Figured I’d share this for the fools not on ILLECT’s mailing list:
We just got the new CD shipment in for Sivion’s new record “Butterfly Sessions beats by Dert”. The album drops Tuesday, September 7th and we’ve got a very limited printing of t-shirts on the way. Jump on one of these combos to make sure you get the size/color you like. Visit http://bit.ly/bVbuIj to check out the lineup of the CD, the super fresh cover and of course the shirts.
Limited Edition (T-Shirt) combo
1. Butterfly Sessions CD
2. Butterfly Sessions DL (320kbps MP3)
3. Butterfly Sessions album instrumentals DL (320kbps MP3)
4. Butterfly Sessions extended digital booklet
5. Exclusive remix track
6. Here We Go b/w Sivion for President DL (320kbps MP3)
7. Mind the Rap volume 1 album DL
8. Mind the Rap volume 2 album DL
9. Exclusive Sivion t-shirt (your size)
Special Edition 1 CD combo
1. Butterfly Sessions CD
2. Butterfly Sessions extended digital booklet
3. Mind the Rap volume 1 album DL
4. Mind the Rap volume 2 album DL
Special Edition 2 Download combo
1. Butterfly Sessions album DL (320kbps MP3)
2. Butterfly Sessions extended digital booklet
3. Mind the Rap volume 1 album DL
4. Mind the Rap volume 2 album DL
Dearest Luk/Luke/Lukey/Whatever You Are Calling Yourself These Days,
This is an open letter to you about your latest LP, Awakening Mercury’s Head for the Indies. I cannot, in good conscience, do a regular old review of this release, given the fact that you are a good friend of mine and my opinions are biased. That said, I want to be open, honest, and critical in a letter directly to you that my readers and your listeners can read in order to get a little bit of a feel for you as the artist that you are.
This release is a major step forward from anything you’ve ever done before. The music is more mature, the vocals are solid, and the lyrics are poetry. While your early days with Dreaming Under Mercury were fun and bubbly and your later material with the less pop oriented version of Dreaming Under Mercury is where you started to develop your voice, this release finds you coming into your own as a truly credible and powerful artist.
In earlier days, you wore your musical and vocal influences on your sleeves (or rather on your sleeveless arms) a bit too much. You have always rocked hard, but at times it felt like you were trying to be someone else. Whether it be your previous vocal emulations of Brandon Boyd or your intense musical similarities to Blindside, Chevelle, or (at one point specifically) Further Seems Forever, there always seemed a slight identity crisis in your musical past.
Today, however, those influences may still be evident, but in a much more unique way. Rather than sound like a copycat, you are your own you. Sure, like any great artist, the ghosts of other musical giants haunt your tunes, but never does Head for the Indies feel like music searching for an identity. This is you, all you… and it make me proud, both as a fan and a friend.
I’ve played this album for several friends, just to gauge a reaction. One friend, who listens primarily to arena rock (Creed, Fuel, etc.) found your music enjoyable but ultimately forgettable. This, however, is not the typical target audience for artier rock like this LP. The more appropriate prospective fan, a friend who’s musical tastes lie primarily in the realm of Further Seems Forever, Sensefield, Jimmy Eat World, and The Juliana Theory, found your LP thoroughly enjoyable and has been bugging me about a copy since that time. I guess your sound can hit home, afterall.
I’ve already been verbose, so I guess it’s time to starting wrapping up, especially seeing as I intend to post a full review at some point (by a guest reviewer, of course). I’d like to simply close this letter by saying that no one has ever deserved a chance to “make it” in music more than you. Always busting your ass to write, record, promote, and network, not to mention all the work you’ve done to help out other bands and artists… rock and roll is your lifestyle, but not in the sex and drugs kinda way, but rather in the way that you breathe, sleep, and eat music. One day, your dream will come true, but until that time I have no doubt that you’ll keep plugging along because no one I know loves music as much as you. Keep honing your craft and you’ll hit the big time… then I promise to ride your coattails as far as I can.
Your friend and fan,
Justin “thepaintedman” Harlan
Jeffrey Krause is a cool dude. He writes and performs music, loves Jesus, and is a family man extraordinaire. Not to mention, he is the United States’ foremost metal authority… well, he and Riki Rachtman.
Here you will find that Jeff is also a fantastic writer. In the below review of the newest Norma Jean release, you will find that like most of my guest writers, he’s much better than me. So, enjoy yourself for a change!
Norma Jean has been a longstanding member of the metal community. Dating back to their days with Tooth & Nail metal sub-label Solid State Records under the name Luti-Kriss, they have been a juggernaut of metal goodness. Meridional continues that trend, showing the band to be hitting on all cylinders once again.
Meridional launches right out of the gate with the aggressiveness of a predator on the opening track “Leaderless & Self Enlisted”. What is worthy of noting here is that the album progresses through the track listing with near-perfection, as any good album will do. Some albums these days sound less flowing, and more like a collection of songs thrown together randomly. That’s not the case here, as NJ perfectly molds each track for the listener with the appropriate level of rage and melody, making the album bob and weave through a variety of tempos, technicality, and pace that keep the listener interested and waiting for the next step.
Also obvious here is the broad approach the band took, shining through in tracks like “Deathbed Atheist” and “High Noise Low Output” (perhaps due to their time with Chino Moreno or Helmet’s Page Hamiliton during The Anti-Mother sessions). NJ isn’t afraid to throw some sing-screaming, or even straight singing into the mix, and it works, in a big way. Some may see this as a loss of metal “edge”; to the contrary, I think the thing that makes a metal band stand out in 2010 is their ability to take some risk and stretch themselves. NJ has done so here, and it brings even more continuity and flow to the overall album. What they accomplish through this stretching is what keeps them from being just another metalcore ripoff band.
Musically, NJ is as solid as ever. These guys have been doing this together for a long time, and it shows. Writing songs with multiple members is no small or easy task, but the musical component of NJ is so solid and tight (both here, as well as live on their recent stint with the Mayhem Fest), it sets them apart from the typical metalcore chugfest that seems to pervade metal today. Vocally, Cory Brandan’s range, screaming style, and ability to bring melody into his sing-screaming is amazing, and should be taken note of; many-a-vocalist could stand to take a lesson from Cory’s vocals on Meridional. They are solid, powerful, and in your face.
2008’s The Anti-Mother was thought by some (including myself) to be one of NJ’s best albums up to that point. While I still think it is an amazing release, what I found here was that the band continues to grow, mature, and stretch and challenge themselves to be better without totally reinventing themselves with every release.
If you haven’t picked up Meridional yet, do yourself a favor and get it. If you don’t you could be missing out on one of the best metal albums of 2010.
The ReverseRemixThis! contest with The Prids has had a lot of interest, some press, and yet, I have very few entries… my thoughts are simple on this: Like me, most of you have had a busy Summer.
So, TPM and VBM have decided to extend the contest dates… so, here is your REVISED mission!
Cricket Hill is a small microbrewery in Northern NJ. This past weekend at our most recent Beer Snob Bible Club Meeting, we had the pleasure of partaking in 3 of their great brews (out of Cricket Hill pint glasses provided by my father, one of our most active BSBC members). I once spoke with someone from the brewery at a tasting a few years back and was told that their primary goal was to be a “gateway brewery” that provided the drinkers of the big 3 American breweries an introduction to craft brewing. From our experience drinking Hopnotic IPA, Jersey Breakfast Summer Ale, and East Coast Lager, I believe they have met this goal and done so beautifully. Hopnotic was a nice drinkable IPA. The Jersey Summer Breakfast Ale (which will be covered sometime next week on this site) was solid. However, on a warm Summer day, East Coast Lager was the pick for me. Due to it being 1 of 7 beers we partook in, I did not have the opportunity to take any notes on East Coast Lager, but an extra bottle and a warm Sunday afternoon gave me the opportunity I needed.
Cricket Hill explains this brew as:
4.2% ABV
23 IBU’s
An easy drinking golden Bavarian Helles Lager with an excellent balance of crisp malt flavors and flowery hop finish. The aroma is as clean as the taste. With its gentle finish our East Coast Lager shows very well with light fare, but stands alone magnificently!
Great description… great beer… here is my take:
Drinkability
This is a perfectly drinkable beer. Goes down as easy as a Miller Lite, but actually has a taste. This is a great example of a Helles Lager: pale, light, and easy. Balanced hop and malt flavors go down easy, moderate body and good carbonation. A great beer for sitting poolside in the heat, but enough flavor that it’s not just a warm weather beer. This is the perfect gateway beer.
Predictability
This beer smells like it should and tastes like it should. It’s quite predictable, overall. That’s not a bad thing, especially when considering the overall mission of this brewery. As one could guess by the appearance, aroma, name, and packaging, this is your perfect lawn mower beer.
Affordability
You can spend what you’d spend on a beer by the big 3 and get this. That’s what makes it perfect as a gateway beer. A buck or two more for a six pack at worst, just as cheap at best… well worth the money.
Overall Enjoyability
As a friend told me, this looks and smell like beer. Without trying to get fancy in using beer terms, that is exactly right. This is good beer for the bad beer drinker, it has a bit more of a hopback than your typical macro and a bit more body, but nothing that will offend your buddy who drinks Busch or Coors. It’s the right choice for a hot day outside of to accompany a slice of pizza for dinner. I really enjoyed drinking this beer, it is proof that a simple, easy style can be just as good as an experimental big beer. Craft beer done right.
thepaintedman rates this:
A word about Cricket Hill beers…… Our beers are all designed as session beers that are as gentle in style as can be. They are full bodied beers that deliver classic flavors in the middle of your palate then fade away to nothing with no bitter aftertaste. We are not trying to make a statement, or blow you away with a hop or malt bomb, we are simply showing the world what great beer tastes like!
gilli moon is an Aussie singer/songwriter with a big, beautiful voice and a penchant for pop hooks and easily consumed melodies. Inspiring lyrics and great musicianship make this release a pop album that stands out from the uninspired and mediocre pop riddling the radios these days. Comparisons to Alanis Morisette and Lily Allen would not be off the mark in describing the emotion, cleverness, and soul of the stillness. Called “a female Elton John” by Billboard, gilli’s use of great piano work makes this reviewer quite happy (note that Ben Folds and Billy Joel both creep into my top artists list). A solid album cover to cover, but if the first several tracks, notably the trio of “Be”, “I Am”, and “Outside In”, don’t reel you in wanting more, you are probably deaf.
Strong Waves Kill Weak Swimmers
Questions Are Like the Knocks of a Beggar Man
thepaintedman rates this:
By the name of the band and the EP, you could guess (and be quite accurate) that SWKWS is an eclectic indie band. Another example of great musicianship, the band tinkers with layered string arrangements in “Wolves”, jams upbeat synthesizers on “There’s Something in the Sea”, and strums acoustic on “Nothing to Write Home About”. Overall, they sound like a band without a true identity, but a band that is willing to play what they want to play. This EP shows promise and talent… even if they are from Pittsburgh. Another EP or 2 and some maturing and this could be a band to watch out for.
the85bears featuring Alex Exile
Tone & Volume
thepaintedman rates this:
My bias on this one if going to be evident, seeing as a TPM contest is what hooked these artists up together. A few new tracks from the85bears and a few remixes of older bears tracks by the extraordinary Alex Exile (formerly known as Second Reality). There’s also a bonus remix track from Alexander Lowery of The Zero Four. What I like most about the release (besides the fact that it’s FREE), is the variety. Great indie rock coupled with some dance tracks, all the while feeling like a project with continuity and vision. I’d rave more about this, but my bias is already too evident! Check out “Certain Death” and the remixes of “Belly Down” and “Meshac”. Killer stuff.
Little Lords
(s)kills
thepaintedman rates this:
Fourth and final on this edition of Shorties, another Signorelli project that I’ve mentioned a few times before. On this one, Mike gets down and dirty with crazy drumming, screamcore vocals, and a just enough DC hardcore influence. (s)kills is four tracks for fans of the glory days of Victory Records. Brutal in all the right ways, Little Lords will tear you face off and you’ll like it.
The Doctor of Blues that is… Free Music Monday hits y’all off today with “Going Down to Louisiana” by Marshall Lawrence. Bluesy roots rock for the soul… click on the pic below for a free MP3!
