Soundgarden’s “Been Gone Too Long”

Fifteen years away, and the first song that Soundgarden released was a 30 second clip of their song featured on the Avengers soundtrack, “Live to Rise”. Now they’re back with a full length album, and the music video for their single, “Been Away Too Long”. While the video has little real purpose, it is entertaining and centers around the pile of bones and ice featured on the cover of the album, “King Animal”.

If this song is an indicator of how 13 years of hiatus can get you, every band that has ever broken up should get back together. The song reflects the Soundgarden that released the songs that got them life-long fans. It is rough but smooth, with Chris Cornell’s vocals nearly as powerful as they were all those years ago. It shows change, but the fans have to face it: that’s what 13 years will do. Some bands come back with terrible- I mean awful reunions. Their music sounds nothing like them, the fans just can’t find the same energy. This…is not the case.

Soundgarden made sure to make this single what they wanted, and it ended up; of course, being what the fans desired as well. I haven’t reviewed the whole album yet, but I think I’m more excited than some of the older fans of Soundgarden.

Oh and people, it doesn’t even have a million views yet, and it’s been up for three weeks. I do believe we’re slacking. Go watch it!

Xoxo, Radium Rollercoaster

Warped Tour 2013!

So far, Bring Me The Horizon is the only band to have confirmed participation in 2013’s Vans Warped Tour, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to start anticipating! December 7th the official Vans Warped Tour website is announcing the first set of bands, as well selling tickets.

Since it’s origin in 1995, Warped Tour has changed a lot. From the 1996 “Sampler” to 1999, names like Sublime, Beck, Rancid, Bad Religion, and NOFX appear a lot. Since the turn of this century, music has changed alot. In the past decade , more names like, Taking Back Sunday, Yellowcard, Fall Out Boy, Matchbook Romance, All Time Low, and Mayday Parade are becoming more frequent alongside the veterans of Warped Tour. There was an emergence of pop-punk, pop-rock, electronic rock, and many other “versions” of rock and punk; who’s participants have earned them impressive fanbases.

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So what does a tour who loves people do? They let the big names come play, and let the small bands make names. It’s not a punk tour anymore, that is true, but it’s still a place for people who like loud energetic music to come and fit in. It’s a place that every rock kid dreams about at least once.

Not to mention the lineups. No matter what “kind” of rock or punk you like, there will be bands you love on Warped.

Speaking of lineups, who do you want to see this year? I’m hoping for Pierce The Veil, The Nearly Deads, and All Time Low.

Let me know in the comments!

Xoxo Radium Rollercoaster

New Band: The Funeral Suits

Now, here at Radium Rollercoaster’s Music Central, we all love rock and roll. But sometimes, we just need something to keep us focused on whatever we are doing at the time. For me, that is usually classical music. For some, it could be the band Funeral Suits. A friend of mine; AshTree, introduced me to this band, and while they don’t go into my list of legends, I believe that there’s a reader out there, maybe many, that can appreciate their talent.

From Dublin, Ireland, comes one of the most hypnotizing (and strange) bands I’ve heard. They’re good, don’t get me wrong. When you’re listening to them, whether you love or hate the music, it’ll be hard to turn off. Especially if you are watching one of their music videos. I admit, they are a little weird. At least let them have your attention for a song or two, there’s no use in passing any possible favorite up. (:

Go check them out!

http://www.facebook.com/FuneralSuits

Xoxo,

Radium Rollercoaster

Conventional Weapons: One vs. Two

Many people have been desperately waiting for MCR5, and possibly to distill that impatience, My Chemical Romance has begun- month by month- to release their scraped album from 2009. Two songs were released last month, and the two of this month were leaked on YouTube. I am an ardent My Chemical Romance fan, but as a music journalist I’ll digress, these songs “Ambulance” and “Gun” were far lacking in MCR’s potential. Now, before I insult anyone, let me explain.

Number One: In “Boy Division” there’s an immediate intro that jumps right into the “MCR sound” you recognize the guitar, the bass, and of course the vocal style and sound of Gerard is impossible to miss. In “Tommorrow’s Money”, there’s guitar, then drums, then bass, and then Gerard jumps in, which is a style that fits the band. The force and energy, the 80’s punk feel that MCR grew up on is pretty evident here, the pulse is steady. These songs are dark yet flashy, like the anthems of The Black Parade or the sass of Revenge.

Number Two: I loved the bass and drum intro for “Gun”, it’s catchy. But “Gun” and “Ambulance” have an older rock feel that is farther from theatrical Queen and closer to the Beatles. In “Gun” there’s also something a little like Smashing Pumpkins. It’s not recognizable as MCR from the start of either songs unless you know that’s what you are listening to. While that does exert diversity- which is good in any band- it’s also disappointing for people who are still waiting for the return of Bullets and Revenge (the sound of two previous albums).

Honestly I’m still excited for the rest of the songs and I know that when MCR5 comes out, My Chemical Romance will not disappoint. Go ahead and listen to these songs, and whether or not you agree with what I’ve put forth, I hope you do enjoy them because regardless it is a good band and good music.

Xoxo,

Radium Rollercoaster

Music Video: Swan Song, Set It Off

Set It Off, an ‘orchestral rock’ band from Florida, has been growing rapidly in fame with the release of their debut album, Cinematics. With great songs and even better personalities, the S!O family has been collecting and keeping fans from all over the country and the world.

“Swan Song”, their second single and first music video from Cinematics, was released recently on the bands very own Vevo, close to Halloween time this year. The video definitely goes with the theatrics of the band and their musical influences, with circus-like scenes and characters, and a very interesting main actress; a frail seeming blonde girl. The song itself is very powerful and driving, with energy that isn’t surprising from this group.

Set It Off is no stranger to this website, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go check this video out! In fact, you should!

Xoxo,

Radium Rollercoaster

Papa Roach Is Still Swingin’

The Connection is Papa Roach’s seventh studio album; it was released on October 2nd, 2012. It was produced by James Michael, the M in Sixx.A.M. The question you might be asking yourself is this: “After seven albums, Papa Roach has probably done everything they can. Are they still making new music, and is it worth listening to?”

The answer is yes, most definitely yes. From “Still Swinging” alone [the album’s first single], you can see that Papa Roach is far from done with music and their band. The introduction guitar riffs are scattered and more chaotic than the power chords of older Papa Roach music. The vocals in the beginning (and through most of the song) are powerful and loud, yet breathy and coarse at the same time. The distortion makes the voice seem farther away, and don’t read TOO much into my perspective, but I believe that it represents the album itself because the whole song seems like from far away, and the album represents the connection between the band and fans.

The lyrics are just as well equipped as the instrumentals, it’s simply wrote but in a way that the message is clear. Papa Roach is not dead, they are not fading away, and they are “never coming down”. Papa Roach can still kick butt and they will because “P Roach is the new black”. It’s a call to arms for Papa Roach fans. The only thing I do not like about it is the synth/bass part in the ending of the song. It seems like a very common thing to do, and it is not really related to what one thinks of when they think of Papa Roach. But it is small and irrelevant to the point that you will most likely never realize it is there.

All in all, Papa Roach is back on the scene. ❤

Xoxo Radium Rollercoaster