The Marching Gnomes

James Blake - “James Blake” 

A pet peeve of mine is someone saying that all of a genre sounds a certain way, what with dubstep and the wub wub sound. BUT, this album is a self titled album from a DUBSTEP producer. And yes this is a dubstep album. The first time going through you’ll think it’s not. In some respects you’re right, there’s some elements of soul and guitar use, and piano as well. But nonetheless the tightly coiled and clicky beats along with a distinct presence of bass in every song, (Especially Limit to your love) and the manipulated vocals point toward a dubstep album or to be more precise, a post-dubstep album. This album is a grower, an easy grower at that since it’s only a 30 minute or so album that you can listen to over and over again and you’ll easily get the gist of the songs. Most of the album are ideas for songs, some of these songs being only two minutes long, some having second parts to them, such as Lindesfarne I and II. The beats are slick, James has a shaky and crushingly beautiful voice. The album’s often shapeless form provides more reasons to go through and see if you can finally shape the songs into something. It’s chilly atmosphere and linear song structure is nice, soothing, and I think it’s a treat to the ears. Especially those who don’t like Dubstep. 

FAVORITE TRACKS: Unluck, The Wilhelm Scream, I Never Learnt to Share, Lindesfarne I II, Limit to your love, To Care (Like you), I Mind, Measurements, A Case of You (Bonus Track) 

OK Computer by Radiohead

I’ve personally always loved this album, but right now I’m just on a OK Computer binge. It’s an amazingly great album from start to finish and Phil Selway’s simple yet pleasing drums have influenced quite a lot. The drums love to interplay with the bass and it’s just a treat. Not to mention Thom Yorke’s almost manic vocal styles and always haunting lyrics. The guitar’s are almost like a symphony which, as Greenwood mentioned in an interview, he wanted as the new way to use strings in a pop song. Airbag is just an amazing composition of guitars and sounds, while Paranoid Android drools with angst, evil, reservations, and deep sorrow. Karma Police has one of the best and catchy choruses ever, (FOR A MINUTE THERE, I LOST MYSELF!). Climbing up the Walls is a lumbering and haunting/spacey ride through a city. The Tourist is a slow, wailing, guitar-scape that is just eargasmic. There’s so much to be said about the album, but I assure most modern rock bands have been influenced by this album one way or another. The Marching Gnomes are currently attempting to cover Paranoid Android but with a great song comes great expectations, especially living up to the difficulty each of them plays with whilst putting our own spin on it. All in all it’s a piece of art and one of the best albums of the 90’s if not the best. 

FAVORITE TRACKS: All of them, seriously, they’re all great in their own right. 

Come see us play! It’s only 5 bucks! All information is RIGHT HERE!

We’re also playing at Fitzgerald’s with a bunch of other bands! They’re a bit more pricey than Battle of the Bands but there’ll be more bands there and more variety there. They’re also cheaper buying them online then on here. So buy tickets RIGHT HERE! 

Be sure to tell friends and stuff! It’d be much appreciated! I hope to see you at the concerts! 

~ Evan Moore 

Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age

This album just kills. An album with an industrial feel that’s due to the ever repeating and unforgiving guitars, and the liveliness of Heavy Metal with Dave Grohl’s drumming and Mark Lanegan’s frequent singing with his husky and rough voice. This album just kicks ass in so many ways, Dave Grohl’s pounding and unrelentless drumming is a big reason why. Take for instance the song, “Song for the Dead” a five minute track that showcases Grohl’s skill as a drummer PERFECTLY. While Josh sings well, it can’t be helped that Lanegan’s appearances are much more killer with his rough singing and the pure intense fire he sings out, like on Six Shooter, Songs for the Dead, and Millionaire (You think I ain’t worth a dollar but I feel like a Millionaire). Seriously, even the concept to this album is killer which is a roadtrip with interludes in between each song having the driver change stations that are memorable for their poking and prodding of the Music Industry. When you listen to this, brace yourself cause you’ll want to punch dolphins and eat steak… It’s that awesome. 

FAVORITE TRACKS: Millionaire, No One Knows, First it Giveth, Songs for the Dead, Six Shooter, Go with the Flow, God is in the Radio, Do it Again. 

Wolfmother’s “Wolfmother” (Self-titled Debut)

So, this album came out in 2006 and true, they’re doing nothing new or creative. They’ve basically just thrown Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath into a pot, mixed up, and here came this album. The tough drums like Bonham, the wailing guitars and bass are reminiscent of Black Sabbath, and the vocals take not just a page but a whole chapter from Robert Plant. Yet what makes this album so appealing and so goddamn good is that they’re YOUNG! They play with intensity, and a youthful drive that makes their 70’s hard rock/metal sound sound modern. The riff on “Joker and the Thief” that almost swirls around your head is just awesome, while the pure intensity and power of “Woman” makes you wanna headbang and kick your door in. They prove that Hard Rock isn’t dead, all you need  is the drive and the kick assery to make it so. 

FAVORITE TRACKS: Witchcraft, Vagabond, Woman, Joker and the Thief, Colossal, Dimension, Pyramid.

TICKETS AT THE DOOR ARE 13 BUCKS BUT IF YOU BUY THEM ONLINE YOU GET THEM FOR 11 BUCKS!!! BUY THE ONLINE TICKETS RIGHT HERE! WE’LL ALSO BE PLAYING WITH OH, NOSTALGIA AND OTHER BANDS AS WELL! IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN AN EPIC CONCERT THEN COME OVER AND WATCH US! IT’LL BE AWESOMENESS. 

BUY YOUR ONLINE TICKETS RIGHT HERE!  

“Knife Man” by Andrew Jackson Jihad 

I think this is the first album I’ve ever listened to that made me grin at all the horribly terrible sarcasm displayed. Most albums are intent on making a sad, happy, or angry/pumped up mood. First album I’ve ever listened to that made me laugh actually which a lot of artists should do more because music can be more than making you sad or happy. There’s a song called “The Michael Jordan of Drunk Driving” which opens with “The Michael Jordan of drunk driving played his final game tonight”. It gets more twisted on the song “American Tune” which revolves around the singers thankfulness for being a straight white male. It’s pretty twisted but it’s the funny kind of twisted. Loving this album. 

FAVORITE TRACKS: The Gift of the Magi 2: Return of the Magi, American Tune, Back Pack, If You Have Love in Your Heart, No One, Free Bird, Big Bird.