Roncag
09-21-2005, 08:38 PM
Working with Decoy has given me the wonderful opportunity to listen to albums well in advance of their street releases. To support the bands and create interest in the upcoming albums, each week I will be giving brief overviews of the new big releases I have received.
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/albumoftheweek/paulson.jpg Paulson-All At Once (One Day Savior)
Website (http://www.paulsonisaband.com) :: Listen (http://www.myspace.com/paulson)
Following up their critically acclaimed album Variations, could have easily proven to be a challenge for Paulson. Variations basically consisted of an independent ep and 4 new tracks they recorded once Initial Records signed them on and once Initial folded One Day Savior came to the rescue. Now Paulson is faced with recording their first true full length with high expectations. Let's just say, this album surpasses everything they have ever done with flying colors. This album will be making alot of year end list. It's 10 tracks and just under 37 minutes, which is the only downfall. An album of this quality could definitely stand to be a bit longer, cause you are left wanting more. The influences are all over this thing, everyone from Codeseven to Ben Folds to Lake Trout and Wintersleep. The tracks "window frames" and "Miami current" are two of the best songs of the year. This is truly a band deserving of sucess. Don't sleep on them and don't miss All At Once.
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/albumoftheweek/sevendust.jpg Sevendust-Next (7 Bros/Universal)
Website (http://www.sevendust.com) :: Listen (http://www.myspace.com/sevendust)
So their last few albums haven't really done it. Now Clint's gone. They should probably just pack it in right? Not so fast. I'm far from a Sevendust lover, but this album hits hard as ever and Lajon has never sounded so fierce. This is definitely the bands best album since Home and quite possibly their best album period. It's heavy as crap and I don't remember them ever sounding so tight-knit. Somehow this album all but makes me forget the term nu-metal, but just comes off as very good hard hitting alt rock. This is definitely a pick of a skimpy litter.
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/albumoftheweek/storyoftheyear.jpg Story Of The Year-In The Wake Of Determination (Maverick)
Website (http://www.maverick.com/storyoftheyear/site/) :: Listen (http://www.myspace.com/storyoftheyear)
Their transformation from Big Blue Monkey to Story of the Year has been a bad one. Their debut album as SOTY, Page Avenue was a screaming pop-punk album full of hits that made them a household name. That usually doesn't do much for a band in the artistic department. This band has found the ticket to mainstream sucess and isn't about to mess with it, in fact they have decided to up the poppiness to the next level. It's really a pretty shallow and uneventful album. But hey, maybe instead of cornering the market on swooning 13 year olds, they can sneak in on the 12 and under's with this effort.
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/albumoftheweek/him.jpg HIM-Dark Light (Sire)
Website (http://www.heartagram.com) :: Listen (http://www.heartagram.com)
So, virtually overnight HIM have gone from Finnish cult heroes to major label, Hot Topic darlings. HIM have created some pretty catchy goth-lite albums with little substance. Dark Light shows us nothing new about the band, and overall the album is probably their least interesting. The band seem hellbent on catering themselves to the psuedo goth crowd. If the high schooler's are smearing their eyeliner to Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir, then HIM's new album is definitely for the middle schooler's. Really though, the album and band as a whole feel like a gimmick, and a pretty bland one at that.
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/albumoftheweek/vaux.gif Vaux-Beyond Virtue Beyond Vice (Lava)
Website (http://www.vauxrock.com) :: Listen (http://www.myspace.com/vaux)
Vaux's debut album from 2003 along with their surreal performance at Warped had me sold that these might be the guys who take over where At The Drive In left off. However, nothing could have prepared me for what they would do next. Canvas and oil were musically meshed to conceive one of the most exilerating screaming art rock albums I've ever heard. Radiohead, The Blood Brothers, The Muse, and The Pixies all come to mind, not to mention the timeless ATDI. Albums of this caliber revive my faith in big labels ability to sniff out true art on occasion.
--Adam Roncaglione
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/albumoftheweek/paulson.jpg Paulson-All At Once (One Day Savior)
Website (http://www.paulsonisaband.com) :: Listen (http://www.myspace.com/paulson)
Following up their critically acclaimed album Variations, could have easily proven to be a challenge for Paulson. Variations basically consisted of an independent ep and 4 new tracks they recorded once Initial Records signed them on and once Initial folded One Day Savior came to the rescue. Now Paulson is faced with recording their first true full length with high expectations. Let's just say, this album surpasses everything they have ever done with flying colors. This album will be making alot of year end list. It's 10 tracks and just under 37 minutes, which is the only downfall. An album of this quality could definitely stand to be a bit longer, cause you are left wanting more. The influences are all over this thing, everyone from Codeseven to Ben Folds to Lake Trout and Wintersleep. The tracks "window frames" and "Miami current" are two of the best songs of the year. This is truly a band deserving of sucess. Don't sleep on them and don't miss All At Once.
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/albumoftheweek/sevendust.jpg Sevendust-Next (7 Bros/Universal)
Website (http://www.sevendust.com) :: Listen (http://www.myspace.com/sevendust)
So their last few albums haven't really done it. Now Clint's gone. They should probably just pack it in right? Not so fast. I'm far from a Sevendust lover, but this album hits hard as ever and Lajon has never sounded so fierce. This is definitely the bands best album since Home and quite possibly their best album period. It's heavy as crap and I don't remember them ever sounding so tight-knit. Somehow this album all but makes me forget the term nu-metal, but just comes off as very good hard hitting alt rock. This is definitely a pick of a skimpy litter.
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/albumoftheweek/storyoftheyear.jpg Story Of The Year-In The Wake Of Determination (Maverick)
Website (http://www.maverick.com/storyoftheyear/site/) :: Listen (http://www.myspace.com/storyoftheyear)
Their transformation from Big Blue Monkey to Story of the Year has been a bad one. Their debut album as SOTY, Page Avenue was a screaming pop-punk album full of hits that made them a household name. That usually doesn't do much for a band in the artistic department. This band has found the ticket to mainstream sucess and isn't about to mess with it, in fact they have decided to up the poppiness to the next level. It's really a pretty shallow and uneventful album. But hey, maybe instead of cornering the market on swooning 13 year olds, they can sneak in on the 12 and under's with this effort.
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/albumoftheweek/him.jpg HIM-Dark Light (Sire)
Website (http://www.heartagram.com) :: Listen (http://www.heartagram.com)
So, virtually overnight HIM have gone from Finnish cult heroes to major label, Hot Topic darlings. HIM have created some pretty catchy goth-lite albums with little substance. Dark Light shows us nothing new about the band, and overall the album is probably their least interesting. The band seem hellbent on catering themselves to the psuedo goth crowd. If the high schooler's are smearing their eyeliner to Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir, then HIM's new album is definitely for the middle schooler's. Really though, the album and band as a whole feel like a gimmick, and a pretty bland one at that.
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/albumoftheweek/vaux.gif Vaux-Beyond Virtue Beyond Vice (Lava)
Website (http://www.vauxrock.com) :: Listen (http://www.myspace.com/vaux)
Vaux's debut album from 2003 along with their surreal performance at Warped had me sold that these might be the guys who take over where At The Drive In left off. However, nothing could have prepared me for what they would do next. Canvas and oil were musically meshed to conceive one of the most exilerating screaming art rock albums I've ever heard. Radiohead, The Blood Brothers, The Muse, and The Pixies all come to mind, not to mention the timeless ATDI. Albums of this caliber revive my faith in big labels ability to sniff out true art on occasion.
--Adam Roncaglione