Feeder - "We Are the People" (2008)

Feeder is a great band from the UK that I’ve liked for quite a while now. I’ve featured them before actually. The band recently released a new record entitled Silent Cry. I’ve had a copy of for some time now but for one reason or another it has been overlooked. After a suggestion from one of my five readers, I decided to check it out. I was met with the same great hooks anthemic rock tunes I’ve come to expect from Grant Nicholas and co. I’m only one listen in so I don’t really have a favorite track or anything yet but I was particularly impressed by the first song “We Are the People” with it’s huge guitars and soaring vocals from Nicholas. The lyrics to the song also seem to have a lot of spiritual undertones which is something I started noticing about Feeder on their last album Pushing the Senses. Feeder is one of the UK’s best kept secrets and I’m baffled as to why they don’t get more attention here in the States. I’ve always felt that they sound a lot more like Foo Fighters rather than any of their British compatriots. The CD is only available overseas,but Silent Cry is available in the US iTunes store and it comes with two bonus tracks as well. I’m looking forward to listening to this record a whole lot more.


Feeder - "We Are the People"

Number One Gun - "Wake Me Up" (2008)

Number One Gun is a rock band from California that now consists of just front man Jeff Schneeweis. The band started out in 2002 and released their debut Celebrate Mistakes on Floodgate Records. The record was a pretty straightforward take on the pop punk/emo genre that would become widespread in the next couple of years. It was a great record, but not really a standout record. In 2004 the band signed with Tooth & Nail Records and released their sophomore album Promises for the Imperfect, ten polished tracks with a little more edge and much slicker production courtesy of resident Tooth & Nail wiz Aaron Sprinkle (Anberlin, Emery, The Almost.) In 2007 it was announced that the band would be breaking up and Schneeweis would continue to record, but under the name The North Pole Project. I’m not clear on all the details, but somewhere along the way, Tooth & Nail decided it would be better to release the album under the name Number One Gun and title it The North Pole Project. Despite being labeled as Number One Gun, Schneeweis is the only remaining member and played nearly everything on the record. This was very similar to what happened with Watashi Wa. The album was released in January and also consists of ten tracks. It’s just about what you would have expected listening to the previous two records. That’s not a bad thing though. There are a few slower numbers such as “The Best of You and Me” and “The Different Ones.” However, the crunching guitars are back on songs like the opener “The Massacre” and the more lyrically biting “Thank You Ending.” Overall, the album reminds me very much of Acceptance, a great band that unfortunately broke up a few years back. Today’s song is one of the more melodic and poppy tunes, but it still rocks quite a lot.


Number One Gun - "Wake Me Up"

M.I.A. vs. Modest Mouse - "Paper Fire" (2008)

Ahh, the mash-up. It’s become a trend in recent years for producers to take two songs that seemingly have little to do with each other and put them together to create something new and at times as cool or cooler than the originals. Usually, this involves using the music from one song and overlaying the vocals from another and interchanging verses and choruses. If you have access to the master tracks of each of the songs, a lot can be done to create something entirely new. Today’s song is my first attempt at the mash-up. The idea for this came about after seeing the trailer for the new Seth Rogen movie Pineapple Express. I really dug the song in the trailer and found out it was “Paper Planes” by Sri Lankan indie hip-hop artist M.I.A. from her 2007 album Kala. I had never been too impressed with her work in the past, but this song was just cool to me. After listening to it several times, something jumped out as familiar to me. The bass line just seemed like something I had heard before, I found myself humming a melody and I realized that some elements of “Paper Planes” sounded eerily similar to “Fire It Up” from the 2007 album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse. With the help of Adobe Audition 1.5 software, I was able to try my hand at doing a mash up. Of course I didn’t have the masters of the songs, so I couldn’t get this exactly right, but I don’t think it’s bad for a first try. Check it out.


M.I.A. vs. Modest Mouse - "Paper Fire"

Colour Revolt - "Naked and Red" (2008)

Colour Revolt is an indie rock band hailing from Oxford, Mississippi. Their southern roots show through in their raw, bluesy guitar style that dominates their debut full length Plunder, Beg, and Curse, which was released back in April. I first heard of them a few months back when they were mentioned somewhere online alongside one of my favorite bands Manchester Orchestra. I downloaded a couple of their songs and was intrigued but I kind of forgot about them for a while. A little later, at the suggestion of a friend, I went back and listened again and got absolutely hooked on today’s song. “Naked and Red” begins with guitars that remind me of mewithoutYou and builds to a barrage of screeching guitars, crashing cymbals and some serious wailing courtesy of front man Jesse Coppenbarger (what a great last name.) The lyrics are cryptic and filled with religious allusions. The rest of the album follows in much the same way, with a few softer tracks such as “Moses of the South.” Colour Revolt are definitely a band all their own. They don’t really sound like much of anything else that’s going on right now, and that’s a good thing.


Colour Revolt - "Naked and Red"

Relient K - "At Least We Made It This Far" (2008)

Relient K is a band that has always been good about treating their fans to a constant stream of new music. Since I started listening to them back in 2003, they’ve had eight releases, which include EPs, Christmas albums, and a 7” vinyl single, with the titles of all of them showcasing the band’s penchant for wordplay. They’ve somewhat outdone themselves with The Bird and the Bee Sides, which is actually two releases in one, clocking in at 26 tracks. The first 13 comprise The Nashville Tennis EP, which finds the band shifting between their pop punk roots and a newfound knack for alt-country. I think it’s a stretch to call 13 tracks an EP, but you have to consider that only three of the songs are over three minutes in length and some are barely over one minute. There are some gems on this release such as “The Scene and Herd,” an open letter from front man and lead songwriter Matthew Thiessen to the “scene” that they’ve reluctantly become a part of. Musically, the track hearkens back to some of their earlier work, with chugging guitars and breakneck drumming. Also of note is “The Lining Is Silver” and “There Was No Thief,” which is an updated version of “The Thief” from their 2005 Apathetic EP. The second half of the album is where the b-sides come in. Most of these songs have been released previously on various EPs or singles, with some new ones thrown in as well. It also marks the first time that the four tracks from the 2003’s The Vinyl Countdown have been available outside the original 1500 pressings of the 7". Today’s song is one of the more alt-country leaning tracks that shows that Relient K is far from a one trick pony. The Bird and the Bee Sides is a must own for any Relient K fan.


Relient K - "At Least We Made It This Far"

Coldplay - "Death and All His Friends" (2008)

Coldplay are simultaneously one of the most loved and most hated bands in the world. They need no introduction. You’ve heard their music on your radio and your television and playing over the loudspeaker at just about any retail outlet. You’ve also probably already come to your own conclusion about them, so I won’t try to sway you. I will say that while I think Coldplay make excellent music, front man Chris Martin has taken pompous arrogance to a whole new, extremely British level. I had gained a little respect for him after seeing him play an over the top “parody” of himself on the hit show Extras. I thought it was cool that he was able to laugh at himself, but after reading some of the press about Coldplay’s newest album Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, I think that maybe he didn’t have to try too hard to come off as such a jerk on the show. That being said, I feel as though Coldplay have made great strides to move forward from the epic piano ballads that have defined them in the past. Viva La Vida uses the piano only sparsely. It’s still there, it just doesn’t dominate the mix on every song. The most notable difference in sound is the way they used percussion, employing everything from handclaps and stomps to tympani. There’s also a generous use of strings on songs like “42” and “Yes.” Today’s song is the last one on the record and I guess could be called one of two title tracks. I like the way that it starts softly and builds to an excellent climax and showcases everything that Coldplay is good at from the piano parts to the huge guitar crescendos. I especially enjoy the bridge. All told, Viva La Vida is a great album. It probably won’t change any of your preconceived notions about the band, but if you’ve ever even been a casual fan, it’s one worth checking out.

Coldplay - "Death and All His Friends"

The New Frontiers - "Strangers" (2008)

It seems to be increasingly more difficult to find new bands to get excited about. I’m not saying there aren’t plenty of bands, because music has a larger presence now than ever. With so many bands all vying for your attention, it can be hard to distinguish and a lot of them end up sounding the same. The New Frontiers are a diamond in the rough for me. The band recently released their debut album Mending on The Militia Group label. The record is filled with eleven tracks of contemplative indie rock that reaches into the alt country realm and holds your attention from beginning to end. The band hail from Dallas and have been playing together for a few years now, previously under the name Stellamaris. I was introduced to The New Frontiers by The Relevant Podcast. You can download the featured episode here. It includes a great acoustic version of “Black Lungs” the opener on Mending. It’s not that The New Frontiers are covering much new ground, but there is a certain earnestness to the music that really grabs me. All of the tracks are well suited for driving across country or just driving around at night and doing some deep thinking. “Strangers” is a standout for me because of the lyrics and the fact that the bridge is almost like a second chorus. As of right now, Mending is only $5.99 on iTunes and Amazon mp3, so there’s really no excuse not to check it out. Trust me you’ll get more than your money’s worth.


The New Frontiers - "Strangers"