ALBUM REVIEW: Intermission by Shake It!

Shake It!: Intermission
As a general rule of thumb, when a band has a name as terrible as Shake It!, I shy away from even sampling their music. Although I’m usually not prone to ‘judge a book by its cover,’ there is just simply far too much music that craves my attention for me to dive any deeper. Fortunately, however, something intrigued me. Their debut EP, aptly titled Intermission, is a record of consistency as much as it is one of complacency. That’s not to say there aren’t any flaws; in fact, there are many.

Intermission begins as strongly as it’s going to get. The dance driven “It’s About Time We Step Outta Line” is catchy and jovial. With a chorus that will get stuck in your head until the end of the record, we experience a sense of promise and hope for things to come. Unfortunately, the dance gimmick continues on a downhill slope. “Don’t Flip That Jukebox” is a sad attempt at tough white-boy rock, with lyrics comparable to a Simple Plan poem. “You were such a cheater/I write these rules/You have been so easy to control/You’re such a tool.” I’d cry if I wasn’t busy snickering.

As an overall theme, the songs that encompass the middle of the record tend to be far too drawn out. It’s like the band tacked on an extra minute to each one just to meet quota. The songs themselves would serve far better as 2.5 – 3 minute tunes. “Dreamer” is the most promising on the EP; however, it never amounts to anything. I was hooked by the first minute and I only found myself disappointed at its lazy conclusion.

The album as a whole delivers very strong musically. Guitar riffs weave in and out of vocal lines that soar through Jamison Puckett’s range. His vocals grew on me more and more through every song, and I realized a strange comparison to a Shinedown meets Bedlight for Blue Eyes voice. This kid has talent, but at the moment, it’s being showcased in the wrong context. The EP’s finale showcases incredible guitar work from an otherwise cliché-sounding band.

Being their debut release, I see promise and potential. The songs are catchy, but come across as immature. When looking beneath the surface, there is something charming to be noted about these five gentlemen. This is entertaining music, and will definitely find them success in some form or another. I look very forward to where their music is headed, and your ears should too.

ALBUM REVIEW: Plunder, Beg and Curse by Colour Revolt

Colour Revolt:
“Plunder, Beg and Curse”
Release Date: April 1, 2008

There are far too many bands in existence that try their damnedest to be different. While failing miserably, they produce countless carbon copies of wannabe corporate bands that deserve every bit of flack sent in their direction. And then there’s the select handful of bands that don’t have to try to be different. It simply comes naturally to them, as if piecing together another replica isn’t in the scope of their musical vocabularies. Through the desperation and the fog emerges Colour Revolt, taking on a task that would seem impossible to anyone else at this stage in music. And yet, here they shine.

Plunder, Beg and Curse kicks off with back-to-back, groove-laden rock songs, fully equipped with that signature southern twang we’ve come accustomed to. And then, suddenly: a change of pace. You’re left asking yourself, ‘has this album peaked already?’ Well, that depends. If you’re expecting nine different versions of Naked and Red, then you shouldn’t be listening to this album in the first place. For a band as unique and intriguing as Colour Revolt, we should expect the unexpected. Especially when a song like Elegant View comes creeping along at such an eerie rate, climaxing with a guitar riff that sounds as if it’s being picked through a broken amplifier.

What follows is a series of eclectic, guitar-driven tunes, each one as powerful as the next, none of which holding anything back. From throat-shredding, rhythmic yells to shaky (but equally gentle) falsettos, this album covers all the bases. Guitars flutter, they twang, they strip down, but most importantly, they make a lot of noise. The groove in the middle of What Will Come of Us reminds listeners what rock n’ roll sounds like. See It escalates perfectly to an instrumental display of raw intensity and emotion. Innocent and All emerges as the hidden gem on the record, riddled with ambience and poetry. “We were making sounds, primitive and all…” Yes, they’re making sounds, but in no way are they striking any perceived notion of primitivism; so much more is being accomplished here.

Every element of this album is a force to be reckoned with. It seems as if Isaac Brock and Chris Martin had a child and sent him to Bible camp with a bullet and a bottle of vodka. If you’re in need of a kick to the throat, then buy this record. If you’re looking for something equally raw as it is moving, then buy this record. If you’re bored with music in general as of late, then listen up: Colour Revolt are giving you ten reasons to get excited about music again.

Track Listing:
1. Naked and Red
2. A Siren
3. Elegant View
4. See It
5. Moses of the South
6. Swamp
7. Ageless Everytime
8. Innocent and All
9. Shovel to Ground
10. What Will Come of Us?

Preview songs at www.myspace.com/colourrevolt

...and it all sounds like noise to those who aren't listening.

i would like to announce that i'll officially be drafting album reviews and posting them here for your viewing pleasure. i hope this will bump my cred and help out some bands you might otherwise not give a listen. that being said, i have plans to review three albums in the next couple weeks, so check back every so often.

in other news, the world still tastes the same.


movie rec.: the darjeeling limited
music rec.: "Innocent and All" by colour revolt