Blue Moon Band Reviews

Music management and production is what I want to do with my life (if rock star doesn't work out). I figured I'd get started early. If you came from my personal blog then shhh! My identity is secret! Here you will find reviews and suggestions from songs of every genre, from alternative to pop punk to metal. If you ever run out of ideas for stuff to listen to, this is the spot. If you want me to review a song for you, just ask! Good day!

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Review: The Pretty Reckless - Just Tonight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ozg-EL4VJQ

Oh, The Pretty Reckless. Such great songs in general. Pure, good rock music. Pretty basic guitar, basic drums, honestly the band is all about Taylor Momsen. She manages to make almost every one of her songs about getting drunk, getting drugged, wanting to kill, wanting to die, finding herself in incredibly dirty and/or sexual situations at a very young age, or just her human misery in general. Other artists are hated for producing this kind of work, and to be honest sometimes I do hate Taylor Momsen for making music about such terrible things that I still love to listen to.

On to Just Tonight in specific. I close my eyes and imagine this song being played on a stage in a bar or club, while other people pass along beneath their feet and go on living their own tragic existences, as Taylor's voice serves as a soundtrack for her own angst and others. The guitar, drums, and use of violin take the emotion of the song and instill it into all who hear, as any good music should. Somehow, throughout this entire scene playing out in my mind, the song that the people are listening to somehow changes them, and changes the course of how things will be.

I could talk about the technicalities of the song. I could talk about my favorite parts (Do you understand who I am...?), but this was weirder, and I figured you'd appreciate it more. Enjoy.

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Review: Satellite Year - A Campus, A Heart, A Star

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7fumqYmtgQ

Well, I enjoyed it. My mind's not blown per say, but it's a good song, definitely worth the listen. The Alice in wonderland theme has been done before, but it still adds a bit of charm to the song that would not have been there otherwise. I honestly cannot tell whether the two vocalists with such different voices is a good thing or a bad thing.

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Song Review: Cherri Bomb - Already Dead

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvtL9_p0qac

I always feel like such a feminist when I listen to Cherri Bomb. Not in the crazy extremist way, but more in the sense of a classic feeling of "Girl Power!" seeing as the band is entirely female. It really shouldn't seem so impressive, but with women in rock being so sadly sparse, especially as something other than vocalists, an all girl band like this is a great find.

Honestly, I don't think this song is a work of genius. It's a fun song, and it's  relatable to almost every listener out there. It does have a unique twist on the lyrics "forget what you did," at the beginning of the chorus, and the surrounding area. Something about the section surprised me the first time I heard it, and still continues to occasionally.

All around, it's a good song by a cool band, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this or any others of their songs.

P.S. If they've caught your interest, I adore their cover of The Pretender by The Foo Fighters.

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Song Review: Death Cab For Cutie - Soul Meets Body

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG97P3FDHrM

Ask me about my alternative kick. Just kidding, no need to worry, I still listen to far too much rock for a normal state of health. I do, however, love Death Cab For Cutie. Soul meets body is my favorite song by them, and it took me a long while for me to decipher why that is. Was it the lyrics? Cute, but no. The music? A fairly basic, pretty song in that aspect.

No, the reason that this song speaks to me so is that the melody of the chorus vocals, and of those little ba da ba da sounds reminds me of a song from a children's movie. The Last Unicorn, to be specific. I used to worship that movie, and it had this ballad as the theme song that I loved most of all. Now that I look back, the theme of the song and the film were a bit tragic and post-apocalyptic for a small child, but that's beside the point.

I find it amazing that music has such an effect on us. Even years later, when a memory has slipped our minds, something in the back of our minds can be triggered by a song, and release emotions that came straight out of that memory. Go ahead. Say it isn't magical. I'll never be convinced.

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Song Review: The Smiths - Asleep

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CGIii_eTOk

     Throwback, even if it isn't a Sunday. I'd like to begin this review by noting that this song, in combination with the particular video that I have attached, gives me the urge to wander romantically through a graveyard with someone I love, contemplating life and everything that is beautiful about it.

     Onto the actual song. I love The Smiths in this song because not only is the music simple but beautiful, but Morrissey is a true vocal talent. If a good concept is combined with good music, a smart vocalist can make their voice work in a song in a way that one will enjoy listening to, no matter how much natural talent the singer lacks. This song, however, showcases a natural talent,  but one that still uses music and a deep concept to make the song even more moving.

     Sadly, the theme behind this song is one that everyone who has lived a full life can connect to. The feeling of being so alone that you wonder if it is worth it to wake up anymore, to keep trying if you haven't found anything worth living for. Somehow this song expresses that emotion, but it somehow prompts you to continue on. It shows that someone else has felt the same, and it instills hope that someone, someday, will be there to sing you to sleep.

Apologies for this being so deep, but this song does put me in an emotional state of mind.

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Apologies

I'm sorry that I haven't been updating... at all, lately. High school and the work that accompanies it tend to serve as a distraction, but that's no excuse. I'll be trying to do at least one review a week from now on.

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Review: My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q9q6zl3WIs

Okay, so maybe this isn't a review as much as a recommendation. Carry on, obviously the hook. The bit at the beginning is great, and the whole song holds a great, though morbid, message. Some of the best messages are, though.

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Review: What It's Worth - Romeo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48fLeeA-oaI

This song has grown on me more and more over the past week or so. The music is well blended and really a decent performance. The girl has got a pretty great voice for pop punk music. The lyrics aren't anything mind-blowingly original, but they do have a tendency to stick in your brain. They'll stay in there until you belt the lyrics loud enough to throw them out, too.

What makes this song really stand out from the others, however, is the guitar. I'm not entirely sure whether this is a seriously talented guitarist, or they've found a way to make it sound that way through some ingenious ear trickery. I've heard it done before. Either way, the almost 30 second solo definitely makes this song a lot more fun to listen to.

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Throwback... Sundays?

Would anyone like if I reviewed some of the old punk rock I listen to on Sundays?

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Review: The Icarus Account - She Walks Away

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5sjR4BNph0

I'm not going to rave about how great this song is. Honestly, it's simple, the lyrics are mediocre, and, well, there's only two people making things happen. It sounds like something a teenage band just trying to get started would write.

On the other hand, I'm not against this song at all. It does sound immature, but all I can picture when I hear it is some poor boy telling a girl that he likes her in song. It has that sort of sweetness to it.

So if you need a cute song to sing to your significant other, check it out.

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A note on the previous review

     I would like to add that Icon For Hire's previous album, Scripted, contained many hardcore elements, such as male screamers and metal style guitar parts in some songs. But that to me was more like a band intentionally trying to sound like hard rock. With Cynics & Critics I feel like they have actually matured into a well rounded band that embodies the style, and not the other way around.

     If you did not see the review, here is a link to the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAo389WHcJo

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Review: Icon For Hire - Cynics & Critics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAo389WHcJo&list=WL5445A3745857D075

     Whoa. This is not what I was expecting from Icon For Hire. This is SO much more hardcore than their last album. From the bouts of spoken yelling and near screaming in the vocals, to the more prominent bass and drums, this is pretty heavy stuff, especially for what I had put off as a pop punk band. I was a big fan of Icon For Hire's old stuff, but THIS is what I mean when I say that it can make a giant positive impact if a band takes a risk and mixes up their style.

     The only thing I can say I truly dislike about this song is the  auto tuning at the beginning of the song, and a few of the beeping, more electronic sounds used in the engineering. I think it detracts from the more pure, heavy rock sound that this track has. That quality could have shown through the whole song without those segments. I'm really very impressed by this evolution of icon for hire, and I think they should really get some more attention from the rock community. A good hard rock sound from a female fronted band is sadly a rarity these days, and these guys have succeeded in creating one.

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Review: Angel at my table - Eclipse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clTfWTX5OgQ

This is one of those songs that calls to you occasionally.  You'll be living life, doing normal things, and all of a sudden this song will start playing on repeat in your head until you can listen to it. This is not necessarily a bad thing, since really it is a good song. Decent drums, bass, guitar, and the girl has a pretty voice.

What is atypical about Eclipse is that the hook (I hate using that word so often), that special bit that makes the song special among others, isn't found in the vocals. In fact, I'm not even sure what it is. At the end of every line in the chorus (not the pre-chorus, mind you), there's this... Noise. I'm pretty sure it's guitar, but it sounds mildly electronic. Whatever it is, listen for it. Listen to the whole song, actually.

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A small note on positivity:

This is a band review blog, which means that I have to be critical of all the songs that I listen to. Honestly, I'll probably never put on a song here that I completely dislike, since this is a song recommendation blog as well. Just like at a record label, bands that I don't like are pretty much defenestrated. If you want to send me a link to a video, I'll definitely try to let you know what I think of it, and I'll recommend it if it speaks to me.

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Review: The Color Morale - Learned Behavior

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IklWw4NZrd4

     First of all, I apologize that so far I've only reviewed Pop Punk songs. That really isn't the only genre I listen to. Here's some of the more hardcore music I've found myself listening to recently.

     I truly believe that The Color Morale is a rising star. I rave about their music constantly. I honestly am not a big fan of their first album, but the new album, Know Hope, is a completely different story. 

     It's astonishing how much The Color Morale has matured in this album, and Learned Behavior is probably my favorite song off of it. The lyrics are genuine and unique "Sometimes it's good to build up walls, not to keep anyone out, but to see who cares enough to knock them down." The guitar and bass are hardcore and energetic, and the drumming is heavy enough for some serious moshing at live shows. With any luck, these guys will be selling out stadiums soon enough.

One of the biggest Thumbs Ups I've ever given!

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Review: FM Static - Definitely Maybe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7lxKz0ltAQ

     I honestly don't know what to do with this. Normally completely literal songs like this are worthless (calm down, not all of them), but this one just makes me smile and laugh. It's... playful, I suppose. I know it's old, but listen to it anyway. Jump around the room head banging and singing along badly and forget all the problems in the world.

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Review: Tonight Alive - Lonely Girl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrkfkwzChoM

     No one will ever say that I am not a fan of Tonight Alive. What Are You So Scared Of? (their last album) was my go to for pop-punk for a long stretch of time. And this song is another example of classic Tonight Alive. Catchy guitar, prominent drums, and of course, Jenna McDougall's badass voice telling us that she couldn't care less what we think of her.

      I do think that this song is a bit similar to those you can find on What Are You So Scared Of? however. Another new song by Tonight Alive, The Ocean, is a bit more different from their older stuff. I have no problems with what they're making now, but I'm waiting for something either really different, or somehow extremely matured. An illogical step.

     I'm a firm believer that what makes a good song into a great song is something that you've never heard anything quite like before. something that sticks in your head and makes you want to play or sing along. I call it the hook, though not exactly in the classic sense of the term. Lonely Girl actually manages to have two hooks, found consecutively in the chorus. The first is in the line "and now you're wishing me well like you miss me," and the lines with that same tune. The second is found in the "whoa"s  that follow that line. Each contribute to making me personally want to jump around my bedroom, singing along into a hairbrush. Both Lonely Girl and Tonight Alive come highly recommended.

Thumbs UP!