It is Friday again and not a moment too soon. Today’s new releases are just what this metal head has been waiting for and I have a feeling these will be on heavy rotation over the next week.
Sixx A.M. – Prayers for the Damned (Eleven Seven Music)
When Nikki Sixx put together Sixx A.M. for the Heroin Diaries, I thought it was going to be a one-off project. Gladly that was not the case. This album is their fourth one and since all three previous albums have been exceptional, I am hoping that streak continues.
The year was 1988. I was too impatient to wait for Def Leppard to come to Atlanta, so my friend Steve and I drove to Chattanooga, TN to see them in concert. The opening act for this tour I was not familiar with at all. A band called Queensryche.
Needless to say, I was blown away by their show. The songs I loved the most were from an album called Operation: Mindcrime. I bought the CD and it has become one of all my ALL-TIME FAVORITE albums. I know I say this or that is one of my favorites, but this would be in my Top 10 list of Favorite Albums.
The album came out at the end of the Reagan era and epitomizes the disdain for government and all the political corruption at the time. The sad thing is this album could be about our current times as well. Which means this album has held up over time and is just as good now as then.
I really didn’t think I would give another 100% on a review so soon after my last one, but here it is. As I mentioned in an earlier piece, I discovered Jordan Feliz by his album cover. Every now and then, I will listen to an artist based on their album cover, band name or even album name. What a pleasant surprise he was.
The album I clicked on was “Beloved” which contained 4 songs that are on “The River”. Immediately in listening to the album, I was already a fan based on those 4 songs. Now, came the moment of truth if I would like the other songs. The verdict is in and I am a fan of the entire album.
Jordan is labeled a Christian singer as his songs are inspirational and deliver a positive & powerful message. However, the talent in his songwriting skills and the production value of the songs both lend to music that could be played on mainstream pop/rock radio.
Jordan Feliz started out in a heavy metal band called A Current Affair but changed gears when he became a worship leader. He eventually moved to Nashville to pursue a solo career and here we are with “The River”.
Alright Kiss fans, rejoice! Ace Frehley and Paul Stanley together again. Check out the official video just released today to Ace’s new song, Fire & Water, from his album Origins Vol. 1.
I guess you are getting a two-for-one artist profile. As I am doing a profile on Thriving Ivory & Midnight Cinema. No, they are not the same band even though they have most of the same bandmates. The difference is explained below. They are both great Pop/Rock bands and that voice of Clayton Stroupe is amazing.
Thriving Ivory
Thriving Ivory was based out of California and consisted of Clayton Stroope, Drew Cribley, and Paul Niedermier. Clayton’s voice is very unique. I believe it is one of those you either love it, or hate it. Me, I love it. It gives them their own unique sound and different is always good.
The band’s first album, Thriving Ivory, came out in 2008 and contained their biggest hit “Angels on the Moon”. I fell in love with this song the first time I heard it. iTunes was offering the video for free one week and that was how I came across the song. The song went on to go Gold selling over 500,000 singles.
I will be honest, I am not a big drinker. Doesn’t mean I won’t drink. I choose not too most of the time as I never got a taste for it; however, Mondays make me want to drink. Since I do love alcohol related songs, I figured this Monday needs a playlist of booze drinking songs. There are so many which makes it hard to choose the best ones.
Here is my list of booze related songs that will hopefully help me make it through Monday.
Emphatic – “Put Down the Drink” from the album Damage
Hellyeah – “Alcohaulin’ Ass” from the album Hellyeah
On Thursday, April 21st, I took my daughter to see her favorite singer, Tori Kelly. I wasn’t real excited about going as I didn’t know much about her. I have heard some songs on the radio but that was about it.
However, I love my daughter and want her to experience music the way I have all my life. So being the great father I am (cough, cough), I sucked it up and went. The thing I was dreading the most was the 5 hours of standing. Why standing?? Tori Kelly performed at the Fillmore in Charlotte, NC.
The Fillmore is a standing room only facility and first come first serve on where you can stand. The concert started at 8pm and the doors opened at 7pm. This means you have to get there early to get in line for when the doors open at 7pm.
We actually didn’t arrive until about 6:15-6:20 and there were already 2 very long lines. One line was longer than the other, so we chose the shortest line, naturally. As we were standing in the shorter line, some nice, very loud, lady screams that the line we are in is for Fast Pass and VIP’s only. Well, we were neither of those.
Paul Laine, Rob Marcello and Bruno Ravel all make up the new band The Defiants. If those names sound familiar to you than you are obviously a fan of Danger Danger as all three were once a part of that great band.
Frontiers Music SRI brought these 3 back together again to bring us a rock masterpiece. Okay, I am being a little overly dramatic. But it is really, really great! If you were a fan of Danger Danger or just a fan of Paul Laine’s vocals, be prepared for some of his best vocal performances. The band has such a cohesive sound and this is the album that Danger Danger should have made years ago.
As much as I enjoyed Ted Poley as the lead singer of Danger Danger, when he left and Paul Laine took over vocals, the band’s dynamic changed and I feel for the better. Years later when Ted Poley reunited with Danger Danger and Paul was no longer a member, I yearned for more music from his version of the band. Now I have it.
Friday is my favorite day of the week for many reasons. One – it is the last day of the work week, obviously. Two, it is the day new releases come out and I always get excited to get new music.
This week there are 4 releases that I am excited about:
Jordan Feliz – The River
I haven’t been this excited about a release in a long time. From what I have heard so far, he is nothing short of amazing. I have high hopes and don’t think I will be disappointed. I have posted this one before, but worth another listen.
Phil Wickham – Children of God
He is one of the shining spots in Christian Music. His albums are consistently good and he always has a few gems on each of his releases. Based of the song below, I am sure there will be more gems on this release as well.
Candlebox – Disappearing in Airports
I have enjoyed them for years and glad to have some new music. Like this song on the video below for “Vexatious”. Looking forward to the album.
Texas Hippie Coalition – Dark Side of Black
I don’t know what it is about these guys, maybe it is just the straight-up, in your face, rock & roll, but I can’t get enough of them.
For my first Throwback Thursday, I thought I would go with the most underrated album from my favorite band – Def Leppard’s “Slang”. The album came out in 1996 and the band knew that their signature sound was no longer popular on the radio. They completely took a left turn and changed up their sound.
“Slang” was such a departure that I was stunned when I first heard the album. After the first listen, I wasn’t sure what I had heard. I listened to it again and again. After several listens, I started to get it and I started to really like it. “Work It Out” and the album title song “Slang” were the first songs that were standouts for me.
There were several slower songs that were not the typical Def Leppard ballads – “Breathe A Sigh”, “Where Does Love Go When It Dies” and “Blood Runs Cold”. They were a little darker and very powerful.