TJ Wells
07/04/05, 03:48 PM
Band: Paramore
Album: All We Know Is Falling
Label: Fueled By Ramen Records
Release Date: 07/26/2005
Author: TJ Wells
Rating: 6.5/10
http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/8017/paramoreallweknowisfalling2pv.jpg
Paramore just recently broke into the scene and have become very well known in a very short amount of time. Led by 16 year old vocalist Hayley Williams, the band also features guitarist Josh Farro, drummer Zac Farro, and rhythm guitarist Jason Bynum, the band crafts catchy pop-rock songs much in the vein of other female-fronted bands in the scene, like Cruiserweight, JinXed, and Zolof The Rock & Roll Destroyer.
The album starts with "All We Know", a catchy (but straightforward, systemaic) power-pop song. "Pressure" has the surefire sound of a ready for MTV single, and will definitely have a lot of kids heads bobbing at Warped this month. "Emergency" and "Brighter" both show that you don't have to be the most skilled musicians in the world to make good rock songs.
"Here We Go Again" demonstrates that not all of Paramore is just vocals and catchy choruses. Farro's guitar in this song is impressive and incredibly catchy, showing that this band will probably be hanging around the scene for awhile. "Let This Go" is a welcome change of pace to the album, and the melody kind of reminds me of "The War" by Melee, though LOOSELY. The song starts slow and then builds into a great chorus as Williams sings "Please don't get me wrong, because i'll never let this go, but I can't find the words to tell you I don't wanna be alone", and then it's right back to the soft guitars and drums. Definitely one of the better tracks on the album.
"Whoa" has the most simplistic lyrics of any song on the album, but it'll definitely be fun to dance along to at shows. "Consipracy" and "Franklin" also have basic lyrics, with the first being about someone losing power in a relationship, and the next being about going back to your hometown after awhile and everything being different. The songs aren't going to win any awards from "lyric-lovers", but they are, as most of the album has been, catchy. These few songs show the age of the band the most, but i'm sure as they grow their lyrics will grow with them.
The closer, "My Heart", reminds me a lot of "Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape" by Underoath, because the song starts slow, seems to be another basic song just like the last two, but at the end one of the guys in the band (I think), adds some screams and it really makes for a pumped up ending to the album.
The main problem I have with this disc is that most of the songs sound the same, which i've noticed consistently on several albums released by Paramore's label Fueled By Ramen. I think, however, if you give this band a couple years, they have a chance to be real heavyweights in the emo/pop-rock scene, and will be selling out large venues soon...plus it never hurts to have a HOTT lead singer.
Band: The Spill Canvas
Album: One Fell Swoop
Label: 111 Records
Release Date: 08/09/2005
Author: TJ Wells
Rating: 9.5/10
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/8261/tsc21425x1425thumb2ai.jpg
In 2003, The Spill Canvas (AKA Nick Thomas) released Sunsets And Car Crashes, an album full of beautiful, emotional acoustic songs, and it was one of my favorite releases of the year. Now, he's back with a full band and a new album, and, despite internet forums full of "Tate-Hype", the album DOES NOT dissapoint.
The album starts out with "Lust A Prima Vista", which starts slowly, building with a simple guitar strum and keeps escalating into a VERY catchy tune. The song is full of hand claps and amazing musicianship, and is a great start to the album.
Next is the single "Staplegunned", about a guy who likes a girl but is too afraid to tell her. Definitely a good choice for a single, because it's one of the songs that would have the potential to be very popular in the mainstream.
"Polygraph, Right Now!" is next, and it's one of my favorite songs on the album. Brutal lyrics ("Fate is an elegant, cold-hearted whore, she loves salting my wounds, yes she enjoys nothing more...") as well as a great keyboard addition to the last couple choruses.
"Dutch Courage" is another amazing song, mainly because it's Nick finally writing about something other than relationships (not that there's anything wrong with that). This song is about the internet forumites who like to say anything in the forums, but are too cowardly to face who they've hurt. The song shows the amazing guitar skills of the band, with beautiful acoustic spanish-like guitar playing all throughout the song. The song also uses one of the coolest effects ever, a rattle-snake type noise instrument (I can't remember what it's called, if anyone know's please post it in the replies), that gives the song a western/spanish type feel.
The next song, "Natalie Marie And 1CC", is strange, mainly because it's a guy who's in love with a girl...who doesn't exist. It kind of reminds me of The Sixth Sense, and it's for sure a cool song, albeit a little weird.
"Teleport: A & B" and "Break A Leg" are both great songs, with "Teleport" grabbing me with it's catchiness, and "Break A Leg" with it's weird, 50's superhero theme song opening, and it's great final lyric ("Not even hell could be hotter than you right now...").
"This Is For Keeps" is my favorite song on the album. Beautiful lyrics, guitars, drums, EVERYTHING. With an absolutely breathtaking, chanted bridge("Follow me into the sea, drown together and immortalize you and me..."), this song could easily become symbolic of true love to many people.
"Himerus And Eros" shows that you can write a song about sex without swearing and degrading women. Himerus And Eros were two gods of sexual desire, and that's what this song is about: desire. The lyrics are incredibly sexual without needing to be graphic (I hope to God I mean a little more than the sounds that escape your tired 4 A.M. lips, and oh how I wish I meant a little more than a symphony of heavy breathing and the friction of hips...").
"Valiant", another one of the songs released earlier this year as a demo, is SO much better in it's final version. Everything sounds crisper, from the vocals to the guitars, and for a neat little effect, you can hear they used bongos in the background. Nick's voice is also much more emotional in this version.
"Secret Oath" and "Bound To Happen" are my two least favorite songs on the album. They are still good songs, but nothing about them really stuck with me, even after multiple listens.
"Self-Conclusion", the albums final track, is my second favorite on the album, and is a perfect way to end an amazing cd. Fortunately, Nick decided to leave this as an acoustic version, and it displays his innate ability to write amazing story songs. The album ends with Nick singing the chorus one more time, but a string section is added in the background, making the song seem almost hauntingly beautiful.
The Spill Canvas have done what seemed to be impossible, and that is they have made an album that meets (and almost exceeds) the greatness that is Sunsets And Car Crashes. This album is a must buy when it's released August 9!
Album: All We Know Is Falling
Label: Fueled By Ramen Records
Release Date: 07/26/2005
Author: TJ Wells
Rating: 6.5/10
http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/8017/paramoreallweknowisfalling2pv.jpg
Paramore just recently broke into the scene and have become very well known in a very short amount of time. Led by 16 year old vocalist Hayley Williams, the band also features guitarist Josh Farro, drummer Zac Farro, and rhythm guitarist Jason Bynum, the band crafts catchy pop-rock songs much in the vein of other female-fronted bands in the scene, like Cruiserweight, JinXed, and Zolof The Rock & Roll Destroyer.
The album starts with "All We Know", a catchy (but straightforward, systemaic) power-pop song. "Pressure" has the surefire sound of a ready for MTV single, and will definitely have a lot of kids heads bobbing at Warped this month. "Emergency" and "Brighter" both show that you don't have to be the most skilled musicians in the world to make good rock songs.
"Here We Go Again" demonstrates that not all of Paramore is just vocals and catchy choruses. Farro's guitar in this song is impressive and incredibly catchy, showing that this band will probably be hanging around the scene for awhile. "Let This Go" is a welcome change of pace to the album, and the melody kind of reminds me of "The War" by Melee, though LOOSELY. The song starts slow and then builds into a great chorus as Williams sings "Please don't get me wrong, because i'll never let this go, but I can't find the words to tell you I don't wanna be alone", and then it's right back to the soft guitars and drums. Definitely one of the better tracks on the album.
"Whoa" has the most simplistic lyrics of any song on the album, but it'll definitely be fun to dance along to at shows. "Consipracy" and "Franklin" also have basic lyrics, with the first being about someone losing power in a relationship, and the next being about going back to your hometown after awhile and everything being different. The songs aren't going to win any awards from "lyric-lovers", but they are, as most of the album has been, catchy. These few songs show the age of the band the most, but i'm sure as they grow their lyrics will grow with them.
The closer, "My Heart", reminds me a lot of "Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape" by Underoath, because the song starts slow, seems to be another basic song just like the last two, but at the end one of the guys in the band (I think), adds some screams and it really makes for a pumped up ending to the album.
The main problem I have with this disc is that most of the songs sound the same, which i've noticed consistently on several albums released by Paramore's label Fueled By Ramen. I think, however, if you give this band a couple years, they have a chance to be real heavyweights in the emo/pop-rock scene, and will be selling out large venues soon...plus it never hurts to have a HOTT lead singer.
Band: The Spill Canvas
Album: One Fell Swoop
Label: 111 Records
Release Date: 08/09/2005
Author: TJ Wells
Rating: 9.5/10
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/8261/tsc21425x1425thumb2ai.jpg
In 2003, The Spill Canvas (AKA Nick Thomas) released Sunsets And Car Crashes, an album full of beautiful, emotional acoustic songs, and it was one of my favorite releases of the year. Now, he's back with a full band and a new album, and, despite internet forums full of "Tate-Hype", the album DOES NOT dissapoint.
The album starts out with "Lust A Prima Vista", which starts slowly, building with a simple guitar strum and keeps escalating into a VERY catchy tune. The song is full of hand claps and amazing musicianship, and is a great start to the album.
Next is the single "Staplegunned", about a guy who likes a girl but is too afraid to tell her. Definitely a good choice for a single, because it's one of the songs that would have the potential to be very popular in the mainstream.
"Polygraph, Right Now!" is next, and it's one of my favorite songs on the album. Brutal lyrics ("Fate is an elegant, cold-hearted whore, she loves salting my wounds, yes she enjoys nothing more...") as well as a great keyboard addition to the last couple choruses.
"Dutch Courage" is another amazing song, mainly because it's Nick finally writing about something other than relationships (not that there's anything wrong with that). This song is about the internet forumites who like to say anything in the forums, but are too cowardly to face who they've hurt. The song shows the amazing guitar skills of the band, with beautiful acoustic spanish-like guitar playing all throughout the song. The song also uses one of the coolest effects ever, a rattle-snake type noise instrument (I can't remember what it's called, if anyone know's please post it in the replies), that gives the song a western/spanish type feel.
The next song, "Natalie Marie And 1CC", is strange, mainly because it's a guy who's in love with a girl...who doesn't exist. It kind of reminds me of The Sixth Sense, and it's for sure a cool song, albeit a little weird.
"Teleport: A & B" and "Break A Leg" are both great songs, with "Teleport" grabbing me with it's catchiness, and "Break A Leg" with it's weird, 50's superhero theme song opening, and it's great final lyric ("Not even hell could be hotter than you right now...").
"This Is For Keeps" is my favorite song on the album. Beautiful lyrics, guitars, drums, EVERYTHING. With an absolutely breathtaking, chanted bridge("Follow me into the sea, drown together and immortalize you and me..."), this song could easily become symbolic of true love to many people.
"Himerus And Eros" shows that you can write a song about sex without swearing and degrading women. Himerus And Eros were two gods of sexual desire, and that's what this song is about: desire. The lyrics are incredibly sexual without needing to be graphic (I hope to God I mean a little more than the sounds that escape your tired 4 A.M. lips, and oh how I wish I meant a little more than a symphony of heavy breathing and the friction of hips...").
"Valiant", another one of the songs released earlier this year as a demo, is SO much better in it's final version. Everything sounds crisper, from the vocals to the guitars, and for a neat little effect, you can hear they used bongos in the background. Nick's voice is also much more emotional in this version.
"Secret Oath" and "Bound To Happen" are my two least favorite songs on the album. They are still good songs, but nothing about them really stuck with me, even after multiple listens.
"Self-Conclusion", the albums final track, is my second favorite on the album, and is a perfect way to end an amazing cd. Fortunately, Nick decided to leave this as an acoustic version, and it displays his innate ability to write amazing story songs. The album ends with Nick singing the chorus one more time, but a string section is added in the background, making the song seem almost hauntingly beautiful.
The Spill Canvas have done what seemed to be impossible, and that is they have made an album that meets (and almost exceeds) the greatness that is Sunsets And Car Crashes. This album is a must buy when it's released August 9!