Alkaline Trio - This Addiction

"This Addiction" could quite literally be an addiction. The lead track is the title track for the album and offers a great intro to the album. You are immediately hooked when you hear the song. Influences that could be heard are more recent bands such as The Killers, Kings of Leon, Gaslight Anthem, and anything coming off the California Coastline. The album is a good start but the names of some songs don’t match up with the sound. The sound can be a good, up flow, rhythm but then feature a title and lyrics that are very strange to the sound and appear to be a bit dark for my taste. Eating Me Alive, although falls into this type, is still a great great song with amazing vocals. Offers a killers synth sound that carries through with amazing guitar. The album finishes with a true gem called Fine. And it is fine. It is mellow and sweet and easy listening. This band has potential with sound but need a new lyricist. The album has minimal inspiration but still has a clear sound. Overall, a C+.

-Clay Chapman

The Fletchers - Lights Out Sound

The Fletchers might be the truest Alternative band I have heard in a very long time. You can definitely tell where there roots come from. The guitar and drums mesh together so well and a bass that lays great background. The lead singer could be a combination of Michael Stipe of R.E.M. and Dicky Barrett of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. R.E.M. is obviously a huge influence on the band along with Coldplay, The Clash and The Kinks, and some of the nineties alternative rock bands such as the Counting Crows or Goo Goo Dolls. The pounding drums bring a sound such as offered in the Gaslight Anthem. The lead track entitled Beaches is a great start to the album. And is a highly recommended track to listen to. Begin Again has two distinct vocal lines going the whole time and amazing drums. Wasted, track nine also, Drums, and a great guitar intro that builds the whole song. This album is a very summertime song that you can imagine taking on a road trip. In the future though, I could see the band in the market for a new lead singer. Overall grade of album, B+

-Clay Chapman

Stormkro - Some Odd Years

To see that this album was from the nineties, I got a little excited. But it was met soon after with some doubt. The band has a serious interest in intros. The average song takes a good 45 seconds to get going. There is an obvious influence of Queen in this band. There was a very eclectic mix of music. Track 3, entitled Me, mixes 60’s protest with hardcore metal. Scottish bagpipe feel on Track 6, with piano ballads mixed with guitar solos, almost a Bohemian Rhapsody. The only track that I would truly recommend would be track 7, Bantu. This song is a tad different than the others. It features a guest lead vocalist, a female. The drummer provides lead vocals for the band. This is the one player the band could do without. The drums do not match any of the music. The voice would be better suited for backing vocals. Plus, drummers as a lead singer are a rarity as it is. No need to screw that up. Track 5 is called The Awakening. It is a halfway decent song. Probably the second best on the album. However, very long intro. Overall, the CD wagered about a C-.

-Clay Chapman

Yeasayer - Odd Blood

If there is something I could compare this album too, it would almost be a rock opera, such as The Who’s Tommy or Pink Floyd’s The Wall. The material is questionable. The average person would be scared off by the lead track. It starts off with banging pipes and the feel of a dark sewer with fighting robots. It soon recovers. The second track is still a bit weaker, but Tracks 3, 4, and 5 really take off. There is a lot of techno, mixed with guitars Possibly flutes. However, they drop immediately with track 6. It starts off with what I determined as someone sniffing in residue cocaine. Very weird nightclub music. It got loud and for track 7, there was too much percussion. The came back strong on track 9. Very good song. Overall a pretty decent album. Overall, B-

-Clay Chapman

The Watson Twins - Talking to Me, Talking to You

I'll be straight up: if you are an insomniac and need some easy listening tunes to put you to sleep, a few songs from The Watson Twins' new album, "Talking to Me, Talking to You" is sure to do the trick. With a style much like Norah Jones and vocals a tiny bit resembling Dido, the twins take turns with the lead vocals and adding to key phrases as background singers. While their voices are a rougher, their music is a calm mix of synthetic instruments and piano. Although the instruments add to the interest of the song, they seem to hide the vocals at times, making the lyrics hard to hear. The lyrics go from being general to poetic, and the verses tend to flow so easily into the chorus that the songs start to feel monotonous. Overall, it is pretty music to listen to- very soft and calming- but that also can mean it may make you want to fall asleep.

Best songs: Harpeth River, Midnight, Savin' You, U-N-Me

-Kayla Green

OK Go - Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky

Track Reviews

WTF?- This song is an experience. Different from what they are known for. Such fun beats, makes you want to get up and dance. Feel good kind of music.

This too shall pass- Awesome bass. Deeper voice than WTF?. Interesting choice of piano in the background. Fun song, slow in some parts. Inspiring lyrics with a strong beat. Favorite song.

All is not lost- Echoing voice. Upbeat and fun. Repetitive.

Needing/ Getting- Familiar, generic, sounds like a song that would be played in a pub. Strong lyrics.

Skyscrapers- Slow intro, sultry. Kind of boring and cacophonous.

White Knuckles- Fun walking song.

I want you so bad I can’t breathe- slow until about 30 seconds in. Could be in a movie. Interesting lyrics, cool feeling.

End love- Boring, same beat as some of the others.

Before the earth was round- too digitized, couldn’t get through it

Last leaf- slow song, great lyrics

Back from Kathmandu- love the beat, great use of back- up. Nice, little tune. The emotion is felt.

While you were asleep- cute. (I know it’s a bad word to use but it is, it’s cute.) Kind of trippy.

In the glass- I like this one because of it’s simplicity. Weird beat.

Album Review

The beats are all similar and nothing really stands out. This album is way different from their most popular song. It’s as if they were trying to change their image and don’t want to be known for Here It Goes Again. Interesting lyrics, most about heartbreak. Fun album overall as long as you’re not looking for every song to be unique.

-Sara Rust

Deer Tick - Born on Flag Day

Boasting from the nation's smallest state, Rhode Island natives Deer Tick brings listeners their mix of country, folk, and indie rock with their newest album entitled "Born On Flag Day." John Joseph McCauley III has a voice like he's been drinking nothing but straight whiskey for a week. At first listen you may be a bit put-off by McCauley's vocals, but after just a few tracks you'll find a great collection of tracks. Also, the track 'Friday XIII' combines the sweet and sassy voice of Liz Isenberg with McCauley's brazen sound.

Lyrically, "Born On Flag Day" is very well crafted. Songs such as 'Stung' and 'Straight Into A Storm' talk of misery and love as equal parts. Being a fan of the contradiction, lyrics like, "Life is beautiful, but beauty is a dying art. Life is wonderful, there's only so much you can wonder about.." make 'Hell On Earth' one of my personal favorite from this album. Give it a listen.

-Tessa Barnard