Monday, February 24, 2014

Top 10 unusual Bruce Springsteen songs

All fans of Bruce Springsteen know that he is a master on the live stage with his E Street Band. They are extremely versatile and can play pretty much anything the audience wishes for. The crowd knows this, Bruce himself knows it - so the audience frequently brings big signs with a song title they want to hear and hold up. When Bruce sees a song he likes, the band plays it. This way we've been treated with a lot of rare songs over the years, but here's a couple of songs I would want to hear more often. At the same time these are songs that the average listener should discover when it comes to Springsteen, it's just pure quality. A nice variation from Born In The USA if you ask me....

1. She's The One
2. The Ties That Bind
3. Night
4. Johnny 99
5. Brilliant Disguise
6. Two Hearts
7. Candy's Room
8. Reason To Believe
9. Racing In The Street
10. Atlantic City

Sunday, February 23, 2014

KISS on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

KISS' induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is kind of going viral right now. Original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss (that has not been in the band for over 10 years) made statements that KISS would not perform with the original lineup at the award ceremony. The tone was very critical against Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley who calling the shots nowadays. 
Gene And Paul then made a statement that because the rock hall refuses to induct all members of the band (past and present) there will be no concert with any line-up, since Gene and Paul insist that all members be inducted. This has happened on multiple occasions before, non-original members inducted, so I don't understand why the hall is refusing this time...

But, the way I interpret this, is that if the hall were to recognize and induct ALL members, they would not refuse to play with Ace and Peter?! So really, it's the hall that's being kind of dicks? Why not make a compromise; induct all members and have the originals do a couple of songs without makeup! That way you give Gene+Paul what they want (all members inducted), you give Ace+Peter what they want (media exposure), the hall gets what they want (tickets sold) and the fans what they want (originals reunited on stage).

But I guess it's politics and the hall certainly seems to have an ego almost as big as Gene Simmons'...

From the official press-conference where the reunion tour in 1996 was revealed.

Les Morts Dansant

Les Morts Dansant. The Dancing Dead.

That is the title of the british rockband Magnum's best song.

Magnum is an 80's band with a mix of prog-rock and classic eighties glamrock with heavy synthesizers. They were never a real commercial success so, sadly, not many people know them. The frontman and vocalist Bob Catley is instantly recognized by his amazing vocal talent and distinct sound. Magnum is really a predecessor to all modern "epic" metal bands with their storytelling fantasy-style songs and album covers. As an example Tobias Sammet from Edguy/Avantasia considers both Bob Catley and Les Morts Dansant as big influences on his career choices.

Les Morts Dansant is considered their best song and it's taken from, what is considered, their best album: On A Storyteller's Night form 1985. The song is about a soldier getting executed by a firing squad. If you have any interest in music, you should give this fantastic song a listen!

Les Morts Dansant - Magnum

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

The 10 best metal ballads

Here's a spontaneous list of the 10 best metal / hard rock songs. It's just one of those days when some cheesy stuff just feels right, and I don't even care. C'mon - every rocker is a bit of a softie inside, right?! Enjoy!

1. Cry Just A Little - Avantasia
2. I Still Love You - KISS
3. Sorry - Buckcherry
4. The Story Ain't Over - Avantasia
5. Forever - KISS
6. Snuff - Slipknot
7. Nothing Else Matters - Metallica
8. All I Need - Within Temptation
9. Save Me - Edguy
10. Leader Of The Broken Hearts - Papa Roach


Cry Just A Little - Avantasia (with lyrics)

I Still Love You - KISS

Snuff - Slipknot

Monday, February 17, 2014

Real music of the week (08)

H.E.A.T - A Shot At Redemption

José Gonzalez - Step Out

Capital Cities - Safe And Sound

The Gaslight Anthem - National Anthem

Mando Diao - Black Saturday

Sabaton - Carolus Rex

McFly - Do Watcha

Monday, February 10, 2014

The Naked and The Famous is really music

A band I've been listening to a lot lately is The Naked and The Famous. Really cool songs, a little different, almost indie but with much better production. Quality songs, cool vocals, fresh! They have appeared with some songs in the FIFA Football video games, and I have to admit that's where I found the band. My favorite song is I Kill Giants, and a one-word description of that song would be EPIC.

I Kill Giants

Punching In A Dream

Young Blood

Hearts Like Ours

Girls Like You

Monday, February 3, 2014

New albums from Within Temptation & The Treatment

Within Temptations new album HYDRA was just released. Very excited about it, maybe a little too high expectations. When I listened to it I was a little disappointed, it lacked the "hit" songs found on previous album The Unforgiving. But still a very solid album with no bad songs. The best song is the single Paradise (What About Us). Another song I really like, and find most similar to old WT, is Silver Moonlight. I'd give it a 7 out of 10.

Let Us Burn / Dangerous / And We Run / Paradise (What About Us) / Edge Of The World / 
Silver Moonlight / Covered By Roses / Dog Days / Tell Me Why / Whole World Is Watching /


Next, The Treatment, has a new album out called RUNNING WITH THE DOGS. Their debut from 2012 was a full-throttle hard rock album in the vein of AC/DC and the like. I'm expecting no less from the follow-up. The guys have matured a little in songwriting and sound, but it's still the same pedal to the metal energy. High class songs, very fun album that shoves a big middle finger in the face of popular music. I love it! 8 out of 10.

I Bleed Rock + Roll / Drop Like A Stone / Get The Party On / Running With The Dogs / The Outlaw /
Emergency / She's Too Much / Cloud Across The Sun / Don't Look Down / World On Fire /
What Is There To Say / Unchain My World / Don't Get Mad Get Evil /