but it is still a pretty good song.  I love the melody and the singing on this song.  There is some strong back up vocals on “Bully.”  I love the guitar solo towards the end of the song.

Amaryllis

This is the title track of this record.  I love the acoustic guitar at the beginning.  I have always loved his singing voice.  I love the backbone of the band.  The bass and drum playing is solid.  This song kind of reminds me of something that Goo Goo Dolls would have written.  I love the lyrics.  This is a pretty solid song.  There is a nice guitar break towards the back half of “Amaryllis.”

Unity

I love the keyboard playing at the beginning with a nice solid playing from the guitar, bass, and drumming over the top of it.  I love the singing and some pretty good lyrics.  I love how the mix a disturbed and acoustic guitar.  There is a nice melody.  There is a nice guitar solo towards the end of the song.  I just wished it was a little bit longer.   I love the ending of “Unity.”

Enemies

I love the effects on the guitar at the beginning of “Enemies.”  I love the music and melody.  This is my favorite song on this record so far.  I love the lyrics.  I love the ending of “Enemies.”

I’m Not Alright

I love the music.  I am not really a fan of the lyrics but the singing on “I’m Not Alright.”  There is some playing from the drummer and bass player.  This song seems like it needs a guitar solo to break up the singing a bit.  I just feel this song could be a little bit longer.

Nowhere Kids

There is some solid music.  I love the singing and lyrics are average.  I love the melody from the singer.  I just feel the same way about this song to the last one.  I just feel it could use a guitar solo about the mid-point of the song to break up the singing a bit.  There is nothing wrong with the singing.  I just hearing too much of it.

Miracle

I love the guitar work at the beginning.  There is some nice simple drum beat.  I love the singing over the top of it.  I love the music.  I love the lyrics.  They put some thought on this song.  This is a great rebound song from the last two songs.  I just wished there was a guitar solo.  It is still a solid song.

I’ll Follow You

I love the piano playing on this song.  There is some solid singing and well written lyrics.  I love the music on the main part of the song.  I love the pace of this song.  Here is a song that does not need a guitar solo.  The guitar solo that is on this song is pretty good and well placed.  It did what I wanted in the last few songs.

For My Sake

I love the guitar playing at the beginning.  I love what they did in the main part of the song.  There is some nice lyrics and melody.  I love the pace of “For My Sake.”  This is one of my favorite songs off this record.  I love the guitar playing on this song.

My Name (Wearing Me Out)

There is some nice music at the beginning of this song.  I love heavy drumming on this song.  I love the pace of this song.  The bass playing is solid.  There is some nice lyrics with some feeling and soul to it.  This is a nice driving song.  I could get some speeding tickets with this song playing.

Through The Ghost

I love the acoustic guitar at the beginning.  There is some nice music on “Through The Ghost.”  I love the singing and the lyrics.  This is a nice song to finish “Amaryllis.”  The only problem I have with this song is that it is a little too long.  I love the ending of it.

Line Up:

  • Brent Smith – Vocals
  • Zach Myers -Lead And Rhythm Guitar and Backing Vocals
  • Barry Kerch – Drums and Percussion
  • Eric Bass – Bass, Piano, and Backing Vocals

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.shinedown.com

Twitter:  @Shinedown

Closing, I love Shinedown.  I do not understand why I did not get into them right away.  It took me a little time but I have been a pretty big fan since.  There are some pretty good songs off this record.  It is not like their last record, which was “Sound Of Madness.”  I still enjoyed it, however, I just feel there were too many filler songs to get the record out.   These are songs they put on the record to get it out to the market.  I just wished there were more guitar solos towards the end of the record.  There are songs that need solos and there are songs that do not need them.  There were a few songs screaming for guitar solos.  This band has not put out a band record and this one is not one.  They are working on their next one but I recommend you picking up this one to get yourself through until it comes out.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Unknown Music Thursday Blog La Chinga La Chinga

la chinga cover art copy

In this Unknown Music Thursday Blog, we are going to get into a band from Vancouver, Canada.  La Chinga released their debut self-titled record.  The sound of the band is a throw back to the 1970’s classic hard rock.  They mixed some blues, folk, and rock.  They have elements from the pioneers of that era like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and MC5 to name a few bands.  There is not much information on this new band.  Let us get into the music.

Track List:

Early Grave

“Early Grave” starts out with a driving classic hard rock guitar riff.  I love the singing.  It reminds me of Deep Purple like Mark III to IV area with David Coverdale fronting the band with Glen Hughs.  La Chinga has brought the 1970’s back through their music and lyrics.  There is some nice lyrics and music.  There is a nice guitar solo towards the middle part of the song.  I love the drumming and bass work on this song.  There is a strong backbone in this music and band.  This is a great opening track.

Snake Eyes

The second song pretty much has the same start and sound like the opening track.  I love the grove of this song and the feeling from the singing.  Drummer is pound the hell out of his kit and gives a nice strong sound to the song.  I love the lyrics and the music so far on this song.  There is some nice guitar work towards the middle of the song that turns into a nice guitar solo.  I love the build up to the end of the song.

The Wheel

I love the grove of the start of this song.  There is some nice bass work on the song at the beginning.  I love the pace and in the packet of this song.  “The Wheel” sounds like something that early Whitesnake, Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, or Deep Purple would have written.  The singer fits what this band is doing.  His voice is perfect for this music and the lyrics that he has written for it.

Catty!

I love the drumming at the beginning.  It sound very Led Zeppelin sounding.  The guitar sounds like a bright Black Sabbath sounding.  There is some nice lyrics on this song.  The drummer is so far making this record along with his partner in crime the bassist.  I will say the rhythm selection of this band makes this band a solid one.  This makes the guitar player and singer sound better without even trying and their job easier.  There is a nice solid guitar solo towards the middle.

Loose My Mind

“Loose My Mind” has some nice trip out music at the beginning.  The guitar playing is off the charts along with some solid drumming and bass playing.  I love the lyrics but I do not like the singing on this song at the beginning of the song.  In the later part of the song, it kind of gets a little better.  I love the ending of this song.

Boogie Children

The beginning of this song sounds like a 1970’s porn music.  I am sorry.  I can not really take this song that serious.  There is some solid bass playing and drumming in the background.  It has a nice build up.  After the 1970’s porn music, there is some great music.  I love the bass playing on this song.  I am not really a fan of the lyrics.

Country Mile

I love the beginning of “Country Mile.”  It has a southern rock music sound to it.  I really love the singer singing and the lyrics.  I love the pace and grove to the song.  There is a nice well placed guitar solo towards the middle of the song.  I love the pick up on the song after the guitar solo.  It just feel right to the theme of the song and goes right back to the main the riff.  Nice touch!

La Chinga

The name of the band the title of this record has a nice pace to it.  I love the bass and drum playing on this song.  This is a straight ahead in your face song.  I love the guitar solo towards the middle of this song.  I just feel like it should be a little faster but it is still a pretty good solo.  It is one of his longest one on this record so far.  I love the ending with the music and the lead singer screaming.

Freedom

“Freedom” has a nice pace to it.  I love the lyrics and the guitar work on this song.  I just feel like the drumming is a little too strong and hard for this song.  There is a nice driving pace to this song.  La Chinga did a great job on the music.  This is one of their best songs off this record.  I love the ending to the song.

Universe

I love the guitar work at the beginning of the song.  The drums and bass echo a nice guitar riff for the main part of the song.  This band has found the fountain of all the driving songs.  There is some nice lyrics and singer sounds great.    I love the guitar work towards the end of the song.  This is great end to a great record from a good up and coming band.

Line Up:

Carl Spackler: Bass and Vocals

Ben Yardley: Guitars and Vocals

Jason Solyom: Drums

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.lachinga.bandcamp.com and www.facebook.com/pages/La-Chinga

Twitter:  @chinga_la

In closing, this band has brought everything that was good about the 1970’s hard rock all in their first record to the public.  They did not do a lazy job on it.  They pulled elements from the classic 1970’s bands from Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad, MC5, etc.  The drummer and bass player are the story on this record.  They made this record from good to great.  This band has a solid backbone with a very talented guitar player.  There is no holes in their games or swing.  This band reminds me of ZZ Top and Rush.  I am not saying they sound like either band but all their players are solid and talented.  There is not weak link on this band.  This band gives fans of the classic rock a nice wrap of some great 1970’s music.  I highly recommend this band’s music if you love 1970’s hard rock or some great rock music.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Music Monday Blog Aerosmith Music from Another Dimension!

In this Music Monday Blog, we are going to get into the latest and overdue record from Boston Legends known as Aerosmith.  Aerosmith’s last record was Honkin’ On Bobo which was released in 2004.  It has been twelve years for original music and that record was Just Push Play in 2001.  Aerosmith was founded in 1970 in Boston.  Aerosmith signed with Columbia Records in 1971 and in 1973 Aerosmith debut record hit the shelves.  Aerosmith is a really successful band in American history.  They have sold over 150 million records worldwide and 65.5 million in the United States.  Aerosmith was put in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 2001 and listed in Rolling Stones 100 Greatest Artist Of All Time.  Aerosmith has put out 15 studio records, 5 live records, 11 greatest records, 68 singles, and 7 video records.  We are going to do the latest from this band and it is 15th record, which is called Music From Another Dimension!  Let us get into the music.

LUV XXX

There is a voice in the opening track.  It gives you an outer space type of feel and sets theme of this record from Aerosmith.  I am loving the drums, bass, and guitar work at the beginning of the song.  I am not liking the singing and effects on Tyler’s vocals.  I am not a fan of lyrics either.  The music is old school Aerosmith but the singing is something you would hear from Moroon 5.  The music kind sounds like Love In Elevator and melody.  I am love the guitar break from Joe Perry.  Joey Kramer still has it on the drums.  Great music but just bad lyrics on this song.  I hope this not a theme throughout this record.

Oh Yeah

Great drumming at the beginning of Oh Yeah, the guitar has a late 1970’s feel to it.  I am not too sure on the lyrics just like the opening track.  The music is pretty solid with a nice guitar break and then a little guitar solo from Joe.  I am not a fan of singing and lyrics.  This record is missing something and it feels like it was rushed even though they took forever to out this record.  I did like that ending to Oh Yeah.

Beautiful

What is up with the beginning of this song?  Come on stop reliving the rap days of Aerosmtih and Run DMC.  Steve you can not rap and same thing with the rest of your band members.  This song is really bad.  They should have put a rapper on this song.  It would have been a little better because the music is pretty solid.  I love the guitar solo from Joe.  I am glad there was a good solo at least.  So far this is the worse song out there and on this record.

Tell Me

I am love the beginning of this song.  It has nice singing from Steve and acoustic.  Please cut off the reverb on Steve’s vocals.  You are not the greatest singer in the world but you do hold your own.  I did not like how the drums came into Tell Me.  I am kind of liking the lyrics on Tell me.  This is a pretty solid song.  So far this is beyond the best song on the record.  This is what I am looking from this legendary band.

Out Go The Lights

Out Go The Lights has a some solid guitar and drumming that echoes some from their earlier work.  Joey has some solid drumming and bass playing from Brad.  The lyrics are pretty good too.  Steve is singing like he did in the past.   Is this record turning period in the right direction after the first three bad songs? Joe has a solid guitar break in the first quarter part of the song.  This is a pretty solid song.  It has well written in every part of this band.  I am loving the back up singing too.  There was a great stop and the start-up from the drums.  Joey then rides the cow bell into sunset.  The back half of the song has some nice trade-off from all the guys in the band while Steve just chills in the background.  There is a nice touch on the fade out of the music for the ending.

Legendardy Child

This song sounds like something off Get A Grip or Just Push Play.  There is a solid start to the song.  I am enjoying the lyrics and guitar work.  The drums and bass are right there up to Aerosmith standards.  So far, Aerosmith has turn the corner on this record.  This is another good song.  Joe has a great guitar solo towards the end of the song.  I like the ending of Legendary Child.

What Could Have Been Love

This is the first Ballard on this record.  I like Steve’s singing and Joey and Joe’s playing on this song.  The lyrics are well written.  I do enjoy their ballads in the past so this one lives up to those songs.  Joey has some great drumming on this song.  There is some great melody.  I just feel this song does not need back up singing.  This is a great song.  I love the ending to the song.

Street Jesus

Street Jesus start out with a sample from the street and the guitar comes in.  It is an average to below average guitar riff.  Steve’s singing is average.  I have heard better from this band.  The main part of the song is Ok.  I really not liking this song.  The title is a little cheesey.  I like the drum beat and the bass playing on Street Jesus.  I could do without the rest of the members on this song.  I really do not like what they did at the end of the song.  At least Joe has a great guitar break and solo in the middle of the song and it sounds like the two guitar players are trading off solos.   I could not finish listening to this song that how bad it was for me.

Can’t Stop Loving You (feature with Carrie Underwood)

Here is another Ballard song on this record.  Steve and Carrie are a good fit on this song.  Their voices and vocals fit perfectly together.  This song has a nice pace to it.  I love how they bend together.  I am also liking the music.  It has a little country touch to it and it is not because Carrie is singing on this song.  Please, cut the reverb off Steve’s voice.  This is a well written song and it is one of my favorites so far on this record.  I love the fade out of the song at the end.

Love Alot

I love the drum action at the beginning.  There is some great music but the lyrics are a little weak again.  I am enjoying the melody that Tyler has on Love Alot.  I just feel there could be better lyrics than the ones that are on this song.  I just feel he is singing the same thing over and over.  I know there are different words but it echoes too much.  I really did not like the ending of the song.

We All Fall Down

The start of We All Fall Down has some singing with piano work which is well written.  Steve has a nice melody and is singing great.  Here is another slow song and the lyrics are average.  They are livable to what I have heard on this record.  To be honest, drums and bass are great on the song but Aerosmith could live without them on this song.  I am loving the guitar riff on this song but really do not need them.  It might make more sense towards the end of the song for the guitar, bass, and drums.  I really not a fan of the ending.

Freedom Fighter

Freedom Fighter has a great bass, guitar, and drum working.   I am not a fan of the singing and the lyrics.  This is pretty bad song.  I really love the music on this song but I could do without the lyrics and singing.  I do not know where they came up with this song.  To me, this is not Aerosmith.  Is this a Joe Perry solo song that he brought over to Aerosmith? I know he has done that in the past and had some success with it.  This song does fall short but I love the ending of the song.

Closer

I love the effects on the guitar at the beginning and a well written riff.  I love the blues singing from Steve.  It fits the feeling of the song and the theme.  The music is pretty good and nice blues guitar solo between versus.  I am also enjoying the lyrics.  It has a pretty solid ending to the song.

Something

The beginning sounds like something from a hockey game and video game.  I am enjoying the guitar playing.  Joe sounds like Gene Simmons after a bender.  He did get better as the song went on but please Joe play the guitar and do back up vocals.  You are not a lead singer.  I do not know how I feel towards this song.  It has a pretty good ending.

Another Last Goodbye

I am enjoying the piano and flute playing at the beginning.  Steve singing is pretty good also and with some really good lyrics.  Steve is singing his heart out on this song.  This is a great song to end this bad record.  Please, do not get me wrong there are some gems on this record.  Damn!  Steve really hit it on this song.  His singing is the best I have heard from him in a long time.  I have to be honest this song could be shorter.  The lyrics getting pretty boring as the song goes on with the singing at the very end of the song.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.aerosmith.com

Twitter:  @aerosmith

Closing out, I will be really honest on this record.  Is there are some good songs and gems on this record?  Yes, there is but they are not great song or up to Aerosmith’s standards.  I feel they cut them short on many of these songs.  I just feel this record is missing something.  Is the band getting along and are they talking about their music?  I just feel they are not talking to one another.  Two summer ago, Aerosmith almost replace Steve Tyler as lead singer.  I do not know how much of that put into this release.  I just know they have been working on this record for a while.  I am glad they are still together.  I am glad they are touring and I might have to see them this upcoming summer.  I saw them at Tiger Stadium with Kiss and Slavia.  It was one of the best shows I saw that year.  I believe that is the last time I was in Tiger Stadium.  Well to wrap this up, I have to say just because I did not like this record and dogged on it.  It does not mean you will not like it.  We as music fans have a ton of chances to listen to the record before we buy it.  Just what I said there are some good songs.  I just feel there are too many filler songs to get this record out to the people.  Let me know your thoughts.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Roit Immortal Soul

In this music blog, we are going to check out one of my favorite underground metal band called Riot.  The last record from this great band out of Brooklyn, New York is called Immortal Soul, which is their fourteen studio album.  Riot was formed in 1975 by the late great guitarist Mark Reale.  They reach their peak a little bit in the early 1980’s but had a long successful career.  The band went through so many line up changes but yet had a different sound in each of the eras which makes this band unique.  Riot had fourteen studio albums, three live albums, one greatest hits, and one ep album that was only released in Japan.  Let us get into the music.

Riot

Mark wrote a nice in your face guitar riff in this song.  It is a pretty fast pace song.  It has the classic sound from Thundersteel along with great singing.  Mark also wrote a nice guitar solo, which he has been known for throughout the years.  It is a well written song and great song opening song for this record.

Still Your Man

Still Your Man has a nice guitar and bass riffs throughout the song.  There are hard-hitting and in your face drums.  The singing is nice and fits the music along with great lyrics.  This song finishes nicely.   Nice job on this song!

Crawling

Crawling has a nice start to the song and I love how they did it.  There is a nice heavy guitars with a great short solo at the beginning of the song.  The singer has a nice vocal melody and great lyrics.  I love the feeling and the sound of this song.  There is a nice simple guitar solo towards the end of the song along with a great finish to it.

Wings Are For Angels

This song has a nice fast pace drums with a simple guitar riff to fill into the song.  I believe his singing and voice does not fit with the music.  I love the music.  They did an excite job on it.  The drummer is playing his ass off on this song.  There is an awesome guitar solo and it has to be one of the best ones on this record.  Wings Are For Angels has a nice ending with drums and guitar.

Fall Before Me

Fall Before Me has nice guitar and drum work along with a nice touch with the acoustic guitar.  The music in this song is a great fit for this singer.   He wrote some great lyrics.  This song sounds like a rock anthems form the late 1970’s.  I love it.

Sins Of The Father

Sins of the Father has a nice guitar at the beginning with drums.  Tony Moore is singing very nice here with some great lyrics.  So far this song is my favorite song on this record.  I love the fact with all the line up changes they stayed true to their sound that they have created throughout the years.

Majestica

This is an intro song for the next song.  It has great guitar riff that fits in the old 1980’s metal pop sound.

Immoral Soul

Majestica runs into a nice drums with guitar work in Immoral Soul.  There is also a great bassline.  Tony has written some great lyrics and is singing his ass off in this song.  Mark of course wrote a great guitar solo.  The band did a great job on the ending of this song.

Insanity

Insanity starts out with the singer and then the guitars enter with the drums and bass.  In this song, everything is floating around the singer, which is change of pace from the rest of the songs on this record.  This is a great song.  This song is showing the finest work from Mark’s guitar work.  Nice touch on the fading ending it fits the mood of the song.

Whiskey Man

Whiskey Man has a nice guitar intro.  I love the lyrics but some parts of this song his vocals really does not fit with the music.  The lyrics are sneak up in your face along with the singing.  This is not greatest guitar solo but it fits in the song and music.  Most bands get it.  Not all songs need guitar solos or drum fills.  Sometimes the most simple thing is the right thing.

Believe

Believe starts out with a nice angry guitar intro with the drums and bass.  This is a well written song all the way around.  Riot did a great job on this song.  I love the time changes and the great finish to the song.

Echoes

Echoes has great guitar work from high to low.  There is a nice flow with the lead vocals and nice touch on the back up vocals.  This is my favorite song on this record along with Sins Of The  Father.  This song was a the perfect song to finish up a record and a great career.  It is so sad because this band should have been bigger then what they were in the world of music.

Roit line up on this record:

  • Tony Moore – Lead Vocals
  • Mark Reale – Guitar
  • Mike Flyntz – Guitar
  • Don Van Stavern – Bass
  • Bobby Jarzombek – Drums

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.riotsweb.com

Twitter:  no twitter account

In closing, I really enjoyed this record and all their records throughout their career.  When I discovered this great band, I had to pick up all their records.  It is sad to see this be their last record but at least I have this great music to listen to rest of my days on this earth.  I love how they stayed true to their 1970’s sound but yet pulled off their slight thrash metal days in the 1980’s.  My two favorite songs on this record is Sins Of The Father and Echoes.  I wish I would have seen this band play live along with several other bands. I did not get a chance to see them live.  Go check this record out and let me know what you think.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser