Album Review: 3 Short Reviews

>>I did 2 of these back in October, and one in December. I posted them as notes on the Fan Page, but they never made it to the actual site. Well, not until now anyway...

1) Brand New Eyes - Paramore
Long before their appearance on the Twilight soundtrack last year, Paramore has always been a band with strong lyrics and a killer chorus in practically every song. Their previous records both have songs you can’t help getting stuck in your head, so naturally their 3rd is no different. The first single, “Ignorance”, is crazy addictive. The track listing starts out strong with “Careful” and “Ignorance”, two songs that draw you in from the get-go. It flows through several great songs, ending with “All I Wanted”, a song that starts out soft and sweet, but soon becomes very powerful and emotionally charged. Hearing it, you can tell that a lot of feeling went into it from both the lyrics, and the way Hayley sings them. As a whole, Brand New Eyes shows a more mature Paramore as they’ve developed a more serious rock sound. Long time fans of the band will be far from disappointed. (Original Note)

2) Ignite EP - The Reserve
Although they might remind you of Angels and Airwaves at times, The Reserve has a sound that’s really all their own. Their new Ignite EP has 5 songs on it, and they’re all just as addicting. My personal favorites are “Ignite” and “Man Of Your Dreams”, but you’ll soon find yourself singing along to every track. The EP starts out strong with “In Your Eyes”, and it only gets better from there. “Man Of Your Dreams” has more of a rock edge to it, and the band went all out with “Lay With Me”; the chorus is pretty rad. “She Said” is a genuinely sweet acoustic track. “Ignite” closes out the EP, and with its pop-punk vibe, ends things with a bang. Best part, the songs are more than just catchy pop tunes- they’ve got a message behind them too, making it the total package.
Check out their EP, available on iTunes now! (Original Note)

3) This Is War - 30 Seconds To Mars
The guys in 30 Seconds To Mars have recently released their first album in four years, titled This Is War. This record is a good example of what happens when alternative rock music is combined with a bit of a new wave vibe. Aside from that mix of genres, the incorporation of fan input is undoubtedly the most unique aspect of the record. The members of 30STM called for fans to be a part of their album, inviting them to what they called "The Summit" at the Avalon club in Los Angeles. Fans from all over the world came out to contribute, and the result was incredible. There are either background or group vocals recorded at The Summit on almost every track. The album starts with “Escape”, a wordless introduction that helps to set the tone. There is a great transition between tracks, one flowing into the next. The sixth track “Hurricane” features Kanye West. Not surprisingly, this song is different than most of their others, and one can certainly pick up on Kanye’s influence. The beauty is, even with the collaboration, 30STM stay pretty true to themselves, thus having that song still fit in with the rest on the record. The song ends with some electronic effects, and flows nicely into the next song, “Closer To The Edge.” Some other highlights from this record are “Night Of The Hunter”, “Kings And Queens” (the single), and “Vox Populi.” This Is War is far different from their most recent album (2005’s A Beautiful Lie), but long time fans of the band will not be disappointed. The band went into the studio aiming to do something that had not been done before. After listening to this record, one can see that this goal has definitely been accomplished. (Original Note)

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