Taste Of Chaos Featuring Jimmy Eat World, The Used, And The All American Rejects

I certainly wouldn’t mind living on the west coast this October. The weather is beautiful, the people are much more laid back, and there is a great little concert taking place in San Bernardino on October 3rd. The Used, Jimmy Eat World, All American Rejects, Mark Hoppus, and Story Of The Year along with several other bands playing an all day festival. This sounds like my kind of day! If you live in the area, or plan to be in the area, I implore you to check out the concert for yourself.Visit www.tasteofchaos.com for more information.

Almost Alice - The Soundtrack to Alice In Wonderland

Everyone knows that Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland is out in theaters starring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. From what I hear, Depp gives a brilliant performance and the movie is a fantastic one. I have yet to see it, but it is on my list along with Clash of the Titans.

Hailing from that movie is the soundtrack, Almost Alice, which contains 16 songs from the hottest artists around, both well known and new. The Almost Alice soundtrack is a collection of exceptional music that compliments the film. Filled with memorable music that will get multiple listens Almost Alice is a record worth getting your hands on.

Loaded with songs from great artists, Almost Alice includes music from All American Rejects, Owl City, Shinedown, All Time Low, 3OH!3 and Kerli amongst others. 15 of the 16 songs are brand new recordings just for this album. The lone exception is The Technicolor Phase by Owl City.

The disc opens with Alice by Avril Lavigne, and while I’m not her biggest fan, this song is decent and memorable. A solid opening number that sets up the rest of the soundtrack nicely, Alice is a song that you will enjoy regardless of your feelings for Lavigne.

All American Rejects check in next with The Poison. I am a huge fan of AAR, so to hear a brand new song from them was reason enough for me to want this disc. I’m not sure if The Poison is a leftover track from their recording sessions on When The World Comes Down, or if they went into the studio specifically with this movie in mind, but either way, The Poison is not their strongest work. That’s not to say it’s awful, it’s just that I’ve heard better form the band and I was disappointed in The Poison.

Shinedown’s new track, Her Name Is Alice, is one of their best songs to date. Keeping up with all of the masterpieces that were included on their latest disc, The Sound Of Madness, Shinedown hits a home run with this hard rocking heavy hitter. Short in duration, but long in quality, this could be the best song on the soundtrack.

Hip-Hop artists 3OH!3 team up with Neon Hitch to put together the fabulous Follow Me Down. With an upbeat dance rhythm, and fun lyrics that promote happiness and good times, Follow Me Down is an excellent track. The dance beat makes you want to jump up and down and I’m sure this will be a big hit in the clubs and on the radio. Follow Me Down is a wonderful contribution to Almost Alice.

Kerli’s Tea Party is included on this compilation. The funky tech beat and guilty pleasure rhythms make this a song worth listening to over and over again. Kerli is a hot new artist worth keeping your eye on. Tea Party may not be the best song from Almost Alice, but it has such a groove that it gets stuck in your head and never goes away. Kerli has talent and you should be hearing more from her in the future.

The coolest collaboration on Almost Alice is Mark Hoppus (Blink 182) and Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy). Friends for a long time, hearing these two team up for a song was a music newsworthy moment. In Transit is their contribution for this collection and it’s a solid track that makes you wonder if they have any plans for future recordings. With Fall Out Boy on indefinite hiatus (in other words, history) and Blink 182 making no announcements for new music after their reunion tour, this pairing should consider going into the studio together for an entire disc. If In Transit is any indicator, it would be a worthwhile effort and the fans would love it.

Whether you’ve seen the movie, or still have it on your wish list, Almost Alice is the perfect companion piece and a worthwhile addition to your musical collection. Filled with tracks from today’s hottest artists, Almost Alice sings with greatness. Featured music from long time favorites as well as hot new stars that are going to be long time favorites makes it a worthy investment. Almost Alice is available online, at major retailers, and at your local music shop.

Ryo’s Rating: 8 (out of 10).

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - September 11th Remembered

Today marks the 8th anniversary of the most tragic event that I ever lived through. It was a horrendous day in the annals of American history, but from these violent attacks birthed a new hope. The American people collectively gathered together and had ideas and plans for the future. We did not let this senseless act defeat us and we did not let it destroy and end America as we know it. Instead, we grew stronger, more united, and bonded tighter than ever, which is the American way. Let’s take a moment today to remember those who passed away, the men and women that gave their lives trying to save others, and the American spirit that helped pull everyone through.

Here’s what rocked this week:
Bands That Covered The Beatles
The Beatles were obviously a hot topic of conversation this week with the release of all their remastered albums and Rock Band video game. This was an interesting post reflecting on how many times Beatles songs have been covered by various artists. Some of them I knew well, others I had no idea were ever done. Definitely a fun read.

The Voodoo Experience
As the summer concert festivals have drawn to a close, the fall festivals are heating up. The Voodoo Experience, taking place in New Orleans over Halloween weekend, has announced their lineup and it looks pretty darned exciting to me. Check out the website for all the information.

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Live Anthology
In an announcement that got me rather excited, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are releasing a live anthology box set that will contain 4 discs and 48 tracks of live material culled over their illustrious history. No release date has been set yet, but it’s safe to say that this set will be available in time for the holidays.

All American Rejects and Taking Back Sunday
And finally, there’s this gem. The All American Rejects and Taking Back Sunday are teaming up to go out on tour this fall. Up and coming rockers Anberlin will man the opening slot. The Guru just may have to travel to Atlantic City or Connecticut to see this one.

Have a great weekend everyone!

New Videos To Overwhelm Your Senses

I’ve stumbled across some cool new videos this past week and thought that I would be kind enough to share them. Enjoy!

First up is Shinedown with The Sound of Madness. This song is a balls to the wall rocker and the video is just as loud and eerie. And is it me, or does lead singer Brent Smith look a little too much like Ozzy Osbourne in the beginning of this video?



Next, we have the latest from the All American Rejects, The Wind Blows. This is one of the slower songs from their latest disc, When The World Comes Down.



And finally, here’s Buckcherry with their new music video for Talk To Me. In typical Buckcherry fashion, the guys keep it fun and loose.



Comments are open. Feel free to post some.

CD Review: All American Rejects - When The World Comes Down

The All American Rejects return with their latest effort, When The World Comes Down. Following up their stellar Move Along was quite a challenge, but the band was up for it. They went into the studio and came out with this.

When The World Comes Down opens with the heavy rocker, I Wanna. A ballsy, fast paced song, that smacks you in the face and announces that this band rocks. It’s a great opening track that packs a punch and makes you take notice.

Fallin Apart, the second track on the disc, picks up right where the first one left off. The All American Rejects bring out another catchy hit. The music sounds fantastic, lead singer Tyson Ritter’s voice sounds amazing, and the lyrics are fun, meaningful, and deep. The strings used in this song add a nice blend to the guitar and bass and help the song become one of the more standout ones on the disc.

Damn Girl starts with a nice slow build before kicking into a rocking, synthesized, guitar and drum assault on the senses. The pain of this song bleeds through the lyrics and the young heartache is felt in the power of the music and Tyson’s vocals.

Gives You Hell, the first single from the record, is a fun song with catchy rhythm and appeal. It closes out the four best songs on the disc, which are the opening four, and takes to you right away. With pop chops that rival any band out there, this song is a true reflection on the broad appeal of The All American Rejects. The sing along chorus toward the end of the song really brings it all together. You’ll be certain to be singing along by your third listen (if not your second).

While the rest of When The World Comes Down is chock full of solid songs and music, nothing compares to the first four, which is why upon first listen, I thought this album was a bit of a disappointment. However, after giving it the proper attention it deserves, I came to realize that the strength of the first four songs was taking away from the rest of the disc. The remainder is strong and when taken out of the shadow of the opening songs, the disc as a whole can hold its own with anything released in the last 12 months.

When The World Comes Down definitely tops its predecessor and rises to the top as The All American Rejects best album yet. That may be a bold statement, but this is a bold album.

Ryo’s Rating: 8.5 (out of 10)