Happy 40th Anniversary, "Born To Run"

Albums come and go, but some stick around forever. Forty years is a long time for a career in any field, let alone music. Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run is forty years old today, and the Boss is still out rockin' and rolling with the E Street Band! This anniversary made me think a lot about my own musical journey and how it came to be.

My first memories of Born To Run originate from car rides with my father. My dad is a New Jersey native, and a huge fan of Bruce. (Both of my parents schooled me early with their favorite artists, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, the Beatles, and so on.) I can remember my dad pushing the cassette tape into the car stereo and hearing the beginning of "Thunder Road." To this day, "Thunder Road" is one of my favorite songs from Bruce's catalog.

Eventually, my dad felt that I had been taught enough from Born To Run, and graduated me to Bruce's under-appreciated Tunnel of Love. Without the iconic album that is Born To Run, I wouldn't have experienced Tunnel of Love. The story is much the same with many other artists. Without these commercially successful, life-changing albums, we may not have much of the music we drool over today.

I look at music as the soundtracks to our most distinctive memories. I know that through guidance of my father, playing Bruce Springsteen tapes, and my mother, teaching me to listen to Billy Joel with reverence, I have a deep appreciation for music and what it does to the soul.

As a humble salute to the Boss, I give you the greatest cover of "Born To Run" that I was fortunate enough to experience live. Throwback to March of 2011 with Ocean Grove and the Prigs, and all four thousand band members on stage (I might be off by a few members).

I had the pleasure of seeing Clarence Clemons perform the National Anthem at a Jets' game in 2010, and then saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in 2012. Though I saw Bruce without the Big Man, I could connect the two performances in my mind and imagine the magic of the duo that had been. Both musical powerhouses were as electrifying and mind-blowing as you'd expect.

Artists like Bruce and the E Street Band are something to genuinely appreciate. They represent more than just the music you listen to. They provide living proof of what it's like to go after your dreams. 

Albums like these don't just happen or come around often. They are labors of love and outpourings of souls. Take the time to listen to Born To Run, and really feel it. Feel everything that this album of eight songs is trying to give you. I promise you that you will not regret it.

In short, thanks for the music, Bruce and company.

New/Trending/Popular: "Straight In No Kissin'" by Big Talk

Album art by Kristina Collantes

Big Talk is the brainchild of the Killers' drummer, Ronnie Vannucci. With the release of their first album in 2011, Big Talk unfortunately reached little to no acclaim outside of the Killers' fanbase. Aside from their one TV performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the band had no major publicity. Big Talk's eponymous rock debut was lost in a sea of pop, including "Party Rock Anthem," "Rolling in the Deep," and "Born This Way." 

Fortunate for us, Big Talk recently came out with a new album, Straight In No Kissin'. Albeit the album name, artwork, and promotion have been fairly comical, (the album art includes each member of Big Talk in drag), the musical content is nothing to joke about. Big Talk's lineup this time around includes talented musicians from other bands, including drummer Brooks Wackerman of Bad Religion.

Straight In No Kissin' starts off roaring with "Hold That Line." If this tune doesn't get you pumped for the rest of the album, are you even alive? My only issue with the song is that it makes me want to get up and dance at work, which isn't entirely appropriate. I'll stick to air guitar in the office. "Animal Husband" is slightly reminiscent of Big Talk's debut album, but in a warm and fuzzy, nostalgic sort of way. "What Happened to Delisa" was the first single from the album, and gave a fairly accurate taste of what was to come. I'd like to know what actually happened to Delisa...

"La Rue d'Awakening" might just be the most clever song title I've ever seen. The song is the angsty, punk-infused song on the record. "Cocktail Party" has hints of "There She Goes" by The La's, but enjoyably so. "I've Been Sentimental Lately" is the song you'll be singing into a hairbrush while you're hanging out with friends in your apartment (you're getting insight into my life goals). Or hey, why not scream-sing the song! It has lyrical and instrumental simplicity that soothes the soul, while still giving you those "good tune feels."

Normally, it would be strange to say that minus the roaring guitar tone, "What the Night Can Do" sounds like a missing track from The Killers' Battle Born. Alas, it's not that strange because DING DING DING RONNIE IS IN THE KILLERS! Need a laid-back tune for an easy, breezy Sunday afternoon? Check out "All My Luvin'." "The Void" initially sounds a bit like Muse, but less preachy and then segues into a refreshing rock song. 

"Another Satellite" has a twinge of country guitar, but the fast-paced tempo of a punk song. Maybe even some metal influences here? Have you ever wanted to start a mosh pit in your room and jump on couches and such? This song should encourage you. If "Neon's Not Enough Light," then what does Big Talk expect to be bright enough?! I listen to this song and furiously nod my head along with the drums. It's an odd sight to see, but the song is way to infectious to not join in. I'm head over heels in love with the guitar tone in this song. 

Big Talk recently performed "I've Been Sentimental Lately" on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Below is the video, featuring wigs, heels, dresses, and Big Talk. 

What I love about this album is that I can listen to it without getting tired of either the lyrical or instrumental content. With each listen, I notice something new about each song. Straight In No Kissin' is leaps and bounds above Big Talk's previous release. Big Talk raised the bar from their great first album, and absolutely did not disappoint. 

Rating: 8/10

New/Trending/Popular: "Currents" by Tame Impala

At the beginning of 2015, there were a few records that topped my list of highly anticipated albums for the upcoming year. Tame Impala's follow up to their 2012 masterpiece, "Lonerism" was certainly at the top of that list as the year began. And after hearing the 7 minute electronic delight that was the opening single, "Let It Happen", my excitement grew even higher. Even though I was relatively happy with the following singles, "Cause I'm a Man", and "Eventually". There was a part of me that was still thinking, where are the epic guitar riffs and psychedelic jams that made me fall in love with their first two LPs?

With that being said, this album is certainly one that will grow on you. Without a real 'radio-friendly' single, nor a single lead guitar riff, this album does not exhibit much of the old Tame Impala we all knew and loved. But after a few listens through the record, one can certainly see where Kevin Parker takes synths and bass guitar to fill this massive void. And if Parker succeeded with one thing on this record, it was certainly his masterful production. Each minute overlapping synth that seems to jump out at you near the tail end of most of the tracks provided a moment that I began to look forward to come the fourth and fifth listens to the record and are what really fill out what could have just be a basic pop album, instrumentally. And bass lines in tracks such as "The Less I Know The Better", ended up being some of my favorite moments on the record.

Lyrically and thematically, Kevin Parker does not miss a beat on "Currents". Each track feeds into the next musically and lyrically, as Parker kind of goes through a transformation of his own personality throughout the album and even takes a break to explore his own subconscious on the track "Past Life" near the middle of the record. Though Parker has always self-recorded and produced every Tame Impala record in the past, this is the first record Parker has made where he was able to fully pit his own psyche into the art behind the album. Beginning with the album artwork. We see the mere representation of Parker's mind metaphorically depicted as a marble that is shooting through a sea of straight lines or 'currents', maybe, and making a mess of everything in the process of trying to just get by or  possibly create a legacy as not only an artist, but also as a human being. Looking back at the initial single, "Let It Happen", Parker begins the album with a seven minute ballad about going with the flow of life, letting all the bull shit that comes with it occur and hoping for the outcome won't end up in you having to apologize to your mother. After the moment this track ends, Parker keeps moving closer and closer to finding the answer to something, whether it being the perfect high, the meaning of life, or true greatness, he uses each track as a segue in to the next on his emotional adventure of his sort of 'pursuit (or denial) of happiness'. Along the way he changes, "Yes I'm Changing", gives up, "Eventually", gets heartbroken, "The Less I Know The Better", then seems to turn a new leaf in the second half of the album where he begins to come to terms with his mistakes in, "Cause I'm A Man, and the peaks thematically and musically in track, "Reality in Motion". During this track he seems to finally step back, take a deep breath, and come to terms with the idea that all of the soul searching and drugs he takes cannot help him to be the perfect being, but he can simply accept what he's done and keep trying to to get better. He concludes the album with track, "New Person, Same Old Mistakes" by essentially noting that although he and every human undergoes a sort of metamorphosis in life, we will always have the old parts of us dwelling inside our subconscious. We can either spend our whole lives fighting to try and be someone wish we could be, or merely accept that we are good enough.

My first and only major critique of this album is that it brought little nostalgia of the old Tame Impala records that I love dearly. I know that without its predecessors, no critic would have even taken the time to listen to "Currents", let alone give it an outstanding review. But this album is truly a culmination of what Kevin Parker has accomplished not only as an artist, but as an human, trying to survive in a chaotic world where he feels as if he does not belong at times. A feeling that most anyone can relate to at one point in their time here on Earth. Where this album lacks a true hit, it thrives in its ability to captivate the listener allow them to ride its emotions from start to finish. The musical change in this record brings a new start to Tame Impala, but it is certainly just another attempt by Parker to see if a change will work out for him. In this case, I would say it worked relatively well.

Rating: 9/10

What We're Listening To: "Antemasque" (Self-Titled)

The Mars Volta goes punk. 

Antemasque is Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s and Omar Rodríguez-López’s latest project since The Mars Volta days were brought to a close in 2013.  The album was released in 2014, and for those die hard Volta fans, may have come as a bit of a disappointment.  It’s a far cry from the overtly progressive, experimental rock fans are used to hearing in their previous projects, both in At the Drive In and The Mars Volta.

               That being said, I LOVE this album.  And yes, I am a very big Mars Volta fan.  It’s as if they fused the intensity of Volta with catchy punk rock, and what resulted was an album you can show most anybody and not have them run the other way.  Admittedly, Volta’s style can take some getting used to, a problem Antemasque does not partake.

               The self entitled album starts off with a catchy 4/4 rock tune, bringing listeners in with ease.  From there, the style becomes slightly more progressive, while still punky, and does not threaten to turn people away.  The progressive style peaks with the track, “In the Lurch”, before it eases back into catchy 4/4 punk rock with “50,000 Kilowatts”.  Omar even dares to break out an acoustic guitar in the track “Drown all Your Witches”.  The album concludes with a driving tune titled “Rome Armed to the Teeth”, complete with a catchy pre-chorus and chorus. 

               My fist thoughts when I heard this album was…Volta with training wheels.  You get the drive, intensity, and distinct vocals, while still being able to predict the progression of the song and move to it.  It’s slightly less intense than their previous work, but doesn’t fall into repetitive nonsense as if they tried to sell out to a larger audience base.  While keeping to their roots, Omar and Cedric were able to tap into a much larger audience while keeping many (but not all) of their original fans satisfied and waiting for more.

               Do yourself a favor a check out this album.  Once you think you’re hooked, check out some of Volta’s classic albums (I recommend “De-Loused in the Comatorium” and “Frances the Mute”).  Rinse and repeat until you can’t put either band away.

Rating: 9/10

10 MUST-SEE Bands at Musikfest

Musikfest is my favorite "season" of the year. Ten days of music in a city that I love. If you don't know what Musikfest "is," here's a link to explore, and then come back to read this. I'll wait...

Time's up!

I've been an avid 'fester essentially since birth, so I like to consider myself an aficionado of the ten day festival. If you trust my musical taste, or are in the mood for something new to listen to, I highly recommend checking out the ten bands below (in alphabetical order, the most logical way to format this list).

1. Bronze Radio Return
I discovered this band a few years ago on Noisetrade and have been hooked ever since. I'm so happy that they're coming back to the Valley. This americana, roots rock outfit from Connecticut is a must see at Musikfest.

Monday, August 10 @ Americaplatz (10pm)

2. Ceramic Animal
Labeling themselves as "mirage rock," this Philly group has sonic elements of several familiar bands, but manages to stand out as its own powerhouse, deserving of praise. I missed Ceramic Animal on their last trip through Bethlehem, but definitely will not miss them this time. Check out their song "Edgy" below!

 Friday, August 14 @ TD Community Stage (11pm)


3. Igor & the Red Elvises
I would remiss if I didn't include the Red Elvises on this list. Russian Surf Rock. Need I say more? No, but I will. Time and time again, the Red Elvises draw HUGE crowds at Musikfest. If you venture out to see them, don't plan to just sit back and enjoy the show. Igor is very big on crowd participation, so you'll definitely want to be up on your feet dancing.

Thursday, August 13 @ Volksplatz (9pm)
Friday, August 14 @ Americaplatz (9pm)
Saturday, August 15 @ Volksplatz (9pm)

4. Kristian Bush
You may recognize him as "that guy" in Sugarland. Labeling him only as "that guy" is a disservice to Kristian Bush's talent. With the release of his solo album in April, he has been gaining more and more deserved recognition as a star.

Wednesday, August 12 @ Americaplatz (9:30pm)

5. Levee Drivers
Self-described as "country sleaze," Levee Drivers hail from Bucks County. You'll definitely want to check out this band before they hit the big time.

Tuesday, August 11 @ TD Community Stage (11pm)

6. Love Canon
I had the pleasure of seeing this band perform last year at Musikfest, so I'm glad that this unique group is back. They perform 80s hits with a bluegrass twist. Have you ever imagined what "Danger Zone" from Top Gun would sound like as a bluegrass tune? No more need to imagine, because Love Canon made it reality.

Friday, August 14 @ Leiderplatz (9pm)

7. Start Making Sense
Start Making Sense may be my favorite cover band of all time. I never had the chance to see Talking Heads live in their prime. I settle for seeing Start Making Sense, but is it really settling? With perfect instrumentation and strikingly similar mannerisms, this Talking Heads tribute band is every bit as impressive as their predecessor.

Tuesday, August 11 @ Plaza Tropical (8:30pm)

8. Summer Scouts
I first heard Summer Scouts on Radio 104.5's "Live @ 5" program. My interest peaked when I heard that they were Lehigh Valley natives. If you're in search of some indie rock at the festival, Summer Scouts is definitely a great option to check out.

Friday, August 14 @ Plaza Tropical (5:30pm)

9. Wild Adriatic
I consider Wild Adriatic to be in that coveted, ever-expanding group of my favorite bands. This bluesy, alt-rock band wowed me at Oktoberfest, and just played this year's Bonnaroo! You'll get hooked on their album Big Suspicious.

Saturday, August 15 @ Plaza Tropical (6:30pm)

10. Yancarlos Sanchez
Yancarlos blows me away every time I see him live. He has a talent like no other. You cannot sit absent-mindedly, "watching" his show. If you don't actively watch him, you'll be deceived into thinking there is an actual trumpet on stage, when in fact, it is one of Yancarlos' vocal talents. Are you intrigued yet?

Saturday, August 8 @ Hotel Bethlehem Platz (1pm)
Thursday, August 13 @ Lyrikplatz (9pm)

Tell me what you think about these artists! And maybe I'll even see you at Musikfest?

P.S. All of the above shows are F R E E so you have no excuse not to check these artists out.

New/Trending/Popular: "Story of an Immigrant" by Civil Twilight

I've been waiting for new Civil Twilight material since I fell in love with their previous album, Holy Weather. It's finally here, and I'm so happy. (You can find the album art here. I don't want to save the album art and share it without proper credit to the band. Plus, you'll be on the artist's website and you can explore all things Civil Twilight.)

"Oh Daniel" reminds me of Mumford and Sons. This really only happens at the choruses. I love the guitar in this song. And I believe I hear an organ of some sort. "Holy Dove" is great as well. The band REALLY wants to know if you'll be their holy dove, but I can deal with the limited lyrics because the music is enticing.

"When, When" is an island song for those who don't enjoy reggae. The chorus reminds me a lot of "Oh Daniel" melodically, but I still enjoy this poppier version of Civil Twilight. "Story of an Immigrant" doesn't stand out to me too much, considering it's the title track. I have basically the same feelings about "Let It Go." Steven McKellar's voice sounds particularly dreamy on this track, which may be the only reason I like it.

I'm a huge fan of the bass tone in "River Child." I wish it didn't get so lost in the chorus. This is one of my favorites my favorite on the album, minus the autotune. "All My Clothes" is another sick bass track. Immerse yourself in this song and you'll be pretty damn happy.  "The Other Side" is something I'd like to see more of from Civil Twilight. If the album were full of tracks as great as this one and "River Child," I'd be much more enthusiastic.

I'm a big fan of the second half of the album, including "Didn't Know When to Stop." Lyrically simple, the song reminds me of a chase scene. Maybe you should add this one to your running playlist! As for "Only For A Time," I have two words: THAT BASS.

"Love Was All That Mattered" actually gave me chills. The simplicity of the song is breathtaking. It reminds me of a Beatles song that I can't entirely put my finger on. Or maybe it's a Muse song? There's a huge age gap with those two bands, but certain elements of their songs are evident in this Civil Twilight track. There's something hauntingly familiar about this song, which is a talent that Civil Twilight really pulls off. Their bonus track, "Believe," brings me back to the Holy Weather days.

Do I sound crazy if I say that vocally and instrumentally this album is great, I'm just not the biggest fan of all of the songs? Probably. The first few songs are decent, but Civil Twilight redeems themselves with a killer second half of the album, starting with "River Child." While I prefer the dark storminess of Holy Weather, Story of an Immigrant is admittedly an easier, passive listen. I'm always grateful for more Civil Twilight content. Yet, I can hear elements of other bands hot on the scene influencing Civil Twilight's sound. I can assume I'll like the whole album more with each listen. Even so, I love Civil Twilight and I just ordered this sick vinyl for Story of an Immigrant: https://www.pledgemusic.com/checkout/1254173. You should too.

Rating: 7/10

New/Trending/Popular: "Drones" by Muse

With their three most recent albums: "The Resistance", "The 2nd Law", and "Drones", Muse sold 128,000, 108,536, and 84,200 records respectively during their first week of sales.

Now statistics are certainly not my thing. And it's usually one of the last things I think about when it comes to music. However, after listening to Muse's most recent album, "Drones" I became intrigued. If I, a pretty big Muse fan, was upset with this album then what are the chances that other Muse fans have lost significant interest in the group (or at least their work with this album)? 

Of course, looking at sales alone is not a great measurement of a band's success. But as a pretty large commercial rock band, one can kind of argue that their sales can correlate with the size of their fan base. Obviously with those numbers, and at least with my opinion, the quality of music that has been coming from the band has significantly decreased. Whether it is due to Matt Bellamy's lack of ability to write decent lyrics, or just the band's slightly generic work, I do not know the exact cause of the lack of interest in the UK three-piece rockers. But what I do know is that their music certainly has not gotten better since 2009's, "The Resistance". And despite its return to a more "hard rock" sound, Muse has lost a lot of their artistic vision, and have compiled a bunch of generic riffs accompanied by even more ridiculous, somewhat "Full Metal Jacket" inspired lyrics that appear on this new record. Now do not get me wrong, I agree with a lot of what Muse is trying to say thematically with some of these songs, but with Bellamy's over-dramatic delivery, unoriginality, and inability to leave anything to the imagination of the listener, I am let down and kind of bitter that one of my favorite childhood bands would put out such a lack-luster record. 

Beginning with "Dead Inside", we experience the first instance of mediocre songwriting. Especially within the context of the album, as the song is an obvious song rings as a break-up song from his recent engagement with actress Kate Hudson. It seems as though Bellamy just throws the word "Drones" into the lyrics just to make it seem as though it belongs with the rest of the songs on the album. The song also contains the archetypal Muse bridge, featuring the dramatic belting from Bellamy. I will give Muse credit in that Bellamy's voice still sounds great, and the band is still tight as ever, but with lyrics such as "Open up to me. Stop hiding from me, it's hurting babe, only you can stop the pain", it seems as though the lyrics could have been written by a teenager who just got dumped for the first time and decided to go into a Stan Marsh post Wendy breakup depression. 

Now we pretty much all knew that their second single, "Madness" off the 2nd Law, might have taken the cake for some of the cheesiest lyrics ever produced by the UK rock group. But Madness might be dethroned by the second track off Drones, "Psycho". Bellamy wails, "I'm gonna make you, I'm gonna break you, I'm gonna make you, a fucking psycho. Your ass belongs to me now". As I mentioned before, the song has a great message and touches on an important issue; however, it is done in such a way that pretty much over-satirizes the topic and it really just makes me want to turn the song off because it just seems very overdone. When Bellamy actually sings the words, "A fucking psycho", it pierces my eardrums in a similar way it would a parents if that song were to come on a pandora station in front of their kids. Just nothing sonically pleasing about Bellamy's delivery, and while I can kind of understand where he is trying to come from, it just seems way too over the top for me to take seriously. Even the guitar riff, while it does return to a similar feel of Muse's older material, feels overly simplistic and kind of bores me compared to the likes of classic riffs such as "Plug in Baby".

The track "Reapers" begins with a Van Halen inspired guitar tapping solo. Again the band proves to lack a significant amount of originality, despite Matt Bellamy's obvious skills with a guitar. And then when the lyrics and main riff come together, I am just left wanting so much more. After the release of this track's lyric video, Rolling Stone made comments comparing the track to the work of grunge heroes Rage Against the Machine. And where the main riff does sound reminiscent of something once played by Tom Morello, but the lyrics are the furthest away from edginess of Zach De La Rocha's. In fact, I cannot really decipher whether or not Bellamy is utilizing war as a metaphor for his mediocre love life, or his love life as a metaphor for how much he hates war. Either way, this metaphor seems to take the helm of this album and drive it straight into a wall.

Despite some rememberable riffs here and there and some solid musical moments from the group as a whole, the album just leaves me wanting more thematically and less theatrically. Obviously as a fan of music and a fan of art I usually associate theatrical music as being tasteful and at the very least interesting. However, when you get down to the meat and potatoes of this record, the story Bellamy writes is so overused and dried out that by the end of the record it makes me think of a score a thirteen year old kid would use for a play he had to write for his English class project, and would end up earning a solid D- at best from his teacher. Look forward to this play to be featured during their live set in Muse's upcoming 2016 international stadium tour.

Rating: 3/10

What We're Listening To: "To Pimp A Butterfly" by Kendrick Lamar

Following the success of "Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City", the expectations for Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar to meet the prowess of his hometown-inspired LP were tangible. However, very few could have guessed that his next commercial effort would turn out the way 2015's "To Pimp A Butterfly" did.

In 2015, Lamar trades generally minimal production and bangers like "Swimming Pools" and "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" for influences from Jazz, Funk, and old-school R&B. This starts early as the beginning of "Wesley's Theory" is a faded-in sample of an obscure Boris Gardiner song (have you ever heard of that person? I had not). This is followed immediately by an eerie feeling that the recording was captured in the Parliament starship, and George Clinton and Thundercat are brilliant here. Kendrick critiques rampant spending and mismanagement of money and fame that he appears to perceive in the culture around him. This track's mojo bleeds into one of the most entertaining songs on the album, "King Kunta", a "Slim Shady"-esque march where Lamar criticizes plagiarism and ghostwriting in modern hip-hop. The proverbial Greek chorus of female voices on these first two tracks are fun, and the bass is truly the star of the backing tracks early on.

Kendrick moves away from the style of the first segment of the album both in his delivery and musically on "Institutionalized", "These Walls", and "u". These songs introduce in a general sense the album's two main thematic pillars: political issues in black culture and borderline self-shaming introspection. Lamar paints himself as not only a harsh critic of his own community, something that is both incredibly refreshing and indicative of the artist's intelligence, but also a harsh critic of himself. Kendrick contrasts his criticisms of the white establishment and the injustices of American society with the injustices his neighbors commit amongst themselves. He raps about feeling guilty for not helping a stranger on "How Much a Dollar Cost" and black on black crime on "The Blacker the Berry". The album ends with a "live" version of the album's first single, "i", which immediately rolls into "Mortal Man", a track that sees the conclusion of the poem Kendrick breaks into segments and recites in between songs throughout the album. Lamar then proceeds to interview a posthumous Tupac Shakur; a move that both captures Lamar's exceptional creativity as well as his respect for who Tupac was and what he believed in.

To say that every moment on this album was deliberate feels like an understatement. Kendrick Lamar incorporates so many overarching themes and uses an assortment of musical influences and delivery styles and cadences to keep the listener's ears fresh during this 78-minute endeavor. Lamar chooses to shun convention and rap about things that matter, rather than rap about what have become the vile touchstones of his genre (women, money, drugs, violence). This album's messages are such that you have to listen to the album in its entirety to fully digest their meaning, and Kendrick Lamar is such a brilliant artist on "To Pimp A Butterfly" that for the repeat listener this does not feel like a chore at all.

There are few albums that are truly genre-defining, and a lot of the time it takes a few years for an album to be deemed as such. What Kendrick Lamar has done in 2015 not only serves as a reference point for what is going on in today's society, but he has created a new standard for all future hip-hop albums to come.

Kendrick Lamar had the Best Album of 2015.

Rating: 10/10

What did you think of this album? Leave us a comment and let us know!

What We're Listening To: "Smoke + Mirrors" by Imagine Dragons

Following the resounding success of their mainstream debut "Night Visions", Las Vegas Alt-Rock outfit Imagine Dragons had everything going for them. Following a massive tour, award show performances and acceptance speeches, and the plethora of charms that accompany major breakout success, it seemed that the sky would be the limit for Dan Reynolds and company on their follow-up album. After loving "Night Visions", seeing them perform on tour and hearing that Dan Reynolds had allegedly wrote tens of songs before grinding the material down to typical album length, "Smoke + Mirrors" was a very personally anticipated record.

So what went wrong?

Many of the important elements from the band's first album remain on "Smoke + Mirrors". From the arena-adaptable gang vocals, huge reverb tones, massive percussion, and a pop-radio sensible lead single, it is confusing when viewed from a wide lens or a first listen that this album drew so much ire from critics and general disappointment from diehard fans. The band experiments with folk, EDM, and even hip-hop again on this album, and it also seems like the lead guitar is deployed on this collection of tracks in a more effective and pleasing manner than on their debut.

Sadly, making great music is much more nuanced than getting by on the same idea, but by the same token taking risks that are ill-conceived can also lead to an overall lackluster endeavor. At best, there is an ethereal finesse or a "mojo" that Reynolds seemed to lose writing for this record that was present on "Night Visions". At worst, much of the songwriting comes off as a bland and tiresome retread, with each song seeming to have the same core concept and structure as the song before. I'm not at all saying that Reynold's source material was inherently uninteresting, but I am saying that when Vampire Weekend did an album about struggling/dealing with agnosticism they attacked the subject matter with different emotional lenses and angles that produced songs that were fresh and independent of one another. Melodic potency is also something that this album lacks for minutes at a time and tracks like "Smoke and Mirrors", "It Comes Back To You", and "Trouble" are completely non-memorable because of this.

This album doesn't do everything wrong; I am still a fan of "I Bet My Life", the first single off of this record, and the songs "Shots", "Summer" and "Hopeless Opus" are representative of the kinds of supporting songs this album could've and should've had on it instead of throwaways like the pretentious "Gold". Additionally, the associated bonus tracks "Battle Cry" and "Warriors" are dramatic and generally enjoyable.

In fairness, this band had a lot of people expecting great things to follow their debut that set the bar astronomically high to begin with, and it seemed for awhile that the Alt-Rock crown (which I think is buried in Seattle somewhere) was theirs for the taking. It is unfortunate then that this band could have solidified themselves as permanent heavyweights in their genre with their sophomore album and simply didn't deliver. Dan Reynolds is instead found spinning the tires in the mud of the infamous sophomore slump, and one can only hope that this promising group can return with an album that has a little more replay value in a few years.

Rating: 5/10

Let us know what you think in the comments below!

What We're Listening To: "The Desired Effect" by Brandon Flowers

Before you take the time out of your day to read this, please understand that I am a big fan of Brandon Flowers. The Killers are my favorite band, so naturally I also enjoy any side projects that the members embark upon (also check out drummer Ronnie Vannucci's band Big Talk, and bassist Mark Stoermer's solo album. Both are extremely different from The Killers as well as Brandon's solo career). I will do my best to not allow my love for the band to cloud my musical judgment. 

With that out of the way, it goes without saying that Flowers' The Desired Effect is an excellent divergence from the norm of sophomore slumps that occur with most artists. If we reflect on the Killers' sophomore effort, Sam's Town, we can see another example of a strong second album. 

After the release of his debut solo album, Flamingo, in 2010, Flowers again took advantage of the Killers' most recent hiatus and kept his creative juices flowing. The Desired Effect was released in May of this year, with four singles being released several weeks prior: "Can't Deny My Love," "Still Want You," and "Lonely Town." 

In advance of these singles, I'll admit that I was worried about Brandon's newest solo album. Flamingo was a brutally honest, heart-wrenching piece of art, that didn't sit too well with critics. Many felt it was too reserved for Brandon, or sounded like another Killers' album. I disagree. Flamingo has distinct ties to the area that Brandon has lived in both past and present. The country nuances pop up throughout the album, and his lonely themes fit the genre. It is not a tried and true country album as we know the genre to be today, but draws influence from the likes of Johnny Cash. Flamingo, to me, represents a place for the outcasts. While the album has country vibes, it works because it has a little bit of everything thrown together. Some people may not like this, but I'm not some people. 

Opinions of Flamingo aside, Flowers leaves the deep-rooted hometown influences in the dust for his follow-up, The Desired Effect. In a day and age (Killers' pun not intended) where a distinctly pop-sounding album has a terrifying stigma for those who feel themselves to be too cool for the "mainstream" world, Brandon Flowers created a FANTASTIC pop album. Yes, I said it. Deal with it. 

The album starts with an "in-your-face," anthemic rock song, very reminiscent of what Battle Born tried to accomplish. I can almost hear Bruce Springsteen singing "Dreams Come True" at one of his marathon concerts. In my opinion, songs 1 through 4 on the album, ("Dreams Come True," "Can't Deny My Love," "I Can Change," and "Still Want You") are strategically placed together to intentionally get them all stuck in your head simultaneously. It happens every damn time I listen to the album. I was extremely reserved about "Still Want You" at first because it seems so far off from anything I've previously heard from Flowers. Yet, it has become one of my favorite tracks from this album.

"Between Me And You" pays homage to his deeply honest lyrics from Flamingo. With cutting lyrics like, "There's a power in letting go," Flowers bares his soul. Not that he ever portrays a fake persona with any of his lyrics, but there is something so humbling about this song. I'd love to hear a piano-only version of this track.

I honestly cannot tell if the backing vocals are just layered perfectly, or if Brandon brought in a whole choir to back him up for "Lonely Town," but whatever he did sounds great. I sometimes attempt to harmonize with Brandon and the gang in the car...unsuccessfully. "Digging' Up the Heart" is a fun track to shout at the top of your lungs. Also, did anyone catch the lyric, "He's only human?" I GUESS HE'S HUMAN, NOT DANCER. HAH. But seriously, I can imagine this song in a new wave version of Rocky Horror Picture Show. Someone please create that for me.

"Never Get You Right" could be a decent hit for any other artist, but it's not a favorite of mine on this album. The guitar seems out of place, and I'm just not thrilled by the song. The title of the song is quite ironic, because by the end of the song, he never does get it right for me. This one is just a filler track for me. "Untangled Love," which plays immediately after, gets everything right that the previous song did wrong. It's a redeeming track for the end of the album. Bruce Springsteen might be a bit upset that he didn't write this one, because it's definitely a killer (not a band joke, I promise).

I had the pleasure of seeing Brandon perform "The Way It's Always Been" acoustically at Webster Hall back in March. Since then, I can't imagine the song any other way. I really appreciate the song in that pure form, and I prefer that over this album version any day. 

One thing that is consistent about Brandon's solo efforts is the excellent female background singers, both on the albums and live. This pop album is something that I can listen to at any time, which is something I generally do not say about pop music. Could my affinity for Brandon's normal gig be the cause of this? Possibly. If it is, oh well.

If you want to hear what my 2010 sounded like, give Flamingo a listen. And to supplement that, check out the incredible video for "Only the Young." It still stands as one of my favorite music videos of all time. 

Then, listen to The Desired Effect and tell me what you think. Do you have a favorite track from TDE? 

Rating: 9/10 (I genuinely like this album. Contrary to what you may think, I don't give out 9s freely.)

New/Trending/Popular: "VHS" by X Ambassadors

VHS is a funny name for an album being distributed as digital downloads, CDs, and vinyl. Yet, the alternative rock outfit X Ambassadors has purpose greater than sheer irony for naming their debut album, VHS. According to the band, VHS serves as a look into their past, complete with audio snippets of home movies strategically placed to tie the stories together.

As far as debut albums go, VHS does a great job of highlighting the great parts of X Ambassadors that make them unique. Sam Harris’ lead vocals soar in nearly every song, while still capturing the emotionally charged grit of hip-hop that he loves so much. His brother, Casey Harris, is an extremely talented keyboard player that translates the music that he feels into melodic beauty. Adam Levin on drums provides the backbone of the booming hits X Ambassadors churns out. Rounding out the crew is Noah Feldshuh on guitar. He rips through riffs like a lumberjack cutting down trees. Forgive my poor analogy, but it’ll make much more sense when you hear just how much Noah slays.

I’ll give you fair warning; I really love this album. I’d like to break it down song-by-song, just so you can see why it brings me so much joy. Take my hand and I’ll guide you through this album.

“Renegades” - This has to be the king of all car commercial songs. That is a definitely a compliment. Aside from loving the song, it makes me want to buy a Jeep. Effective marketing? Absolutely. In all seriousness, “Renegades” gives me chills every time I hear it. This anthem for the underdogs translates extremely well live, and enraptures a crowd in its humility.

“Unsteady” - I’m familiar with this song because of its release on The Reason EP, but the song is so good that its rerelease, this time on VHS, is totally warranted.

“Hang On” - Listen to this one with a good set of headphones or some nice speakers. There’s so much going on in this song. The keys, as simple and sporadic as they are, are a poignant part of the song. Simply put, Casey Harris is a wizard.

“Gorgeous” - "Ooooh, so pretty” is reminiscent of “Uptown Funk,” but in a complementary way. Did you catch that quick reference to “Renegades.?” Sam Harris’ falsetto is beautiful. What else can I say? It’s a “Gorgeous” piece of music. Definitely one of the standouts on this album.

“Fear” feat. Imagine Dragons – I love both bands featured on this track. Considering they are labelmates, this is a match made in heaven. Hearing the recognizable “Imagine Dragons vibe” on the chorus roll seamlessly into that X Ambassadors groove makes my ears want to cry happily (if ears were sentient and could weep).

“Nervous” - This song’s chorus has the same effect on me that Saint Motel’s “My Type” does. I could easily listen to “Nervous” on repeat several times without getting tired. The hook gets stuck in your head quite easily. Listen wisely.

“Low Life” feat. Jaime N Commons - With all due respect to Jaime N Commons, I prefer the X Ambassadors only version of this song. Unfortunately, it was not recorded this way, but if given the chance to see X Ambassadors live, Sam Harris will not disappoint and nails the entire song.

“B.I.G.” – This one has a “don’t mess with me vibe.” Easily the next track being added to everyone’s gym playlist, the song gets you ready to knock out any obstacles that cross your path.

“Feather” – This track initially got lost for me among the true knockouts on this album. After a few listens, I came to appreciate the less complicated aspects of this song, making it an easy listen compared to tracks like “Hang On” and “Loveless.”

“Superpower” - “It’s a bird, it’s a plane; Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne.” The guitar parts in this song would be right at home in a chase scene in a superhero movie. Let’s hope those working on the post-production of Batman v. Superman see this article and use “Superpower" somewhere in the film. Honorable mention for best lyrics of this song goes to “I’ve been cooking up a shitstorm.” 

“Loveless” - Though Sam Smith is reportedly slated to record the title track for the new Bond movie, Spectre, I personally would like to X Ambassadors. Yes, I realize that “Loveless” would not fit as the title track, mainly because the song is not called “Spectre,” but this song proves that X Ambassadors could write an epic tune for a pivotal piece of pop culture. Their title track would blow many of the unfortunately poor title tracks away. Everything about the song, including the trumpets, has a foreboding vibe in contrast to the hopeful, bright chords that Casey slams out on the keys.

“Jungle” feat. Jaime N Commons - Another song from the TV commercial circuit, but still oh so good. Again, Jaime N Commons is great, but it would be great to have an X Ambassadors only cut. Not to keep rehashing a live show, but Sam Harris is an exceptional talent, which shows through this song at their shows. Aside from his sultry dance moves, it’s great to hear his voice sing this entire song. Could I be a girl just obsessed with Sam Harris’ voice? Probably, but you have to admit that he is pretty damn great. The nearly explosive bass drum in this song sounds wonderfully distorted, and it fits perfectly. I wish the guitar solo within the last minute of the song was a bit more present in the recording, because Noah Feldshuh’s guitar tone is heavenly.

“Naked” - SO MUCH SAX. And so the sultry side of X Ambassadors comes out to play. They could probably make “Happy Birthday” sound sexy. But who needs “Happy Birthday” when you have “Naked?” “Naked” and “Gorgeous” are my top two songs from VHS (excluding previously released tracks, because I can’t get enough of “Unsteady.”)

The seven interludes sprinkled in among the other thirteen tracks tie-in extremely well with the songs’ themes. I’ll let you draw those interpretations yourself.

If you’re like me and you’re into physical copies of music, head out to Target to grab the deluxe edition of VHS, which features two bonus songs: “Skin” and “Heist.” If you’re not like me, that’s okay too. I’ll just enjoy these two gems by myself.

I hope you can tell by now how much I truly enjoy this album. I wish X Ambassadors all of the success in the world. After seeing their rise to fame over the past three years, I couldn’t have imagined a better full-length debut for the band.

Rating 9/10

What are your thoughts? Which tracks are your favorites? Or am I totally off of my rocker? Give me some feedback, minus Janet Jackson please.

Our Favorite Firefly 2015 Performances

Over the past weekend we did something that has never been done before. That's right folks, we stripped our Chief Editor, Greg Adams, of his festival virginity. After attending Firefly Music Festival in "The Woodlands" of Dover, Delaware for its second and third years I thought I would share the musical love and invite Greg to join me for the adventure. And what an adventure it was.

After trekking a ridiculous three miles to our campsite, eating some celebratory Pop-Tarts, and struggling to set up our zipper malfunctioning tent we eventually settled in, and were ready to go listen to some music. 

This year's line-up certainly did not bring nearly as many surprises as I would have hoped. Looking at the bills for some of the nation's heavy hitters such as Bonnaroo featuring acts like Tears for Fears, Robert Plant, Kendrick Lamar, Earth Wind and Fire, and even metal legends Slayer I had relatively high hopes for the late release of the Firefly lineup (which did not show up until the end of February). After about a month of waiting, Firefly decided to post a lineup where the name Paul McCartney was blurred out at the head of the bill. Thanks to various online resources, pretty much everyone who had access to Reddit or Twitter knew that the Beatle legend would be the one to fill the missing piece at the top of the bill unless something had gone completely wrong with the booking agents at Red Frog. 

Official 2015 Firefly Lineup via https://fireflyfestival.com/lineup/ (replacement of Charlie XCX with X Ambassadors)

Eventually Sir Paul's name was added to the bill...

Still, the lineup left me wanting more. A vast majority of the smaller print names appeared relatively meaningless to me at first glance (although a few of them ended up surprising me, see Intergalactix https://www.facebook.com/Intergalactix?fref=ts and Night Terrors of 1927 https://twitter.com/nto1927) whereas lineups such as Bonnaroo and Coachella essentially thrived on the overwhelming strength of their lower tier bookings. 

Despite its flaws the lineup still provided for an exciting, talent filled weekend and after a week of deliberation Greg and I decided to collaboratively decide which of the sets we attended last week were our favorites based on the quality of musicianship, crowd reception, and overall performance of the artist. 

Well, here we go...

10.) Jungle: Thursday | 9:30-10:30 PM | The Lawn Stage

Our experience of arrival on Thursday was not exactly the best. After our exhausting walk to our campsite and having to set up all of our gear there was a part of both of us that just wanted to pass out and call it a day. Eventually after regaining our composure, we decided to enter the festival grounds and camp out for one of my most anticipated sets of the weekend: Brit-Pop veterans, The Kooks. After trudging through the already mud filled festival grounds, we eventually made our way over to the Lawn Stage where we attempted to make our way up to the front of the crowd during Ryn Weaver and Jungle's sets to be in a prime spot for The Kooks. Jungle, a band that I had only ever heard because I received their single "Busy Earning" via an iTunes free download ended up surprising me and proved to be one of the more fun sets of the entire weekend. Co-Frontmen and producers Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland who released their debut self-titled album about a year ago brought a great energy to the stage despite both behind trapped behind stacks of synthesizers, and guitars. The whole band brought the funk to the Woodlands and even got my tired legs dancing in the pile of mud that was the Lawn Stage's pit. Set highlights included album opener "The Heat", and their closing number and album standout "Time". 

9.) Børns: Sunday | 1:30-2:15 PM | The Porch Stage

After listening to "Candy", Børns's debut four track EP from last November, it is hard for any indie pop fan to not get a little excited for what this group had to offer moving forward. I had a slight hunch that this band would go on to do big things, that was, until I saw them live in February opening for The Misterwives in Pittsburgh. To give some credit to the band, the Club Stage at Stage AE was certainly not the greatest venue sound-wise, and I'm pretty sure that show was only the second night of their first tour. Despite their relatively lack-luster set the first time around I figured I would give them another shot come Firefly. Although they played practically the same set during their slot at the Porch Stage on Sunday, I was much happier with the quality of the performance brought by the band. Tracks like "Past Lives" rang very well with a decently sized crowd at one of the smaller Firefly Stages. What really made this set memorable was the band's full cover of the Elton John Classic, "Bennie and the Jets", and short cover of Leslie Gore's "It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To". The only thing preventing this set from climbing higher on our list was its lack of depth. With only one relatively unmemorable new track, and the set ending about fifteen minutes earlier than scheduled I was left wanting more. This young group brings a lot of energy and fun into their set and certainly has the potential to be a big face of indie-pop's future, but with only four songs released to the public at the moment their future success is certainly still up in the air. 

8.) Bastille: Sunday | 6:45-8:00 PM | The Firefly Stage

Bastille put out my 4th favorite album of 2013 with the release of "Bad Blood" only behind Vampire Weekend's "Modern Vampires Of The City", Kanye West's "Yeezus", and Arctic Monkey's "AM". Needless to say I was a huge fan of their album and a lot of their other work such as their first two "Other People's Heartache" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR_tRXj28xo&list=PLzybRwsgKBq9XM6ELpWmFiJrhvb2mr44s) albums and their Miley Cyrus cover (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pZi7CXE2ac). Unfortunately, Bastille is at a difficult point in their career. They have just got off touring their very successful major label debut album, have put out a mediocre at best EP, and now have to win back their fans who are searching for more hits from such a likable band. Bastille struggles in that they want to be more than just a pop act. Where their debut album thrives melodically it does struggle a little bit in the variety category. So Bastille came to Firefly, one of their only American tour dates for this year, itching to begin the rebranding process for their second record. This rebranding began with the decrease in reliance on backing tracks and an increase in the amount of guitars and a harder rock sound than their synthpop origins. This is certainly not something that hasn't been done before, but at least they're attempting to slightly alter their sound, right? In some spots, I think this might work relatively well for them, take the solid new track "The Draw" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6VyDN_aGbc) off of their extended "All This Bad Blood" album for example. Bastille's attempt to be a "grunge" band according to frontman Dan Smith, certainly comes short of those allegations but did end up being one of the more moving songs of the set. What made this set great was the way Bastille was able to weave their new tracks in with the older songs that everyone knew the words to. I for one am not a huge fan of going to a concert where a group merely plays all new, unreleased material. So although I am relatively undecided on whether or not I enjoyed the new tracks from Bastille, I can thoroughly say I enjoyed every "Bad Blood" track they brought out. I was especially pleased with their inclusion of "Oblivion" and their cover of TLC's "No Scrubs" in their set. At the end of the day I am still on the fence as to whether or not I like where Bastille are headed for their next record. Despite my growing fears, the band certainly has hits, and still know how to put on an crowd pleasing show. For this reason they were able to sneak their way into our list and I will be eagerly waiting to see if they can surprise me. 

7.) Sturgill Simpson: Saturday | 5:30-6:30 PM | The Lawn Stage

If anyone asked me what my least favorite musical genre was I wouldn't have to hesitate to tell them, "country". However, one can argue that with any genre there will be some artists that we all are not akin to. Sturgill Simpson was without a doubt the best country artist that I have ever seen perform live. Although I was completely unfamiliar with his music going into the set, I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of talent Simpson and his band brought to the table. Simpson's voice was smooth, and his lyrics told actual stories that weren't confined to misogyny, beer, and tractors. And despite the lack of depth in Simpson's crowd, he was able to turn the Lawn Stage into a glorified dance party. Greg and I were even brought into a line dance around one intoxicated man's wife during one moment of the set. The real highlight of Simpson's performance was Laur Joamet's remarkable shredding on the slide guitar, which took place during practically ever song of the set and was as fast as practically any live guitarist I have ever seen play. Between the high level of musical talent, and just the immense level of fun the crowd had during the set, Sturgill Simpson was able to reassure my faith in the genre that is country music. 

6.) Foster The People: Saturday | 8:15-9:30 PM | The Firefly Stage

After seeing Foster the People on their Torches tour at the Mann Center in 2012, I did not think I would end up seeing them three more times in the following 4 years. It was pretty cool being able to grow up with the band, and literally watch them flirt with being a headlining act during their Firefly 2013 set. Unfortunately their 2014 sophomore LP, "Supermodel" ended up flopping pretty hard from both the perspective of critics and of some of their fan base that was familiar with Foster's work on Torches. As a primarily guitar driven album rather than electronic, Foster The People took a leap of faith and came up a little short with a record I personally enjoyed, but not one that would put them at the top, where Firefly had prematurely anticipated them to grow in 2013. This album was certainly a grower and after watching them perform songs from it for the third time at Firefly 2015, you could see that the band has indeed matured, along with their songs that are now over a year old. Unfortunately we missed the first few songs of FTP's set, as we made our way over from The Lawn Stage from Spoon's set. But there wasn't a much better feeling that hearing the lovely piano riff from "Life on the Nickel" as we approached the stage from a distance. Mark Foster and Co. went on to play a set that was fifteen minutes shorter than anticipated due to the weather adjustments Firefly set in order to try and get Kings of Leon's headlining set in before the storm (which, of course failed). But they did bring the heat with great renditions of Houdini, Call It What You Want, and Are You What You Want to Be. All of which were supplemented with tasteful jams during extended bridges and outros that made Foster The People feel like they have really molded themselves into a great live band. After giving a great speech about the deconstruction of honor in our modern day social media saturated world,  supplemented by shout out to his family and his Father for Father's day, they closed out their set with a electric guitar driven rendition of Don't Stop (Color on the Walls). The song rang throughout the Woodlands and ended up being the closing number for The Firefly Stage Saturday as Foster The People unintentionally obtained and earned their second headlining Firefly performance. 

5.) The Kooks: Thursday | 11:00-12:00 PM | The Lawn Stage

The Kooks are a band that my girlfriend actually introduced me to not too long ago after "Naïve" came on the radio one day and I had to ask her what band played the song. Not too long after, I grew very fond of their debut record "Inside In/Inside Out" and a lot of the other singles off of their newer records. Then last year they put out another new record entitled, "Listen", that did not exactly have me falling head over heels, but had some solid singles that had me excited for their pseudo-headlining slot on Thursday night. Luke Pritchard ran the show, and proved to be one of the most entertaining frontmen of the weekend with his quirky stage antics and his incomprehensible stage banter attributed to his thick Worthing, English accent. To my luck, with the exception of a few deep cuts, the band stuck to the hits, moving from single to single from each record. Set highlights included renditions of classics such as "She Moves in Her Own Way", and rocker "Always Where I Need to Be". I also never knew that Pritchard played the keyboard, and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed some of the newer tracks that featured it such as ballad, "See Me Now" off of their new record. The Kooks ended up playing fifteen minutes longer than their allotted set time, and closed out Thursday night with thunderous singalongs of "Junk of the Heart (Happy)", and of course "Naïve". Their set left me with no complaints (maybe except their exclusion of Seaside from their setlist), and satisfied me from start to finish. The band just provided a solid, fun, high energy set, and because of this have earned a prime spot on our list. 

4.) Walk The Moon: Friday | 5:00-6:00 PM | The Lawn Stage

Walk The Moon are a Cincinnati, Ohio based indie-pop band that put out my favorite album of the Summer of 2012 in their self-titled, major label debut. And after catching them play a brief set at the 2013 104.5 Winter Jam in the freezing cold, I was left wanting more. About three years later, I finally was granted the opportunity to see them again last weekend at Firefly. Now the band is now two albums and a #1 Billboard single in, and I am halfway done through college... Despite my lack of interest in the majority of their new album I was still pretty blown away by the band's energy and performance of the new tracks and the old tracks alike. Songs like "Up 2 U", and "Avalanche" faired pretty well with the crowd, and sounded much better live than on the record. After opening with "Anna Sun" we all knew we were in for a treat. Despite the set being heavily saturated with tracks off Talking is Hard, I don't there were many better moments throughout the weekend then when Nick Petricca lead the crowd in a massive dance party during the final chorus of "Jenny" taking the sexually connotation of the line "I'm not going to take it from you unless you give it to me" line literally as he urged the crowd to give the band more and more energy. The band closed their set with their massive 2015 hit, "Shut Up and Dance", and left the crowd very pleased with their performance as they left it all out on the stage. Even though I prefer their older material, I am excited to see where this band can go in the future, and I wish them all the best on their journey. 

3.) Spoon: Saturday | 7:15-8:15 PM | The Lawn Stage

Britt Daniel pretty much has the perfect rock n' roll voice, with just the right amount of grit and edge to his vocals he really sounds even better live than he does on their phenomenal recordings. And his Austin, Texas band is just as solid, having been together and been putting out critically acclaimed albums and hits since the early 2000s. After their 2014 album, "They Want My Soul" ended up being my favorite album of last year, I knew that I had to catch their live set before they hit the studio again. And to my luck they also appeared on this year's Firefly lineup. After being pleasantly surprised by Sturgill Simpson, Greg and I made our way up to the front of the crowd as we waited 45 minutes for Spoon to take the stage. Eventually we crawled out way up to the second row, dead center. Spoon opened with "They Want My Soul" opener, "Rent I Pay" as Daniel essentially growled the lyrics, "And if that's your answer, no I ain't your dancer" at the crowd and really set the tone for the remainder of the set. They proceeded to kick into a great hits filled set full of tracks off of 2007's "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" such as "Don't You Evah", "Don't Make Me A Target", and closing number "The Underdog". Other set highlights included new tracks such as two of my favorite tracks from 2014 "Do You" and "Inside Out", and a classic singalong off 2002's "Kill the Moonlight", "The Way We Get By". The band was beyond tight, and despite an overpowering mic on the bass drum for the first half of the set, everything sounded very clear even from the second row. The chemistry of the group especially between Daniel, and Guitarist/Keyboardist Alex Fischel was also very heartwarming. It was awesome to see guys who have been playing together for over 13 years having so much fun up on stage. And it was even more fun sitting second row with a bunch of sweaty fans singing along to a diversified list of solid tracks from all over the band's stellar discography. 

2.) The Killers: Sunday | 9:15-10:45 PM | The Firefly Stage

The Killers could have easily been #1 on this list, but after considering them being over twenty minutes late for their festival closing set, and competing with Paul McCartney it was tough for them to take that spot. However, despite these factors, The Killers proved to us all on Sunday night that they are in fact headliner material and one of the best live bands out there today. Four years after their headlining set at the inaugural Firefly festival (that unfortunately, I was too young to attend at the time) The Killers returned to The Woodlands and brought all their hits and more. Opening with Mr. Brightside was probably the best thing the band could have done to make their slightly aggravated crowd forget that the band was late and certainly set the tone for the remainder of the set. This show was also special in that it served as one of the band's only shows of the entire year, and their only festival appearance of 2015 due to Brandon Flowers devoting a vast majority of his time to his brand new solo record, "The Desired Effect". Set highlights included Sam's Town classic "Bling (Confession of a King)", an extended version of  Battle Born single, "From Here On Out", covers of CCR's "Bad Moon Rising", Kings of Leon's "The Bucket" and "Use Somebody", and a set closing singalong of "All These Things That I've Done". I was skeptical when I read Brandon Flower's ballsy claim that The Killers were the greatest band of the past 15 years. I wasn't too fond of a decent amount of material off of Day and Age and Battle Born, but the band has done a great job of making their newer tracks sound even better in a live setting. And as cheesy as I thought the track, and first single off Battle Born, "Runaways" was at first listen, it has actually grown to be one of my favorite tracks the band plays. The Springsteen influence is certainly more prevalent in the live setting as well. The Killers may not be the BEST band of the 21st century thus far, but sets like their headlining performance at this year's Firefly festival certainly keep their name in the running. It's kind of hard to imagine thinking about When You Were Young or Mr. Brightside as "Classic Rock Songs" but something tells me that in a matter of a decade these records will be some of the songs our generation is remembered for. 

1.) Paul McCartney: Friday | 10:00 PM- 12:30 AM | The Firefly Stage

"New" is the title of Paul McCartney's most recent solo record, and one can argue that one of rock n' roll's greatest living figureheads makes even his records from the 1960s sound brand new on stage. Although various relatively famous artists took the Main Stage throughout the festival, literally no act came anywhere close to the magnitude or atmosphere during Macca's two and a half hour Friday night performance. The now 73 year old legend, had his birthday the night before his set, and decided to open up his headlining slot with the White Album classic, "Birthday" to celebrate with the crowd of around 90,000. Paul let his lengthy list of classic songs do most of the talking, but when he did communicate with the crowd he always had something interesting to say. After breaking into a jam of the riff of Jimi Hendrix's Foxy Lady at the end of Wing's song "Let Me Roll It", Paul told a story about how he witnessed Jimi play back in the sixties. After Jimi's Bigsby tremolo bridge forced his guitar out of tune he called upon an embarrassed Eric Clapton who was sitting in the front of the crowd to come up on stage and retune his guitar for him. Paul also loved to play his ballads, which is not necessarily a bad thing. He gave a shout out to his wife Nancy (who was in attendance) before jumping into a rendition of "My Valentine", only to follow it up saying, "And this one was for Linda" as he jumped into the crowd pleasing, "Maybe I'm Amazed". Other ballads included Let It Be's "The Long and Winding Road" which he devoted to the victims of the Charleston shooting, a stringless rendition of Revolver's "Eleanor Rigby", "Let It Be", "Hey Jude", and of course the Abbey Road Medley including "Golden Slumbers" and "Carry That Weight". But with the inclusion of some of the Beatle's and Wing's hardest hitting tracks, such as "Live and Let Die", "Helter Skeleter", and "Paperback Writer" no McCartney fan was left disappointed. My personal favorite moment of the set came from McCartney's rendition of the classic George Harrison tune, "Something" which he played half of on a ukulele, and finished with the full band. Even with all of the emotional ballads in the set, I would have to say the most emotional moment for me was when Paul and the thousands of people around me belted out the song's bridge, "You're asking me will my love grow, I don't know, I don't know". Paul is a superstar, and he's a relatively humble superstar as he allowed a younger fan to come on stage and sign her tattoo of his face on her arm. He also held a great amount of endearment towards his past with his old bandmates, and truly expressed all of his emotions as if he didn't play the same songs every night. Paul brought fireworks to his Firefly set, both literally and figuratively, and played a set that I will remember for the rest of my life. And for these reasons his set remains the top performance we witnessed this summer at the 2015 Firefly Festival. 

Honorable Mentions are owed to Modest Mouse, whom unfortunately we missed due to camping out for Sir Paul. I saw them perform this April in Pittsburgh and can honestly say they are one of the best live bands I have ever seen live. I am sure they would have been a shoe-in for our list had we seen their set. Unfortunately, Firefly had to stack their Friday line-up and priority had to be given to Macca as we figured we would stay in the front 10 rows after watching Morrissey's set. 

And Morrissey also cannot go unmentioned. Moz was certainly the most out of place act on this year's Firefly lineup, and I still can't exactly place my finger on why exactly Red Frog decided to book him. Regardless, as a Smiths fan I was excited to see him. Unfortunately, a vast majority of the Firefly crowd had little to no interest in Smiths or Morrissey. Morrissey played the opening set for Paul McCartney, and was unopposed during his set. He also played to one of the least dense crowds of the entire festival, with a decent amount of the crowd making various comments such as, "Who is Morrissey?", "I hope Morrissey leaves so Paul can start earlier", and at one point in the set when Morrissey asked the crowd somewhat jokingly, "Would you like us to go?" a decent amount of the crowd responded "Yes". Between Moz's crowd and overhearing one random girl say, "I was so upset when Paul McCartney didn't play FourFiveSeconds", I was a little upset with some of the people at this year's Firefly as a good amount of those in attendance seemed like they were only in there to see Zedd, the Chainsmokers, and Aoki jump around to their Spotify playlists. I would like to thank the Firefly lineup curators for attempting to keep some sort of artistry in the festival, and would like to encourage them to keep the festival moving in that direction going forward. Morrissey played a solid set, and his voice sounded excellent! I certainly commend him for actually making it through the whole performance without just quitting after the lack of reception from a lack luster crowd. I have never felt so uncomfortable at a concert before, and can only imagine how Moz felt watching it from on stage. Had the scenario been different Morrissey would have certainly been well near the top of my list, but due to the surrounding factors, the performance just left me being more upset than anything and for that reason he did not make my top 10 this year. 

Besides a few blemishes, cancelled shows, and a whole lot of mud, overall Firefly 2015 was a success. Please feel free to comment and let us know how your experience was at this year's festival! Or just comment about anything! We would love to hear what you think, and discuss what's on your mind in the world of music, festivals, and other general happenings of life.

Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

Jake Sternberg