Panic! At The Disco- The Ballad of Mona Lisa (01/02/2011 Fuelled By Ramen/Decaydance Records)

‘The Ballad of Mona Lisa’ has been described as ‘...sounding a whole lot like ‘A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out’, and with this being Panic At The Disco’s best (but sadly, least successful in terms of chart positioning) album to date, this can only be at thing! The storytelling and incredibly stylistic format of the track is something I am sure many a Panic fan has missed greatly. The ‘new’ sound, which frontman Brendon Urie has named ‘a new beginning’, of is down to Ryan Ross and Jon Walker leaving the band on July 6^th 2009, (and not forgetting that of Brent Wilson in May 2006), as well as heavy influences from the likes of Muse (listen attentively to the drum beat) and Fall Out Boy, especially within the chorus. Having stated that, this could be due to Fall Out Boy (R.I.P) bassist, Pete Wentz’s influence upon it with Panic being signed to his label.

     Although the lyrics appear to not be aimed at a particular individual, the track remains personal because it was wholly written by (if that’s possible in a band consisting of two members), Brendon Urie. Urie has been quoted saying he originally wrote the song to express his apparently infinite struggle with his personal convictions, ‘...the inner struggle...growing pains.’ It was actually written before the band had begun to piece together their third album ‘Vices & Virtues’, on which, ‘The Ballad of Mona Lisa’ is featured.

     The track itself describes the difficulty of a relationship with a person who refuses to physically portray their emotions. It also pin-points the habit of over thinking, ‘Her words are spinning through his ears again...’. Although Urie, with his charmingly smooth vocals, has conjoined his personal woes to an imaginary story, the track, specifically the haunting chorus, is lingeringly memorable, smart and a massive punch in the face for any past critics. It is clear no one can accuse Panic of being sell outs with the eerie pop style they utilise. The song is incredibly anthemic, do the point where you can practically hear the festival crowds shouting back.

     It has long been difficult for critics to place Panic! At The Disco within a genre of sort, so fans have settled for definitions such as ‘Emo’ and ‘Baroque Pop’, which remains so with help from this new track. Something that is certain is that, judging by the reception at the band’s ‘comeback’ gig on 8^th February in London, is that this is something the fans embrace. Unusually, there is nothing cheesy about the track, despite it concerning complicated relationships. Urie’s voice in particular, is full of energy, charisma and charm, which are three aspects that simply cannot be taught.

     Panic! At The Disco have retained their unique, enchanting style, although they appear to have matured since 2005. But there is defiantly something surrealist and supernatural about Panic’s style; something that cannot be defined, which is sure to keep ears pricked for years to come.

     Watch the full music video of Panic! At The Disco’s brand new single ‘The Ballad of Mona Lisa’ here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOgpdp3lP8M&feature=branded . Their new album ‘Vices & Virtues’, with ten brand new tracks including ‘The Ballad of Mona Lisa’ is set for release on 29^th March this year.



4/5

Mayday Parade- Anywhere But Here (06/10/2009 Atlantic Records)

     After the well-documented departure of vocalist, lyricist and guitarist and of Jason Lancaster at the end of 2008, Mayday Parade, of Florida, USA, fans were understandably concerned about the future of the band and the progress of their follow up to 2007’s ‘A Lesson in Romantics’, without their Lancaster. Without him, the band appear to have matured in musical ability, creating this tight and punchy record, made up of one part lyrics pin-pointing the ins and outs of relationships with light emotion, one part skill projection and one part venue-filling noise.

     The noticeably varied sound from earlier material is mainly due to the lack of Lancaster, which angered many fans who had first loved the band with him intact. But it was also the growing maturity of the band to where their hearts on their sleeves to create an honest album, capable of connecting with fans poignantly. ‘A Lesson In Romantics’ almost appears to be EP standard compared to the production found on ‘Anywhere But Here’, because of the move from Fearless to Atlantic Records. Writing this album took almost a year, beginning just after Lancaster going his own way and posting direct posts on his MySpace blog regarding the situation, ‘I hope that one day we can all be friends again...I am leaving the door open for whenever you guys (the band) can bring yourselves through it...everything is cool...but the bands you love aren’t always what they seem...’. In actual fact, Lancaster raises a critical issue with his statement, because the rift between him and the rest of the band, at first, took huge precedence over the pre-production for ‘Anywhere But Here’.

     Recording was complete in June 2009, with the title track released soon after. Perfectly punchy pop-punk beats drive every track on the album, and with the irresistible combination of catchy choruses and succinct lyrics, ‘Anywhere But Here’ is a positive combination. The very first track, ‘Kids In Love’, which was released as a single, has lyrics that unswervingly tag nostalgia, which has always been a popular pop-punk theme. They make a clear aim for the teen market, ‘The summer was full of mistakes...the first kiss stole the breath from my lips, why did the last one tear us apart?’. Telling tales of teen romance failure is a huge element of what makes Mayday Parade so successful, and with the addition of soothing backing vocals from drummer, Jake Bundrick and enticing melodic features, it is a very compelling track for teens.  

     Title track, ‘Anywhere But Here’ defiantly has the greatest attention to detail in terms of overall production in comparison with other tracks on the album. The steady beat only enhances the catchy melody and lyrics marking the difficulty of misery and loneliness after the breakdown of a relationship. In fact, if the rock drum kit was replaced by an R&B esque backbeat; this track would be conventionally pop, especially with its incorporation of key changes and enhanced backing vocals. This is clearly something that has made Mayday Parade more appealing to more people since their subtle inception onto the scene in 2005. ‘The Silence’ begins with an edgier format, but although every track speaks of the troubles of love, this tells a tale of a girl experiencing a gloomy period of life, ‘With every beat there’s no escape...it won’t ever be the way it was...his heart of stone left hers breaking...nothing left inside’...you get the idea! However, in the past, the gloomier songs are the most successful because of the audience connection they evoke, for example, the Green Day track ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Boys Like Girls’ ‘Thunder’ or Coldplay’s ‘Fix You’.

    

     Track four, ‘Still Breathing’ employs a similar sound to that of Lostprophets but without their arena-filling production and remarkable lyrical connections with fans, it does not quite work in the same way, ‘I got to find my way out, I’m hoping...’ appear miniscule in association. By track five of the album, the bite appears to have been misplaced, with pitiable lyrical elements, ‘Someone please sing this love sick melody...’.  The title of the following song, ‘If You Can’t Live Without Me, Why Aren’t You Dead Yet?’, as well as the opening, are very reminiscent of A Day To Remember, but without the inclusion of screamo, and despite a half decent guitar solo in the bridge, for more of a wall of sound, the potential anger-filled moment is lost in pop punk hooks.

    

     ‘Save Your Heart’ is a touching, heart-felt and well produced track, that could easily make a grown man bawl with the emotion it can evoke, varying from how depressing heartbreak can be ‘She fell to the bottom of life...’ , and how difficult moving after a break up can be ‘Try and get up, you’ve got to slowly brush off, I know that words aren’t enough, but you’re better than this.’ Yet the deep and harsh emotions referenced are almost wasted on early teens that are less likely to truly understand the cruel sting of love. Having said that, the band does extremely well in promoting uplift in such situations, and the lyrics are nothing short of overwhelming, ‘Never get what you’re crying for, it’s always the same...you give, and they take, and it’s love that you want, but not love that you make...’. With many an air-grab perfect moment, beautiful lead and backing vocals and endorsement riffs, as well as sheer honesty through the lyrics. This is without doubt the best track on the album by far, and portrays the potentially epic sound this band could have.

     Yet again, Mayday Parade appear to have extracted the most loved sound elements from, let’s face it, better bands in an attempt to gain fans. As well as tracks three and four, track eight, ‘Get Up’, the trend appears through the guitar introduction, bridges and subtly in the chorus, with reference to Blink-182. No one can doubt their success and as Mayday Parade have yet to find a perfect sound of their own; they have made themselves very venerable for dislike. But the alluring riffs have carried them through. But ‘Centre of Attention’ almost contradicts this idea of incorporating other bands’ best elements, because the melodic and pop punk qualities, although conventional for the genre, if a little tame, which somehow makes them individual, and the lyric ‘sing it for somebody who cares!’ is perfect for gigs. ‘I Swear, Time I Mean It’ is Mayday Parade stripped bare, and an acoustic track, it could be considered as dull or simplistic, but in fact, it actually highlights the raw talent of the band.

    

     ‘The End’; perfect final track for ‘Anywhere But Here’, with its references to the evolution of the band itself and honestly charting internal emotions of their progress, ‘How can you think that any of this was easy, with all the friends I lost along the way?’ With fading guitar, wholesome vocals and a punchy chorus, it rounds off the album lucratively. But, bonus tracks ‘So Far Away’ and ‘The Memory’, although inevitably do what they say on the tin; seem like excess after an eleven-track album. ‘So Far Away’ is jaunty and gig-perfect, ‘...this place can burn for all we care.’, and ‘The Memory’ reverts back to Mayday Parade’s ‘Miserable At Best’..best.

    Despite ‘Anywhere But Here’ being somewhat lukewarm towards the middle, the band’s capabilities are portrayed in tracks such as ‘Save Your Heart’, which would have more than likely been a very strong single. Their influences are obvious, but to achieve a phenomenal album, they cannot play it so safe. Mayday Parade’s potential depth is remarkable and shines through some tracks,  whilst others are almost worth skipping, but this record gives them a good shove in the right direction.


3/5

Requiem For A Dream (27/10/2000)

     Set in front of the gritty backdrop of Brooklyn, New York, ‘Requiem For A Dream’ is made up of hard-hitting, graphically realistic and often nauseating imagery, but it is the juxtapositioning of realism and surrealism that makes it so captivating. Fundamentally, it is a montage from the twisted mind of Darren Aronofsky, following four drug addicts through their troubled existences. Some aspects appear so lifelike to the point where some audience members may feel physically sick, which complements the heartbreaking acting, which is incredibly rare. With the film having no hidden message, the viewer is able to focus on the fantastic cinematography seen throughout it, such as the repetition of shots and sequences reflects the sense of tarnished routine which run throughout the film, which leads to obsession from each individual character.

 

     The 102 minutes of pain, failure and drug dependency is essentially a eulogy morning the lost dreams of the four characters, lonely Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn), her fiercely determined son, heroin addicted Harry (Jared Leto), and his girlfriend Marion Silver (Jennifer Connolly) and best friend Tyrone Love (Marlon Wayans). Each character is driven by addiction and it is the cleverly used split screen shots that allow the audience to follow the interwoven storylines and eventual deterioration of the four individuals.

     In fact, at times the acting is so powerful, it drowns out the dotted aspects of surrealism used. For instance, the emotional capture of loneliness is so perfectly constructed through the character of Sara it could break a heart of stone. At first, Sara is by her friends to lose weight, and she is convinced, along with dying her hair a harsh shade of red, that it will make her happier. She becomes obsessed with fitting into a sleek red dress she wore to her son’s graduation years ago, and after ordering weight-loss amphetamine pills handed over by an apathetic doctor she becomes addicted, consequently experiencing hallucinations and unbalanced emotions.

 

     Her son Harry is heavily reliant on drugs, scoring hit after hit, as well as the love of his girlfriend. Ironically, he visits his mother during her addiction and simply perceives her as what she is skin deep; a lonely old woman infatuated by television. Harry’s girlfriend Marion sleeps with her physiatrist for their next hit, after which, Harry leaves for the same reason, just as Marion exceeds breaking point, sleeping with another man and later attending a swinger’s ‘party’ during which there is an incredibly graphic sex scene through which, Marion feeds her drug dependency.

 

     There are several rapid cuts from scene to scene within the film that reflect the pace of the storylines. The viewer is called to question their perceptions of drugs because of the legality of Sara’s addiction, and the inner monologues of each character projected on screen allow the audience to clearly understand the emotion being represented, and tight close-ups enhance this. ‘Requiem For A Dream’ is very stylistic. Darren Aronofsky, as both director and writer obviously had heavily influence over the film’s creation, the variation from extreme close-ups to wide panning shots is clearly an intentional technique.

 

     Scene length shortens swiftly as the film progresses, depicted through the characters’ transitions from sobriety to intoxication and the rapid succession of images throughout the film. The music used is repetitive, haunting and extremely intense; Clint Mansell has composed cold and eerie sounds to compliment the reality the film illustrates.

 

     ‘Requiem For A Dream’ comes to an end with all four characters thrown far from where they began, and all in all, the film can seem so real at times that it is terribly discouraging to watch, even the effective ending with each character curled up in the foetal position.  However, the indescribable combination of Leto’s voice and appearance are enough to lift anyone’s spirits. Despite the fight between storyline and style often concluding with neither being successful, Aronofsky, along with the juxtapositioning of realism with surrealism, makes both complement one another perfectly.

5/5

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (19/11/2010 Warner Bros.)

      This, the seventh and penultimate film in the Harry Potter franchise, is dark, chilling and action-packed, which makes  ‘Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1’ dissimilar to the boundaries of Hogwarts the audience is used to.

          Voldemort’s (Ralph Fiennes) power is mounting as he gains control over the Ministry of Magic as well as Hogwarts, making muggles and wizards alike, live in terror. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) work in partnership to complete the noble work of Dumbledore by searching for parts of Voldemort’s soul hidden inside horcruxes, to eventually defeat the dark Lord, and of course, save the world, as always.

     This film does not follow the same structure found in the previous productions; exaggerated danger, a climaxing battle and a happy ending. Instead, there is potential peril lurking round every corner, fast-paced editing, a gripping cliff-hanger (and least for those who have not read the book) and a deeply pale colour pallet constructed by cinematographer, Eduardo Serra. All this sets the stage for the three stars to give their best performances to date, and certainly director David Yates’ best work in terms of overall production and presentation.

     

     The film opens with an unflattering shot Rufus Scrimgeour, the new Minister of Magic, played by Bill Nighy, basically giving away the tone of the film to come, ‘These are dark times’. Harry's journey to the Weasleys’ to avoid the bad guys involves the death of Harry’s beloved owl Hedwig and seven of the good guys morphing into Harry for his protection, which, let’s face it, is a sight no one is all too pleased to see. Scrimgeour later presents the gruesome threesome with Dumbledore’s mysterious possessions he left for them in his will, after he fell to his death, with a little assistance from Snape. Gifts in hand, and after an epic disruption of Ron’s older brother Bill’s wedding, Harry, Hermione and Ron head into London to escape the Death Eaters.

     The heroic trio spend the remainder of the film in the wilderness running from the Dark Lord and his followers and bickering with one another, clearly to represent adolescent interplay in some way. Mid way through,  Ron loses his rag, leaving the other two alone to cheer one another up by dancing the most awkward dance ever seen on screen. With this, and the absence of the vibrant optimism of Hogwarts, the film is bleak in terms of tone and overall impression.

     Even with the special effects being state-of-the-art, their credibility is somewhat wasted on a slow-moving and effectively children’s movie. This is enhanced by the breathtaking animated sequence, describing the ‘Tale of the Three Brother’s’ through Xenophilius Lovegood’s (Rhys Ifans), who is Luna Lovegood’s father. The animation essentially provides the three heroes with all they need to finally destroy the bad guy.

      Compared to the previous sixth films, 'Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1', is strung-along somewhat, no doubt to satisfy Warner Bros’ hefty wallets more than Potter fans. Despite the fact that most of the world is familiar with both the books and films, this latest instalment requires hordes of Potter knowledge to even comprehend following. But it is, without doubt the most frightening of the lot, with some moments that could even make fully grown adults squeal. 

4/5   

The Internet and The Music Industry: Artist Promotion vs. Illegal Downloading

As the sales of iPods increase more than ever, as is the number of people illegally downloading music.

     Everyone’s at it. We want music on command and for free. For the past few years with the seemingly continual expansion of the internet, the music industry has been affected in a number of ways, mainly by constant illegal downloading of music as well as file sharing, and mass artist promotion and advertising on websites such as PureVolume and MySpace.     

     With the sales of iPods and MP3 players rocketing sky high recently, with Apple selling 22,727,000 iPods in just three months and gaining a handsome of profit of $10.17 billion last year[1], music has never been so accessible.

The History of the Music Industry:

     When music was first released, it was in the form of vinyl, (incredibly large CD type objects) which was back in 1948 by Columbia Records. The internet, however, has made many things easier and faster; shopping, socialising and listening to and downloading music. It has made watching and sharing music free, but also downloading it. ‘...music piracy is having a dangerous effect on...music...rich and successful artists like...Radiohead don’t seem to think so’[2], Lily Allen stated on her blog. She has a point. Bands such as Radiohead sell out arenas in seconds; do they really need much income? But for struggling bands and new talent, it’s a different story. File sharing and illegal downloading is making it more and more difficult for new music to emerge profitably.

     Consider how music was prior to the internet. Remember the cassette tape, or, in the fact, the prehistoric CD? Remember selecting just one CD and slot it into your Discman for the week? Now there are thousands of ways to get music, but in terms of promotion, new artists are simple making little or no profit. Although the internet helps a great deal with promotion and advertising, it does not bring in any revenue. When MP3 format was publically established in 2000, the concrete methods of the music industry were overturned and the world went music downloading crazy!

The Social-Networking Effect:

     Nonetheless, bands and artists are currently becoming prominent in the music industry by the public promoting them, which, in my opinion, is how it should be, as opposed to a record company listening to countless demos and endorsing new talent. Nowadays, by the time ‘new’ talent is officially advertised, a well-established fan base is already in place.  Thanks to social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace, the public can chose to support an artist by joining fan groups and posting videos. MySpace displays tour dates, photographs and artist profiles for fans to observe.  Twitter allows discussion and eventual promotion, which the public is in full control of. YouTube is fuelled by the watching of endless videos, and even be recommended associated videos, enabling many an artist into the limelight. Although many artists may state that money means nothing as long as their music is ‘out there’, everyone needs to eat.

    The teenage market; the most targeted market there is, chooses illegal downloading, which is a major concern for music. But as the internet is constantly evolving, so is the music industry. People tend to think in terms of individual tracks as opposed to an entire album, yet there are still those who might purchase an album after growing fond of one track by the same band or artist. But surely it is better to actually purchase, even a single track than download a complete album illegally?

Music and the Internet:

     Conversely, websites where the public have unlimited access to music downloading are tarnishing the music industry. Although file sharing is just a drop in the ocean, in excess, bands are struggling to make money whilst bosses of billion dollar record companies notice little or no difference in their bank balances. Record companies exist to make money. Illegal downloading and file sharing is a critical problem, and will only deteriorate in the future. Last year, physical album sales were down 46% and digital downloads increased by 43%, from 17.6 million single sales, to a colossal 23.4 million.[3]

     Some artists chose to give their music away for free or allow fans to pledge as little as a penny towards it. But there are other ways for musicians to gain income other than directly through their music, such as merchandise and fan clubs. But other, less widely known bands, such as The Blackout have been forced to permit fans to donate to the promotional costs of their text album, through ‘once in a lifetime experiences, for instance an acoustic gig in your very own home for £500 and exclusive merchandise. This was due to illegal copying of previous tracks from the band’s MySpace page, which brought very little takings for the band.

     The cost of legally downloading an album from a site such as ITunes is generally cheaper than heading out and buying a physical copy. Perhaps in the near future the world will adapt further and CDs will be no more, but if there is a worldwide refusal to actually buy music, the industry will also be no more. On the other hand, purchasing a physical CD allows the consumer to obtain original album artwork, photographs, song lyrics (not googled), as well as the artists’ acknowledgements. According to the Recording Industry Association in America total music sales demised by $4 million from the year 2000.[4]

     Music is very easily manipulated and accessible, and as the world becomes more convenience obsessed, this can only decline. We all know what it’s like when a little-known band you’ve loved for years suddenly becomes popular, and you die a little inside. So do your favourite band a favour and support them if or when they do ‘make it’, or continue to do so. Tear yourself apart from that £8 and buy the album, rather than downloading a dodgy illegal copy. Use the internet for artist promotion.

---

[1] Apple Official Quarterly Sales Figures for 2009
[2] Lily Allen’s Official Blog

[3] Official Album Sales Figures 2009

[4] Recording Industry Association (Music Sales) 

Paramore @ Birmingham NEC/LG Arena (16/11/2010)

    Paramore, a pop-punk rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004 and burst onto the music scene back in 2005. Their debut album ‘All We Know is Falling’, 2005, was inspired by the likes of Fall Out Boy and Blink-182. Their fan base has been expanding worldwide ever since, propelling them comfortably within the mainstream scale, and with infectious lyrics, immense riffs and profound love songs, they are unavoidable.

    

     ‘Brand New Eyes’, Paramore’s third studio album was released in 2009, this year won Kerrang’s best album award. This week, it reached platinum status in the U.K, making it the band’s biggest seller to date. Lead vocalist, keyboardist and front woman, twenty-one year old Hayley Williams, collaborated with rapper B.O.B earlier this year on the track ‘Airplanes’ which reached number one in the U.K and the U.S, forming a greater fan base for Paramore. Consequently, B.O.B along with quirky pop rock band Fun, complete support for the U.K tour.

     Following their phenomenal success over the past year with singles such as ‘Ignorance’ and ‘Brick By Boring Brick’, as well as a sold-out tour last December; this was set to be Paramore’s eminent U.K visit. Regardless of the sub-zero temperature, fourteen thousand keen and diverse fans, piled into the arena at 6pm. Immeasurable anticipation was in the air as the room filled, and it became clear that every seat and space has been sold.

     New Yorkers Fun graced the stage first, armed with ironically fun tracks such as ‘At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)’ plus a dreadful cover of Queen’s ‘Radio GaGa’, which diabolically failed to entice the crowd. B.O.B, however, blew the audience away, with the perfect combination of performance and encouragement. His stage presence and set-up, including a DJ and dancers, were alluring and his set list was impressive, including his debut single ‘Nothin’ On You’, new track ‘Magic’, which features guest vocals from Weezer’s front man Rivers Cuomo, and of course, number one single ‘Airplanes.’ Predictably, Hayley Williams erupts onto the stage sporting her spanking new pink hair and a dreadful long puff jacket, and the single’s success is apparent when the two can scarcely be heard over fourteen thousand rowdy voices. The crowd’s energy built up in the wait for Paramore, with the entire arena participating in a Mexican wave and chanting for the show to begin.

     Eventually, Paramore took to the bedsit inspired stage; complete with a sofa, amplifiers, five screens, and swinging light bulbs, to the welcome of senselessly passionate fans. Opening with ‘Ignorance’, the set excelled as it continued incorporating tracks, ‘Feeling Sorry’, ‘That’s What You Get’ and ‘For A Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic.’ The set list had clearly been cautiously structured to appeal to fans new and old, with tracks included from all three albums. The band’s passion and talent are incredible. Zac Farro’s remarkable drumming kept all members in check for the entire ninety minutes, and constantly drove the crowd’s energy.

     ‘Emergency’ and ‘Playing God’ particularly conveyed Taylor York’s and Jeremy Davis’ rhythm and bass guitaring skill, as well as how perfectly old and new tracks link, despite variations in sound and line up over the years. Jon Howard is currently touring with Paramore to assist with keyboards, rhythm guitar and backing vocals. Another aspect that aided the band’s stardom was having two songs featured on the soundtrack of the tremendously successful 2007 film ‘Twilight’; ‘I Caught Myself’ and ‘Decode’, which was performed next, displaying Williams’ haunting and stunning vocal abilities. She has the rare ability to portray bravado and vulnerability in tandem, especially through lyrics, which is simply irresistible.

     These uncommon characteristics shine through when the band begins a four-track acoustic set to illustrate their awesome capabilities as musicians seamlessly. Williams’ and lead guitarist and backing vocalist Josh Farro have an indescribable contagious chemistry, which is evident when the two execute ‘Never Let This Go’ faultlessly. Clearly, the acoustic section was included to exhibit Paramore’s soulful connection as a band and with fans, as Williams welcomes them ‘...to the family.’

     ‘When It Rains’ was flawless, along with ‘Where The Lines Overlap’ and ‘Misguided Ghosts’, after which, the audience was repeatedly thanked for their ‘...support on the journey’ and informed that 'music will never not be there (for you.')', which revealed how warm and humble the band remain, despite their capability to sell out arenas. The energy level surged, and this, Paramore’s fourth U.K show out of a full six, was unmistakably lively, but also, with the acoustic tracks, very moving. Anthems ‘CrushCrushCrush’ and ‘Pressure’ allowed firecracker Williams to reform back to head banging and surging across the stage whilst immaculately singing, as to not be overshadowed by other band members. ‘Looking Up’ utilised five screens behind the stage to show pre-recorded footage of the band specifically for this track.

     Each band member was individually introduced to the audience by Williams, but when she herself was introduced by Josh Farro, the reaction was thunderous, and did not quieten when she yelled ‘Tonight you belong to us!’ ‘The Only Exception’ depicted the band’s supreme abilities and formed a picturesque sight when every member of the crowd held up a light. The encore, ‘Brick By Boring Brick’ and ‘Misery Business’ flaunted why Paramore won Best Rock Band at this year’s MTV EMA awards, and with selected audience members being lucky enough to perform 'Misery Business' with the band, the gig came to an end.

     With infectious vigour and remarkable flair, the show ends with confetti and fireworks bursting from the stage, reflecting how Paramore have developed into an arena-filling band in just six years.  


5/5     

A Day To Remember- Homesick (03/02/2009 Victory Records)

        This, A Day To Remember’s third studio album, and second with Victory Records, ‘Homesick’ is made up of the same intense, venue-filling characteristics as other albums, but on a larger, and more confident scale. The five-piece pop-punk/hardcore Floridians, formed in 2003, appear to be fully aware of the success of other bands within the alternative music scene, causing them to grasp to their genres considerably.

     In terms of content, hardcore riffs, aggressive drumming and catchy pop-punk choruses, make this album perfect for lively, and inevitably sweaty gigs, with every single song having a chorus that kicks you in the face! The opening song, and first to be released as a single, ‘The Downfall of Us All’ is the perfect opening to any gig, with its haunting start. The song tells a story of what life is like for the band touring and playing endless shows, ‘I sold my soul to the open road...’, as well as it being a thank you to fans who have helped them on the ‘open road’ to success, ‘We signed 3, 4, 5 on the dotted lines...’. Track 2 is very conventional for the pop-punk genre, but it is the bulky guitar revving that retains the uniqueness of ‘Homesick.’

     The third track begins is more or less the same fashion, with an apparent outburst from lead vocalist and frontman, Jeremy McKinnon, as well as guest vocals courtesy of Mike Hranica from The Devil Wears Prada. The jaunty, irresistible yet steady back beat that evolves into full on screamo by the second verse, ‘So run like hell, sleep with one eye open...’, which illustrates the band’s capabilities; skilfully jumping between styles. Particularly in this track, Alex Shelnutt’s drumming is phenomenal and truly drives the rest of the band, along with beautiful backing vocals and harmonies from Neil Westfall, who also plays rhythm guitar.  It is remarkable in terms of the various sections, such as vocals, screaming, chants, drum, lead and bass guitar solos that it is composed of, that come together to create a really impressive track. A Day To Remember have also not underestimated the power of an exaggerated pause for dramatic effect, but even this, they have made their own by incorporating a cough.

      However, as the album goes on, the format of each song remains the very similar, making the blended tracks slightly repetitive, which could potentially make the listener become accustomed to the organisation of each song. Yet individually, every track is engaging, so perhaps this is just A Day To Remember portraying their concrete blend of genres. ‘Have Faith In Me’ and ‘'NJ Legion Iced Tea'  are distinct from many other songs on the album because of how tepidly they begin, providing a component of calm, with stunning vocals from McKinnon, to a record that can often be harsh on the ears. ‘Mr. Highway's Thinking About the End’ emerges with a polite guitar-driven melody with an intense interruption from drums and yet more screamo vocals, perfectly combined with a jaunty chorus and further outbursts of drumming skill. The track ends with a fadeout of, ‘Will we ever get what we deserve?’ which pieces together with ‘Have Faith In Me’.

     ‘Welcome to the Family’ encloses obvious influences from bands such as Four Years Strong and New Found Glory, one member of which produced ‘Homesick.’ A hardcore edge and the additional vocals from Vincent Bennett of the Acacia Strain (with whom they toured Australia in December 2009); provide necessary variety. The album’s title track curiously appears just over half way through the twelve track complication, but is well worth the listener’s patience. With its furious verses, followed by a tranquil and honest chorus based ‘Hey mom, I wrote you some soft songs...’. This song is perfect for single release because of its commercial uphold, despite the fact that it was controversially never officially released individually. However, it also displays the band’s excellent lyrical capabilities; to narrate inner emotions, as well as their hardcore genre, ‘I’m holding onto a fairytale.’

     The next three songs are very similar to one another, but still retain the style and format A Day To Remember have utilised admirably throughout the album. But the final track is composed of the third set of guest vocals, courtesy of VersaEmerge’s Sierra Kusterbeck, whose vocal abilities are outstanding, and also unify with McKinnon almost faultlessly. Refreshing and stunning acoustic guitar brings the album to a gentle conclusion via poignant yet comforting crowd vocals.  

     Despite several variations in their line-up, there appears to be no necessity to adapt an unusually successful mix of rock and hardcore.  Although their style is clear, A Day To Remember have clasped the generic features of pop-punk and hardcore, which not only makes the album repetitive at times, despite guest vocals, but also provides some conventionality. Gang vocals allow you to hear the band's stadium potential, with their 30 Seconds To Mars standard of band and fan unison. You'll be humming and chanting every song after just one listen. Thanks to the seamless blend of elements, every song is a killer ready to bring the house down. 

     The beauty of their wall of sound is that no one can quite place their finger on a genre. McKinnon once stated, ‘We’ve always played what we wanted to hear’, which is an adequate comment, as the band thrives on an every-growing number of fans worldwide, and are consequently, a welcomed member of the alternative family. Homesick is one of the best and most addictive albums you're ever likely to hear

5/5