Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 30, 2011 17:06:42 GMT -5
Finally listened to the album with my full attention for the first time the other day, after countless listens in the car. It's decent quality, for sure, but it's noticeably more middle of the road than I'd previously felt. For the most part, the songs are a little too long, being stretched out with unnecessary repetition.
I like "Dear Rosemary," my favorite, more than ever, but I like my next two favorites, "I Should Have Known" and "Miss the Misery," slightly less. I like "Bridge Burning" and "White Limo" a little more, "Rope" and "Arlandria" about the same. I feel "Walk" is very middle of the road and place it 7th out of the 11 songs. The succession of "These Days," "Back & Forth," and "Matter of Time" is the album's mediocre low point, in my opinion. By the time I got to the finish, what was going to be a half-hearted four out of five stars had probably been knocked down to three and a half. I'll give it another listen from least favorite song to favorite and then will likely have my fully formed opinion/ranking.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 29, 2011 15:04:42 GMT -5
1. Avenged Sevenfold "So Far Away" 2. Linkin Park "Iridescent" 3. Rise Against "Make It Stop (September's Children)" 4. All That Remains "The Last Time" 5. Paramore "Monster" 6. The Joy Formidable "Whirring" 7. The Naked and Famous "Young Blood" 8. Cage the Elephant "Around My Head" 9. Beastie Boys feat. Santigold "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" 10. Red Hot Chili Peppers "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie"
Sad that I can't count Deerhunter's "Desire Lines" as my rightful #10 this week, as it never received any kind of official second single indicator that I could ever confirm elsewhere apart from its streaming radio edit (now removed :() on the Cool New Music page of the Triple A format on All Access. I've been enjoying this track off and on for about 9 months now and this week is its highest peak yet on my personal chart. If 4AD isn't going to properly release and promote it, then what the hell was the point?
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 28, 2011 22:55:32 GMT -5
It's ok. I thought it was going to be "really, really good" after the first few tracks, but it kind of drifts off afterwards. I didn't have any time last week to go out and pick it up, so I ordered it in order to still get the first-week sale. Unfortunately, it's not due to arrive until after they come to town, so I'm gonna have to stream all the songs a few times online to familiarize myself with the new material. Granted, I'm pretty sleepy right now, but my first impression was kinda disappointing, which worries me. Cold albums are pretty immediate. I didn't notice any standout tracks and across the board they're all kind of scaled back in terms of heaviness.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 27, 2011 19:07:19 GMT -5
Well, if there is a date on this tour that works for me, I'll get to earn seeing 3DD by sitting through Theory. Just show up late. Or bring a magazine. That's what my then-girlfriend and I did 5 years ago when the local radio station roped the Avenged Sevenfold & Eighteen Visions (Coheed and Cambria, too) tour into their festival. They were really the only two bands we wanted to see. 18V played in the afternoon. I think Trapt and Shinedown opened the mainstage before Avenged, so my girl and I just sat in our (good) seats and defiantly read while they played.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 27, 2011 1:46:16 GMT -5
Two of my favorite instrumentals that had success at radio were electronic music songs "Children" by Robert Miles and "Sandstorm" by Darude. F**k yes. Especially "Sandstorm." I also loved the follow-up single, "Feel the Beat," nearly as much, though I'm not sure if that counts, due to the "I can feel the beat" vocal sample, though it's certainly not as upfront as the vocal samples in say, "Smack My B**ch Up" or "Block Rockin' Beats."
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 27, 2011 1:34:05 GMT -5
Yeah, I'd say go ahead and vote for metal songs if they at least have a video. Lord knows I'd at least be voting for Bleeding Through singles if they had an album out.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 26, 2011 16:01:06 GMT -5
I don't know what you were expecting, considering they were never superstars and haven't put anything out in the last 6 years.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 26, 2011 15:58:39 GMT -5
I guess that would make "Black Tongue" (available now on iTunes) a "teaser" single, then.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 26, 2011 2:38:02 GMT -5
It's fine enough. I listened to it. I just end up waiting for vocals to kick in though. I don't think I'm the kind of guy who can appreciate just instrumentals on a regular basis. I don't typically take myself for an "instrumentals" guy, myself, but now that you mention it, I realized that the Beastie Boys' "Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament" (one of my favorite tracks on their great new record) is sitting in my Top 20 and has been charting pretty much since the album came out. Oh, and also, last week I was manually editing track information for an unlabeled collection of what I finally figured out were the Billboard Hot 100 #1 songs of the years my parents were in high school. I already knew the dreamy "Sleep Walk" by Santo & Johnny from discovering it when I worked at Steak 'n Shake 7 years ago and frequently heard it, but I also came across an instrumental which I'd heard used in TV and commercials and wherever else frequently throughout my whole life. First of all, I never consciously realized the song was instrumental, and second of all, it never occurred to me to wonder what the famous piece was. The #1 song I like a heck of a lot more now that it's finally been brought to the forefront of my conscience is "Theme from A Summer Place" by Percy Faith.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 26, 2011 2:00:23 GMT -5
Listened to both DLC tracks, which were decent enough on first listen, but I was attentive the entire time I watched the Animals as Leaders video. That may (or may not) be because I was more curious about hearing them over DLC in the first place. Your tastes are tough to peg though so Idk. And thank you, by the way.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 26, 2011 0:15:08 GMT -5
With this, Lauderdale, and All I Want, A Day To Remember is now 3-for-3 in the completely and utterly intolerable category for me single-wise. Am I really the only person on here who hates these guys? Eh, they're OK. Especially on their older material, I feel like their hardcore and metal elements (the gang vocals, the breakdown riffs, the growling) are too pedestrian and ill-fitting. Jeremy's vocals often fall under the emo cliche of being too verbose, which I find draining. On their new material, the jarring musical juxtapositions are thankfully smoothed out, on the singles I've heard, at least. They demonstrate musical maturity and find them honing their identity as a band. Their biggest albatross, though, just might be their juvenile sense of humor.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 25, 2011 23:05:05 GMT -5
I'd like to see "So Far Away" die off a little bit before deciding whether or not pushing another single would make sense and accomplish anything worthwhile. This is definitely a fitting song to close the album cycle with, but it'll be a wasted opportunity to walk away from a follow-up single if this song lasts much longer, especially since I doubt getting back into the studio to knock out another record is a high priority for them right now. They might want to return to the well one last time with another single, proceeding with low expectations.
Matthew and Jamie, I just don't see how it would be possible for "Victim" to be sensibly edited for radio. In my mind, "Buried Alive" is the obvious choice. They already shone a light on it with a lyric video and, along with "God Hates Us" (which is too aggressive for radio), it's been a live staple ever since the album came out. "Fiction" and "Save Me" aren't radio songs and I haven't perceived any outside attention given to "Danger Line," "Natural Born Killer," "Victim," or "Tonight the World Dies."
You can immediately knock out the first 51 seconds of "Buried Alive," which already takes it down to 5:54. After that there are so many parts that could be cut in half or brief passages that could be omitted altogether with far less disruption to the overall song.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 25, 2011 22:07:33 GMT -5
Btw, the band Dead Letter Circus opened for tonight, Animals As Leaders, was INSANE! I was already a pretty big fan, but now Animals As Leaders have ascended the ranks among my all-time favorites. "CAFO" just destroys everything in its path. I'll have to check them out. I've read a little bit about them in Alternative Press and Revolver this year. As cool and removed from the attitude of the typical hard rock outfit as they seem to be, my hesitance to check them out is how much will I really enjoy an instrumental rock band? EDIT: Jamie, this is the point where you say "You tell me." and post a YouTube link to your favorite track of theirs.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 25, 2011 21:29:28 GMT -5
I went ahead and fixed the typo for you. I'm guessing he meant creepy, but you probably already knew that and did exactly what you meant to do. ;)
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 25, 2011 21:03:22 GMT -5
Let me add that I like the fact that Anthony worked the phrase "cock-blocking" into a Chili Peppers song.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 25, 2011 1:58:05 GMT -5
I went ahead and fixed the typo for you.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 25, 2011 1:46:03 GMT -5
My brain continues to trick me into reading this song title as (Soundgarden's) "Burden in My Hand."
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 23, 2011 17:00:16 GMT -5
1. Avenged Sevenfold "So Far Away" 2. Linkin Park "Iridescent" 3. Rise Against "Make It Stop (September's Children)" 4. All That Remains "The Last Time" 5. Paramore "Monster" 6. The Naked and Famous "Young Blood" 7. The Joy Formidable "Whirring" 8. Cage the Elephant "Around My Head" 9. Beastie Boys feat. Santigold "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" 10. Adele "Rolling in the Deep"
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 17, 2011 16:20:31 GMT -5
First impression was that this is the best lead single they've had in 10 years and arguably ever had. (Note the "lead" qualifier.) I especially liked, for how heavy the song is, that the guitar solo was tastefully subdued and bluesy. And then I realized, "Holy sh**. A Staind song with a guitar solo!"
I don't see why this wouldn't hit my Top 40, on which Staind songs have hit very few and far between over the last decade:
2009: This Is It (#33) 2001: It's Been Awhile (#2), Open Your Eyes (#3), Fade (#2), Outside (#30), For You (#9) 2000: Home (#4), Just Go (#29) 1999: Mudshovel (#5)
Other songs: 2005: Right Here (#59) 2003: Blow Away [did not chart; year-end appearance at #198]
Based on the 3 songs I've heard, this just might be the first Staind album I buy since the underwhelming 14 Shades of Grey.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 17, 2011 15:41:10 GMT -5
OMG...Despite the absolutely ridiculous title, this is the first Red Hot Chili Peppers song in 22 years that I legitimately like! :o :o :o :o :o If you've mentioned the last one before, I can't remember what it was. Recalling my first listens to their lead singles over the years, I liked it more than my first impression of "Dani California," about the same as "By the Way," but less than "Scar Tissue" or "Warped." It's likely that's the way my opinion will solidify, too. I liked how the outro rolled along and I was expecting a fade, but then it abruptly stopped on an upbeat. That was cool.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 17, 2011 14:56:52 GMT -5
1. Avenged Sevenfold "So Far Away" 2. Linkin Park "Iridescent" 3. Rise Against "Make It Stop (September's Children)" 4. All That Remains "The Last Time" 5. The Naked and Famous "Young Blood" 6. Paramore "Monster" 7. The Joy Formidable "Whirring" 8. Cage the Elephant "Around My Head" 9. 30 Seconds to Mars "Night of the Hunter" 10. Beastie Boys feat. Santigold "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win"
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 17, 2011 14:49:53 GMT -5
Thanks for the info, guys.
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 15, 2011 16:05:32 GMT -5
I'll do no such thing. This is just as good, if not better than "Shadow of the Day" and "Leave Out All the Rest," in terms of mellow Linkin Park singles. Why isn't it doing as well then? Basically every single in their entire career has hit... this hasn't. I don't think it takes too much working out. This was a bad, bad choice of single. It's the third single from a polarizing album that shook off a large portion of their more meatheaded casual-FM-radio-listening fanbase. I highly doubt "Burning in the Skies" would be doing much better, if at all. These three singles, in fact, have a lot in common with the singles from My Chemical Romance's somewhat jarring Danger Days album. Lead single that has a quick rise and fall, a damage-control second single that goes to #1, and a third single that struggles to hit the Top 20. Would you say that "Bulletproof Heart" was a weak single choice? I'd say it was unquestionably the best one.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 15, 2011 15:18:25 GMT -5
The wikipedia discography page ( Singles section) looks disguusting. I tried changing it but some f**ker keeps changing it back to it's crappy original look. >:( Why, what's the matter with it? Shame their major label deal didn't pan out. This was hands down the best song on White Crosses.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 14, 2011 2:14:44 GMT -5
My opinion is that it wasn't a poor choice of single, but that radio stations f**king suck. This. Do you think Alt Rock stations will play the original version once the buzz for Transformers 3 is over, or will we have to hear this (add your own adjective) version from now on? Not a chance. Why would radio bother playing the Thousand Suns version of this, especially when it seems that most Alt station PDs would rather not be playing a Linkin Park ballad in the first place? Clearly, this won't be a song that gets any notable recurrent airplay once it's done. When a Linkin Park song flops on Alt. radio, I think you just have to admit that it's a poor song, at least single wise. I'll do no such thing. This is just as good, if not better than "Shadow of the Day" and "Leave Out All the Rest," in terms of mellow Linkin Park singles. On a similar note... When a Linkin Park song flops on Alt. radio, I think you just have to admit that it's a poor song, at least single wise. I don't have to admit to s**t. That is the best song on the damn album.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 14, 2011 1:58:03 GMT -5
Hot Buck-O-Nine remake.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 14, 2011 1:52:59 GMT -5
Ahem. I believe I said f**k you, Ron. Matt and Kim put on a highly entertaining show. I was impressed. I gather you'd rather see Manchester Orchestra, but even if you don't know or care for Matt & Kim's music, I'd be surprised and disappointed if you didn't have a smile on your face after seeing them play. Then again, you'll probably tell me to fuck off too, since I've already seen headlining shows by both M&K and Manchester Orchestra this year and didn't have to pay a dime.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 13, 2011 2:56:29 GMT -5
It's refreshing isn't it? :)
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 13, 2011 2:50:39 GMT -5
Whether they release "Burning In The Skies" next or not, I think they're going five singles deep minimum. They always have before, so I wouldn't expect anything differently. ...Okay, but the difference this time is their previous albums' singles were all huge smash hits ("Leave Out All the Rest" less so). This time out, they basically had to do a damage control second single and now the third is well into its shelf life and is struggling so hard just to earn its keep in the Top 20.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jul 11, 2011 14:35:11 GMT -5
MTV will post a snippet of the song tomorrow and the single will be released later this wee. I'm excited! I can tell, considering you carelessly left off the "k" in "week" in order to tell us more quickly how excited you were. Fallen was great, albeit too formulaic. The Open Door was more musically interesting, yet offered little in the way of memorable songs. Hopes aren't really too high for their new album, unfortunately.
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