Twenty One Pilots

The musical duo Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun make up the band Twenty-One Pilots. They are an indie band whose music has been described as alternative hip-hop and indietronica. To play there music they use drums, piano, synthesizer, and the ever-rare keytar to go along with Tyler's vocals. After their formation in 2009 they gained a decent amount of underground fame, until they began self-producing albums. Their first self-titled album garnered a good reception, but it was their second album, Regional At Best, was extremely popular. The album earned them a sell out show at Columbus' Newport Music Hall which attracted a multitude of record labels looking for their signature. They continued to gain more and more success, and they finally decided to sign for Atlantic Records subsidiary Fueled By Ramen Records. It was under this label that they produced their third studio album, Vessel, released in January 2013.

Vessel was the record that earned them major main stream success. The band has gained an almost 
cult following, as many indie bands do. On the album their are six songs that have been revamped from their previous albums, as well as six more brand new songs that have the same brilliant lyrics, catchy beats, and entrancing synthesizer sounds. One song that has gotten much success is "House of Gold" which is the second single released off the album (I want to save the first single for last). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDyxykpYeu8 The song is a very upbeat, catchy song that tells a lovely story of his family in an almost fairy tale like fashion. It is a happy song played using a ukelele



that was popular enough to be featured on Jimmy Kimmel. Another track off Vessel which is one of my personal favorites is titled "Car Radio." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92XVwY54h5k It is quite different from "House of Gold" and is much less upbeat, but still quick paced. While the prior mentioned song sounds very pop, this song is rap with a short cameo of alternative style. It involves a simple, but catchy drum rhythm, accompanied with haunting synth beats to go with the rap lyrics. This song is great especially for anybody who really appreciates lyricism. One last song to mention off the album is titled "Holding Onto You," it is their first single, most popular songs so far, and one of my all-time favorite songs I have ever heard. It uses beats from the drums, piano, and synthesizer all at once to complement the rap lyrics. My favorite part of the song is at about the midway point where everything is slowed down, and the only thing heard is a piano solo and Tyler singing in a soft, high octave. Then the drums slowly come in and builds up to more rapping, banging drums, and old-school rapesque turn table spinning. It is very difficult to describe the song which is part of what makes it so amazing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktBMxkLUIwY

The band is pretty big already, and with all the recent popularity of modern indie music, Twenty One Pilots has nowhere to go, but up! They just finished their Save Rock & Roll Tour headlined by popular pop-punk band, Panic At The Disco! and perhaps the biggest rock band in the world right now, Fall Out Boy. To join these two modern rock monsters on stage is a statement in itself just how popular they have become. If you would like to hear the band, just follow the links posted earlier, and also visit their band site here: http://www.twentyonepilots.com/ Thank you for reading, and until next time, keep rockin'.
-TR

BROCK BAKER - "Young 'N' Stupid" EP Review

            There’s a new guy in town! This new guy is Brock Baker, a young man from Phoenix, Arizona who began performing music at the age of four by first participating in singing contests and performing in front of thousands of people. On his Facebook page, he says this:

            “I knew at a young age music was my passion and I had to pursue it! I

            packed my bags, jumped in my car and made my way to Los Angeles,

            California!”

Since arriving in California, Baker’s dreams of becoming a successful musician have come true. In 2007, the Gospel Music Association presented Baker with his first award, the “Best Vocals” award, at the GMA Dove Award ceremony. In addition, he has appeared on GLEE, American Idol, The Voice, the Disney Channel, and Nickelodeon. According to the Brock Baker music website, Baker performed with Katy Perry, The Eagles, Tim McGraw, Jordin Sparks, and many others. Despite his growing popularity, I didn’t know about Baker until I saw his new EP on the front page of iTunes a week ago, and I took the time to listen to it.

           

            The new EP is “Young ‘N’ Stupid”, which was released on November 12^th 2013. Baker has an impressive, somewhat pop music voice, and is mostly backed by a radio-friendly rock sound. The first three tracks seem to relate to teenagers beginning to experience relationships. However, the last two tracks are what impressed me the most. The track “Young ‘N’ Stupid” describes a person remembering one of his or her teenage relationships that failed because of immaturity. Baker’s vocals prove to be outstanding, as well as dramatic, and give emphasis to the emotion of the song. The sounds of guitar and piano also add to the emotional effect. The last track, “Lost You To The World” has a classic rock, Journey-vibe and deals with heartbreak after a break-up. The end of the track contains a separate, small, acoustic section where Baker provides very beautiful vocals, singing lyrics dealing with moving on and finding “something new”.

            Brock Baker’s EP is a good first effort, with the title track being the most effective due to its nostalgic lyrics and emotional sound. Baker proves to be an impressive vocalist and musician. Even though I am optimistic about Baker, one concern comes to mind. When Baker begins to work with a major record label, I fear that the label will try to make Baker compose more pop, mainstream music with less of a rock sound that may focus mostly on the beat. The label having artists change to a more mainstream, pop sound has happened to some good artists, such as Taylor Swift and Maroon 5. I hope this won’t happen to Baker. But for now, Baker, have yourself a field day. Job well done. 

Written by: John Dirscherl

Works Cited

 "About." Welcome to The 44th Annual GMA Dove Awards RSS. WordPress, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.        

            <http://www.doveawards.com/about/>

Baker, Brock H. "Brock M. Baker | Facebook." About. Facebook, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. <https://www.facebook.com/brockbakermusic>.

"Home." Brock Baker Music. Brandcure, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. <http://www.brockbakermusic.com/>

A Skylit Drive Rise

        

This September, post-hardcore band A Skylit Drive released their fourth studio album titled Rise. The band is one of the most distinct ones on the PH scene mostly due to their lead vocalist Michael Jagman because he has an extremely high pitched voice. Although on this album he seems to have managed to lower his octave a produce a different sound which helped the band produce an even more diverse style. The album has also marked a growing maturity in the band, and also the shying away of unclean vocals which are much more scarce on this album than their previous three.

The first song on the album called "Save Me Tragedy" can be heard here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCtBR3Qmsyw This track is a definite indication of the bands evolution and new maturity. The song is both catchy, and melodic, but not very complex. It shows the changes in both vocalists very well as the clean vocals are in a much lower octave, and the scream vocalist, Corey La Quay has changed his technique a bit. The first single released was the title track that can be heard here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkRVnVZF-rc and is a song about standing up through adversity. The track uses a very simple melody, and is very catchy. The chorus once again shows the progression of the vocalists, and is one of my personal favorites. My favorite track on the album is titled "I, Enemy" and is incredibly catchy and can be listened to here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w702odbm9II Throughout the song the two background singers complement the lead perfectly making it sound like an epic chorus of much more than three voices. The drums are also very noticeable using the bass pedal brilliantly, and giving the song a distinct rhythm.

The band is growing in popularity after the success of their previous album, and hopefully Rise furthers their notoriety even more. They are currently touring the United States with bands called Violet and Here Lies A Warning. For more information on A Skylit Drive you can visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ASkylitDrive. If you enjoy the band you can also check out similar artists such as The Word Alive and Breathe Carolina. Until next time, have a rockin' day.

-TR

Angel Haze is an American rapper and lyricist.  She is signed to Universal Republic and Island Records.   She first got recognized with her released EP Reservation for free online and her two mixtapes from 2012.  From that she signed with the record label Universal Republic Records and continues with this record label while working her way up. 

            At first Angel had a rough time standing out since there were many famous MCs such as Nicki Minaj, but she kept working hard and made a name fore herself.  Angel has even appeared on the 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher, which is a show were rappers show their skills to a larger audience and appear on TV.  Angel has proven herself and continues to work her way up.

Her first single --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMw65FwtlOI

Hail To The Kings

This August Avenged Sevenfold, one of the biggest contemporary heavy metal bands, released their newest and fifth studio album. The album, titled Hail To The King, has big shoes to fill because their previous album, Nightmare, reached #1 on the US charts which is a huge feat today for a metal band. This is also a very important, yet somber album for the band because it is their first one without their former drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan who passed away last year. Despite losing not only their great friend, and creative presence, the band has moved on well. They are the modern day products of bands like Metallica, Guns 'N' Roses, Iron Maiden, and Pantera, and they represent the metal or metalcore genre of today brilliantly in this album.

The band not only survived the tragedy, but they further blossomed through it in a thunderous way. This band rocks just as hard as their other works, if not harder, yet maintains the very melodic style they are known for. The first song on the album "Shepherd of Fire" kicks off the album personally with thumping drums, and wailing guitars setting a perfect tone for the rest of the tracks. A link to the track follows here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GLkvCrcExU The album's next song, that shares the same title. "Hail To The King" is the first single released off the album, and it really set the bar high when people heard it for the first time. With face melting guitar riffs and solos, along with front-man

M. Shadow's great vocal work, the song gives a chill to its listeners. Any metal fan can appreciate this song, as well as anybody who enjoys rock in general, and should listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DelhLppPSxY Just like their role models I mentioned earlier, Avenged Sevenfold also knows how to kick it down a notch, and write a kick-ass ballad that not only soothes, but rocks. The track "Crimson Day" is a metal ballad that even Axl Rose or Kirk Hammett would be proud of. It starts off acoustic, and progresses to a harmony of steady percussion, and a screaming guitar met by a soothing counterpart. It offers a bit of a change of pace to the album, which any great one need, and can be heard here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSs_NYNWB1M

Any fan of metal who reads this knows who Avenged Sevenfold is, and if you have yet to check out the album, get on it ASAP. For people new to the genre, it be tough adjusting to, but it would change your views on music. Some may not enjoy how heavy heavy metal is, but if you are looking for a band to get you started this is the band for you, and also the perfect album. Hail To The King has shown just how much this band has matured since their formation in 2000, and hopefully means even more great metal to come! Until next time,

-TR

Tracing Back Their Roots

This Summer the post-hardcore band We Came As Romans released their newest studio album titled Tracing Back Roots. This is the third album they have released since their formation in 2008. As far as the post-hardcore genre goes, they are quite popular. They have a unique sound that uses traditional rock instruments along with a synthesizer to create electronic sounds for their songs. They have one clean vocalist, and one screamer who can also sing clean a bit, and they complement each other very well. If you like bands such as A Skylit Drive, The Amity Affliction, or Abandon All Ships then this band is for you.

The album itself is easily their softest one yet. Of course it still has their hardcore sound, but the amount of scream vocals has decreased considerably since the previous two, and both singers now sing clean vocals. The electronics and choruses on the album also add a more pop-like sound than their previous work. The first single off TBR title "Hope" is a perfect example. While containing heavy guitar riffs, a lot of bass pedal, and chilling synth, the song has a lighter feel to it. While it does use scream vocal, they are very melodic, and the chorus is brilliantly well done mixing pop and hardcore quite well. The album is already their highest selling, and most popular to date. This album has really put the band on the map in not only the post-hardcore scene, but the whole rock genre scene.

Other than "Hope" the band has released two other singles on this album. "Fade Away" and "Tracing Back Roots" which obviously shares the title with the album. These two songs contrast vastly for WCAR standards meaning that "Fade Away" is on the softer side, and "Tracing Back Roots" is very heavy. The defining characteristic or "Fade Away" is the heavy, but catchy synthesizer riff, and melodic chorus that just begs to be sung along to. You can hear the song here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JvmqRYZ56Y
"Tracing Back Roots" is perhaps the hardest song on the album, and also the most unique. For the first two minutes approximately it is strictly heavy riffs, along with scream vocals. At about the 1:45 mark the song takes U-turn and breaks down. It finishes with a lovely soft vocal segment about love of family, and then finishes strong with chilling "woahs" and the singer repeating "my home is in your heart." This is amazing live, absolutely everybody was singing along at their concert I saw. A link to the song is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1Cn7IN9Hj4 And lastly, my favorite song off the album titled "A Moment." This songs mixes clean and scream vocals very nicely, and the chorus is incredible. find the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW-ZfPGJlrg That's all for today, check out the band's website here: http://www.wecameasromans.com/

-TR

IVAN & ALYOSHA - Band Review

Tim Wilson - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Ryan Carbary - guitars, piano, vocals
Tim Kim - electric guitar, vocals
Pete Wilson- bass guitar, vocals

            Ivan & Alyosha is a folk-pop rock band from Seattle, Washington with a sound that combines artists like The Beatles, Fleet Foxes, Mumford & Sons, Billy Joel, etc. Ivan & Alyosha formed in 2007 when Tim Wilson nd Ryan Carbary met and spent almost a year writing songs for their first debut EP, "The Verse, The Chours". Released in March 2009, the EP generated a surprising amount of exposure in the U.S. as "Easy to Love", one song off the EP, received some airplay. The band also generated word-of-mouth popularity after playing at the SXSW Festival. The group was then joined by bass player Pete Wilson, whose songwriting talent contributed to the band's creative sound, and Tim Kim, whose guitar playing provided a new dimension to the band's sound. After that, Ivan & Alyosha released their second EP, "Fathers Be Kind", their first LP, "All the Times We Had, and has spent time touring the United States. The band's energetic, exciting live performances and LP and EP releases were critically acclaimed and helped develop a loyal fan base. According to iTunes, Ivan & Alyosha "mixes wonderful melodies with thoughtful, intelligent lyrics and gorgeous four-part vocal harmonies". ("Ivan & Alyosha.")

            After listening to many tracks by Ivan & Alyosha, I think the group has some of the most emotional pieces of music I've ever heard. For example, "All the Times We Had" reflects a person's nostalgic feelings when going through a major life transition, such as moving away and leaving loved ones behind, as evidenced by the lyrics, "It's hard to feel the end". Also, "Don't Wanna Die Anymore" tells the story of a person recovering from drug addiction and wanting to make changes to his life. This track brought me to tears as it made me reflect on a close friend of mine who went through a similar situation. Other songs Ivan & Alyosha released deal with emotional and personal issues, such as overcoming obstacles and finding trust in yourself and others. I highly priase teh impressive melodies, Time Wilson's outstanding vocals, and the band's wonderful harmonies taht give emphasis to the emotions and meaning of the band's songs. In addition, I enjoy "The Folds" for its beautiful mix of piano and guitar. Tim Wilson's vocals on the track sound similar to Brandon Flowers', lead singer of The Killers. Finally, due to the two songs' vocals and music, I think "Be Your Man" has a Black Keys-vibe and "God or Man" has a Billy Joel-vibe. I believe Ivan & Alyosha will reach many people emotionally through its lyrics, and is capable of exposure on mianstream radio if the band expands its popularity.

Written by: John Dirscherl

Works Cited:
"About." Ivan & Alyosha. Tumblr, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.

           <http://www.ivanandalyosha.com/about>

"All The Times We Had Lyrics." Ivan & Alyosha. LyricsFreak, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.

           <http://www.lyricsfreak.com/i/ivan+alyosha/all+the+times+we+had_21032807.html>

"Ivan & Alyosha." ITunes. Apple, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
           <https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ivan-alyosha/id305962919>

BAHMM!

A new band that's hitting the ska scene recently is the band known as Beebs and Her Money Makers. The ska genre today can be described as an upbeat mix of punk rock and reggae that uses all the traditional rock instruments, as well as brass instruments such as trumpets and trombones. What sets BaHMM apart from many of the current popular ska bands is the way that they incorporate funk and blues into their songs. The kazoo tooting Beebs and her super hero band is definitely on the rise in the ska industry.

If you like bands such as No Doubt, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, or Reel Big Fish then this group is for you. They made their first splash in 2012, the year in which they were first discovered. With the release of their EP "Welcome to Barter Town" they had multiple record companies looking to sign them for a record deal. The most popular songs of the EP are "Handout," "Ms. Captain Kangaroo,"  and "In This Love." The first one is a great example of the band's funk influence. Beebs uses her signature kazoo to give the song an upbeat feel, and the bass lines and low pitch vocals add the funk. The next song, "Ms. Captain Kangaroo," is one of the heaviest, if not the heaviest song the band has released thus far. The song's verses have a very "bluesy" vibe about them using very low bass, vocals, and guitar to do so. Then the song does a complete 180 in the chorus which reverts right back to the upbeat ska sound, and higher vocals. The last song mentioned is my personal favorite. It is extremely upbeat, and sounds very much like the heavily reggae influenced classic ska. It's a song that gives even the shyest people the urge to start dancing. The best part about the track is how Beebs uses slow, low pitch vocals, but the band still manages to keep the song's upbeat sound. You can listen to the entire EP here: https://myspace.com/beebsandhermoneymakers/music/songs

Despite their success, and the countless record companies striving for their signatures, BaHMM decided to remain unsigned and produced their own album. This is an act that any ska band as well as ska fans would deeply appreciate. This past May they put out their first studio album named "No Sleep Tonight." This album's most popular tracks to date are "Jumpin'," and "Master Plan." The first of the two is slower and more blues oriented, as well as involving funk and of course ska. The second is the more upbeat of the two sticking to their trademark ska-funk vibe their fans know and love. The band also recently released a cover of Miley Cyrus's "Wrecking Ball" via YouTube which better than the original in my opinion (and I actually love the original). With their recent and impending success there's no telling where they will end up. They are currently touring with two of the biggest ska bands of all time, Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger. BaHMM are known to be extremely friendly and interactive with their fans. Every show Beebs pulls up a group of fans onto the stage to dance with her and the rest of the band. After most shows they meet and greet with the fans too, and have no problem giving out autographs and hugs, as well as having long talks with fans. I can attest for both these things because I have seen the band perform twice, and they did each both times. BaHMM is also working on a self-titled comic book in which they are super heroes if anyone is interested in comics. For those of you who are interested in the band, there tour dates are here: http://www.beebsandhermoneymakers.com/tour_calendar Thanks for reading, keep on rockin'.

-TR

Fifth Harmony

 

Ally Brooke, Normani Kordei, Dinah Jane Hansen, Camila Cabello, and Laren Jauregui are talented artist in the American Girl group called Fifth Harmony.

They sing Pop music and dance as well.  The girl group was discovered on the second season of “The X Factor.”  They actually started off on the show by performing indivually.  Simon Cowell, a judge on “The X Factor” formed the group.   They are signed with popular records labels Syco Music and Epic Records.

                In 2013 the group was voted the “next pop superstars,” by Popdust Magazine.  The group does not only sing their songs in Spanish they also sing their songs in Spanish.  There first single “Me and My Girls” was released to Radio Disney and the group preformed that song on the Today show.

                The group started off playing in shopping malls across the United States and is now touring. 

 

HALF MOON RUN - Band & "Dark Eyes" LP Review

Devon Portielje: Vocals, guitars, drums

Conner Molander: Vocals, guitars, keyboard

Dylan Phillips: Vocals, drums, keyboard

In the past two weeks, I reviewed two artists, Paul McCartney and Arcade Fire, who are in the spotlight of today’s popular music. However, this week I will be discussing an artist who isn’t exactly recognized by the mainstream audience, but has created buzz on several continents. The artist is Half Moon Run, a Canadian rock trio that formed in April 2010. Originating from Montreal, the three members transformed from three young Canadian men with time constraints and little money to a rock trio that’s spreading their name and touring in several parts of the world. The band has been recognized after opening for artists like Metric, Of Monsters & Men, and Mumford & Sons on their tours. Half Moon Run’s music is a mixture of pop, indie rock, progressive rock, and folk rock, with impressive harmonies, use of electronics, and “delicate guitar sounds” (“Half Moon Run”). In July 2013, Half Moon Run released their debut LP, “Dark Eyes”, in the United States, which I listened to recently. 

             As I was listening to the first couple of tracks of "Dark Eyes", I thought the entire album was going have an experimental, soft rock sound with fast vocals. However, as I continued to listen, I was surprised to find most of the songs were musically diverse. Several critics claim the album borrows elements from artists like Radiohead, Band of Horses, and Fleet Foxes. For example, according to Andy Welch, writer of NME Magazine, the opening track, "Full Circle" is similar to Fleet Foxes due to the band's arpeggios and layered arrangements. Also, I believe the vocals, fast-paced beats, and electronics on "21 Gun Salute" and "Give Up" are similar to the sound of the Radiohead's "In Rainbows" album. On the other hand, "Call Me in the Afternoon" has a folk sound, while "Need It" has a blues sound. The third track, "No More Losing the War" sets a moody tone with lyrics that reflect frustration after losing someone. The lyrics express emotional themes such as addiction and relationship frustration. Overall, Half Moon Run's debut record is a tremendous debut, deserves more attention from music lovers, and has tracks like "She Wants to Know" that I believe may be acceptable for mainstream radio.

Written by: John Dirscherl

Works Cited:

"Half Moon Run - About" Facebook, n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2013.
                  <http://www.facebook.com/halfmoonrun/info>

 "Half Moon Run" Biography. Indica Records, n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2013.
                  <http://halfmoonrun.indica.mu/en/biography/>

"Half Moon Run - 'Dark Eyes' Half Moon Tickets." NME.COM, n.d. Web. 09 Nov.
                  2013. <http://www.nme.com/reviews/half-moon-run/14554>

Young, Killian. "Half Moon Run Blend Voices on 'Dark Eyes' - Album Premiere."
                  Music. Rolling Stone, 16 July 2013. Web. 09 Nov. 2013
                  <http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/half-moon-run-blend-voices-on-dark- eyes-album-premiere-20130716>


 

Yelawolf

Michael Wayne Atha whose sage name is Yelawolf is an American hip-hop artist.  He is from Gadsden Alabama.  Yelawolf is signed to the well-known companies Interscope Records and Shady Records. But Yelawolf is now creating his own record label called Slumerican.  Yelawolf has created four mix tapes between the years 2005 and 2010.  His one mix taped titled Trunk Muzik is what really got him recognized and a deal with Interscope Records.  In 2011 Yelawolf was signed with Shady Records and then realized his album Radioactive.  The album was #27 on the Billborad chart.  He is not working on a new album with Shady Records called Love Story,  which will be released in 2014. 

            Yelawolf was actually homeless at one point of his life he got recognized when he got a job on a boat in Washington.  He appeared on a show called “The Road to Stardom with Missy Elliott,” in 2005.  This when he started releasing mix tapes and continued and is still continuing to grow.  Yelawolf has even worked with well-known artist such as Kid Rock, Here is one of Yelawolf's songs with Kid Rock.  Let's Roll

-Jessica Noren

ARCADE FIRE - "Reflektor" Album Review

          

            Since its formation in the 2000s, Arcade Fire has been one of the critically-acclaimed indie rock bands in the music business. The group was first recognized in 2004 with the release of their debut album, Funeral, which was placed on 19 different Top-10 “Best albums of the 2000s” lists by various music critics.  Although Arcade Fire has been compared to U2, David Bowie, each album Arcade Fire has released is musically diverse, despite the lyrics portraying mostly emotional themes.  The music on Funeral is cheerful and celebratory, the music on Neon Bible has a darker sound, and the music on The Suburbs is what Win Butler, an Arcade Fire member, described as a “mix of Depeche Mode and Neil Young” (Darcy). The next two albums, Neon Bible and The Suburbs, won various awards, which includes the 2011 Grammy for Album of the Year award. However, on Tuesday, October 29^th, Arcade Fire released their fourth studio album Reflektor.  According to Win Butler, Reflektor was influenced by the 1959 film Black Orpheus, an adaption of the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, and his “life-changing trips to Haiti and Jamaica” (Doyle). Butler told Rolling Stone, “I was learning from what I saw and applying it to my own life, lyrically. I’m not trying to tell other people’s stories. We’re just trying to allow an experience to change you” (Doyle).

 

I enjoyed Arcade Fire’s first three albums due to their creativity, style, and talent. I was looking forward to hearing the new album. When I first heard the lead single, “Reflektor”, which was released in September, it brought me back to albums such as the recent Random Access Memories by Daft Punk and the classic Aja by Steely Dan because all three had a disco groove. After listening to this track, I assumed that this album would have a large disco influence behind it, like Random Access Memories which was a smash-hit record this year. However, after listening to the full album, some songs did have a disco groove, but it had other influences as well. Win Butler, an Arcade Fire member, claimed the album also contains Haitian rara and Jamaican influences, which can be heard in songs such as “Here Comes the Night Time”.

However, when listening to the album, I admired the impressive drumbeats, bass lines, backing vocals, and synthesizer use performed on many of the tracks. The members that make up Arcade Fire are extremely talented and know how to compile a variety of influences into their own, creative work. Win Butler and Regime Chassagne (Butler’s wife and band partner) sing very well together on many tracks, but I believe they have the best chemistry on “It’s Never Over (Hey Orpheus)”. Next, the beat at the beginning of “Joan of Arc” reminded me of Billy Joel’s “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”, but then the song carried a U2 musical influence and used strong choruses to back up Win Butler’s lead vocals. My only complaints for the album are that the 11-minute final track goes on too long and wasn’t anything special, and the track “Normal Person” sounded too bloated with instruments. Also, I was disappointed that Regime Chassagne did not sing lead vocals on any of the tracks. Chassagne provided lead vocals on a few tracks, such as “In the Backseat”, and “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”, on the band’s previous albums.

Written by: John Dirscherl

Works cited:

Darcy, Patrick. "New Arcade Fire: 'Depeche Mode Meets Neil Young'" SPIN Magazine, 9 July 2010. Web. 02 Nov. 2013.

<http://www.spin.com/#articles/new-arcade-fire-depeche-mode-meets-neil-young/>

Dietz, Jason. "Best Albums of the Decade: A Roundup of Critic Lists." Metacritic. CBS Interactive Inc., 15 Dec. 2009. Web. 02 Nov. 2013. <http://www.metacritic.com/feature/best-albums-of-the-decade-a-roundup-of-critic-lists>

Doyle, Patrick. "Win Butler Reveals Secret Influences Behind Arcade Fire's 'Reflektor'" Music. Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2013. Web. 02 Nov. 2013. <http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/win-butler-reveals-secret-influences-behind-arcade-fires-reflektor-20131022>

Payne, Chris. "Arcade Fire, 'Reflektor': Track-By-Track Review." Billboard, 28 Oct. 2013. Web. 02 Nov. 2013. <http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/5770596/arcade-fire-reflektor-track-by-track-review>