Satellites & Sirens
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Satellites & Sirens Since there hasn't really been much new music in a while, I decided to take a chance and get this off itunes. And I'm really glad I did!
I didn't know much about this band, but I had heard the songs Breaking...
Flashlights (The Cullen Song) - Single
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eleventyseven When I learned eleventyseven, one of my favorite bands, was doing a song about Twilight, one of my favorite books, I was of course PUMPED for it. So it finally came out today and I bought it off amazon...
Adventures In Eville
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eleventyseven eleventyseven got lots of negative feedback when they released their debut back a few years ago. But in 2007 with "Galactic Conquest," they redeemed themselves, sporting a new electro-pop-rock sound. "Eville"...
Impressive!! | Posted February-05-2010
Since there hasn't really been much new music in a while, I decided to take a chance and get this off itunes. And I'm really glad I did!
I didn't know much about this band, but I had heard the songs Breaking The Noise and Anchor before and liked them so I took the notion to get the whole album.
The first thing that came to mind to compare the electronic-fused pop/punk sound of this album was eleventyseven's "Galactic Conquest" album...which I absolutely LOVE. So naturally I would like this :)
Most songs keep the same kind of sound. This means that if the album were any more than 10 tracks, it would probably get boring pretty fast. Usually, I like albums with 13-ish songs, but I think this one actually benefits from having less tracks.
The songs on here are VERY catchy and will get stuck in your head! All of the highlights come on the second half of the disc...All We Need Is Sound, All The Same, Vaudevillain, and Hello Don't Go.
The only real misstep on here is the song Take Me Back. It's the average ballad that every pop/punk band thinks they absolutely HAVE to include on their album. Here, it's by far the weakest track of the 10.
Keep your eyes and ears out, 'cause 2010 is Satellites & Sirens' year!
Matt Went To A Party As Edward Cullen... | Posted October-03-2009
When I learned eleventyseven, one of my favorite bands, was doing a song about Twilight, one of my favorite books, I was of course PUMPED for it. So it finally came out today and I bought it off amazon as soon as I woke up this morning! I was definitely not disappointed. It's definitely a little "out there," especially with the odd dialogue thrown in. But it keeps eleventyseven's classic tongue-in-cheek ness that makes them so great. And the tune is pretty catchy too.
WARNING: Contains Nightmares, Early Bedtimes, School Dances, Mad Professors, Lonely Words :(, Wannabe Rock Stars, Jell-O Pudding Pops, & Lots of Cyborg Robot Squirrels! | Posted June-18-2009
eleventyseven got lots of negative feedback when they released their debut back a few years ago. But in 2007 with "Galactic Conquest," they redeemed themselves, sporting a new electro-pop-rock sound. "Eville" continues this sound, but also mixes with some punk-pop tunes as well.
"Eville" kicks off on a high note with the energetic "Nightmare," an instant highlight. "The Best I Can" and "Trying" are the more spiritual songs on the record. The guys have fun with the just-for-laughs "Evil Genius," "Prom Song," and the tell-off "Redeem The Scene." All 3 are personal favorites. "Prom Song" even has a breakdown in the middle that sounds identical to something mainstream band 3OH!3 would do. "Back When We Were Kids" is a cool song with a bunch of references to things kids do. I found myself reminiscing, because I did most of those exact things when I was little! "Like You Rock" is about just being yourself, and not trying to act like anyone else. The album closes with the synth-heavy techno song "End Of Time," reminiscent of Capital Lights' "Mile Away." The song is really the only song on the record that is even halfway slow, and is more of a relaxed way to close a highly infectious and energetic album.
Highlights: Nightmare, Evil Genius, Redeem The Scene, Prom Song.
Where Buffaloes Never Roam... | Posted April-14-2009
We were first introduced to Hawaii native Lanae' Hale in fall of 2007, when she released a 6-song EP. The EP was nice, but it really wasn't my style of music. The EP stuck to mid- and slow-tempo tracks, with a folky, acoustic-based, lite pop sound. But things take a turn with her debut album. Teaming up with Mark Hammond (best known for working with Jump5) is obviously what gave the album its well-produced pop vibe. The album gets rid of the sparse arrangements in favor of programmed synths and catchy pop beats.
"Back & Forth" starts with a bang with its title track, which is my personal favorite song on the record. The song is a super-catchy pop song that was destined for radio airplay. Other songs like "Beautiful Things," and "Here's My Heart" follow in the same pattern. "It's Over" and "Don't Cry" are the ballads of the project, which reflect her EP with their acoustic arrangements, but in this case it really complements the songs. "Here's To The Girls" is a girls' anthem that every female Christian artist thinks they HAVE to include on their project. But this one is really good. Lanae's vocals on this song remind me a lot of Jill Parr, and sound almost identical to hers at times. "If I'm Broken" starts off with Skillet-like orchestration, before becoming a pop song. "Headed Home" is a calmer, synthy number, with lots of vocal effects. "Burning Heartbeats" is a song Britt Nicole would kill to have on her album, being near pop perfection.
"Back & Forth" is a breath of fresh air from an artist I decided to give a second chance. I recommend it to any pop music fan! Be sure to watch out for Lanae' in '09!
Introducing Kari Jobe | Posted March-15-2009
One would never think such sweet, tender vocals would be behind a female worship leader. Then there was Kari Jobe. Although Jobe has a worshipful background, her debut is more of an AC album. Don't get me wrong...the songs sure are worshipful, but it's more of a CD you would turn on while sitting on your back porch on a summer day to relax. Kari's style of worship is more of an almost easy listening genre, instead of the normal congregational worship.
"Kari Jobe" is a huge breath of fresh air in the crowded genre of worship music. Her soft, lite pop style may not perfect for everyone, but it's one of those albums you have to be in the mood for, if you catch my drift. I have found myself listening to it while walking. It's especially refreshing for me on the warmer days we've had this year already.
Although the album may seem to become a bit monotonous toward the middle, since you can only go so far with soft pop music, for me it was a nice, fresh album. Let's face it, I'm just not really a fan of slow music. I like upbeat music that gets your blood pumping. But this is a nice relaxation CD.
The songs may sound too alike to pinpoint a lot of highlights, but it does have some. The first song, "I'm Singing," is about as upbeat as this album gets. The gorgeous "Beautiful" and "My Beloved" are also highlights. And although there was the whole controversy behind Hillsong's "Healer," it's still a great song whether Michael what's-his-face was proved a scam. It may have been written and performed with the wrong mindset, but no need to put such a beautiful song to waste when someone else could sing it with a genuine heart of praise---which is exactly what Kari does.
Though this album may not suit everyone's musical fancy, Jobe's debut breathes a certain new life into worship music that hasn't been heard in a while. This is definitely one to watch...
All You Gotta Do Is Take The NEXT STEP... | Posted March-15-2009
Melissa Greene, one-fourth of Avalon's current lineup, released her solo album just a few days ago. Here, I will review this album in 3 sections so I can avoid the long length of some of my reviews :-) And so I don't copy the same review I wrote for JfH. Also, this is my PERSONAL opinion on the record, not a critical review.
THE GOOD: Melissa's voice is the biggest highlight of this album. She has a bit of country flare to her voice, which sounds pretty comparable to Carrie Underwood, especially in the country ballad, "Long Road To Forgiveness." But it also breezes through strong AC ballads (Wonder, Army), perky pop numbers (Next Step, Too Far), and piano-based songs (At Your Feet). Even the Stacie Orrico-influenced R&B track, "You Satisfy," is done with relative ease.
THE BAD: The music is not the most unique thing you've ever heard before. Not to mention, 6 of the 10 songs on here are slower songs, which doesn't provide a real mix. Her cover of "Revelation Song" falls flat, and although she has the strong vocals to carry it through, the musical arrangement is rather bland and anti-climactic compared to other versions.
SONG LOWDOWN: The title track is easily my favorite track here. It's a funky, jazzy, upbeat start to the album. The song reminds me a lot of Beyonce's "Crazy In Love," and the horn part in the chorus almost sounds identical to it. "Wonder" is a catchy, worshipful song. "At Your Feet" has nice lyrics but doesn't go anywhere musically. It's just Melissa and the piano the whole time. It would have benefited from a more orchestrated arrangement. "To Trust You" follows in the same foot (read her bio for her inspiration behind the song), but again doesn't do anything musically.
SUM-UP: Melissa's voice carries the album through beautifully. "Next Step" is at its best in the upbeat tracks, and it's too bad there weren't more of them. The album is marred by "too-many-ballads" syndrome. Tracks 8-10 (3 ballads in a row) are the worst tracks of the album, which makes the album end on a bad note.
SONG HIGHLIGHTS: Next Step, Wonder, Too Far, Imagine, Army
Listen Here... | Posted September-05-2008
If you're into R&B or Gospel music, you'll love T57. The girls have amazing voices. But for someone like me, this CD is just not my cup of tea.I love the song Listen, which is an upbeat, catchy, hip-hop/R&B track. But the album has too many slow songs for me, and nothing after track 1 remotely measures up to it. I gave it 3 stars, because they are definitely great for the genre of music they're in, but it's not my personal taste.
Definitely Not Impossible... | Posted September-05-2008
This CD is just ok for me. Some of the songs are catchy like "Innocent," "Eyes," & "Automatic," and those are the best ones. The lyrics are cliched and are just annoying to listen to, especially "Pray," "Shine," and "Sunshine." In other words, the middle is where the album falls flat.
Not So Beautiful Or Graceful... | Posted September-05-2008
"Beauty Has Grace" is by far the worst Jaci album ever. I agree with what "hillsongkid" said about it, and that Brit-pop/rock is just not Jaci's style. She should stick to the CCM stuff we know and love. Too bad "Lay It Down" was the ONLY single released from this album, but it didn't really deserve much success. The only songs I actually like on it are Lay It Down, Something Beautiful, With All My Soul, & I'm Not Looking Down. Once you pass "Something Beautiful" (track #5), the CD falls flat. Sorry Jaci, but not your best effort.
Love, Love, Love: The Central Theme | Posted September-02-2008
Ayiesha Woods's debut came in 2006 with little media attention, despite its breakout single, "Happy," and Woods's involvement with the heavily popular Revolve tour. And it left a small impression on me, although there was plenty of room for improvement. "Love Like This" is Ayiesha at her finest, not only a step up from her debut, but several.
"Love Like This" explores a very broad range of styles, and nearly every track sounds like a different genre completely, much like Mandisa's "True Beauty" album. Ayiesha stays true to her R&B style, but mixes it with many different sounds. These include: acoustic-based R&B (One Day), techno-meets-R&B (Alive), worship (Love Like This, Refine Me, Because Of Your Love), pop-rock (Fight, Never, Love Can't Wait). But the most unique songs would have to be the retro-Motown "New Beginnings," the jazz-meets-R&B "You Take Me There," and the almost Hawaiian-tinged "Transparent." There is little to complain about musically, and her voice is smooth and amazing, and breezes through the songs. But if there's anything worth complaining about, it would be the lyrics. Especially in the worshipful songs like the title track and "Because Of Your Love," the lyrics tend to get cliched and repetitive...nothing you havent heard before on your Tomlin record.
Personal Highlights: Your Love Is Alive, One Day, Love Can't Wait. Refine Me.
singersmartguy17's Music and Book Reviews 
