Fresh Tracks: September

Monday, 31 August 2009 19:00

Fresh Tracks September

Curt Devine

Armistice MuteMath Warner Bros. Music Inc.****

If MuteMath sold a CD for every layer on their new album Armistice, they may be overnight millionaires. The release is a tricky mix of dance hooks and complex, risky musicianship—an amalgam that some would call gibberish and others genius.

Although the album has a specific attitude, the songs are dynamic and constantly shift in energy. “The Nerve” showcases frontman Paul Meaney’s vocal aggression and the band’s zealous persona, while tracks like “Pins and Needles” and “No Response” sound more like clever lounge music. The hit “Spotlight” turned heads last year with its inclusion on the Twilight soundtrack, yet it is far from being the only standout track on the album.

Meaney’s irregular lyrics are yet another reason to check out this release. On “The Nerve,” he asks, “Can you believe this world is exactly as we built it, running out of control? Set it on fire!” We’ll leave it to you to decide whether he wants you to pull out a lighter or simply think deeply about life.

Download: “The Nerve”

Jessie James Jessie James The Island Def Jam Music Group****

While today’s pop divas are a dime a hundred, Jessie James has sealed her stardom by combining two genres that are often seen as total opposites: hip-hop and country. At 20 years old and 5-foot nothing, she doesn’t look too threatening, but her vocals are lofty enough to put her on the level of giants Christina Aguilera and Katy Perry, who accordingly are her main influences.

Her hit “Wanted” will most likely garner the most MySpace plays with its catchy chorus and upbeat tempo, yet “Blue Jeans” may be the best sound for her wild-child image. It seems to have the attitude and swag that Carrie Underwood has repeatedly tried and failed to grasp. Jessie has the talent, but it’s no mystery that that talent has been shaped, shined and packaged by label executives to give her the right marketing edge (which she clearly has).

Overall, these 12 tracks are a fun mix of countrified radio pop. They show that banjos and club beats may not be quite as opposite as oil and vinegar.

Download: “Blue Jeans”

Hot Mess Cobra Starship Fueled By Ramen ***

Feel free to point and laugh at Cobra Starship—they won’t mind. In fact, they’ll probably be the first to admit their music is stupid, their looks are glam and the main reason they are famous is because they know the right people (note that track two is titled “Pete Wentz Is The Only Reason We Are Famous”).

Although their new record “Hot Mess” may be one giant joke, it’s a joke delivered with infectiously catchy melodies and danceable synth grooves. The hit “Good Girls Go Bad” is horribly obnoxious at first, but by the second chorus, its sleazy electro sound will have you hooked. Notably, the track features guest vocals from gossip girl Leighton Meester, which shows the pop fivesome wants to rack up as many fashion points as possible.

“Hot Mess” and “Living In The Sky With Diamonds” are two other danceable tunes that prove vocalist Gabe Saporta actually merits his singer stardom.

Whether you laugh at or with them, Cobra Starship has nabbed the fame, money and fun that most other pop bands only dream of.

Download: “Hot Mess” (You’ll probably hear enough of “Good Girls”)

Local CD Review Release Sister Hazel ****

If you’re going to be in Gainesville for a month or four years, you have to know the story of Sister Hazel, the local rock band with funk twang named after a local humanitarian. They became a national sensation in the ’90s with their hit “All For You”—yea, that song you know by heart that you still hear on the radio.

Ever since their breakthrough, they’ve consistently released music, and their fan base has only gotten bigger. Although I’m no self-proclaimed “Hazelnut,” I’ll be the first to tell you that their seventh-studio album Release has enough polish on it for it to shine. You might expect the band to sound dated or unenthused after all these years, but just the opposite is true.

Not only is the album fresh, Ken Block’s voice is flawless, instantly familiar and so charged with emotion (see their single “Take a Bow”, which immediately jumped into my selective “Gainesville’s Best” playlist) that whatever he’s drinking should be in every singer’s water. Ken, I know you’re happily married, so don’t take this the wrong way … but I’m in love with your voice.

Beyond the vocals, you can hear how years of playing as a band has brought the music together in moments where everything seems to just go “click.” Check out “Take It Back” for the moment when the counter-guitar melody comes right up into the background of the vocals before swelling up into the chorus. There’s also “Better Way,” a personal favorite off the album, that balances fast lyrics with rolling guitar chords and a simple, effective guitar solo.

All of the songs are done so well, so professionally (without the plasticized feel of studio overkill) that Release is an example of what more bands should be trying to do and aren’t. I’d recommend Release to anyone who needs a refresher of what rock used to sound like—and where it needs to go. —Lindsay Smith

Hot Picks from Rock 104 by Jimmy D

16 Second Stare Red Carpet Material Tampa-based band 16 Second Stare takes its name from an alleged law stating that staring at a woman longer than 16 seconds constitutes sexual harassment. With their debut album, Red Carpet Material, they prove that angry rock can be kind of fun, too, as they incorporate catchy riffs and nice leads. Singer Tim Shanks really belts it out with a bluesy, guttural voice that sounds like a gravel truck with a broken axle. Great band, great album.

Tantric Mind Control Tantric’s fourth studio album Mind Control is being called the bands hardest album to date—and I would agree. There are a few great tracks, like “Let’s Start” and title track “Mind Control,” and Tantric always does a great job layering instruments and sound. It’s definitely good enough to throw into the CD player on a road trip, but I don’t think it’s going to shatter any rock paradigms.

Cavo Bright Nights * Dark Days After hearing their debut single “Champagne,” I was expecting more of a Theory-of-a-Deadman-esque sound, but the other songs on the album were very different. At times they sounded like Hoobastank; other times like Incubus, and during the track “Ghost,” I thought lead singer Casey Walker was going to tell me the reason for the teardrops on his guitar. That being said there are some really great, very melodic tracks like “Beautiful.” I would buy a la carte on iTunes, though.

Black Robot Black Robot This band is comprised of the some of the original members of Buckcherry (sans singer Josh Todd), and they have definitely managed to carry the same fun and energy into Black Robot. Their cover of Clapton’s “Cocaine” is one of the best I’ve heard, and the George Thorogood-inspired “Baddass” just might be my new anthem. Some tracks drag on a little, but overall it’s a refreshing change from the drop-D, post-grunge sound that saturates the labels.

Daughtry Leave This Town For Daughtry’s sophomore album, everybody from Richard Marx to Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger had a hand in writing and producing the tracks—and it sounds like it. However, the one word that comes to mind when listening to it is “safe.” It has been engineered for mainstream palatability, and several tracks could easily be dubbed into country songs. But if that’s the sound you dig, you’ll probably love this album.

TAKE OUT JACK’S BIO AT THE END AND Replace with this: Jimmy D, music director for Rock104, hosts the Work Release Program Mon-Fri, 3-7pm, and Breaking and Entering every Monday at 11pm. LEAVE THIS PART: “Rock104 is always looking for new music…” etc

Album Releases

Sept 8 Boys Like Girls Love Drunk Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johannson Break Up Phish Joy

Sept 15 Savoir Adore In the Wooded Forest Uncle Kracker Happy Hour

Sept 22 Sean Kingston Tomorrow Mae Morning Mika The Boy Who Knew Too Much Willie Nelson Souvenirs Three Days Grace Life Starts Now

Sept 29 AFI Crash Love Big and Rich Greatest Hits Buckcherry Live and Loud 2009 Bob Dylan The Collection: Another Side/Bringing It Paramore Brand New Eyes Barbara Streisand Love is the Answer

Oct 6 Backstreet Boys This is Us Switchfoot Hurricane