Chimaira Release Summer Tour Details

Posted on June 14, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Entertainment One

Chimaira will tour this Summer. The six-man metal act has announced that the tour will be in support of its long-awaited new album, Crown of Phantoms. The tour will see the Cleveland based band tour alongside Threat Signal, The Browning and EOne label mates, Dark Sermon.

The bands’ tour kicks off in Springfield, VA and will take them in a near circle through the course of the tour’s roughly twenty-seven dates. From Virginia, the tour will move down the East Coast to South Carolina before moving into Florida and swinging across the Southwest and back up the West Coast into the Pacific Northwest. From there the bands will head back to perform a handful of dates in the Midwest before the tour progresses back to the Northeast. The whole thing wraps up with a hometown show for Chimaira on Sunday, August 25^th at Peabody’s in Cleveland, Ohio.

Crown of Phantoms will be available July 30^th. The lead single the album, ‘All That’s Left is Blood’ can be downloaded via iTunes at
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/all-thats-left-is-blood-single/id647296850
. A full listing of the bands’ upcoming tour is available below.

CROWN OF PHANTOMS TOUR SCHEDULE

7/26/13 Springfield, VA
Empire

7/27/13 Spartanburg, SC
Ground Zero

7/28/13 Orlando, FL
The Social

7/29/13 Jacksonville, FL
Freebird Live

7/31/13 Houston, TX
Fitzgerald’s

8/1/13 Dallas, TX
Trees

8/2/13 Lubbock, TX
Jake’s

8/3/13 Albuquerque, NM
Sunshine Theater

8/4/13 Tempe, AZ
Rocky Point

8/6/13 San Diego, CA
House Of Blues

8/7/13 Santa Ana, CA
The Observatory

8/8/13 Hollywood, CA
The Whisky

8/9/13 Santa Cruz, CA
The Catalyst

8/10/13 Portland, OR
Hawthorne Theater

8/11/13 Seattle, WA
Studio Seven

8/13/13 CO Springs, CO
Black Sheep

8/14/13 Denver, CO
Marquis Theater

8/15/13 Des Moines, IA
Wooly’s

8/16/13 Chicago, IL
Reggie’s

8/17/13 Columbus, OH
Frontier Ranch

8/18/13 Grand Rapids, MI
The Intersection

8/20/13 Philadelphia, PA
Theater Of The Living Arts

8/21/13 New York, NY
Gramercy Theater

8/22/13 Boston, MA
Middle East

8/23/13 Toronto, ON
Wreck Room

8/24/13
Rochester, NY
Montage Music Hall

8/25/13 Cleveland, OH
Peabody’s

Chimaira’s fans can keep up with all of the latest tour news and more from the band online at
http://www.facebook.com/chimairaofficial
,
http://twitter.com/chimairaband
,
http://instagram.com/chimairaband
, and
http://www.youtube.com/chimairatube
.

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to
http://www.facebook.com/philspicks
and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at
http://philspicks.wordpress.com
.

Teen Pop Star Releases Debut EP

Posted on June 11, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Semper Augustus Records/Fresh Tracks Marketing

Teen pop star Lena Fayre has released her debut EP. The self-titled release from the sixteen-year old singer boasts five tracks, including her debut single, ‘Belong To You.’ The song in question is a bittersweet song about love, loss, pain, passion, and triumph. The video for the is available online now via YouTube at

.

Also included on this new EP are the songs,’ Love Burning Alive’, ‘Fate’, ‘Silver’ and Fayre’s next expected single, ‘Jukebox Love.’ ‘Jukebox Love’ was co-written by Fayre and Jaden Michaels. It’s said to be quite the uplifting pop song based in themes of romance that would be a good fit for any summertime party. ‘Love Burning Alive’ is more of an electronica/techno/dance style piece co-written by Jenn Decilveo. The sound of ‘Fate’ is different from the other four pieces on Fayre’s EP. That’s thanks to the fact that the song, was written in a minor scale. It’s till one that many fans will find enjoyable with its heavy back beat. ‘Silver’ is sure to be as much of a club hit as ‘Love Burning Alive’ and any of the other songs on this record. Its infectious groove crafted partially by world renowned producer, instrumentalist and songwriter, Brian Howes (Closure, Van Howes Studios founder) and Jason “JVP” Van Poederooyen (Van Howes Studios co-founder) will get any fan dancing and sweating.

Those looking for a comparison as to what to expect, this brand new EP bears influences from the likes of Alicia Keys and the first lady of pop, Madonna. The EP can be ordered online now via iTunes at
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lena-fayre-ep/id659857109
.

Fans of Lena Fayre can keep up with all of the latest from her online on her official Facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/LenaFayre
and her official website,
http://lenafayre.com
.

To keep up with all of the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to
http://www.facebook.com/philspicks
and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at
http://philspicks.wordpress.com
.

Carnival Of Madness Band Line-Up Announced

Posted on May 29, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: abc-pr

With the unofficial start of Summer come and gone, that means that lots of people will be hitting the roads very soon for their annual Summer vacations. It also means that the annual rush of Summer music festivals will also be hitting the road. One of those festivals is the annual Carnival of Madness tour. The festival tour begins Sunday, August 11^th. A full list of tour dates will be made available on the official Carnival of Madness website
http://carnivalofmadness.com
next Monday, June 3^rd. Tickets will go on sale next Friday, June 7^th.

The tour—sponsored by Monster Energy—will feature Shinedown, Papa Roach, Skillet, In This Moment, and We As Human on the bill. This year’s tour is not the first time on the festival’s lineup for Shinedown. The band headlined the festival tour in its inaugural run in 2010. When it hits the road, the band will be touring in support of its new EP, The Live Room. The EP features five songs from the band’s most recent full length LP, Amaryllis. Also included in the new EP are performances of Carole King’s classic hit, ‘I Feel The Earth Move’ and audio and video performances of the band’s latest single, ‘I’ll Follow You’, as well as its megahit, ‘Bully.’

Skillet will be touring on the heels of its most recent full length studio release, Awake. The album was one of only three rock albums that went platinum in 2012. The only other rock albums to reach Platinum status in 2012 were El Camino from The Black Keys and Babel from Mumford & Sons. That was just one of the many honors for Awake. The album debuted at #2 on Billboard’s “top 200 Albums Chart” and #1 on its “Top Modern Rock/Alternative Albums” chart. Also, it reached #1 on iTunes’ “Top Album” chart. It garnered the band three Billboard Music Awards and four hit singles, including the Gold-Certified #1 single, ‘Awake & Alive’, the Gold-Certified ‘Hero’, ‘It’s Not Me It’s You’ and the Platinum-Certified ‘Monster.’ The companion video to ‘Monster’ earned more than 52 million views on YouTube. NBC used ‘Hero’ for broadcasts of its weekly NFL Sunday Night Football. It also served as the theme song for WWE’s 2012 Royal Rumble broadcast. On June 25^th, the band will release the follow-up to Awake with its new full length album, Rise. The band already has released two songs from the album, ‘Sick of It’ and ‘American Noise.’ Both songs have already hit #1 on the iTunes Rock Chart.

All of the accolades received by Skillet have potentially helped another band on the bill for this year’s tour. That band is We As Human. The band was signed to Atlantic Records in 2011 via Hear It Loud, a partnership formed partially by Skillet’s John Cooper along with manager Zach Kelm and Todd Rubenstein after Cooper had discovered the band. The band’s self-titled debut album will be available June 25^th.

In This Moment joins this year’s tour on the heels of the release of its latest album, Blood, which was released in August 2012. Blood debuted at #15 on the Billboard “Top 200 Albums” Chart and has sold over 150,000 copies since its release. The album spawned two hits, ‘Adrenalize’ and its title track. The band’s 2007 debut record, Beautiful Tragedy earned the band a spot on both the 2007 and 2008 Ozzfest. And 2008’s The Dream landed the band a slot on the 2009 Warped Tour. 2010’s A Star-Crossed Wasteland was the band’s highest-charting album until the release of Blood.

Papa Roach’s most recently released single, ‘Where Did The Angels Go’ reached #1 on the Active Rock Radio Chart from BDS/Billboard. The single comes from the band’s most recent full length release, The Connection, released via Eleven Seven Music. The album was released in October 2012 and debuted as iTunes’ #2 Rock album. It’s just one of ten Top 10 rock hits and seven Top 10 alternative hits. The band also has two Grammy nominations and an MTV VMA nomination.

For more information on each band and the upcoming tour, fans can go online to the festival’s official website,
http://www.carnivalofmadness.com
or its official Facebook page,
http://www.facebook.com/CarnivalofMadness
. Audiences can also get the latest updates on the tour via Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube at
http://twitter.com/carnivalofmadness
,
http://instagram.com/carnivalofmadness
, and
http://www.youtube.com/carnivalofmadness
.

Satriani Proves He’s Still Got Plenty Of “Momentum” On New LP

Posted on May 17, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Epic Records/RED Distribution

Joe Satriani’s latest release, Unstoppable Momentum is the famed guitarist’s best release since his 2006 album, Super Colossal. This new record is the album that fans have waited for since the release of Super Colossal. It is just as bombastic as Super Colossal and more at some points. It’s also just as gentle as SC, too at different points. Perhaps a big reason for the success of this record is the Satch opted for a different backing group than he typically uses on his records. Many of Satriani’s past records were recorded with Jeff Campitelli on drums and Allen Whitman on bass. This time out, Satch opted instead to have drummer Vinnie Colaiuta man the kit and Chris Chaney add the low end on bass. Another change to the lineup that could have created such a difference on this record from his other works was the inclusion of Mike Frasier behind the glass once again. The two are quite familiar with one another, having worked together on no less than six of Satch’s previous records, including his most recent album, Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards (2010) and Super Colossal. He also helped with the creation of both of Chickenfoot’s current releases on which Joe played guitar. That familiarity and friendship between the pair—and the inclusion of new musicians–obviously played a role in the record’s sound as it has proven to be not just his best record since Super Colossal, but one of his finest records to date.

Right from the opening number of Unstoppable Momentum, long-time fans of Satriani’s work know they are in for quite a ride. The album opens fittingly with its title track. Simply listening to the song, one can’t help but hear that perhaps Satriani is making a statement early on that even fourteen albums in, he still has a lot left to offer audiences. He still has that “unstoppable momentum.” The song’s seeming ABA structure starts off easy before really kicking things up in the middle section. Joe shows without a doubt that he’s still got plenty left in the tank with his “solos” in this section while drummer Vinnie Colaiuta gives an added intensity with his musicianship behind the kit. He proves to be just as solid as [Jeff] Campitelli, if not more so. His ability to handle polyrhythmic patters without missing a single beat is impressive to say the least, both here and throughout the record. This is just one example of what makes this such a solid record.

Another good example of what makes Unstoppable Momentum a success is the almost Beatles-esque, ‘I’ll Put a Stone on Your Cabin.’ The song’s “A” sections have something of a Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club influence. Somehow, Satriani and his band mates manage to tie in a sound that is quite the counterpoint to this vibe, making the song into a piece unlike anything that Satriani has ever recorded throughout his career. It is one of those songs that simply must be heard to be appreciated and understood.

There is at least one more example of what makes this new record one that fans will enjoy. And it is the album’s absolutely shortest, but most touching piece. That song is the one minute and forty-three minute long, ‘I’ll Put a Stone on Your Cairn.’ For those that don’t know, one of the traditional uses of a cairn is as a monument to one who has passed on. Its use roots all the way back to prehistoric Eurasia. So placing a stone on one’s cairn would be an act of tribute and remembrance to the deceased. Keeping all of this in mind, the gentle, dulcet tones of this short opus are sure to create thoughts in the minds of listeners of perhaps those that they have lost. It offers some of the album’s deepest emotions and is sure to generate among listeners some of the deepest emotions, as well. Without a doubt, this song may end up being a favorite for fans, even as short as it is. And it is just one more among so many that listeners will enjoy throughout the course of the album’s eleven total tracks. The album is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered online via Joe’s website,
http://www.satriani.com
, where he has links to iTunes, Amazon, and through his own website. Fans can also order the new album and all sorts of Joe Satriani gear through his official Facebook page,
http://www.facebook.com/joesatriani
. Fans can keep up with the latest tour updates and news from Joe on his Facebook page, too.

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to
http://www.facebook.com/philspicks
. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at
http://philspicks.wordpress.com
.

Serj Tankian Releasing Two New Albums This Summer

Posted on April 29, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Serjical Strike Records

System of a Down front man Serj Tankian will release two new albums this Summer via his own Serjical Strike Records. The first of the two new records, Orca will be released first on June 25^th. It will be followed up with the experimental jazz album, Jazz-iz Christ on July 23^rd. Orca mixes influences of Twentieth Century composers with works written for modern films, showing a vast expanse of influences. Among those influences are the likes of Philip Glass and Ennio Morricone. It was originally composed in Tankian’s home studio, and came to fruition thanks to a Kickstarter campaign that helped bring it to life. Conductor Werner Steinmetz held the baton for the recording of the records four acts.

Courtesy: Serjical Strike Records

Jazz-iz Christ, the second of Tankian’s upcoming release this Summer, started with just Tankian himself. From there, it grew into a large collaborative effort that included work from: pianist Tigran Hamasyan, flautist Valeri Tolstov, and trumpet player Tom Duprey. Also making appearances on the new record are Stewart Copeland (The Police), actor/musician Davis Alpay, and Vincent Pedulla. The album contains a total of fifteen compositions, most of which are instrumental, save for four songs. That group of songs mix together progressive jazz, electronic, ethnic and rock elements.

Both Orca and Jazz-iz Christ will be available worldwide on iTunes, Amazon, and other online outlets including Tankian’s own website,
http://www.serjtankian.com
and the Serjical Strike website,
http://www.serjicalstrike.com
. Pre-orders for the deluxe limited editions of Orca begin this Wednesday, May 1^st. The deluxe limited edition of Orca includes a 180-gram picture disc, swag, and a signed copy of the actual score for the record. Pre-orders for Jazz-iz Christ begin Wednesday, May 15^th. Audiences can check out audio samples of both records at the Serjical Strike Records website.

A tour in support of both records will be held beginning September 19^th at the Ukraina Hall in Ukraine. The tour will come on the heels of the current System of a Down tour. The current list of tour dates in support of Tankian’s new records is available below. More dates will be announced at a later date. To keep up with all of the latest tour information and news from Serj Tankian, fans can follow him on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/Serjtankian
and on his official website,
http://www.serjtankian.com
.

19 Sep 13 Thu	Kiev	Ukraine	Ukraina Hall
21 Sep 13 Sat	Yekaterinburg	Russia	Kosmos Hall
23 Sep 13 Mon	Novosibirsk	Russia	DK Zheleznodorozhnik
25 Sep 13 Wed	Krasnoyarsk	Russia	Philharmony
27 Sep 13 Fri	Moscow	Russia	Crocus City Hall
28 Sep 13 Sat	St. Petersburg	Russia	Orjktybyrsky Concert Hall
03 Oct 13 Thu	Florence	Italy	Teatro Comunale
04 Oct 13 Fri	Padova	Italy	Gran Teatro Geox
05 Oct 13 Sat	Rome	Italy	Auditorium Parco Della Musica

Satriani Announces New Album, Tour

Posted on April 18, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Epic Records/MAD Ink PR

Veteran guitarist Joe Satriani is set to release his fourteenth full length studio release next month. The album titled, Unstoppable Momentum is currently scheduled to be released May 7^th via Epic Records. A tour in support of the new album is already in the works, and scheduled to begin in August. Before all of that happens though, fans can check out the video for the first single off of Satch’s new album via rollingstone.com. The video for ‘A Door Into Summer’ can be viewed at Rolling Stone magazine’s website now at
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/joe-satriani-prepares-for-the-heat-in-a-door-into-summer-premiere-20130418
.

As Rolling Stone writer RJ Cubarrubia notes in the video’s description, the video shows Satriani packing the van and heading to Skywalker Studios where the new album was recorded. The vintage feel of the video mixed with more modern day feel combine to make a song that despite the other part of the song’s description, leads to thoughts of where Joe has been musically, and where he is now.

Audiences can pre-order Unstoppable Momentum now online through the Epic Records online store at
http://www.myplaydirect.com/joe-satriani
. Unstoppable Momentum can also be downloaded via iTunes at
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/unstoppable-momentum/id632120065
.

Fans that pre-order the album online will also get the chance to bundle signed copies of the album with exclusive t-shirts and guitar straps. Fans will even get the chance to receive an exclusive, never before seen art book full of drawings, doodles, and more that Joe has drawn throughout his career. “Some of my drawings have made their way on to guitars, straps and picks, LP and CD booklets, t-shirts, hats, keychains, etc and even my live stage productions,” he said. “This book represents my first effort to finally compile my oddly drawn friends into one place, a wildly colorful portfolio of sorts. A collection of drawings meant to inspire and entertain.”

Fans can keep up with the latest tour dates and news as it is announced through Joe’s official Facebook page,
http://www.facebook.com/joesatriani
and his official website,
http://www.satriani.com
.

Draiman, Device Far From Being Disturbed

Posted on April 18, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Warner Brothers Records

David Draiman is one of the most well known vocalists in the rock community today. His animalistic sounding growls and seemingly Maynard James Keenan inspired vocal style make his a voice that is instantly noticeable when listeners hear it. The problem is that just as Keenan’s side project, A Perfect Circle, was instantly compared to Tool because of Keenan’s iconic vocal style, so has Draiman’s new side project, Device, been compared to Disturbed. While the first pair of tracks on Device’s self-titled debut do bear some semblance to material recorded by Disturbed, that similarity begins to fade early on. The album’s third song, ‘Vilify’ has more of a pure rock sound. Right from its opening verse, it impresses just as much lyrically as musically. Draiman sings defiantly as the song opens, “As you vilify/Every single move that I make/And try to bind me/In your insanity/You’ll come to know/That you never had control/from the onset/Go find another lapdog, f***er.” The defiance doesn’t stop here. The verbal assault against those who would run their mouths seemingly just to run their mouths runs nonstop through the song with full on intensity that is sure to get the blood and body flowing.

If there was still any question of comparison to Disturbed even in ‘Vilify’, then those comparisons will be erased even more in the album’s very next song, ‘Close My Eyes Forever.’ Some might cringe at this, but it almost comes across as a ballad style piece, especially with the addition of vocalist Lzzy Hale (Halestorm) give it even more of that sense. And if that’s not proof enough, one need only look at the song’s lyrical content as argument for that comparison. Lyrically speaking, it comes across as a song of lost love. Draiman and Hale sing here, “I know I’ve been so hard to you/I know I’ve told you lies/If I could have just one more wish/I’d wipe the cobwebs from my eyes.” This one song isn’t reason for anyone to worry, as it’s the only time through the course of the album’s ten tracks that the album’s intensity drops off.

The intensity built early on in Device’s self-titled debut picks back up not long after ‘Close My Eyes Forever.’ What’s more, as the intensity rebuilds through the album’s second half so does the separation of Device from Disturbed. It all starts on ‘Out of Line.’ This socio-political piece offers a solid mix of electronics and heavy, foot-stomping, head banging guitar breaks that would make any metal purist proud. And the inclusion of Serj Tankian’s (System of a Down) equally distinct vocal style adds even more musical flavor to this song. One can’t ignore the addition of Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) on this track, either. The mix of music, star power, and lyrical heaviness makes it just one more of so many tracks from which listeners will be able to choose as a favorite. The intensity and separation from the band members’ primary bands builds even more in ‘Opinion.’ The guest guitar work of Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) is surprisingly unlike what Morello has recorded with his other side projects. And it definitely helps to maintain this song’s identity from anything even remotely related to Disturbed. It is one of those pieces that has to be heard to fully understand this.

If the guest appearances from Tom Morello, Geezer Butler, and Serj Tankian aren’t enough to convince listeners as to the identity of Device, then perhaps ‘War of Lies’ and the album’s closer, ‘Through It All’ will do the job. The heavy bass and vocals from Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple) mixed with Draiman’s vocals make this one of the album’s more surprisingly interesting songs. That’s because of the fact that the song starts off very slow and deliberate. But a little more than halfway through the song, it picks up, and carries the listener up to the song’s final fading moments. Those moments are just subtle enough to allow listeners to catch their breath after the musical rollercoaster on which they have just taken a ride. And having caught their breath, any listener that went into this album thinking it would be just another Disturbed record will have seen that that belief was in fact completely wrong. While it might have started out with some similarity to Disturbed, that similarity is soon erased, and a new band with a sound that bears only the slightest closeness to the prior arises. It definitely turns out to be a record that any fan of Disturbed and any hard rock fan in general will want to check out at least once.

Device is currently touring in support of its self-titled debut. Among some of its more notable scheduled concert dates are performances at the “Welcome to Rockville” Festival on April 28^th in Jacksonville Florida, the Carolina Rebellion Festival in Rockingham, North Carolina on May 4^th, and the famed Rock on the Range Festival in Columbus, Ohio on May 19^th. The band has even more dates that audiences can find out about when they “Like” Device on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/Devicetheband
. Audiences will also find a link to download the band’s album via iTunes on the Facebook page. That link is
http://smarturl.it/deviceitunes
for those that may not be able to get to the band’s FB page.

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to
http://www.facebook.com/philspicks
and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at
http://philspicks.wordpress.com
.

Niacin’s New LP Makes A Big Mark In Its Debut

Posted on April 12, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Prosthetic Records

Prog-jazz trio Niacin’s new album, Krush has made quite the splash on the Billboard jazz charts this week. The album debuted at #19 on the Billboard “Current Traditional Jazz” chart and #36 on the “Current Jazz” list. The debut marks the very first appearance ever by a band and/or artist signed to Prosthetic Records. The album is the first for the band—Dennis Chambers (drums), Billy Sheehan (bass), and John Novello (guitars)—in eight years. It has been hailed by Revolver magazine as “a high-octane thrill-ride (with) all-star chops.” Fresh off the heels of the debut, bassist Billy Sheehan will hold a series of workshops at Guitar Center stores across the country, many of which will be held along the West Coast and Southwest. Fans that attend these workshops will get a chance to win some very valuable prizes including: Sheehan’s bass amplification rig or an autographed pack of Rotosound Swing Bass 66 strings. The bass rig includes: an LH 1000 Bass Amplifier and AK410/AK115 Bass Cabinets. A listing of the workshops is available below:

Billy Sheehan Guitar Center Workshops:
5/13 – Guitar Center West Los Angeles @ 6pm (10831 W Pico Blvd)
5/14 – Guitar Center San Jose @ 6pm (3677 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara)
5/16 – Guitar Center Reno @ 6pm (6663 S Virginia St)
5/17 – Guitar Center Phoenix @ 6pm (8949 East Indian Blvd, Scottsdale)
5/19 – Guitar Center Albuquerque @ 2pm (6001 Menaul Blvd NE)
5/20 – Guitar Center Denver @ 6pm (9647 E County Line Rd, Englewood)
5/22 – Guitar Center New York City @ 6pm (25 W 14th St, Manhattan)
5/23 – Guitar Center Danbury @ 6pm (15 Backus Ave)

Krush is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered online via iTunes at
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/krush/id626832219
, Amazon mp3 at

Amazon.com: Krush: Niacin: MP3 Downloads

, and the Prosthetic Records online store at
http://www.indiemerch.com/prostheticrecords/item/18625
.

One Of Filter’s Best Records “Comes Out” In Its New LP

Posted on April 10, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Wind-Up Records

Filter’s first new record in three years is a solid release for the band. Having undergone numerous lineup changes and seemingly almost as many label changes, this new record is a testament to the band’s ability to keep going and making music. So many lesser bands would have already folded long before. But Filter has taken the road less travelled and crafted what is arguably one of its best records to date in The Sun Comes Out Tonight. The record largely keeps the energy flowing from start to finish, holding back only a small handful of times. The times that the band holds back are so spread out that even when they do make themselves known, it luckily doesn’t take anything away from the rest of the album’s songs.

The energy starts flowing right from the album’s opener, ‘We Hate It When You Get What You Want.’ This slightly techno-infused song will take long-time audiences back to the days of the band’s 1995 debut record, Short Bus all while sounding quite a bit like Linkin Park. There are those that might consider such a comparison to be musical heresy of sorts. But if one hadn’t known that this was Filter, it would have been rather easy to think it was the latter of the two. This isn’t such a bad thing though. The song’s energy and front man Richard Patrick leads the onslaught, while drummer Jeff Friedl, guitarist Jonathan Radtke and bassist Phil Buckman come together to make a song that is a proper opener. The drive of the guitar and drums make this song an obvious hit both on the record and in a live setting. It would be easy to see any live audience taking in the song, fists high in the air, voices raised, singing along together. Being that this is the first impression for the band since its last release three years ago, it is an excellent first impression for the band in its return.

The album’s next song, ‘What Do You Say’ takes over at the end of the LP’s opener and keeps the energy flowing at top level. And just as with the album’s opener, it’s just as certain to have live audiences singing along and pumping their fists along as Patrick sings, “Hey, hey what do you say/It doesn’t really matter/Cause it’s all the same/Hey, hey what do you say/They’re just gonna blame us anyway.” Lyrically, this song comes across in a slightly cryptic manner. The really good thing about it though is that it isn’t just one of so many countless songs about one’s relationship issues. And the equally powerful hooks and choruses make the song even better and another sure bet to be a fan hit.

The energy kicked up by the album’s first pair of songs pulls back just slightly in its third song, ‘Surprise.’ That pullback is only momentary, as the energy kicks back into high gear in the album’s rather electronica infused semi-title track, ‘What The Sun Come Out Tonight.’ And it doesn’t let up from there until the band gets just past its halfway mark in ‘First You Break It.’ Again, that reduced presence is only temporary as the band once again sheds its softer sound in favor of something with more kick in ‘Burn It’ and ‘Take That Knife Out Of My Back.’ By the time listeners reach the album’s final pair of songs, which is definitely the album’s calmest, they will be left almost breathless thanks to the musical rollercoaster on which they have been taken over the course of the album’s previous ten songs. By the time the last notes of ‘It’s Just You’ fade away, listeners will know that they have just experienced one more album that is more than deserving of being added to the ever growing list of the year’s best rock records.

Audiences will have the chance to experience the music from this brand new album as Filter will be hitting the road beginning next Thursday, April 18^th in support of it. The band will perform at the Black Sheep in Colorado Springs, CO that day. Filter’s North Carolina based fans will also get the chance to experience the band’s new music live as the band will make not one but two stops in North Carolina on its tour. The first of the band’s NC dates will be at the Red Hat Amphitheatre in Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday, May 31^st. The band’s second NC date is scheduled for Sunday, June 2^nd at the Time Warner Cable Uptown Amphitheatre in Charlotte, North Carolina. Fans can get a full listing of tour dates from the band’s Facebook page,
http://www.facebook.com/Filter
. Fans can also go to the band’s Facebook page to pre-order the album, which is due out June 4^th.

Rundgren Re-Invents Himself Again On New LP

Posted on April 2, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Cherry Red Records/Esoteric Antenna

If Beatallica’s new album, Abbey Load is the most intriguing album of 2013, then Todd Rundgren’s State is a direct runner-up to the title. Rundgren continues his tradition of re-inventing himself yet again with this new album. The album opens with what is best described as an ear-opening mix of Pink Floyd, Devin Townsend, and Office of Strategic Influence (OSI) in ‘Imagination.’ This is a fitting title for the song, especially being that it is the album’s opener. Its mix of electronica and rock make it a song that will definitely get many listeners’ imaginations running wild with all kinds of images. Rundgren’s vocals on this song sound like a mix of Devin Townsend and Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree). Whether or not it was intentional, the prog influences are there. And at over eight minutes long, listeners are sure to find their own connections. Regardless of the connections made, what can be sure of this song is that Rundgren shows just how much ‘imagination’ and creativity he still has.

‘Imagination’ is just the beginning of Rundgren proving that he still has plenty to offer his listeners on this new record. The album’s second track, ‘Serious’ is just as imaginative and creative as the album’s opener. It boasts a rather interesting funky electronica/rock hybrid sound. The backing choruses of the song sound rather familiar, too like a much older funk tune. And his screams are solid. They are reminiscent of King’s X front man dUg Pinnick, strangely enough. That combined with the song’s mix of sounds easily makes this another highlight to this new album. It’s not just another dance/electronica song. It’s a bridge between two musical worlds that could potentially bring fans of both electronica and dance together if only for about four minutes.

It’s not until the album reaches just past its halfway point that Rundgren goes full on techno. ‘Smoke’ is sure to be an instant club hit with fans of the dance/electronica genre. This is one of those types of songs that will bring down the lights, and bring out the black lights and mirror balls in clubs around the country. Its keyboard part and solid two-four beat makes it an easily danceable song. Of course that electronica vibe doesn’t last long as he goes back to a rock/electronica hybrid in ‘Collide-A-Scope’ before eventually making his way back to a full on techno vibe with the album’s penultimate song, ‘Party Liquor.’ This is sure to be another club hit with its keyboard part and up tempo beats and crowd chants. What’s really interesting about this song is that at times, one can actually hear a hint of a disco influence throughout the song’s bridge section. Forget the fact that the song is seemingly about alcohol. It’s the song’s music that fans will really hear. And it’s that music that audiences will enjoy. Though there are more songs from which listeners can choose for their favorite. This is just a sample of what makes the album stand out. It will be available next Tuesday, April 8^th in stores and online. The physical CD and digital can both be pre-ordered now. It can be pre-ordered via iTunes at
http://smarturl.it/STATEiTunes
and at
http://smarturl.it/DeluxeCD
for the physical CD.

Todd kicks off a tour in support of his new album next month at the Infinity Hall in Norfolk, VA. It all kicks off May 8^th. He will have eight U.S. tour dates before heading overseas for a European tour through most of June. And on June 23^rd, he will be back stateside for the second leg of U.S. dates beginning at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA on June 23^rd. Fans can get a full list of tour dates online at Rundgren’s official Facebook page,
http://www.facebook.com/toddrundgren
or on his official website,
http://www.tr-i.com
.

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