Red / Innocence & Instinct (Japan special edition)

I've been having a hard time remembering band names these days...and when the band includes, or focuses on Death Metal vocals, my memory is at a complete loss.  However, things are starting to look better for me with the band Red.

They are not a Death Metal band but some of their songs do have a bit of that "shouting".

...

I am happy to say I like it.  Mike Barnes, the lead vocalist has a very melodic voice that is (according to the liner notes) frequently compared with Doug Rob (Hoobastank) and Chester Bennington (Linkin Park).  

I am going to go out on a limb and add Morten Harket (A-Ha).

My conclusion: he can shout like any Death Metal singer and he can pull of country-esk folk sounds, pop, pop rock and even a ballad.  

Strong guitar, heavy bass, tight drums

Woah, currently reached track number 9 on the album and it's "Ordinary World"....yyyyeeeeesss the Duran Duran "Ordinary World".  (See, he CAN sing pop tunes)

OK, these types of covers I like to call "cheating".  Not with a venomous spit but I say so lovingly.  This is a very good song and it would be a crime if you did not play this with a certain amount of perfection.

They have chosen their next song, (number 10) "Out From Wonder" very wisely.  It is a good segue from "Ordinary World" into their own metal influenced sound.  Vocals on what sounds like an arena equalizer and then a megaphone equalizer blends in with a sad melody that crashes into a bit of death metal shouts.

The Japan special edition of their album "Innocence & Instinct" (released on March 4th) is special because:

There are two bonus tracks ... "Breathe Into Me" and an acoustic version of "Already Over".

There are also three music videos: Death of Me", "Breathe Into Me" and "Already Over".

This album gets four and a half stars out of my five star rating.

Artist: Wagner Love / Album Title: Everything About

According to the liner notes the band currently resides in Frankfurt, Germany.  However, I'm wondering if they are originally from Denmark.  Band members are Jacob Vetter, Ravel Meeth, Tilmann Kollner (there is an umlaut over the "o" ) and Marcel Meeth (Yes, brothers).

The lead track in Japan is the first song on the album, "Doin' It".  (As a bonus track for Japan there is a remix version at the end of the album as well.)

A bit of a Motown flavor with a dash of Chicago and a sprinkle of Maroon 5.

HOWEVER, as much as I hate to say this (only because it sounds critical), the lead vocalist has captured my attention much stronger than with Maroon 5.  Maybe not as smooth as Peter Cetera (Chicago) but not bad for a new group!  (The space between my nose and upper lip get longer as I bounce my head to the beat.)

Oh, maaaaaan.....I have just checked out their myspace website for the very first time and there are pictures of Japanese CD shops with hand written pops saying that "they've topped Maroon 5" etc...Well, there goes my vain "originality" flying out the window....look how it flutters away...

But I must add that there is a bit of 80's pop music embedded in here too.  Especially "They Don't Even Care".  Sort of boy bandish but not so much that you want to go puke in a nearby coffee cup.  (Oh, I don't really dislike all boy bands...ehem)

Track 7, "Too Many Ways" is a jazzy acoustic little ditty...if you are an Amos Lee fan, like me, you might like this.  Kind of makes me want to go out for a walk with a cigarette in hand and flick it onto the rail tracks or somethin'.  (I don't smoke and I don't recommend littering either.)

Mmmm, track 8 "Long Road".  I like the lyrics...."it's a long long road to love".

Track 9, "so far so good, came this far without losing our heads" is how the track "Everybody Runs" starts.  My Thoughts exactly.  I haven't tired of the album once so far.

Track 10 "Ghost" was a little too slow for me, but that might just be the mood I'm in today.

Track 11 "Onetwothree" reminds me of another song I can't remember the title of (a Simply Red song maybe?)

Anyway, the album gets 4 stars out of my 5 star rating!