Not Everyone's A Critic. But I Am.

Song: Don’t Be So Hard

Artist: The Audition

Album: Controversy Loves Company

Album Release Year: 2005

     I feel like The Audition didn’t get the recognition they deserved. With music similar in style to the music of bands like Silverstien, Mayday Parade, and the Spill Canvas, I would have thought that more people would have listened to them. If people actually had listened to them they might have found that they prefer them to most of the music they listen to on a regular basis. The Audition’s musical talent may only be slightly above average when compared to other bands, but the lyrics are more complex than straight forward statements and cliche similes and the singing ability of lead singer Danny Stevens is very impressive. Not only are the lyrics well thought out and more meaningful than those of many other pop punk bands, but they’re catchy. After listening to the songs off of Controversy Loves Company, I couldn’t help but sing the songs to myself at random points in my day.

     If you’re a fan of good pop punk music, I’d suggest The Audition, every time.

Song: A New Hope

Artist: Blink-182

Album: Dude Ranch

     A New Hope by Blink-182 is by far one of my favorite songs of all time. It may be my favorite song ever. I love the song, it proves that great songwriting isn’t always about the musical aspect of the song that makes a song amazing. Though the punk rock music style is basically made up of power chrods and general chord progressions, the lyrics are all based on characters and locations from the original Star Wars trilogy. The song is a love song, from the point of view of a guy on the outside of the actual Star Wars storyline who is in love with Princess Leia but feels like she doesn’t even know about him. He feels like he isn’t cool enough for her, and that he passed up oportunities to be with her, but he would do anything for her because she is his perfect “Alderranean”. (Alderaan is the planet Princess Leia is from; it was destroyed by Darth Vader in episode IV: A New Hope.) He would search the moons of Endor for her or even “walk naked through the deserts of Tattooine”.

     I love the song for a few reasons. First of all, I have loved Star Wars ever since I first saw A New Hope when I was five years old, and the fact that they used Star Wars to write a love song is just completely awesome to me. Another reason I love the song is because I grew up listening to it. It’s the first Blink-182 song I ever heard. My mother bought the cd the day it was released and this is the first song I remember hearing so every time I hear the song I remember being young. Third, it’s a punk love song, and I love the contradiction that holds in itself. Blink-182 is by far my favorite band of all time, and I think this is my favorite song of all time. And I know Travis wasn’t a part of the band when this album was released, but if they were to perform this song again with Travis doing his own drum rendition would be completely awesome!

     Here are the lyrics.

I’ve got her in my head
At night when I go to bed
And I know it sounds lame, but she’s the girl of my dreams.
And of course I’d do anything for her.
I’d search the moons of Endor
I’d even walk naked through the deserts of Tattooine

Princess Leia where are you tonight?
And who’s laying there by your side?
Every night, I fall asleep with you, and I wake up alone.

And even though I’m not as cool as Han
I still wanna be your man
You’re exactly the kind of Alderaanean that I need.
But when you were available I was
Drinking Colt 45 with Lando
I was hanging out in the cantina on Mos Eisley.

Princess Leia where are you tonight?
And who’s laying there by your side?
Every night, I fall asleep with you, and I wake up alone.

Ahhhh Ahhhh Princess Leia
Ahhhh Ahhhh Princess Leia

Princess Leia where are you tonight?
And who’s laying there by your side?
Every night, I fall asleep with you, and I wake up alone.

Song: Thirty-Three

Artist: The Smashing Pumpkins

Album: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness: Twilight to Starlight

Album Release Year: 1995

Composer: William (Billy) Corgan

This song is one of the greatest songs ever written and was released on one of the best albums ever to top Billboard’s charts. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was the number one album on Billboard’s top 40 albums in the year 1995, and I feel as if people have forgotten about it, though it has been certified nine times platinum, so I wanted to post this song and hope the people who listen like it and maybe if they haven’t already, listen to the rest of the album (it’s a double album, CD titles are “Dawn to Dusk” & “Twilight to Starlight”) and listen to the rest of The Smashing Pumpkins’ music. Personally, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is one of my favorite albums ever released, and I love The Smashing Pumpkins. I think they are a band with a unique sound and style, and I think Billy Corgan is one of the best songwriters ever.

This song, Thirty-Three, is one of my favorite songs. I listen to it when I’m happy and when I’m sad and thinking about love. More importantly though, is the meaning of the song.

Thirty-Three is about happiness lasting, and being able to live through the hardships of love and doing everything you can to make your love for someone last. Never isn’t a word that has to exist when talking about love.

Speak to me in a language I can hear
Humour me before I have to go
Deep in thought I forgive everyone
As the cluttered streets greet me once again
I know I can’t be late, supper’s waiting on the table
Tomorrow’s just an excuse away
So I pull my collar up and face the cold, on my own
The earth laughs beneath my heavy feet
At the blasphemy in my old jangly walk
Steeple guide me to my heart and home
The sun is out and up and down again
I know I’ll make it, love can last forever
Graceful swans of never topple to the earth
And you can make it last, forever you
You can make it last, forever you
And for a moment I lose myself
Wrapped up in the pleasures of the world
I’ve journeyed here and there and back again
But in the same old haunts I still find my friends
Mysteries not ready to reveal
Sympathies I’m ready to return
I’ll make the effort, love can last forever
Graceful swans of never topple to the earth
Tomorrow’s just an excuse
And you can make it last, forever you
You can make it last, forever you

It’s Makeover Monday again and you know what that means: I’m reviewing another cover song.

Song: Little Lion Man

Written By: Mumford & Sons

Performed By: Tonight Alive

Album: Punk Goes Pop Volume 4

     I just recently heard this cover of Mumford & Sons’ “Little Lion Man” performed by Tonight Alive, a punk band from Sydney Australia’s underground hardcore scene consisting of 19 year old singer Jenna McDougall, guitarist Whakaio Taahi, bass player Cameron Adler, rhythm guitarist Jake Hardy, and drummer Matt Best. The band started off in the underground metalcore circuit playing harder pop punk songs reminiscent of the hits of A Day To Remember. They immediately took the scene by storm gaining a massive, youthful fanbase.

    Now for the song review.

    Little Lion Man is originally a folk, bluegrass song by England’s Mumford & Sons. The original is a great song and is one of the few recent songs that actually deserves its airtime across the world’s radio waves. One would think a song that is already embedded in our ears would be a difficult song to cover, but Tonight Alive succeeded in turning an already great song into a unique masterpiece of their own. While staying true to the original artist’s vocal inflections and melodies, they managed to integrate their own pop-punk style rhythms and percussion into the song, completely changing the genre of the tune from folk to rock.

     Tonight Alive’s cover of the song was realeased in November of 2011 on the compilation album, Punk Goes Pop Volume 4. I am a Huge fan of the Punk Goes… series of compilation albums; I think they have a lot of good bands doing great covers of songs, but if I had to say one bad thing about them, it would be that most of the bands doing covers on their compilations are not actually punk bands. Most of the covers are hardcore covers played by hardcore or metal bands, but though Tonight Alive may not actually be a traditional punk band, their cover of Little Lion Man has very distinct punk attributes that would justify their appearance on the album.

     All in all, this is a great cover, I love the original song, but this version blew me away when the tempo sped up after the first chorus, and then blew me away again when Jenna McDougall showcased her vocal ability in the second and last chorus of the song. Amazing cover. Awesome band.

Source:

Makeover Monday?

I’ll think of a theme for monday, but I think I’m going to stick with this one. It’s a good excuse to do reviews of covers.

     Today, I’m reviewing a cover of Bon Iver’s song, Skinny Love. It’s performed by Birdy, an independent artist from England. Obviously, Birdy is her stage name, her full name is Jasmine van der Bogaerde.

     She has already made her cover of the already famous song, extremely popular amongst the hipster class, and has already filmed a music video for her rendition of the song.

     Personally, I like her version much better than the original. And don’t get me wrong, I like Bon Iver’s original version; he has a great, unique voice and style, but Birdy’s voice is so beautiful, honestly, I was speechless the first time I listened to this song on Spotify. I don’t think there will ever be a better version of this song. (unless of course, someone makes a hardcore version) (kidding).

     Listen to the song, keep an open mind, and Enjoy!