rock music

Birthday Blog!

August 13, 2014 — Leave a comment

I am going to take a break from reviews, videos, etc., and do a post about my birthday. The topic will still be music, however, considering that the way I celebrated was back-to-back Almost Kings/Super bob shows.

My actual birthday is August 10th. As you know, that was Sunday. There is nothing to do on a Sunday. Therefore, we decided to celebrate early. August 7th, we saw Almost Kings and Super bob in Huntsville. August 8th, we saw the dynamic pairing in Birmingham.

Almost Kings killed it, as always. I don’t think I could ever be disappointed by one of their performances. There is never a dull moment. And, you know, this happened.

Birthday_01

Adding to the excitement was the fact that these were my first two Super bob shows. I had not even heard them before this, except one song. I can’t think of anything to say about them other than OH, MY GOD! They were so great! Very high energy and more rock-oriented than Almost Kings, it didn’t take them very long to pump up the crowds. In Birmingham, I stood on one of Almost Kings’ equipment cases to see better and just let it go! I will undoubtedly be posting another blog about Super bob soon. They definitely fall into the category of “Bands You Should Know.”

I’m going to end this blog with a few pictures. Enjoy!

Me with Ryan Yunker

Me with Ryan Yunker

Jude Buckingham and AK's Bryan Bozeman

Jude Buckingham and AK’s Bryan Bozeman

Almost Kings bassist Danny Helms

Almost Kings bassist Danny Helms

Almost Kings guitarist Ryan Yunker

Almost Kings guitarist Ryan Yunker

Super bob front man Matt Santoro

Super bob front man Matt Santoro

Me with Danny and Almost Kings drummer Kevin Compton

Me with Danny and Almost Kings drummer Kevin Compton

Ryan Yunker

Ryan Yunker

Me with Matt Santoro

Me with Matt Santoro

Me with Super bob bassist Drew Recny (left) and drummer Chris Faircloth (right)

Me with Super bob bassist Drew Recny (left) and drummer Chris Faircloth (right)

Song of the Week: “Hail to the King”

April 29, 2014 — Video — Leave a comment

I took this video at the show in Huntsville last week. As mentioned in the description, the sound quality is a bit rough, but I really love what I was able to capture, especially the moments of M. Shadows standing in front of a crowd all pumping their fists in unison!

Avenged Sevenfold: “Hail to the King,” from the album of the same name, performed live at the Von Braun Center, Propst Arena.

Bands You Should Know: Within Reason

April 12, 2014 — 2 Comments

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Band: Within Reason

Genre: Rock

Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama

Sounds like: A mix of Linkin Park, Daughtry, and Breaking Benjamin

Discography: Bloodshot Life (2009) and After the Crawl (2012)

Suggested Tracks: “We’ll Have It All,” “Here Comes the Light,” “Favorite Sin,” and “Instigator”

I saw Within Reason for the first time in October of 2008 and immediately fell in love. Perhaps the best thing about their performance was how apparent it was that they enjoyed each other, as well as the crowd. It always makes me happy when I have the chance to witness that camaraderie between members of a band, that certain something that shows that they don’t view this as only a job. This is their passion. These guys live for their music.

Within Reason’s music is something else. “Unique,” “astounding,” “addictive”…all of these words can be used to describe it. I have compared them to Linkin Park, Daughtry, and Breaking Benjamin, but that isn’t quite right, it’s just the closest I could get. Vocalist Chris Dow, bassist David Koonce, guitarist Chase Davidson, and drummer Griffin Zarbough create a sound that isn’t exactly like any other band. Therefore, I asked my friends for help describing their music. Here is what I was given:

“Their music is honest, pure, and just all-around great to listen to on any occasion, no matter what mood you’re in…”

“[Our songs] are songs by everyday people, just like you and me, about everyday issues.”

“They are one of the best bands I’ve ever been introduced to. The vocals are captivating, the lyrics amazing, and the music perfect.”

“[Within Reason] has a variety of music to listen to. None of their songs sound the same, and there’s a song to fit any mood.”

“[Within Reason’s music] is something a little different that will hook you and pull you in because you will identify with the lyrics.”

All of these descriptions are accurate. Within Reason writes about real aspects of day-to-day life, things that everyone can understand. Two great examples of this are “We’ll Have It All,” a track that deals with personal loss, yet is also an anthem of hope and encouragement, and “Don’t Walk Away,” written for a soldier who served in Iraq. While the band is undoubtedly not afraid to touch on serious issues, they do occasionally break away for some fun. Their cover of 50 Cent and Justin Timberlake’s “Ayo Technology” is absolutely fantastic and will give you a whole new love for the song, whether you cared for the original or not. (At live shows, Within Reason breaks out some of the most random covers, such as “Bleed It Out” by Linkin Park, “Boom” by POD, and “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley.)

Last, but certainly not least, is the fact that the guys themselves are amazing. All four of them are humble and down-to-Earth. They are always willing to take time out of their day to talk to a fan, sign an autograph, pose for a picture. I have never had a bad experience when in their presence, and that serves to add to my love for the band. This loyalty they inspire won them the Garage to Grammy contest in early 2013.

Relatable, fun, and entertaining, Within Reason is another band that I believe should hold a place in your music library. So give ’em a listen. They will not disappoint.

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Review: Avenged Sevenfold’s Hail to the King

February 14, 2014 — Leave a comment
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Band: Avenged Sevenfold
Album: Hail to the King
Genre: Rock
Release Date: August 23, 2013
Standout Tracks: “Hail to the King,” “Heretic,” and “Acid Rain”
There is no way I can do a review of an Avenged Sevenfold album without letting my fan status come in. It’s just not possible. I have loved this band since 2005. Everything about them is amazing. However, despite being a bit biased, I still think I am able to be fair and honest about their latest release, Hail to the King.
The Orange County natives have earned new fans with each successive album, and this time is no different. Hail to the King is much more simple and straightforward than what they usually do, which a lot of people enjoy. It is undoubtedly a great rock album, but not Avenged’s best. I do not intend this to be an insult; I am simply partial to City of Evil.
I have never before heard Avenged sound so much like their influences. There have always been bits and pieces of Metallica, Guns N Roses, Led Zeppelin, etc. However, I have never been able to listen to a song and immediately say “This sounds just like [insert song title here] by [insert band name here].” On this album, I was able to do that on multiple tracks. Again, this is not an insult. I’m just not used to that on an Avenged Sevenfold record.
Front man Matt Sanders, aka M. Shadows, really rocked it this go-around. His vocals were better and stronger than ever, especially on the title track and “Acid Rain.” And while less complex than what the band normally comes out with, I really enjoyed the fun groove-oriented music the band created.
Lastly, I have to note that “Acid Rain” is literally one of the best songs Avenged has ever done. It’s so different from their other stuff, and we all know how the band is constantly changing. The song hints at a direction Avenged could head on the next album.
I see a lot of potential in this lineup. The loss of drummer Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan in 2009 was a devastating one, but I believe that newcomer Arin Ilejay is not beyond his depth here. This album was his introduction to how the band does things and a chance for him to get settled in. I feel that he did not show all he has to offer…yet. But I am sure there is much more to Mr. Ilejay than we have seen.
As I said, the album is great overall, though it is easy to tell that they are having to learn how to play with a new member. There are specific tracks–“Heretic” and “Acid Rain,” for example–that make me very confident in Avenged Sevenfold’s future. The guys are going to be fine, and I couldn’t be happier about that.