| CD Reviews | |||||
Unfortunately Silent Alarm Remixed isn’t nearly as good as the original. This album has been highly anticipated by their fans and only the fans that really enjoy techno beats will appreciate the re-mastered version. The original Silent Alarm is a blast of fresh air composed of catchy, meaningful lyrics and riffs that ring in the listeners’ ears for hours. However, the remix does not achieve nearly the same results. Not every song is a miss on Silent Alarm Remixed though. “Blue Light” (recently aired on the season premiere of The O.C.) is definitely the best song on the album. London band Engineers highlight the best parts of the original song by creating loops and using drawn out vocal effects that calm the listener into a near hypnosis. This album was a brave move for Bloc Party, but unfortunately the remix isn’t better than the original. Let J-Lo make the remixed songs, Bloc Party. You guys should stick with the indie-rock music that people began to like you for. by Reilly Farago
OCS seems to stick with what works for them and haven’t strayed far from their roots. The lack of any fresh ideas, new direction or style won’t do much to increase the fan base but should bring comfort to existing fans. The opening track, “Everything Comes at the Right Time,” is one of the few highlights of the album with a very classic rock sound. “God’s Word” is catchy and after a couple of listens may imbed itself inside your head. Much of the album is comprised of slow, somber ballads reminiscent of tunes you would be likely to hear at your local karaoke bar. The presence of three cover songs on the album leads one to speculate that OCS are struggling to write new material. Their cover of George Harrison’s “Wah Wah” is particularly poor and is not worthy of being called a tribute to the deceased Beatle. If you fancy classic rock it may be worth a listen, but you would have to pay me to listen to this album again. by Rachel Molnar
Bubbling with Fab pop magic, McCartney balances gorgeous melody with a sense of mature restraint. Production svengahli Nigel Godrich gives Chaos’s songs room to breathe and explore, which benefits this rather twee collection of work (how twee? McCartney even declares himself so in “English Tea”). Chaos has Macca acknowledging his past loves (Linda, The Beatles), with a dewey-eyed tenderness and optimism. It’s a quiet slowburn of a record, but the openhearted rewards are worth the patience. It’s the sound of a songwriter finding his knack again. With one elegant album of stellar pop, Sir Paul has broken a streak of making music for dental offices, and brought forth evidence that he is Paul “I-Was-In-The-Fucking-Beatles-And-Sure-Wings-Was-Kinda-Shit-But-I-Have- A-Whole-Lot-More-Left” McCartney. Oh, and what evidence. by Dan MacRae
The sound itself is very reminiscent of two other Canadian bands, Metric, and The Organ, both of which feature alternately drony and shouty-sweet vocals and the kind of music that makes you want to do some kind of spastic dancing that involves crazy knee-bends and flaily arms. (Of course, this is only at home with the blinds drawn. At a show you’ll just tap your feet, bob your head, and wish you were dancing. This means you, hipsters.) In short, it’s addictive. Definitely not your mainstream dance party but hey, what fun is that? YSP! is already picking up loads of momentum in BC, having played to rave reviews on college radio even before the album’s release date, and the fans are unlikely to remain confined to the Rockies. How are they live? Ask your favorite music-elitist friend, cause with the buzz around this band, he or she was without a doubt there to see YSP! party down at O’Hanlon’s last Sunday. Oh and just in case you’re wondering, other bands with exclamation marks in their names include !!!, The Go! Team and Pony Up! (Now you’re just showing off. – Exclamation-band Ed.) by Virginia Harper
The songs on the disc range from hard to mellow, from ballads like “Alone” to the current growing radio request, “On and On.” The songs are highlighted by vocalist Tricia Evans’ powerful voice and lyrics. Unfortunately, the band’s talent does hide behind less-than-superb production on the album, which doesn’t do justice to the band’s live show. And some may consider the band to be quite similar to rockers like Evanescence, whether that’s due to a female singer, or the same style of music, is really only up to the individual to say. What makes this band stand out from that comparison are the musicians behind it who add varying styles and influences throughout the songs, which make them a little different than you would expect at first glance. A Little Piece of Quiet is a strong start for a debut full length, with a pretty solid base. Where it’s weak, it brings promises of future strength. One can only expect them to grow musically as their career surges forward. by Cassie Ozog |