I am a lover of music. I like to find bands and songs that nobody's ever heard of and take credit of introducing them to all my friends. I like country and rock, loud and soft, slow and fast music. You name it, I like it. I can find something good about every piece of music, and also something lacking. For this post, I wanted to do a few reviews of some new songs and albums. If you see something you like, please let me know! I want to know that I am doing some good by writing this.
So to start us off, a review of my favorite band's new CD, Perfect Symmetry by Keane.
Like so many other great bands, Keane hails from Britain. On their first CD, Hopes and Fears, Keane recorded only with a piano, a drum set, and the lead vocals. They lost their guitarist to death, and chose not to replace him. Since that album, Keane has become almost experimental. Their second album, Under the Iron Sea, featured songs with slow almost techno beats. In UTIS, most of the song lyrics were dreary, or just didn't make sense. In the most recent album, Perfect Symmetry, Keane has found a happy medium between folk pop, and sad techno. Many of the songs (like Time to Go) are about a struggling friend who needs help and guidance, but won't take it. Of course, there are a couple love songs on this album, my favorite being Love is The End. If you are a fan of Keane and lost hope with the second album, I strongly recomend PS, they have truly redeemed themselves with this album.
James Morrison
It is no secret that I am in love with James Morrison's passionate love songs. He has such a great song writing ability it is a shame he is not more well known. It is clear in his music that he is in love and wants everyone to know it. He sings truth about relationships. So often musicians only sing about the good in love or the heartbreak, not the in between. But James does! His song "If You Don't Wanna Love Me" tells about a man who loves a woman who is having a hard time. "If you don't want me to leave then don't push me away, you'd rather blow out the lights, you can watch it unfade, but I'm going nowhere." Isn't it refreshing to hear a real romantic song? Not the typical I love you you love me stuff, but a song that tells about real feelings and real love. Just about all ove James Morrison's songs are like that. If you are a girl and you respect a good love song, check him out! He just released a new album last fall and it is just as good as the first!
Augustana
Remember "Boston"? How can you forget the simple but beautiful piano introduction? Augstana's second album,
"Can't Love, Can't Hurt" pleasantly surprised me. The piano is still an influential part of the album, but these songs are a little more upbeat. Even the sad songs have fast melodies. "I Still Aint Over You" is by far my favorite song on this album. I love how the band captured the idea of not being able to get over someone in a catchy, fun song. The album's hit song "Sweet and Low" is also great! Usually songs are most memorable by the chorus, but the verses here are what really capture the heart. One of my favorite things about this band is that they are so honest. You can find inspirational quotes just about everywhere with this album. I have this cd on iTunes, so hit me up if you want a copy, everyone can take something different from this album.
The Fray
To be honest, I feel like I wasted $10.41 on this cd (The Fray, self titled second album). There are four songs on this cd that make me feel better about my purchase, but overall I would not have spent the money if I had known what was coming. The hit song "You Found Me" is very catchy, I like this song because you can interpret it different ways and it is almost a Christian song if you really dig deep into the lyrics. However, the other songs on the cd don't even come close to YFM. Everytime the song "We Build Then We Break" comes on, I have to change it. It doesn't sound anything like the rest of the songs or like anything The Fray has ever made. Where is The Fray I know and love? I know this band is capable of so much more than what this self titled album has to offer.
So what does everyone think of my music reviews? I did some pretty well known bands this time but in the future I would like to write about more indie bands that are not very mainstream. Let me know if you have any thoughts.
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