Alkaline Trio - This Addiction

McHenry, Illinois' finest, Alkaline Trio are back with their highly anticipated new album, This Addiction. This album finds the group continuing to stick to their original sound that has garnered them praise and adoration from so many fans around the world. This album is another chapter in the continually unfolding saga of Alkaline Trio.

The album's opening and title track is a bombastic punk blast that showcases frontman Matt Skiba's blistering vocals and fast paced guitar riffs. At 2 and a half minutes long, its the perfect opener and keeps it short, sweet, and straight to the point. "Dine, Dine My Darling" is a melodic, punk infused song that features the Trio's signature guitar riffs set amidst a background of aggressive drum beats. "Lead Poisoning" is another short yet effective track that starts off on a high level of kinetic energy and never lets up.

As the album trucks on, we hear "Dead on the Floor", a mid-tempo rocker and my favorite song off the album and provides some relief after all the loud and aggressive songs that we heard earlier, adding some diversity to an all-around solid album. "The American Scream" maintains a level of balance and coasts along with ease with its edgy guitar riffs and Matt's vocals delivering at full blast. "Eating Me Alive" is an honest and pulsating track that best highlights the excellent songwriting and craftmanship that goes into each and every song that they create.

As the album closes out, we come across "Piss and Vinegar" a simple structured tune that delivers the goods as promised. "Dorothy" a fast paced, torrential song that doesn't disappoint, and "Fine" a great way to close out the album with its guitar riffs and anthemic drums, bringing everything on the album full circle. What has really attracted scores of fans to Alkaline Trio is their brimming sense of honesty that they bring to each and every song, and the intense imagery that is generated from the lyrics can correlate to something that might be happening in that person's life at that same moment and that is one of the remarkable things about music, its ability to affect and touch people in ways never thought possible or imagined.

All in all, a very solid and impressive album from Alkaline Trio, and one that is sure to be loved by dedicated Trio fans and others who might not be familiar with the band at all. One listen to this album and you'll understand what makes this band so respected by the music community.

                                                                                                                            Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. This Addiction
2. Dine, Dine My Darling
3. Lead Poisoning
4. Dead on the Floor
5. The American Scream
6. Off the Map
7. Draculina
8. Eating Me Alive
9. Piss and Vinegar
10. Dorothy
11. Fine

Story of the Year - The Constant

St. Louis, Missouri's Story of the Year are back with their brand new album, The Constant. The follow up to 2008's The Black Swan finds the quintet continuing to evolve their sound into something that hasn't been heard before and is different from all the other albums out there. Story of The Year continue their evolution on this effort, a nice taste of what they have to offer.

The album starts off with "The Children Sing", a gritty and blasting tune that starts off with an onslaught of guitars and pounding drums blasting at you through the speakers. The track also features a group of children singing the chorus on this song, adding a nice little touch to the track. Lead singer Dan Marsala's vocals pour through the song and compliment the instrumentation very well on this one. "The Ghost of You and I" is a highly melodic and gripping tune that shows the depth this band is capable of creating with a bevy of guitars, drums, and Dan's vocals once again leading the charge. The album's first single, "I'm Alive" is an emotional firestarter and does a great job of capturing the listener and drawing them into the song and enthralling them at the same time.

Moving on, "To The Burial" features an anthemic chorus and pulsating drums that raptures the listening audience to sing along with the band at the same time. My favorite song off the album is "The Dream Is Over", a melodic and energetic tune that starts off at a frenetic pace and never lets up with the top notch bass work of Adam Russell and the fine drumwork of Josh Wills.

As the album heads down the home stretch, "Remember A Time" features some memorable guitar riffs and Dan's edgy vocal chops make this song a standout amongst all the others. "Time Goes On" is a midtempo rocker that blends together a variety of different rhythms into something that is unique and is unlike anything else that they have ever created. Since their 2003 debut Page Avenue, Story of the Year have evolved greatly and haven't been afraid to experiment in different areas. That's one of the elements that makes up a great band: if you don't take creative risks, your music will sound stale and you would therefore be stuck in a creative rut for quite some time.

In retrospect, a solid and well put together effort that finds Story of the Year living in their element and sticking to their guns on this effort. While Story of the Year might not sound like they did several years back, they still have the same drive and determination that fuels their desire to create wonderful music together.

                                                                                                                  Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. The Children Sing
2. The Ghost of You and I
3. I'm Alive
4. To the Burial
5. The Dream Is Over
6. Remember A Time
7. Holding On To You
8. Won Threw Ate
9. Ten Years Down
10. Time Goes On
11. Eye For An Eye 

Interview w/ Adam McElreath of Big Big Buildings

Last night, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing my friend Adam McElreath of Big Big Buildings right after their show at the Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, MA. Here is the transcript of that interview:

Can you give your name and what you do in the band?

Adam: My name is Adam McElreath and I play guitar and sing and I basically write all the songs.

How did you come up with the name Big Big Buildings?

Adam: Actually, I was walking around downtown Boston at 4:30 in the morning cause I used to work a very early shift at a coffee shop and I'd be hungover and drunk all at the same time and just walking around in that kind of weathered state looking at a city with no one around and the only thing surrounding you are big, big buildings and that's the only phrase that sticks out in your mind, it's the only thing you can process at that moment. And it's kind of an innocent sounding thing in a way, just something that sounds like it would come from a 5 year old. So, it's got a few meanings, but it can take on whatever kind of meaning you want it to. A building isn't just a edifice, it's something you build and that can be something that's music or art.

Can you tell us which musicians most regularly appear in Big Big Buildings?

Adam: That would be myself, JM Craven on guitar, Ryan Ward on bass, Gina Alibrio on keys, Also, James Griffin on strings and space noises and Dave Chardo on drums.

Now, with Big Big Buildings, would you consider this to be a solo project or more of a rotating group effort?

Adam: Well, it started out as just me just writing songs solo, but I found out more and more that the people I know, when singing along, had their own twist on singing the songs, and they were pretty drawn into actually singing them and really projecting them, it was just a wild thing for me to see unfolding, and I give the project itself a name that was not my actual name so I'd like get a rotating lineup of people and not just one solidified way that it has to be. Because most of the music that influences me is stuff that isn't definite, you can listen to something and it's nice to hear more than one voice, it's nice to hear more than one instrument in a project.

Is there a general theme or subject matter that runs through your music?

Adam: As far as subject matter goes, it's either things I experience that I want to put to song, or it's things that are just concepts, like compassion and understanding. Love is a big topic because who really even knows what that is, so I just only aspire to go places lyrically and I'd set the band in motion to take more of a finely tuned musical direction.

What musicians most inspired you when you were growing up and how have they helped shape you as an artist?

Adam: There are so many, oh my god. I'm just gonna roll with the ones that come to my head: Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon. My Morning Jacket, Michael Jackson, a band called The Appleseed Cast, and I've got a slew of songs that I've heard in my childhood that are embedded in my memory which have also shaped how I play the music I play and I feel as though an artist by the name of MF Doom has alot to do with what I do, but also his counterpart, Mr. Bob Dylan. So, I will basically listen to anything that is truly meant or just expression in its simplicity and that kind of way of thinking has really shaped my songs and it's had a very, very deep impact on me as a person. I do what I want to do just to make anyone feel anything. Hope is something that people are looking for and I don't know if I can give them that, but I can sure sing them songs while they're looking for it.

Have you always been into music from the very beginning or was it just something that you happened to come across and decided that it was a creative outlet to express yourself?

Adam: I had been aspiring to do alot of art in my childhood up until I was a teenager and I did solely that for a long time, and my mom bought me a guitar when I was 14 for Christmas and I just never put it down, I never gave up on it. It was probably because I looked at the guitar and just thought about these artists that just won't quit with this unrelenting optimism or pessimism and I just wanted to keep creating and it always stuck with me. I've been into music since I was a little kid, very very little.

What do you love the most about performing live?

Adam: The thing that I love the most about performing live has to be when a roomful of people who are deep in conversation and elevating in their volume. It's when they all of a sudden fall silent and are just face forward to you and listening. For a person to actually stop and listen is something that I feel is disappearing in this day and age. But that's just my outlook on the situation. But I love playing live only because I love the people who come to see me, they're some great friends and if they're fans too, that's just a bonus, but people who come out to support it are people I want to keep around and I'm very thankful for them.

What songs from Big Big Buildings are you most proud of and feel best represent you?

Adam: A song called "Burning Leaves Float Burning" which is a phrase that I stumbled upon last summer. A man was talking about cleaning brush away from a fireplace and ordered me and my friends to rake it up and push it to the side and the reason he gave for doing so was "Burning leaves float burning" and we never heard another word out of him for the rest of the night and that was a phrase that just sent my imagination wild. I just had such a natural feel of that song. Also, a song called "Orange Room" which is probably my only song of bliss and the moment when your affection feels returned. I read alot of songs about unrequited feelings and I feel like "Orange Room" is the one that is like a person looking you directly in the eyes being in that very same moment with you.

What do you think is the crucial element that sets Big Big Buildings apart from other artists out there?

Adam: I'd have to say that it's the fact that the people I play music with and write music for are some of my best friends, and the collective group that I'm a part of, I believe truly are some of the most talented people I've ever stumbled across in my life and it kind of raises the bar when your human experience needs to be portrayed to those people that you love. And you just want to paint something exquisite for those around you to enjoy, and that's what really encapsulates the writing of these songs for me.

If someone asked you what genre of music you play, what would you tell them?

Adam: I get very distracted with genres, because I don't know about other musicians, but as far as the way I do it, I don't sit down with a guitar and decide what kind of song I'm going to play, it's a stream of consciousness most of the time. Most of the songs don't even have words and I'm just babbling in some harmonious motion over a few chords and the words will write themselves most of the time. I'd have to say if you were to give it a name, it would be Life Chorus.

What artists are currently in regular rotation in your CD player?

Adam: I've been listening to Astral Weeks by Van Morrison which is an album that is completely breaking my heart. As of late, I've been buried in Bob Dylan. I've only gotten so far in his catalogue but I've just lingered on his solo stuff for so long and it never fails to blow my mind. Also, I've been listening to the new Appleseed Cast album, "Sagarmartha" and that band in particular is a band that never ceases to just give me what I want from music and it's all the things that I really cherish about music, it's cinematic, it's twangy without being whiny, it's experimental, it's just nothing I've ever heard before every time I hear it.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one album to listen to the entire time, which album would you pick?

Adam: I'd honestly have to say probably "Z" by My Morning Jacket. That album is something that I saw played almost in its entirety by the Boston Pops and that's how that band in particular was introduced to me. It was an epic experience that has just kept giving to me since, so I'd have to say "Z".

What does the future hold for Big Big Buildings, are you going to be releasing an album anytime soon?

Adam: We are going to be recording an album right now, we're in the process and we've got a few solo songs and probably 6 or 7 songs with the band and maybe a few just kind of noise tracks, if you'd call them that. But we'll be doing a record release hopefully somewhere in the Cambridge/Boston area and I'll be doing all the art and the flyerwork for that so there's gonna be a period of time very soon where I just don't leave my room probably for a straight month and I'm gonna come out of my room with a bunch of drawings and demos and goodies for all of my good friends.

One last question before I let you go, What is the one thing that you want people to get out of your music?

Adam: The one thing that I want people to take from these songs is connection and music from where I stand is connection, whether you like it or you don't, it's there in front of you and it's all around you, and I think even if you have negative feelings about what you're listening to, part of you is very thankful it's there and I just really hope we can tap into that part of the brain and give it a good rub.

Thanks once again to my friend Adam McElreath for lending me some of his time for this interview! If you want to check out the music of Big Big Buildings, head on over to their MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/bigbigbuildings

500 Days of Summer

If you're looking for a movie to watch with your significant other this Valentine's Day, then look no further than 500 Days of Summer. This indie love story is a tale of a love once had, and the main characters attempt to get his love back and figure out what went wrong in the first place.

In the movie, Tom (Joseph Gordon Levitt) is a greeting card copyrighter in New York City who meets and becomes infatuated with Summer (Zooey Deschanel), the boss' new assistant. Their first encounter comes on the elevator after leaving work, where Tom is listening to The Smiths on his iPod, which intrigues Summer who is a big fan of The Smiths. That initially leads to their mutual attraction towards one another, and later leads to a more serious, romantic relationship. In one scene, Tom plays The Smiths "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" when Summer leaves work for the day, emphasizing the strong feelings that Tom has developed for her. The film goes back and forth in a non-linear fashion to try to uncover what went wrong with Tom and Summer's relationship. Meanwhile, the attraction continues to grow when the two are at an after work event where Tom sings a drunken version of The Pixies "Here Comes Your Man", which then leads to their first kiss the next day at work while in the copy room, solidifying their status as a couple.

Later on, Tom and Summer are in the record store where Summer thinks "Octopus Garden" by The Beatles is the best song by them, only because she loves Ringo Starr. Tom is shocked at her comment, universally believing that no one loves Ringo Starr. Later on, when they are in the record store a second time, Tom holds up a vinyl copy of Ringo Starr's "Stop and Smell The Roses", reminding them of the time that they were last in there. The morning after Tom and Summer spend their first night together, Tom busts out a dance along to the beat of Hall & Oates "You Make My Dreams Come True" along with a whole cavalcade of people and animated creatures who dance along with Tom as he parades through the park, providing for one of the more entertaining and fun aspects of this indie love story.

The film boasts a stellar soundtrack including Regina Spektor, The Smiths, Hall & Oates, and The Temper Trap, whose song "Sweet Disposition" is featured a couple of times throughout the movie and is my personal favorite song off the soundtrack. The films theme of love once had, its attempt to reclaim it, and final realization of happiness speaks true to the viewing audience, and they might find some significance between events in the movie and those in their lives.

An excellent movie and one that really takes an honest and heartfelt look at love in its purest form, and jumps back and forth at different parts in time to piece together what might have been the catalyst in causing the demise of the relationship between the two characters, which is a really inventive form of storytelling. Definitely recommended!

                                                                                                                             Movie Score: 4/5

Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For the Young

The Strokes' frontman Julian Casablancas takes a little break from his full-time gig to release his debut solo album, Phrazes For the Young. The album is a sensational mix of electro-pop rhythms and the indie rock sound that he crafted with The Strokes that has made him one of the most prominent musicians in alternative rock today.

The album starts off with the instantly catchy "Out of the Blue", my favorite song off the album. The song is a fun and eclectic mix of indie rock and electronic with a bombast of keyboards mixed in, giving Julian a wide range of clarity to his distinct and amazing voice. "Left & Right In the Dark" is a more mellow affair with a bevy of different musical arrangements and allows the electric guitars to be featured more prominently on this track. The album's first single, "11th Dimension" is a steady and pleasant song with a catchy keyboard beat that coasts along with ease.

As the album rolls along we hear "4 Chords of the Apocalypse", a very mellow and ethereal song that best highlights Julian's soulful and prominent vocals, which have gotten much stronger and deeper over time. "River of Brakelights" is a melodic yet fast tune that travels along at a breakneck pace at times, but eventually slows down allowing the listener to take notice of the different musical arrangements that are featured on the track.

As the album closes out we hear "Glass", a simple and mystical tune that has a futuristic edge to it with its outer space inspired keyboard effects and other worldly sounds mixed in for effect. "Tourist" features a more distinctive guitar arrangement heard up front and Julian's vocals begin to take center stage, featuring a much more dynamic range heard in his voice. Julian has already cemented himself as a top notch frontman with The Strokes and this little solo opus continues to showcase the wide range of talents that Julian is capable of and bides some time over for fans before The Strokes release their next studio effort later on this year.

Overall, a very unique and interesting solo debut for Mr. Casablancas, and one that strives to achieve a sound that hasn't been heard before, and experiments with a variety of different musical arrangements in the process that has created something wholly unique and powerful.

                                                                                                                              Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Out of the Blue
2. Left & Right In the Dark
3. 11th Dimension
4. 4 Chords of the Apocalypse
5. Ludlow St.
6. River of Brakelights
7. Glass
8. Tourist

Lil' Wayne - Rebirth

By way of New Orleans, Lil' Wayne's much buzzed about foray into the rock arena is finally out after repeated release date changes and due to tracks needing to be re-recorded, the album titled Rebirth is nothing more than a convoluted mess and the songs themselves have no redeeming value here whatsoever. A huge step down from his last album, 2008's superb Tha Carter III.

Starting off, "American Star" sounds like an awful mashup of Guns N' Roses and an auto-tuned Lil' Wayne lending his talents to an horrid and uninspiring track. "Prom Queen" is a marginally better track, but the overuse of auto-tune drowns out any bit of melody that this song had and leaves the song itself one big, sloppy mess. "Ground Zero" is a loud, fast track that has a distinct melody that is probably the only thing this song has going for it, as Lil' Wayne is barely audible on this track.

Moving on, "Paradice" is a bland, insipid tune with no redeeming musical dexterity whatsoever, leaving the listener unsatisfied and ripped off. "Get A Life" is one joke of a song with a grating melody that gets on your nerves almost instantaneously and the song itself should have been better off not making the final cut of the album in the first place. "On Fire" has an odd intro that resembles a melody from video game music that you would hear from the 80's and barely comes off the ground, and becomes downright annoying and unlistenable after awhile.

The only song that's worth listening to on this album is "Drop The World". This track also features Eminem, who does a great job of offering some exquisite rhymes that make this song one of the few standouts here and probably the only listenable song on an otherwise lukewarm and underwhelming album. Lil' Wayne's last album, Tha Carter III was such a masterpiece because it relied solely on Lil' Wayne's amazing rap skills and outstanding production.This album is nothing more than a self-indulgent, mind numbing foray into rock music which Weezy would probably want to stay away from altogether and focus on rap for the time being.

To sum it all up, if you want to listen to this album, you're better off listening to it for free on MySpace or better yet not listen to it altogether as it will save you the energy and pleasure for having not heard it in the first place, plus it will save you money in your bank account and space on your hard drive as well that can be used for other quality music.

                                                                                                                                Album Score: 2/5

Track Listing:

1. American Star
2. Prom Queen
3. Ground Zero
4. Da Da Da
5. Paradice
6. Get A Life
7. On Fire
8. Drop the World (f/ Eminem)
9. Runnin
10. One Way Trip
11. Knockout
12. The Price Is Wrong

Concert Review- The Okay Win w/ Stalemate, Hello Surrender, and Beat Ninja

Harpers Ferry Allston, MA

February 1, 2010

Harper's Ferry in Allston played host to a diverse group of bands on Monday night as four musically eclectic groups entertained the small crowd that had gathered at the venue. These four bands all performed a diverse array of music that suited the musical tastes of the concertgoers.

The first band that kicked off the evening was Beat Surrender. Beat Surrender played a rather lively show where the group perofrmed in shirt and ties with suspenders, evoking an old-school hipster mentality on stage. The songs they played were a combination of James Brown and Weezer, with the frontman's voice sounding like he's channeling Frank Sinatra, and giving the audience a energetic and diverse performance, and people responded very well to their stage presence.

Next up is Hello Ninja, an outfit that marries the sounds of The Strokes and The White Stripes into a more user accessible sound that allows the audience to take notice of the intricately crafted songwriting and strong musicianship that they evoked in their live performance, which therefore triggered a positive reaction from the crowd in attendance.

Third on the bill is The Okay Win, fronted by Stephen MacDonald who bring their blend of "folk inspired rock that tends to get way more aggressive" as Stephen quotes. The set kicked off with "Fiction", a full band version of a song that had previously appeared on Stephen's solo album. "Patience You" gave the audience a relaxing and mellow tune to bring the energy down from the bands that had performed earlier. "Could Gamble" really brought the energy up with drummer Matt Jones furious, drumstick-breaking beats and Ryan Ward's furious bass skills coming to light on this track. "Gone For Good" and "I'm Occupying" tied the whole performance together with a guest vocal appearance from Adam McElreath on the former track and guitarist JM Craven also lending a hand with his vocal chops on the song as well. Even though the set was short, the music cut straight to the point and really struck a chord with the crowd.

The last band that appeared on stage was Stalemate. This band brought an eclectic mix of classic rock with drastic changes in between songs and blending a host of other genres as well in the process. Frontman Matt DeMello brought unbridled enthusiasm to his performance with his maniacal stage presence and ear blasting screaming. A great way to let the night go out with a bang, literally, with 4 truly unique and dynamic bands presenting themselves on stage and letting the audience know who they are and what they'll bring to the table.