It’s definitively one of the most expected albums of the year. Ladies and gentlemen, The Cult are back! And they are back with some hard as a rock solid Rock. Kind of merging of two different eras of the band. One one hand we’ve got some real pounding classic Rock themes which lead us back to “Electric” (1987) and “Sonic Temple” (1989), on the other hand the album is filled with some dark, hypnotic tension which was characteristic for some of their more recent albums as “Beyond Good and Evil” (2001) and their previous “Born into This” (2007).
Bass player Chris Wyse describe it as a “Zep/Stooges mix of energy” – and the shadows of Iggy and Page are definitively hidden there. Read more The Cult – Choice of Weapon (2012)
The Constellations – Do It For Free (2012)
With a cover which reminds me of Sex Pistols and a sound which might result from the (imaginary) collision of the tour buses of Jefferson Airplane and House of Pain, The Constellations are back. Soul, 70’s Rock and 90’s Hip Hop is mixed up and pulsing around in their music.
Their debut album, “Southern Gothic”, released in 2010, is about what happens in Atlanta from 2 AM until noon, while the centerpiece, a delirious nine-minutes track, “Step Right Up” is a direct tribute to Tom Waits. “Atlanta is strange,” they said, “because we’re all basically pushed together. The hip-hop heads, punk rockers, and indie kids all rub shoulders and mix it up. “Southern Gothic” reflects that inclusive diversity in its far-reaching sound.”
Two years later, they are back with “Do It For Free” and the same flavor. Eventually less rapping, more soulful, kind of vintage spiced sound. Read more The Constellations – Do It For Free (2012)
Kehlvin – The Orchard of Forking Paths (2012)
I watched the video – Kehlvin new Blockbuster 😆 – only to see if the dude at the end smash off his guitars to the rocks. He didn’t and honestly I was quite disappointed. 😆 😆 😆 Fun, but talking seriously, not such a great way to promote a new band nowadays if you want to be taken seriously by fans and the industry.
Formed back in early 1999 by five friends in La Chaux-de- Fonds, Switzerland, Kehlvin is delivering a slow grinding and Doom inspired, contorted and gloomy Metalcore with blending of both post-Hardcore and post-Rock/Metal elements. After the release of their first acclaimed album, “The Mountain Daylight Time” on Division Records and some shows across Europe with the likes of Burst, Will Haven, Mono, Red Sparowes, Knut and Unsane, the members of Kehlvin have collaborated with their friends from Rorcal in order to record a split album called “Ascension.” Read more Kehlvin – The Orchard of Forking Paths (2012)
Usher – Climax [Jasm RMX feat Rich Prewett on Guitar]
Believe it or not, but better do, Usher is one of the best-selling artists in American music history, having sold over 23 million copies in the United States and over 65 million records worldwide which makes him one of the Best selling music artists of all time. He also has won numerous awards including seven Grammys. At the end of 2009, Usher was named the number one Hot 100 artist of the 2000s decade. Billboard named him the second most successful artist of the 2000s decade, with his 2004 album Confessions being ranked as the top solo album of the 2000s decade. Honestly – but hell yeah, I’m just so dumb! – listening to his music, I would never thought so. For my un-Billboarded ears, Usher sounds like a black, diluted (commercial) version of… Prince. And as a reiteration of Dali, the difference between Prince and Usher is that Prince is Prince… Think of what you want.
Somebody had the marvelous idea to promote Usher’s upcoming seventh studio album “Looking 4 Myself” which will be released on 12 June, 2012, on Indaba by putting to remix Usher’s “Climax”, his latest collaboration with Dildo, sorry for that! with Diplo, considered one of the most influential music tastemakers in the industry. If that’s true, now I actually understand how the mainstream is populated exclusively with shitty music! 😆
BUT, the funniest thing is the grand price: a flyaway trip to meet Usher! 😆 😆 😆 Read more Usher – Climax [Jasm RMX feat Rich Prewett on Guitar]
Get The Blessing – OC DC (2012)
Winners of the BBC Jazz Award 2008 for their debut album “All Is Yes” (Cake/Candid), Get The Blessing is currently one of the UK’s most exciting live bands. Featuring bassist Jim Barr and drummer Clive Deamer from trip-hop legends Portishead, plus the twin horns & electronic devices of saxophonist Jake McMurchie and trumpeter Pete Judge, GTB has forged an unique signature sound that defies genres and merged into one Jazz and Post-Rock instant and infectiously.
Their second album, “Bugs In Amber” was described as “the post-jazz soundtrack to an imaginary low-budget James Bond movie remade by Tarkovsky and starring Buster Keaton” and has received widespread critical and popular acclaim. With influences ranging from Ornette Coleman and Tortoise, to Blondie and Samuel Beckett, GTB has been described as: “A scintillating live experience that will leave you amazed, questioning pre-conceived ideas of music genres, eye-opening and jaw-dropping, there is simply no other band in the world quite like Get The Blessing.”
I’m always skeptical when the media praise an artist, but when I saw the video for their new album “OC DC” it just ripped my head off. Read more Get The Blessing – OC DC (2012)
Joey Ramone – …Ya Know? (2012)
This is Punk Rock, straight and simple, served… with serious delay, but this is surprisingly fresh, definitively genuine, not taste like plastic and sounds like fake. Probably Rock ‘n Roll Is The Answer.
BMG has scooped the worldwide rights to an unreleased posthumous solo album from former Ramones frontman Joey Ramone, who died 11 years ago aged 49. “…ya know?”, Joey’s second solo album, will be released in the US on May 22, in Continental Europe on May 25 and in the UK on May 28.
The album represents the very best of recordings Ramone left behind on his death which were later assembled by his brother Mickey Leigh, manager Dave Frey and trusted producer Ed Stasium. It features contributions from a stellar cast of Ramone’s friends and collaborators, including Joan Jett, Little Steven Van Zandt, former Ramones drummer Richie Ramone, Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick, Dennis Diken of the Smithereens, Patti Smith Group guitarist Lenny Kaye and members of the Ramones’ punk-era contemporaries The Dictators. Read more Joey Ramone – …Ya Know? (2012)
Celldweller – Wish Upon A Blackstar Pre-Orders and free download
Klayton is Celldweller. Personifying the sound of the iPod generation, he creates a hybrid fusion of digital and organic elements: intricately designed soundscapes constructed from Dubstep, Drum & Bass and Electro, woven together with aggressive Rock/Metal and Orchestral elements.
“Wish Upon A Blackstar”, the second album (third overall), by Celldweller is probably one of the most anticipated albums of the year.
Now you can listen & download “Unshakeable” on (and from) Soundcloud.
Contorted electronic with blowing Dubstep elements, grinding Rock and the unmistakable touch of Klayton strikes again!
Read more Celldweller – Wish Upon A Blackstar Pre-Orders and free download
Gossip – A Joyful Noise (2012)
This is a fucked-up world. Bitches are considered queens, morons are presented as geniuses, mediocre people are sold to the masses as leading artists. For any and each taste there is the right product to satisfy any and all of the needs. The difference between genuine and fake has been washed away.
A fabricated diva for ugly, health and weight troubled teenager girls?
Beth Ditto won the NME award in 2006 for “Coolest Person In Rock”, she won in 2008 the Glamour Awards for “International Artist Of The Year”, and believe it or not, but she was nominated in 2007 by NME for the “Sexiest Woman Of The Year” Award. Have nothing against of large women, but why I’m not surprised that Beth pretend she’s lesbian? Even through…. 😆 Fuck! I just blow my chances to win the remix contest! 😆 Fuck!
Gossip was formed in 1999 by vocalist Beth Ditto, guitarist Nathan “Brace Paine” Howdeshell and drummer Kathy Mendonca and they liking themselves and their music to post-punk bands such as The Birthday Party and Siouxsie And The Banshees, but well, Beth explained quite precisely what she consider being punk: not wearing deodorant or shaving under the armpits. What about the pubis? 😆 Read more Gossip – A Joyful Noise (2012)
Silent Descent – Mind Games (2012)
In 2008 Metal Hammer proclaimed them “the trance metal juggernaught the world has been waiting for.” Well, I’m not so sure that the electronic and club addicted persons will actually appreciate the howling voices and the grinding guitar riffs, as well as the metal heads probably will hate all the trance and electronic s*its incorporated in the disturbed Metal by some of the trend rider youngster. But the British media really praised Silent Descent as one of the best new Metal acts, the band won the Kerrang!/MCN Unsigned Live competition, they performed at the Bloodstock Open Air music festival in August 2008, sold out the Camden Underworld along with Alestorm in 2009, headlined Thursday night’s Boardie Takeover at Download festival both in 2009 and 2010.
Following the trends, along the Trance perfumed electronics, the band on their newly released second album inserted some contorted Dubstep noises as well. Surprisingly or not quite, this sounds bloody right! Read more Silent Descent – Mind Games (2012)
Slash – Apocalyptic Love (2012)
The times when a Rock act sold 28 million copies of their debut album are long – and definitively – gone. But Saul Hudson, better known as Slash, are still doing fine. His previous solo album, imply titled “Slash”, debuted at No. 3 on the U.S. chart upon its release in April 2010, with 61,000 copies sold during the first week, pretty good figures for this digital era. It featured an all-star roster of guest musicians, including Ozzy Osbourne, Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, and Iggy Pop. To promote the album, Slash embarked on his first solo world tour with Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge (band including guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall, and drummer Scott Phillips, all of whom are also members of Creed) — on vocals, Bobby Schneck on rhythm guitar, Todd Kerns on bass, and Brent Fitz on drums. The album was produced by Eric Valentine and Eric is the producer of this new album as well. This time the band is consisting of vocalist Myles Kennedy, bassist Todd Kerns, and drummer Brent Fitz (collectively referred to as “Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators”) and it is set for release on May 22, 2012. Read more Slash – Apocalyptic Love (2012)
