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Great Showcase of Falling Up's Softer Worshipful Side | Posted March-25-2013
While the previous album in Falling Up's Machine De Ella project, Hours, explore the more rock-heavy side of the band, Midnight On Earthship explores the more softer side. This album makes a good companion piece with the more softer songs found on their previous album, Your Sparkling Death Cometh. More sonic and space-ish sounds dominate the musicscape as well as lots of acoustic guitar. Jessy Ribordy's lyrics are also beautiful to hear as this album is more worshipful lyrically while mixed in with his signature poetry. And just like with Hours, Midnight on Earthship has a stronger second half musically and memorably.
Midnight on Earthship does a great job in showcasing the band's softer side while being its own unique thing.
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A Truly Unique Album | Posted March-25-2013
Falling Up took a unique approach in releasing this album and it's partner album Midnight on Earthship. They released one song from each album every other week (along with a chapter in the audiobook that goes along with this album, also titled Hours.) until the entire album was done. And what a project this turned out to be. I won't be looking at the audiobook portion of this album but know that this album is a concept album that adds more to the overall story that is told through the audiobook. (I also don't want to reveal the big surprise that connects everything together.) Know that this album is mostly rock-driven with big guitar and drum parts and lead singer Jessy Ribordy screaming out lyrics at points. The band does incorporate sonic elements that add more to the sci-fi/space theme that runs throughout the album. Jessy's lyrics are as cryptic, poetic, and more beautiful as ever. I found the back half of the album to be stronger than the first half mostly due to the way the band released the songs. It's actually a pretty good progression to hear as the band gets more and more confident in there ability to craft some genuinely great and memorable songs.
Hours could be considered a return to form for Falling Up. It manages to blend the indie space sounds that were the main focus of the previous 2 albums with the hard rock sound that made the band known to us. Beautiful lyrics and expertly crafted sounds makes this one of the best Falling Up albums yet.
(Also, you really should listen to the audiobook as it tells a great story that may make past Falling Up related things more clearer. I don't want to say anymore than that.)
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It Could Have Been Great | Posted February-16-2013
12 Stones latest album, Beneath the Scars, has a great hard rock sound that has been tuned and refined over the years. While this sound does yeild some great rock songs on the album, it just feels a bit boring and a tad generic. What's good about the album is that the lyrics are really straight-forward and can get dark during some songs. This is done to service the overall message of the album and it's done really well. The main problem with the album overall is the pacing. After the high octane opening the rest of the album falls into a pattern of ballad song and rock song until the conclusion. By doing this, it made the album kind of a bore to listen too. I like where the guys in the band are coming from and the straight up rock songs are really good, but the pacing of this album killed the excitement for me and made what could have been an above average rock album into just an average one.
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5 Years Later and Still Bringing the Rock. | Posted February-07-2013
It's been 5 years since the guys in Spoken has released a new album and the wait has been excruciating. Thankfully, the new album makes up for the long wait by letting the fans know that they haven't lost their touch. The band's hard heavy rock sound has remained entact and their songwriting ability remains solid. Vocalist MAtt Baird's screaming voice makes this album feel complete and it's only gotten better with age.
After everything Spoken has been through, this album marks the end of the 5 year journey and manages to keep everything the fans know and love about the band.
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Worth Your Time and Money But Not the Band's Best Effort | Posted February-07-2013
After making three incredible albums Red's new one, Release the Panic feels more stripped down and more radio-friendly sound wise. The hard rock they are known for is still there but it isn't as prevailent as it was on their previous albums. The lyrics remain solid as always and there are a few good songs on it. Release the Panic is not the best album Red has made, but for it's flaws, it's generally a good album that is worth your time and money.
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A Journey of Growth | Posted January-28-2013
Wavorly may be gone but the music they created will live on. This compilation of songs perfectly encapsulate the band's journey over time. The album is presented in reverse chronology starting out with the very last song they recorded and ends with a demo back when they were still known as Freshmen15. Something Like Fiction is a compilation album that celebrates the life of Wavorly and takes the listener on a journey of the band's life and ever changing styles.
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The Musical Journey of Jon Foreman Continues | Posted January-28-2013
After 4 long years, Jon Foreman has finally completed his second album under his side project Fiction Family. While I haven't had the chance to listen to the first album, I do know what the band is like and what style they utilize. Before, it was just Jon and other guy but on this album they've recruited 2 new members to fill out the bass and drums. This album sounds like a mix of indie rock and folk rock which makes the experimentation on some tracks noticible. If you liked the previous album Fiction Family put out, you might get some enjoyment out of this one as well. For people who have heard of Fiction Family but have only heard 1 or 2 songs by them, this is a great way to experience what the band is all about.
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Captures the Essence of the Early Days of Anberlin | Posted January-26-2013
Anberlin guitarist Joseph Milligan had quite a busy 2012. Not only did he utilize his talents for Anberlin's latest album, Vital, but he also had time to record a solo side project under his other "band" Sins. What comes out of it is a blend of nostalgia for not only the punk days but early Anberlin. The songs manage to be catchy and have the fun sound that Anberlin got down in their early days. He even attempts his own spin on the trademark "epic" final Anberlin song. Whiile it doesn't sound quite as good, it still captures it's spirit. Fans of Anberlin in their early days might enjoy this album.
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Hard Rock At It's Finest | Posted January-26-2013
Former Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch bursts onto the hard rock scene with his new band Love and Death's debut album and what results is a great blend of old and new styles. It sounds like a Korn album which fans of that band might appriciate. Lyrically, Welch crafts lyrics that guides us through life's ups and downs. Between Here and Lost is a great album for fans of hard rock in general. It has the Korn sound which will draw in fans of that band and it also draws in new fans with it's brutal honesty in the lyrics.
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Soothing Electro-Pop Beats For Your Ears | Posted January-26-2013
After getting some recognition after remixing songs for Tobymac, Capital Kings finally brings us their first full-length album that is comprised of 10 original songs. The result is an accessible album for anyone into those Top 40 radio stations. While the music the group crafts is really good, the lyrics they write are hit and miss. Some lyrics have a fun party theme that fits well with the tone of the song but on other songs they make some lame comparisons to love. Other then that small complaint, Capital Kings' debut album is a great one that deserves to be heard by many people.
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