Thursday, May 10. 2007
I was anxious to get this album. Vinnie Paul gathered up a few of his friends from Mudvayne and Nothingface and created a NEW super group of metal. Not really a fan of the other bands involved, I automatically had a preconceived notion of the album. And from hearing from other people who got it, they did too. We were all a smidge wrong.
First off this is not Mudvayne, Nothingface, Damageplan and this is notPantera. That’s not saying it isn’t good, however, if that’s what you want it to sound like, save the $15 and go get a different CD. Yeah, some of it sounds like Pantera, some of it sounds like Damageplan. It should. It has a member of those bands. And yeah, you can hear parts of Mudvayne and Nothingface as well. It should, as there are members from those bands, too. This is a supergroup. It has influences from all areas.
While most people are drawn to the title track “Hell Yeah,� I find myself going back to “Alcohaulin' Ass,� which is just a heavy southern rock, feel good type of song. I also find myself drawn to the song “Thank You,� which instantly made me think of Dime. It gave me chills and choked me up. That’s ok, I’m female and that reaction is allowed. I was also really partial to the guitars on the song “Goddamn.�. Of the heavier songs, this was my clear favorite.
I think for fans of any of the bands involved in this project, there is something to enjoy. You need, however, to separate what you expect from those bands and what's in this band. Looking at this to be just like any of them it will disappoint you. Looking at it as a NEW act will be the deal breaker. Yeah, there is a ballad. GET OVER IT. People change and grow with life experiences. Vinnie is still pulling out heavy as hell drum beats. If you don’t believe it, check out the song “Matter of Time,� where they sounded just like a Harley warming up.
Monday, May 7. 2007
Moondog has finished posting all his great concert pictures from this years Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio California to our concert photo gallery. Check out all the great bands he got to shoot...
Watch for more neat photos from Gary as the summer tour season heats up!
| Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers photo by staff photographer Gary Miller |
Vaden Todd Lewis of the Burden Brothers at Stubb's photo by jeff barringer - staff photographer |
The Burden Brothers
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
http://www.theburdenbrothers.com
Burden Brothers Concert Photos
Friday, April 27th, 2007
Stubb's Bar-B-Q (Austin, Texas)
Also: Riverboat Gamblers
Bar-B-Q for dinner two nights in a row? How could I resist when the first night's entertainment was George Thorogood, followed the second night by Dallas' Burden Brothers?
I had tried to catch the Burden Brothers show when they played Antone's a few months back, but the show had sold out and I couldn't talk my way in. This time I was lucky enough to hook up with the band's management early and they set me up with a pair of tickets and a photo pass.
Wanting to put the second ticket to good use I invited a long time friend and noted Austin drummer Dennis Bruhn (the Recliners, Flex, the Whores, Da Da Curve, Dukes of Simpleton, etc.) to come. He had mentioned a few months back that he'd wanted to check out the Burden Brothers when they came to town and it was sort of a happy coincidence.
Continue reading "Concert Review: The Burden Brothers at Stubb's Bar B Q, Austin, Texas"
Saturday, May 5. 2007
Rik Emmett - Celebrity Judge
First Place Winner - photo by Jay West
Second Place Winner - photo by Jay West
Third Place Winner - photo by Gabe
|
This month, our celebrity rock star judge is Rik Emmett, former front man for the legendary Canadian band Triumph. We talked with him last back in December
Here is what Rik had to say about this months contest entries..
1st - My favorite is Mike Ness of Social Distortion, for composition [the background truss shadow follows the same line as his shoulders] and the blues & grays - plus the insouciance of the emerging pink bubble-gum, with the eye-shadow and the cop badge on the strap [with the hard blue on it!] just makes for a strong image - the capturing of a great moment.
2nd - Ben Brown of Bang Bang Bang. The hair is fantastic, shooting up like flames in the red light, surrounded/reinforced by red in each corner of theframe, giving the image a fiery dramatic flare of the demonic.
3rd - Mad Caddies - the shot over the guitarist's right shoulder, with the trombonist in the hat getting the crowd all riled up. This b & w photo is too dark to be award-winning, but the composition and the documentary moment captured is outstanding - pure rock & roll.
Honorable mentions - the Jay West shots of Steven Tyler and Matt Heafy are classic - clean and powerful. I also really like the feel of the shot of Mike Milligan of the Altar Boyz ...
club kingsnake is now accepting submissions for its 2007 concert photo contest. Last year's contest attracted over 500 photo entries. This year we timed the announcement to occur during Austin's SXSW festival and handed out about 1000 flyers to music photojournalists from around the world.
The 2007 contest will be handled a bit differently, with monthly winners instead of weekly, and with larger prize incentives to the winners. This year's contest prizes are as follows:
Monthly Prizes: (selected at the first of each month)
1st Place - $100 B & H Photo Gift Card
2nd Place - $50 B & H Photo Gift Card
3rd Place - club kingsnake T-Shirt
Year End Prizes: (selected at the beginning of 2008)
1st Place - $2000 Camera Shopping Spree at B & H Photo
2nd Place - Fuji F31 Point N Shoot Camera
3rd Place - $100 B & H Photo Gift Card
So how does it work? Simple - just upload a concert photograph that you have taken yourself (with a camera, not off someone else's web site!) to our photo contest gallery. Make sure to include the artist's name and any other pertinent details such as the camera and lense used in the description. Every month 3 winners will be chosen, and at the end of the year the 3 best will be selected from all the photos submitted throughout the year. This is kind of like American Idol for pictures except our contest judges have been told to keep their rude snickering to themselves.
The 2007 club kingsnake concert photo contest is now live! Post your images at http://clubpix.kingsnake.com/index.php?cat=521
Contest Rules
- You may enter as many concert photos as you like AS LONG AS THEY ARE PHOTOS YOU HAVE TAKEN!
- Entries must be posted before the end of the day on the last day of the month, according to the clocks on our systems.
- You must include a valid email address on your post for it to qualify.
- Staff and volunteers of OnlineHobbyist.com, Inc. and its associated sites are ineligible to participate in the contest although they may certainly post their photos as well.
- Anyone may enter, regardless of age, although for persons under 18 a parent or guardian must claim the prize.
- No purchase is required to participate.
- You must have a physical address somewhere on the planet earth that can receive parcels sent through the U.S. postal service.
Friday, May 4. 2007
Paul Collins and The Beat at SXSW07
|
Welcome to our new feature Free Music Friday! Every Friday one of our editors will let you know where you can download music for free someplace on the web. There are tons and tons of songs available to download free on the net legally, it's just hard sometimes to find them all.
This week's free music is from Paul's Collin's Beat. You can download a number of great songs for free, including such power pop classics as "Don't Wait Up For Me" and "Rock and Roll Girl", at their site at http://paulcollinsbeat.com. There are 14 free song downloads in all on the site. They even have 7 videos you can download too!
If you know someplace people can download free legal music drop us a note!
Thursday, May 3. 2007
Startling. That's what first comes to mind when introduced to the Nightwatchman. Tom Morello is the rapid-fire-riffing, space-sound-creating lead guitarist for Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave right? Well, when he's not a metal revolutionary (in Rage) or flailing under Chris Cornell's plodding vocals (in Audioslave), he is also a folk singing revolutionary called the Nightwatchman.
I caught the Nightwatchman's set in the basement of Stubb's Bar-B-Q back in March while I was in Austin for South By Southwest, and I for one was impressed. Thought hard about this next line.
Pretty sure it's true.
If you take a step toward freedom it'll take two steps toward you
| |
It was such an intimate setting and it lent itself very well to Tom accompanied only by his nylon string "Whatever It Takes" guitar and a harmonica. Tom has an immediately identifiable guitar style and this comes through even on an acoustic. His vocals make me think of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.
This juxtoposition seems to throw many for a loop. No, Tom is not a incredible finger picker, and his version of folk doesn't sound like Peter, Paul and Mary or Joan Baez. Breezy and beautiful it ain't. The album has an immediacy to it. Like any moment storm troopers could bust in and haul us away for speaking our mind. I feel hot and dusty just listening to it.
Yeah, this is wierd. Tom may not find tremendous success as an acoustic folk/protest singer, but he's got me as a fan, I'm glad I saw him live and I'm glad I bought this album. Keep fighting Tom.
The highlights for me include "Maximum Firepower," "Flesh Shapes The Day," and "House Gone Up In Flames."
Wednesday, May 2. 2007
Slow, grinding and brutal. That would be the quickest way to explain the new Commandment. It's heavy enough to satisfy the most discriminating palate of death metal fans, but it seems almost normal.
Chris Barnes' vocals are, as always, pure death metal perfection. Demonic growls with an intelligible quality that is sometimes lacking from other bands. There is almost a "dying a slow death" quality to the whole album. This album has the potential to attract more than just death metal fans. Fans of the heavier stuff, who shied away, may find a new love in death metal. Rounding out the band is bass god Terry Butler, Steve Swanson on guitar, and Greg Gall on drums.
It's hard to pick the true highlights of this album because each song is damned solid. "Zombie Executioner" is probably my fave track vocally on this CD. Of course "Bled To Death" has all the evils of an excellent chunk guitar, blast beat, and strong base line, a combination of all things that make one helluva tune. I really also liked the guitar line on "As The Blade Turns." Definitely one for the live show. Lastly the drum line on "The Evil Eye" gets the blood going.
Old school or new style death metal fans will definitely enjoy this CD. Heavy enough to piss you off, yet the calming aspect I have always found in death metal.
Zack de la Rocha at Coachella 2007 photo by Gary Miller - Staff Photographer |
Our roving photographer Moondog (aka Gary) has returned from Coachella with memory cards bulging full of neat pics. It will take him a few days to get them all uploaded to our gallery but he did upload a few shots today, including some pics of the Rage Against The Machine set on Sunday night. Keep watching our photo gallery for more pictures....
Rage Against The Machine at Coachella 2007 photo by Gary Miller - Staff Photographer |
Tuesday, May 1. 2007
Hot off the presses, sixteen-year-old Jimmy's new self-titled album was dropped off to me the other day.
The opener, "Diamond Ring," brings to mind Gordie "Grady" Johnson and Big Sugar, although Jimmy's guitar tones aren't quite as monsterous as Gordie's (but whose are?). It's a great opener that sets the tone for the rest of the record.
"Rattle Snake Shake" is Jimmy's take on legendary Peter Green's (Fleetwood Mac) blues rock anthem. The lead break is a thing of beauty and I love Wayne DeAdder's baseline just hanging out in the back.
I was introduced to "Nine" at one of Jimmy's shows in fall 2006 (at that time called "Nine String Thing"). This is Jimmy on one of the mad scientist guitars he builds in his workshop, a flat top accoustic with three extra strings shoehorned onto it. "Nine" is a hybrid bluegrass, folk, blues, with drones a la Indian classical music. The Tabla accompaniment further ads to the Indian feel. I dug it last fall and I really dig it now!
"Drifting Haze" isn't necessarily my cup of tea. At a length of 6:04 it's Zepplin-meets-Stonerrock that goes on for a few more minutes more than I would have liked. If I recall correctly, the lead breaks are performed on an electric twelve string which in itself is pretty cool. If you're into moody Zepplinesque jams then this may be your cup of tea.
In "Far From Reality," Jimmy definately has a Page/Plant vibe going on. I also had flashes of early Aerosmith. I like this song and its tastey single note riffing, chord inversions, and the always dissonant 7#9 chord. The guitar tone is stellar on this as well. Sounds like a little 'Class A' sleeper cranked until it is begging for mercy.
"Black Sea Star" a is shining four and a half minutes. I love the way Jimmy used the ambient room sound of the guitar and drums to create an intimate lo-fi reggae sound. I feel like I'm right in the room, and sipping a tropical drink.
Hmmm, was "The Kara-Dag" co-written with the drummer? The two minute drum solo at 00:50 may have tipped me to that. Just call me Sherlock.
"Loser" is from the same ballpark as "Drifting Haze", but with some moody and fitting slide lines. Jimmy's vocals also take the wheel and we get to hear his chops now that his voice has changed.
A great groove from the get-go is what "Mortisha" offers. Fun lyrics too.
The album's only ballad is "Falling." This is a beautiful song hindered only by the heavy-handed drumming which seems to come from left field.
Rounding out Jimmy's effort is the masterpiece "The Truth," A minor blues which is just pumped full of emotions, from the heartfelt vocal to the lead breaks which squeeze a story from a recurring four or so notes and a wha pedal.
With this self titled disc, Jimmy has moved away from the more traditional blues found on his two previous recordings. Overall the album has a classic stadium rock vibe. Earth shaking drums and big guitars are found throughout. This is an evolution I for one am happy to witness. Will this alienate some of the more conservative fans? Probably. Will this bring new fans into the fold. For sure!
|
|