Artist: City Lights Album: In It to Win It Genre: Pop-punk Label: InVogue Records The following is the Allmusic definition of pop-punk: “a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars.” I would much rather refer to it as the bastardization of punk music. So […]
music review
REVIEW: City Lights – In It To Win It
November 13th, 2011 
James Shotwell 
Posted in Features, Reviews 
Tags: album review, City Lights, In It To Win It, InVogue Records, music, music review, pop punk (genre), review 
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REVIEW: Counterparts – The Current Will Carry Us
November 3rd, 2011 James Shotwell Artist: Counterparts Album: The Current Will Carry Us Genre: Melodic Hardcore Label: Victory Records About six months ago, I moved back to DC from Boston, I love both those cities with all my heart, I grew up in DC, and I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of living here, but I still miss Boston […]
Posted in Features, Reviews Tags: 2011, album review, cd, counterparts, counterparts hardcore, fall 2011, hxc, music review, new hardcore, review, The Current Will Carry Us, Victory Records Comments Off on REVIEW: Counterparts – The Current Will Carry Us
REVIEW: Banner Pilot – Heart Beats Pacific
November 1st, 2011 James Shotwell Artist: Banner Pilot Album: Heart Beats Pacific Genre: Punk Label: Fat Wreck Chords There have only been two things that I can consider to be unfaltering passions of mine, two things that have defined my life since I can remember: music, and cars and motorcycles. I remember being about 5 years old, listening to Led […]
REVIEW: Animals As Leaders – Weightless
October 19th, 2011 Jordan Munson Album: Weightless Artist: Animals As Leaders Genre: Instrumental Prog Metal Label: Prosthetic Records When Animals As Leaders dropped their self-titled debut in 2009, it’s safe to say that this brainchild of Tosin Abasi and Misha “Bulb” Mansoor blew the minds of just about everyone in the music world away. Two years later, it still is […]
Posted in Features, Reviews Tags: 2011, aal weightless, album review, Animals As Leaders, bulb, instrumental, Javier Reyes, metal (genre), Misha Mansoor, music review, Navene Koperweis, new album, new song, progressive, prosthetic records, review, stream, Tosin Abasi, weightless Comments Off on REVIEW: Animals As Leaders – Weightless
REVIEW: Needtobreathe – The Reckoning
October 10th, 2011 James Shotwell Artist: Needtobreathe Album: The Reckoning Genre: Christian Alt-Rock Label: Atlantic Music has become sort of ridiculous lately, due to the large scale availability of music these days we can be exposed to bands like Blood On The Dance floor who, allegedly, touch children, and the OFWGKTA guys who just write songs about doing such things. […]
Posted in Features, Reviews Tags: 2011, acoustic, album review, album reviewr, alt rock, music, music review, need to breathe, needtobreathe, rock (genre), the reckoning, the reckoning review Comments Off on REVIEW: Needtobreathe – The Reckoning
REVIEW: Switchfoot – Vice Verses
October 2nd, 2011 James Shotwell Artist: Switchfoot Album: Vice Verses Genre: Rock Label: Atlantic Records/lowercase people records I thought this crowd sounded familiar, and research informed me that some of their songs appeared on the soundtrack to A Walk to Remember. Not necessarily something to celebrate (I always felt cheated at the fact they never showed Mandy Moore’s death scene) […]
Posted in Features, Reviews Tags: 2011, album review, Christian, music review, new album, review, Switchfoot, Vice Verses Comments Off on REVIEW: Switchfoot – Vice VersesREVIEW: Blessthefall – Awakening
October 1st, 2011 James Shotwell Artist: blessthefall Album: Awakening Genre: Post-hardcore Label: Fearless A span of nearly four years have lapsed since Phoenix’s Blessthefall underwent vast internal changes that would ordinarily destroy the existence of a band. With most notably the departure of vocalist Craig Mabbit against them, these soldiers proved they weren’t going down without a fight. A new […]
REVIEW: States – Room To Run
September 30th, 2011 James Shotwell Artist: States Album: Room to Run Genre: Pop/rock Label: [none] According to States’ Facebook, this is the result of some experimenting with demos at home. As is most music, naturally, but there’s something about this album that still reeks of indecision. It’s good, well put together and broad enough to find a wide audience, but […]
Posted in Features, Reviews Tags: album review, critique, Debut, mindy white, music review, new album, review, room to run, States Comments Off on REVIEW: States – Room To Run
REVIEW: Horrible Crowes – Elsie
September 11th, 2011 James Shotwell Artist: Horrible Crowes Album: Elsie Genre: Alternative Label: Side One Dummy First things first, I feel horribly ignorant as I was apparently the only one who didn’t realise this band was Brian Fallon’s side project. My general distaste for The Gaslight Anthem explains this, but even so, I now find myself in the awkward position […]
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REVIEW: Drive A – The World In Shambles
August 14th, 2011 James Shotwell Artist: Drive A Album: The World In Shambles Genre: Rock/punk Label: Dead Conflict/EMI Records Rumors apparently abound that Drive A are a group of rich kids in disguise. I’ve found no evidence of same in my travels – indeed the only thing my searches turned out was a discovery that the bands I’ve to review […]
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REVIEW: Eric Church – Chief
August 10th, 2011 James Shotwell Artist: Eric Church Album: Chief Genre: Alt-Country Label: EMI Many people are quick to misjudge me, for whatever reason they think I’m just another angry metal kid, that thinks all other music is inferior, I’m not quite sure what makes people think that, maybe it’s all the tattoos, or possibly the fact that, all said, I […]
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REVIEW: Bury Your Dead – Mosh N’ Roll
August 2nd, 2011 James Shotwell “The deciding factor in whether or not you love Mosh N’ Roll will most likely come down to which era of Bury Your Dead you enjoyed the most. That said, I think it’s safe to safe the masses will be embracing this one much, much more than the previous two albums. It’s heavy, full of gang vocals, and utterly relentless. If that sounds like your kind of medicine, I suggest a maximum dose.”
Posted in Features, Reviews Tags: album review, bury your dead, byd-mnr, bydmnr, hardcore (genre), mediaskare records, metal (genre), mosh n roll review, Mosh N' Roll, music review Comments Off on REVIEW: Bury Your Dead – Mosh N’ Roll