"You're A Hot Mess And I'm Falling For You"

Fangs up Cobra Starship fans, “Hot Mess” has arrived!

Not being hugely familiar with them or a die-hard fan, I found myself able to make a general judgment call on this album without being tainted, but I'm slowly growing to become a fan. As I usually do with new albums, I played it through once to get the feel of the album and then played it through again to form a more solid opinion. Usually with time tracks grow on me but this review is the real raw first impression.
Overall, it’s not a bad album. The songs are all cleverly done and catchy with creative song titles to draw you in. You’ll find them all enjoyable with beats that could set the perfect background music to any picturesque summer scene. I almost picture a game of beach volleyball or a nice boardwalk run. The problem with this album though is after the first play you remember that it was enjoyable, but not much more. Not many tracks really stand out right away or could stand-alone and step away from the rest as a stand-alone track.
Obviously the album’s first single, “Good Girls Go Bad” stands out and probably also takes the title of the album’s best track.
The other song that also is able to accomplish this among the rest is the title song, “Hot Mess,” which I’ve really come to like as well.
A few others worth highlighting are “Wet Hot Summer,” “The World Will Never Do” and bonus track from the deluxe version “I May Be Rude But I’m The Truth.” All of these songs immediately stuck with me for one reason or another and had a little uniqueness to them. I'm sure with time, more of the tracks will grab my attention. In fact, as the album plays a third time through I'm coming to enjoy some of the other tracks more, so definitely give it a couple listens.
Overall, with a few hits and highlights, it is a fun album to just sit and enjoy in the moment.

"Boom, Shake, Now I'm Awake"

No one can deny the talent that is Rob Thomas. Matchbox Twenty is amazing, his debut solo album is great and his follow-up is even better. “Cradlesong” delivers a string of tracks that play straight through and don’t allow you to stop and switch along the way. Each song grabs you in a different way and makes you pay attention through the use of catchy hooks and beats.
The lead single, “Her Diamonds,” is incredibly powerful lyrically and really draws you in to the emotion.
“Hard On You” is one of my favorite tracks on the album because it has this raw truth to it that is amazing. The lyrics are so easily relatable and the beat is so fun that you cannot help but come to love it.
Another song I’ve come to love is “Still Ain’t Over You.” It has this slight rock vibe and rawness to it that takes over and draws you in to it. The drums catch you and the guitars sound so great on this track.
The album is far from a sophomore slump, no curse whatsoever, and a great piece of art from another artist who doesn’t get nearly as much publicity as he deserves.

"This World Is Crazy And It Blows My Mind"

I cannot believe it has taken me this long to review this album. I got it a couple months ago and it has quickly become one of my current favorite albums. It is hard to make an album with strong upbeat and slow tracks but Kevin Rudolf's "In The City" does it wonderfully. Every song is amazing and there is an unusual versatility to the album, which provides something for everyone.
With lead off hits "Let It Rock" and "Welcome to the World," Rudolf quickly earned a place in the iTunes top ten downloaded songs and continued to stay in the top 100 for quite some time, as well as garnering much radio air time all across the nation.
Each song truly has its own unique feel and my favorite track changes almost with each lesson or dependent upon my current mood. "Great Escape" is a great powerful track for when you need to take a few minutes to get away from your thoughts; it's a great track to truly get lost in the music. "Scarred" is another favorite slower track of mine. The lyrics are great ones to really take a listen to and are very easily relatable.
"Coffee and Donuts" has a fun almost swing jazz vibe to it that makes it truly unique and fun to listen to, you can almost image the choreography in your head.
Truly an album of hits, that I've found fun to listen to in multiple places, times and situations and an underrated artist to watch out for in the future!

"The Energy Never Dies," Go For The Ride

I honestly did not have very high expectations when I bought Black Eyed Peas’ latest release, "The E.N.D." I knew I loved “I Gotta Feeling,” but was expecting the other tracks on the album to fall short of the feel and hype of this song and previous single, “Boom Boom Pow.” Thankfully for me my $13.99 was well spent (hey, broke college students have to spend their money wisely) and I have another fun album to add to my collection.
The album’s lyrical content isn’t anything spectacular but it does feature a variety of dance beats, which work well with the title of “The Energy Never Dies,” and showcase a taste of different styles of music.
The song, “Missing You” stands out as one of my favorite tracks on the album. Fergie’s voice starts out the song, opening with a clarity that hits you. The beat builds ups from the beginning, slowly increasing and making for an overall great track that resonates with you instantly.
“Now Generation” stands out as a song that immediately gives off the impression of being different. Telling of the impatient society we live in today, the song features Fergie with an almost bluesy rock vibe to her vocals that sounds unusual and unique for her.
I purchased the limited edition two-disc version of this album that contains an additional ten songs to the original 15. These tracks aren’t nearly as good or as well done as the rest of the album, but are still worth having in my (or your if you’re a BEP fan) music library. Many are just remixes of previous BEP hits like “Don’t Phunk With My Heart,” “Pump It” and “Let’s Get It Started,” which provide a fun new twist on some of their classic hits.
Overall it was a definite pleasant surprise and will be a great album to play at parties and social gatherings that require a little extra “boom, boom, boom.”

"Break Out The Battle Tapes, Set Your Mind To Erase"

Take all of your preconceived notions about what music is supposed to sound and then take a listen to Wired All Wrong. Chances are you are going to find their sound both refreshing and original. Once you have a listen, I can almost guarantee you will want to listen again.
The band is comprised of Matt Mahaffey and Jeff Turzo. Originally from separate bands, the pair is most notably known in the music [industry] for their contributions to Hellogoodbye’s “Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!” album, mixing songs and bringing the freshness that accompany the band’s unique sound.
In creating their own album they wanted something totally unique and their own; mission accomplished. With a various mix of instruments and combination of sounds, the result is a combination of alternative, electronic and metal that is truly pleasing to the ears.
2006 saw the release of the band’s debut album, “Break Out the Battle Tapes.” The album starts off with “15 Minutes,” a song filled with hints of static and rocking guitars, and ends with “End of All Things,” a somewhat slow song that helps you wind down off the trip the album just you on. Every song is unique and the album should be played in order to get the full impact of the album.
Truly a fun group of songs; check out Wired All Wrong and see for yourself!


*Review originally published Mars Area High School Planet Press, Volume 80, Issue 6

They're "Calling Your Bluff" (Again)

Ever since I discovered My Favorite Highway, over a year ago, I have been waiting anxiously for them to release a full-length album. Their debut, “How to Call A Bluff,” referencing a previous song title, does not even begin to disappoint. These guys are incredibly talented, and still relatively unknown.
The guys did a fantastic job writing the songs that truly stick with you. Each has its own unique twist but keep with the overall style of the album, which is a gentle, almost acoustic, pop sound. Most tracks feature guitars and drums, but occasionally piano is thrown in for a definite treat. It’s unexpected and brings a unique vibe to the songs, really an amazing thing to hear. The piano allows for the vocals to shine through. This creates a definite emotion that resonates with you, allowing you to feel the rawness of it all and begin to imagine the story behind the words.
My favorite track has to be “Bittersweet Life.” It’s absolutely incredible. From the start you know you’ve hit a special song on the album. It’s completely powerful, grabbing you and forcing you to keep up with it immediately. Not long and it has pulled you in, allowing you to feel the raw emotion and find yourself singing along to all of the words.
My Favorite Highway is an incredible talent, waiting to officially emerge on the music scene. Hopefully this album will gain them some more fans and make people begin to take notice of their abilities.

"They Play This Damn Song In Every Club... But It's Me So I'll Show Love"

Hugely popular in Australia, The Veronicas are slowly growing in popularity in the United States. Their album “Hook Me Up” is a fun pop album that showcases the girls’ vocal talents (all the while bringing you catchy hooks and songs that would bring life to any party).
The tracks each have their own unique sounds, very different from the others, which allow for a creative album that keeps your interest.
A track that immediately caught my attention was “Insomnia.” It has an immediate haunting vibe and the tempo of the vocals is fast-paced to keep in the style of the song as it takes over you. It almost feels quick or gives you an image of watching a chase as it progresses.
“Popular” is another standout track on the album for its in-your-face lyrics, not a song for the modest. It’s a song to blast with your shades on in a stern stance to all of your “haters.”
Lastly, another stand out, and my favorite track, has to be “Hook Me Up.” With lyrics that any one can relate to, it talks of exploring something new in a feeling of inadequate, boring, or being in some sort of “not nearly as successful as you could be” state of mind or lifestyle.
All of the songs have the ability to make you feel the emotions meant to be portrayed and bring a sense of fun that you can’t help but be drawn to and find enjoyable.