Adam Lawton, Author at MediaMikes

Album Review: Live “Throwing Copper” 25th Anniversary Edition

“Throwing Copper” 25^th Anniversary Edition

Live

Radioactive/MCA/UMe

Producer: Jerry Harrison/Live

2 LP’s

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

In celebration of Live’s momentous, platinum-selling album “Throwing Copper” 25^th anniversary fans can now celebrate the album that started it all for the Pennsylvania-based band via a Special Edition double LP. First released on April 26, 1994, “Throwing Copper” transformed Live into one of the most lyrically impactful and instrumentally powerful bands of the modern alternative-rock era.

In the mid to late nineties it was almost impossible to turn on the radio or MTV and not hear or see a song/video from Live and the album “Throwing Copper”. As the follow up to Live’s 1991 major label debut “Mental Jewelry”, the album was a big step for the band hailing from the small town of York, PA and would spawn two No.1 Modern Rock singles (“Lightning Crashes,” “Selling The Drama”) and since been certified 8x multiplatinum by the RIAA, selling over 8 million copies. The 25^th Anniversary release of “Throwing Copper” is a fitting recognition the monumental release and comes packed in a full color, dual gatefold sleeve with linear notes and is pressed on either standard black or limited edition red and olive heavy weight vinyl. Though no remixing and mastering was done to this package you do get 3 bonus tracks “Hold Me Up”, “We Deal In Dreams” and “Susquehanna” along with the track “Horse” which was included on the original release as a hidden track.

Revisiting this album in vinyl form was really a lot of fun. It instantly conjured up memories of when I had first heard some of these songs or when I was lucky enough to catch the band on one of their many college tours. Each track offered a warm, more natural sound than what I remember hearing on my digital version so that alone was worth the listen. The addition of the three bonus tracks was also a plus especial the track “Hold Me Up” which was featured in the Kevin Smith film “Zach and Miri Make a Porno”. If you every owned this album and reluctantly sold it to one of those “cash for cd’s” music stores that used to be popular around the same time as when this album first came out then I highly recommend you grab a copy of this album on vinyl as it will surely put a smile on your face while affirming that the 90’s weren’t all bad.

Track Listing:

Side A:

1. The Dam At Otter Creek

2. Selling The Drama

3. I Alone

4. Iris

Side B:

5. Lighting Crashes

6. Top

7. All Over You

8. Shit Towne

9. T.B.D.

Side C:

10.) Stage

11. Waitress

12. Pillar Of Davidson

13. White, Discussion

Side D:

14.) Horse (Hidden Track On Original Release)

15.) Hold Me Up (Bonus Track)

16.) We Deal In Dream (Bonus Track)

17.) Susquehanna (Bonus Track)

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Filed Under: CD Reviews, Music Tagged With: 25th, album, anniversary, copper, edition, live, ...

Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders “Get The Money” Set For Nov. 8 Release

“GET THE MONEY” ALL-NEW FULL-LENGTH ALBUM FEATURING ALL-STAR ROCK ROYALTY SUPPORTING CAST OUT NOVEMBER 8 ON SHANABELLE/RCA RECORDS

On November 8, Taylor Hawkins will descend from the levitating drum throne on which he’s spent two years on tour supporting Foo Fighters’ international #1 album Concrete and Gold. The forthcoming third Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders album, Get The Money, will be released by Shanabelle/RCA Records on that date, and can be pre-ordered now with all pre-orders receiving the instant grat track “Crossed The Line” (featuring guest turns from Hawkins’ bandmate Dave Grohl and Yes vocalist Jon Davison).

Pre-Order Get The Moneyhere. Listen to “Crossed The Line” here. Exclusive Merch bundles are also be available here.

Produced by John Lousteau and Taylor himself, and mixed by Sylvia Massy, Get The Money follows Taylor’s 2016 six-song mini-LP KOTA by three years almost to the day, and features a scope far wider than KOTA’s takes on suburbia’s bizarro underbelly. The new album finds Taylor and Coattail Riders Chris Chaney, Brent Woods and John Lousteau accompanied by an all-star supporting cast including Taylor’s fellow Foo Fighters Dave Grohl and Pat Smear, Roger Taylor, Joe Walsh, Duff McKagan, Nancy Wilson, Chrissie Hynde, Perry Farrell, LeAnn Rimes and more, collectively creating a staggering, epic sprawl that swerves from classic rock to prog and glam and all points between.

The track listing for Get The Money is:

Crossed the Line (featuring Dave Grohl, Jon Davison)
Don’t Look At Me That Way (featuring Duff McKagan, Nancy Wilson)
You’re No Good at Life No More (featuring Dave Grohl)
I Really Blew It (featuring Dave Grohl, Perry Farrell)
Queen Of The Clowns (featuring Mark King)
Get the Money (featuring Joe Walsh, Chrissie Hynde, Duff McKagan)
C U in Hell (featuring LeAnn Rimes)
Middle Child (featuring Dave Grohl)
Kiss the Ring
Shapes Of Things (featuring Roger Taylor, Pat Smear)

Since the Texas-born Laguna-bred force of nature made his Foo Fighting debut on the tour supporting 1997’s sophomore opus The Colour and the Shape, he has been an essential element of the sound and personality of the last great American arena/stadium rock band. He’s played on Grammy-winning FF albums including “There Is Nothing Left To Lose” , “One by One” and “Wasting Light”, and contributed lead vocals to Concrete and Gold’s “Sunday Rain,” as well as “Cold Day In The Sun” from 2005’s In Your Honor.

Taylor’s previous extracurricular output includes two albums from Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders, one with The Birds of Satan, the above-mentioned KOTA mini-LP that featured Hawkins on lead vocals and nearly every instrument.

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Skillet’s John Cooper talks about the bands debut graphic novel “Eden”

John Cooper is the vocalist/bassist for the Platinum selling rock group Skillet. The band recently partnered with Z2 Comics to release their first graphic novel titled “Eden”. Media Mikes caught up with John and the band at New York Comic Con to discuss the creation of the book, its similarities to the group’s music and if there will be books to come in the future.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us a little bit about the bands new comic “Eden”?

John Cooper: I love comics and they are something I grew up with. I have always looked at Skillet as sort of a theatrical band. When I say theatrical I am meaning more from an operatic feel than that of a visual feel like Kiss or Alice Cooper. I had always envisioned doing a comic book as I see us all as characters. I had sort of put it off because if it’s not done right it can become terribly cheesy. On social media I am always posting about comics and I ended up getting a call from Z2 Comics asking if I would be interested in doing a graphic novel. I told them yes and that I had some story ideas but I wasn’t sure where to begin. They said that’s ok as they had some ideas of their own. I wanted to do something that was more science fiction as opposed to hero driven. I was looking for something with a post-apocalyptic feel but with a message of hope. That’s something you don’t see a lot. The book has sci-fi and super-natural elements mixed in with some religious undertones. In my view I think all great science-fiction have religious elements. When I say “religious” I’m not necessarily meaning Christianity but just religious. Films like “Dune”, “Blade Runner” and “Battlestar Galactica” are solid examples of that.

AL: How much collaboration went into the book?

JC: I brought the theme of a dying world filled with people all having the same dream which is leading them to paradise. I worked with some really great writers who helped me put together all the different ideas I had. Sadly the idea of the glowing eyes was not my idea but one I really liked as it was sort of an homage to “Dune” which is one of my all time favorite books.

Ian Lawton: What did the rest of the band think about the comic?

JC: The band loves the comic. At first I think they weren’t too sure what to expect. My wife Corey knew what I was going for as she knows me really well. I think it’s hard for people to understand what’s in your head when you are creating something. Once the book was done I think they were a little shocked as to how good it was and how emotional it is.

AL: Did the writing for “Eden” happen at the same time you were writing the band’s latest album “Victorious”?

JC: Yes, I was writing for both things at the same time. It was a very crazy and busy two years. While these two things were going on I also released a side project EP titled “Fight the Fury” along with our drummer Jen’s side project “Ledger”. All of these things were basically written and released in two and half years. Writing for the comic was making me really want to write music so all of these things had me firing on all pistons. Each project worked off of one another.

IM: Was writing the book similar to writing music?

JC: I didn’t notice this until after the book was done and I had read it. I know that may sound sort of silly but, sometimes when you are writing you don’t always notice things others might as you are just going with what is coming out. After I read the book I felt as thou it was very similar to our music. The book is a little dark but it is meaningful. That’s what people say about Skillet songs and I think “Eden” has that same feel.

IM: Can you tell us about the special hardcover edition that will be available?

JC: That’s something that I am still waiting to see myself. I have seen parts of what are going to be in it and I am very excited for the finished version to be available. It’s going to have this really cool axe on it which is my weapon in the book. With this beard I sort of feel like a lumberjack and thought that an axe would be a perfect weapon as opposed to some of the other more futuristic weapons you see in the book.

AL: Is this just a one off book or are there plans to do others?

JC: The band is going to be out on the road until mid December so that’s going to have me tied up for a few months. We have started to talk a little about the possibility of more books but nothing is definite. I think it would be great to do a second one.

To order a copy “Eden” click here and to order Skillets latest album “Victorious” click here

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Filed Under: Author Interviews, Books, Interviews, Music, Music Interviews Tagged With: bands, cooper, debut, eden, graphic, john, ...

Hawthorne Heights Announce “Lost Frequencies”

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS
ANNOUNCE LOST FREQUENCIES
DUE OUT NOVEMBER 8TH VIA PURE NOISE RECORDS

STREAM NEW SINGLE
“HARD TO BREATHE” AT SMARTURL.IT/HHBF

Supporting New Found Glory on upcoming
From The Screen To Your Stereo To Your Town Tour

Hawthorne Heights have announced they will be releasing a collection of B-Sides and Rarities titled Lost Frequencies, due out November 8th via Pure Noise Records. In addition to today’s announcement, the band released a brand new single and music video for “Hard To Breathe.” “I grew up in a home built on a fractured marriage, alcoholism, and a mother who loved us, but just didn’t know how to articulate it into words. We packed up all of our things and left my father behind in the winter of 1989, and never looked back. I didn’t see him again, until he was in a coffin” shares vocalist JT Woodruff on the personal track.

“Hard To Breathe is the story of my youth from 1988-1992. I spent a lot of time with quiet resentment, until I found my circle of friends, and felt outside love for the first time. While the story has some dark twists and turns, it’s really just an articulation of some of the coldest nights of my life.”

Fans can stream the new music video and pre-order Lost Frequencies at https://smarturl.it/HHBF

Hawthorne Heights will be supporting New Found Glory on their upcoming From The Screen To Your Stereo To Your Town Tour. Celebrating the pop-punk legend’s recent release of their third cover album, Hawthorne Heights decided they’d join in the fun and dropped a special cover of The Ramones’ “Pet Sematary” today.

“What is better than October and The Ramones? Hawthorne Heights has been notoriously obtuse when it comes to doing cover songs. For some reason, The Ramones are the great equalizer for us” shares Woodruff on the cover.

“We all love the Stephen King book, and watched the movie growing up, so it was a true no brainer for us. The significance is that it got us to play covers together after all of these years, and it opened our eyes to how fun it can be. In honor of one of the best months of the year, one of the best punk bands of all time, and the best storyteller that has ever existed: we give you our version of Pet Sematary. We’ve never down strummed so much guitar in our lives.” For more information on upcoming tour dates, please head to http://hawthorneheights.com/.

Upcoming Hawthorne Heights US Tour Dates:
November 2 – Fayetteville, AR – George’s Majestic Lounge
November 3 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre
November 5 – Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre
November 6 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
November 7 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s
November 8 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
November 9 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre
November 10 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s
November 12 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection
November 13 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
November 14 – Montreal, QC – L’Astral
November 15 – Rochester, NY – Anthology
November 16 – Hartford, CT – Webster Theater
November 17 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
November 19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre
November 20 – Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
November 21 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony
November 22 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount
November 23 – Richmond, VA – The National
November 25 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
November 26 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn

This is the follow up release to the band’s latest full length, Bad Frequencies, which was released last year via Pure Noise Records. It was the band’s first full-length release since 2013 and gave fans a look back on why Hawthorne Heights has maintained such a strong presence in the genre while continuously growing, maturing and reflecting on life as musicians and as men. The album was produced by Hawthorne Heights along with Nick Ingram (Hotel Books, Capital House Studio), and mixed by Cameron Webb (Grammy Winner, NOFX, Social Distortion).

Fans can stream and purchase Bad Frequencies on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music and at http://hawthorneheights.com/.

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: announce, frequencies, hawthorne, heights, lost

2019 NY Comic Con Review: Day 2

2019 New York Comic Con
Friday, October 4th 2019
Jacob K. Javits Center, New York, NY

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

With the leaves beginning to change in the North East for most that signals that the fall season is underway. For fans of pop-culture it’s the tell tale sign that the annual New York Comic Con is on the horizon. With Connecticut based organizers Reed Pop at the helm the convention would once again descend on the Jacob K. Javits Center which is tightly nestled in the heart of New York City. Over the course of 4 days (10/3 thru 10/6) Fans of all ages packed the massive convention center in hopes of obtaining their favorite collectible and/or meeting some of the comic industries top creators. We took in day two of the event this year which boasted an impressive schedule of panels and releases that had us running back and forth, left and right and up and down the entire day.

Upon entry we quickly made our way to the collectible toy area which over the last few years has seem to double in size. Here we were able to check out booths by makers such as Super 7, Entertainment Earth and of course Funko. All three of these companies offered plenty of exclusive items a majority of which were only available to those who were selected via a pre-show lottery. Amidst the snaking lines and impromptu cos-play photo shoots we were able to test out the latest offerings from Arcade 1Up which included the newly released ¾ versions of “Golden Tee” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. The company was also showcasing a nearly 10 foot tall fully functioning arcade cabinet that had attendees waiting in line all day just for a chance to work the oversized retro controls. From there we made our way past the Toy Tokyo booth which this year included several exclusive sculpts by artist Ron English and Joe Ledbetter. We also made a stop at the Playmobil booth where they were showcasing their upcoming “Scooby-Doo” and “Back To The Future” figures and play sets complete with the iconic Mystery Machine and time traveling DeLorean. From there we descended into the ground floor of the center which hosted a who’s who of comic creators including Greg Capullo, Jim Lee and John Romita Jr. to name just a few. Easily one of the busier corridors of the event comic collectors were elbow to elbow much of the day attempting to get books signed or purchase hand drawn art from their favorite artist. Neighboring the artist alley on both sides were the celebrity meet and greet area which on this day included appearances by Paul Rudd, Tom Hiddleston and Billy Dee Williams. Across the way in the opposite corridor was the massive panel room which played host to panels ranging from HBO’s “Watchman” series to TBS’s “Impractical Jokers” and probably the most exciting of the day TNT’s “All Elite Wrestling” which included an on-stage brawl between stars Chris Jericho and Cody Rhoades that had those in attendance going absolutely nuts!

As our day came to a close it was dizzying to think about all the things we had experienced in just a few hours. Despite finding several empty booths in a couple different locations (something we had not seen in years past) there certainly was no shortage of things to see or do at New York Comic Con 2019. Reed Pop and the other companies associated with this con continue to put on a solid show that’s offers something for everyone. I do feel the event promoters need to continue looking at how they layout the show in a continued effort to ensure attendees are able to move freely throughout the multiple floors and levels. This year’s map did feel less cluttered than in previous years however, there were still a number of high traffic areas which brought people to a standstill making it hard to move or take in the vendors/displays. Moving panels to various other locations around the city has surely helped ease some of the events growing pains as did the addition of the Cos-Play lounge but with attendance near to or exceeding the 200,000 accommodations need to continue to help ensure a safe and fun atmosphere for all those who attend.

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Filed Under: Conventions, Misc, Toys Tagged With: 2, 2019, comic, con, day, ny, ...

CD Review: Lagwagon “Railer”

“Railer”
Lagwagon
Fat Wreck Chords
Producer: Cameron Webb
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Punk veterans Lagwagon return with a brand new studio album simply titled “Railer”. The 12 track releases which is being released via Fat Wreck Chords as was produced by Cameron Webb is the follow up to the bands 2014 release “Hang” which marked the bands return to the studio after a nine year lapse.

With nearly thirty years of being a band under their belts the members of Lagwagon which consist of vocalist Joey Cape, guitarists Chris Flippin and Chris Rest, bassist Joe Raposo and drummer Dave Raun could have easily sat back and phoned it on their latest release as they certainly have earned it. Instead the band which has been churning out albums since 1992 pulled out a shred-tastic in your face punk album that is equally fresh as it is familiar. Tracks like “Surviving California”, “Dangerous Animals” and “Bubble” showcase some impressive guitar work set against an extremely tight rhythm performance which serves as a near perfect stage for Capes signature vocals. Other notable tracks include the piano tinged “The Suffering” and “Pray For Them” and the bands take on Journey’s “Faithfully” which is the first cover to appear not as bonus material since the band included their version of the Agent Orange song “Everything Turns Gray” on 1998’s “Let’s Talk About Feelings”.

Clocking in at just less than forty minutes I was blown away with how much musicality Lagwagon packed in to this record. Listeners were given just a taste of the bands heavier side with previous releases but “Railer” rips the band-aid off as the band just goes for it. Despite the rather short run time I found myself listening to it from start to finish multiple times as there is just so much to take in and enjoy. Both long time listeners and newer fans will surely want to check out this release as it shows that just because a band has been around awhile it doesn’t have to become complacent and that music can always be taken and explored further no matter how many albums you have released prior or how many years you have been together.

Track Listing:
1.) Stealing Light
2.) Surviving California
3.) Jini
4.) Parable
5.) Dangerous Animals
6.) Bubble
7.) The Suffering
8.) Dark Matter
9.) Fan Fiction
10.) Pray For Them
11.) Auf Wiedersehen
12.) Faithfully

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Filed Under: CD Reviews, Music Tagged With: cd, lagwagon, railer, review

Simple Plan To Tour w/ State Champs & We The Kings

Tickets On Sale at SimplePlan.com

Multi-platinum selling rock band Simple Plan is set to captivate audiences across the United States this fall on their upcoming co-headline tour with State Champs. Kicking off on October 29th, the tour also features We The Kings and Northbound. Tickets are on sale now and available at simpleplan.com.

Since 2011, $1 of every ticket sold for a Simple Plan headline concert is donated to the Simple Plan Foundation, which has donated over $2 million to various charitable causes in Canada to help young people in need. The band continues their philanthropic initiatives on this upcoming tour, with the joint decision between Simple Plan and State Champs that all money raised will be donated to help children affected by the ICE immigration raids in the USA.

“We’re extremely excited to go on tour with our friends State Champs!” says Simple Plan. “We got to hang out with them and watch their show every day on the Warped Tour last summer and we knew right away we wanted to tour together. And with We The Kings joining the tour as well, we know this is gonna be a very special run for us and for all the fans! Can’t wait to see you at the shows!”

Simple Plan and State Champs cultivated their friendship while touring together on the final cross-country Vans Warped Tour in 2018. In addition to headlining the final tour, Simple Plan also performaed at the two monumental Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary events in Atlantic City and San Francisco last summer. Over the course of the last two summers, the band has been featured on Billboard, Vice, Loudwire, Setlist.fm, Rock Sound, Stereogum, and more.

Simple Plan is Pierre Bouvier, Chuck Comeau, David Desrosiers, Sebastien Lefebvre, and Jeff Stinco.

Upcoming Tour Dates:
10/29 – Richmond, VA @ The National
10/30 – Silver Spring, MD @ Fillmore Silver Spring
10/31 – Huntington, NY @ The Paramount
11/2 – Niagara Falls, NY @ Rapids Theatre
11/4 – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
11/5 – Worchester, MA @ The Palladium
11/7 – Grand Rapids, MI @ 20 Monroe Live
11/8 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Works Music
11/9 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s
11/10 – Indianapolis, IN @ Old National Centre
11/12 – Kansas City, MO @ Truman
11/13 – Sauget, IL @ Pop’s
11/15 – San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theatre
11/16 – Houston, TX @ Revention Music Center
11/17 – Dallas, TX @ Houes of Blues
11/19 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
11/20 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
11/22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Palladium
11/23 – San Diego, CA @ SOMA
11/24 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore

For More Information, please visit:
Website: www.simpleplan.com

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: champs, kings, plan, simple, state, tour, ...

GWAR Announces “Use Your Collusion” Holiday Tour Dates!

Merry Xmas Human Scum! So you’ve finally wiped your chin clean of Santa’s jolly old “elf gravy” and finished shovelling your faces full of baked goods. Well, your Lords and Masters GWAR are set to bring their very special brand of holiday cheer, to your shit hole town! Starting December 27th in Washington DC and running through New Years Eve in Cincinnati, OH, GWAR will return to the road on the “Use Your Collusion” holiday tour. Support on these dates will come from Unearth and Savage Master.

Lead singer of GWAR, the Berserker Blothar had this to say:
“Suck my candy cane and swallow my nog! GWAR are ready to cook your Christmas goose! So, pull up your chair at our dysfunctional family table and get ready to go deaf and blind from the loudest, hardest rockin’, heavy metal horror show in history. HO HO HO!”

Don’t forget, you can assure your corpse will have a spot on top of the pile by purchasing the “Lords and Masters” VIP experience. That’s right, you too can meat and greet GWAR and worship at their feet…for a price. All tickets and VIP packages are on sale HERE.

Each Lords & Masters VIP Experience Includes:
•One (1) General Admission Ticket with Venue Early Entry (potentially guest list)
•Exclusive access to GWAR soundcheck where you will pledge allegiance to your Lords & Masters!
•Tour of the weapons of your Lords & Masters
•Crowd Free Merch Access
•One (1) Souvenir item signed by members of GWAR
•One (1) Souvenir GWAR laminate
•Photo opportunity with GWAR in costume before they take the stage
•You will be killed by GWAR on stage during the show.
•Designated Slave Pit Area to pledge your allegiance before you are killed on stage by GWAR!

GWAR “Use Your Collusion” Holiday Tour Dates:

12/27: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
12/28: Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
12/29: Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
12/30: Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall
12/31: Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts

GWAR “Use Your Collusion” Tour W/ Sacred Reich, Toxic Holocaust and Against the Grain:

10/1: Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
10/2: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
10/4: Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall
10/5: Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall
10/6: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
10/8: Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
10/9: Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s
10/10: Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
10/11: Minneapolis. MN @ Skyway Theatre
10/12: Kansas City, MO @ CrossroadsKC
10/13: Denver, CO @ Summit
10/15: Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
10/16: Reno, NV @ Virginia Street Brewhouse
10/17: San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
10/18: Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
10/19: Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
10/20: Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
10/21: Seattle, WA @ Showbox SODO
10/23: Fresno, CA @ Tioga-Sequoia Brewery
10/24: Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco Theater
10/25: Garden Grove, CA @ Garden Amp
10/26: Las Vegas, NV @ Fremont Country Club
10/27: Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
10/28: Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
10/30: Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom
10/31: Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Live
11/1: Austin, TX @ Empire Garage
11/2: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
11/3: New Orleans, LA @ Joy Theater
11/4: Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
11/5: Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue

For More Info Visit:
http://www.gwar.net

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: announces, collusion, dates, gwar, holiday, tour, ...

Album Review: Soundgarden “Louder Than Love” 35th Anniversary Collection

“Louder Than Love” 35th Anniversary Vinyl
Soundgarden
AM Records
Producer: Terry Date/Soundgarden
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Soundgarden’s 1989 release “Louder Than Love” is the latest album from the bands catalog to be included in the Seattle natives 35 year Anniversary Collection. The fifth in a series of monthly vinyl releases commemorating the bands career includes the albums original 12 tracks pressed on limited edition 180 gram colored vinyl and comes packaged in a full color sleeve with original album art.

The bands first release on a major label is a landmark point in a bands career. “Louder Than Love” captures the rawness and attitude of early Soundgarden as they transitioned from the dingy and damp clubs of Seattle to being a staple on MTV. Packed with tracks like the controversial “Hands All Over You” and “Big Dumb Sex” the album is a glimpse into an angst ridden band that is pulling out all the stops to get them to where they want to go. “Louder Than Love” is a tempo roller-coaster as songs like “Get On The Snake” and “Gun” both feature arrangements with non-traditional time structures giving the album a unique feel that doesn’t allow listeners to get very comfortable.

Like previous commemorative releases in this series the packaging and album are nice to look at but when it comes to purchase appeal outside of that there isn’t much to entice would be buyers. With the absence of any kind of bonus material, remixing or even a digital download option I really found it difficult to find value in this especially if you already own a copy. Clearly these releases are geared towards new listeners jumping on the vinyl craze. I find this to be somewhat sad as for the fans that were around during the bands initial rise there appears to be nothing new on the horizon for them to sink their musical teeth in to. If you purchased a copy of this record upon its initial release then you have everything and there is no need to purchase the re-release but, if this is an album that has been on your list to pick up and you prefer the translucent orange vinyl to the standard original pressed black then now is a great time to pick up “Louder Than Love”.

Track Listing:

Side One:
1.) Ugly Truth
2.) Hands All Over
3.) Gun
4.) Power Trip
5.) Get On The Snake
6.) Full On Kevin’s Mom

Side Two:
7.) Loud Love
8.) I Awake
9.) No Wrong No Right
10.) Uncovered
11.) Big Dumb Sex
12.) Full On (Reprise)

CD Review: Steel Panther “Heavy Metal Rules”

“Heavy Metal Rules”
Steel Panther
Producer: Jay Ruston
Tracks: 10

Our Score : 2 out of 5 stars

Spandex clad Steel Panther are back with a brand new studio album titled “Heavy Metal Rules”. Released on September 27th the album features 10 tracks showcasing the band’s musical growth and is the follow up to the groups 2017 release “Lower The Bar”. The philanthropic foursome comprised of Michael Starr, Satchel, Lexxi Foxx and Stix Zadinia feels they have created the heavy metal version of a self-help manual and the ultimate party album.

Having followed Steel Panther since their early “Metal Skool” days it’s always been a laughable and fun listening experience when they release a new studio album. However over the last few years I have begun to feel as though the “gimmick” has run its course and “Heavy Metal Rules” is no exception. As I made my way through the albums ten tracks the subject matter came off as flat and extremely tired. Songs like “All I Wanna Do Is Fuck (Myself Tonight)”, “Always Gonna Be a Ho” and “Gods of Pussy” felt like regurgitated versions of songs we have heard on previous records. Don’t get me wrong each of the band members show case their impressive musicianship while producer Jay Ruston does a good job making the album sound sonically good however there just seems to be an overhanging staleness caused by the groups repetitiveness.

If you are a music listeners who needs a copy of “Heavy Metal Party” to complete your growing Steel Panther collection then my guess is you probably have already gone out and grabbed it on CD, Vinyl or Digital Download but, be prepared for the same “sex, drugs and Rock n’ Roll” parodies that have been present since 2009’s “Feel The Steel”. If that still does it for you great! Then “Heavy Metal Party” is clearly for you. However if you are like me and were hoping for something new and/or different this time around take a hard pass. Given the idea of progression might be foreign to a band whose theme is to be stuck in a bygone era it still would have been a nice thought.

Track Listing:
1.) Zebraman
2.) All I Wanna Do Is Fuck (Myself Tonight)
3.) Let’s Get High Tonight
4.) Always Gonna Be A Ho
5.) I’m Not Your Bitch
6.) Fuck Everybody
7.) Heavy Metal Rules
8.) Sneaky Little Bitch
9.) Gods of Pussy
10.) I Ain’t Buying What You’re Selling

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: CD Reviews, Music Tagged With: cd, heavy, metal, panther, review, rules, ...

Christian Jacobs of “The Aquabats! Super Show” Discusses The Show’s New Episodes and The Bands New Album

Christian Jacobs is a former child actor and the co-creator of the award winning kid’s television series “Yo Gabba Gabba!”. He also fronts the popular ska-punk band The Aquabats! under the pseudonym of The MC Bat Commander. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Christian recently about the group’s current tour, the bands successful kickstarter campaign and when fans can expect new episodes of “The Aquabats! Super Show”.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the bands current “Holy Guacamole Tour”?

Christian Jacobs: We did a previous tour in July however this tour sort of marks the first headlining tour we have done in some time that has gone east of the Mississippi. These shows are reuniting us with the “Legion of Righteous Comrades” who this last year helped us raise money to film new episodes of “The Aquabats! Super Show”. We have ten episodes shot and we are going to be shooting one more once we have the guest star lined up. These are fun sized episodes meaning they aren’t as long as the previous episodes from season one and two but, they are still a lot of fun. This tour is kind of recognizing the completion of those episodes and all the merchandise that we designed for that campaign. Getting out and playing is a way for us to meet up with the fans that helped keep the Aquabats! alive and a chance for us to say thank you for the support. From that Kickstarter campaign we have been able to film the new episodes, record an album, prepare to start another album in December and to do this tour. This band has been around the block a few times and the fact that there is a new generation of fans coming out to the shows and helping us put out new content has been just great.

AL: What was it that appealed to the band about using Kickstarter?

CJ: Us doing a Kickstarter has been talked about for a long time. We hesitated a bit as we are old-school. I was worried that we might look bad asking for money in this type of way and we were very nervous. I think a lot of people have the perception that with our previous things being successful there should be no reason why we can’t put new stuff out on our own. Sadly that’s not always the reality and that’s what happened for the Aquabats! We did try other networks when The Hub folded however, sometimes when things fail a stigma can often get attached to those associated making it difficult to keep going. We knew that people liked the show and wanted to keep it going so after meeting up with a couple guys who had experience with fan funding they gave us some great insight that helped us change our minds and see fan funding in a different light. Everyone who donated is a big part of what we accomplished. It’s like they are all producers which I think is very cool.

Ian Lawton: How do you come up with the characters for the show?

CJ: A lot of the things you see on “The Super Show” I think are influenced by stuff we watched as kids growing up. Everything from “Godzilla” movies to really weird Japanese kids shows and some of the shows from Sid and Marty Krofft who put out “Land of the Lost” and “ H R Puff N Stuff”. A lot of the characters we write and come up with are in a way homage’s to those things. Characters like Cobraman! came from Japanese common writer shows, Space Monster M was this weird Gung Ham hybrid robot that we loved. We wanted to create characters that our kids could be introduced to in a fun way while at the same times we as parents could watch and reminisce about the shows we used to watch. We had the same idea when we were putting together episodes for “Yo Gabba Gabba”.

IL: Can you tell us about the cat that shows up throughout the Aquabats! series?

CJ: That is actually a fox and he is hidden in every episode that we have done. Our special effects guys name on the show is Joel Fox. He does all of the weird lead in screen effects like floating pizzas and fingers turning into bananas. That stuff never ends up in the actual episode but it’s there and the beginning of each segment. Joel is sort of an enigma as he never tells us what he is going to do. Being he is our good friend we got him this fox costume and hid him in all the shows. He is somewhere in all the new upcoming episodes as well. It’s going to be harder to find him but he is there.

IL: Do you have a favorite character that you have come up with?

CJ: I really like all the Aquabats! character because they are just really funny. Each character is sort of an extension of the guy who plays it. The Bat Commander and I our definitely not the same guy but maybe some of our personality traits cross over. I can be a little like the commander but not totally as he is kind of a jerk sometimes. It’s all satire for each of us. I do like how we have evolved over time and how we can poke fun at each other through the production. Pilgrim Boy is a favorite as he is one of the original characters we came up with back in 1996. We had written out a bunch of the episodes at that time and the shape shifting pilgrim boy was a part of that. Cobraman! is another great one both on stage and on the show. The guy has snakes for hands which he shoots live snakes out of. (Laughs) Plus he has a very funny voice. Silver Skull is a good character as well. We sort of gave him this Bane type voice as that was a big joke at the time.

AL: Is there a time table for when we will see the new episodes and album?

CJ: We finished recording the album in July however due to everyone having family stuff going on and our producer being away it took awhile to get all the mixing done. We have it all completed know and would like to have it out around Halloween given a lot of the songs have a spooky vibe to them. We aren’t sure if that will give us enough time to promote it so aside from as soon as possible there is not a solid time table for that. We want to make sure we have good promotion in place and a couple videos as well. The new episodes of the show will start airing around September 20^th on our YouTube channel.

AL: One of the things you do outside of the band is summer drawing classes for kids. Can you tell us about that program?

CJ: My brother Parker does these drawing classes and he always recruits me to come and help. It’s always a lot of fun. When we were kids we didn’t have distracters like phones and tablets so we had to find ways to entertain ourselves. Technology is wonderful but I think when you have a lack of resources you have more of an opportunity to use your brain and be creative. By having these classes my brother is able to teach kids how to doodle and how to use their imaginations. The classes are designed to be free flowing and not necessarily about how to draw something right but more to challenge your creativity. You won’t be drawing a bowl of fruit to look like a bowl of fruit. Instead you might draw whatever you want and have it fighting something inside comic panels or creating new characters no one has ever seen before. It’s a way for kids to bring their imagination from their heads directly to their hands. In this day and age it’s great to encourage kids that they too can create things “Fortnite” or “The Aquabats!”. Growing up we had punk rock to inspire us but we want to get kids going even younger and that’s a lot of what “Yo Gabba Gabba” was about. It’s extension of doing things yourself with the ideas being geared or aimed at young people. You don’t have to sit and wait for the next thing. You can be the next thing. With YouTube and all these things there is no reason anyone can’t if they really want to.

AL: Are there other projects outside of what you have already mentioned that we can be watching for?

CJ: We have been talking about and pitching new shows ever since the network we were on went out of business. There are just so many places to pitch new ideas that we have been going practically non-stop. We haven’t quite struck gold yet but given our track record with “Yo Gabba Gabba” and “The Aquabats! Super Show” we have a solid formula. The ideas are there we just have to get them out there while juggling families and all that. We do plan to tour again once the new record is out and we are on the hook for one more record after that as well so we have a lot that will be going on. If you had told me twenty five years ago that we would still be doing this in 2019 I would have laughed at you but it’s really great that we still are able to do this and we really enjoy it.

Sum 41 Announces Plans For 15-Year Anniversary of “CHUCK” on Upcoming “Order In Decline Tour”

TICKETS ON SALE NOW
TOUR STARTS OCTOBER 1ST

ORDER IN DECLINE AVAILABLE TO STREAM
AND PURCHASE TODAY AT http://smarturl.it/OrderInDecline

Sum 41 are gearing up for their upcoming North American headlining tour in support of their most recently released record, Order In Decline. While putting together a set list for this massive run of shows with The Amity Affliction and The Plot In You, the band knew they wanted to do something special for the fans. In addition to launching this world tour for their seventh studio album, the band is celebrating the 15th Anniversary of multi-platinum album Chuck this year.

“We are so excited to be hitting the road throughout North America for the Order In Decline World Tour. We’ll be combining two of our heaviest albums, as well as fan favorites from throughout our career into one behemoth sized set each night. We couldn’t let this monumental anniversary pass us by and we are so ready to bring 2 full albums (and then some) worth of music to fans across the United States” shares front man Deryck Whibley. Each night on the upcoming tour, the band will be playing hits from Order In Decline, Chuck and the rest of their storied catalogue, making this the longest running live show the band has played to date in North America. In an exclusive interview with Alternative Press, Whibley shares “Some of those songs we’re going to be playing, we’ve never played ever.”

Ahead of the release of Chuck in 2004, Sum 41 were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo filming a documentary for War Child Canada on the effects of the Civil War, so it is only fitting that the band aligns themselves philanthropically with the organization again on this upcoming tour. With the help of PLUS1, $1 from every ticket sold on the Order In Decline North American Tour will go to War Child to support children and families in communities affected by war throughout the world. More information can be found below or at http://warchildusa.org/ and http://warchild.ca/.

While the band was in the Congo, the cease-fire in the civil war quickly ended, leaving Sum 41 literally in the middle of RPGs, mortar rounds and gunfire. A UN peacekeeper named Chuck helped the band and 40 other people evacuate their hotel safely during the fighting; therefore saving their lives so they aptly named their third studio album after him.

Order In Decline, which was released in July via Hopeless Records, has solidified that Sum 41 is here to stay. It secured #2 spots on both the Current Rock and Hard Music Album Charts, #3 on both the Alternative and Record Label Independent Charts, as well as #8 on the Top Current Albums chart here in the US. Worldwide, the success continued with a #2 spot on Canada’s Top 200 and Top Current Albums, #2 on the UK Rock & Metal Charts, #9 and #17 on Germany and France’s Top Album charts, respectively. Order In Decline is available to stream and purchase today via Hopeless Records at http://smarturl.it/OrderInDecline. Chuck peaked at No. 2 on the Canadian Albums Chart and No. 10 on the US Billboard 200.

The band will be joined by Of Mice and Men for a few dates on the upcoming tour and will be making appearances at festivals like Menace in Minneapolis, Aftershock Festival, Louder Than Life Festival and The 27th Annual Halloween Howler. November will see the band kicking off a massive Canadian tour with The Offspring and support from Dinosaur Pile-Up. A full list of upcoming tour dates is below with all tickets and more information available at http://www.sum41.com/.

Upcoming Sum 41 North American Tour Dates
September 29 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life Festival
October 1 – McKees Rocks, PA – Roxian Theatre*
October 2 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore*
October 4 – Kansas City, MO – Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland
October 5 – Minneapolis, MN – Menace in Minneapolis at Skyway Theatre^
October 6 – Chicago, IL – The Riviera Theatre
October 8 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
October 9 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
October 11 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock Festival
October 12 – Chico, CA – Senator Theatre
October 13 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SODO
October 16 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
October 17 – Los Angeles, CA – Palladium
October 18 – San Diego, CA – Soma
October 20 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
October 22 – Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey Live
October 23 – Houston, TX – Revention Music Center
October 24 – Memphis, TN – Soundstage at Graceland
October 26 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
October 27 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
October 28 – New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom
October 29 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
October 31 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
November 2 – Edmonton, Canada – The 27th Annual Halloween Howler.#

* – Of Mice & Men replaces The Amity Affliction
# – Support from The Lazys and Kane Incognito
^ – Festival with The Amity Affliction, Bowling For Soup, Less Than Jake and more

December 14 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts
December 15 – Belvidere, IL – The Apollo Theatre AC
December 17 – Nashville, TN – Cowan
December 18 – Orlando, FL – House Of Blues
December 20 – Fort Wayne, IN – The Clyde
December 21 – Grand Rapids, MI – Monroe Live

Sum 41 with The Offspring and Dinosaur Pile-Up
November 12 – Halifax, Canada – Scotiabank Centre
November 13 – Moncton, Canada – Avenir Centre
November 15 – St Catharines, Canada – Meridian Centre
November 16 – Sudbury, Canada – Sudbury Arena
November 17 – Laval, QC – Place Bell
November 19 – Sault Ste Marie, ON – GFL Memorial Gardens
November 21 – Winnipeg, MB – Bell MTS Place
November 22 – Moose Jaw, SK – Mosaic Place
November 23 – Estevan, SK – Affinity place
November 25 – Medicine Hat, AB – Canalta Centre
November 26 – Calgary, AB – The Palace Theatre
November 27 – Cranbrook, BC – Western Financial Place
November 29 – Penticton, BC – South Okanagan Events Centre
November 30 – Abbotsford, BC – Abbotsford Centre
December 02 – Kamloops, BC – Sandman Centre

Armed with the most honest and intimate songs of his career, front man Deryck Whibley poured everything he had into Order In Decline. Producing, engineering, and mixing the album in his home studio, he pain-stakingly crafted and fine-tuned each song, highlighted by fast and full riffs, guitar solos from lead guitarist/backing vocalist Dave Brownsound, harmonious chords from guitarist Tom Thacker and the heavy, heart-thumping rhythm section of bassist/backing vocalist Cone McCaslin and drummer Frank Zummo.

Concert Review: The Aquabats! “Holy Guacamole Tour”, Buffalo, NY

“Holy Guacamole Tour”

The Aquabats!, Koo Koo Kangaroo, MC Lars

Saturday, September 14^th, 2019

Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY

Our score 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Aquabats! Along with special guests Koo Koo Kangaroo and MC Lars made a stop at the quant Town Ballroom in Buffalo, NY on September 14^th as part of their current “Holy Guacamole Tour”. The family friendly evening was over flowing with energy and laughs as all three groups incorporated crowd participation into their sets making for a truly unique and unforgettable evening.

The cartoon drawing, YouTube creating rapper know as MC Lars would kick off the evening’s festivities with a set of hip-hop infused punk rock featuring songs from all five of the rappers releases. Songs like “Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock” and “Mr.Raven” incorporated crowd participation call and answer sections with the latter featuring an accompaniment from one lucky young concert attendee who rapped alongside the artist. Easily the most impressive part of the set was when the rapper asked for audience members to hold up random items which were then incorporated into a hysterical off the cuff free style rap. Dance-pop duo Koo Koo Kangaroo would take the stage next for an energetic set of laughable, dance inducing songs that had the entire venue smiling and gyrating. The Minnesota natives joked with the crowd in between songs like “Dinosaur Stomp”, “Fanny Pack” and “Unibrow” and at several points during the set the duo left the stage to dance and further involve the audience in their laughable performance.

The Aquabats! Would hit the stage next kicking off their set with the song “The Shark Fighter” from the group’s 2011 album “Hi-Fi Soup”. Giant inflatable sharks were tossed back and forth between the stage and crowd as everyone within reach took turns helping their costume clad heroes take out the amphibious baddies. As the night progressed the band who had been absent from Buffalo for quite some time made it up to the crowd with songs like “Red Sweater!”, “Hey Homies!” and the theme from the groups popular television/YouTube series “The Aquabats! Super Show! Theme Song”. Probably my favorite part of the set was during the song “Pizza Day!” when the MC Bat Commander instructed concert goers to return two of the large inflatable pizza’s which had been floating around the crowd to the front of the stage. While this was taking place the Commander brought up two very excited youngsters and once the pizza was in place the youth were thrown on to said pizzas and then passed around overhead as the band played the remainder of the song. You don’t see that every day! After several more songs the band would leave the stage at the close of “Captain Hampton and the Midget Pirates!” only to return after a brief pause to perform their break out hit “Super Rad!”, Also included in the encore was a cover of The Outfields “Your Love” and another Aquabats! fan favorite “Pool Party”.

Needless to say the whole night was a blast. It was great seeing kids and adults of all ages have fun while singing and dancing. Equally enjoyable was the level of interaction that each artist brought to their sets which really made the audience feel like they too were part of the show. The “Holy Guacamole Tour” runs through November so there is still plenty of time to catch one of these shows. Take the whole family you won’t be disappointed!

Aqua Bats Set List:

1.) The Shark Fighter!

2.) Cat With 2 Heads!

3.) Red Sweater!

4.) Martian Girl!

5.) Pizza Day!

6.) The Aquabats! Super Show! Theme Song

7.) Hey Homies!

8.) In My Dreams!

9.) Hot Summer Nights (Won’t Last Forever)!

10.) Fashion Zombies!

11.) Burger Rain!

12.) Look At Me, I’m a Winner!

13.) Caption Hampton and the Midget Pirates!

Encore:

14.) Super Rad!

15.) Your Love

16.) Pool Party!

Book Review: “Heavy Tales: The Metal. The Music. The Madness. As Lived By Jon Zazula”

“Heavy Tales: The Metal. The Music. The Madness. As Lived By Jon Zazula”
Author: Jon Zazula/Harold Claros-Maldonado
Paperback: 193 pages

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Heavy Tales” details the stories of how one Jonathan Zazula better known as Jonny Z who went from living on the streets of the Bronx in New York City to managing and releasing albums by some of the biggest artists in heavy metal music including Metallica, Anthrax, Testament and Mercyful Fate. Together, Jonny and his wife Marsha built a musical dynasty out of modest beginnings unmatched by any other underground heavy metal label. With a foreword written by Testament vocalist Chuck Billy, plus over 100 rare photographs unearthed from the Mega-Vault and photographer friends worldwide, “Heavy Tales” is the definitive American story of a family man with a dream, determined to prove to the world that heavy metal belonged on the stage, in your car, on the radio, and in your living room.

Growing up around the college town of Ithaca, NY you would always hear rumblings of the fabled Pyramid Studios and how all these heavy metal bands from the city would make the five plus hour drive just to record there. A name that was often attached along with that of bands like Anthrax, Testament and Raven was Jonny Z. It wasn’t until sometime later when I myself had the chance to record at Pyramid Studios that I would go back and dig a little deeper in to the lore that surrounds Mr. Jon Zazula. “Heavy Tales” filled in all the gaps, lapses and holes as it is the story right from the horse’s mouth. With the help of Harold Claros-Maldonado, Jon tells you about how his rough upbringing and keen business sense put him at the fore-front of the heavy metal invasion of the mid-eighties and into early nineties where he help orchestrate the early foundations of cross over Rap-Metal. Just reading the candid stories about Metallica’s early days (Pre-“Master of Puppets”) would have been more than enough for me but Z takes it further recounting numerous concerts, trips and pivotal first time meetings which until now were stories only heard by select few and/or those who lived it.

Counting in at just over 190 pages “Heavy Tales” is a quick read that wastes no time getting to the good stuff. The book and its authors give you just enough background to nicely set the stage for the bulk of each story. I had no problem reading this book in one sitting and the various photographs included in the book were a nice touch. If you grew up during the time period the book covers and was in to heavy metal you undoubtedly have a record that Jonny Z had a hand in and now is your chance to hear his story.

Album Review: Soundgarden “King Animal” 35th Anniversary Vinyl

“King Animal” 35th Anniversary Vinyl

Soundgarden

Republic Records

Producer: Adam Kasper/Soundgarden

2 LP’s

Tracks: 13

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Soundgarden’s sixth and final album “King Animal” is the latest in a series in specially packaged re-releases from the platinum selling band which celebrates the groups 35 year career. Like the previous three releases from this series “King Animal” comes pressed on 180 gram colored vinyl and is packaged in full color, dual gate fold sleeves complete with album liner notes.

The final release from Soundgarden after the group’s reformation in 2010 “King Animal” picks up roughly where its predecessor “Down On The Upside” leaves off. Not it in theme but in stylistic approach as the album features a wide range of textures and sounds giving listeners a smorgasbord of musical ear candy to digest. The latest LP release comes pressed on double white/yellow marble 180 gram vinyl which gives the albums 13 tracks a balanced warmness as it plays through your speakers. Tracks like the rawkus “Non-State Actor” and the eerie “Bones of Birds” were personal highlights as were the fast paced “Attrition” and the fanatical thumping of “Eyelids Mouth”.

Being this is not the albums first vinyl treatment aside from the addition of 180 gram vinyl it doesn’t really offer anything that the previous release didn’t already provide. This seems to be a common occurrence with these anniversary releases as none of them have offered anything extra to help entice buyers to grab another copy. With the various bonus content that was made available previously from this release I think it would have been an ideal time to house it all under one nicely packed anniversary collection however, this was not the case. Don’t get me wrong re-releases can be a really cool thing and like the subsequent 3 the packaging is second to none however they really should have given fans a reason to purchase them and “King Animal” is no exception. If you have this release already you may want to skip this one however if you haven’t gotten yourself a copy and just want the core album with no fancy extras, Then grab this anniversary edition as you won’t be disappointed.

Track Listing:

1.) Been Away Too Long

2.) Non-State Actor

3.) By Crooked Steps

4.) A Thousand Days Before

5.) Blood on the Valley Floor

6.) Bones of Birds

7.) Taree

8.) Attrition

9.) Black Saturday

10.) Halfway There

11.) Worse Dreams

12.) Eyelids Mouth

13.) Rowing

Author: Adam Lawton

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