There
was a time when rock n roll was a dream that guys strove for
but
now it's all about survival and the band RED TIDE RISING wears the
survival on their sleeve proudly. And you thought that MAD MAX-styled
figure on the cover of their latest EP VOICES was just them being
cute but for music that's all about surviving a world that's on the
brink of coming apart, the sleeve is all the more purposeful for what
ends up being a five-song concept album. The hard and heavy sound and
the subject matter have even made a strong impression on the band's
recent live shows with lead singer ANDREW WHITEMAN taking to the
stage in ROAD WARRIOR get up. Produced by MIKE LUCE of DROWNING POOL,
VOICES is a step in the right direction creatively and given the
recent chart action the EP has seen - commercially. This is indeed
a classic case of survival of the fittest.
Monday, June 27, 2016
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Rockwired Radio Profiles #647 - Another Lost Year
My how times have changed! Back when the AMERICAN IDOL juggernaut was piping hot there were concerns by some who felt that the massive spectacle was no way to discern true musical talent but time has proved that to be baseless and largely fueled by folks who haven't made much of a dent in the music world themselves. The AMERICAN IDOL phenomenon had shined a light on a tremendous amount of talent and a lot of it came our way to the pages of ROCKWIRED. One of them was CLINTON CUNANAN and his band ANOTHER LOST YEAR. In 2012, they were one of the band's that gave ROCKWIRED MAGAZINE it's big push and all of that was on the strength of their album BETTER DAYS and it's lead single WAR ON THE INSIDE. CUNANAN's knack for commanding a stage as well as a studio have truly come in handy in leading ANOTHER LOST YEAR to being one of active rock's most highly regarded bands. Two years later was the EP THE REVOLUTION PART ONE - THE OTHER SIDE and now ANOTHER LOST YEAR is back with the ultra-ambitious LP ALIEN ARCHITECT where CUNANAN's songwriting and vocal performance goes up a couple of notches and the extra kick is proudly displayed on the albums first single WE ALL DIE ALONE accompanied by a gritty music video.
CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
Rockwired Radio Profiles #646 - Cage9
Sure, a six-minute song titled EVERYTHING YOU LOVE WILL SOMEDAY DIE doesn't sound like anything that will conjure up images of sun and fun this sweltering Summer but it is the first single from CAGE 9's new CD ILLUMINATOR - the latest release from DAVE ELLEFSON's EMP label. Sure the track ain't about singing in the sunshine but what you hear is a band that is willing to take things a step further with their instrumentation and song craft. Everything that makes this song work can be heard and felt everywhere else on ILLUMINATOR with the band slamming the metal down like nobody's business and front man EVAN RODANICHE acting as the narrator through these tales of love and life gone wrong and then on an upturn once again. The albums message of hope in a world gone mad is a refreshing one given some recent tragedies of late and a contentious election year. When we spoke with RODANICHE the band was getting set to take the stage in Idaho with the likes of ASKING ALEXANDRIA and BOBAFLEX. Given the promise we hear in ILLUMINATOR, it's only a matter of seconds before people realize that CAGE 9 is something worth holding onto.
CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Rockwired Radio Profiles #645 - Bucky Hayes and The Commonwealth
It's got to be the season for troubadours here at ROCKWIRED. First there was the plaintive folk leanings of MICHAEL TODD and the soul searching wanderings of singer songwriter JORDAN BENNETT and now you have the plucky mixture of soul, country and rock with BUCKY HAYES and his band of merry men aptly named THE COMMMONWEALTH ( two of the guys in the band are from the State of Virginia). While the southern born and reared HAYES is based in Brooklyn these days there is no denying the southern charm that rings through loud and clear on the songs that make up the bands forthcoming CD 100 MILES TO MACON. Even though he is actually a thousand miles from Macon these days there is not denying the honesty and earnestness of the music here. While the album isn't going to see an official release until September, BUCKY HAYES AND THE COMMONWEALTH have given us some easygoing summertime jams to kick out when we're on the porch with that cold can of FOSTERS. You thought we were going to PABST BLUE RIBBON, didn't you?
CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
Rockwired Radio Profiles #644 - Jordan Bennett
We've got to be honest. It wasn't likely that a Christian punk rock band with a name like ZANZHIMINT was going to have much of a shot in the same way that a band like BLINK-182 did. Singer songwriter JORDAN BENNETT - the former lead singer of said band - was kind enough tell us that ZANZHIMINT was a curiously flavored ice cream and at the time of us writing this piece, we can't for the life of us remember but ZANZHIMINT (the band anyway) is simply water under the bridge and BENNETT is embarking on a solo career marked by reflective, biographical lyrics and a stripped down acoustic sound that should have not trouble resonating with folks who don't go to church on Sunday. OUTCASTS AND UNTOUCHABLES is a bold artistic statement and a statement of life aims to be true and righteous despite hard times and some rather complicated relationships. BENNETT has mined some gold with these cathartic tunes and we can see form hear that a great musical talent has been born.
CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
Rockwired Radio Profiles #643 - Michael Todd
You can't make up a story like MICHAEL TODDs' career in music. The guy
has been a professional musician since the age of eight along wit his
brother in a touring musical act called - quite expectedly - THE TODD
BROTHERS. The two siblings traveled alongside a magician which only
adds magic to this already magical and musical life . Music has taken
this guy all over the world whether the gig was by a campfire or a
subway platform in New York City or with his band THE WILD FRONTIER
opening for such acts as STARSHIP, BJ THOMAS, PAM TILLIS and LORRIE
MORGAN. All of the passion and romanticism that goes with the
territory of being a dyed in the wool troubadour finds it's way onto
TODD's first ever solo album CRASHLAND. These songs of longing and and
searching are given that little something extra with TODD's soulful
rasp and the albums sparse acoustic instrumentation. Intimacy and heart
are in abundance on this album and in a time where music is more about
grand sonic splashes, MICHAEL TODD proves that less is indeed more.
Hell, it's downright beautiful.
CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles643.mp3
CHECK OUT THE PODCAST AT:
http://www.rockwired.com/temporarysite/rockwiredprofiles643.mp3
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