Everything Burns - Home

What happened to all those metalcore, emocore, hardcore, or whatever plus the word core bands that I listened to when I was seventeen (let's not go into how long ago that actually was please)? Generally, they disappeared, because let me level with you here....they just weren't very good. Obviously the good ones are still around with Glassjaw, Norma Jean and on the lighter side Finch, still recording and touring but there is still room for another band to muscle in on the act, could that band be Cornish based Everything Burns?

Debut album 'Home', released on the ever growing UK metal label Rising Records ticks many of the boxes that a metal band should, highly technical and driven guitar play underpinned by frantic but at the same time intelligent drumming and also, the dreaded screaming that became somewhat cliché and over-used for my liking in the genre. What Everything Burns have that many don't, is a knack for melodies, with every song anthemic in its own right, opener 'Scars', alongside fan favourite 'Me Vs You' showcase this and the band perfectly, with the emphasis on emotive lyrics alongside passionate singing (not to mention, they ignore the tired scream verse sing chorus formula).

Until today, I would have happily said that emotional metal is dead, but I'm glad to say that Everything Burns are definitely here to prove me wrong. This release obviously isn't going to win everyone over, but with a ever growing touring schedule and this album behind them, they are hot on the heels of the genre's heavyweights.

3.5 / 5

Everything Burns Myspace

Allie Moss - Late Bloomer

Television has a strange way of turning us onto certain music, whether it is a well placed song in the softest romantic part of our favourite American drama, or a musical accompaniment to an advert, we are often subliminally force fed music we perhaps wouldn't have heard from otherwise, and such is the case with me and Allie Moss.

'Corner', the fantastic piece of music featured in the latest BT infinity advert is only one tenth of the songs contained on Moss' debut album 'Late Bloomer', so what can we actually expect from this album, is it acoustic singer song-writer genius, or merely just one small flash in the pan?

'Late Bloomer' firmly has its feet in the acoustic pop middle of the road music section, it isn't different enough lyrically to be with the likes of Laura Marling but it does spark of Katie Melua, just with more maturity and less depression. It's radio friendly and soft on your ears, your mum will probably like it, but while this is something that I would normally fight against, with 'Late Bloomer' I just can't and while the winter is heavily upon us, I am desperately needing something full of beautiful melodies to remind me of the summer, and for me, this album is it.

Expect big things from Allie Moss if this album is anything to go by, a fantastic talent.

4 / 5

Allie Moss Myspace

Allie Moss - Late Bloomer

Television has a strange way of turning us onto certain music, whether it is a well placed song in the softest romantic part of our favourite American drama, or a musical accompianment to an advert, we are often subliminally force fed music we perhaps wouldn't have heard from otherwise, and such is the case with me and Allie Moss.

'Corner', the fantastic piece of music featured in the latest BT infinity advert is only one tenth of the songs contained on Moss' debut album 'Late Bloomer', so what can we actually expect from this album, is it acoustic singer song-writer genius, or merely just one small flash in the pan?

'Late Bloomer' firmly has its feet in the acoustic pop middle of the road music section, it isn't different enough lyrically to be with the likes of Laura Marling but it does spark of Katie Melua, just with more maturity and less depression. It's radio friendly and soft on your ears, your mum will probably like it, but while this is something that I would normally fight against, with 'Late Bloomer' I just can't and while the winter is heavily upon us, I am desperately needing something full of beautiful melodies to remind me of the summer, and for me, this album is it.

Expect big things from Allie Moss if this album is anything to go by, a fantastic talent.

4 / 5

Allie Moss Myspace

Johnny Flynn - The Water

Many of my friends have for the better part of two years, been trying to convince me of the genius that is Johnny Flynn and I have always dismissed it, claiming his music to be uninspired, dull, everything that leaves a bad taste in your mouth when people mention the word folk.

'The Water' despite featuring the brilliant Laura Marling (because lets be honest, who isn't a massive fan of her?!), still does nothing to change my opinion. If this track is anything, it is a stone, cold and emotionless, this doesn't stir me into feeling anything and it certainly doesn't make me want to buy Flynns latest album.

Avoid.

1 / 5

Johnny Flynn Myspace Page

The Xcerts - Young (Belane)

I am a massive fan of The Xcerts, and have been since reviewing their debut album a couple of years back. On hearing 'Scatterbrain', their latest album, I instantly heralded it as one of the best albums of the year, not only that, but one of the most important also, and the more time goes on, the more my feelings grow towards this album.

'Young (Belane)' isn't perhaps one of the best songs on the album, it doesn't show the experimentation that The Xcerts have undergone to gain my high affections, but it does give a new listener an exact copy of what The Xcerts are about. It's noisy but it has the pop sensabilities that have made the likes of Biffy Clyro so important to indie-rock music in the mainstream charts and even as I type this, I can imagine hundreds of fans chanting along to the chorus.

Expect massive things for The Xcerts.

3.5 / 5

The Xcerts Myspace Page

The Last Republic - Parade

There was once a time when a glowing endorsement from Radio One, or sold-out gigs, or the likes of Foo Fighters' Chris Sheldon producing your album would have been enough for me to be interested in a band, but not anymore, no, this seems to be a ten-a-penny reference that many bands seem to try to push to sell their record. What I want to know is, do The Last Republic actually have songs to back up this referencing, or are they destined to be yet another almost band, acclaimed by many in the know but bought by bugger all in the market?

Let me start off by saying The Last Republic have something, I'm not sure what it is, but they have it and they showcase it in 'Parade' by the bucket load. Imagine if Muse got out of their own ass for a second and realised what made them popular in the first place and mix this with perhaps the vocals of Lostprophets and you will probably be in the mindset that The Last Republic must have been in when they created this record, these aren't songs, they are grandiose pieces of art, every song is easily a single which is rare for a debut album these days.

I wonder if the Muse tag has been thrown about enough for The Last Republic, it could potentially be their downfall but lets take nothing away from this band, 'Parade' is a great record, and should see the band reaching the heights of better things. A band to watch out for.

4 / 5

The Last Republic Myspace Page

Blood Command - Ghostclocks

Every once in awhile there will be a surprise in the review pile and this month, Blood Command take that title with their latest album 'Ghostclocks'. A trio from Belgium, I was initially drawn to this album through its artwork, for some reason I thought it was quite folky and that alone drew me into listening, it also drew me into a false sense of security.

Blood Command aren't a folk band at all. They are actually a self confessed punk band, although I would suggest to them that they have hints of hardcore with pop sensibilities thrown in for good measure. Aggressive and abrasive right off the bat, Blood Command demand your attention with frantic drumming, jagged guitar melodies and Blood Brothers-esque vocal yelps added in just to help matters (yes, I can't believe I have managed to add another reference to Blood Brothers either, but I do miss them so). Once you bed down with Blood Command for a short time, you start to notice that there is something different about this band, not only are they perhaps a scandinavian version of Converge, they also have a nack for writing a solid chorus which is showcased on 'On And On Chameleon', with its, they'll probably kill me for saying this, Paramore like vocals, it's brilliantly anthemic chorus.

It's actually inspiring to see a band in such a genre be so diverse. I thought my days of liking abrasive punk and hardcore music was over since Blood Brothers went their seperate ways, Converge went shit and Refused realised they couldn't write anything more iconic than 'The Shape Of Punk To Come', thank christ then that Blood Command are here to save the day (or my day, at least).

4.5 / 5

Blood Command Myspace Page

Ok Go - Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky

Can you remember Ok Go? Yeah, barely, me too. Having researched them for the purpose of this review, I revisited that one annoying catchy song they had that was ever so popular, 'Get Over It', did they actually record anything else, apparently so, but the sickly sweet 'Get Over It' is all I personally can remember and latest record 'Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky' seems a billion miles away from that (seven years and a billion miles away to be exact).

Five years have passed since their last album and a lot has changed. Firstly, Ok Go have severed ties with major label EMI (although that has nothing to do with the sound on this record, they left the label after recording this album) and secondly, the industry and the trends in music have swiftly changed since the days when Ok Go were deemed popular and successful. Its difficult to say where Ok Go sit in terms of sound on their third and latest album, to say they have become more dance orientated, or that they have even moved with the times would be to sell the band short. The band themselves state that the record was heavily inspired by Prince and it shows, but there are also times on the record that the vocals sound almost like, Blood Brothers, which I imagine would be frightening for most, but for me, that is bone shaking exciting right there.

To me at least, 'Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky' is an exciting record, it sounds like a band completely re-envisaging their sound, and almost testing their fans. It will divide the Ok Go fanbase, that's one certainty, but if you ask this critic, it's a brave move, and one I completely admire.

3.5 / 5

Ok Go Myspace Page

Norah Jones - Featuring...

So here I go, yes I confess, I'm a massive Norah Jones fan, she's a massive guilty pleasure for an alternative kid like me and I have enjoyed her music since the massive success of debut album 'Come Away With Me' (which to date has sold over an impressive twenty million copies, not to mention the winning of not one, not two, but five grammy awards). How amazing is it then, that here in front of me I have 'Featuring...', a collection of collaborations amongst many other things with the likes of Foo Fighters, Dolly Parton, Outkast, Ray Charles, Herbie Hancock, and the list goes on and on until your head is completely spinning with the thought.

Press releases will tell you all manner of things, usually bold faced lies and for the most part, the press release for this record is the same, stating that this compilation showcases Jones' diversity, when in actual fact, for the most part, the music spans very much what we already know from Norah Jones, it's a bit jazzy, it has hints of country and that works to her advantage because that style has always and always will, bring out the warm tone to her vocals. There are the odd occassions when the style does stray, 'The Best Part' is an eerie, slow and mesmerising track, while 'Life Is Better' touches upon a funk and almost hip-hop sound, and its good, but not great, and nearly every track on this record, regardless of style, can be accused of not really going anywhere, not to mention that Jones ends up making a fatal mistake for me, fade outs, it's fine with a few tracks, but when it covers almost all eighteen tracks on the record, it comes across as unimaginative song writing some what.

Lets be straight with each other here, records like this are frivolous, the result of a mass amount of media attention, not to mention a truck load of records sold and you'll eventually get a greatest hits, a b-sides album or a collaboration album. This isn't the worst album I've heard, but it is definitely far from the best and can only be solely recommended to Norah Jones fans, even that for me, is still pushing it.

2.5 / 5

Norah Jones Myspace