Canadian Rockers, The Lions, are back with their most recent album New Rise Of The Footsoldier.  Released in March of this year, the album is a mix of Alternative, Rock and Psychedelic music.

Currently calling Calgary home, The Lions, consisting of Chris Millar (lead vocals/guitar), Justin Luchinski (bass) and Liz Demenko (drums), are well known in the area.  They’ve been playing countless gigs and getting their name out there and the hard work seems to be paying off.  In a one year time span in 2008-2009 the band released two full length albums, two EP’s and one live album.  Also in 2009, The Lions opened for The Arkell’s, Jet and Our Lady Peace and played The Grey Cup Street Festival and NXNE.

The band doesn’t rely on fancy gimmicks, they let the music speak for itself.  They give one hundred percent but also manage to have a good time.  They’ve been known to be more concerned with maintaining their integrity than “chasing crooked commercial success” and are quick to point out the people who have given them a helping hand over the years.

The Lions have never claimed to be originals.  They are proud to have their sound compared to that of their influence’s Oasis, Led Zepplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and The Stone Roses.  The Lions take the old sound of Rock N’ Roll and bring it back to life.

New Rise of the Footsoldier is a great album full of determination, energy and memorable songs.  The album begins with the hauntingly beautiful “Ghost Dancer”.  An eerie instrumental, that intrigues and mystifies.  Next the more lively “No Other Way”, this is a great song and in a way, an introduction to the bands’ sound. “Incalaescence” another beautiful instrumental follows.  This song feels like a continuation  of “Ghost Dancer” and leaves you feeling at peace.  My favourite on the album has to be “Invincible”.  The vocals are more powerful and the chords a little darker.  This song would make a great single.  The album ends with “Remember”, another great song with a combination of lyrics and music that will catch hold and leave you wanting more.

Follow The Lions on their official MySpace page www.myspace.com/thelionsrockband

The Ben Rose Wedding Band recently held the release of their new CD Cowtown at well known Calgary folk music venue The Ironwood Stage and Grill. The venue (as the name would suggest) feels much like an auditorium that serves great food rather then a typical music venue; it consists of one large room focused around a large stage at the back, high ceilings, and a surprising amount of light. When I arrived there was only one small table left towards the front right of the stage, which of course I assumed was meant for me. The room was busy with chatter in anticipation for a relaxed evening of entertainment from a musician most of the audience had seen before and/or could familiarize with.

The band features Ben Rose, a powerful singer with a prominent vocal range (and a great whistler I might add) accompanied by a full band including several back up singers. They played songs off the new album with a natural ease that lets you know these guys aren’t first timers. Ben’s father (also a gifted musician) joined him on stage to harmonize and play harmonica on several songs, and maybe it’s just me, but a great harmonica player can make you forget anything that might be stirring in your head and truly be in that moment. About half way through the show they introduced a professional burlesque dancer named Rica Shae, and in my experience unless you’re at an outdoor music event or festival where anything goes, this is definitely something rare to see. Rica Shae undeniably held the attention of the crowd and in the end was wearing nothing but nipple tassels and a bikini bottom. The band went on to perform classic pop and audacious folk beats from the new album such as “Cowtown’s a Small Town”, an upbeat depiction of how Calgary can feel much like a small town.

Prior to the show I had several questions I knew I had to ask Ben; “Is the name reflective of the project, does a wedding band play strictly weddings, and do you play original tunes?” His response stated that yes they do play weddings, but they most definitely also play other venues and shows. Ben is an original singer/songwriter well known around Calgary, and states that it actually took him 10 years to finish this, his first official CD. He is extremely passionate about music in general; it is his full time job. His current project involves his own works along with rousing renditions of classic cover tunes. You can learn more about Ben, hear some tunes, or book him for your wedding / reception at: http://www.benrose.ca/).

The opening song of The Fast Romantics new EP starts out with a piano track that reminds me of a 50′s sock-hop.  It seems as if somebody got the “arpeggio” key stuck on the piano backing setup because it is almost always evident in this song. Don’t get me wrong, I occasionally enjoy listening to music from that era, and this band captures that feeling while combining it with a modern feel evident in the heavily effected electric guitar prominent throughout.

The second track “Denim Tuxedo” changes it up a little bit and adds some off-beat rhythms and introduces some minor chording that wasn’t utilized too often in the way back then, but it’s a great mix of old and new!  Hard-edged, a little on the dark side Beach Boys…that’s what always seems to come to mind while I’m listening to these guys.  I won’t admit this to just anyone, but when I was a kid I’d sneak out of my bed at night just to listen to another side of a Beach Boys LP (if you must know the album was Summer Fun, perhaps their best work, and it was their original vinyl).  So, from me that’s a compliment.

I like Kidcutter, although I don’t know if I could listen to it all the time.  Maybe just late at night when I want to sneak out of my bed and listen to it on the headphones really loud.  I can imagine going to one of their concerts and dancing all night with some of my favourite girlfriends.  It’s a fun album, something that seems to be missing from the music scene in recent years.  Major chords, upbeat tempos, and while I didn’t catch all the lyrics it seems like a relatively positive outlook of what’s going on in this crazy world of ours.

All in all, I would definitely recommend getting Kidcutter if for nothing else to have something upbeat to listen to while you drive through downtown.  The mental imagery is this; driving through some busy downtown restaurant section, and while hardly anybody does it any more, have the windows rolled down and crank it up a little bit, just to spread the happiness this album seems to portray.  Now, where is that darn LP?

In 2010 we’ve seen an increasing number of bands with an ’80s inspired sound.  With the release of their new album Kronic Rock on August 10th, Krome would be one of those bands.

The bands singer Shawn Meehan says the band was inspired by fellow Canadian bands Sloan and The Trews, who looked back to the ’70s for their inspiration.

“But we’re younger, so we said ‘let’s try that with the ’80s,” Meehan says.  “We don’t look like ’80s rockers, but we try to capture that energy.”

The band also includes guitarist Derek Merrel, bassist Adam Reid and drummer Scott Aquino.

With a genre that is so popular right now, Krome should have had no problem making a great album.  The first single titled “TMZ”, about celebrity gossip, has gotten solid reviews, but despite the reviews it’s only the first of many disappointments on this album.

According to the band, “[We] wanted the record to be fun.  Whether you like it or not, you won’t be bored.”

Well this may be partially true as it is a party album, but the overall effect is straight forward and brief.  The titles of the songs are self-explanatory “Let’s Go All the Way”, “Put Your Hands Up in the Air” and “Bring the House Down”, and only aid in showing the lack of substance, depth and imagination that went into them.

Krome’s music tries to keep the listeners attention by keeping things short, but this may have led to the albums downfall.

Most of the songs fly by with a repeated pattern, with the song title of each song usually being both the main hook and lyrical content.  Before you know it you’re on to the next track for more of the same.

“I’ve always been into the songwriter thing — three minute songs,” says Meehan.  “No long intros or anything like that.”

And it shows with this album.  Kronic Rock manages to squeeze ten songs into twenty one minutes and has a simple message to convey, Krome just wants tot turn up the rock and party.  No less and considering many of the songs clock in at two minutes, no more.

This may be the album many fans of the band have been waiting for, but for me I’ve been there and done that.

Krome will be playing at Taphouse in St Albert on August 21st and at Kooler in Lloydminster on August 27th.  Follow the band on their official site www.krome.ca or their Myspace page, www.myspace.com/krome3

One of the things I like about Arcade Fire is their ability to build up hype by seemingly doing nothing. They appear to be separate from the chaos that swirls around them by merely going about their business. This single minded focus typically results in works of art that at first are overwhelming in their presentation & depth but end up being beautiful & accessible in their simplicity.

Released August 3rd, 2010, the latest album The Suburbs isn’t as good as their former albums in that it doesn’t exceed what came before it. The groups sound remains intact, although toned down at times which creates a more “pop rock” sound. “Modern Man” sounds like a cover of a Rick Springfield song, with other songs (“City With No Children” for example) sounding like something the Joel Plaskett Emergency created more than Arcade Fire originals. The album tends to feel more subdued than past offerings, with less sweeping, all-engulfing songs driving the album. The tracks themselves have no major standouts, but also have no songs that besmirch the band’s growing legacy.

I like the album and I loved the first couple of singles but found myself wanting more throughout the entire album. A feeling that didn’t dissipate the more I listened; if anything additional listens reaffirmed my sense that it felt more like a tribute album to bands that influenced them rather than an Arcade Fire masterpiece.

It’s good, just not as good I had built it up to be.

Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip has released an album that is as bland as the side project’s name – Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles.  The Grand Bounce is mellow, country Canadiana that sounds far too close to works by The Tragically Hip to be considered new and exciting.  Aren’t solo projects supposed to be a chance for artists to step outside of their comfort-zone?  I guess you can take the singer out of the band, but you can’t take the band out of the singer.

To be fair, Downie has such a distinct voice that I don’t think we would ever hear a difference between his solo projects and The Tragically Hip.  He’s how we identify a Tragically Hip track.  This album sounds like B-sides from the band that Downie just threw together and labeled it his side project.

Opening track “The East Wind” is also the first single from the album – a wise choice as it’s probably the most exciting song on The Grand Bounce.  The middle tracks are uninspired and, well, just plain boring.  By the last two tracks, I was completely disenchanted with the album and with Gord Downie in general.  He’s a very identifiable figure in Canadian music, and The Grand Bounce did not meet my expectations.  Final tracks “Broadcast” and “Pinned” plodded along so slowly I was snoozing by the end. “Pinned” actually has undertones of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”.  Sorry, Gord Downie and The Country of Miracles, ending an album with the ultimate musical sleeping pill is no way to wow your listeners.

With much anticipation “D-Day” as Zakk Wylde has referred to the unveiling of the new Black Label Society (BLS) album Order of the Black has happened.  On August 10th the band released its eighth studio album, this time through E1 Music.

Wylde and his band currently made up of John “JD” DeServio, Will Hunt and Nick Catanese, have become a worldwide phenomenon with die-hard fans all across the globe.  These fans are commonly refererred to as “Beserkers”.

The band is currently headlining the second stage of this year’s Ozzfest, after which they will be headed out on their own worldwide tour through 2011 in support of Order of the Black.

This new album defines what Metal Heads want in music today, from the opening track “Crazy Horse” you feel a rush that doesn’t let up.  The band have never sounded better, they deliver on all expectations and then some.

There are no bad tracks on this album either.  “Overlord”, “Parade of the Dead” and “Godspeed Hellbound” are all instant BLS classics and Wylde even shows off his piano skills on a couple of great ballads, including “Darkest Days” and “Time Waits for No One”.

It’s been a long wait for this new ablum, but it was not in vain.  The album will not disappoint and is a must have for any BLS fan.

Black Label Society will be performing at the Edmonton EXPO Centre Hall D Arena on September 24th and at the Big 4 Building at the Calgary Stampede September 26th.

Follow the band online on their official website www.blacklabelsociety.com

“wow…Thom Yorke with a beard = fucking bizarre”

That being said, the man is still a musical genius and I was curious if there were any other videos from his festival performance and naturally, there were. In addition to “Give Up the Ghost”, Thom performed Radiohead’s “I Might Be Wrong” and my favourite (hence it being VotD), “Reckoner”;

Parting thoughts with ‘Show’ upon viewing the above video? “In Rainbows is one of the greatest albums of all time”. I challenge anyone to argue with me. Noel Gallagher need not apply.

After thirteen years, six studio albums, 11 million album sales, breakdowns, clean ups and the dizzy swell of global success Placebo are back in the UK for a special one off show at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on 27 September to celebrate the release of the Battle For The Sun: Redux Edition which is released on the same day.

Join Placebo as you relive your teenage years or discover one of the UK’s greatest bands.

You can buy your tickets at the link below.

27 September    London O2 Academy Brixton

Kings of Leon have announced their much anticipated fifth studio album Come Around Sundown is to be released on October 18th.

The album is the follow-up to the hugely successful Only By The Night, which sold over six million copies worldwide and won the band four Grammy Awards.

During their current North American tour, Kings Of Leon have been giving fans a glimpse of the new thirteen track album.  Not surprisingly some fans already seem to know the lyrics.  The band is hoping that the fans’ positive reaction to the album will reflect equally well on the charts.

According to drummer Nathan Followill, “[The songs have] been going over really well, a lot better than we thought they would.  Some of them are getting better reactions than the older songs, which is bittersweet, but it’s great to see fans are digging the direction we’re heading in.”

The band has also announced they will preview tracks from Come Around Sundown when they headline the V Festival in the UK later this month.

Follow Kings Of Leon on their official website www.kingsofleon.com