The Chorus Music Club Society • Page 241

Nest up is @Micool1
He gave me the album:

Dashboard Confessional: Crooked Shadows (2018) Fueled By Ramen

I am sure nobody on this site is a stranger to Chris Carraba and Dashboard Confessional. This is his newest full length album and an almost 10 year gap since his last release. My wife and I are huge fans of his and have seen him quite a few times, most recently with Third Eye Blind and it was great. His newest release is good but not great. It definitely leans more towards to pop side of things and has a ton of production tricks on it. It is an enjoyable listen? Yes and instantly makes me wants to hit play but for me personally, I enjoy him stripped down and at his most vulnerable. There is really only one song where it is just him and his guitar and that is Heart Beat Here and is hands down (no pun intended!) my favorite song on the album. It almost feels like this record is trying to compete or lean towards OneRepublic and I actually really enjoy their music but it just feels weird for Dashboard Confessional for some reason. I will definitely be spinning this album a lot but it feels like a safe record and leaves something to be desired.

7/10

Favorite Songs:
About Us
Heart Beat Here
Crooked Shadows

 

Glad you liked that charmer record

 

Alright, its time for some reviews. Here we go. First up, @teebs41

Turnover- Peripheral Vision

When I announced that teebs had given me this album to review, it wasn't like I had a bunch of people saying how awesome it was and that I had better like it. No pressure, really! Anyway, Turnover is a band I had heard of but never really looked into prior to this; though I have seen several people with one of their album covers as their avatars, @FTank being among them. One thing off the bat, I dig the album art. Its this dream like image with the faint cracks of broken glass amongst it, like the precipice of reality breaking a dream. Now, after finally listening to this album a few times, I would have to say that If I had to pick a phrase to describe this album in just a few words, it would be 'warm and somber'. This album is smooth, and quite relaxing to listen to actually. My listens with this album were on my couch with only a lamp on and headphones in, and I have to say it kind of set this mood where you drift away into your imagination and see sunny fields and just relax. Its a very mellow listen, and as 'Hello Euphoria' says, 'There's really nothing like first time'.

Honestly, these songs kind of sound like a ride through someone's escapism into their daydreaming to avoid the loss and struggles of the real world; while the lyrics paint a picture of those emotions creeping in and keeping this dream from really every truly being a euphoric paradise. Its an album of indie rock bliss, about romance that is going to slip through your fingers no matter what you do, and just flowing through life. Opening with 'Cutting My Fingers Off', a smooth and soft song with rolling drums and gently plucked guitars, this sets the tone for the rest of the album in its somber embrace of the delicate sounds. A lot of these songs are REALLY relaxed, and their passions are in the lyrics; Id venture to say that it isn't until the 8th out of 11 tracks, 'Take My Head', that you see some burst of energy in one of the songs; not to say the more laid back songs were bad but this one stuck out because of how much more fast paced it was. 'Diazepam' is a good song that reminds me of some soft rock that would have come out in the 70s, with lyrics that talk about the inevitable fall; or at least perceived inevitable fail of a relationship, but the need for it to happen with lyrics like " And I don't want to go outside, Don't want to make it home tonight, If it's not you in my heart, I don't want to carry it on." Musically, these guys are on point. While its very lax, its also well played. The nuance skill in the plucked guitars and rolling drums blend well with the soft vocals for these summer sun set style songs.

This is a good album, but its also a slow burn with how relaxed it is. Its not something to throw on in the car on the highway. Its more of a summer sunny day down country back roads with the windows down, or a sunset on your front porch with headphones in. If you like the idea of a sound that's like a mix of Dashboard Confessional with hints of [Redacted band], then this one would work well for you. Standout tracks are: Cutting My Fingers Off, Hello Euphoria, Diazepam, Like Slow Disappearing, Take My Head, I Would Hate You If I Could,
7.5/10

Manchester Orchestra- Mean Everything To Nothing

Now this is a band I am familiar with. I have actually heard a majority of their releases. In fact, I once mistakenly told @bachna84 that I had heard all of them. Lo and behold when I got paired with teebs, I came to find out I was wrong and missed a few somehow! So I was more than happy to dive into this album and catch up on some Manchester that I had missed. Instead of comparing this to their albums prior and after this one, I wanted to tackle this one as if it were its own thing; because each album in a band's discography is its own work of art. This is angsty rock at its best, and some of these songs such as 'Shake It Out' hit hard; they are catchy but also crunching and loud in the best ways possible. This album is about as well crafted as you can get; and by the time you get to the melodic and powerful 'I've Got Friends' in the third track, you will find yourself hooked for the whole ride.

These songs are grand in their scope when listened to as a whole album, and it goes on a rollercoaster of sounds. The first five or so tracks are raging and shred, especially the two aforementioned songs and 'Pride', which has one of the coolest and grittiest breakdowns with a thumping drum beat and fist pumping rhythm to it. Then you get to the sixth track, '100 Dollars', which is suddenly extremely soft and passionate, with amazing vocals and emotional lyrics in comparison to the past five songs (Though the last bit of the song gets a bit more aggressive, but it works, especially given the lyrical content). This halftime song brings you to the rest of the album, which has a dark and somber tone to it, 'I Can Feel A Hot One' continuing the melodic and soft feelings of Dollars; and the songs after as well. The first half of the album is gritty and harsh, while the second half is a lot more melodic and clean, though it still has a fierceness to it and doesn't lose the crunching shreds of guitar that make these songs pack a powerful wallop to it. There are some bold moves on this album as well, such as 'The River' being an over 6 minute song, basically being a powerful and progressive track. But it works, as does most everything on this album. Vocally and musically, this is a great album, and best listened to in a whole experience.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention my favorite song, the title track. That intro is amazing, and lyrically the song is just powerful. But that can be said for a lot of this album, and this album fits in well with the rest of their discography. I am mad that I missed this one somehow, but I am now making up for lost time with this album. I highly recommend this album, especially if you have liked any of their other works. The standout tracks are: Shake It Out, I've Got Friends, Pride, 100 Dollars, I Can Feel A Hot One, Everything To Nothing, The River
8.5/10

And now, one from @highfidelity203

Fireworks- Gospel

Back in higschool I worked with a guy named Joe. Joe was obsessed with fireworks and always told me I would like them. I never tried them until now. Why didn't I listen to Joe? Once I hit play, I knew that I was going to like this album. This is New Found Glory style skate and pop punk rock at its finest, I might even dare to say that I would hold this album in as high regard as I do NFG, though I think I will need more time with this to come to that conclusion definitely. By the time you get to second 'I Was Born In The Dark', you will find yourself bobbing your head along with these shredding guitars that are reminiscent of Blink-182 and New Found with hints of Saves The Day throughout, with vocals and lyrics that carry melodic sounds and powerful hooks. These guys know what they are doing on this album.

'Teeth' is one of the best songs I heard on this album, it just starts off with this catchy bassline that immediately got stuck in my head, and was a song that I found myself wanting to replay as soon as I heard it. The harmonies on this album are well worked, working well in songs like this with their hooks. Then you get to songs like 'Oh Why Cant We Start Old' and 'I Am The Challenger', which are literally as groovy as pop punk gets and shows the chops this band has both musically and melodically; these songs are catchy as can be! I found myself humming along before even my first listen of the album was done. 'Summer' is probably my favorite song on the album; and showcases the best parts of what this band has to offer on this album. The guitars, shred. The bass, on point. The drums, rolling and thumping. The vocals, great. This song has the catchy melodic skills the earlier songs have, and features one of the best choruses on the album, with a guitar line in there that really hooks you in. With lyrics touting emotional stress like " It doesn't matter, We take off our shoes and pull out pieces of the lawn. While people light off fireworks, And they set off car alarms. You will always be the leaves to my tree
But this year fall came, And I never saw spring." you just cannot help but relate to these songs if you have ever felt heartbreak or the loss of someone you loved. This is the power of a band going full throttle with their release, and every song on this album has something to admire and like. They are musically on point, they bring their best game foreward, and you cannot help but like it if pop punk is your bag.

I love this album. I can see why my friend was into them so much and I am glad I FINALLY got around to checking out one of their releases. This was an A+ fun album, with all of the great guitars and vocals that I like in this genre of music. I highly recommend this album,, and I will be checking out the rest of their discography. Standout tracks are: I Was Born In The Dark, Teeth, Oh Why Cant We Start Old, Summer, Life Is Killing Me, Painting of Paul Revere, I Locked My Time Capsule.

9/10

 

It was really good!

 

Up next: @SamLevi11

I was given:

Turnstile: Time & Space (2018) Roadrunner Records

This record and the new Code Orange make me feel like a proud papa. Hardcore music has always been very near and dear to my heart and I will always hold a special fondness for it. I can recall seeing NUMEROUS shows with my brother and hoping that one day these bands playing to a handful of kids in some VFW hall will get the recognition they deserve.

Turnstile are a hardcore band from Maryland and this is their second full length album and their first for a major label, Roadrunner (whom Code Orange is also signed to). They merge a variety of styles and that is what makes them instantly accessible and are a mix of Rage Against the Machine, Shelter, Helmet and various hardcore acts to name a few. From the second you hit play you will be met with groovy rhythms, hardcore breakdowns and Brendan Yates' screaming/yelling vocals. I need to mention that Will Yip produced this record which is another reason it is incredible.

I didn't have to listen that many times to this album because after the first listen I knew I was hooked and this would be a top contender for AOTY. There is not a bad song on this album and I encourage everyone to check it out. You will be slam dancing all over your living room by the time it's over: I guarantee it!

Also: the record is only 25 minutes so there is really no excuse!

10/10

Favorite Songs:
Real Thing
Generator
Moon (I love this track and how the vocal duties come from the bassist!)

 

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Personally, I was a little let down on first listen because I LOVED Alter The Ending and I somehow expected to like it as much, but with subsequent listens it grew on me a lot. I'm still disappointed they didn't play a single Alter the Ending track when I saw them a couple months ago.

 

I'd say it's high time that I finish up my reviews for @broken22 and @JediMasterKevo182 which are several weeks overdue. I reviewed one of each of their picks last week, and I'm going to do the remaining two together because they are both albums by Senses Fail.

I'm not too familiar with Senses Fail despite knowing about them since Let It Enfold You. I remember listening to "Buried a Lie" and "Bite to Break Skin" plenty back in the mid-'00s, but other than a single here and there I never sought out more of the band's music. Listening to these two albums was a cool crash course on the band and how they have evolved over the past 12 years. I'll go chronologically and start with @broken22's pick, Still Searching.



The first thing that struck me when listening to this band is that I did not remember them being this poppy. Their album covers and what I could remember of their sound led me to believe they were heavier. They certainly do have heavy elements in their sound, including screaming vocals, but I would characterize them more as a pop-punk band than a hardcore band after listening to this album. A big contributing factor to that is Buddy Nielsen's high-pitched pop-punk style voice and his penchant for writing singalong hooks that are very reminiscent of that genre.

After intro track "The Rapture," the band dives into "Bonecrusher," which is one of the harder songs on the album with chugging guitars in the verses and a gruff delivery from Nielsen. The next track, "Sick or Sane," has a chorus so sugary that I didn't care for the song at first because it is such a departure from the rougher verses and hardcore screaming breakdown in the bridge. However, after a few listens it grew on me as the hook is undeniably catchy. "Can't Be Saved" and "Calling All Cars" utilize a gang vocal effect, which is heard pretty frequently throughout the album, and feature big anthemic, memorable choruses. "Still Searching" might be the heaviest track on the album, with pounding double kick drum and the most extensive use of screaming vocals.

Later in the album, "Lost and Found" changes up the formula to show a softer side of the band. They do a nice job of crafting a cleaner and quieter track while still inserting a trademark pop chorus. Some electronic elements pop up in the spastic "All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues," and the album ends on strong note with the beautiful instrumental track "Negative Space" which leads into epic closer "The Priest and the Matador."

Overall, this is a strong album for anyone who enjoys a mixture of pop-punk and hardcore. It's poppier than I anticipated, with lots of singalong melodies. The lyrical content isn't particularly special and the album loses some steam in the middle, where I think they have some lesser versions of the songs at the beginning of the album. Things do get interesting again near the end of the album when the band starts trying some new things.

I enjoyed this more than I expected and I appreciate what the band accomplished here. It is easy to see why this band developed such a large following in the early/mid-'00s, but I also remember why I never ended up becoming a big fan of this band. They don't quite hit the sweet spot for me to keep me coming back to their music.

Now let's fast forward from 2006 to 2018 and see what Senses Fail is up to with their new album If There Is Light, It Will Find You.



I enjoy the production on this album more than that on Still Searching. It is cleaner and highlights the pop/alt-rock elements of the band's sound while still maintaining the band's high energy. It is nice to hear that Sense Fail has matured while also staying true to their roots. Rather than changing genres or experimenting too much, this sounds like a band that has continued to refine their signature sound.

The band sounds confident on opening tracks "Double Cross" and "Elevator to the Gallows." The formula hasn't changed much; rougher, riffier, heavier verses; cleaner, bigger, catchier choruses; usually screaming and possibly a hardcore breakdown in the bridge. However, the band now transitions seamlessly between the poppier and heavier sides of their sound. Whereas there were moments on Still Searching where it was jarring to hear the band jump from one side of the spectrum to the other, everything here sounds natural and well-executed.

Nielsen seems to have improved as a lyricist in the past 12 years and he tackles some more mature subject matter on this record, including social and political issues on "Gold Jacket, Green Jacket" and losing a loved one during childbirth on "First Breath, Last Breath." "Ancient Gods" contains probably my favorite hook on the album, and "Shaking Hands" is a really nice slower-tempo song near the end of the album. The penultimate track "Stay What You Are" is an anthem about appreciating life and uses the Saves the Day album of the same name to exemplify the deep connection formed between himself and his wife.

Senses Fail provides another epic closer with the 6-minute title track, again dealing with the themes of losing his wife, the birth of his daughter, and how to live a meaningful life. This album is a more captivating listen from a lyrical standpoint, with Nielsen working through lots of personal feelings about love, loss, family, death, and addiction throughout these songs. Everything sounds fantastic and the band is firing on all cylinders. I personally enjoyed the second half of the record more than the first because there is more variation in sound. The first few tracks sound a bit samey to me.

This band has definitely grown and it is impressive to hear two enjoyable records from them released 12 years apart. I wouldn't say that this experience put the band on my list of favorites, but it definitely increased my respect for them and has made me interested to check out any music they release in the future.

 

Glad you enjoyed it, I thought it would be up your alley. If you haven't heard their debut Nonstop Feeling you should check it out. I think this is a slight step up but they are both fantastic.

 

Thanks for the great recommendation! Generator is a beast!

 

Awesome job man. Really good wroteups on my two favorite albums from them!

 

Are Senses Fail the most consistent band in post-hardcore?

 

mewithoutYou and Thursday are consistent ly great

 

Never listened to either, although I know Cross Out The Eyes and it's great.

 

Both are great! I can't recommend them enough.

 

No

 

I'd add Thrice to that

 

Tbf the album before this one was pants, but every other SF album is great imo.

 

Concurs

 

Nice review, glad you liked it! I do think they were too talented of a band to fade away because they never got a chance to break out from the local scene.

My favorites are most of the ones you listed, The Storm, Anchored, How Did You Get So Good and both Mistress The Sea 1 and 2. I agree that the back and forth female and male vocal parts are great.

Shout out to the song Bottom of the Locker which wasn't mentioned, but to me is maybe the stand out on the album. Starts so haunting and soft and builds during its almost 6 min run time until it explodes. The drums on that song always impressed me a ton.

 

This album has some hardcore parts sprinkled throughout, but from this point on they got more and more heavy with every release until they reached their best album, Renacer, which is pretty much all heavy. If you are into that kind of stuff, check it out or maybe someone will recommend it to you next time

I would have maybe said so until their last two albums. They still have a great discography though.

 

FTFY

 

This week @Micool1 and I are trading:

Underoath - Erase Me

and I'm taking the Used - The Canyon

Both are albums we have wanted to listen to but for some reason haven't, so it works out.

Being huge fan of the first two Used albums and Artwork, I will give it an honest shot and will report back if its as bad as I've read on this site lol.

 

Ugh...man, I am so sorry he gave that to you. Why did you torture him @Micool1

 

yeah.........well there are 3 important reasons that Reancer is the best and their most recent is the most bland.

- Buddy's screaming > Buddy's singing
- The guitar work is undeniably better on Reancer than any other release
- The song structure, energy and lyrics are the best on Reancer. I know the most recent has some heartfelt stuff about his child and the scare of losing his wife, but the passionate lyrics of making positive change in your life and accepting yourself for you sits better with me.

 

Hey now, I'm a Used fan. It can't be that bad......

can it?