B.o.B Gets Hip Hop On New Album

B.o.B has always been a rapper with more pop sensibilities than most. Only he can work with such mainstream artists such as Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift and Hayley Williams of Paramore and still keep the respect of the streets.
On Underground Luxury, B.o.B's third album he stays away from mainstream guest appearances. Aside from Chris Brown, T.I. and Priscilla Renea the guests are far more, well, underground. While  this is definitely his worst album, it's still a good record. Some of his solo songs blend together, but most of the songs are memorable.
The two best songs are the singles "John Doe" which features Priscilla Renea and "Headband" which features 2 Chainz. "John Doe" is by far the best song though. It features Renea singing a chorus of sadness playing John Doe's love interest While B.o.B  plays the addict.
"John Doe, I just want the John I know/ Once you put the drinks on hold/ Maybe you could come back home/ John Doe," Renea sings sadly during the chorus.
This is the best song and with a song this good it makes the other songs sound like filler. Most of the songs blend together and are broken up by the memorable songs like "Ready" which features Future, "Coastline," "Wide Open" which features Esther Dean and  "We Still In This Bitch" which features T.I. and Juicy J.
Without these songs the record would be nothing more than filler and background music. The problem is that B.o.B is that he works better with a guest appearance on the song. He works better with a Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj or Rivers Cuomo like on is first two albums. For his next record he would do good to have more guest appearances to help him hold his own.

Neo Geo Find Their' DNA' On New Album

Dance-rock band Neo Geo rose to fame with their self titled debut album in 2011. The album featured some great songs like "DT Killer" and "Leave Me Behind" but with the exception of many four or so other songs that were great,, the album also contained some filler. Last month they released their sophomore album Digital DNA and it was an improvement on their debut.
The band thrive on rockers like "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang," "I'll Be Fine" and the album's best track and first single "Superstar?" The band rock with the best of them. Singer Rainy Terrell does her best Hayley Williams impression and channels Gwen Stefani on other tracks. On "I've Done it Alone" Terrell channels Sierra Kusterbeck from VersaEmerge (now known as Versa).
The band also know how to do ballads well. "Sunshine State" starts out as a piano laced slow jam and then in true power ballad fashion. The beginning of "Shakedown" features a piano and recalls "Private Parts" by Halestorm before turning into a  straight up rocker. The album also closes with the ballad "Marionette." The song which also turns into a slight rocker is a tad melodramatic and isn't the best ballad the band have ever done.
The band also have some songs that are straight up dance music. "One Way Ticket" is an electropop song that has a fun bouncy beat and tons of energy. Also "One Night Stand" is a dance-rocker with a  killer beat.
Neo Geo don't get as much popularity as they deserve and hopefully this album will change that. While this album isn't perfect, he band have truly found their DNA and their sound .

Icon for Hire Change Things Up On New Album

Icon for Hire have changed things up in a big way. Their debut Scripted had a very hard rock sound mixing in pop-punk and alternative metal with elements of electronic music.
Last month they released their sophomore album Icon for Hire. The album mixes in a variety of styles of music including hip hop, dubstep and post-hardcore which was prevalent on their earlier EPs. Their previous album had singer Ariel getting her Hayley Williams on and this album is no different. On highlights like the rockers "Sugar & Spice" and "Rock and Roll Thugs" Ariel gets very into her roll as vocalist. The band are at their best when they're rocking hard. "Nerves" and the first single "Cynics & Critics" are album highlights. "Pop Culture" and "Sorry About Your Parents" are also both great examples of this.
Some of the album's tracks aren't as good as others. "Hope of Mourning" has a beautiful chorus but the rest of it is just there. "Watch Me" is an interesting hip hop inspired song but it just doesn't hold up to the rest of the songs. "Slow Down" is a decent song but there is nothing special about it. "Fix Me" is the album's lone true ballad and it isn't as good as "Only a Memory" from their debut.
While these songs aren't that great, others make up for it. "Think I'm Sick" is catchy and thumping and an all in all enjoyable listen and "Counting on Hearts" is a great way to end the album. Starts out very hip hop but then the band sets in.
While Icon for Hire's self-titled album isn't better than their debut Scripted it is a good step forward. It shows experimentation and thinking outside of the box. In hard rock that's something that isn't done too often.

Stars In Stereo Release Solid Debut

Pop-rocker Becca shot to fame in Japan in 2008 when her song "I'm Alive" from her debut album Alive!!! was featured in the anime Black Butler. She went on to release her debut in her homeland of the United States, but it went nowhere. Her blend of catchy rock influenced pop music went ignored and in 2012 she decided to join rock band Stars In Stereo.
Stars In Stereo began to record their debut album. With the band Becca toured with The Used, Blue October and Flyleaf. Then in October 2012 the band released an EP which was set to precede their self-titled debut. Last week Stars In Stereo released their debut album. Stars In Stereo is a pop-punk/hard rock hybrid that is one part Paramore and one part Halestorm. While Becca is no Hayley Williams or Lzzy Hale, she does a good job of navigating the rocking, synth-kissed anthems that are on this album. Becca shows that she can rock hard on songs like "Violence," "Dealing Secrets," and "Queen of Catastrophe." Each song is catchy and passionate and while they aren't as memorable as some of the songs by her peers, this is a good glimpse of the greatness that Becca and Stars In Stereo may come up with later on.
Slower songs like "Lie Down" and "Open Your Eyes" are also strong points of the album. While there are no bad songs, there aren't that many songs that stick out from the crowd or rowdy rockers. "At the Stroke of Midnight" and "Lie Down" are both highlights. These songs have a different spark than the rest.
While there are some problems with it, Stars In Stereo's debut is a solid, enjoyable release from a talented band. Hopefully they can keep up the momentum of this album and only get better with time.

Paramore Release Their Best Album

Paramore have always released classic albums and with their self-titled fourth album Hayley Williams and co. really outdo themselves. The songs have a different sound than their previous albums and with songs written about moving on from the past, Paramore is an album full of hope and experimentation.
After rumors of a split in late 2010 when two founding members left the band, Paramore decided to do that they do best. What they do best is write catchy rock music packed with emotion. From the album's opener, and not to mention the best song on this record, "Fast in My Car" to the last song, the seven minute long "Future," the band have written their best collection of songs yet.
While traces of their previous, pop-punk/emo sound can be heard on songs such as "Be Alone" and "Part II,' the band experiment on other songs. From the funky touches of "Ain't It Fun" to the Taylor Swiftesque "Hate to See Your Heart Break," the band show no signs of stopping.
"Part II" is an 80s new wave inspired sequel to "Let the Flames Begin" off of their sophomore album Riot!. Other highlights include the second single "Still Into You" which sounds like Katy Perry with a rock edge and "Anklebiters" which has a more punk sound.
The lyrics are another reason to love this album. Williams has clearly used writing songs to help her work through the departure of Zac and Josh Farro in 2010. "I could be angry, but you're not worth the fight/ Besides I'm moving on," Williams sings on "Interlude: Moving On."
Paramore have cemented their spot in rock music history as survivors. Their fourth album shows that the band aren't going anywhere and that they can pull of any kind of music.

Paramore release fun single

Paramore released the second single off of their upcoming fourth self-titled studio album last week and it's a catchy, fun song. "Still Into You" is a poppy rocker about a long lasting love. "After all this time/ I'm still into you," frontwoman Haley Williams sings before the chorus.
The band started out in the emo/pop-punk vein for their first two classic albums, 2005's All We Know Is Falling and their breakthrough album 2007's Riot!. Those albums had some of Paramore's best songs like the singles "Emergency" and "Misery Business." Their sophomore album gained them Top 40 success and got them a platinum status.
The band took a few years to make their follow up, 2009's brand new eyes. They filled the space before that album with their terrible single "Decode" which was featured in the Twilight movie. The band's third record featured a more alternative rock approach and had the band's best song "Brick By Boring Brick." After this record founding memebers Zac and Josh Farro left the band. The band then recorded their Singles Club EP which was only available online or as a box set through the band's website. The songs on the EP were the first without the Farro brothers and showed that the band could move on without them.
Then in 2012 the band announced their new album and in January they unleashed their single "Now." While "Now" is a great song, it is no match for "Still Into You." The song is a bouncy ode to love and surviving the tough times during a relationship. The lyrics, while cheesy. are very heartfelt and show Williams' signature passionate writing style.
The single, like "Now" is sure to get fans excited for the new album. "Still Into You" is one of Paramore's first happy songs and while Williams usually writes about breaking up, this song is about outlasting the odds and being together.
"I should be over all the butterflies/ I'm into you," Williams sings during the chorus. This song is a testament to the power of love and Williams seems right at home. Hopefully this album will have more peppy and positive songs.
Paramore is set to be released on April 9 in the United States.