Note: yes I know Adele released a new album and Beliebers are frantically trying to cook up enough mash to go with his latest "bangers" but reviewing albums everyone already knows about is not the point of this blog. If you really wanna know my opinion on a specific album let me know and I'll include it in a roundup :)
Coheed and Cambria - 'The Color Before the Sun'
Genre: progressive rock, alternative rock
Favourite tracks: 'Here to Mars', 'Colors', 'You Got Spirit, Kid'
This new album is Coheed and Cambria's first departure from the high-concept sci-fi story driven albums they've been known for. Having given us the whole Amory Wars saga, a prequel, and then a prequel to the prequel, maybe it was time to for the band to abandon the conceptual underpinnings of their previous albums. After all, it'd become known that a lot of the story (for the fans who even followed it, I'd be lying if I said I understood it all) was a way for frontman and songwriter Claudio Sanchez to tell his own personal stories via analogy.The issue is that a lot of the appeal of Coheed's music came from the scope and romanticism found in the storytelling. Not only did it feed into their lyrics but also the music, giving the listener a real space rock opera experience even if they weren't fully invested in the sci-fi story being told. 'The Color Before the Sun' is Coheed and Cambria without a doubt, but it's missing the epic scope that often elevates their songs beyond a lot of other alternative rock out there today. It manages to be an entertaining album in its own right with some stand out tracks, but without the epic musical journeys and crescendos found on their previous albums it doesn't quite live up to the band's reputation.
'The Color Before the Sun' is a safe rock album. There are no big riffs, guitar shredfests, or vocal acrobatics. It's decent, but it feels like leaving behind the conceptual underpinning of Coheed and Cambria's music has restricted the band more than it has freed them.
You can listen to "You Got Sprit, Kid" here:
Punch Brothers - 'The Wireless'
Genre: bluegrass, newgrass, folk, country
Favourite tracks: 'In Wonder', 'Sleek White Baby'
My mancrush on Chris Thile aside, the Punch Brothers have raised the bar on their most recent full length albums. 'The Phosphorescent Blues' only came out earlier this year and it'll definitely be making an appearance on my best of 2015 list (coming soon). The Punch Brothers take what is a traditional bluegrass band setup (mandolin, bass, guitar, banjo, and vocals) and push it to its technical, sonic, and musical limits.'The Wireless' is a wonderful taster of an EP for fans like myself who wanted more after 'The Phosphorescent Blues'. The songs on this EP are a bit more clean cut for the most part but still do a great job of showcasing each member's technical and compositional prowess. The instrumental tracks are fun and full of raw energy, showing a deep appreciation for bluegrass tradition while also breaking rules to keep things fresh. The Punch Brothers always seem to have one foot in the past and one foot stepping ahead of the rest of the pack. As is the case on the track 'Sleek White Baby', a funny and painfully relevant song which points the finger at our modern obsession with mobile phones through a satirical 50s style "ad".
'The Wireless', like the Punch Brothers themselves, is more fun, energetic and modern than any bluegrass band has the right to be.
Listen to 'Sleek White Baby' here:
Mono/The Ocean - 'Transcendental' (split EP)
Genre: post-rock
Favourite track: 'Death in Reverse'
Mono are the best post-rock band out there right now. They've given us music that is wholly unique and astonishingly powerful, album after album, for over a decade. Their music is paradoxically raw and refined at the same time, noisy but painfully beautiful. 'Transcendental' is a perfect word for their music - it's far more than the sum of its parts. I had the absolute pleasure of seeing them live earlier this month and it truly exceeded all expectations. Played live, their music was more powerful than I could have imagined. It was a show like nothing else I've ever experienced - pure, beautiful noise played with total care and ferocity. 'Death in Reverse' the first of two tracks on this split EP is a fine showcase of what Mono can achieve in a little over 10 minutes, but if you want to hear them in all their glory do yourself a favour and pick up any of their full length studio albums. You won't be disappointed.The second track on this album is from The Ocean, a band I am admittedly unfamiliar with. While Mono opt to blend beauty with ferocity, this track tends to transition from one to the other. It's a decent track, although when it really boils down to it the vocally lead section of the song is far less interesting than the thoughtfully constructed instrumentation around it.
You can listen to the EP in its entirety here:
THOUGHTS FROM LIVE SHOWS:
Chris Cornell live at QPAC
As is to be expected from such a legendary performer, this show was phenomenal. Chris played songs from his entire career and even some covers, all done flawlessly and effortlessly. New to this tour is the inclusion of a cellist that tours with Chris. The added depth given to the acoustic renditions of Chris's songs was a delightful and welcome surprise. Without much of a break, Chris Cornell captivated the entire audience for over two hours. Most would say he's getting old, a little past his prime maybe, but seeing him live confirmed this is definitely not the case.
Rise Against at Riverstage
This was my third time seeing Rise Against live and I'd have to say it was the best of the three. After the woeful (and I mean, wow, so bad) support acts, Rise Against put on an energetic and fun show. They never messed around as they charged through big hits and die hard fan pleasers, including some incredible variations on well-known songs. Noticeably missing from their set were any of the songs off their most recent album, but from the outset it was obvious this was a show for the long-time fans. And I don't think anyone left Riverstage disappointed.
So that's the last roundup of 2015. What have you been listening to over the holiday season?
I'll be doing a 'best albums of 2015' list type thingo in the next week or so with accompanying reviews and thoughts on each album. So look out for that if you're interested.
If you read this far congratulations. I'll no joke give you a free cookie. Like for real. Limited time offer, look in your mailbox it might be there.
Have nice day!
