SPRG09JR608 Interactive News Darlene Dobkowski

Flashback - Lifetime's Jersey's Best Dancers

2009-03-04T20:47:57Z

Okay, so New Jersey has its perks minus the smelly factorys of Newark, the shoobies of the "Jersey Shore" (it's the BEACH, not the SHORE. If only people got it right.), and the lack of things to do.

Lifetime's Jersey's Best Dancers is one of the few albums I can listen to repeatedly without getting sick of. Released in 1997, this album has some of the band's best songs on it-- "Turnpike Gates," 25 Cent Giraffes" and "Cut the Tension." Actually, most of the songs on here are some of the band's best.

Lifetime featured simple music with lyrics that many people can't understand what the hell is being said. Ari Katz's vocals are as easy to understand as tongues. Even with the difficult vocals, the music still draws me in. It's simple, great message (once you actually read the lyrics because guessing them is a lost cause).

Quite a few bands, especially Saves the Day, seemed to follow the music trend that Lifetime set up. Simple music, good lyrics, catchy but not too catch and great energy. It seems that people who are fans of Lifetime and other similar bands are long-term fans. They'll listen to their CDs in their car until they drive people crazy, sing along to every lyric and try to go to their shows.

To end this Flashback, here's a video from a Lifetime reunion show, which I was lucky to be at. In the video, you can hear how people are singing along.

Flashback - Black Flag... Because One Album Just Doesn't Do Them Justice

2009-03-04T20:30:12Z

So this week, I decided to change it up a bit. I thought since it's my birthday today, I'm going to do two Flashbacks instead of one. How can you go forward without looking back to where you've been? Same thing with music, my friends.

Quite a few good things came out of 1986 besides yours truly-- a Black Flag live album. Who's Got the 10 1/2 was released in March of that year. The album was recorded at a show in Portland, Oregon.

The band's simple-but-fast music with some deep lyrics made the band what it was. When Henry Rollins joined, he took the band to another level. He took the silly lyrics the band used to write and made them based on emotions and serious topics. Another thing? He did it in a poetic manner. His words were deep and he meant every single syllable.

He and the rest of the band set up the blueprint that many bands follow today. They stayed true to themselves, didn't let anyone affect who they were or what their music meant, and they did it with such passion. There are some bands out there today that follow this manta and you can tell that it's in everything they do both on and off stage. It means a lot when a band can do that without being affected by the environment around them

Here's a video of "Rise Above" from the 80s, accompanied with captions probably made on the hunkin' pieces of plastic camcorders used to be.

Punk Goes Pop: For Those Who Don't Want to Admit They Actually Like the Originals

2009-03-04T19:27:28Z

Okay, I'll admit. Even though I love punk and hardcore music, I can't help but listen to the radio sometimes and somewhat enjoy the music (or what's considered music nowadays) on there. I shock people with my knowledge of lyrics when we go to bars.

But onto other things, a second volume of Punk Goes Pop will be released March 10. It features some recent hits as well as some from a few years ago. For all those punk kids who are too ashamed to listen to those disgustingly catchy songs on the radio, this one's for you.

The album features bands such as Bayside, Four Year Strong (from Worcester!), A Static Lullaby, Chiodos, A Day to Remember and a few more. Some of the covers are well-done while others I can do without. Some songs are just too obnoxious and sound worse than the original (who thought I'd ever be saying that?). The version of "When I Grow Up" that Mayday Parade did is a good example of that.

The perks? A breakdown with some raspy, screaming vocals during a Britney Spears song. August Burns Red puts a twist on "Baby One More Time" that I could never imagine. There are a few other songs that I really like on the album.

I think one of the most important things about this album is that it breaks down the Berlin Wall-esque boundary that exists between pop music and the realm of punk and hardcore. So many people, especially listeners, seem to not want to explore the other music that is available to them. With this album, it almost tricks people to listening to it. What? You like this band? What if we conceal a pop song into our music? Would you still like us? People still eat it up, which might be a step in the right direction.

Flashback - Bouncing Souls' Hopeless Romantic

2009-02-25T21:12:35Z

For 20 years, the Bouncing Souls, a punk band from New Jersey (represent!), have dominated the scene with their fast songs with some random song topics. Hopeless Romantic, the band's fourth full-length album, features many fan-favorites (and some of my favorites) such as "Hopeless Romantic," "Ole!" and "Kid." If you go to one of their shows, you're more than likely going to hear those songs among many others.

Throughout the years, they have released many albums, gained many fans and played many shows. The Bouncing Souls are one of the many staples of punk music, or at least punk in the late 90s and even today. Their simple music is what makes them who they are. That and lead singer Greg Attonito's vocals are quite original. You know when the Souls are playing and you are going to like it no matter what. Trust me.

Give this and their other albums a listen and see how they stay true to punk and the band's sound throughout the 20 years. They never let anything affect their music in a negative way. They did what they did best and stayed with it all of these years.

This year, they're touring all over in support of their 20th anniversary. They're coming to the Paradise Rock Club in Boston April 30 and May 2.

Incredibad Really Can't Be Taken Seriously, But Makes for a Good Laugh

2009-02-25T19:59:09Z

I think everyone, including myself, can appreciate a few white guys rapping to some basic samples about the most ridiculous topics-- being on a boat, creative gifts, Natalie Portman and many more. Even better? Some of them are accompanied by some of the most funniest videos you will ever see. Many of them were shorts featured on Saturday Night Live. I caught myself watching these shorts over and over again with classmates during my JR 600A class last semester. Most of us left the class with these songs stuck in our heads. Since when is it normal to sing about someone "jizzing" in their pants? Don't worry. I didn't sing these songs out loud in public.

The Lonely Island, which features Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, released Incredibad on February 10. This album is 19 tracks full of hilarious songs with guest appearances with Julian Casablancas from The Strokes, Norah Jones, Natalie Portman, T-Pain and Justin Timberlake.

It's difficult for me to pick a favorite song because they're all different and funny in their own way. True, some of them are just corny, but you can't help but laugh. The CD features a DVD with videos for some of the songs, but I'm disappointed that it doesn't feature my favorite video of the moment, "I'm on a Boat," which honestly looks like a white guy's version of a Jay-Z video.

Listening to this CD is pretty entertaining, but I don't see myself listening to it repeatedly like other albums. If you need a good laugh or some ridiculousness in your life, I would recommend listening to this.

I leave you now with a song that often describes my Sundays-- lazy.

Oh, and if you want to meet these guys, they're coming to Newbury Comics in Faneuil Hall to do a signing and a Q&A. It's quite tempting, I must say.

New Found Glory Puts Up a Strong Fight With This Album... and Wins.

2009-02-25T19:27:51Z

Even though New Found Glory's sixth studio album, Not Without a Fight, is coming out March 10, it has already leaked. Yes, I'm a pretty big New Found Glory fan, but the curiosity got the best of me as I downloaded it. Even guitarist Chad Gilbert said if his favorite band's CD leaked, he would download it, and that's exactly what I did. Take that, RIAA.

I really like the album, which was produced by Mark Hoppus of the newly-reunited band Blink 182.. It has that trademark sound that made me and other fans fall in love with them. It's that pop-punk that I'm a sucker for from time to time and makes me wonder if I should admit to listening to it when I have bands such as Minor Threat on my iPod.

The album has some elements of their last release, Tip of the Iceberg, which was released on Bridge 9 Records. It has some traits of a Bridge 9 band, which often has some traces of hardcore in their music, with the band's usual sound that makes the mall-core, pop-punk teenagers scream their semi-prepubescent hearts out... and makes me giddy a tiny bit.

I can't pick a song that I don't like on Not Without a Fight, but there are some songs that make me so happy the band released a new album. Hands down, my favorite is "I'll Never Love Again." It almost sounds like it could be on their last release. Gilbert's guitar playing, lead singer Jordan Pundik's somewhat high-pitched vocals and some group vocals make me love the song even more. One thing I can appreciate about Pundik's vocals throughout the band's career is that it sounds like his balls dropped, which almost changed his voice from a boy to a man, or maybe a slightly high-pitched man.

I'd definitely give this album two thumbs up, or two X-ed fists up if that's what you do. They still stand true to the sound that got them out in the scene more than ten years ago and matured it a bit. If they are capable of doing this, what else do they have up their sleeves?

Oh, and don't you worry. Don't think I'm one of those fans that doesn't do shit for the band. I bought my ticket for their show April 30 at Boston's House of Blues, which I'm definitely looking forward to seeing.

Flashback - H2O's Thicker Than Water

2009-02-18T20:09:21Z

For this blog, not only am I going to review CDs that came out recently, but I will also post a "Flashback." This is an album that came out at least 10 years ago that I think you should listen to not only because it is a classic, but also because it is one of many influential CDs that paved the way for music today. So if you haven't listened to this CD before, give it a try. If you have a copy of it hiding somewhere in your apartment or it is a playlist on your iPod you never touch, relive some memories.

H2O's second album, Thicker Than Water, came out in 1997, a couple years after the band formed. The band shows their New York roots in their music, with a good mix of punk and hardcore. Their lyrics have strong messages, from their straight-edge lifestyle to their strong appreciation for their friends.

This album has so many songs that define it as an album. I honestly can't pick a song that I don't like. Listening to just one song makes you want more, especially since none of the songs go over the three-minute mark. Consider it the Lays chip of the hardcore scene.

The fast music with often-intricate bass parts along with this tattooed lead singer singing his heart out makes for an album that many bands can look to for advice, so to speak. Every word that lead singer Toby Morse sings is so believable. He speaks through his heart and that itself makes the music great.

And you know what's the impressive part? This band is still going strong today. H2O released their fifth studio album, Nothing to Prove, last year. This just comes to show that their influence and music can stand the test of time, even though it has been more than ten years. Music changes often, but if a band can still be popular ten or so years later, that must mean they're doing something right. I had the chance to see them last year in October and their live performance was better than ever. They get better with age and it shows in more ways than one.

The Loved Ones show off their fourth release

2009-02-18T19:06:03Z

I always have a special place in my heart for The Loved Ones. I don't know if it's because they're from Philly (I'm from South Jersey) or their music, but either way I was excited to see that they released an EP, Distractions, earlier this month. It features three original songs and three covers of songs by Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bragg and Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros.

The original songs sound like a branch off of their previous album, Build & Burn. They stay true to the sound that so many of their fans love about them. They are very cohesive. True, that seems easy to do with only three songs, but there is probably a band out there that can manage to screw that up.

"Distracted" is a great song both lyrically and musically. The song is about a girl missing opportunities because of bad situations, but comes out in the end realizing what she needs to do. Dave Hause's vocals and guitar playing fit the song. The band as a whole works together well and complement each member's talents.

"Last Call" starts off solemnly but eventually picks up. It sounds somewhat similar to the previous song with some piano mixed in. The Loved Ones know how to keep a listener interested by switching up things throughout the duration of the song, which can be shown with this song.

The last original song, "Spy Diddley," might be the most energetic song and the song that resembles an old song of theirs. The raspy pseudo-screams from Hause and the fast music make it a classic Loved Ones song.

The cover-portion of the EP opens up with The Boss' song "Johnny 99." The more I listened to this song, the more I realized that Hause's vocals sound like a punk-version of Springsteen's voice. Needless to say, it was a successful cover.

The other two covers work out well, too, especially since they work well with Hause's vocals. The music can sometimes be easy to duplicate or at least make it your own without destroying it, but in the end, I think the vocals make it all and that's what happened here.

I really liked Distractions as a whole. It's short, as all EPs are, but it gives a nice selection of songs for over 15 minutes. They stay true to their original sound as well as giving their twist on covers by well-known musicians and bands.

Can people from Florida really be Homesick?

2009-02-18T17:35:36Z

The boys from Florida, A Day to Remember released their third studio album, Homesick,earlier this month on Victory Records. This album features appearances from members of other bands, like producer Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory and Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage, who mixed it.

The album opens up with a fantastic song and one of my favorites, "The Downfall of Us All," which will be the album's second single. It starts with an a cappella-esque breakdown that leads to the rest of the song. This song encompasses everything that I'm a sucker for in music-- hand-claps, good breakdowns, group vocals and a few whoa's. The lyrics show that they have similar qualites to their last album, For Those Who Have Heart, with the constant reminder that their town and the people in it will bring them down in the end.

Another song that I keep on listening to is "Have Faith in Me." The catchy chorus makes me want to sing along and I also enjoy the progression of energy throughout the song. It's somewhat mellow at first, but things pick up after a while. The song is more pop-oriented than the rest of their album, but it's somehow endearing.

With some favorites come some not-so-great songs, and that's what I heard in "NJ Legion Iced Tea," the album's first single. I could pick at least two other songs that I could imagine to be better singles. I can't pinpoint exactly what's off about this song, but something is missing.

"You Already Know What You Are" seems like a filler song more than anything. I can almost imagine the band saying, "Okay, we need something short to help the album flow. A minute and 28 seconds should do it, right? Good." Something's missing from the song. It seems like it should have been longer than what it really is.

Most of the songs on this CD not only display the lyrical talents of lead singer Jeremy McKinnon, but also the rest of the band. Drummer Alex Shellnutt has some amazing skills, especially on the double bass. It's so fast, it sometimes makes you wonder how he does it.

As much as I like A Day to Remember, there are some little quirks that bother me. First, their lyrics are mostly about the same subjects-- this town can only bring me down, you're not worth my time, I will prevail in the end, etc. It's tolerable for the first few songs and even their previous album, but it starts to make me wonder if they have anything else in their lyric arsenal besides this.

Also, after a while, some of their songs start sounding the same. They almost follow a formula at times-- screaming, sing-y chorus, tough-guy breakdown, back to the chorus, and end it with a witty one-liner that people will end up putting as their Facebook status or somewhere else. Add a pinch of group vocals and some hand-claps and there you have A Day to Remember song.

In the end, I do enjoy Homesick as a whole, but not as much as their previous album, For Those Who Have Heart. It maybe because I listened to it more times that I would like to admit. Who knows, but for some reason, Homesick doesn't have the feeling and sound that made me like the other album so much. Granted, there are some songs that I absolutely love on their new album, but as a whole, it makes me want something more than what has been given to me.