The Audio Nut
February
20, 2005
Welcome back! The Audio Nut has
expanded again! Due to the success of the page it will now be done weekly (or as
close to weekly as I can get). We will still feature all of the segments that you
like and maybe put a little spin on things every once in a while, just to keep you
on your toes. This time I caught up with the band Further Seems Forever. Be sure
to check out the Readers Reviews section. If you have any questions, comments or
want to submit a review of a c.d. that you like or hate, feel free to e-mail me at
anytime.
theaudionut@nutzworld.net
or
jsohn@nutzworld.net
Message Boards Are Up!
Feel free to take a moment or so
to check out and post stuff on the message boards.
This time around we will be doing reviews for c.d.’s
from:
1. 3 Doors Down
2. The Zutons
3. Shadows Fall
4. Alison Kraus and Union Station
5. P.J. Harvey
6. Fugazi
7. Driven to Her Death
|
Reviews |
|
3
Doors Down
Seventeen Days
2005 Universal
http://www.3doorsdown.com
http://www.universalrecords.com
Grade: B-
3 Doors
Down have released their third album and it is their first
to debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Rock Chart. That
is no small feet for any band in the music business. The
first single “Let Me Go,” is rapidly climbing the rock
charts and will probably be the bands seventh #1 hit
single. “Right Where I Belong” and “The Real Life” are the
more up tempo songs on the disc while they throw in
another ballad and even have a guest appearance from Bob
Seger on the track, “Landing in London”. 3DD are poised to
sell another few million records with this release and
don’t be surprised if it tops the combined 12 million that
their first two c.d.’s The Better Life (2000) and
Away From the Sun (2002).
Check
out the bands web page where you can find the link to help
pick the next single off of the record. If you are a 3DD
fan you will love Seventeen Days. If you’ve only
heard them on the radio and like what you hear then I
suggest that you pick up this disc as soon as you get a
chance.
|
|
The
Zutons
Who Killed the Zutons?
2004 Epic/Sony
Grade: A-
http://www.thezutonsusa.com
http://www.thezutons.net
http://www.epicrecords.com
Quirky
and fun are good words to describe this disc. The Zutons
are yet another British band that has been sent to take
over America and they are starting to take the nation by
storm. If someone tells you that they sound like Franz
Ferdinand, please ignore them. It’s true that The Zutons
are not the most original band in the history of music,
but they don’t sound like Franz either.
The
Zutons will find a way into your head and you will find
yourself humming or singing their tunes throughout the
day. ‘Zuton Fever’, starts off the disc and is a very
catchy song. ‘Pressure Point’ has been getting tons of
radio airplay and the band is on tour opening up for the
band Keane. In most cases they have been stealing the show
and almost everyone that I have talked to say that they
can’t wait until the band does a headlining tour of their
own. Overall the recording is very good and a must get if
you like bands that are a little unordinary and seem to be
a little off of their rocker. Fans of bands like Modest
Mouse, Interpol, Muse, and ‘alternative’ music in general
will get a kick out of Who Killed The Zutons?
|
|
Shadows Fall
The War Within (Limited Edition,
Enhanced CD)
2004 Century Media
Grade: B-
http://www.shadowsfallrocks.com
http://www.centurymedia.com
Shadows
Fall has put out four c.d.’s now and can boast about being
one of the biggest bands in the world, when it comes to
Heavy Metal. The band seems to be performing live almost
everyday, finding concerts to play while they have days
off from opening up for Slipknot. I like this recording
better than any of the previous Shadows Fall releases.
The War Within is hard-hitting and intense with songs
like, “Inspiration on Demand,” “ The Light That Blinds,”
and “Act of Contrition”. Sometimes when the singer Brian
Fair sings he reminds me of Dee Snider from the 80’s metal
band Twisted Sister.
The
limited edition release includes a DVD with special
features for fans like a couple guitar and drum lessons,
two live performances and a video for “Stepping Outside
the Circle” which was on The Art of Balance.
Shadows
Fall aren’t breaking any new ground on this recording, but
they are staying true to what their fans have come expect
from them; pure fist pumping-head banging, heavy metal
mayhem. Fans of Slayer, (older) Metallica and old school
thrash metal will enjoy, The War Within. |
|
Alison Kraus and Union Station
Lonely Runs Both Ways
2004 Rounder Records
Grade: B
http://www.alisonkraus.com
http://rounder.com
If you
are a fan of Country or Bluegrass music you have heard of
Alison Kraus and Union Station. AKUS to their fans, have
put out their first album since 2001’s New Favorite
and you can see they have spent some time getting this one
polished up for release. There are 15 songs on Lonely
Runs Both Ways and there really isn’t a bad moment on
the disc. Kraus is a really good singer with a sweet voice
and has a very good band to back her up. Guitarist Dan
Tyminski and banjo player Ron Block add their voices to
some songs to add a little extra flavor to the mix.
AKUS
has four songs written by Robert Lee Castleman on the
disc, Castleman also wrote “The Lucky One,” which became a
hit for AKUS. There are also two cover songs on the
record, “Pasture of Plenty”, by Woody Guthrie and Del
McCoury’s, “Rain Please Go Away”.
The
musicianship is top notch, but then again what should we
expect when it comes to this band and their music. If your
music collection is looking for a change of pace and you
feel like taking a risky, eclectic chance. I would say
pick up this c.d. and give it a spin.
|
|
|
The Double Dose |
|
This was
originally called the Double Scoop. I thought that was a tacky
name for it. After the first couple installments I canned the
idea, but I have had so many requests for its return that I
had to oblige and bring it back. This time we will feature one
of the most over looked and under rated singer/songwriters in
the world, P. J. Harvey.
P.J. Harvey
Uh Huh Her (Explicit Lyrics)
2004 Island Records
Grade: A
P.J. Harvey
has been making music for well over a decade and like fine
wine she keeps improving with age. Uh Huh Her is the
follow up to her 2001 release Stories From The City,
Stories From The Sea, and she delivers another quality
recording. P.J. has always been known for authoring her own
songs and on many occasions playing all of the instruments in
the recording process. I guess she’s a desperado of sorts, but
by doing things her way she avoids band drama and egos that
tend to rip groups apart at the seems. Uh Huh Her, is
an interesting album that seems to come from the heart, “The
Letter”, was the first single off of it and it did fairly well
on radio. P.J. has always seemed to slip under the radar in
America when it comes to her music. I don’t know if that is by
choice or circumstance, because when I look at the landscape
of female artists that get fame on the charts, none of them
really compare to her in originality or musicianship. Heck, a
lot of them don’t even write their own lyrics, let alone the
music too.
Besides,
“The Letter”, other great songs on this disc include, “Cat on
the Wall”, “The Desperate Kingdom of Love” and “The Darker Day
of Me and Him”. So, if are into ‘girl bands’ or if you like
Avril Lavigne, Ani DiFranco or singers like Tori Amos or Amy
Lee (Evanescence) and any other female singer/song writers you
should set aside the rest and listen to the best. Overall,
Uh Huh Her is a very good album and one you should
consider adding to your collection.
P.J.
Harvey
Rid of Me
1993 Island Records
Grade: A
In 1993
Polly Jean Harvey put out one of the best albums of the 90’s.
Harvey wasn’t very well known when this recording hit the
streets, but word traveled fast about this amazing artist. The
record is very raw in it’s sound quality and seems to be very
personal to P.J.
Along with
a rocking version of “Highway 61,” originally written and
recorded by Bob Dylan; this disc boasts such classics as “50
ft. Queenie”, “Snake”, “Man Sized”, and the title track “Rid
of Me”. Rid of Me is a pure example of ‘girl power’
long before the Spice Girls coined the phrase or bands like
Hole or The Donnas got their shot at the music biz. This album
is a must for anyone that likes a diverse artist who isn’t
afraid to mix it up, both musically and lyrically. If you are
a P.J. Harvey fan and you don’t have this recording you should
kick yourself right now and then get it.
http://www.pjharvey.net
http://www.islandrecords.com |
|
Blast From The Past |
|
Fugazi
13 Songs
1989 Dischord Records
Digitally
Remastered for C.D. in 2003
Grade: A
http://www.dichord.com
http://www.southern.com/southern/band/FUGAZ/
Fugazi Live C.D.’s
http://www.fugaziliveseries.com
Fugazi has
been one of the most influential bands in the history of
Hardcore and Punk Rock music. I read a description of them in
Hot Topic one day and it said they were the ‘Godfathers of Emo’,
(emotional) music. Basically they were a great rock-n-roll
band that just sounded and acted a little different than the
punks, the rockers and the metal heads. Joe Lally (bass) is
still one of my favorite bass players of all time.
Singer/Guitarist Ian MacKaye is still a legend in the
underground music world, sort of like Gene Simmons (KISS) or
Ozzy Osbourne are to the heavy metal world. MacKaye and other
singer/guitarist Guy Picciotto both had original sounding
voices and bounced guitar parts of each other with the
greatest of ease, while drummer Brendan Canty provided a
steady and rocking drum line to every song.
13 Songs
combines two earlier releases Fugazi (self-titled) and
Margin Walker, both released in 1988 to make a
full-length release. All 13 songs on this recording are
awesome. From the opening bass line of “Waiting Room,” until
the last note of “Promises”, this recording is a classic.
“Bulldog Front,” “Give Me the Cure” and “Margin Walker”, are
just a few of the songs that are still helping to shape the
sound of new music worldwide.
The bands
last release was The Argument in 2001. Bassist Joe
Lally is running the Fugazi Live Series web page where you can
get various live recordings of the band. You can also check
out the southern.com page for more information about the band.
So, you want to be a punk rocker? Then you better check out
Fugazi to help your credibility in the scene.
How Do I
Get Mine?
All of the
above c.d.’s can be bought new or used by going to
http://www.amazon.com,
your local music sellers or at their respective webpages.
|
|
The Underground Spotlight |
|
To be
considered for The Underground Spotlight send me an e-mail
with contact information to
jsohn@nutzworld.net
or
theaudionut@nutzworld.net
 Driven
to Her Death
This River Runs Red
2004 Unsigned Band
Grade: A
http://www.geocities.com/driventoherdeath
http://www.myspace.com/driventoherdeath
http://www.purevolume.com/driventoherdeath
For a debut disc from a band that has
only been together for a little over five months, This
River Runs Red is a very impressive recording.
The c.d. went over so well with fans when
it was first released, that the band had to get a second
shipment in to try and accommodate the demand for it.
Songs like “Forever Falling”, “The
Comfort of Being Muted,” and “King of the Corpses” are
personal favorites of mine. Overall there are 10 songs on this
recording and they all are well written and sound great.
Driven to Her Death or DtHD would probably fall under the
label of Metalcore or Hardcore, but they don’t sound like they
are copying that style or any of the bands in that genre.
Instead they come across original and refreshing in a genre
that has seen a lot of copycat bands over the past few years.
With great guitar playing and steady rhythms they prove that
they can flat out play. The poetic lyrics and different styles
of singing fit well into the songs.
DtHD reminds me of Zao meets Iron Maiden
meets Kreator with a dash of older Earth Crisis. If you are a
fan of top 40 radio or ‘mellower’ music then stay far away
from this band. If you like any of the bands I mentioned or if
you like your music hard and heavy get this c.d. before they
sell out again.
You can read an interview with DtHD’s
singer Brandon May in the first issue
of The Audio Nut. |
|
7 Questions With... |
|
This time
we catch up with the band, Further Seems Forever.
 Q.
Who are you and what do you do in the band?
A. My name is Derick Cordoba and I play guitar.
Q. How did you come up with the name, Further Seems Forever?
A. It was originally going to be a lyric that said, "further
seemed forever" and it turned into the name of the band.
Q. What is your favorite song off the new c.d. "Hide Nothing",
also what is your favorite FSF song?
A. I think the song Lead the Way both musically and lyrically
is my favorite.
Q. You guys are about to start another tour very soon, is
there anything new or different that your fans might look for
as opposed to your tours in the past?
A. We are always playing different songs and we brought back
a few older ones for the upcoming tour.
Q. Who are some of your influences both musically and
non-musical?
A. I have had many influences over the years. When I first
started is was bands like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Led Zeppelin
and Rush. Later I got into Jazz and people like Miles Davis,
John Coltrane, John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Jim
Hall, Dave Holland and Joe Diorio among hundreds of others. I
have always tried to listen to as much music as possible and
everyone is an influence in some way.
Q. If you could be anyone in world history who would you be?
Why?
A. I think I would just stay me but I would love to have been
able to see all the Jazz Greats in New York live. John
Coltrane, Miles Davis, Django Rheinhart, Charlie Christian,
Charlie Parker and Jaco Pastorius. They made a huge impact in
music and I can only imagine how great they were live.
Q. What are you listening to in you car/home stereo?
A. I have been listening to the new Sparta record as well as
the new Jimmy Eat World. I also helped put out c.d.'s by Army
of Me, Lakota, Biirdie and Summer Blanket which I obviously
love.
|
|
Reader Reviews |
Brett Y. Paducah, KY
I got that new Killswitch Engage c.d. and I hate it. It was
the same old boring worn out heavy metal garbage that MTV is
trying to say is cool! Do yourself a favor and don’t buy it!
(Brett, I think a lot of the new ‘metal’ is all starting to
sound the same. I’m hoping for something new and
groundbreaking to come out and blow everyone away. Check out
the review for the Driven to Her Death c.d. ‘This River Runs
Red’. It’s only $5 if you get it from the band and it’s worth
the $5. Check out their web page for details)
Alex M. Jacksonville, FL
I love that new Trail of Dead record. Those guys are awesome!
I have seen them in concert three times and they tear it up
live. I know they seem kinda mellow on the cd, but live they
will blow you away.
(Alex, I saw T.O.D. with Queens of the Stone Age and they
were amazing. I had heard of them, but didn’t get the c.d.
until that night. I still listen to it ‘Source Tags and Scars’
all the time.)
Phillip D.
I got that Brand New cd Deja Entendu thanks for reviewing it.
I listened to parts of it on Amazon, bought it, waited two
days and now I listen to it all the time.
(Phillip, if you get a chance check out the first cd, ‘Your
Favorite Weapon’ it’s pretty good too. I like ‘Deja’ better,
but ‘Weapon’ is good also.)
Chuck S, Bismarck, MO
Appetite for Destruction (Guns N’ Roses) is still my favorite
record! I listen to it on Vinyl and I have the cd I play in my
car. I don’t think anyone can top that for a debut album.
(Chuck, you are taking me way back on that one. I listened
to that tape so much that I wore it out, bought another one
and wore that one out too. My uncle was ‘cool’ enough to have
the vinyl with the banned cover.)
Mike K. Trenton, NJ
I like how you added more styles of music to the page. I also
like the band interviews it’s another good way to find out
about bands I haven’t heard of yet. Keep up the good work;
this is the most diverse music page I have found online.
(Mike, thanks that’s what I’m trying to accomplish here.
The wider the audience the better it is for us all!)
John B. Lawrence, KS
On your cd’s of the year you don’t have a review for ‘About a
Burning Fire’ by Blindside. Just wondering why.
(John, originally I did a review for the Blindside c.d.,
but it was on the sports page I was writing for
www.sportznutz.com. I seriously doubt it can be found in any
archives. I may have to post another review for it because you
are like the tenth person to ask me about it.)
Candice J. Victoria B.C.
This isn’t a review, but do you know when the new Queens of
the Stone Age record is coming out?
(Candice, I think it’s coming out in March. The new single
“Little Sister” is making its way to more and more radio
stations everyday. Check out http://www.qotsa.com for more
info.)
Thanks to everyone that sent in a review.
If you have anything that you’d like to share with us feel
free to send it to
theaudionut@nutzworld.net |
|
|
|
About NW Advertising Contact NW Get Involved
Link to NW Spam Policy Privacy Policy Mission Statement
©1997-2005 NutzMedia, Inc
Parental Advisory Note:
Artists and/or their record companies place Parental Advisory
and Explicit Lyrics stickers on the recordings. I will note it
next to the title of the recording when it is posted on the
recording or album artwork its self. Some of the recordings
received by The Audio Nut are not in the original packaging
and therefore may not include the Parental Advisory warning
next to the title. Please take this into consideration when
purchasing a disc that has been reviewed on this page.
Disclaimer:
The opinions
stated above are that of J Sohn and The Audio Nut. They are
not the opinions of NutzWorld, EntertainmentNutz or any of the
above listed bands/artists; their record labels or associates
unless other wise noted. J Sohn, The Audio Nut, NutzWorld and
EntertainmentNutz are not responsible in any way for the
actions or business practices of the above listed
bands/artists etc. |
|
|
|
The Audio
Nut
Message
Board
and you
will know us..
Tobymac
Killswitch Engage
Kelly Clarkson
Kenny Chesney
James Gang
Underoath
U2
Green Day
Slipknot
Gwen Stefani
Blake Shelton
Mudhoney
Given
The Audio Nut - Issue 2
- featuring reviews from:
Chevelle
Cake
Ministry
Bad Brains
Byproduct
The Audio Nut - Issue 1
- featuring reviews from:
Muse
Brand New
Demon Hunter
Shellac
Emaciation
For an e-mail
update when a new page gets posted
click here and
e-mail us |
|
|
