Review Riot

Reviews, galore! Sister blog

[reviewriot]

If you've ever listened to any of Blitz Kids' music before, you're already aware of the pure authenticity of this band, and it's only confirmed further in this album, The Good Youth. It touches on all aspects of life (the real one, not the one you can watch on television or rolling down the red carpets), leaving behind the singular feeling of hope as you gradually make your way through this masterpiece; a masterpiece that took heart and soul to make, and that leaves you with the sensation of the possibility to do anything.

The Good Youth is an album that starts and finishes with absolutely no fillers, and thus deserving all the attention in the world whenever you're listening to it. It's not just the lyrics, however, that manage to sneak into your heart and lodge themselves in your brain at a time when you need nothing more than for a hand to hold; the very music that shapes the base of each and every song sends you on a music high - supposedly, what all good music does and is made of.

This isn't good music, though; this is brilliant, great, wonderful music.

If that sounds like something that would be your cup of tea, then definitely take a listen to The Good Youth here, where you can read a bit about each song, as well, and then proceed to buy it here (you get an amazing documentary and other extras if you get that) or here, if you prefer iTunes. While you're on it, I'd recommend checking out their previous EP, Never Die, which is just as great, with the only flaw of not enough songs.

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After releasing Walk The Talk, Winds Will Change and What Will Be, William Beckett obviously believed the world was ready for some banging new tunes (hint: it was), and are we ever so glad that he did, because as I'm listening to it right now through a headphone that keeps malfunctioning at the worst (or best, rather) moments, I'm trying to come up with the perfect way to explain how this record sounds without sounding too cliché or even just a regular Beckett fangirl (all good things, but we gotta stay professional around here).

A reputation that William seems to earn over and over again is for his ability to drop fantastic lyrics wherever he goes, no matter what the subject matter is; and he doesn't disappoint with Genuine & Counterfeit, because there is not a single song that would be considered 'filler' and you could most likely dance to the entire track listing, if you were so inclined; even the slightly slower tunes make you want to twist and twirl in your bedroom by yourself, especially when two of the tracks feature vocalists such as Max Bemis (Pick Up The Phone) and Derek Sanders (Time For A Sign).

Genuine & Counterfeit feels far more personal than anything we've ever had the pleasure of hearing from one William Beckett, whether that was as part of The Academy Is... or as a solo artist. Not just from the part of the musician, but also for us as fans. It tells a story that we've all lived, or will live; whether it's in short spurts that start and stop without warning, or like a life line that goes on for years, without any gaps in the middle.

This is not a masterpiece, because a masterpiece implies the creation of something new. This is something different, something far more valuable, because it always existed, deep down, inside all of us. Genuine & Counterfeit says things that each and every one of us has always wanted to say, but we're either afraid or we just don't possess the ability to be as eloquent, but we all still feel it with our hearts and brains.

You can buy Geniune & Counterfeit here and here.

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Surviving the test of time is the most important thing for a band, regardless of the type of music they play, and one band stands out amongst every other band, and that one band is Fall Out Boy, who, even after several years of hiatus, have managed to maintain one of the most dedicated fanbase in the music industry, and they did it all by doing nothing but being true to themselves.

Save Rock and Roll is Fall Out Boy in a completely different world with a completely different sound that speaks volumes about who they were four years ago and who they are now. The lyrics are just as beautiful as they used to be, made even better by the fact that, this time, the whole band is throwing their creative juices into the mix and not only with the lyrics, because throughout most of the album, you can hear Andy harmonising with Patrick, whose vocals seem to only get better with the years. This is also a healthier Fall Out Boy, as it's clear to anyone with eyes and ears that they're a million times happier, this time around.

Save Rock and Roll is truly the comeback of the year not only because of the musical value, but rather because of how it was released: surprise was the keyword, and the fans were the only thing that mattered, because they upload the entire album on Youtube a week before it was officially due to be released (or maybe they all just wanted us to die of happiness because they're actually evil masterminds). I have a feeling that Christmas won't feel as special unless you're at a Fall Out Boy show.

The surprises don't end there, however, because Save Rock and Roll is full of brilliant collaborations. They have Foxes on Just One Yesterday, Big Sean on The Mighty Fall and Courtney Love on Rat a Tat, but the golden star of collaborations goes to none other than Sir Elton John on the album closer, Save Rock and Roll, that has managed to leave fans worldwide in tears, but happy tears that still can't believe that the super band is finally back. Even if you've never liked Fall Out Boy and even if you don't like this album, you have to admit that these four boys - men - are some of the best people in the world.

If you still haven't jumped on the happy train from listening to Save Rock and Roll on repeat, you can pick up the album here, and make sure to check them out on tour if you're just itching for a life-changing experience.

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Paramore has always been known among the bands that have always followed their hearts without a second thought and even though changing the sound goes horribly wrong for the majority of bands, Paramore seem to have nailed this one, and even people who seemed to be sceptical in the first place have now admitted how they're still into this band, but it wasn't really hard because Hayley's vocals sound absolutely glorious, mixed in with the drums and the guitars that would make everyone want to dance around the room.

The best thing about this album - other than the fact that it's a self-titled album, those are my favourite - is that there are seventeen songs on it, which is like music heaven for any and all Paramore fans, and surprisingly, despite the rather high number of songs, none of them are fillers and all of them are bloody brilliant, and they are that much more likeable because the music sounds so much more confident than anything we've ever heard from Paramore.

Lyrically, the album talks about almost everything; from growing up to not giving up, but relatable or not, the lyrics are extremely beautiful - the type of lyrics that touch your heart regardless of where you are, and regardless of whether or not you've actually experienced whatever is being described in the song. My absolute favourite part in the whole thing is, however, the tribute to Let The Flames Begin at the start of Part II - it's like an eulogy to the old Paramore; something we will always cherish, love and never forget.

Overall, this was an excellent direction for them to take the music, and they definitely deserve to currently be number one on the charts. You can pick up Paramore here or here, in case you haven't heard it yet, which you totally should because you'd be losing a soulful experience.

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David Bowie is back, and he's better than ever.

Superstar David Bowie came out with The Next Day, his first album in ten years, this very year, and it's easily his best album yet. The lyrics and the music roll together so well, making it into an electric storm, complete with it's own set of lightning and thunder. It's the kind of record you'd want to take with you if you're going on a long ride, and just keep playing it over and over because you can't get enough of it.

The only downside about Bowie's return is his decision to not perform any of these songs live, or even tour for this album, and it's a huge pity because David Bowie on stage is like an explosion and one of those 'must-experience-before-I-die' kind of things. Here's hoping the future won't be as bleak in the area of live performances, because is not yet ready to see the last of 'David Bowie in Concert'.

If you still haven't heard The Next Day, you can check it out here or here.

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Kate Nash has done it again, with her brand new album, Girl Talk.

This new record is completely different to anything she has done before, but it definitely works and that's the only important thing to a proper music lover - that a musician doesn't repeat themselves over and over again, album after album, but I'm sure even if Kate did repeat her sound, she'd still manage to renew it with each new record. 

Girl Talk is just as brilliant musically and lyrically as can be expected from someone like Kate Nash, and it has the potential to become the inspiration and the motivation in life for a lot of people, be they girl or boy, young or old, as a huge theme in these songs is feminism, so this is a party that everyone's invited to! Along with this record, Kate also created the 'Girl Gang', which is basically a way for her to interact easily with her fans, and it's so good to see intimacy of this kind between a musician and their fanbase.

If Girl Talk isn't your favourite album yet, then don't worry, because it will be soon, and if you still haven't listened to it, you can pick it up here.

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The last part of Conventional Weapons was released to us on 5th February, with Surrender The Night and Burn Bright, as well as the songs Kiss The Ring and Make Room!!!! one month previously. There isn’t much I can say about these last four songs that I haven’t already said about the first few songs in my previous review, as they are, after all, from the same album, but either way, these songs don't disappoint - unless you were disappointed by them, which is fine so long as you don't rain on anyone's parade (diverse opinions rule, guys!). You can wedge this record either between The Black Parade and Danger Days to fill up that void of two years, or you can think of it as something that came after the previous, more 'colourful' album by My Chemical Romance. Either way, Conventional Weapons is one hell of a record, and I can guarantee that it’s gonna be on repeat for a long time for a lot of people.

It is rather saddening, however, because it feels like the end of an era, and let's just hope we get something new from the band pretty soon, or some of us will definitely start suffering from withdrawal (I just want another tour, okay).

You can buy all five pairs of songs to complete the entire Conventional Weapons album for your collection here.

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The moment we've all been anticipating is finally upon us: Fall Out Boy are back together again!

Some doubted they would ever return - beliefs that were enforced by rumours that were denied each time they surfaced - but there were those of us who never stopped believing, thus proving true the phrase 'believers never die' start from the band itself.

The quartet came back in a manner that can only be described as a bang; rumours of their return appeared, oncd again, a few days before but they were denied by some of the band members, then on Monday (4th February), a new single accompanied with its music video, a new album and a new tour were announced simultaneously, leaving several of their fans in a state of shock that was quickly overrided with outright joy (it's why this post is slightly late).

The new single, My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light 'Em Up), sounds absolutely nothing like the Fall Out Boy we're all used to, but at the same time, it's the perfect progression the start of a brand new era. One thing you can be sure of, however, is that it's one brilliant song, and if you need something to make it more familiar, they're still using the impossibly long song titles and the lyrics are just cryptic as ever.

Fall Out Boy's sixth studio album, Save Rock And Roll, will be released on 6th May 2013, which is also the tenth anniversary of Take This To Your Grave, successfully making it the new beginning the band is after. It promises to be 'the best of Fall Out Boy', and as to whether that is true or not, we'll just have to wait and see, but our favourite pop-punk band hasn't let us down yet, so we're more inclined to believe such statements than not.

They're currently a few shows in the US, as well as some shows in Europe and the UK. After that, they're headed on a full North American tour in May, and what's more, they'll also be playing the Reading and Leeds festivals in August. You can find all these tour details and more on their official website, here (the more meaning 'preorder their new album, Save Rock And Roll', so go do it now before they run out!).

You can watch the music video for My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light 'Em Up), and you can also buy the single here.

[reviewriot]

2012 was a huge year for music, especially in the United Kingdom, as several new bands rose to fame far quicker than ever - with the help of the internet, of course. Some of these bands weren't so good, and thus quickly faded into obscurity, but some bands were good enough to stand against critics and every bit of negativity that every single internet user seems to possess these days. One such band was Leagues, a fairly new band from southwest London.

With powerful vocals and head-banging chords, such energy just does not appear to exist in much of the music scene anymore, as can be seen in the video above of their first self-produced song, Carry The Sun; I've always thought the most important thing in a song - especially a rock song or anything you would consider "serious" music - is how well the lyrics can compliment the music, and vice versa, and this song is just one example among many. Rock isn't dead, it just isn't well-represented anymore, but it looks like we're on a uphill trot once more.

You can keep up to date with all of Leagues' future antics through their facebook and their twitter. Get on this bandwagon before you're left behind, because this band has the potential to be the next big thing in music, and they also happen to be awesome people just in general.

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The initial reaction to a majority of My Chemical Romance fans after listening to Conventional Weapons was evidently, “why didn’t they release this instead of Danger Days?” Now, most of us love Danger Days, but these new songs (or old songs, really) seem to appeal more to us simply because they remind us so much of the “old days” - or maybe because they’re just better. Of course, we should be grateful they were even released at all, because the band could’ve kept them locked away forever. I mean, I’m sure we all know how hard it is to choose “the right time” for certain things, and this appears to be just that sort of thing.

Boy Division and Tomorrow’s Money, the first two songs that were released, are incredibly reminiscent of Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge (second album), both lyrically and musically, and we’re once again visited by wonderful vampire imagery in the latter. I don’t feel like I need to comment on the lyrics and the music, because My Chemical Romance never let us down in those individual areas.

Ambulance has the chance of becoming a new anthem for the fans, with lyrics like “we are up for everything it takes to prove we’re not the same as them”. Gun could just as easily be the former version of Destroya (from Danger Days, but the similarities aren’t many, and appear only in the music. They weren’t much of a crowd favourite, but they both still managed won me over.

The World Is Ugly is an old favourite, as it was played live once in 2008, and everyone’s been demanding a studio version of it ever since (next we should ask for a studio version of Stay). Most of the lyrics are different, as well as the music, but it’s still a brilliant song, and this way, we have two versions of the same song! The Light Behind Your Eyes had me literally bawling, because it is a slow song (though it does speed up in the second chorus), and the lyrics are deeply moving.

The last two installments of Conventional Weapons wil be released on the 8th of January, and the 5th of February (“Kiss The Ring” and “Make Room!!!”; “Surrender The Night” and “Burn Bright”, respectively). I’ll be posting the review for those two together in February, so keep your eye out for it and in the meantime, enjoy these awesome tracks!

You can buy The World Is Ugly and The Light Behind Your Eyes here or here.

[reviewriot]

Being an inspiration to even just one person can be extremely hard, but Rhiannon (or as she is better known, Antoinette) makes it look really easy, not just with her the constant positive flow of advice, care and love that seems to come from her, but also the way she sings and the way she writes, and more importantly, what she writes, which brings us round to the main point of this review: Antoinette + The Kings Men is releasing new music.

For a while now, she has been working on a new album called The Clockwork Equinox, and we have been waiting with bated breaths and tingling bones to see what's the next thing to leave Antoinette's mind and transfer to her fingers in the form of a song, and even though we still have a bit of a wait in front of us, we're finally getting a taste of this brand new record in the form of a new demo, A Sound Magician!

What's more, she's released a new version of Elephant + The Spoon, which was one of the most popular songs from The Trials, and it also comes with a video (posted above) that tells the story about lost souls in the city of London, lost but happy. I personally love both versions of the song, so have a listen to both and tell Antoinette what you think (also reblog this post with your opinion, so I can stay in the know).

The music and the lyrics in A Sound Magician are indeed one of a kind, as they seem to take you on a journey that twists and turns like a rollercoaster until you reach the end. It soothes you, but it also haunts you because you want the magician to happy just as much as you want yourself to be happy. 

One thing that I really love about Antoinette's music, is that each album tells a different story (let us recall The Trials and A Hospital For Souls), but they're all always somehow related to love and loss, showing us both a positive and a negative side of life, which is a very phenomenon to achieve, because usually, even if a piece of art tries to show you both of these sides, it's often quite difficult for the audience to capture the sentiments being conveyed. I'll even go so far as to say that Antoinette is the John Green of her genre.

You can listen to A Sound Magician here, and other than the video, you can also listen to Version II of Elephant + The Spoon here.

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You know that feeling when you listen to a band for the first time and you feel like they sound like some other band you've already listened to? Well, Blitz Kids will surprise you by not sounding like anything you've ever heard before, with a unique and brilliant new sound, and their new EP, Never Die, just helps reinforce that statement.

Never Die is entirely different from anything they've done before, all of which you can buy and listen to at the links at the bottom of this post (you can also download their previous two EPs, Scavengers and Decisions for free!). The EP starts with You're Dead To Me, which is the type of song that makes you want to dance along with it (one of the most important things in the world, I believe, even if all you do is jump up and down).

After the opener, it merges into softer songs like Wild Hearts and Memento Viveré, and with Never Die (same name!), we finish the EP on a not-so-soft note. The joint combination of the lyrics and the music turns the EP into a private world for anyone who listens to it, as it provides the colours that we need to come up with and maintain something in our minds.

Check out more from Blitz Kids here, and you can buy Never Die here. 

[reviewriot]

We're already on the second album of the Green Day trilogy, ¡Dos! (you can read about the first one, ¡Uno!, here). Out of the two, I personally prefer ¡Uno!, but this one also has its good points like any other Green Day record, like the song Lazy Bones, which I believe, speaks to every single person on the planet, because let's face it: we're all too lazy and tired to be either or (that sentence isn't confusing, it's just stream of consciousness - I do that a lot).

If you listen to ¡Dos! carefully, you will find several similarities between it and ¡Uno!, which makes me wonder what the trio has in store for the third record, ¡Tré! (you can all expect that review to have me debating "¡Tré! or ¡Tres!" - I'll be talking to you lot, but it'll probably look like I'm just talking to myself). Another interesting thing about this album is the amount of female names that are in the song titles (see: Ashley, Lady Cobra and Amy), and though they are absolutely brilliant songs, it makes slightly curious to know what the story behind those songs could be.

All in all, I don't think I can give a proper verdict for any of the albums until ¡Tré! is released, because I really love comparing things with other things, especially when it comes to think that are part of a series, etc (just ask anyone I know, and they'll tell you about my lengthy rants about the Harry Potter books and the films, especially the films). 

So, while you're waiting for ¡Tré! to be released to complete the trilogy (7th December in Australia, 10th December in the UK and 11th December in the US, so mark your calendars!), you should go on ahead and check out ¡Dos! here and here (even if you have already, because financially supporting your favourite bands is the new awesome).

[reviewriot]

If you don't know who Marmozets are and you're reading this blog, then we've found the perfect band for you that will take you for a ride, as they rise to the top in the mathcore genre, and they're a fresh breath of air for anyone who thought good music was dead, or that it could only be acquired from years and years of practice in the music industry (the things you hear...).

Becca screams and sings their ballads, whilst Sam (guitar), Jack (guitar), Will (bass) and Josh (drums) provide the music to this well-oiled machine that would make most bands step back and gape, because they'd like to sound this good; the two EPs they released, Passive Aggressive and Vexed, are proof of that, as they leave fans and critics alike astounded at the pure energy that can be heard and literally felt in their music - they were also recently on tour with Young Guns, We Are The In Crowd and Your Demise, so that should tell you just how brilliant they are.

Have a look at the video for their new single, Good Days, and tell me you're not impressed, and just with the music, but also with the dazzling cinematography that leaves you reeling from just how good it is, and it immediately leaves you wanting more, and if that is the case, then don't worry, because I'll be providing you with links at the bottom of this post (which we consequently have just reached).

Bottom line is, if you like good music, check out this band, which you can do here at their website. Also: don't forget to like their Facebook here and follow their Twitter here!

[reviewriot]

After three years since their last release, 21st Century Breakdown, Green Day have returned with three brand new albums, !Uno!, !Dos! and !Tré!, but they are not going to be released together. The first one, !Uno!, was released in September, and the other two will be released in November and December. The announcement of three separate albums received mixed reviews, with some fans being overjoyed, whereas others were sceptical. Despite the sceptics, however, the first LP seems to have gone over well.

!Uno! is full of Green Day's usual 'fuck the world' mentality, which sets the tune for songs like Kill The DJ and Let Yourself Go, but it also has songs referring to love like Stay The Night and Oh Love. !Uno! also includes the perfect anthem for people worldwide, - whether or not you're a Green Day fan - called Carpe Diem. With the music and lyrics combined together, not only does this album make you want to dance, but it also makes you want to scream the words and stomp your feet along with it.

You can buy !Uno! here and here. 

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This is one of those bittersweet things, as it's the last installment of the three EPs that William Beckett had promised us; it's the last and the best of all three, and just because Ryan Ross sings on of the songs (Stuck In Love), either, but rather because William continues to prove that he is among the best singers and lyricists of his genre, whether he's doing things with a band or as a solo artist.

Although all four songs (that's twelve songs when all put together, folks!) are about love, they're not all necessarily completely and irrevocably about romantic love, though it is true that you could also just as easily come up with your own definition for each song, but William's lyrics have always had the ability to touch your heart without getting it tangled up with someone else's.

One song that could have the potential of fast becoming my favourite is Dear Life because it doesn't talk about one specific thing, and just about life, in general (probably where the name of the song came from, come to think of it). I'd want to comment on the other songs as they're all amazing in their own way, but I think the best thing to say about them is that they're absolutely astounding, and might even make you cry a little bit.

Here's to William Beckett and any new music he releases in the future; he made us believe in love when he was in The Academy Is... and he continues to do so even now.

You can buy What Will Be here or here.

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When it comes to pop-punk, with this new album, All Time Low have managed to perfect themselves in it, as Don't Panic tells the tale of rebellion and love that's never quite there. All Time Low have created an album that sounds exactly the same as their previous stuff, but at the same time, sounds completely different from anything they've ever done (which, I suppose, is what the infamous "sound" so many bands seem to be after).

The opener, The Reckless And The Brave, is a well-known single that was released prior to the album, and it sets the scene perfectly for the rest of the songs to come, as it's a song that talks about going against the crowd and following your dreams and, coincidentally, the album closer, So Long, And Thanks For All The Booze, has a similar theme. With people like Cassadee Pope, Anthony Raneri and Jason Vena singing on the album, All Time Low have set the stage for almost every other pop-punk band out there.

You can buy Don't Panic here.