Editors Picks 2007
From the desk of Kat B.
Dearest rockoholics, since this was our premiere issue, I wanted to focus on some of the music that I felt fell into the “Best of 2007”.
So here are my picks for 2007 in no particular order. These are items that I feel are worth spending your money on. There were lots of singles that were good this year too but these are the CDs that stood out as a whole.
CD: Die So Fluid, Spawn of Dysfunction
Ok, so this one wasn’t released this year but you won’t find a bad track on it. With lead singer/bassist Grog’s venomous take no prisoners iron-lunged singing backed by solid lyrics, a wicked bass line and guitar riffs, it simply kicks ass from start to finish. http://www.myspace.com/diesofluid
CD: H.I.M., Venus Doom
I listen to a ton of music each year and it’s rare these days for me to listen to a CD from start to finish. Listening to this CD was one of those rare occasions because I was drawn in by each track. All of the tracks are solid and have their own persona; you won’t find any filler tracks here.
Sonically, this CD has a more guitar driven, heavier sound than their previous release. That combined with the angst injected vocals makes for great listening.
I absolutely love and admire that they didn’t put together a disc of 9 songs formed into perfectly formatted 3.5 minute radio ready turds. Instead they included a 10 minute rock epic, “Sleepwalking Past Hope” and even a short intimate interlude (1.11) “Song or Suicide”. Easily one of my favorite releases from this year.
www.heartagram.com
CD/DVD: Heart - Dreamboat Annie
This was released in the Fall this year. It’s Heart performing some of their classic tracks live, how could this not be good? If you like to go a little retro once in a while then you’ll probably like this one. This was recorded live in LA and contains some of their greatest hits like Barracuda, Crazy on You, Magic Man. I don’t feel like I really need to explain this one do I?
http://www.heart-music.com/
Book: Heroin Diaries
This book covers a year in the life of Nikki Sixx who at the time was hooked on Heroin.
This is definitely not a candy-coated version of addiction. It pretty much lays it out on the table and I found this to be an interesting read. So whether or not you know someone who is/was suffering from addiction, this book is worth a read.
http://www.theheroindiaries.net/
Book: Clapton – Autobiography
If you’ve ever seen him interviewed then you know he’s a pretty private man. The book however, provides a pretty honest look at his life from childhood to current. After reading this it really gives you some sense of who Clapton is as a person and what makes him tick. So if you are a Clapton fan, I’d pick this one up.
http://www.ericclapton.com/
Art Of Dying
In 2005, Vancouver’s vibrant rock scene brought together five talented musicians with the knack for producing hard rocking anthems and undeniably catchy melodies. Hard work, determination, focus and a relentless do-it-yourself attitude have now placed this band as one of the top independent acts not just in their home country, but across globe.
Art Of Dying has torn up stages all over the UK and has just released their debut album to Canadian audiences via their own label, Thorny Bleeder Records. They have shared the stage with some of the world’s biggest artists including: Tool, Deftones, My Chemical Romance, Staind, Our Lady Peace, Hinder, Papa Roach and AFI. In the past year they have been the main support act for Seether on their UK tour, and for both Econoline Crush and Saliva on their Canadian tours.
Since the band’s inception in Vancouver two years ago, Art of Dying has quietly become Canada’s number one rock band to watch. Their song “Get Through This” has attracted well over 75,000 fans to their MySpace page and has battled it out in the Top 10 charts on many US radio stations. The song has been licensed to two international video games (Stuntman: Ignition and Flatout: Ultimate Carnage), has been featured on ABC’s Falcon Beach, and is the theme song for both Movie Central’s “Stuntdawgs” and Global TV’s hockey reality series, “Making the Cut”. After winning a Vancouver radio contest in May 2005, Art of Dying’s live show stole the award for “Best Live Performance” at the 2006 Music West Festival. In January 2007 Classic Rock Magazine in the UK handpicked Art of Dying as one of the “Top 15 Bands To Watch”, worldwide. But the accolades don’t stop there. Kerrang! Magazine recently reviewed the band and hailed them as “heavy crowd pleasers”. Vancouver’s Georgia Straight entertainment weekly has just crowned Art Of Dying as “2007’s Best Local Band, Unsigned”, as voted by their readers.
With Canadian and international tours in the works, and song placements in major games and TV shows, Art Of Dying are on their way to becoming Canada’s next big rock export.
Listen to This:
Visit: www.artofdyingmusic.com
Lourds
LOURDS, spelled all in capital letters, is a band of four talented and charismatic personalities, Lourds Lane, Sarah Vasil, GeneBlank and Joey Sagarese. At age 6, lead singer, multi-instrumentalist and namesake, Lourds wailed on her violin and dazzled audiences at Carnegie Hall. Since then, this New York City native continues to mesmerize audiences, singing with venom and distorting her electric violin and mandolin alongside her superstar powerhouse bandmates. With a glowing album review in Billboard and dominating the front cover of the entertainment section of the NY DAILY NEWS, LOURDS is a band rapidly on the rise. They convert new fans instantly with their hook-laden songs, their cutting-edge sound, and their explosive stage show. They are presently touring in support of their eponymous debut produced by Ed Stasium, Grammy Award winning producer of the Ramones, Living Colour, The Smithereens and Biohazard. Listen for fan-favorite single, “ASTROPOP,” rising up the radio charts across the country!
Visit: http://myspace.com/lourds or http://lourds.com
Listen to This:
Hello Tokyo
Hello Tokyo is a three-piece, female fronted, power-pop/rock group from Brooklyn, NY. Originally formed in Washington D.C. after finding a forgotten 4-track recorder, Kat and John wrote a handful of songs and soon found themselves developing a great foundation of fans. While maintaining these D.C. relationships, Hello Tokyo branched out and began performing in NYC and Philadelphia, doing so regularly for the past 1∏ years. During their trips north, Hello Tokyo fell in love with NYC, and decided to move there to pursue the band full-time. So they quit their jobs, loaded the van, moved to Brooklyn, NY and since then have been consistently performing live and writing new material.
Listen To This:
Visit: http://www.hellotokyomusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/hellotokyo
Back To Their Roots - The Cult
By Lynn Ramage’
It’s been two decades or so since the Signature sound of the CULT took a hold of their loyal followers by leaps and bounds! OK, I admit, I was one of them! Originated and fronted by vocalist Ian Astbury and legendary guitarist Billy Duffy they were originally “The Death Cult.” The band had risen to super stardom in the late 80s with their mega hit release of “Sonic Temple!” The driven material from that release gave metal music lovers the hits such as “Firewoman”, “She Sells Sanctuary” and “Sweet Soul Sister.”
The band seemed to disappear for a period and had a few other albums out here and there, but I sensed with those releases they were trying to “keep up with the times”. Their latest effort released October 30th on Roadrunner Records on the bands “New Wilderness Label called; “Born Into This” signifies that the band is going back to their roots and recapturing that ever so identifiable “CULT” trademark sound! With song hits such at “Dirty Little Rock Star”, “I am Assassin”, “Tiger in the Sun”, “Born into This”, “Illuminated”, and “Sound of Destruction.” (which bass lines reminded me a bit of the Sisters of Mercy sound)
We had a chance to catch the CULT’s November performance at the beautifully restored Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA for the Jägermeister Tour that they headlined. I have to be honest, they were spectacular! I saw them perform at the Trocadero last year after Ian had just finished a stint with his DOORS reunion and to be honest he had gained a little weight and the show was a bit mellower. This time out showed everyone looking much more toned and just more into the show displaying so much more stage presence and stamina! Ian was his old self and his vocals are just amazing! The venue rose to their feet when they went into “Firewoman” and there wasn’t a person standing still! The sound and lights at the Keswick always provide for a great show as well!
This new release is a must have for any true CULT lover who has been longing for the Cult’s signature sound and craving for that lost void! Love it! Love them! Wild rumors are spreading all over the net that the Cult may be on the Led Zeppelin US tour in 2008 not yet confirmed but what an opportunity for more fans to see exactly how awesome this band is and what an epic show that would be! Check out their website at www.The-Cult.com
