New Year, New challenges.

There are plans for 2010. First of all, I’d like to post things here often (sweet dreams ;-), but you know life, so no promises. Second of all, I’m breaking the rule of presenting only jamendo and garageband releases. From now on, it’s every single netlabel or artist that uses CC, if he is worth recommending, of course.

Ok, so have a great 2010, live long and prosper!

Yours truly,

gz.

Merry X-mas

Light In Your Life – light in your life

Rate:8/10

That’s the nice record, one that sticks with you from the first chords to the end of the album. The content is basically, a guitar-based, new/dark wave melancholic songs. It reminds me of an early Radiohead (the intro in It Would Be Fine for that instance), Editors (just listen to the vocalist style in Smile That Smile), the Smiths (their hypnotic mode - Christian), Interpol (the riff in Psych) or even Arcade Fire (an extremely catchy and in the same way obscure and melancholic guitar work in Emily Scott). Ok... Even with the comparison, because in a way it is degrading for the band. I think that Light In Your Life has its own style, and it seems that if they play their cards right and put a bit of diversity into their arrangement, there is definitely future ahead of them. As for now, I give 8 out of 10, because the cover is a bit amaterish.

Stay cool,

gz.

Guilt trip - Headplate [el:ectro]

Rate:5/5

Good one
This tune has everything I expect from a solid industrial tune. It has good electronic sample (reminding me of early Nine Inch Nails or Nitzer Ebb), the vocal is very much in industrial style - dark and emotional preaching ;-) Rhythm is professional and has good sound, there are nice breaks of it (1'23'') and the chorus is quite catchy. Summarizing, it's two thumbs up!

song's site

Josh Woodward – Breadcrumbs

Rate:9/10

This Josh’s release is one of his finest – very much keeping up with the style and efficiency of Not Quite Connected and Dirty Wings. The mood on Breadcrumbs is very switfly balanced between folk/americana melancholy and more alternative (maybe even a bit, but really, just a bit experimental) energetic moments. I suppose people that enjoyed earlier albums from this artist would love most of the tracks here, but my top three favourites are: Overthrown wioth a beginning very much similar to Kings Of Leon compositions (that would be something, Josh Woodward in a KOL style), but later on going into this familiar Josh’s soft storytelling, and two last pieces: Ghosts with a really great, dark atmosphere and one of the best guitarwork from this musician and I’m not Dreaming which is in fact a zenith of Woodward’s melancholy. If the whole LP were that way songs mentioned above, it would be definitely a top jamendo album. Now, it’s nine out of ten for me, and I’m still waiting for this Josh Woodward definite record.

Stay cool,

Gz

Rate:5/5

Worth recommending
This track is a real nice mix of thrash-metal and a bit of hard-core ovcals. The track is engagin,g though it lasts for almost five minutes and a half! The sound is a bit poor, but I suppose not everyone can afford really professional recording studio, plus the mood is more garage thanks to that ;-). Guitar riff is really old-school in a positive sense, it reminds me of some Slayer songs. There are also nice speech samples at te beginning at the track, which makes composition more interesting. In summary, two thumbs up.

song's site

Diablo Swing Orchestra – Butcher’s Ballroom

Rate:10/10

This is definitely an album to recommend. Diablo’s mixture of classic, heavy-metal, swing and whatever comes handy is an extraordinary thing even for such a boiling place as jamendo releases. Butcher’s Ballroom is an almost hour of really professionally produced and skillfully performed music. I feel Mike Patton’s strong influence here, but in my case, it’s more an advantage than a vice. All of the songs are worth mentioning, but my favourite is D’Angelo - a short tune in an almost opra mode. I also loved Rag Doll Physics chorus and extremely energetic Infralove. Every little aspect of the record, beginning from the sound, through the composition and lyrics is very much close to perfection, so do not hesistate to get accustomed with this amazing journey Diablo Swing Orchestra invites you to.

take care,

gz.