Our Top 10 Albums of 2012 (SO FAR)

1. Van Halen ‘A Different Kind of Truth’ :1978, a ceremonial changing of the rock gods, American rock behemoths Aerosmith were on a cocaine fueled melt down, and Kiss was about to drop a disco album. British bands like Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones seemed like dinosaurs. Enter Van Halen, kings of the Sunset Strip. Discovered by Kiss’ Gene Simmons in 1976, Van Halen produced their first demo later that year and in 1977 got signed to Warner Brothers Records. By 1978 America had Van Halen fever with teenage guitar players trying to copy Edward Van Halen’s signature tapping riffs found on the track‘Eruption’. Skip ahead six years to ‘1984’ the last year and album with lead singer David Lee Roth. (KEEP READING)
2. Andrew Bird ‘Break It Yourself’:Many people can call themselves Multi-instrumentalists, some of the notable multi-instrumentalists are Prince, Stevie Wonder, and the great Madman Frank Zappa. But none are more unique in this generation than, Andrew Bird. Bird’s technique on violin and guitar are truly his own, and add a certain flare mostly seen in bluegrass and country music. Did we also mention Bird is an excellent whistler, yes that kind of whistler. (KEEP READING)
3. Bruce Springsteen ‘Wrecking Ball’: Let me begin by explaining the headline of this story. On Bruce Springsteen’s current Wrecking Ball Tour, he brings with him an entirely different “E Street Band” than any concert-goer has ever witnessed. Two obvious differences are the lack of the late Danny Federici and Clarence Clemons, the former having been gone the past couple tours or so. Filling in for the “Big Man” were two saxophone players, some random dude no one knows and Clarence’s nephew, Jake Clemons. Additionally, there were horn, drum, and string sections, back-up singers, the E Street regulars, and of course, “the Boss.”(KEEP READING)
4. First Aid Kit ‘ The Lions Rawr’:In a world where dub-step is considered a valid type of music, many music fans wonder when true music will come back with instruments and no laptops. Enter Johanna and Klara Söderberg two Swedish sisters, which form the group First Aid Kit. The album’s title is ‘The Lions Roar’ (Wichita)and boy does this album show a great deal of musician ship. Each song is carefully crafted and the fibers of each song carefully come together to create a tapestry of sound. (KEEP READING)
5. Lamb of God ‘Resolution’:One band that flew the flag of true metal in the early 2000′s was Richmond, Virginia’s finest Lamb of God. Comprising of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler, Lamb of God puts down their own signature mark with influences of metal, hardcore, and rock. ‘Resolution’ (Epic) their seventh studio album is no different, melding their influences and style into 14 amazing tracks.Starting off with opening track ’Straight for the Sun’ and ending with ‘King Me’, Resolution never lets up on the brutality factor and there is not one weak track on the album.(KEEP READING)
6. Shinedown ‘Amaryllis’ :Shinedown’s fourth album ‘Amaryllis’, picks up where 2008’s rousing ‘The Sound of Madness’ left off. Released on March 27, 2012 the album has already climbed to number three on the iTunes album charts. The album features a 12-track assembly of heavy and more radio friendly songs like their previous albums have done. (KEEP READING)
7. Lana Del Rey-‘Born To Die’ :25 year old American songstress Lana Del Rey has a voice that sounds like it could have been on pop records in the 1960′s. Lana Del Ray has made her arrival known in 2012 with her major label debut ‘Born To Die’ (Interscope). Born Elizabeth Grant in 1986 Lana Del Ray made up her stage name do to the sound it made when spoken. But after listening to her you realize that it’s not just her name that sounds mysterious, but her music too. (KEEP READING)
8. Soulfly- ‘Enslaved’:Max Cavalera: mad man, genius, or both? Since Starting Sepultura in the 1980’s, we’ve seen a truly unique technique and sound come from Cavalera. Now in 2012 we see an extension on this sound with the new Soulfly record, ‘Enslaved’ (RoadRunner). The album which was produced by Max and Chris “Zeuss” Harris is truly unique to Soulfly’s sound, in that it has a very different vibe. The nice thing about it though, is that it’s a change, but it’s not so far off in left field and it fits into their catalog, very well. (KEEP READING)
9. Everytime I Die ‘Ex-Lives’:Every Time I Die a five piece from Buffalo, New York is set to release their sixth studio album on March 6^th via Epitaph Records. The new album entitled ‘Ex Lives’ was recorded during the summer of 2011 and features eleven tracks, and three bonus tracks. The album also features unique cover art that was sent to the band via twitter. The artwork is a photo taken of a protester that was rallying at the G8 conference, and happened to be wearing an Every Time I Die t-shirt.(KEEP READING)
10. Odd Future ‘The OF Tape Vol. 2’: The past few years have proved to be quite a large change in the rap world, spawning the rise of new rappers like: Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, and Tyga. In Los Angeles, California another group has taken the public eye with both shock, and awe. The group is called Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, also known as OFWGKTA, or simply Odd Future. (KEEP READING)

Review: The Boss and An E Street Band (TD Garden, Boston, MA: Monday, March 26, 2012

Let me begin by explaining the headline of this story.  On Bruce Springsteen’s current Wrecking Ball Tour, he brings with him an entirely different “E Street Band” than any concert-goer has ever witnessed.  Two obvious differences are the lack of the late Danny Federici and Clarence Clemons, the former having been gone the past couple tours or so.  Filling in for the “Big Man” were two saxophone players, some random dude no one knows and Clarence’s nephew, Jake Clemons.  Additionally, there were horn, drum, and string sections, back-up singers, the E Street regulars, and of course, “the Boss.”

Now that the title is all smoothed out, let’s talk about the show itself.  The band took the stage at just about 8:15 PM, breaking right into the single off of Springsteen’s latest CD, ‘Wrecking Ball’, ‘We Take Care of Our Own’  As everyone in the Garden must have heard this song on the radio by now, the crowd went crazy.  This rocker was followed by a more mellow song, titled ‘Wrecking Ball’, also featured on the new record.  While this is a good song, I would not have put it as the second song of a 24 song set.  Still, the overall set was pretty awesome, as you can see later on this page.  It was an interesting show, to say the least.

One major highlight of the night was Jake Clemons’ performance.  He nailed his uncle’s parts in each song on which he was featured.  Of course, Jake is no Clarence, but he is definitely the next best thing.  Another highlight was the woman featured on ‘Rocky Ground’ coming out to perform that particular song with Bruce, doing a great job with her little rap bit halfway through the track.  ‘Rocky Ground’ is another song off of 2012’s ‘Wrecking Ball’, which is very different from what you may expect from the Boss.  The CD features a weird combination of types of songs.  It also includes new approaches for Bruce, such as overdubbing and that little rap verse on ‘Rocky Ground’.  There are quite a few very Irish-sounding songs on the new CD in addition to some very Gospel-ish stuff.  It may sound weird, but it really works.  There is some good stuff on ;Wrecking Ball’.  Anyway, let’s get back to Monday’s concert.

Other highlights include Peter Wolf of J. Geils Band performing a duet with Bruce on ‘Raise Your Hand’ during the encore, the five minute-long cheer in honor of the “Big Man” halfway through ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out’, the sheer emotional power of ; ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’, and of course, the crowd participation in ‘Thunder Road’ and ‘Born to Run’.

Apparently, they’re coming back to the area in August at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, but I think I’ll pass.  This will probably be the last tour Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band perform together.  I was sure that was the case in ’09, but I was proven wrong, so I don’t know for sure.  However, if that is the case, I would be fully content with having Monday’s show be my last memory of seeing the Boss live.

-T. Shaw

Set List

1. We Take Care of Our Own
2. Wrecking Ball
3. Badlands
4. Death to My Hometown
5. My City of Ruins
6. Thundercrack
7. Jack of All Trades
8. Jackson Cage
9. She’s the One
10. Easy Money
11. Waitin’ on a Sunny Day
12. The Promised Land
13. Apollo Medley
14. American Skin (41 Shots)
15. Lonesome Day
16. The Rising
17. We Are Alive
    

    ENCORE

18. Thunder Road
19. Rocky Ground
20. Land of Hope and Dreams
21. Born to Run
22. Dancing in the Dark
23. Raise Your Hand
24. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out

Tackling the Issues: Shinedown’s new album ‘Amaryllis’

Shinedown’s fourth album ‘Amaryllis’, picks up where 2008’s rousing ‘The Sound of Madness’ left off. Released on March 27, 2012 the album has already climbed to number three on the iTunes album charts. The album features a 12-track assembly of heavy and more radio friendly songs like their previous albums have done.

The Amaryllis flower is oddly enough is defined as a pink or white flower of the lily family. The peculiar title for the bands fourth album is not as “pretty” as one might think. On January 3, 2012, in conjunction with the highly anticipated release of the title came the song’s lyrics to their first single ‘Bully’. This song hits on the mammoth issue of people being bullied. The lyrics to this song in particular show the raw power and emotion that fans of Shinedown have appreciated through the years. The lyrics “All you’ll ever be is a fading memory of a bully. Make another joke while they hang another rope so lonely” convey a message to the listener like no other. Shinedown has been known for speaking their minds and convey a touchy topic in society where other bands have feared to go.

Many fans were unsure as to how Shinedown would live up the monumental expectations set by their previous album ‘The Sound of Madness’ which went platinum and sold over 1.3 million records worldwide. Amaryllis has lived up to fan expectations divided between seething rock and true rock ballads. Listening to the heavy tracks shows that Shinedown has stayed true to their roots and delivered what the fans want to hear. The heavier tracks to check out include the first single ‘Bully’, ‘Enemies’ as well as the first track on the album ‘Adrenaline’. On the other hand the band also has delivered, in my own opinion, the same lyrically moving and uniquely sounding completion of songs. Songs to check out are ‘Miracle’, ‘I’ll Follow You’, ‘For My Sake’ as well as ‘Through The Ghost’ that ties the album together.

 Though it is still early in the year, Shinedown has is on pace to have another fantastic year. Shinedown will be one of the headliners at this year’s Rock on the Range along with Incubus, Rob Zombie, and Megadeth. The band has also signed onto the Avalanche Tour with Adelita’s Way. After being blown away by this new album, I hope to watch for the new music videos Shinedown has promised their fans. Shinedown has officially set the bar for the rest of the rockers in 2012.

-M. Tozeski

Check out the new music video for their first single ‘Bully’ below:

Max And The Moon’s new EP ‘The Way I See’

Today southern California’s Max and The Moon are planning to release their second EP entitled ‘The Way I See’. The EP will be a follow up to the band’s self-titled EP which they released in 2010. Starting in 2009 Max and The Moon had terrific musicians including Cal State, Fulerton, graduate, guitarist John Velasquez. The band also features brothers Matt and Dillon Couchois. The music itself features very smart reverb laden guitar playing, with tremendous piano and, very precise drumming and bass playing from Zachariah Weaver. The band also features exquisite dual vocals from both Velasquez and Couchois. The band also did something very interesting to fund the recording of the EP when they used the site kickstarter.com to raise funds for recording expenses.

The EP itself features four carefully put together tracks that are produced and mixed beautifully. The standout track of the EP is ‘Out of My Head’, but before that we have the intro track entitled ‘Light House’. ‘Light House’ is a great track that runs around four and a half minute mark. The song starts off with a very nice vocal arrangement that then leads into the whole band coming in. The song also features the dual vocal attack of Velasquez and Couchois which adds a certain light and dark contrast not seen in bands with a singular vocalist. The next track is the standout track ‘Out of my Head’ which is an amazing song. It starts out with a very cool instrumental section which leads into a heavily piano and guitar driven intro. The verse comes in next and is very soft compared to the intro. The chorus then picks up where the intro left off with great guitar playing and, bombastic piano playing. The next track is entitled ‘The Way I See’ the track has a very jazzy feel, along with vocals that move in and out to create an interesting big picture. The final track on the EP is called ’The Walk’ which is a slow ballad type song that features both a traditional blues swagger, along with reverb and delay drenched guitars reminiscent of U2’s The Edge’s guitar sound. These two elements give the track a spectacular indie feel.

Over all this is a great EP. I suggest you check it out and help these guys gain the recognition they deserve. Check out their Facebook page and buy their EP.

 

What The Hell is OFWGKTA? An Artist Profile on Odd Future.

The past few years have proved to be quite a large change in the rap world, spawning the rise of new rappers like: Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, and Tyga. In Los Angeles, California another group has taken the public eye with both shock, and awe. The group is called Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, also known as OFWGKTA, or simply Odd Future. I had personally never heard about the group until their lead rapper and producer Tyler, the Creator won best new artist at the VMAs. He got this honor after the huge successes of his album ‘Goblin’, featuring his most popular songs including ‘Yonkers’, ‘Sandwiches’ and ‘She’. Immediately I listened to the group and found it to be the most bizarre and, unique style of rap I have ever heard. Odd Future is made up of nine members. The leader of the group, Tyler, is the lead rapper and producer for the group as well as the side projects that go along with them. Along with Tyler, the group’s rappers include Hodgy Beats, Earl Sweatshirt, Domo Genesis, and Mike G. R&B singer Frank Ocean sings for the group along with their DJ, Syd the Kid. Odd Future has raised many critical eyebrows over extremely controversial and risky themes and lyrics, as well as for living in the fast lane, doing what they want when they want to. The group raps on controversial topics including violence, their gang, and explicit sexual themes. This past Wednesday, Odd Future played at the House of Blues Boston where the show was shut down due to illegal firearm possession, as well as one of the members attempting to stage dive off the second floor standing area of the venue. The venue was forced to cut the lights as well as the sound from the microphones. Their new album was released this past Tuesday, March, 20^th and titled ‘The OF Tape, Vol. 2’ featuring their first single ‘Rella’. The Music video for the track gives listeners a different appreciation for the uniqueness of the group, which can be seen through the insanity. Though I do not agree with all of what the group stands for, they show the ingenuity of what it takes to separate OFWGKTA from the rest of the pack.

-M. Tozeski

Check out the Music Video For ‘Rella’ below:

Dispatch is Back: 2011 Reunion and Their Self Titled EP

Dispatch has been making records since 1996 with their first album ‘Silent Steeples’.  They grew in popularity with their second album ‘Bang Bang’ featuring the now famous ‘The General’.  They are an independent band so they won’t be on the radio or TV much.  They broke up in 2004 when they played their “Last Dispatch” show at the Hatch Shell inBoston,MA to 110,000 people.

Now they’re back.

Touring in 2011 and the release of a 6 track EP made Dispatch fans more than excited.

Their EP sure is Dispatch.  It has a rocking guitar riff in the song ‘Melon Bend’ as well as some of Dispatch’s signature slow but catchy songs in ‘Valentine‘ and ‘Broken American’.  All three members contributed their works and it gives an all around great rebirth to their music in 2011.

They played 3 shows in Boston on June 24, 25, and 26.  I was at both the 24^th and the 26^th shows.  They really showed the hometown crowd what they wanted.  Friday night was amazing, opening with ‘Melon Bend’ right into an appropriate ‘Open Up’.  They included ‘Steeples’ and ‘Whaddya Wanna Be’ in their set too. They ended the night with an energetic ‘Out Loud’ and finally ‘The General’.

But on Sunday night, they pulled out all the stops.  They came out in costumes and played four rare songs: ‘Questioned Apocalypse’, ‘Water Stop’, ‘Hey Hey’, and ‘Mayday’.  In their main set, they included a Pete Francis solo ridden ‘Lightning’ as well as ‘Railway’, a song that they hadn’t played in 15 years.  They got everyone singing for hits like ‘Elias’, ‘Flying Horses’, and ‘The General‘.  For the encore, they brought in their famous touring van named Wimpy and played a fast paced ‘Cut It Ya Match It’ on top.  They closed out the night with ‘Open Up’; an ironic but perfect choice.

Dispatch is definitely back and, releasing Circles Around the Sun later this year.  I can’t wait to get my hands on it and see what Dispatch gives us this time.  Hopefully they’ll be back on tour to showcase their new work as I will be there.

– Z. Guida

DEV – Take Her From You

Since 2010 Dev has been rocking the pop music scene with catchy dance numbers like her single ‘Bass Down Low’ and her hit ‘In the Dark’.  Over the last few days Dev’s new single ‘Take Her From You’ has become one of my favorite songs, that she’s put out in her short career. One of the key reasons I enjoy the track is because of the unique whistling parts, the very White Stripes like instrumentation, and the very dark lyrics. This song is like Lady Gaga and Jack White had a baby and the end result was a great song.

The song it’s self is a very simple song, the riff moves at a very slow but intense pace, with the vocals adding to the creepy mysterious feel. Around the 20 second mark the drums kick in and are essentially the pulse of the whole track, as the bass on the track is very low in the mix.  Around the 50 second mark you get to my favorite part which is the very unique whistling part. At the 2:11 mark we have an interesting part that sounds a great deal like Lady Gaga. In fact if I were to come up with a name for it I’d call it the ‘Bad Romance’ part. The ‘Bad Romance’ part then leads into what I would call the White Stripes section. This perfect combonation of sounds leads to a very unique track.

Check out the Music Video Below:

Count Down to Bonnaroo 2012: Part 1

Every year Manchester, Tennessee is the sight of one of the largest music festivals in the country. The name of this illustrious festival is called Bonnaroo. The term Bonnaroo was popularized by R&B singer Dr. John, and simply means “a really good time” as told through the title of his 1974 album ‘Desitively Bonnaroo’. The founder Mark Barr first created the festival with some inspiration from other music festivals like Coachella. The festival began in 2002 and was headlined by Widespread Panic, Ween, and Norah Jones. This lineup started the festivals future off on the right page.

The festival consists yearly of roughly one hundred and fifty bands over four days. Over the past decade the genres of the artists who have played have ranged from Rap, including Jay-Z, Eminem and Kanye West, to Jam Bands including The Dave Matthews Band, Widespread Panic, The Dead, and The Allman Brothers Band. The festival also is notorious for hosting a reunion of a band or the return of an artist who has influences the sphere of music, including Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Willie Nelson, and Buffalo Springfield.

The festival also has an array of other activities, if you get board of the music (which I don’t think is possible). Every year comedians such as Conan O’Brien, Steve Martin, and Aziz Ansari come to perform and, provide a different atmosphere to the festival. This year’s festival is no different.

 A few years ago my sister went to Bonnaroo, after hearing about all of the music and artists as well as the amazing experience she had, I knew I had to go. My wish came true when my sister told me she has purchased tickets for the two of us was well as a slew of her friends. This year’s festival has another outstanding lineup, not to be over shadowed by the 2010 lineup, which included Jay-Z, Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder, Weezer, and The Flaming Lips. The headliners for Bonnaroo 2012 include: Radiohead, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phish, and The Beach Boys (Featuring their reunited original Line-up). The lineup also included Foster the People, Skrillex, Dispatch, The Shins, Ludacris, Bon Iver and The Avett Brothers to name a few. This year’s comedian headliner is Aziz Ansari, while the rest of the lineup is shrouded in speculations. It’s hard to believe the array of bands that are playing this year.

As the countdown till Bonnaroo continues they will release approximately thirty additional bands to the lineup, while fans await the date anxiously. So far, the lineup has gained Danzig Legacy, The Temper Trap, fun., Puscifer, and Santigold. As of now, the countdown has begun: less than 80 days till Bonnaroo 2012!

-M. Tozeski

Check Out a Recap Of Bonnaroo 2011 HERE

Radio Head:

The Red Hot Chili Peppers:

The Beach Boys:

Stay tuned to Musically Diversified  for more  Bonnaroo updates!

Quick Artist Profile: Cleveland’s MGK (Machine Gun Kelly)

One of Cleveland’s greatest exports has been MGK (Machine Gun Kelly). If you want to hear fast rhymes with true attitude, MGK is your guy. Born in Texas and living all over the globe until he finally settled in Cleveland, MGK was exposed to many different types of music especially rap. MGK got his first break when he was featured on an MTV2’s Sucker Free Freestyle. During his turn he astonished audiences with verses from his song ‘Chip Off the Block’. In 2010 he released his first mixtape ‘100 Words and Running’. One of my favorite MGK tracks comes off this tape. The song is called ‘Cleveland’ and is an obvious nod to MGK’s hometown. The song is an anthem in the city and is played at Cleveland Cavaliers games.

In 2011 after a performance at the SXSW festival, MGK was approached by P. Diddy and asked to sign to Bad Boy/Interscope Records. His first major label full length is due in summer of this year and will be entitled ‘Lace Up’.

-B. Harlow

Remembering Randy Rhoads (December 6, 1956 – March 19, 1982)

Born in 1956 to a very musically inclined family, it wasn’t a question if Randy Rhoads would be a musician. Starting at the age of seven Rhoads started playing and taking guitar lessons at his Mother’s music school. Eventually the very advanced Rhoads started giving lessons, which he continued until he got the gig of lead guitar in Ozzy Osbourne’s new band, The Blizzard of Ozz. All though Rhoads was a teacher he always thought of himself as a student, as he continued studying classical guitar and taking classical guitar lessons. At the time of his death it is said that Rhoads wanted to study music at U.C.L.A.  Tragically he never got the chance.

When Rhoads got to Ozzy’s band he was no newcomer to the stage. Starting in 1970 Rhoads played with the groups Violet Fox, and then Quiet Riot starting around 1976. It is said when Quiet Riot would perform the audience would not be around the lead singer but, Rhoads who would be dressed in a velvet vest and a polka-dot bow tie.  Rhoads was a showman through and through as evident in the video of his live guitar solo from his Quiet Riot days “Laughing Gas.” This solo also previewed a number of riffs that would later be featured in recordings during his tenure as Osbourne’s guitarist.

In 1980 Ozzy Osbourne’s fortunes had taken a turn for the worse, he had been fired from Black Sabbath. After spending countless months in a hotel room drinking and drugging, Osbourne, Dana Strumm, and future wife Sharon Arden set out to form a new group. The new group was to be called, Blizzard of Ozz and be a four piece. Rhoads reluctantly auditioned, as he was not a Black Sabbath fan but, he got the job. Eventually The Blizzard of Ozz retreated to the Ridge Farm Studio where they recorded Blizzard of Ozz.

The record was released in September of that year. It consisted of nine blistering tracks including “I Don’t Know,” “Crazy Train,” and “Mr. Crowley” which later became staples of Osbourne’s live show. The album also featured the song “Dee,” a short classical piece inspired by Rhoad’s mother Delores. The album featured bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake. The album reached number 21 on the Billboard chart and reached Multi-Platinum level sales.

Shortly after the release of Blizzard, Arden got the group to go into the studio to record what was to become Diary of a Madman. Rhoads put on another tremendous performance when recording Diary enhancing his virtuoso image and showcasing his raw talent. Tracks from the record including “Over the Mountain” and “Flying High Again” where released as singles but, the most notable track of the album was the title track. Even though Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake played on the record, they were not featured on the album artwork. Instead pictured and credited were bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Tommy Aldridge. The album was released in November of 1981 and went platinum in the U.S. by the following May. Unfortunately Rhoads was not able to receive this honor.

Thirty years ago today Randy Rhoads was killed, when the plane he was riding in crashed into a private home in Leesburg, Florida. The plane was piloted by the tour bus driver Andrew Aycock. Aycock had two passengers on board, Rhoads and hairdresser Rachel Youngblood. He was joyriding when the wing of the plane hit the side of Osbourne’s tour bus and crashed into a pine tree and finally collided into a garage of a house near the airport. Rhoads was only 25.

In the two years Rhoads toured and recorded with the Blizzard of Ozz, he did more than most people do in a lifetime. His guitar playing took the instrument to a whole new level of proficiency. His sound and technicality was emulated by multiple generations of guitarists.  On this day we remember Randy Rhoads not only as a musician but, a caring human being that thought he could learn something from everyone, especially his students.

-B. Harlow

Solo Starts at 2:28