CD Review: Pop Evil - Pop Evil

It has been a while since there has been a CD review here at The Rock And Roll Guru. There are several reasons for this, time being one of the biggest. But when a new Pop Evil record was announced, I knew that I had to write a review for this one. I have been with this band since their earliest days and they have been one of my favorites since the night I first learned of their existence. Hard working, dedicated, hit making machines that are constantly on tour, Pop Evil is one of the greatest modern rock bands around.  

I am certain I say this every time Pop Evil puts out a new album, but they just get better with each release. Pop Evil is the latest incarnation of greatness from this little band that could. The record is filled with uplifting messages of hope and peace and belief in yourself, something that is usually at the core of good hard rock records. It is why fans are so drawn to the music in the first place, it makes them believe that they can achieve anything. Pop Evil is at the forefront of that inspirational type of music and their self-titled release is further proof.

Pop Evil is the first album to be recorded with new drummer Hayley Cramer. Chachi Riot brought a crazy and intense drumming method to Pop Evil that was fun to watch live. When he announced his departure from the band it was a huge disappointment, but Cramer, an animal in her own right, has filled in nicely and won over fans. Her drumming style is different than Riot’s, but her timing and ability is just as grand. She has been a wonderful replacement. Cramer was a great find for Pop Evil and after being on the road with the band for a while, she got to show off her work in the studio setting with Pop Evil. The end result shows that she is a valuable asset to this band.

The first single from this album was the hard hitting “Waking Lions.” Filled with signature Pop Evil sounds and styles, “Waking Lions” is a fantastic song about awakening the beast within to overcome challenges and achieve all the dreams that are possible in life with hard work and perseverance. This is something that Pop Evil is familiar with. They are a band that has built an immense, devoted following based on the strength of their music and their endless touring.  They know how to awaken the beast within. “Waking Lions” shows the high end of lead singer Leigh Kakaty’s vocals which sound as majestic as ever. Kakaty’s voice is powerful on this track and makes the music soar.

I will admit that I do miss guitarist Tony Greve, but Nick Fueling is a master in his own right. He’s been with the band for as many years as Tony was and has now played on more albums than Greve. Nick’s style helped propel the band in directions they may not have otherwise gone in.  While Greve was more of a hard and heavy style of guitarist (in the vein of Pantera), Fueling is more of a modern rock guitarist ala Shinedown or Nickelback. Fueling’s style is a better fit for this incarnation of Pop Evil and since he joined the band they have gravitated toward that modern sound that will fill arenas with fans and win over newcomers.

Uplifting and inspiring, the track “Be Legendary” is destined to be another top 5 single for a band that is filled with them. This song could almost be a sequel to “Waking Lions.” “Be Legendary” contains positive messages of always giving only your best and pushing yourself to be a legend. It’s songs like this one that make Pop Evil such a fun and admirable band to listen to. They don’t wallow in self-pity or cry over life’s tragedies. Instead the band promotes ways to overcome hardship and inspire all to lift themselves up and achieve the best that they can. These themes started way back on War Of Angels and were fleshed out on the following releases. Pop Evil have gotten to the point where they have honed their skills in this type of songwriting and can really inspire not only the youth of today but those that are middle aged as well. We should all strive to be legendary indeed.

One of the most unique and innovative songs that Pop Evil has ever recorded is contained on this new release. “Nothing But Thieves” is a six-minute gem that works al different types of tones and musical styles not normally known in Pop Evil’s music. This branching out for the band was a bit of a risk, but one that worked well as “Nothing But Thieves” is probably the best song on Pop Evil and could be one of the best songs the band has ever recorded. It starts slowly with chimes and keyboards and then builds in intensity until exploding at the 2-minute mark proclaiming that we know what it’s like and we make mistakes in being right or wrong, branding ourselves nothing but thieves. “Nothing But Thieves” combines so much into one song which is what makes it so powerful. Fueling’s guitar solo at the end is magnificent and completes the song in a majestic way. After hearing “Nothing But Thieves” several times, it is my hope that the band will continue to experiment with their music in this direction. The payoff is well worth the risk.

God’s Dam harkens back to early Pop Evil with Kakaty’s voice sounding like it is 2007 all over again. The song reminds me of early, unreleased demo tracks that Pop Evil had recorded before Lipstick On The Mirror. As far as ballads go, this one is up there with some of the strongest that Pop Evil have recorded. Kakaty’s voice shines and the lyrics are some of the greatest the band has written. And while “God’s Dam” isn’t a true ballad in the sense of “Monster You Made,” or “100 In A 55,” it is still a beautiful piece of music that fans are going to be singing along with in concert as soon as the song is performed live.

Pop Evil has recorded another incredible album that fans are bound to love and newcomers should welcome with open arms. The band has a storied history for making hits and with Pop Evil there are more hits that can be added to their repertoire. Hard rocking and heavy as well as soft and sweet, Pop Evil hits all the right places for rock music lovers. It is an inspirational record that is as beautiful as it is uplifting. Pop Evil soars. At this point in their career no one really expected anything but greatness from the band and they delivered it once again.

Ryo’s Rating: 9 (out of 10)

Track Listing

Waking Lions

Colors Bleed

Ex Machina

Art Of War

Be Legendary

Nothing But Thieves

A Crime To Remember

God’s Dam

When We Were Young

Birds Of Prey

Rewind

CD Review: Prophets Of Rage

There are few releases these days that can stir up feelings of excitement and hope for the future of music or the music industry. There are even fewer new releases that I consider exceptional and will find myself listening to multiple times over. With music being so much more accessible thanks to streaming services and the internet, it’s rare to lock into one release and spend an amount of quality time that ingrains the music into the listener until it becomes part of their DNA. Prophets Of Rage is a repudiation to that new trend of listen twice and move on. This album will continue to receive multiple plays for the foreseeable future and beyond.

Prophets of Rage is a supergroup blending Hip Hop and nu-metal that is changing the world of music by revisiting the past and injecting new rhythms into classic sounds. Tom Morello (Audioslave, Rage Against The Machine), Brad Wilk (Rage Against The Machine), Chuck D and DJ Lord (Public Enemy), and B-Real (Cypress Hill) have formed an incredible rap metal group that mixes both genres in a new and refreshing way while still remaining true to both styles of music. The band takes the best elements of both genres and blends them into a beautiful harmony of earful bliss.

Prophets Of Rage is the best mix of rap and rock since Anthrax and Public Enemy recorded “Bring The Noise.” Tom Morello’s guitar is front and center in the music. His unique style of guitar playing, which can’t be duplicated, sounds crisp and viable on Prophets Of Rage. His ability mixed with exceptional beats by Brad Wilk, amazing samples from DJ Lord, and powerful vocals from Chuck D alongside B-real makes for outstanding music. And while I feel the project might have been even more enjoyable with Flavor Flav in the mix, the message that is being delivered throughout these songs is done by the appropriate musicians. I love Flavor Flav, but he probably wasn’t right for this project.

The music is as hard and heavy as the message it delivers. “Unfuck The World” is a prime example. No hatred, fuck racists, blank faces, time’s changing, one nation, unification, the vibration, unfuck the world. A serious political statement that’s filled with hope, which is a rare accomplishment for any band. Most musicians who decide to infect their music with political statements miss the mark and try to sway the listener to their one-dimensional beliefs. Prophets of Rage is better than that. As heard on “Unfuck The World” the goal is unification. Can’t we find a way to unite the people once again? It’s a daring thought and in this modern age, it’s a welcome one.

Political statements are highlighted throughout the entire record. In most cases, I feel that musicians should never cross politics and music, they should entertain and enlighten but there is no need for a blatant placement of their political views inside of their music. There are rare exceptions that can pull this off without feeling preachy. U2 is one example. Rage Against The Machine and Public Enemy are two other examples. Both of those bands would create music that really made the listener think and wonder and understand the state of our nation with their music. Prophets of Rage understandably takes that ability and injects it into their self-titled debut release.

It’s great to have music that makes you feel alive return to the forefront. Expectations were high for this record but Prophets of Rage delivers and exceeds. And that’s understandable when there is such mega-talent as Chuck D and Tom Morello at the forefront of the album. Prophets Of Rage takes me back to a time in my life when the music just felt invigorating. As each song played out it was a joyous new discovery that couldn’t be compared with any other feeling. Prophets Of Rage brings that similar style of joy with each song unfolds.

There is no filler on this record. This self-titled debut from these masterminds of talent is a superb record that is worthy of multiple listens. Prophets Of Rage is available this Friday, September 15^th. It would be in your best interest to pick up a copy of this album and let it wash all over you. I don’t know if there is going to be a better release this year.

Ryo’s Rating: 9 (out of 10)

Track Listing

Radical Eyes

Unfuck The World

Legalize Me

Living on the 110

The Counteroffensive

Hail To The Chief

Take Me Higher

Strength In Numbers

Fired A Shot

Who Owns Who

Hands Up

Smashit

Prophets Of Rage

Tom Morello – Guitar

Brad Wilk – Beats

Chuck D – Vocals

B-Real – Vocals

DJ Lord – turntables

CD Review: Train - A Girl A Bottle A Boat

Train have just released their latest album a girl a bottle a boat. This summer will they will be on the road in support of that album. O.A.R. and Natasha Bedingfield will be the opening acts. So before you decide to take in a Train concert at a stage near you, is the album one that you can sing along with? Is a girl a bottle a boat worth the price of admission? Let’s spin the disc and find out.

A girl a bottle a boat is definitely a change in style from earlier Train albums, but more in line with the direction they have gone over the last few years. This record is certainly more “Sweet Soul Sister” and less “Drops Of Jupiter.” It is a pop heavy album with a lot of synth that keeps a solid beat, has toes tapping, and will find people singing along. Ultimately that is what a fun record should do, and Train has hit the mark. This is the first Train album without founding member and lead guitarist Jimmy Stafford, which puts more pressure on the rest of the band to fill in the blanks of his absence, but the band was clearly up for the challenge.

The record opens with a fun synth/pop song “Drink Up.” It’s a dance worthy track that would force people to jump around on the floor at the mere listen. It was certainly not what I was expecting when I first played the record, but it was a pleasant surprise. Electro, techno, funk with a sing along chorus molds “Drink Up” into a fun song that would create a sing along at the party. The lyrics are solid, the melody is enjoyable, and the tune is a potential hit. It’s a great opening track for the record.

Lead single “Play That Song” is an exceptional number and one that received multiple plays during the course of this review. I have been enjoying this song since it was first released as a single this past fall and it has just gotten better over time. It’s a catchy, sing-along song that gets deep in your head and doesn’t release. Quite possibly the best song on the album, “Play That Song” is an astounding, fun track of great music.

“Loverman” is one of the greatest tracks on a girl a bottle a boat. It is short and sweet but packs quite a punch. Priscilla Renea sings vocals along with Pat Monahan and she is what puts this song over the top. Her voice is the perfect companion to Monahan’s and together the two vocals make “Loverman” an amazing tune. Priscilla opens the song with the acapella chant of “All night long, I wait for my Loverman…” This is followed by Monahan starting his verse acapella and then an acoustic guitar slips into the background shortly before the whole band kicks in by the middle of the first verse. It is a well-structured, well-crafted song that is guaranteed to be a future hit for Train.

“You Better Believe” is a return to the classic Train sound that made me fall in love with the band when they first arrived on the scene. The song opens with a mellow piano riff and Pat Monahan singing a lovely ballad, showing off his voice which still sounds great after all of these years. “You Better Believe” is a song of hope and faith and optimism toward the future. It is a number that builds slowly as it progresses and ends with intensity. “You Better Believe” will sound amazing in concert and I hope that it is on the setlist this summer.

Overall a girl a bottle a boat is a grand record worthy of your time. You can get the album on ITunes, Amazon, or wherever albums are sold. Be sure to check it out and get yourself prepared to sing along with everyone else this summer.  

Ryo’s Rating: 7.5 (out of 10)

Track Listing

Drink Up

Play That Song

The News

Lottery

Working Girl

Silver Dollar

Valentine

What Good Is Saturday

Loverman

Lost And Found

You Better Believe