I've been through a move to a new city and my first semester of university. Crazy stuff. I guess I'm back for now.
Anyway, I'd really like to try and review some music I've been listening to lately. It seems like I've been listening to a very eclectic mix of bands I liked years ago and sort of forgot about. (Switchfoot, Bon Jovi, and 30 Seconds to Mars. Very odd mix, I'm aware)
Firstly, Hello Hurricane by Switchfoot.
So I'd kind of given up on Switchfoot but I must say that I really think they've picked things up with this album. While there are some songs on it that are in keeping with their earlier stuff (Oh! Gravity, to be specific) a lot of Hello Hurricane is refreshingly original. The first song I heard from it was Your Love is a Song. This happened, oddly enough, while I was watching last week's episode of One Tree Hill (yes, I watch OTH. Don't hold it against me, it's a long-time habit I can't seem to break.) I thought to myself, "this sounds like Switchfoot..." And sure enough, it was and I haven't been able to stop listening to this song since then. I'm not completely sure what it is but I think it's the beat in the verses that I love so much.
(I really don't know why the song cuts out at the end, but whatever, you get the gist of it)
Mess of Me is also rather enjoyable and a bit heavier than their regular stuff. The title track, Hello Hurricane is a bit of a disappointment, mostly because it sounds like a lot of their other songs, but it's forgivable. Overall, I really enjoy this album and will continue to listen to it for a long time, I'm sure. (4/5)
Secondly, I'd like to address Bon Jovi's new album, The Circle.
I found it very similar to Lost Highway, which isn't really a bad thing because I really did enjoy their new country influenced direction in it. The Circle is essentially a continuation of that album. Though, to be fair, they seem to be going back to their rock roots somewhat with songs such as Work for the Working Man and Bullet.
It's interesting that they can try the whole country thing and still stay classic. I realize a lot of people don't particularly enjoy that new direction but I think it works fairly well for them. (3.5/5)
Okay, I was planning on saying something about the new 30 Seconds to Mars album but I haven't really listened to enough of it yet to give it much of a review. I will say, though, that when I heard the single - Kings and Queens - I actually groaned. Then I took it off my playlist because I couldn't listen to it again. It's essentially unoriginal fluff that any other band could have come up with in about five minutes. BUT, I've listened to the rest of the album here and there and haven't heard anything else like that, thankfully. I'm still optimistic, and maybe I might even come back and do a real review of it if I ever get around to it. :P
I've saved the best for last (an indie, indie pop, electropop, whatever you want to call it, album that I absolutely love): the self-titled debut album by the Swedish band Miike Snow. I'm rather embarrassed to say that the first song of theirs I heard was Animal when it was on Gossip Girl one week. I think it's an awesome album, not really along the lines of what I normally listen to. It's always good to find something new, especially when that something is as awesome as this album is. Each song is different and distinguishable from the others. Animal is probably my favourite but I really enjoy Black and Blue, Burial, and Silvia. I'll stop trying to describe it now and let you listen for yourself. (5/5)
(We seem to have a hermit DJ here...)
Before wrapping this extremely exciting random musical entry up, I'd just like to say that everyone should watch the British film The Boat That Rocked (or Pirate Radio, as it was released in North America). This is not a request, it's a demand. Seriously awesome movie if you're into radio pirates and rock & roll and the 60's. Yes. Watch it.
(This is the North American trailer because I found it better than the UK version, even if they did play up the American DJ bit)
