Upcoming changes to my blog!!

Hey everybody!

As 2010 draws closer and closer, I've been planning out some sizable changes to my blog. I'll still continue to do album reviews every week, but I'm planning to expand beyond that and cover a variety of music related topics in great depth. These changes include:

• Reviews of local concerts.
• Interviews with local artists.
• Current news regarding music related events and updates on select artists.
• Capsule reviews of music-themed movies.
• An internet radio station with a pre-selected collection of music.

 I plan to rollout the first of these many changes sometime within the next couple of weeks. The other additions should be made sometime soon after that. Are there any other suggestions on changes/additions that you would like to see on my blog? Leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail here.

Top 10 Albums of the Decade!!!

Hey everyone!

Hope everybody is all geared up and ready for the holidays! As the decade draws to a close, I give you my list of the Top 10 albums that I feel have made a huge impact on music and have affected all our lives in one way or another. With each album I review, I'll give highlights of 3-4 songs from each album to encapsulate the songs that really stand out and grab your attention, and also give you an idea of what the album is all about! So without further ado, here's the list ranked from 1-10:

 
1. Radiohead- Kid A (2000)
Highlights: Optimistic, Motion Picture Soundtrack, Everything In It's Right Place, Idioteque


2. Jimmy Eat World- Bleed American (2001) (Retitled "Jimmy Eat World" after the 9/11 attacks)
Highlights: A Praise Chorus, The Middle, Sweetness, Bleed American


3. The Strokes- Is This It (2001)
Highlights: Someday, Last Nite, Hard to Explain


4. Deftones- White Pony (2000)
Highlights: Digital Bath, Change ( In the House of Flies), Elite, RX Queen


5. Linkin Park- Hybrid Theory (2000)
Highlights: One Step Closer, Crawling, In the End, Points of Authority


6. Green Day- American Idiot (2004)
Highlights: American Idiot, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Holiday, Wake Me Up When September Ends



7. The Starting Line- Say It Like You Mean It (2002)
Highlights: Best of Me, Leaving, Up & Go, Cheek to Cheek


8. The Killers- Hot Fuss (2004)
Highlights: Somebody Told Me, Jenny Was A Friend of Mine, All These Things That I've Done, Mr. Brightside


9. Brand New- Deja Entendu (2003)
Highlights: Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades, I Will Play My Game Beneath the Spin Light, The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows


10. Arcade Fire- Funeral (2004)
Highlights: Neighborhood #3 (Power Out), Wake Up, Rebellion (Lies)

Well, there you have it folks! My list of the Top 10 Albums of the Decade! As always, any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated! Feel free to leave me a comment here on the blog or reach me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/peter.amara or reach me on Twitter: @PeteAmara or shoot me an E-mail! Thanks everyone for checking out all my reviews so far! Again, I really appreciate it! Look for my first review of the new year on January 6! Take care everyone and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Top Songs of 2009!

Hey everyone!

Back again with another retrospective list as we look back on some of the best songs of 2009. I think 2009 was a great year for many up and coming bands (Phoenix, Passion Pit, MGMT) and for already established acts as well (Muse, Kings of Leon, Paramore). This list here I think best represents all the amazing and diverse music that I've heard at various points throughout the year. Take a look at my list with the songs in no particular order:

Incubus- Love Hurts
Kings of Leon- Sex on Fire
All Time Low- Weightless
The All American Rejects- Gives You Hell
MGMT- Kids
Muse- Uprising
Passion Pit- The Reeling
Alice In Chains- Check My Brain
Pearl Jam- The Fixer
Phoenix- 1901
Person L- Untitled
Paramore- Ignorance
Owl City- Fireflies
MGMT- Electric Feel
Kings of Leon- Use Somebody
The Almost- Lonely Wheel
Silversun Pickups- Panic Switch
Kings of Leon- Notion
The Mars Volta- Since We've Been Wrong
The Almost- Hands

What are some of your favorite songs from 2009? Leave a reply in the comments with a list of some of your favs from this year! Feel free to list as many songs as you can think of! Next week, I'll have the list of my Top 10 Albums of the Decade, I'll think you'll like this one as well!

Top 10 Albums of 2009

Hey everyone!

The end of the year is almost upon us! Can you believe it? Man, the year just flew by huh? Anyways, now that the holidays is almost upon us, it's time for me to reveal my picks for the Top 10 Albums of 2009. All of these albums have one thing in common: they have all revolutionized music in one way or another this year and have affected our lives in some way as well. Now in no particular order, here is my list for theTop 10 Albums of 2009!

311- Uplifter

The Omaha, NE quintet's ninth studio album was a huge improvement over 2005's "Don't Tread on Me" with its sun drenched melodies and catchy reggae grooves thrown in to make this album one of the best of the summer and one of the best albums of 2009! Highlights include: "Hey You", "It's Alright", "India Ink", "Something Out of Nothing", and "My Heart Sings".

The Mars Volta- Octahedron

The prog-rock group's fifth studio effort is yet another definitive masterpiece in their catalog of studio releases. With Cedric Bixler-Zavala's beautiful yet tortured vocals and Omar Rodriguez Lopez's masterful guitar work that is reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, this album is a instant classic and one of the best of the year! Standouts include: "Since We've Been Wrong", "Halo of Nembutals", "With Twilight As My Guide", and "Cotopaxi".

All Time Low- Nothing Personal

The Lutherville-Timonium MD quartet avoided the sophomore slump with their second album, which is chock full of catchy pop-punk melodies reminiscent of Blink 182 and also cater to the teenage crowd as well, thus enabling the band to build up a substantial fanbase in the process. Highlights from the disc include: "Weightless" "Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)", "Break Your Little Heart", and "A Party Song (The Walk of Shame)".

New Found Glory- Not Without A Fight

Coral Springs, Florida's finest made their triumphant return this year with their latest disc, solidfying their status as one of the pop-punk heavyweights in the scene today. This album is full of catchy and melodic hooks that will keep you listening for quite some time. Highlights include: "Listen to Your Friends", "Right Where We Left Off", "Don't Let Her Pull You Down", and "I'll Never Love Again".

Manchester Orchestra- Mean Everything To Nothing

The Atlanta, GA quintet made their foray into the mainstream with their sophomore release. This album has a wide range of different tempos and has a little something for everybody here with its ambient melodies and bold instrumentation. Standouts include: "The Only One", "Shake It Out", "I've Got Friends", "In My Teeth", and "I Can Feel a Hot One".

Passion Pit- Manners

Local favorites Passion Pit from Cambridge, MA finally released their major label debut this year, and what a debut it was! Packed with dance oriented alternative and breaks into psychedelic alt-rock, this album is guaranteed to keep your party rocking all night long! Standouts include: "Make Light", "Little Secrets", "The Reeling", "Eyes As Candles", and "To Kingdom Come".

RX Bandits- Mandala

Hardcore/ska pioneers RX Bandits made their much anticipated return this year. The Seal Beach, CA quartet continue to mold together superb hardcore rhythms and reggae stylings to create a sound that is all their own. Highlights include: "My Lonesome Only Friend", "Mientras La Veo Sonar", "March of the Caterpillars", "Breakfast Cat", and "Bury It Down Low".

Thrice- Beggars

Irvine, California's Thrice returned this year with their sixth studio effort. The album is quite diverse, delving into fierce anthemic songs and slow paced melodic tunes to make this album one of their best yet. Highlights from the disc include: "All the World Is Mad", "The Weight", "Circles", "Doublespeak", and "The Great Exchange".

Stephen MacDonald and The Okay Win- We Are Bound

Plymouth, Massachusetts' Stephen MacDonald recruited a backing band this time around for his follow up to his solo debut. The album is abundant with rich folk influenced melodies and the addition of a backing band allows Stephen to evolve his sound even further, making this album one of the most authentic releases of 2009! Highlights include: "Could Gamble", "Gone For Good", "I'm Your Tree", "Trying to Be Bold", and "I'm Occupying".

Person L- The Positives

Philadelphia, PA's Person L reurned this year with their sophomore release. Kenny Vasoli, former frontman for The Starting Line, sounds at the top of his game here with his optimistic sounding lyrics and incredible vocal abilities amongst a flurry of guitars and drums. On this album, Person L sounds more like a legitimate full time band and less like a temporary side project. Highlights include: "Hole In the Fence", "Good Days", "Goodness Gracious", "New Sensation", and "Untitled".

Well there you have it folks! My list for the Top 10 Albums of 2009! Comments? Any albums I may have missed? Feel free to send in your own list of the Top 10 Albums of 2009 by leaving a comment and I'll be sure to get back to you! Next week, I'll have a list for the Top 10 Songs of 2009!!

Owl City - Ocean Eyes

The much buzzed about electronic act Owl City have released their debut album titled Ocean Eyes. Owl City is essentially the solo project of Adam Young from Owatonna, MN and is accompanied by a backing band that features a bevy of synthesizers, keyboards, and piano that add an ambient and atmospheric feel to the album.

The album's opening track, "Cave In" is a wonderful and majestic track with an abundance of instrumental effects delivered via keyboard and other assorted instruments. "The Bird and The Worm" is a melodic and laid back number that is guaranteed to make you smile and is the perfect song to dance along to with your significant other with its optimistic lyrics and pleasant melodies to go along with it. "Umbrella Beach" sounds like a track that you would probably hear at a dance club or a rave with its thumping bass effects and vivid lyricism that both work together incredibly well here.

Other standout tracks include "Dental Care", a melodic and upbeat number that is rich of calm and ambient keyboard effects that builds up into one spectacular listen from start to finish. "Meteor Shower" is a terrific song that is a prime example of capturing the mood of a particular theme running through the song, in this case meteors, and that is one of the most intriguing aspects of Owl City and its ability to capture the landscape of each song from a variety of different viewpoints.

My favorite track off the album and the disc's first single is "Fireflies", a wonderful and majestic track that gets better and better each time you hear it. This track features the vocal stylings of Matthew Thiessen, who is the frontman for Relient K and is also featured on 3 other songs on this album. Adam said that he started writing and producing music in his parents' basement and began to suffer from insomnia from long hours spent down there writing and recording. References to insomnia can be heard at various points in the lyrics to this song.

In retrospect, a very enjoyable and fulfilling listening experience from Owl City. This album takes the listener on a journey of different emotions and these songs reflect that vast journey with melodies that conjure up vivid imagery that is prominently identified in each song. Highly recommended and one of the most unique albums of 2009!

Album Score: 4.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Cave In
2. The Bird and The Worm
3. Hello Seattle
4. Umbrella Beach
5. The Saltwater Room
6. Dental Care
7. Meteor Shower
8. On the Wing
9. Fireflies
10. The Tip of The Iceberg
11. Vanilla Twilight
12. Tidal Wave

Dashboard Confessional - Alter the Ending

Dashboard Confessional are back with Alter the Ending, the follow up to 2006's Dusk and Summer. On this album, the Boca Raton, FL group show immense musical maturity from their earlier works and continue to create earnest and heartfelt anthems that speak to a whole generation of youth growing up today.

The album starts off with "Get Me Right", a mid tempo number with indelible guitar riffs and frontman Chris Carrabba's powerful and emotional vocals building up all that energy towards the song's climax. "Until Morning" is an anthemic and melodic number that is sure to be an energy booster with its powerful drums and crunchy guitar riffs. "Everybody Learns From Disaster" is a low key, heartfelt affair with its simple guitar arrangements and lush melodies spread throughout. "Belle of the Boulevard", the album's first single, is a mid tempo, melodic tune with Chris's vocals adding musical dexterity to the track, making this song one of the standouts on this album.

Other highlights from the album include "I Know About You", a high energy melodic number that is sure to have you singing along whenever you hear it. "Even Now" is a largely acoustic affair, eloquently showcasing Chris's emotionally descriptive lyrics and heart tugging melodies. "No News is Bad News" exercises the same musical qualities, but with more varied experimentation and more of a complete band effort. Dashboard Confessional have always been known for creating deep, emotional ballads that resonate particularly strongly with teenagers and young adults, perhaps alluding to romantic occurrences happening in their everyday lives.

My favorite track off the album is "Hell on the Throat", an emotional and beautiful ballad that has wonderful instrumentation on all fronts, faint piano notes heard in the background and acoustic guitar riffs heard up front just adding to the incredible array of emotion on display here.

In retrospect, a wonderful and complete effort from Dashboard Confessional, a band who aren't afraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves, showcasing the raw and pure emotion that permeates so much of their music and has built up quite a loyal following because of it.

                                                                                                                  Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Get Me Right
2. Until Morning
3. Everybody Learns From Disaster
4. Belle of the Boulevard
5. I Know About You
6. Alter the Ending
7. Blame It on the Changes
8. Even Now
9. The Motions
10. No News Is Bad News
11. Water and Bridges
12. Hell on the Throat

Person L - The Positives

Philadelphia, PA's Person L have returned with The Positives, the follow up to last year's Initial. The side project of The Starting Line frontman Kenny Vasoli, this album finds the group using their influences and pushing the boundaries of music to create a dynamic and cohesive effort that is their best album to date and the best album of the year so far.

The album starts off with "Hole in the Fence", a calm, melancholy track that sets everything in motion here with Kenny's soothing and powerful voice allowing the song to coast along with ease. "Good Days" is a melodic and powerful tune brimming with positivity, and polished guitar riffs coupled with the transcendent drum work of Brian Medlin. The album's title track is an electric infused track with a rhythmic drum beat that adds even more variety into the mix. "Goodness Gracious" is a loud and furious track that has Kenny singing, "I've been hearing rumors about a revolution".

Other highlights from the album include "New Sensation", a James Brown, R&B style influenced jam that sounds like a throwback to the late 50's early 60's music era that works extremely well here. "Sit Tight" is a melodic, straight forward rocker that adds more depth to an already outstanding and dynamic album with its gritty guitar riffs and Kenny's vocals once again taking charge. "Pleasure is All Mine" is a wonderful and resilient track that showcases the amazing talents of everyone in the group, and shows how much they've matured and musically evolved from their last album.

My favorite track off the album is "Untitled". On this track Kenny sings, "I was going through a change", and that change has certainly done him good as this new outlet has enabled him to move past The Starting Line and make the music that he always wanted to create without any oversight from a major record label. This track in particular was written without a title in mind probably because Kenny meant it to have no title in the first place, but the listener itself could probably come up with their own title, which may hold special meaning for anything that they have going on in their lives right now.

All in all, a spectacular listen from start to finish that finds Person L coming into their own as a group, and becoming more than just a side project. This album is a true representation of their sound that is made on their own terms, and the guys wouldn't have made this album any other way, Definitely go and buy this album now! Highly recommended!

                                                                                                                         Album Score: 5/5

Note: This album is currently available only on iTunes, Amazon MP3, and via the Academy Fight Song website at: academyfightsong.bigcartel.com. For more information on Person L, go to their website at www.myspace.com/personl

Track Listing

1. Hole in the Fence
2. Good Days
3. The Positives
4. Goodness Gracious
5. New Sensation
6. Stay Calm
7. Sit Tight
8. Loudmouth
9. Changed Man
10. Pleasure is All Mine
11. Untitled
12. I Sing the Body Electric