Glen

Work Of Art - In Progress Right off the bat Im gonna say that this is head and shoulders above any other pure AOR release so far this year and with only really Mecca II to come (which is supposed to be excellent by the way!), I cant really see it being topped (AOR wise) in 2011. The production is pretty stunning - I mean this is how an album is supposed to sound. Everything just sits perfectly and the mix is absolutely nailed. Vocals throughout are awesome, musicianship is top drawer. At least 3/4 of the songs feature excellent sing a long first time choruses. The only negative thing I can say about this album (and these are minor gripes) is that the whole album just sounds very familiar - WoA are definitely operating in their 'comfort zone' here and in many of the verses you can hear rhythms, samples, etc which are featured on the first album. The worst example of this is in the song 'Eye Of The Storm' where the verse is almost a copy cat of a song from the debut (havent checked out which)...you can almost forgive them tho cos the chorus is straight out of heaven....an AOR wet dream. elsewhere I have to admit that the chorus in 'The Rain' and 'Emelie' are just too close for comfort....that said again each song is excellent in its own right. That's why the highlights for me so far (purely based on 2 spins) are the songs which show a slight departure from their signature sound - 'Never Love Again'...which has hints of classic era 80s Journey and is utterly brilliant and 'Castaway' which starts out with an acoustic style (with awesome vocal!) but then explodes into the best chorus Ive heard all year -like the best Harem Scarem chorus youve heard. Just WOW!. Bottom line is there's hardly a weak moment on this, the albums flows just great. This is good - whether its good enough to top Toby Hitchcock remains to be seen....Im not sure it has the 'wow' factor of some of those songs, but I wont know for sure until I have the originals and can spin plenty of times. Definitely lives up to the hype tho.

well we were 2 from 2......not now. Crawley Town obviously looking good. Ouch.

Yeah that was what I was thinking, but the 'advantages' just seem to be things that I have either never done (never re-tagged and never had to??) or will never need to do.....like adding artwork to an MP3 player?? It spends all day in my pocket - as long as the song/album shows up that's all that bothers me. Maybe Im just a simple man......... Yep. Use whatever works for you. Those things that aren't important to you are to me, and I like what I'm hearing with regards to the simplicity of updating the information on my iPod/iPhone. Well I just deleted about 7 albums from my iphone and added about 4 in about 1-2 mins. Not sure what is so bad about that?? Hey ho.

This one says it's "digital only". Fucking kids with their fucking scene haircuts and their fucking "digital-only" attitude. If I'm going to pay money the least they can do it is record it onto a CD and have a fucking postman deliver it to my house. Wankers. Nice music though. Your so July 2011. Get with the times. It's August. Theres no point in producing a 'cd' as their target market will only download it illegally anyway ;-)) Sad but true...... Most of their revenue will come through ticket sales and merchandising at live performances.

Yeah that was what I was thinking, but the 'advantages' just seem to be things that I have either never done (never re-tagged and never had to??) or will never need to do.....like adding artwork to an MP3 player?? It spends all day in my pocket - as long as the song/album shows up that's all that bothers me. Maybe Im just a simple man.........

Andreas Novak - Days Of Our Lives

Andreas Novak - NoVakation Sixx AM - This is Gonna Hurt

I don't agree with that at all. I know it's hard for you, but try to differentiate the good stuff (7/10) from the great stuff (9 or 10/10). Nothing you listed in the modern rock category is any better than 7 or 8/10. So is most of the MHR stuff, like Alyson Avenue/Bad Habit/Lionville/Within Temptation (Bai Bang is crap IMO). All very good discs and well worth getting, but not amazing. Not Treat/H.E.A.T/First Signal greatness. Only Toby Hitchcock and maybe Work Of Art (only heard soundbytes) are in this category, and nothing so far in Modern Rock... Oh, and Trivium. And if you mention White Widdow there'll be a full-on (virtual) street brawl. No, no, no, no, no, no. No. I didn't really mean that, just used it for effect. Now, to business. I just re-read your post and you're pretty much agreeing with me, amirite, except for the fact that you don't think the likes of Destrophy, Trust Company, Adelita's Way, Forever the Sickest Kids and Stealing Eden are as good as the top 5 MHR discs. And okay, I can give you that. The top MHR discs would probably score around 85-90% and these would score around 82-87% on average, for me... but jeez, it's still freakin' close. And I think we both agree (do we?) that a lot of the rest of the stuff is around that 7-8/10 bracket. Which I also agree with. But I don't know when music critiquing got so brutal. What's wrong with 70-80%? That's a bloody brilliant score in my books. How many sub 50% albums are out there? Billions! It's like me going for a surf and expecting perfect waves every single time or I don't enjoy myself? I'm not saying all the modern discs I listed are perfect 10s by any means... I just think the average score of both the better modern and MHR is sitting around that 70-75% mark this year, each with a few exceptions. And I'm cool with that. The one thing that really stood out for me was when someone posted that top 10 songs of 2011, without even thinking about it I rattled off almost a list entirely of modern rock songs... and I'd stand by that. It may just be me, but I do think that overall the 2 styles/genres are pretty damn equal. And have you heard Trust Company and I See Stars? I thought you'd dig stuff like that... and Close to Home too? Also very cool. Oh well, to each their own. Punk. Oh, and the only time I'll mention White Widdow is when someone asks me what the equal best album of 2011 is. Where I will mention White Widdow and Steel Panther in the same sentence. Seriously, though... Dying to hear both as I think they're both contenders. Well, firstly if White Widdow & Steel Panther end up beating Toby Hitchcock & WoA I will be a very happy man, cos we'll have 4 albums comfortably sitting around the 95% mark which would be the first time since about 1992.....so lets hope eh???! Now modern rock for 2011. All Im comparing it with is the previous 3 or 4 years and in my opinion the quality has dipped - most albums ive heard have probably been around the 70% mark which is OK, but my point is, when Ive already got loads of modern albums to play from previous years which are miles better whats the point in buying these albums just to gather dust or sit redundant in my itunes library....cos they sure as hell wont get played. All I can say is thank God for Spotify as I can weed out all of these releases and save myself loads of bucks :-)) I know its all down to taste, but for me its increasingly becoming the case that I want my 'modern' stuff to sound more like my 'mhr' stuff. The only 2 I can really say bridge that gap this year is Adelitas Way and Madam Adam. Stealing Eden is pretty good too, but a bit too close to nu-metal sound for comfort in parts. Also a strong mention to Sixx AM cos that is a blinder...only just heard that album, and yeah I guess its a modern disc as there is some very strong Muse influence, but bottom line is this rocks and is a very varied and interesting album - me likes. lots. I think come year end that those 3 (unless something else spectacular is due??) are the only 'modern' discs which could impact my top 30 MHR.

I doubt grunge will come back, but a sound/style does soon get completely saturated. Modern Rock is well past it's best now - especially the pop/punk variety (Green Day, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, etc), so those bands have to evolve. Which is what 30STM and My Chemical Romance did on their last discs. The very best artists will always survive though... Yeah, I don't think grunge as such will return either, but I wonder if the door is open for something completely bland, soul destroying and rubbishy, like grunge was. Melody is as alive now as it was back in 1990, but it'll be interesting to see if it stays a focal point for bands. It was lost for a long time there in the mainstream, and no reason it couldn't happen again. I still think there are literally dozens of current bands who are 100 times better than stuff like Green Day (who always have and always will suck), Paramore and Fall Out Boy... they're probably just not getting the chart time those guys did. Though I've heard both Simple Plan and We The Kings on radio in recent months. Who knows exactly what the state of play is... all I know is that without being truly exceptional, 2011 has so far been extremely solid and consistent for modern rock. A few outright gems, but a massive supply of strong if unspectacular albums. I'm enjoying it and the divide between MHR and modern rock decreases daily for me. Your summation of the 80s has always baffled me, but now you seem to be extending it to 1986 which seems even more weird.....weirdo ;-)) Anyhoooo....to modern rock. I entirely agree that 07/08/09 were the strongest years for modern rock - whether we will see the return of grunge or something similar, I sincerely hope not.....perhaps we'll see bands taking a more electronic route whilst maintaining some degree of melody - a bit along the lines of Bulletproof Messenger maybe. Whatever happens I think that Tim is right in that boy band sounding pop/punk bands have pretty much had their day. Ive listened to some of the new Simple Plan album and whilst they are one of the better examples around it is still pretty purile....I think I detected about 2 songs which could genuinely be classed as a rock song. What we need to see in 2012 is MASSIVE comebacks from the likes of Shinedown, Story Of The Year, Hinder, Skillet, Nural, Papa Roach, Daughtry, Disciple, EndEverafter, No Love Lost etc...........wouldnt that be a great top ten!! Then we could be looking at a KILLER year again. Cheers Definitely be good to see some of those bands release big albums as this year really needs it IMO, as aside from the David Cook (which is hardly a masterpiece) nothing much has grabbed me. Even the Cook album is nothing we haven't heard before, it's written in the same style as his debut and the 2 Daughtry discs. Simple Plan is good but slightly disappointing they reverted to pop/punk-type again after their awesome S/T disc. MHR started slow and has now hit us with Toby Hitchcock and Work of Art, so am sure Modern Rock can do the same... The best 'true' modern rock disc so far is Adelitas Way, which is arguably better than the debut (I know Geoff has Destrophy at No 1 - which I also know you hate Tim, but for me that is NOT modern rock, but straight ahead 80's styled hard rock)....aside from that nothing much to write home about in the modern stakes for 2011. High expectation for 2012 tho.

In what way? You can edit (rename/re-tag/ update artwork) songs already on your iPod, remove songs, copy songs back to your pc. Sorry for being a bit thick, but why would you want to do that? Also is it easy to copy songs across which are already on itunes? I am also guilty of the cardinal sin of actually downloading an album or bonus tracks from itunes - would I have to download via Amazon or the like?? ta

I doubt grunge will come back, but a sound/style does soon get completely saturated. Modern Rock is well past it's best now - especially the pop/punk variety (Green Day, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, etc), so those bands have to evolve. Which is what 30STM and My Chemical Romance did on their last discs. The very best artists will always survive though... Yeah, I don't think grunge as such will return either, but I wonder if the door is open for something completely bland, soul destroying and rubbishy, like grunge was. Melody is as alive now as it was back in 1990, but it'll be interesting to see if it stays a focal point for bands. It was lost for a long time there in the mainstream, and no reason it couldn't happen again. I still think there are literally dozens of current bands who are 100 times better than stuff like Green Day (who always have and always will suck), Paramore and Fall Out Boy... they're probably just not getting the chart time those guys did. Though I've heard both Simple Plan and We The Kings on radio in recent months. Who knows exactly what the state of play is... all I know is that without being truly exceptional, 2011 has so far been extremely solid and consistent for modern rock. A few outright gems, but a massive supply of strong if unspectacular albums. I'm enjoying it and the divide between MHR and modern rock decreases daily for me. Your summation of the 80s has always baffled me, but now you seem to be extending it to 1986 which seems even more weird.....weirdo ;-)) Anyhoooo....to modern rock. I entirely agree that 07/08/09 were the strongest years for modern rock - whether we will see the return of grunge or something similar, I sincerely hope not.....perhaps we'll see bands taking a more electronic route whilst maintaining some degree of melody - a bit along the lines of Bulletproof Messenger maybe. Whatever happens I think that Tim is right in that boy band sounding pop/punk bands have pretty much had their day. Ive listened to some of the new Simple Plan album and whilst they are one of the better examples around it is still pretty purile....I think I detected about 2 songs which could genuinely be classed as a rock song. What we need to see in 2012 is MASSIVE comebacks from the likes of Shinedown, Story Of The Year, Hinder, Skillet, Nural, Papa Roach, Daughtry, Disciple, EndEverafter, No Love Lost etc...........wouldnt that be a great top ten!! Then we could be looking at a KILLER year again. Cheers

In what way?

Warrant - Best Of Warrant - Rockoholic Victory - Dont Talk Science Human Zoo - Eyes Of A Stranger

Oh, and in hindsight... was there a better and more amazing ballad than 'I saw red' at the time? I think not... Yeah I love that song too....one of my fav Warrant songs.

Within Temptation - The Unforgiven

Yet another sad loss......'Mac' and Jani in the space of a week. RIP

Alyson Avenue - Changes

I was about to PM you until I read that. The best bit of that album is the spinning coin lol!! Jorn needs to get back to doing stuff like 'Worldchanger' or 'Hourglass' Unfortunately I can't see that happening anytime soon.........euro plod metal seems to be his bag now.........along with his best Alvin Stardust impersonation.

Yeah just saw this on Twitter....... Strong contender for album of 2012 there for sure. I expect nothing short of awesomeness!! lol.

HEAT have signed with Gain/Sony.............

Work Of Art - The Rain

Stealing Eden - Truth In Tradegy Work Of Art - Artwork

Having initially panned 7th Heaven for including 22 songs, I have on reflection changed my mind. This is a difficult subject cos normally I dont like albums with fillers........why have 14 tracks when 3 of them are crap....just make it 10 or 11 and be done with it. However with the case of 7th Heaven cos they have gone sooooo far over the top I can only fairly rate this album by judging the number of songs equal to the most tracks on any other album I have bought this year.....which I believe is within temptation @ 15 tracks (itunes duluxe)....so that's what Im doing - rating the top 15 songs only. Should rate pretty well I think.

I should mention I have heard this one by now too and it does kind of sky-rocket right to the top of the list. Crazy consistent, brilliant songs one after another. Hard to pick the best, purely because there's so freakin' many of them! 'Tear Down The Barricades'. I love that song. All together now......."We've got wings to fly..........". Perfect stuff IMO.