Category: Single Review

My Sunday Song – “Champagne” by Cavo

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For My Sunday Song #428, we popping “Champagne” by the band Cavo. “Champagne” was the lead single of their major label debut album from 2009 called ‘Bright Nights, Dark Days’. The song went to #1 on the US Mainstream Rock Songs and #8 Rock Songs chart taking the album to #47 on the Billboard 200 and to #3 on the Hard Rock Albums chart. Not a bad debut. I bought this album based off this one song and I was not disappointed.

The song was written by Chris Hobbs, Chad La Roy, Brian Smith and Casey Walker and the demo was recorded on Casey Walker’s phone. He wasn’t sure about the song and when he finally played it the band, they started noodling with it and BAM!! within 10 minutes they had the start of a great song. The song itself is about a break up and the the second when he knew it was over after looking in to her eyes. The downfall could’ve been the partying and drinking or even the drugs, but whatever the case may be, it was not good. It sounds like he is blaming himself and wishes she could take from him everything that he can’t be for her. Rather sad and honest look at himself.

Musically, the song is a killer, guitar heavy rock track. Great riffs, pounding drums, driving beats and killer bass line. The song is full of energy and anger and Casey Walker’s vocals personify all those emotions. This is one I love to crank up to 11 while driving down the highway slightly above the speed limit (ok, more than slightly!!). A modern rock song that gave me hope rock was still alive when I heard it originally back in 2009.

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My Sunday Song – “Neighborhood (Feat. Bear Rinehart)” by American Authors

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For My Sunday Song #425, we are talking American Authors incredibly beautiful song “Neighborhoods”. The song is off their 2019 album ‘Seasons’ which was released on February 1 of that year. What drew me to the song was that it featured Bear Rinehart who is the lead singer of one of my favorite bands Needtobreathe. The song was written by an army of people Matthew Sanchez, Zachary Barnett, James Shelley, David Rublin who are all apart of the band as well as Scott Christopher Stevens and Gabriel Simon. There was a video for the song, but not sure if it was a single or not.

The song is about growing up and leaving the place where you grew up. The lyrics are very nostalgic and though the person is going off to try and find a better life, but the neighborhood is who they really are and makes them who they are today. Go out and explore the world, but never forget who you are or where you came from. Stay humble. The neighborhood will always be your home. It is really a great story and message that is delivered in those lyrics.

The song itself is a slowed down tempo, starts off with an acoustic guitar and lead singer, Zac Barnett, on the first verse. And what a voice it is. So emotive, so brilliant. Second verse is Bear and damn, this is why I love his vocals. Can he feel a song or what. Zac does most of the chorus with Bear on backings as well. It all sounds so slick and cool. Musically, a great tempo and I love the mandolin (I think) and they even have some whistling. The music feels like home and is as nostalgic feeling as those lyrics.

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My Sunday Song – “Not Over You” by Gavin DeGraw

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For My Sunday Song #424, we are going the opposite direction from last week and going from Rap Metal to pure Pop Bliss. The song is “Not Over You” by Gavin DeGraw. It was the debut single from his album ‘Sweeter’ which came out on September 20, 2011. The single came out on May 17, 2011 and went 4X Platinum in the U.S. hitting #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and going to #1 Adult Pop Airplay chart. It also charted throughout several countries across the globe. I remember the first time I heard it and I was hooked.

The song was written by Gavin along with OneRepublic’s own Ryan Tepper who is killer pop songwriter. Ryan also produced it along with Jerrod Bettis. The song is about exactly what the title says. He isn’t over his last love. He says he is over her but he really isn’t. The trigger is when he sits down at a restaurant all by himself at a table set for two. He is then to face it head one that he isn’t over her. I also like the part where he said if he was asked he was doing, he would lie and say he is doing just fine to save his pride that he really isn’t. A thought provoking song that shows how sometimes he can be hard to get over someone. What I really I love is how the video shows that she isn’t over him either and they wind up together again.

The main driver musically is Gavin’s keyboards. They are vibrant and bouncy and so catchy. The drums make the song feel alive. It is all upbeat and fun. Gavin’s vocals are smooth, exciting and emotive. The melody of the song is so freaking catchy and is a pure ear worm gem. This is pop music done to pure perfection. Any song that makes you sing it after it is over, is pure gold.

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My Sunday Song – “Been To Hell” by Hollywood Undead

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My Sunday Song #423 is from the Rap Metal/Nu Metal band Hollywood Undead. The song is “Been to Hell” and is off their 2011 album ‘American Tragedy’. “Been to Hell” was released as a single on February 5, 2001 as a free download, 2 months prior to the album, and as a single on March 15 of the same year. It went to #13 on the US Heatseeker Songs and #2 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart just missing the Hot 100. It was #5 on the AOL Top 10 Rock Songs of 2011. All-in-all, it did quite well as it even caught my ear. Not a genre I got in to much, but there is something about this band that I just love.

The song was written by the band and was inspired during the 2010 US Recession which hit California hard, which is where these guys are from. The song is about how so many come out to L.A. and Hollywood looking for fame and fortune and yet get eaten alive and spit right back out. It is a place where dreams become nightmares. It is the truth they want to tell to make sure people know what really goes on in Tinsel town.

The band is Daniel “Danny” Murillo – lead vocals, Jorel “J-Dog” Decker – rap vocals, Matthew “Da Kurlzz” Busek – Hype vocals, Dylan “Funny Man”/”King Kong” Alvarez – rap vocals, George “Johnny 3 Tears” Ragan – Rap vocals and Joron “Charlie Scene” Terrell – vocals & guitar. I love how they share the vocals and each verse is rapped by someone different. The guitars are heavy as hell, the electronics programming is simply stellar giving a great beat, a catchy melody and the percussion is powerful. Like I said, not a genre I follow, but there is something powerful about the lyrics and the music that sucks you right in. There is an honesty to it and an authenticity that comes through that will speak to you. And it makes a great song to cruise down the road with the windows down and turned up to 11.

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Def Leppard – “Just Like ’73” – 7″ Single (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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Back in June 2024, Def Leppard released a new single called “Just Like ’73” and it was in support of any album. In fact, not sure if this will be on a new album or if this was simply a new song to support their Summer Stadium Tour. Whatever the reason, I’ll always take a new single. This one came out on the Streaming services, but physically you could get it on 7″ Single or on a CD Single that I believe was only available in Japan. The vinyl was released on August 2, 2024

The 7″ Single came in two colors. You got your standard black vinyl or a bright sky blue color. And if you can’t decide which one, do like me and buy both. I still need the CD single though as it didn’t come out the same time as the vinyl, I don’t believe or I would’ve bought it.

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My Sunday Song – ‘Soulcrusher” by Operator

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For My Sunday Song #422, we are going a little metal this week with Operator’s “Soulcrusher”. The song is off their debut album called ‘Soulcrusher’ which was released on August 21, 2007. The single went to #8 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks and #29 on the Modern Rock Tracks. It was the debut single from the album and it was released prior to the album on May 22, 2007. The band consists of Johnny Strong on vocals, Paul Phillips on guitar, Ricki Lixx on lead guitar, Wade Carpenter on bass and Dorman Pantfoeder on drums.

The song was written by Johnny Strong and it can mean whatever you want it to mean. I was looking at it two ways. First, it is about that person in your life that weighs you down. They suck all the life out of you and yet you let them. You need to man up, say no and get out of that relationship as it is crushing your soul. This can be a significant other, a family member or even a friend.

The second take on it is that I see it as he is talking about himself. This is the only life you have so don’t mess it up. Stop caring about what everybody else is doing or thinking about you. Get out there and make it the best life you can live because you only get one. Stopping doing things that are crushing your soul. Live like this is the only life you have…because it is!

Musically, there is only one way to take it and that is brutally hard & heavy and a slap across the face. The song is relentless. That heavy, hard driving guitar riff is the high point of the song. Vocally Johnny Strong owes a lot to Chris Cornell as I can hear him in those vocals. And they could be mistaken for a Soundgarden clone, but I’d be okay with that. I love how the song midway through, slows it down, the vocals get softer, but the guitars come in and it builds and builds and brings back the barrage of music that will blow your head off. It simply will kick your ass!! It was one of those songs when I first heard it, I was sold from the first note and the album was bought as fast as I could get it.

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My Sunday Song – “Been Your Fool” (1991) by Tattoo Rodeo

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After a nice long break (6-7 months), My Sunday Song is back!! No themes, no 10 song sets. Only songs I want to write about and for #421, we are going with a power ballad from 1991 by the band Tattoo Rodeo. The song is called “Been Your Fool” and is off their album ‘Rode Hard, Put Away Wet’. The album came out in 1991 and their timing could not have been worse. They get a song that starts to gain some traction and then Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” comes along and ruins everything for any band remotely connected to Hair Metal. But I still remember this one.

The song is credited to the whole band (as I don’t see anything in the liner notes that tells me otherwidse) and they are Dennis Churchill Dries on vocals & bass, Rick Chadock on guitar, Michael Lord on keyboards and Rich Wright on drums. The song is about a guy who thought he was finally over the breakup and had her out of his mind, but not so fast. He goes into a bar, hear’s a song on the jukebox and he can’t stop thinking about her now. He wants to get back with her, but it can’t be the same as he’s been her fool too many times. He fights and says if she reaches out her hand he won’t be her fool again…but we all know he would in a heartbeat. I love how the lyrics show how the power of music can bring back so many memories (good or bad).

The song is a power ballad, but this one is a swampy, bluesy bar song. With a slowed down tempo, a slide guitar and Dennis’ heartbroken vocals, you get dragged in to his misery. His vocals have a grit to them and when he hits those high notes, they are as smooth as silk. Such a great tone. The rhythm section keeps things moving, the drums are the pounding heart with every snare hit. We’ve been a fool to someone so this is all so relatable.

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Momoiro Clover Z vs Kiss – “Yume no Ukiyo ni Saite Mi na / Samurai Son” (2015) – CD Single

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On January 28, 2015, the Japanese Idol Band, Momoiro Clover Z, released their new single called Yume no Ukiyo ni Saite Mi Na” which translates to “Try to Bloom in a Dream about the Floating World“. Why would I be writing about a Japanese Ido band? Easily, they were able to get Kiss to take part in the song. The single is from Momoiro Clover Z’s album ‘Hakkin no Yoake’. The band even does a cover of the classic Kiss song “Rock And Roll All Nite”. And if that isn’t enough, Kiss does a version of the band’s single and it is called “Samurai Son”.

What is really cool about the single, is the artwork as it is simply stunning. “Floating World” which is part of the song’s title, is also a really cool style of Japanese Art. As you can see in the pictures, there are a lot of clouds and people floating in the air. It is very comic book style which suits Kiss perfectly. Being a Japanese release, you even get an insert in all Japanese writing and most of the writing on the cover is in Japanese. No Obi strip though. Still, cool packaging all around.

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Matt Nathanson – “Headphones (Feat. LOLO)” – CD Promotional Single

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If you know me, you know I’m a huge Matt Nathanson fan and I collect everything he does on Vinyl and CD…even the CD Promotional singles. I’ve posted a lot of the ones I have in my collection on the site already. But now, I finally found the most elusive single for me and the last one out there that I know about or even Discogs documents. It is the Promotional CD single for his classic song “Headphones”. It might be my favorite Matt Nathanson song of all time.

The song features singer LOLO and is off Matt’s album ‘Show Me Your Fangs’ released in 2014.  It is one of his best albums as well, so check it out as well. The CD promo was sent out to radio stations across the country sometime in 2014 and “Headphones” is the only song on the disc. I’m not saying this promo single is rare, but there is only 1 person on Discogs that states they have it in their collection (and that person might be me) and one has never been sold on Discogs. I bought mine off eBay while scrolling early one morning. I couldn’t believe my luck.

The song “Headphones” for me is about putting on my headphones, listening to music and escaping.  When you listen to music, it can take all your cares in the world and throw them out the window. With music, you can feel invincible (as the song states).  The song is everything I feel about music and how important it is in my life.  Heck, I even started a blog where all I talk about is music.  I have only known this song for 3 years now, but it is the soundtrack to my feelings on music.

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Def Leppard – “Personal Jesus” (2018) – 7″ Single (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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In 2018, Def Leppard issued a new Greatest Hits compilation called ‘The Story So Far..The Best of’. It was released on CD and Vinyl and if you got the vinyl set, you received a 7″ Single for their cover of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus”. It is the only way to get that single, that I am aware. And what a strange cover and unexpected surprise from the band. Who would’ve thought they would cover Depeche Mode.

According to Phil Collen in an article in Rolling Stone magazine by Sarah Grant…

“Depeche Mode [started out] really poppy like a lot of bands that disappeared, then all of a sudden they started doing things like ‘Personal Jesus’ – and it was like ‘woah’ … It has an element of cool that was different from the earlier Depeche Mode stuff,” Collen said. “I found it really inspiring how this article that said Depeche Mode sold out more than Bieber or Taylor Swift,” Collen said. “We [felt] a tear of pride and joy for them – the fact that they carried on, never stopped … and it’s sort of the way we see ourselves.”

A-SIDE:

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