Artist:Billy Boy on Poison Album: "Drama Junkie Queen" Released: Written By: Sophia McKissick Rating: 5 out of 5 Points   Billy Boy on Poison’s debut album, “Drama Junkie Queen,” released only July 7th of this year. As far as debut albums go, it’s a good one; if you’re a rock lover, you will probably find something you like. Davis LeDuke’s voice caresses your ears with velvet or gravel, depending on the song; the guitar chords play hard and heavy, smooth and simple, or slow and intense. Billy Boy on Poison also does not make the mistake of super-long, repetitive songs, a pet peeve of mine. All but one is under 4 minutes, providing the balance of a full-bodied song and staying fresh and interesting. From the upbeat, catchy “On My Way,” to the somber, intense “4 Leaf Clover,” to the almost hypnotic, carnival-like “Higher Power,” Billy Boy on Poison brings a wide array of sounds to their CD.  “Drama Queen Junkie” features ten songs, and I have to say I like them all. My favorites are the three mentioned above, as well as “Saturday’s Child” and “Another Lonely Start.” I know, I know, that’s half the CD right there, but there’s a lot to love. “On My Way” is a fun and funky number that puts me in mind of the White Stripes, most likely for the alternating smooth, punctuated, and screaming voice of LeDuke. (The song, however, like its companions, are all Billy Boy on Poison. Though they claim influences from Dylan, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Radiohead, Hendrix, and many more, Billy Boy on Poison retains a nicely distinctive sound, even as they switch between styles.) “4 Leaf Clover” is a much more solemn piece, smooth and heartrending, that calls on images of broken people in a broken home. “Higher Power (And Other 12 Step Programs)” literally puts me in mind of a carnival, albeit a cynical, demented one. “Saturday’s Child” is another upbeat song that sings of girls and rebellion; “Another Lonely Start” slows it down again for love and pain and loss. All together, I definitely recommend this album for any fan of the rock genre; there’s something for just about everyone. I can’t wait to see what they produce next.

Artist:Owl City Album: "Ocean Eyes" Released: Written By: Rating: 5 out of 5 Points   With YouTube, Myspace, Facebook, and other sites being used to release music, rather than through the traditional route of music labels and contracts, releases like Ocean Eyes may become more and more popular.  Owl City, a musical act consisting solely of Adam Young, a 23-year old who creates music in his parents’ basement, sings of love, Seattle, and fireflies in a synth-pop style on Owl City’s 3rd release (first on a major label, Universal Republic Records). Highlights of Ocean Eyes include “Cave In,” “Fireflies,” “The Bird and the Worm,” and “Umbrella Beach.”  All of the aforementioned songs are upbeat, with synth/electronia qualities and tongue-in-cheek lyrics like “If the bombs go off/ The sun will still be shining/ Because we've heard it said that every mushroom cloud/ Has a silver lining.” (“Cave In”) While the songs are mainly all of similar style and tempo, the topics are all different enough to garner attention from the listener.  Where else could someone find a song about going to the dentist (“Dental Care”)?  Lyrics like “’Open up nice and wide,’ he says peering in/And with a smirk he says ‘don't have a fit,/this'll just pinch a bit,’ as he tries not to grin,” may seem simplistic and childish at first, but are delivered in a way that force the listener to question if the lyrics are symbolic of something else. Two notable exceptions to the standard style on this album are  “The Tip of the Iceberg” and “Vanilla Twilight”.  “Iceberg” is different in the fact that it’s a full-blown “club” song, with a heavier and faster beat, while “Vanilla Twilight,” a song of lost love, is slower, reflexive, and sadder sounding compared to the rest of the album. Overall, Adam Young, as “Owl City”, has proved his musical genius in writing, producing, and arranging the music on Ocean Eyes and creating a spectacular album.  The synth-pop nature of the album is refreshing compared to the boring pop music of late, but not too over-the-top to turn listeners off.

Artist: Muse Album: "The Resistance" Released: Written By: Andy Welch Rating: 4 out of 5 Points   Let me get this out of the way right now.  Muse‘s 2006 effort, “Black Holes and Revelations“, is one of my favorite albums of the last five years.  “Knights of Cydonia” (which most of you might remember as the song in Guitar Hero 3 that was darn near 75 percent ultra-fast up/down strumming--or at least felt like it) is my personal favorite album closer of all time.  That song defines epic in every sense of the word. So, where do you go from there? Most bands would’ve been better off calling it a day and hanging up their instruments.  But no, this is Muse we’re talking about; scribes of such alternative rock hits as “Plug In Baby”, “Stockholm Syndrome”, “Hysteria”, and a sweet rendition of “Feelin’ Good”.  So of course they’re going to get back in the studio and outdo themselves. But--!  Do they?   I had heard many rumors surrounding this album.  Two big ones were that Muse were contemplating just having the album be one long track (we’re talking something that would put Dream Theater’s longest to shame) and that Matt Bellamy, the band’s singer/guitarist, was contemplating dabbling in space rock.  So when the release date came and I greedily tore through the album thrice, I came away…  a bit disappointed. I knew it wasn’t going to be the Second Coming, but I’ve come to expect something a bit more exciting from Muse.  The album itself sees them depart from their rather distinctive take on alt-rock and conjures visions of Marilyn Mason (with the first single, “Unborn”), Queen (“United States of Eurasia”), System of a Down (“Unnatural Selection“), and Pet Shop Boys (“Resistance”).  It’s nice to hear Bellamy and crew try something a little different, but I’d rather have it be within the bounds of their own stellar music capabilities and handling of their chosen genre.  A good chunk of the music on here seems pretty basic compared to anything off of their previous two albums and more along the lines of their debut, “Showbiz”, which wasn’t exactly the best first impression a band could make. The standout track on this album is easily “I Belong To You”, whose only flaw is that it will be remixed and featured on the New Moon soundtrack (adamant sparkly vampire haters, represent!).  It’s always a joy to hear Bellamy jump on piano, and this track is all about it.  It opens up with a catchy riff, only to slow down about halfway through for something a little symphonic.  Then about a minute later, it builds back up to speed and brings in a bass clarinet solo--which doesn’t feel out of place at all.  Whoever had the idea to throw that is deserves a slice of awesome pie. Then there’s the symphony, “Exogenesis”.  This is split into three separate tracks and stuffed at the end of the album.  Beautiful pianos, well-composes strings, and a smattering of drums and guitar; it‘s all there.  This is definitely what the rest of the album should’ve sounded like:  Muse grabbing a genre by the horns and twisting it to their own ends. And then there’s the lyrics.  Hey, guys?  A track or two with a political slant is fine and all, but dragging it out for at least half an album?  You’re not SOAD.  Stop it.

Artist:Mika Album: "The Boy Who Knew Too Much " Released: September 22, 2009 Written By: Caitlin Pollard Rating: 4 out of 5 Points   Mika, the flamboyant, showman songwriter known for his hits “Grace Kelly” and “Love Today”, is back with his second album, The Boy Who Knew Too Much.  This new CD, released September 22nd, features the same disco-style, upbeat pop music that Mika is known for, along with his trademark falsetto singing and crazy lyrics. Highlights of the CD included “Blame It on the Girls,” “We Are Golden,” and “Rain,” but really most of the CD was very good.  While the lyrics are introspective and mature (Blame It  has lyrics like “Blame it on the girls who know what to do/ Blame it on the boys who keep hitting on you/ Blame it on your mother for the things she said/Blame it on your father but you know he's dead’), the upbeat music lets the song be youthful, fun, and entertaining, masking the serious topics. While the upbeat nature of the songs stayed the same for the most part, the influences and styles used are very different.  On this CD you can find salsa inspired music, acoustic guitar, and almost a reggae feel on tracks like “Blue Eyes”.  Though the disco-like songs on this album are all spectacular, the ballads that Mika tries, like “I See You” and “By the Time,” fall somewhat flat.  It’s not that he doesn’t do a good job singing the songs, or that the lyrics aren’t good, but rather that ballads don’t fit with his image of a flamboyant , lively, eccentric performer. By far my favorite song on the CD was “We Are Golden.”  It has a very retro 70’s feel and just makes me want to move around.  Lyrics from the song about teenager rebellion include “Teenage dreams in a teenage circus/ Running around like a clown on purpose/ Who gives a damn about the family you come from?/ No giving up when you're young and you want some,” and “We are not what you think we are/ We are golden, we are golden.” Check out Mika is you’re looking for fun, crazy, 70’s disco music to dance to.  He is guaranteed to make your head nod and your feet tap.  I personally loved the CD, minus the few ballads, and even those were still okay, just not mixed with the rest of the album.

Artist:Billy Talent Album: "Billy Talent III" Released: September 22, 2009 Written By: Tyler Kent Rating: 4 out of 5 Points   This marks the fourth album to be put out by the Canadian rock group. The signature sound fans of Billy Talent have come to know thankfully remains unchanged. This effort however brings a more refined sound as compared to the bands earlier work. Ben Kowalewicz’s instantly recognizable vocals seemed to be tamed and perfected in the recording studio. Given Ben’s style and range this must have been quite an arduous task. I must say that in my opinion the vocal work on ‘III’ is a perfect representation of how a voice such as Kowalewicz’s should be presented. In addition to the seamless vocals the individual  instruments also seem to be locked into the proper tone and presence. Billy Talent has truly found their niche in sound and has worked to polish it. The starting track Devil On My Shoulder is a perfect example of how the band has become more concise in their writing. Every instrument, be it a well crafted guitar solo, groove leading bass line, or catchy drum beat, seems to fit and compliment the others very nicely. The CD isn’t as fast paced as Billy Talent II; however the rock and roll aspect is still ever present. Slower tracks include Tears Into Wine and White Sparrows, which despite the softer verses features Talents signature driving choruses. Many songs on this album possess the energy and memorable lyrics that lend them to an excellent live show. Fans of the groups’ previous albums will find no disappointments other than the slowdown in tempo. Billy Talent hasn’t changed their formula except to exact its specifications. This disk is a polished work of a band that knows what they want and are well rehearsed in their chosen art.

Artist: Three Days Grace Album: "Life Starts Now" Released: September 22, 2009 Written By: Tyler Kent Rating: 4 out of 5 Points   Three Days Grace returns to the music scene with their third album, Life Starts Now. The groups’ hard rock sound remains thoroughly intact. Fans will be drawn right back by the first track, “Bitter Taste”, which boasts a driving beat and loud crunch guitars accompanying Adam Gontier’s piercing growl. Compared to previous releases however, parts of Life seem softer and far less edgy than the usual Three Days Grace material. The driving riffs and vocals give way to slightly softer music on some tracks including “Lost In You”, “Someone Who Cares”. The strangest departure from the status quo would be the piano track entitled “Last To Know”. Old fans may take solace in the harder cuts such as “Bully” and “Goin’ Down”, both which harken back to classic Grace. Also, the subject material has not been altered. The albums lyrics still focus on struggles though life that cause heartache, remorse, or anger. Granted that this album isn’t the cookie-cutter spawn of the previous two, which may garnish some animosity, this CD shows the band growing and expanding on their roots. The emotion Gontier puts forth isn’t always anger, and that gives Life a new dimension and stark contrast to earlier work. Life Starts Now will most likely take some getting used to for those who only listened to Three Days Grace for their ear splitting volume and ferocity. However in the same breath I can certainly recommend this disk because, despite any discrepancies in the new directions taken, Three Day Grace still writes good rock music.

Artist: Flo Rida Album: R.O.O.T.S Released: March 31 , 2009 Written By: Aaron LaFaro Rating: 3 out of 5 Points   Standing for "Route of Overcoming the Struggle," R.O.O.T.S. is an especially unreasonable title for Flo Rida's follow-up to Mail on Sunday, the album featuring megahit "Low." With the handful of plaintive or reflective numbers included here all being forgettable and dull, it's way too noble a title, one that points out all the album's shortcomings. The autobiographical opener, "Finally Here," seems bemused by life's journey, not in awe, and "Rewind" is a slower, whispy song with a thin "turn back time" metaphor supported by Wyclef's pathos for hire. Of course, the reason you're here is for the numerous poptastic club tracks, all infectious and empty in true ringtone rapper style. The Dead or Alive interpolating "Right Round" is "Low"'s heir apparent, a horribly infectious single created by producer Doctor Luke (who previously worked for Lily Allen). Even more ridiculous is "Sugar," a song shameless enough to "incorporate elements" of Eiffel 65's Euro-trash earworm "Blue (Da Ba Dee)." With its upbeat call-and-response hook being delivered by an Auto-Tuned Nelly Furtado, the target audience for "Jump" has to be the local cheerleading troop, and if you're expecting Fergie or Gwen Stefani to show up during this pop-rap spectacular, you instead get decent shots from Ne-Yo and Akon. The unsurprisingly inconsistent R.O.O.T.S. is hip-hop like Nas never happened, a bubble gum album owing more to Lady GaGa than Run DMC. If you enjoy the hook, you enjoy the song, and if you're headed to the club in a limo or hot rod on a Friday night, you'll likely fall for about half.

Artist: Yeah Yeah Yeahs Album: Its Blitz Released: March 31 , 2009 Written By: Rating: 3 out of 5 Points   Yeah Yeah Yeahs are one of those bands whose every move needs to be followed carefully. Since Fever To Tell hit the streets six years ago their sound has developed a lot, at times getting unsure of itself while still keeping that edge that they so desire. It's doubtful, though, that anyone could have predicted their next move to be quite this radical, or this risky for that matter. Suddenly going disco on our asses, the band are asking the devotees of their initial sound to accept quite a sea change. It ought not to be so difficult, mind - not with Karen O at the helm. Make no mistake, this woman has the sort of charisma that could see her walk off with American Idol with her eyes closed. And she sounds totally at home with her new, more rhythmic persona, as if this is what she's been planning all along. The dead voice that opens Dragon Queen has a beat of stilted cool behind it, and though O reaches for higher notes in the chorus, she does so with remarkably little humanity. It's all strangely cold. Conversely, “Dull Life” is anything but, a thrilling rush with a chorus carrying all before it. ”Zero”, likewise, is a high octane stomper that introduces more than a little glam to the mix. “Soft Shock” is curious, arriving like a distant reverie, Karen O seemingly reflecting on the ups and downs of a relationship. So despite a stylistic conversion, they still have that king of the jungle roar, as Karen O leads her charges into battles on the dancefloor. That they emerge victorious is a tribute to the strength of these fine songs as well as some seriously glamourous production attitude.

Artist: Burn Halo Album: Burn Halo Released: March 31 , 2009 Written By: Tyler Kent Rating: 3 out of 5 Points   Currently on tour with Avenged Sevenfold and Buckcherry is a new rock band by the name of Burn Halo. The brainchild of James Hart, the former lead singer of Eighteen Visions, Burn Halo puts on a great live show as any true rock and roll band should. This self titled album is the band’s debut disk and is mixed surprisingly well. The albums solid sound is complimented by a professional cover, far beyond what one might assume for a debut band. This attention to detail from Burn Halo is not solely devoted to the album itself. When I saw the band perform in Utica I witnessed the members wandering through the crowd after their set putting in the time to meet fans and do their own P.R. This is rare to see, and it was a breath of fresh air to find a group committed to their fan base.   The music itself is an example of honest-to-god rock and roll. Some of the tracks hearken back to Motley Crue (Dirty Little Girl) or Guns and Roses (Here With Me). The CD is a balance of driving, loud rock and ballad-esque tracks that show the softer side of Hart’s voice and the bands talent and dexterity. Notable tracks aside from the single Dirty Little Girl include Save Me, Our House, Gasoline and Anejo (which features Avenged Sevenfold’s own Sinister Gates). Harts vocal work is astounding. His voice fits the musical style perfectly and he shows that he possesses the articulation to sing an emotional ballad or an uproarious head banging number. The band also portrays the prowess to traverse the rock spectrum and fill a void that I believe exists in today’s music scene. Burn Halo has proven themselves to be a formidable force even as a debut group. The genre of rock and roll is alive and well with bands like Burn Halo on the rise. Fans of classic rock will enjoy the heavy driving beat that underlines each song in addition to the chugging guitars and wailing leads. I look forward to seeing how this band progresses. Rock lives on with bands like these and people who like to see live shows and enjoy heavy music will certainly find enjoyment in Burn Halo’s reviving of classic rock and roll.

Artist:The Decemberists Album: The Hazards of Love Released: March 24 , 2009 Written By: Rating: 3 out of 5 Points   In many ways, the Decemberists’ career path mirrors that of an aspiring actor in the way that they have worked their way up from doing amateur hour to the bar scene all the way to an experienced, well-tuned machine of emotions. Their involved story lines and themes are very refreshing in today’s “bubble gum, lip-synching” pop music world. The Hazards of Love, their major-label debut, mixed the chamber-pop sound of piano and various stringed instruments with dense progressive-rock passages that evoked nothing so much as the 1970’s music of Jethro Tull mixed with a splash of Yes and a pinch of Pink Floyd. Not too bad of company to be in, if you ask me. The Portland, Ore., band's latest is another album-length fable, this time about a woman named Margaret, her shape-shifting forest-dwelling lover William and various obstacles such as an evil queen, a murderous rake and the chilling suspense of “happily ever after”. Not only are there different characters, there are different vocalists to portray them. Decemberist’s front man Colin Meloy voices William in his reedy tenor, and Becky Stark from the group Lavender Diamond sings Margaret's parts in a high, pretty voice. Shara Worden of the band My Brightest Diamond plays the queen with phenomenal passion. The story unfolds over 17 tracks that draw from a broad sonic palette, with acoustic guitar and accordion on the tender "Isn't It a Lovely Night," uneasy, but pleasant friction from violins on "The Queen Approaches" and fast plucking guitars and foreboding organ on "The Abduction of Margaret." It's a far-reaching and ambitious album, stronger than its predecessor and full of wondrous wordplay and vivid imagery -- so vivid, in fact, that a whole entire play could be made from the album.

Artist: Chris Cornell Album: Scream Released: March 10 , 2009 Written By: Aaron laFaro Rating: 3 out of 5 Points   In case you didn't catch the blatant imagery, Chris Cornell is smashing a guitar on the cover of Scream because he's done with those six-strings — he's leaving it all behind for Timbaland, who has long wanted to leave hip-hop and R&B behind to make a rock album. If this seems like the pair are working at cross-purposes to achieve the same goal, that's as accurate an assumption as the guess that the two are abandoning their strengths, even their sense of self, in a bizarre shared middle-age crisis. Scream is one of those rare big-budget disasters in music, like the movies Waterworld or Judge Dredd, an exercise in misguided ambition that makes no sense outside of pure theory. As an idea, this rock-dance fusion isn't without worth. Clearly, Cornell needs to do something to shake himself out of his solo stupor and Timbaland is an imaginative, daring producer whose gifts are not limited by genre, but this isn't a collaboration, it's a car crash like the ones you see car companies use on their commercials. As much as they want to stretch, neither Cornell nor Timbaland are willing to leave their comfort zone or — perhaps more accurately — are able to leave the familiar behind. Timbaland’s productions never approach rock in sound or form but to be fair, his tracks are often augmented by additional production by anyone from Justin Timberlake to One Repubic, who brings his contributions as close to anonymous radio fodder as he possibly can. Whoever was directly responsible, Scream winds up sounding like skittering, generic dance-pop, the kind of thing that Timbaland contributes for a high price to a Pussycat Dolls album, only graced by Cornell's caterwaul, sometimes looped, sometimes manipulated by Auto-Tune because that's what you do with a pop album in 2009.  Cornell's growl clashes against the cold, clinking rhythm tracks — not in a challenging way, just in a jarring one, drawing attention to the chasm between the two collaborators. Then again, Scream never seems like a collaboration, it seems like it was assembled by committee, discussed in boardrooms, farmed out to contract players and stitched together on computer. This might make for a mess, but Scream does have one advantage of Chris Cornell's other solo albums: as bad as it is, it is never, ever boring.

Artist: Kelly Clarkson Album: All I Ever Wanted Released: March 10 , 2009 Written By: Caitlin Pollard Rating: 3 out of 5 Points   Two years since My December was released, Kelly Clarkson is back, this time with a more Clive Davis-friendly record to avoid the controversy of 2007 (in case you aren’t familiar with the aforementioned controversy, Clarkson and Davis argued over the direction of the album, leading to My December, an album of the songs that Clarkson wanted, without the backing and promotion from Davis and RCA it deserved.) All I Ever Wanted features a collection of songs that could all be radio-friendly hits, much like Clarkson’s past hits of “Since U Been Gone” or “Walk Away”.  What is missing from All I Ever Wanted are the emotional and soulful songs that Clarkson has been known for since American Idol, like “Sober” or “Irvine” from My December or “Because of You” from Breakaway. The songs on this CD are all good, but some of definitely stronger than others.  “I Do Not Hook Up” and “Long Shot” are sure to be hits.  (Coincidently both were written in part by Katy Perry.)  Also sure to be a hit is the title track, “All I Ever Wanted” with its strong beat and lyrics about trying to get over a past love.  “I Want You” is a Duffy-esque track that is a fun, flirty, sixties sounding song, which, if it is released as a single, it’s bound to be a number one hit. A disappointing factor to the CD was the use of synthesizers, heavy guitars and drums, and heavy use of background vocalists.  Clarkson is known for her powerful voice; she doesn’t need to cover it up with special effects in an attempt to make her music appeal to radio listeners.  “Since U Been Gone” and “Because Of You” both featured Clarkson’s vocals without having to use technology to enhance the music.  While all the songs on All I Ever Wanted sound great, a lot of them could have been any female pop artist singing. That being said, any listener will love this album because Clarkson knows how to deliver a hit-filled disc that will sell well.  Any critiques of the album come solely from the listener expecting a more personal experience from Clarkson, rather than just the radio-friendly hits.  All I Ever Wanted will certainly please fans, casual listens, and Clive Davis, as he and Clarkson score another great hit.

Artist: New Found Glory Album: Not without A Fight Released: March 10 , 2009 Written By: Tyler Kent Rating: 3 out of 5 Points   New Found Glory returns to the overpopulated pop-punk arena with their latest entitled “Not Without A Fight”. The title seems to suggest that the band may be aware of its progressing age, especially when competing in a genre with primarily young fans, and aren’t about to go out anytime soon. Still, it is Glory’s experienced status that lends itself to making this album a polished piece of pop-punk to be proud of. Alliteration aside, it is obvious that a more mature direction was taken on Not Without A Fight. This is New Found Glory’s first record to be released on Epitaph Records. This label change is accompanied by Blink 182’s Mark Hoppus hopping into the producer’s chair.   Front man Jordan Pundik sounds cleaner and less nasally than on previous records. The cleaner more concise voice of Pundik lays over a well mixed band with crunchy guitars, deep bass and drums. The album starts with a nice riff but a slightly slower tempo than one would expect of the stereotypical pop-punk vigor. However after the first track the album picks up speed and intensity. Backing vocals  on more ‘rock and roll’ tracks often consist of one line announcements yelled more so than sang. The lyrics are solid and sing-songy, if slightly cliché. Topics run the gamut from not letting a girl bring you down to missing a girl while on the road. Despite the common subjects, songwriting does not suffer at all and the accompanying music fits the mood perfect. As always New Found Glory has the uncanny ability to write licks and beats that make their lyrics seem much more hardcore than they ever had a chance of being (for example, “If  I can’t get you, I’ll never love again”). The overall dynamic pace is slowed only by a few somber tracks the likes of “Reasons”. Notable songs on this album include the first single “Listen To My Friends”, “Such A Mess” and pretty much the entire first half of the album. This is definitely a New Found Glory album, in that the bands “sound” has not been altered or gone through any stages since their last release. Fans shouldn’t have any problem joining along, jumping in beat and singing at the live shows. The band hasn’t strayed from their roots, which is good because they have always been good at what they do. New Found Glory enjoys where they are and I would have to recommend this album to any fans of early Blink fans or anyone who finds themselves in search of driving, jumping, and getting lost in infectious high energy calamity.

Artist: U2 Album: No Line on the Horizon Released: March 3 , 2009 Written By: Aaron laFaro Rating: 3 out of 5 Points   With each passing album, and there have now been a dozen of them over the course of their three-decade career, U2 has increasingly had to address the ever-pressing question from its massive worldwide fan base: Which U2 will show up this time? Will it be a return to the cockeyed spirituality of The Joshua Tree? A detour into beats and blurbs like Achtung Baby or its inferior, more experimental side-kick, Pop? A “back to basics” gambit such as All that You Can’t Leave Behind? Here lies the “Problem of Being” U2: It’s more challenging to ask fans to meet you where you are when they bring the baggage of having met you all the places you were over the course of 30 years’ worth of work. This gets in the way of appreciating No Line on the Horizon for what it is: a well-crafted, classically-sturdy rock album with a waning degree of invention and a good deal of familiar-sounding material that will appeal to the faithful but not ask much more of them than to simply pay attention to musical cues recalling milestones throughout the band’s historical roller coaster ride of a career. A couple of tracks represent real ear-grabbers that sit easily alongside U2’s best work: “Magnificent” is just that, a stately melody that could easily have been on War and rises just as high to the occasion; “Unknown Caller,” offers a bit of Joshua Tree-style soul-searching; “Get On Your Boots,” the album’s first single, combines a weirdly catchy amalgam of Elvis Costello cadence and Queen-like pomp. But other cuts sink under the weight of their ambition. “Stand Up Comedy” aspires to “meaningful” but delivers “mealy-mouthed,” and faux-beat poetry drags “Breathe” down a long, dark alley. Elsewhere, “Moment of Surrender,” presents little more than a sleepy, gospel-tinged track that comes on like a Rattle and Hum outtake. On balance, No Line on the Horizon represents what October did all those years ago: a decent step forward that recalls the past more clearly than it spells out the future.

Artist:Justin Townes Earle Album: Midnight at the Movies Released: March 3 , 2009 Written By: Rating: 3 out of 5 Points   Justin Townes Earle has a whole lot to live up to, and this time it isn’t just his two famous names. In 2008, his first full-length release, The Good Life, was featured on several critics’ year-end lists and cemented Earle’s role as one of Americana’s best up-and-coming young artists. In the face of numerous accolades, it wouldn’t have been surprising had Earle chosen to rest on his laurels for a while. But here he is less than a year later with his sophomore effort, Midnight at the Movies. Like its predecessor, Movies combines pre-war folk, classic country, blues, and indie pop to create a sound that’s just as traditional as it is innovative. For all those earlier country fans that’ve moved on to alt-country, Earle’s cover of the Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait” fits seamlessly in between his originals. Longtime band mate Cory Younts provides the song’s instantly recognizable instrumental hook on mandolin. It’s pretty hard to make most Replacements songs any better than they already are, but Earle comes close. As a whole, Midnight at the Movies is more introspective than Earle’s earlier work. He addresses dysfunctional family dynamics on “Mama’s Eyes”: “I am my father’s son / Never know when to shut up / I ain’t foolin’ no one / I am my father’s son”. The title track paints a portrait of loneliness that Hank Williams himself might appreciate.  Even if it’s one of the album’s more indie, less country songs, the subject matter is straight-up country despair. Earle’s first album, The Good Life, may have been a better album judged on a track-by-track basis, but Midnight at the Movies is more cohesive. It may not grab the listener the first time he or she hears it, but albums that grow on you generally have more staying power than flash-in-the-pan, hook-heavy records.

Artist:Wendy and Lisa Album: White Flags of Winter Chimney's Released: February 24, 2009 Written By: Travis Farmer Rating: 4 out of 5 Points   I’m willing to bet most of you have never heard of the Girl Bros., aka Wendy & Lisa. These two girls, Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, are known best for the work they did with Prince from 1980 until they went solo in 1987. You may know them from their more recent work, that is if you read the credits for “Heroes”. They score the music for “Heroes”. Their latest work, however, hasn’t been for Prince or TV. On February 24, 2009 the duo released their first CD since 1998, entitled “White Flags of Winter Chimneys”. The first song on the album is titled “Balloon”.  The guitar, piano, and drums on this one combine to make a soothing, somewhat ‘groovy’ piece that is very relaxing and can just take you drifting away. The lyrics speak of love, but not necessarily lovers’ love. They tell the story of someone at a party with someone they love, their ‘balloon’. That person is someone that seems to simply float and bring smiles to all around them. One of their other songs that deals with love, but with a very different feel, is “Salt & Cherries (MC5)”. The guitar on this one has a much more rock feel to it, and the lyrics are much more gratuitous. “It’s a beautiful day, to play with you in the dark” pretty much sums up the subject of the song. On a broad stage, the song talks about the choices we make when we let an ex-lover back into our lives. The song also gives a nod to the band The MC5 in the lyrics “I’ll put the music of The MC5 on”. For a quick bit of history, The MC5 was a rock band active in the late 60’s and early 70’s, when Wendy & Lisa were growing up. The title track, “White Flags of Winter Chimneys”, is along the same lines as “Balloon”. The melody is light and almost floats and is very capable of taking you with it. The simple, yet light, guitar riffs combined with the light crashing of the drums creates an atmosphere that soothes, relaxes, and eventually takes you away. The lyrics of this one are possibly about Wendy and Lisa looking back at where they’ve been and looking at where they are now. That’s my opinion anyway, based off the lyrics “I’m daydreaming again/ Who we are and where we’ve been”.  “White Flags of Winter Chimneys” by Wendy and Lisa is definitely worth checking out. Whether you like Prince, 80’s music in general, Wendy and Lisa, or are looking for something new give this one a listen. It’s true it doesn’t sound much like 80’s music, but, who knows? Maybe, just maybe, these two women will be your favorite new artists.

Artist: Green River Ordinance Album: Out of My Hands Released: February 24, 2009 Written By: Travis Farmer Rating: 4 out of 5 Points   Green River Ordinance is a band not many have heard of. That’s understandable considering they’ve only been active in and around Texas. However, that’s all changing with the release of their first major album “Out of My Hands”. Released on the Virgin Label, this album promises to delight rock and alternative fans through the cold months of winter. The title track “Out of My Hands” is a perfect representation of the album. The guitar and drums are melodic and heavy. Rather then bog the tempo down and slow down the whole melody, they help to drive it forward at a nice clip. The vocals are much the same and blend with the guitar and drums perfectly. The lyrics speak of how people fall and in trying to help them, we find there is sometimes little we can do and end up falling ourselves. One of the other songs worthy of mentioning is “Goodbye L.A.”. While the melody and tempo have much the same feel as “Out of My Hands” through most of the song, it does differ at one point. The guitar and drums take up a much lighter beat in one of the chorus which makes for a nice contrast. As for the lyrics they’re exactly what the title suggests, saying goodbye to the city of L.A. and what you’re leaving behind. One of the few songs that differ from the established style is “On Your Own”. The simple guitar riff and drum beat lead the song to be somewhat slower and sadder in feel. While all the other songs seem to forge ahead in terms of melody and tempo, this one takes both of those and hits em with some sedatives. When combined with the lyrics, which speak of finding ourselves back at the beginning and alone, make for a more sober and sadder sound. Made from the same mold as “On Your Own” is the album’s final track, “Endlessly”. Both songs share the same composition and feel, simple riffs and hits that lead to a sadder, more sober sound. The lyrics in “Endlessly” speak of the feelings the come with love. From hesitation and doubt to longing and joy. In the end, “Out of My Hands” isn’t for everyone, but anybody who turns on the radio and enjoys artists like The Fray, Matchbox Twenty, and Simple Plan will like this one. If your still not convinced drop 99 cents on the single “Come On." If you like that, you’ll like this album.

Artist: Audreye Sessions Album: Audreye Sessions Released: February 17, 2009 Written By: Travis Farmer Rating: 4 out of 5 Points   Audrye Sessions formed in Livermore, California in 2002. They played their way around the Midwest for six years before releasing an EP, a CD shorter than a full album, in 2008 through the Black Seal label. Now, half a year later they’ve released their first full length album, promptly entitled “Audrye Sessions”. The first track on the album is “Turn Me Off”. When it comes to the songs in this album, they are either fast paced, full of energy and life, and rockin or slower, more melodic, and more deliberate. The only thread that holds the two types together is each song is a tid bit on the depressing side. “Turn Me Off” of the first variety, with driving guitar and bass and flowing vocals that string it all together. The song, while being fast paced and driving, is mildly depressing. The lyrics speak of how wasted, or killed, time will come back and get you one day, slowly killing you until someone turns you off. On the other end of the spectrum is “New Year’s Day”. Slow, methodical plucking and strumming on an acoustic guitar, the low and depressing harmonic, vocals that go from low to high but never lose the sense of a life lived long and hard, and lyrics that express a hard life drawing to the inevitable end. In a bit more depth, the lyrics speak of the other side of New Year’s. The side where we look back and some of us realize that the year slipped away from us before we could do anything with it. A combination of these can be found in “The Paper Face”. The song starts out with a piano playing a slow and touching melody accompanied a chorus sustaining a single note on high. This is, perhaps, the first 40 seconds of the song. After that, the guitar jumps in and just goes crazy. It slams out a high energy, fast paced melody guaranteed to carry you away. The lyrics on this are, as expected, depressing. They sing of being betrayed by the ‘wolf behind the paper face’ or proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Artist: Christopher Titus Album: Love is Evol Released: February 17, 2009 Written By: Tyler Kent Rating: 5 out of 5 Points   Christopher Titus is what some would call a non-traditional comedian, given his material includes fights with crazy ex-girlfriends and stories of his schizophrenic mother or alcoholic father.  As some may remember, Mr. Titus visited Brockport earlier this year during his tour in preparation of recording this disk. Although the content is a carbon copy of the show students saw on November 17th, Titus’s energy and vitality in his delivery makes this comedian’s routines something to listen to over and over again. This time around Titus has no shortage of his trademark dysfunctional comedy. His third disk, “Love is Evol” catalogs a major transition in Chris Titus’s life that starts by dragging him into a bitter, chaotic divorce. His opening line sets the tone as he launches into a diatribe of how someone who has “never contemplated suicide” has never truly been in love. The familiar rants continue with his account of his time spent with the “thieving harlot”. Titus’s fans will remember his now ex-wife from his earlier work, a fact which makes an impact on the audience by revealing the horrible irony of the events between his last album and this new material. The thing about Christopher Titus’s style is that, especially in “Love”, he spends a good part of the set trying to teach the crowd how to avoid incidents that he’s stumbled into. On this disk Titus jumps from talking about his “Inner Idiot” to a discussion on how jealousy can be described as relationship Auschwitz. “Love is Evol” tells a complex story throughout which Titus is, as always, uproariously funny. He also has many a serious note as he shares this wild experience that winds up having a feel-good, rise-from-the-ashes ending where he finally finds his “ice cream truck” Whether you attended his performance here last November or have been a fan since “Norman Rockwell…” this new album is recommended to all who like to laugh off life’s problems, even the more serious, life changing ones.

Artist: Ben Kweller Album: Changing Horses Released: February 2, 2009 Written By: Rating: 5 out of 5 Points   Ben Kweller is Texas through and through. His new album, Changing Horses, is the epitome of the southern state, with steel guitar and heart-wrenching lyrics, none more so than in opening track “Gypsy Rose” with its stripped down instrumentation and whining vocals, singing about his search for salvation. Although lacking the blues it craves, it sets the scene for an album of intimate and intriguing songs, painting pictures of rocking chairs on porches and every other 'country' stereotype you can think of. “Old Hat” has the punch of emotion you expect in a country tale and Fight, with its chat of truckers, jolly melody, pub piano and catchy, repetitive chorus, fits Kweller's voice perfectly. On the down side, the songs lack the spine-tingle element. They're fun, and they sound authentic, but it's almost too “country”. It cries out for something different to the plodding percussion, slide guitar and accent-rich vocals. Comparisons made to the likes of Ryan Adams stand true, but there are also elements of Bob Dylan, a touch of Willie Nelson and Neil Young even, especially in the slick “Hurtin' You”. But the album really comes into its own when soft and subtle songs like “Ballard of Wendy Baker” can sit comfortably in the middle. The country stereotype is dropped for a simple guitar and some lovely strings, which really emphasise Kweller's sweet voice and song writing talent. However, it makes you think that his “country-ness” is a little too much and almost unnecessary. What becomes evident at half way through is that Changing Horses is an album full of sing-alongs. Could it be trying to cash in on that massive US country industry rather than keeping Kweller as a relative unknown, yet talented, musician? It's gems like “Things I like To Do” and “Ballard of Wendy Baker” that will make this album a success among the more alternative listeners, while the commercial “Fight”, and especially “On Her Own”, surely a favorite of “cheesy-girl-music fans, will appeal to a different audience, not only because of its melody and lyrics, but because it seems to have been produced to target a completely different audience.

Artist:Frank Sinatra Album: Seduction – Sinatra Sings of Love Released: January 20,2009 Written By: Travis Farmer Rating: 5 out of 5 Points   The name Frank Sinatra doesn’t hold the same mystique and glamour it once did. Few people in the younger generations even know the name. Why should they? He didn’t swear in his music, he didn’t rap, and he didn’t wear his pants down around his thighs. Yet, his music continues to be released long after his death. The latest compilation is “Seduction – Sinatra Sings of Love”. This album contains most, if not all, of the songs Sinatra has sung about love. Fitting, considering Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. The general style for the album is 40’s and 50’s swing and jazz with a vocal overlay. It’s a far cry from the screaming and shredding of today. All the same, the music is still brilliant. The first track on the album is “Prisoner of Love”. Everyone can relate to the lyrics of this one. Sinatra sings of being in love with someone who loves somebody else. He is ‘shackled’ to the woman and unable to move on, stuck in a state of never-ending loneliness. The music is a sad, slow, string number that tugs at the heart. Going a different direction, “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” speaks of the little things that linger on even after a relationship ends. They way they laughed, they way they walked, how they ate, what they wore all stay even after that person leaves. A more lighthearted beat coupled with these lyrics lifts the heart with the thoughts of our own past loves. Picking up the beat considerably, “All of You” is a song you can dance to. The beat is a light and fast combination of low clarinets and high trumpets. As for the lyrics, Sinatra sings about what we all feel when we first fall in love. It’s that feeling of loving every single thing about that person. Now this wouldn’t be much of a love album without some song about Valentine’s Day. “My Funny Valentine” fulfils that and then some. Sinatra sings about how his love makes every day Valentine’s Day just the way she is. In other words, he wouldn’t change a thing about her. The beat fits in perfectly. It’s slow and smooth and rises and falls with Sinatra’s voice.

Artist:Airborne Toxic Event Album: Airborne Toxic Event Released: August, 5 2008 Written By: Travis Farmer Rating: 4 out of 5 Points   At this point most people have heard of, or at least heard, the band called The Airborne Toxic Event. Their single, “Sometime Around Midnight”, has garnished quite a lot of airtime in the past few months. While this is by far their most popular song, they do in fact have an entire album chocked full of great songs. Their first album The Airborne Toxic Event was released on August, 5 2008. The first song on the album is “Wishing Well”. As with all songs on the album, “Wishing Well” has its own distinct feel. It is pretty fast-paced with a constant drum beat and intermittent guitar riffs. The lyrics in this song are, to the best of my analysis, about suicide and how it is never really a way out. While you may end yourself and your pain, the ripples you leave behind in life will only continue to generate more pain and in essence prolong your own. Another unique song off the album is “Missy”, the final song on the album. The beat to this one is also fast-paced with the drum keeping beat. On top of that, however, is a constant cornucopia of guitar riffs and keyboard melodies. The song is about a girl named Missy. She is a very Christian girl who has just moved into LA. She then meets a man in a coffee bar who says he should have become a better man but that if she stuck around, maybe he’d still have a chance at redemption. The most famous song of the album is, obviously, “Sometime Around Midnight”. This song is distinctly slower than other songs on the album, at least in the beginning. The intro for this song is done on the violin, which is retained through the rest of the song melding in with the guitar riffs. As the song progresses, the riffs become more energized and the pace picks up. The song is about a man how has recently broken up with his girlfriend. He has gone to the local bar to drown his sorrows, when she shows up. From there, he slowly slips down the precipice of his own sanity to the point where he is stumbling drunk down the street trying to find her. If you like “Sometime Around Midnight” odds are you’ll like The Airborne Toxic Event. It still wouldn’t be bad idea to check out iTunes or other music programs and give a listen to some of the other songs off the album.

Artist: The Mars Volta Album: The Bedlam in Goliath Released: January 28 , 2008 Written By: Josh Stallworth Rating: 4 out of 5 Points   The album is a wonderful auditory experience. The only way to do this album justice is to sit back and listen to it as a whole. None of the songs really make any sense to be released as singles and they tend to run into each other and break in the midst of tracks. The album also has a couple songs under 3 minutes in length which breaks from their tradition. Red Hot Chili Peppers' John Frusciante contributes his guitar talents to a good amount of this CD along with a brand new drummer by the name of Thomas Pridgen. These new elements combined with  some new higher pitched vocals of Bixler-Zavala create an entirely new sound experience. The songs, and in fact album as a whole, are set up to surround the events of an experience with an ancient Jerusalem ouija board. This theme has been followed down to the album cover and inserts art as well as song titles and lyrics. Mars Volta is reminiscent of Pink Floyd, if they were to have been born out of the recent punk/emo/alternative generation. In fact on the UK version of this album the 13th track is a cover of the Pink Floyd song Candy and a Currant Bun. There is even more experimentation and mixtures of sound in this album so don't expect the same old same old, Volta has evolved once more.

Artist: Armor for Sleep Album: Smile for Them Released: October 30, 2007 Written By: Sydney Astafan Rating: 3 out of 5 Points   Armor for Sleep’s newest album “Smile for Them” reveals the sense of people not being truthful to themselves. The lyrics show the constant idea of people being fake in a high school setting. The single, “Williamsburg” seems to show the band’s resentment towards their home town along with deep detachment from the more popular peers. The single “Somebody Else’s Arms” tells the story of the typical teenage drama that comes with relationships. Their lyrics sound like a winy tale of heartache that everyone has gone through. The first track of this album “Smile for the Camera,” stirs up the notion of what is truth. Fame and cameras can often set up a world that is not real and becomes a front to hide the truth. The lyric “Love what you got ‘cause you love what you got,” shows that people should enjoy living, without getting caught up in false images that cameras can bring. While most songs on the album have fast rhythms and guitar distortion, there is one track that stands out on this album. The song “Snow Globe” is a slower track catering to more of a meaning outside of high school. It gives a more mature outlook through the lyrics. The last track on this new album “Stand in the Spotlight” seems to sum up the entire album. This album creates a combination of ideas that bring the album into a complete circle when listened to. I predict the next single to be the track “Lullaby,” because of the similar lyrical content. This track expresses what motivates people to keep going, while staying distant from the truth. Armor for Sleep is a band that seems to be directed towards the junior high – high school audience. This band, with there instruments along with their vocals sounds similar to My Chemical Romance and Fallout Boy.

Artist: Apocalyptica Album: Worlds Collide Released: October 1, 2007 Written By: Caitlin Pollard Rating: 4 out of 5 Points   When you think heavy metal, cello’s aren’t normally the first instrument that come to mind. Let Apocalyptica change your mind with their new CD, “Worlds Collide”. Appocalyptica is a Finnish cello metal band, known for covering Metallica songs. I’ll admit it, I’m not a huge fan of metal music, but this CD captured my attention and showed me a different side of metal music. Apocalyptica’s sixth studio album features 11 songs, three of which have guest vocalists. I preferred the songs that didn’t have vocals because I felt like the cellists didn’t need the words to describe their music. At some points you can’t tell if you are listening to cellos or guitars, the players are that good at what they do. By far my favorite song on the CD was the title track, “Worlds Collide”. While starting off classical-sounding, the song progresses into heavy-metal sections smoothly and pleasantly. While I preferred the songs without vocals, one song did interest me. “Helden” is a remake of David Bowie’s song “Hero” sung in German. This song was darker sounding, but still upbeat. I hadn’t heard of Apocalyptica before hearing this CD, but I’m glad I got the opportunity to hear them. They have won me over as a fan due to their smooth playing and interesting melodies. You almost forget that you are listening to cello’s until the band breaks into a slower, more classical section of the song. The only negative to this album are the not as capturing songs with vocals. I give their latest effort 4 out of 5 for a cool new way to hear metal music.

Artist: Between the Buried and Me Album: Colors Released: September 18, 2007 Written By: Andy Chruscicki Rating: 4 out of 5 Points   Between the Buried and Me’s new album, Colors has to be their best album by far.  I have been a fan of them ever since they released their first cd, The Silent Circus.  They have always had amazing guitar riffs, fast in your face drumming and the vocalist is one of the best screamers I have ever heard, and there is no shortage of any of these things in Colors. Some new things in this album include an organ in the middle of a song, a jazz breakdown halfway through an intense guitar riff, and a four minute instrumental halfway through the cd. The only problem with this album is that it is extremely long.  When I say long, I mean three of the tracks are over ten minutes long, one of those three close to fifteen minutes.  Now don’t get me wrong, they’re fantastic songs, going from hard to soft and fast slow in such a smooth way, you just can’t even get mad because they are so good.  I was definitely impressed at the maturity that Between the Buried and Me is starting to show in their music. Overall, Between the Buried and Me deliver and then some.  This is by far the best metal cd that I have heard within the past year and if you are a fan, you will definitely be happy with Between the Buried and Me.

Artist: Ani DiFranco Album: Cannon Released: September 11, 2007 Written By: Caitlin Pollard Rating: 5 out of 5 Points   For the past 16 years Buffalo native Ani DiFranco has impressed music critics, listeners, and everyone in between with her expressive vocals, innovative guitar style, and insightful lyrics.  She has earned a loyal fan base with constant recording, touring, and self-promotion. Ani DiFranco released her newest album on September 11th this year through her label Righteous Babe Records, which has been the company behind all of her records.  While it may be considered a “new” album, this is a 2 disc collection of songs from her nearly 20 years of recording, spanning from 1990-2006.  Through her 19 different albums represented on this collection, Ani DiFranco has sold more than 4 million CDs, but the impressive part of that is that she has done it through word of mouth and touring, rather than radio play or marketing. A combination of spoken word, instrumental music, and singing, Ani DiFranco shows off her best songs and includes 5 songs that were re-recorded specially for this release, including “Napoleon," "Shameless," "Your Next Bold Move," "Both Hands" and "Overlap".   This CD set has something for all Ani fans.  Long time listeners will appreciate the progression in the CD, as it goes from her older, more folksy songs, to newer, politically fueled, and experimental sound featuring horns, drums, and unusual harmonies, while newer fans will love hearing the differences in Ani DiFranco’s songs as they go from singing to spoken word tracks, and from songs about love to politically motivated lyrics.  Even fans that own every CD and have heard all of the songs before will enjoy hearing the re-recorded songs to hear the new interpretations of the music and style. The 2-disc set includes many of my favorite songs, like “As Is”, “32 Flavors”, “Little Plastic Castle”, and “Coming Up”.  I enjoyed hearing songs that I hadn’t heard before, but it was also nice to hear my favorites as well. Also featured in the collection are some tracks from Ani’s live CD “Living in Clip”.  You can hear her laughing along with the audience and can feel the energy that is exploding from the stage.  Hearing these songs will make everyone want to experience a live show with Ani DiFranco.  Lucky for us, she is currently on tour through November 18th, but unfortunately you’ll have to drive to see her as the closest upcoming shows are in Toronto on the 6th and 7th. I think this CD is a great addition to any collection and encourage everyone to give it a listen.  With all the experimentation Ani DiFranco has done through music and all of the personal lyrics that explore so many issues that are still common today, there is a song for everyone on this CD.  As the lyrics “Overlap” say as the CD comes to an end, “I build each one of my songs out of glass so you can see me inside them I suppose.  Or you could just leave the image of me in the background, I guess, and watch your own reflection superimposed.

Artist: Atreyu Album: Lead Sails Paper Anchor Released: August 28, 2007 Written By: Andy Chruscicki Rating: 5 out of 5 Points   Atreyu’s fourth studio album, Lead Sails Paper Anchor is not the same Atreyu we’ve all grown to love.  Lead singer Alex Varkatzas actually sings on this album instead of his usual screaming.  The band also uses instruments not commonly used in metal music. One use of an abstract instrument is in the song “Falling Down.” The song contains the trumpet which is commonly used in Ska music.  Another use of different instruments are in the songs “No One Cares” and “Slow Burn” which is what starts both songs before heading into a heavy drumbeat. The thing is about this CD is that even though its almost completely different from Atreyu’s albums The Curse and Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses, the CD still manages to rock just as hard as their previous albums.  Atreyu still has two singers in Alex and fellow vocalist/drummer Brandon Saller and guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel still shred like its nobody’s business on tracks such as “When Two Are One” and “Doomsday.”  Using the previously mentioned instruments and familiar ground that made the band great makes this CD quite exceptional. At first when I listened to the CD, I thought I was losing the Atreyu I had come to love but in actuality, the CD showed me that they were expanding as a band and testing new waters.  Hopefully they have found something they like and other fans like as well.  The reason being as long as the keep making music like this, I’ll keep listening.

Artist: Against Me Album: New Wave Released: July 10, 2007 Written By: Nick Bernier Rating: 4 out of 5 Points   On Against Me!’s new album New Wave the band’s tell tale choppy guitars and jumbled melodies are missing.  In their place is an album of surprisingly melodic songs that seem to reach out to the hearts of a generation lost in apathy and drowning in pop culture marketing.  On songs like Up The Cuts and Piss and Vinegar Tom Gabel attacks the monotony of music today with lines like “Have I heard this song before? Did this already happen?”  The song Stop is a total diversion from classic Against Me! An almost anthem-like sing along as Gabel lets loose repeatedly with “Stop! Take some time to think. Figure out what’s important to you/ya gotta make a serious decision.”  The single of the album, white people for peace Gabel seems to acknowledge the futility of a protest song on the war in Iraq as he repeats the line “Protest songs to try and stop the soldier’s gun”.  But his voice is heated as he vents this frustration in a way that makes you feel it too.  All in all this album is another step in the evolution of the band Against Me! Towards genuine melody in their but not so great a change as to ostracize old fans though some of the old passion seems to have passed with the years. The title track New Wave sums the changes up nicely as he sings “We can be the bands we want to hear”.  In a valid attempt at a generation anthem and makes his band what he wants to hear.