Institute – Distort Yourself.

Interscope Records - Released 09/13/05

Rock history often tells the story of bands who rise from the intimate settings of the small club show to sold-out arenas and festival tours. So often is this story told, that it has become almost cliché and expected. Rarer is the story of the artist who graduates from the sold-out arena and a life of rock-star excesses and heads back to the small club atmosphere which spawned his work. Yet, that's exactly what Gavin Rossdale has done with his new act Institute.

Rossdale, formerly of 90's alt-rock superact Bush, is once again in the spotlight, albeit one with much less glory and brilliance than the one which he once lived. Yet, don't let this fool you; Rossdale is the same genius songcrafter he always has been. But Institute is no Bush clone, either. Rossdale is able to take his emotional vocal delivery to new heights over the crushing guitars of “Bulletproof Skin” and first single “When Animals Attack.” Whereas Bush delved into pop song styling, Rossdale has instead chosen to keep the focus on the rock. You won't find any slow, “Glycerine”-type ballads on Distort Yourself. The nearest Rossdale and company come is on the melodic “Ambulances”, a song which evokes the spirit of the slower Bush, but doesn't completely emulate it.

Institute is one of the most talented modern rock bands to emerge in the last few years. Yet, they have been passed over, it would seem. Nearly a year after the album's release, it has yet to grow the type of recognition or fan base that Bush had after the release of Sixteen Stone. And, without a breakout hit to their name, Institute seems destined to stay out of the limelight for at least the next few years. But to say this is justified would be a lie. Institute is the musical pinnacle that Rossdale has been striving for, and he has finally reached it. Distort Yourself is an article that any Bush fan - nay, any rock fan – can not and should not pass up.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – Living With The Living
Touch and Go – 03/20/07

There comes a time in any music fan's life where he or she inadvertently runs across an album that makes him or her question exactly why the hell they hadn't found this artist sooner. For me, this moment came with the leak of Ted Leo's “Living with the Living” back in February.

It seems to me that Ted Leo could have fit in anywhere in the history of punk music. “Living with the Living”, his latest release, covers the entire spectrum of Ted's abilities as both a singer and a songwriter. From the melodic (“A Bottle of Buckie”) to the frenetic (“Bomb. Repeat. Bomb”) to the overtly political (take your pick of track), “Living with the Living” flows as one, organic work. Leo's skills show: There isn't a bad track to be found anywhere on this album.

This album is also notable for the controversy surrounding its early leak. The album was quickly pulled by most public and private Bit-torrent tracker sites after a request sent by the band's management. However the request also contained language which could be construed as permitting the album to be uploaded after the retail release date (insinuating that while the band didn't appreciate the early leak, that they do, in fact, support the trading of their material to new listeners.)

Whether or not you download the material or purchase it on 3/20, the fact stands that Ted Leo's “Living with the Living” is an early candidate for album of the year. Whether you be an old Ted Leo fan, or someone who has never even heard of him before, this album has something for you.

Kaiser Chiefs – Yours Truly, Angry Mob
Universal - 3/27/07

Long live the Kaiser Chiefs!

The Fab Five are back with another round of their trademark brit-rock, albeit in a slightly more radio-friendly manner. The Chiefs have slowed themselves down a bit, with the slow riffs of “Ruby” and “Heat Dies Down” replacing the fast and frantic pace of “I Predict A Riot” and “Na na na na na.” But they do so without missing a stride, unlike many other brit-rock acts who have tried (and failed) to expand their American audiences in a similar fashion (read: Blur.)

Lead vocalist Ricky Wilson continues to deliver the Chief's vocals in a manner which evokes the feeling of the uniquely British “Mod” sound, yet manages to remain timely and fresh, while keyboardist and lyricist Nick Baines continues to develop the group's signature sound without wavering from the formula excessively. The result? An album immediately recognizable as theirs, yet more easily accessible to the general public.

“Yours Truly, Angry Mob” is arguably their best work yet, and will appeal to fans of alt-rock, both young and old. Make sure to pick up your copy on Tuesday March 27th, if you haven't already stolen it.

New Old Content!

New content coming soon. Until then, here's a review I posted on Myspace a while back.

---

CD Review:
The Starrs - Silhouette.
8/16/06

The Starrs (Derek Rice, Jon Tyler, Ryan Matthias) emerged out of the ashes of the breakup of Kung Fu Record's Antifreeze. Originating as an Antifreeze side project, the members began concentrating heavily on The Starrs after the untimely demise of Antifreeze. Since then, this group from Appleton, WI has slowly emerged as one of the Midwest's premier up and coming acts. Signed to Snapdragon Records, a Wisconsin indie label, The Starrs released their debut LP, Silhouette in July, 2006.

From the beginning, this album evokes memories of blink-182, mostly due to the vocal work of lead singer Jon Tyler. Tyler's vocals nicely compliment the groups instrumental work, which in itself is a well-constructed blend of punk, pop, and alt-rock melodies. Although this album seems destined for mass consumption, it doesn't come off as forced or fake, as so much of todays music does, and the pop stylings contained within the record blend quite well with the slow, melodic alternative rock stylings carefully crafted by Tyler and co.

At first listen, some may walk away feeling that the album comes off as monotonous. However, the congruity and cohesiveness of the album is actually one of its strong points. It only further helps to set this work apart from those who would strive to write similar music. Often times in modern punk/alt-rock music, an album will seem to shift from one sound to another between every song, and often times this may disorient a listener, or worse yet, prevent an artist or group from developing their own, unique signature sound. By shying away from quick time signature and tempo changes often found in modern punk music, The Starrs have come that much closer to developing their own unique sound, one easily recognizable by both friend and foe alike.

Those who would be quick to directly compare The Starrs to Antifreeze would be wise to reconsider. It is quite obvious that Tyler and cohorts have matured quite a bit since the (admittedly abrupt and arguably premature) demise of Antifreeze. Is it enough of a difference in sound to deter fans of Antifreeze from checking out Silhouette? Hopefully not. It is, however, enough to set The Starrs apart from their prior work, and place them in a category all their own.

Silhouette is an excellent debut album, and only speaks volumes about this act's talent. The future holds bright things for The Starrs, so jump aboard the bandwagon early.

(****)
Four out of five stars.

Content! Content!

It's about time for finals. So, until I have time to write more original content, here's a review I wrote last year on my old blog. It's the first "real" movie review I ever wrote, and I still like it.

So...enjoy. And look here after the first of the year for regular updates and new content! :D

---

Dark City - Proya's Pinnacle of Excellence

Dark City
Dir: Alex Proyas
1998 - 100 min. - R (Violence, Language)

***/****
Price paid: $6.95
Max. Recommended price: $18.95

Everything "The Matrix" wanted to be, a year before it. That just about sums up "Dark City", where no one is what they seem to be, and the life you remember may be nothing more than a labratory concoction pumped into your veins. John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) finds himself waking up in a cold bathup of water with a headache and no recollection of who he is, where he's been, or what exactly is going on in the city he inhabits. Soon after waking, he receives from a man known as Dr. Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland) promising to help John understand exactly what is going on. As the movie progresses, John finds that the entire city seems to be against him. Framed for a series of murders he did not commit, John must race to find out who he is, why he's framed, and why it is that no one can explain the way to Shell Beach.

Proyas takes us on a fast-paced, frenetic journey through a futuristic film-noir world which we are lead to believe is the possible future of society. Having one of the shortest average shot lengths in modern narrative cinema keeps "Dark City" moving at break-neck speed, and adds suspense to a movie already brimming to the lid with action and intrigue. Add to this Proyas' ability to meld live-action camerawork seamlessly with computer-generated cityscapes and his knack for visually stunning (but not overbearing) special effects, and you have yourself a formula for success.

"Dark City" is not a movie for the weak of heart. It's tough to digest (it took me three viewings to sit through the whole thing.) But, considering that it's available in the bargain bins at almost any Wal-Mart store in the country for under $7, it's hard NOT to recommend this movie. Give it a shot. It just may change your outlook on existence...


-Ryan Murray
10/09/05

Rainy Day Ollie – Killing Two Birds With One Car.
Rough around the edges, yet still showing promise.
Andrew Ryan // 11/20/06

In my eyes, the Ozaukee County punk scene died in 2002 with the breakup of Sand!. The handful of bands left simply weren't talented enough to hold my attention or drive me to come to shows.

Part of me wonders exactly why I was so short-sighted. Maybe my standards were too high from years of being spoiled by bands like I Belong, No Direction, and the like. Or, maybe I let my personal distaste for the people in the bands affect my perception of the bands themselves.

Either way, I was wrong. Apparently, the Ozaukee scene isn't dead…it's just waiting for a savior. Unfortunately, Rainy Day Ollie isn't the savior the scene needs…at least not yet, anyways.

At first listen, Rainy Day Ollie comes off as a second-rate Alkaline Trio or blink-182. On second listen…nothing improves. The band seems to take cues from every pop-punk band in the last 10 years, but can't seem to improve on the formula at all.

That's not to say the band is bad. In fact, the musicianship is fairly solid for the genre, and shows glimpses of what the band could become, with the right producer. (Local musical genius Justin Perkins, who has worked with Molitor, The Starrs, and The Obsoletes comes to mind.) Much of my problem with this album stems from the vocals, which are entirely uneven and shaky. While this may be another example of my standards being a bit high, they just sound too nasal-ly and whiny, and don't seem to fit with the instrumentation well. The mixing could use some work, as well…bringing out the drums and bass a little more might help the music flow better.

There are highlights to this album, though. The band successfully channels mid-life MxPx in the song "Not Tonight," a song that could easily fit into WLUM's local music rotation. (Why the band refuses to send in a copy is beyond me.) "Suck At Life" and "Believe" show off the tremendous talent of guitarist Ben Pitsch, who can shred with the best of them. And "Suffocate," the closing track of the album balances out hardcore and pop influences quite nicely.

Rainy Day Ollie simply needs to find a way to separate themselves form the crowd. Although they can pull off the pop-punk sound convincingly….so can everyone else. I look forward to the day where this group is able to rescue the local scene.

(**.5)

Two and a half out of five stars.