Hello all! I’m on a “long” break between concerts, and so I borrowed this idea from another blog I read. The concept is that I listen to songs for an hour straight, and blog about what I hear. Whether it be a commercial free radio station I find online, or I put my Itunes on shuffle (with 30,000 songs), the only requirement is that I have no control over what I hear.
There all kinds of benefits to this – it digs up songs that I haven’t heard for years, it introduces me to some new songs on albums that I only know a few songs, and it forces me to listen to some stuff that allows me the opportunity to hear some stuff that I wouldn’t necessarily choose to hear. So here goes the inaugural One Hour of Music.
Editors Note: When I said that I borrowed this idea from another blog, I really meant that I blatantly stole it from a fantastic blog I read called The Great Southern Brainfart. Don over at TGSB was kind enough to share the idea, so do me a favor and go check out his blog!
ONE HOUR OF MUSIC
Method: Itunes Shuffle
Greed – Godsmack – Awake (2001) (link)
Perfect example of why I love this concept. I certainly never go put Godsmack on and just listen to them, but I can remember buying the Awake album in 2001 when it came out. Greed is one of my favorite Godsmack songs, and will forever be a throwback song for me. This was Sully in his prime, writing post-grunge music that tore the radio stations up in the early 2000s. He’s still rocking these songs at live shows, and if you haven’t seen their show, it’s worth checking out.
Xeroxed – Mushroomhead – XX (2001) (link)
Ahhh Indstrial Metal – how you confuse me. Mushroomhead is generally minutes of greatness surrounded by too many people on stage making noise. (There is a guy listed on Wikipedia as being a former member of the band who’s contribution is “juggling”. I think that’s the sign that they need to trim the fat.) This song I actually liked more than most of their tracks, as there was flashes of skill between the forced complexity, and the sporadic vocals didn’t seem to overpower me. I enjoyed this song, but we all know that I’m on the Slipknot side of this fence. 🙂
Alone – Burn Halo – Up from the Ashes (2011) (link)
When I saw this pop up, I’m going to be honest….I hoped it was either Bullet for my Valentine or Parkway Drive (who both have great songs called Alone). Rather, it was Burn Halo, who I got introduced to last year at a show in Milwaukee called Band Camp. This is a lesser-known band who is trying to push mainstream rock, but I just don’t think they have enough to differentiate themselves from everything else. Alone is another track that’s not bad – but isn’t enough to prevent me from almost subconsciously reaching for the “seek” button.
Scientifiction: I. A Clot of Tragedy /II. A Swarm of Dedication –
Norma Jean – O God, the Aftermath (2005) (link)
Well this certainly will win for most…..awkward?……name of a song this hour. Norma Jean was huge in the early metalcore scene, but my personal opinion is that they’ve never had a stable enough lineup to create a unique sound. Still they do relatively well, and this song is a great example of why. This song reminds me distinctly of something that Dillinger Escape Plan would put out, but not quite as good. Songs like this (in the ‘mathcore’ genre) stretch me musically, something that I definitely crave. If you listen to this track, force yourself to make it all the way through it – I bet by the end you will start to appreciate it.
Survive – Dope – American Apathy (2005) (link)
A concert just recently introduced me to Dope, so I missed them in their mid 2000’s heyday. However, had I known them back then, I probably would have loved them, as they do strike my love for nu-metal. I find myself liking Dope more and more as I give their stuff more of a chance – and I think their stuff would be even better live. This song has a Static-X feel to me (although not quite as well done), and is just barely heavy enough to be really good. If Nu-Metal is your thing, you’ll probably enjoy this song. If it’s not, its not a good enough song to change your mind.
My Life for Hire – A Day to Remember – Homesick (2009) (link)
I still don’t know what to think of these guys – they fall somewhere between an up and comer and an established band. I have to give them props because they have an extremely diverse library that features everything from hardcore punk to metalcore. This song is off of their best album to date, and is a decent example of their flexibility. The breakdown in the middle makes for a nice transition point, and gives the song some kick to counteract the softer vocals and keep the song from being too ‘Pop’-y for me. While I’m not totally convinced about this band, this is one of the songs in the “positives” column, and so I enjoyed hearing it again.
Killing Time – Metallica – Garage, Inc (1991) (link)
Ahh, the love that started it all. Fun fact for all you readers out there – The Black Album was the first album that I bought in the rock/metal world, and the one that is responsible for beginning the conversion of me into a music fanatic. While it’s not something I still listen to often, I have nothing but respect and love for old school thrash metal from the Big Four. This song is off Metallica’s cover album, and was originally written by a band from Northern Ireland called Sweet Savage, however it sounds so naturally like Metallica songwriting, you’d never guess that. I don’t recall ever hearing this song….great find during this hour of music!
Run This Town – Miss May I – Punk Goes Pop 3 (2010) (link)
Well I said I wouldn’t skip anything. I got a hold of these albums because of a few songs that were highly entertaining (but by no means good), like Woe, Is Me covering Kesha. (I refuse to type the dollar sign). This is another goofy song that is really pulled of quite well by Miss May I. Their vocals sound really good here, and this is what inspired me to go listen to more of Miss May I. If you haven’t heard of the band, CERTAINLY don’t start with this nonsense – (go listen to their Monument album that came out in 2010). If you have, might be worth checking out!
Savin’ Me – Nickelback – All the Right Reasons (2005) (link)
This band is just really, really bad. Their songs are horribly constructed and even more horribly executed. Even if I could pass their songs off as “catchy” instead of “awful” or “annoying”, I would be hung up on how much I hate their lead singer and how their concert seemed incredibly forced and awkward. To each his own, but if it wasn’t against my self-imposed policy, this would be the first thing I deleted from the cloud. It was painful for me to make it through this song, so I deserve props for staying the course.
Paralyzed – The Used – Lies for the Liars (2007) (link)
Talk about a 180 from that last garbage – I absolutely love this song. While it may not fit in the typical music that I listen to, I personally think that The Used is brilliant at what they do. If someone asked me how punk transitioned into post-hardcore, my exhibit A would be The Used. This song is a perfect example of how they push the envelope, combining great vocals and screams on perfect pitch with electric violins and other interesting song elements throughout. If you don’t know The Used, this is a perfect song to get you hooked.
World Apart – Times of Grace – The Hymn of a Broken Man (2011) (link)
Not the strongest song on this album, but anything that gives me the excuse to listen to Adam D scream and Jesse Leach sing is ok in my book. Parent band Killswitch Engage is solidly in my top 5, and so naturally I’m a big fan of this band as well. I get the sense from this album that Adam D finally was able to write unconstrained, that he could get all the ideas out of his head that didn’t fit the KsE mold, and I’m for it. This song highlights Adam D’s guitar playing as well as his screams, and has some really cool guitar elements throughout the chorus. Solid song – great album.
Song 10 – As I Lay Dying – Frail Worlds Collapse (2003) (link)
To be honest, I don’t know that I’ve ever heard this song either. The beginning of the song is primarily instrumental, and even when the vocals come in mid-song, you just get the sense that they aren’t meant to be the focus. For a band that’s usually heavily focused on vocals, it was refreshing to see them step outside of their comfort zone and construct something a little different – a song that is interesting but not overly complex. I was somewhat of an As I Lay Dying fan already, but this made me think that maybe I need to look into their unknown stuff a bit more.
Mary Ann’s Place – Volbeat – Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood (2008) (link)
I struggle to know what to do with Volbeat. I completely dismissed them when I first heard them, but then got drawn back in by a couple of catchy big songs and the opportunity to see them at Rock on the Range this year. This track started off weak for me, and then got worse as the female singer came in. The major breakdown at the end of the song tried to give it redemption, but it seemed forced and out of place. I know a lot of folks that really like this band, and while the jury’s still out for me, the same can’t be said for this song. Nothing special. Just enough time left for one more song!!
Impending Disaster – Devildriver – The Fury of Our Maker’s Hands (2005) (link)
I really wasn’t a big fan of this band, but then, in early 2008, I went to a show in Port St. Lucie, Florida to see a friend’s band play, and they opened for Devildriver. After watching them headline, and taking two shots of Jager with Des Fafara, I have to say I have been a big fan ever since. 🙂 This song is a pretty good example of what they do best – big double bass, low gutteral screams, and big riffs that make you want to bang against somebody. Out of all the songs I listened to tonight, this one got me the most amped up. Not a good way to end an exercise like this at 11:45 at night!!
So that’s it my friends. I had a good time with this. Hopefully you enjoyed my ramblings. Until next time!!
Paralyzed by the same old antics / Back and forth like some walking spastic / How could a fistfight be romantic / Thinking back now you ever feel the same