CD review: Shaw/Blades, Influence (VH1 Classics, 2007)

By Rachel Heisler

Oh no, not another cover album! It’s true, but it’s also true that Influence is one of the best cover albums of the year. The group, propelled by Tommy Shaw (guitarist/vocalist of Styx/Damn Yankees) and Jack Blades (bassist/vocalist Night Ranger/Damn Yankees), has taken a relatively straight-forward approach to covering other artist’s songs, and has chosen wonder hits from the ’60s and ’70s that any classic rock lover will know by heart, and ones that offer a track-by-track chronology of music that helped define rock as we know it.

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Miscellaneous: The State of Indiependence Series, Tips On How Your Band Can Make It To the Top

By Danny Brown

With the popularity of MySpace, iTunes, PureVolume and many other similar social network and music sites, it’s getting ever harder to try and stand out from the hundreds, nay thousands, of other indie bands out there, all vying for the same audience that your band is courting. And with the line between success and failure being finer than a Michael Jackson alibi in a kindergarten, making sure you promote yourself properly is paramount.

However, with just a little bit of outside thinking, you can make your own impact in the right circles. In the first of an ongoing series, we explain some of the better options out there for you. Even if you just put one or two of these to effect, you should start to see some results fairly soon. So, kick off your sneakers, sit back and let us help you on your path to the top (note: all success is moderate, so please don’t sue us if this doesn’t work for you!)…

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Concert review: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, June 19, 2007, Jillian’s, Las Vegas, NV

By Ash

I always hate arriving late to a show because I lose out on discovering new music from the opening bands. I arrived late to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at Jillian‚Äôs. I missed the openers … my apologizies to you and the bands. (more…)

Concert review: Roger Waters Dark Side Of The Moon Tour, Saturday, June 16, MGM Garden Arena, Las Vegas

By Rachel Heisler

Roger Waters and his music may have helped to turn countless teenagers into angry, paranoid, twisted, drug-eating monsters, but with his 2007 Dark Side of the Moon Tour he’s taken giant steps in repairing some of the damage. (more…)

CD: Scott Fisher & 1 a.m. Approach, Step Into The Future (June 26, 2007)

By: Dara Villonco

Scott Fisher is every college girl‚Äôs wet dream. With equal parts pop, rock and jazz, Step Into The Future is Fisher‚Äôs sophomore release, following his self titled debut in 2005. Based in Portland, Oregon, it’s not hard to imagine that this watery state with a thriving music scene has produced an artist of this caliber. (more…)

Concert preview: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Wednesday, June 20, 6 pm, Jillian’s, Las Vegas

By Ash

It all started in the mid-’90s in San Francisco. Named after the gang in the cult film ‚ÄúWild One,‚Äù Peter Hayes (guitars/vocals), Robert Levon Been (bass/vocals/keys) and Nick Jago (drums) make up Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. BRMC put out their self-titled debut in 2001; followed by Take Them On, On Your Own in 2003. They quickly became known for their bluesy guitars and droning vocals. In August of 2004, Jago walked away from the band due to excessive tensions. This did not stop Hayes and Been from making Howl, a CD that was much more stripped down and soulful than the groups previous works.

BRMC was reunited in 2005. All of this led up to the new CD, Baby 81, a guitar-driven rock ‚Äôn‚Äô roll album that kicks butt. Interestingly, Baby 81 is named after an infant admitted to a hospital after 2004‚Äôs tsunami that was claimed by nine different mothers until the baby’s family was found. Much like the story behind the name, this album is nothing short of amazing. Hayes feels that many of the songs are about personal revolt. ‚ÄúIt‚Äôs gotta start somewhere, and if it ain‚Äôt on a personal level, it‚Äôs too easy to beat the crap out of governments with words,” he said. “Start with yourself and hopefully you get enough people doing it on their own and we can all come together.‚Äù

Where: Jillian’s, 450 Fremont Street, Las Vegas, NV
When: Wednesday, June 20, 6 pm
Cost: $15
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com
For more information, visit www.blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com.

Photo by Tessa Angus

Concert review: Weird Al Yankovic, June 14, 2007, Henderson Pavilion, Las Vegas

By Rachel Heisler

Make a list of 10 bands you want to see perform live. Is Weird Al Yankovic on the list? Probably not … hopefully not. But when someone hands you free tickets, even if they’re tickets to a show as goofy as Weird Al, you may as well take the opportunity to check the show out. Especially when it’s being held at a beautiful outdoor venue like Henderson Pavilion. (more…)

SHORT SCALE: CD reviews in 200 words or less

By Rachel Heisler

CD review: The Aggrolites, Reggae Hit L.A. (Hellcat Records, June 5, 2007)

Rating: 4 out of 5 geetars

They call it Dirty Reggae, and it’s a good fit. The Aggrolites have started with a base of reggae and layered it with soul and rock and it does sound damn dirty! Hell, they’ve performed on the same stages as The Skatalites, Rancid and Dropkick Murphys. That alone tells you that The Aggrolites have influences from all over the board. The keys (played by Roger Rivas) are witty, imaginative and at times just silly (“Work It”), and it’s the fact that the keys are in the forefront of many of the tunes that gives the music a special, perky quality. Jesse Wagners’ vocals on songs like “Reconcile” are moving, while his James Brown-esque vox on the album’s title track are enough to get any kat on his feet. They have managed to include some even more specialized styles, including a light tropical island feel on “Lets Pack Our Bags” and a healthy dose of funk on “Well Runs Dry (Free Soul).” The Aggrolites have stayed true to themselves and have represented their local L.A. reggae scene in a smooth and professional way. What they’ve created, with a little dedication and inspiration, is an homage to a place and sound they love.

Upcoming shows:
06/16/07-Stubb’s, Austin, TX
06/17/07-Fitzgerald’s, Houston, TX
06/18/07-Rock Bottom Bar, San Antonio,TX
06/20/07-Club Congress, Tucson, AZ
06/21/07-The Sets, Tempe, AZ

For more information, visit www.AggroReggae.com.

CD review: Vanna, Curses (Epitaph, April 24, 2007)

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 geetars

If anyone has a clue as to what Vanna’s lead singer, Chris Preece, is saying when he starts up with the screaming, please let the rest of us in on the secret. He sounds so nice when he sings, so angry when he switches to the guttural death belt on Curses, the band’s first full-length album. And all that shrieking really isn’t necessary, ’cause even though it’s metal, it’s quite pretty metal. Not pretty as in girlie, just well written and succinct. Honestly, it’s these more mellow melody moments that give Vanna’s songs some differentiation, otherwise they’d basically sound like cookie-cutter repeats of themselves. On the flip side, the face-melting shrieking does create a cool, hyper-active, the party never ends mood, and the classic hardcore metal aspects come thrashing through with crusty guitars, mean bass and speedy kick drum work. Maybe it’s the best of both worlds, even though (to be sure) this blending of metal and melody has been beaten to a bloody pulp. Ah well, at least Vanna can take pride in knowing that they’re good at what they do.

CD review: Societys Parasites, self-titled (Hellcat Records, May 22, 2007)

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 geetars

Finding the right ingredients to make punk sound unique isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Christ, there are hundreds, nay thousands, of punk bands that sound just like each other and it is boring. Los Angeles’ Societys Parasites have moshed their way to top percentage of the class by writing unexpectedly original guitar riffs, ones that most bands of the same genre wouldn’t even humor the thought of including in their songs. It’s not that the parts are so technically advanced other guitarists can’t play them, it’s that they are some that you’d expect to find in more of rock ‘n’ roll or metal settings (check out “In the City” and “Late Week Night”). Societys Parasites dish out full-throttle stuff that’s headed by vocals that are as beautiful as road kill. It’s music that’s most likely more impressive live that it is in its recorded form, but unless you’re gonna drop out of society and tour with the band, this will have to be an acceptable substitution.

SHORT SCALE: CD reviews in 200 words or less

By Rachel Heisler

CD review: Acute, Arms Around A Stranger (Help Records, May 1, 2007)

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 geetars

Los Angeles-based Acute’s Arms Around A Stranger was recorded and engineered by David Trumfio (who has also worked with Wilco and My Morning Jacket – two of the best bands out there), so one would automatically have high hopes this relatively new band’s debut CD. High hopes aren’t necessarily shattered by Acute: The music is pretty indie rock with a nice beat and pleasant bassy vocals, but it’s no Wilco. It’s not too full of itself, not too blase; it’s not too happy, it’s not too sad; not too rock; not too shoe-gazer. As a matter of fact, it’s not too anything. The most memorable bands have flair – charisma, if you will – and those are the exact things Acute seems to be lacking. So much so that it’s difficult to even pick a single out of the 10 tracks, as none really stand out as chart-topping hits. However, for a band that has only been a band since 2005, there’s lots of time and room to grow. All the elements of musical ability and dedication are there, now it’s time to let the beast run free.

Upcoming shows:
06/15/07-Bluebird Theater, Denver, CO with Holly Ramos
06/16/07-Kilby’s Court, Salt Lake City, UT with Holly Ramos
06/18/07-Cafe Du Nord, San Franciso, CA with Chuck Ragan
06/20/07-Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA with Chuck Ragan
06/22/07-Casbah, San Diego, CA with Chuck Ragan

CD review: Paolo Nutini, These Streets (Atlantic Records, 2006)

Rating: 1.5 out of 5 geetars

What a let down. Twenty-year-old Scottish musician Paolo Nutini’s first track, “Jenny Don’t Be Hasty,” off his debut CD, These Streets, is a great pop-rock number, quite worthy of repeated and excessive listening. The next track: complete mush. While it’s fine for a man to be emotional and poetic, there’s a point where it becomes too much (yes, we are looking at you, Michael Bolton), and Nutini comes to that point and keeps on runnin’ blind. Track three, four, five … sap, sap, sap with lyrics so love-sick it’s embarrassing. A glimmer of hope appears with the single “New Shoes,” but is followed by more of the same ‘Please don’t leave me,’ ‘I miss the past’ pulp. Oh, Paolo, you had me at hello. Why’d ya have to go and ruin it with all that sap?

CD review: Holly Dolly, Pretty Donkey Girl (Capital Records, 2006)

Rating: 2 out of 5 geetars

Is this for real? You may ask yourself why that animated donkey with her pink mini skirt and half shirt and red lipstick is singing remakes of pop songs like “La Isla Bonita” and “Don’t Worry Be Happy.” We’re not sure, but even though this is one of the wackiest gimmicks we’ve seen in a long time, it’s so wildly insane and, lets face it, stupid, that it kind of works (though your friends will think you’re a nut if you admit it). Holly Dolly’s dance version of levan Polkka’s “Loituma” – renamed “Dolly Song,” is a fantastic cover of the Finnish song with its already strange melody and original effervescent four-part harmony. There are a few songs that are too silly, like “Lollipop” and “Holly’s Farm,” which is just a modernized remix of “Old McDonald” with the words ‘Holly Dolly had a farm, ee-i, ee-i, oh.’ Is Holly Dolly aimed at kids? Adults? It’s a hard call, and it probably doesn’t matter since it’s something we all can enjoy when we’re in really goofy moods. A singing donkey! What will they think of next? A dancing frog? Oh wait, they’ve done that, too.

Concert review: The Faint, June 7, 2007, House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV

By Ash

The Faint

This being my first experience at the House of Blues in Las Vegas, I was a little disappointed. The set up is pretty much the same at any House of Blues that you go to, with minor exceptions. While the audio quality was better than most venues in Las Vegas, it wasn’t mind-blowing. And it’s annoying going to an all-ages show if you‚Äôre over 21. (more…)