In This Moment Improve New Sound After Their Worst Album

In This Moment's last record, 2012's Blood was critically acclaimed and won over new and old fans alike. I however find that album to be overrated and miss the older records like 2007's Beautiful Tragedy or 2010's A Star-Crossed Wasteland which was in my opinion their opus. The metalcore influence that was present on all of their first three albums. Maria Brink and crew claimed to have found their identity on this industrial metal mishap. While Blood had a few great songs ("Adrenalize," "Whore") it lacked the spark of their first three albums.
When the band announced their album Black Widow and posted on social media about "finding their sound" I was a bit skeptical. However when the band released the album's first single, "Sick Like Me," in September I was impressed. The single was heavy and melodic and mixed in everything that In This Moment had done successfully in the past.
The rest of the album is a step up from Blood. The title track is a dance oriented track that has an intro discussing black widow spiders. The song is a sexy anthem that is heavy and catchy and great. Second single "Big Bad Wolf" is by far the heaviest song on the album. On the song Brink wrestles her inner demons resulting in aggression but also infectious music. "Bones" is a more melodic song that deals with the aftermath of a breakup. Brink sings about not being able to move on from a past love. The song is melodic in the verses and then gets very metal on the hook. "Bloody Creature Poster Girls" is about as close to Lana Del Rey while "Natural Burn Sinner" is a gay anthem about loving yourself. Think "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga or "Raise Your Glass" by P!nk gone metal.
The album's best song is "Sex Metal Barbie." This hip hop inspired anthem is a big middle finger to the haters and bloggers who say that Brink isn't metal enough because she's a woman. Brink is the topic of many a negative comment by people stating that the band are bad and the only reason their famous is because Brink is attractive.
"I heard I don't belong in this scene/ Sexy metal Barbie/ Homicidal queen," Bring sings during the chorus.
While most of the songs are amazing there are a few moments where the band fall short of greatness. "Into the Darkness" is a creepy and downright weird interlude with uncomfortable spoke words by Brink and a man. "Sexual Hallucination" which features Brent Smith of Shinedown is a boring, slow moving ballad that doesn't really go anywhere.
Other than those few mishaps, Black Widow is a great record. It isn't In This Moment's best work but it is better than Blood and that says a lot. This album has helped me regain love of one of my favorite bands. If they keep along these lines they'll get many new fans and have a lot of success.

 

Within Temptation Get Back to Basics on New Album

Within Temptation's new record Hydra takes them back to the sound that first got them attention. On the band's fifth album, 2011's The Unforgiving, the band had a more polished and poppy sound. The album was good, but far from as good as they once were.
On Hydra the band are more experimental, but in a good way. With guest apeparances from rapper Xzibit, Tarja Turunen of Nightwish fame, Howard Jones who used to sing in Killswitch Engage and David Pirner of Soul Asylum.
This album, like their previous other records mixes in symphonic metal with power metal and occasional gothic metal influences. Singer Shannon den Adel's voice never falters or gives in to the aggressive music.
While most of the collaborations add something to the song, some don't. "And We Run" featuring Xzibit starts out as a regular symphonic metal track before Xzibit rips it with some great rapping. "Dangerous" which is the second single off of the album features Jones is a great song and his vocals add to the song. The same is true with "Paradise (What About Us?" which is the first single and features Turunen. This is also one of album's best songs. "Whole World is Watching" features Pirner and this song could do without his vocals. It really doesn't add anything to the song.
Other highlights include "Let Us Burn" which opens the album in a catchy and aggressive way. "Edge of the World" which is a low key ballad that starts out with synths and is a great way to have fans catch their breath and relax after being assaulted by the aggressive first four songs.
The album has some guttural growls from guitarist Robert Westerholt. "Silver Moonlight" and "Tell Me Why" benefit from his growls and it gives fans of more metal sounds delight.
The album's bonus disc contains four covers and all of them are improvements on the original songs. The band's covers of "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey and "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons are the best coves on the disc. "Dirty Dancer" by Enrique Iglesias is covered as well and they improve on it. The band also cover "Let Her Go" by Passenger.
All in all the album is an improvement on their last record. If the band keep it up the way this album is going then they'll always keep their fans. Also the band should experiment more. Metal band are not known to try new things but Within Temptation have proven that they can do that.

Beyoncé Releases Her Best Album

Last month Beyoncé released her fifth album with 20 minutes notice. This surprise, self-titled record is her best. While I find her to be overrated Beyoncé does make some good music and this album is her best.
Dubbed a "visual album" each song has it's own music video and there are three bonus videos. The album explores insecurity, beauty, motherhood, relationships, female empowerment and sexuality. The music incorporates R&B, trap, hip hop, electro, soul and indie influences and shows Beyoncé experimenting with new sounds. Gone is the cookie cutter R&B singer of her first few albums and here we have a woman who is not afraid to try new sounds.
Beyoncé shows strength on songs like "Partition,"  "Blow" and "Rocket." These songs are sexual and contain a certain sexuality. First single "Drunk in Love" featuring husband Jay-Z also embody sexuality and lust.
While Beyoncé shows her strength she also shows some of her most vulnerable points on songs like "Pretty Hurts," "Blue" which features her daughter Blue Ivy, "Jealous," "Mine," and "Heaven." These songs are where Beyoncé really shines. "Pretty Hurts" deals with pageant girls and is a female empowerment anthem that has small spots of insecurity in it's lyrics.
"Just another stage/ Pageant the pain away/ This time I'm gonna take the crown/ Without falling down, down," Beyoncé sings during the first verse.
"Blue" is a song dedicated to her daughter and shows how much she loves her. "Jealous" deals with jealousy and shows Beyoncé channeling Lana Del Rey. "Mine" features Drake and is a song that deals with post partum depression. "Heaven" is a gorgeous ballad that discusses the death of a loved one. This song is perhaps the most vulnerable Beyoncé has ever been.
The album's two best songs are "Flawless" and "XO." "Flawless" is a trap influenced song that deals with female empowerment. The song features writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reciting an excerpt of her speech "We should all be feminists..."  The song exudes confidence is shows Beyoncé at her best.
"Bow down bitches," Beyoncé sings repeatedly during the first verse.
Single "XO" is a gorgeous electronic pop ballad that features influences of indie pop. It's a gorgeous love song and shows Beyoncé being vulnerable and talking about her relationship with Jay-Z.
Another album highlight is "Grown Woman." This is one of the bonus videos and was featured in her Pepsi commercials. This song is a fast paced song that should be on the actual album and could very well be a single.
All in all Beyoncé changed the game with this record. Her surprise release will definitely shift the way the music industry works and that's a good thing.

Natalia Kills Grows Up On New Album

Natalia Kills released her sophomore album Trouble this month and it's a step ahead from her 2011 Perfectionist. While that album was like a darker version of Lady Gaga with guitars, this album takes half of the Gaga influence away and throws in a huge Lana Del Rey influence. The album is full of melancholy lyrics and guitar licks. This is show perfectly on the opener and best song on the record "Television." The song starts out with lyrics about the magic of television but then in the last minute of the song Kills turns it around and sings in a fragile voice over a piano.
"Where I'm from it all goes wrong/ It's not like on the television/ The darkest days don't fade away/ Can't turn it off like television," Kills sings during this little interlude which is followed by a scream of frustration to end the song.
The album then goes into the first single "Problem." This guitar filled dance rocker is about being a badass, something Kills knows a lot about. The third track "Stop Me" takes on a softer more dance inspired sound. Kills talks about her daddy issues on this song, which is a theme she examines in detail on this record.
The next song brings back the guitar and swagger that is expected from Kills. "Boys Don't Cry" is a great song and it features Kills taking about a breakup. On the next track, the Hall & Oats sampling, "Daddy's Girl" Kills examines her relationship, or lack thereof with her father. Kills told Marie Claire Magazine about her childhood. " I have this awful riches-to-rags childhood story: When I was born, my family had a lot, but by the time I was 11, my dad had been accused of being a criminal and we were visiting him in jail. The police took everything.
That can explain the lyrics to many of the songs on this record. Two of the best songs on the album are up next. First is the second single "Saturday Night" which features lyrics about her troubled childhood and tinges of domestic battery. She eased the pain with going out and partying to forget about her issues. The song recalls Lana Del Rey and Robyn and is a great song. The next song, "Devils Don't Fly" is a gorgeous breakup song which is one of Kills' best songs to date and it contains the best lyrics. The song talks about the pain of losing a love and the hopeless feeling after a breakup.
The album loses steam on the next track "Outta Time." This old school soul sounding track isn't bad, but it's not as powerful as the other songs.
The album picks up on the next two songs. "Controversy" is a social commentary about the world we live in. It tackles drugs, criminals and a plethora of other topics. "Drink the Kool-Aide/ Don't drink the Kool-Aide," Kills sings during the chorus.
The next song is "Rabbit Hole" which recalls Gwen Stefani's second solo album. It has a very marching band, hip hop sound and is topically similar to "Problem." It recalls the sound and attitude of her debut.
"Watching You" is a breakup ballad that is decent, but nothing compared to the next track "Marlboro Lights." This track is a gorgeous ballad which deals with medicating after the end of a breakup. The track is about not being able to escape the memory of a past love. This along with "Devils Don't Fly" are the perfect breakup song.
The final track is the title track and a decent song. It recalls Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift, melding the two into a good closer. By the time that this song comes about, it's too late and overplayed.
Natalia Kill is the most underrated pop artist out there. She is nowhere near being as big as she deserves.

Top 10 albums of 2012

Being the first day of the new year it's hard to not look back at the last year in music. This year had some great albums.

10-The Strange Case of... by Halestorm.
The second album by hard rock band Halestorm featured a newer sound for the band. Their heavy songs got heavier and their softer songs got deeper. While there were Tons of rock anthems like "Daughters of Darkness" and "Mz. Hyde" the slower songs like "Break In" and "Beautiful With You" touched on a side of front woman Lzzy Hale that we didn't see on their debut. Not to mention that this album features their Grammy nominated single "Love Bites (So Do I)" which may be the band's best song ever and the song "Here's to Us" which was featured on Glee.
Key Tracks-"Love Bites (So Do I)," Beautiful With You," and "Rock Show."

9-Picture Show by Neon Trees
New wave alternative rockers Neon Trees topped themselves with their second album. Every song on the album is fantastic. From the rockers like "Hooray for Hollywood" to the dance songs like "Lessons in Love (All Day, All Night" to the ballads like "Close to You, this album had it all. While their debut was great this album is ten times better. The album featured the platinum hit "Everybody Talks" which went on to become the band's biggest single.
Key Tracks-"Everybody Talks," "Mad Love," "Lessons in Love (All Day, All Night)," "Close to You," Hooray for Hollywood," and "I Am The D.J."

8-Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded by Nicki Minaj
Rapper Nicki Minaj released her second album a little over a year after her debut and the album was more experimental than her first. The album features club tracks ("Starships," "Beautiful Sinner") hip hop anthems ("Beez in the Trap," "Come on a Cone") and some slower songs about heartbreak "Marilyn Monroe," "Fire Burns") and Minaj pulls them all off. The songs on the album mixed many genres together like pop-rock, R&B, dance, house, dubstep, reggae and of course hip hop. The album featured the hits "Starships" and "Pound the Alarm."
Key Tracks-"Roman Holiday," "Beez in the Trap," "Starships," "Pound the Alarm," "Marilyn Monroe," "Fire Burns," and "Stupid Hoe."

7-Electra Heart by Marina and the Diamonds
Indie pop singer Marina and the Diamonds tried new things on her sophomore album. Firstly she went for a more mainstream sound. This disc features traces of dance, pop and rock music. She also co-wrote her songs on this record. The result may not always be good ("Valley of the Dolls," "Hypocrites") but for the most part the album is amazing. From bouncy songs "Bubblegum Bitch" and "How to be a Heartbreaker" to emotional ballads like "Lies" and "Starring Role," this album has it all.
Key Tracks-"Bubblegum Bitch," "Lies," "Staring Role," "Power & Control," "Sex Yeah," "How to be a Heartbreaker" and "Radioactive.

6-Covered by Macy Gray
Macy Gray's sixth album contains covers of songs and a few silly skits. If you ignore the skits then the album has nine great covers and one that isn't all that great. Gray brings her crazy brand of soul to songs such as "Maps" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs or "Sail" by Awolnation. She also rewrote the My Chemical Romance hit "Teenagers." The song is now about the struggle of raising teenagers.
Key Tracks-"Here Comes the Rain Again," "Creep," "Teenagers," "Sail," :Maps," and "Bubbly."

5-Warrior by Ke$ha
Ke$ha's sophomore album shows that the popstar can grow from simply singing about clubbing. Some of her best songs on her last album and EP were her ballads and on this album she brings out the ballads. "Past Lives" and "Love Into the Light" are packed with emotion. The album also features more guitars and a more rock oriented approach. The best rockers on this album are "Only Wanna Dance With You" and the album's best song "Thinking of You." The later being a breakup anthem about moving on from a cheating boyfriend.
Key Tracks-"Warrior," "C'mon," Thinking of You," "Crazy Kids," "Only Wanna Dance With You," and the deluxe edition bonus tracks "Last Goodbye" and "Past Lives."

4-Red by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has always ridden the line between country and pop and on her fourth album Red she really weaves the two together. She also mixes in rock, dubstep and electropop influences into her sound this time for a great new sound. From her love songs like "State of Grace" to her bitter breakup jams like "I Knew You Were Trouble." and "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" Swift always writes from the heart. Swift's new style seems to be paying off. Red sold one million copies in it's first week of release.
Key Tracks-"State of Grace," "Red," I Knew You Were Trouble," "22," "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," "Stay Stay Stay," "Everything Has Changed," Starlight," and "Begin Again."

3-Born to Die by Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey released her major label debut in 2012 but she's been making music for years. On her debut Del Rey mixes in many styles like baroque pop, sadcore, alternative hip hop, indie pop and trip hop. One of the things that make Del Rey stand out is her songwriting style. Songs like "Video Games" and "Diet Mountain Dew" showcase her strange way of telling a story. Her unique voice is also what is so great about her. While she has many haters Del Rey is clearly the breakout star of 2012 and with a new album in the works she won't be slowing down anytime soon. 
Key Tracks-"Born to Die,"  "Video Games," "Diet Mountain Dew," "National Anthem," "Dark Paradise," "Summertime Sadness" and "This is What Makes Us Girls."

2-Push and Shove by No Doubt
No Doubt's sixth studio may not be their best album, it doesn't have the spunk and attitude of their previous albums and it isn't as catchy as their other music but that being said it's still a great album. Every song on the album is good and even though a lot of the songs may have the same new wave sound, they are still strong songs. The best song on the album is the title track. It mixes in reggae and ska with alternative rock to form a fun, catchy song. "Push and Shove" is definitely the best song on the record and it is one of the band's best songs. The rest of the songs are a mature look at relationships. Hopefully the band will get back into the swing of things and get back to their former greatness. While Push and Shove is a great album and is worth the 11 year wait that it took the band to record this record.
Key Tracks-All of them

1-The Truth About Love by P!nk
P!nk's sixth record is by far her best. This is the first record of hers to not have a bad song on it. This album is coherent and gets back the spark that was missing on her last record Funhouse and the songs on her greatest hits album. P!nk's strong points has always been her fast-paced rock songs. From party songs like "Walk of Shame" and "Slut Like You" to breakup songs like "How Come You're Not Here" P!nk is always at her best while banging her head. She also packs in the emotional songs on this song. Great ballads like "Try" and "The Great Escape" really tug at the heartstrings. P!nk's voice and songwriting have always been great but on this album they're much improved.
Key Tracks-"Blow Me (One Last Kiss)," "Try," "Just Give Me a Reason," "True Love," "How Come You're Not Here," "Slut Like You," "Walk of Shame" and "Here Comes the Weekend."

Paloma Faith breaks through to American audiences

Paloma Faith has had huge success in the UK and now with two hit albums under her belt. The British soul singer released her second album, and US debut earlier this month. She blends in the soul of Adele and Amy Winehouse with the melancholy of Lana Del Rey. On Fall to Grace, Faith mixes in many styles to form a classic blue-eyed soul masterpiece.
The album opens with the album's two best songs. Her single "Picking Up the Pieces" is a gorgeous soul song about how her relationship is being haunted by the memory of her boyfriend's former lover. "Now she's gone and I'm picking up the pieces," Faith sings painfully in the chorus. The song leaves the listener hearing Faith's agony. This song should blow up if the US knows what's good.
The second track, "30 Minute Love Affair" is a synthpop ballad that is about literally what the title says. Faith falls in love with somebody and has a fling with them.
Other highlights include "Let Me Down Easy" "Just Be" and "Black & Blue." One of the best songs on the record is the disco infused "Blood, Sweat & Tears." The song is about all of the struggles that go into being in a relationship. "I know sometimes it will hurt/ and you'll wanna hate me/ But we can conquer the world/ leave our footprints on earth/ We'll put in blood, sweat and tears," Faith sings. While the second half of the disc can get a little tedious, the songs are still great. "Beauty of the End" is about remembering the end of a relationship and missing that person. "Falling never hurts, but landing does," Faith sings in the chorus.
Every song on the album is emotional and beautiful. Faith has given us one of the best debuts of the year and if this album is any indication she'll be making records for a very long time.

Lana Del Rey stays brilliant on new EP

When Lana Del Rey released her first official album Born to Die this year it quickly stood out as one of the year's best albums. With quirky songs like "Diet Mountain Dew" and "Video Games" Del Rey became a hipster's wet dream. Last month she released her EP Paradise. The EP was intended as a re release but it also stands alone.
The songs are not that different than on her album. "Ride" starts the album off nicely with gorgeous vocals. Del Rey always sounds like a female Johnny Cash. Some of the best songs off of the album are a little out there. From her cover of "Blue Velvet" to "American" to "Body Electric," Lana knows how to hold the listener's attention.
The best song on the album is also the most attention grabbing. "Cola" tells an interesting story of a woman who is going out with another woman's husband. The song has memorable lyrics that are sure to make people gasp. "My pussy tastes like Pepsi Cola," Lana sings in the first line. This song is sure to be stuck in people's heads for months to come. The song is so catchy and it features some of Del Rey's best vocals. During the second half of the song she hits some high notes that she's never tried to hit before.
There are some boring songs on this album. Specifically the last two "Bel Air" and "Yayo." These songs are boring but that doesn't take away from the quality of the EP. This EP is a wonderful addition to the world of Lana Del Rey. Hopefully she continues on this path to greatness she is already on.