Panic! At The Disco- Vices and Virtues

Let’s be honest here for a minute. Panic! at the Disco isn’t exactly what anyone would call a great or amazing band. What makes them decent to listen to is that they have great melodies and fun beats but as for deep lyrics or groundbreaking music Panic! at the Disco is not where you’re going to find it. Vices And Virtues dishes out what Panic! at the Disco does well and plays into the bands strengths. There are some semi-strong songs but as a whole the tracks on Vices And Virtues kind of blend together and not much stands out. If you’re looking for an album to work out to and not really pay attention to then Vices and Virtues is here for you. If you want any depth or meaning in your music listening then pass on this album.

Final Review- 50

The Strokes- Angles

Fun is the best word to describe the latest album from The Strokes. Angles has some cool instrumental work that infuses ‘80s pop with indie rock. Julian Cassablanca’s voice is superb and really fits the style The Strokes are aiming for on Angles. Angles was written by the band as a whole which at times can make the album choppy and lose some of its uniqueness. It’s a good idea to include the whole band in the music writing process but only if everyone has the same view, which I don’t think was happening on Angles.  For a fun radio-playable album and some of the best singles to come out in 2011 Angles is perfect, but as for a real solid album it is lacking. This review was incredibly difficult to write because as I listened to Angles almost every song was so strong on its own; it was just how they were tied together that made this a weak album. I think it is definitely worth a listen and I am incredibly hopeful for another Strokes album.

Final Review- 80

Duran Duran- All You Need is Now

Directed by David Lynch.

Listening to All You Need Is Now was a chore. Duran Duran, it seems, has just given up on changing their sound. None of the best bands in the world stay the same and hope the world keeps liking them; they evolve. Honestly, I just don’t have a lot of positive things to say about All You Need Is Now. There are one or two catchy songs but even their hooks are boring and poorly done. I was reading through other reviews of this album and everyone is praising how great it is because all the albums that came before this were such rubbish. To me that is a cheap cop out. If an album is not good, it’s not good. You can’t say, "Well, this one isn’t nearly as horrible as their other stuff, so it’s gold." All You Need Is Now is a pass and a waste of time.  On a positive note Duran Duran somehow got David Lynch to direct their Unstaged live web cam performance promoting All You Need Is Now. I am sure that will be worth a watch with mute on.

Final Review- 45

Joe Bonamassa- Dust Bowl

“Stop!” is from the 2009 release Ballade of John Henry. I couldn’t find any decent videos of him playing songs off of Dust Bowl so I thought this would at least give a glimpse into his talent. If you get your hands on Dust Bowl I would strongly suggest track 6 titled “You Better Watch Yourself”.

Have you been singing the blues recently? If so then Joe Bonamassa’s new solo album Dust Bowl is here to lend you a hand. Dust Bowl is full of wailing guitar solos and great jazz drum beats. When Joe Bonamassa was twelve he opened for the legendary B.B. King, if that can give you any idea of how good he is. There just isn’t a guitar player I have heard in a long time who does the blues this well. Joe Bonamassa’s talent isn’t just in producing great guitar licks, but also he is an incredibly talented singer/song writer. John Hiatt is featured on one of my favorite songs on the album, “Tennessee Plates,” as well as Vince Gill on “Sweet Rowena.”  Dust Bowl is a must listen for anyone who loves well-executed guitar solos and just the blues in general.

Final Review- 95