Joey Cape & Jon Snodgrass - Liverbirds

Although I have yet to see Joey Cape live, I count myself among the lucky few that have seen Drag the River live, and have met Jon Snodgrass after a show in West Virginia (I also met Rocky Votolato at the same show). Both musicians are skilled in the acoustic guitar, and Snodgrass brings a certain element of twang from his roots with Drag the River, and his voice is carried over from Armchair Martian. The tracks are familiar classics from Bad Astronaut, Lagwagon and Drag the River, but stripped to acoustics and light precussion. Perhaps the strongest part of the record are the voices: Cape and Snodgrass are veterans of the genre, and their voices are unmistakable and really fill in the gaps in each song where instruments would have carried the melody. Plus, Joey Cape is just awesome.

1. Joey Cape - To All My Friends
2. Joey Cape - Whipping Boy
3. Joey Cape - Making Friends
4. Joey Cape - Angry Days
5. Joey Cape - Alien 8
6. Jon Snodgrass - Break Your Frame
7. Jon Snodgrass - Jessica's Suicide
8. Jon Snodgrass - Losing Everyone
9. Jon Snodgrass - Spiderman, Wolfman
10. Jon Snodgrass - Mexican Song

Link:
Request to take link down. Go to http://www.joeycape.com for more info and the album!

Angels & Airwaves - LOVE

Maybe it was because I was on the road and kind of fell of the music scene, but I completely missed the talk about this album. I was also expecting more from the Blink-182 side of the band (Tom). Musically, the album is a continuation of the previous two, with a easy blend of electronic, space sounds parlayed with the conventional guitars, drums and bass to create that louder-than-life, celestial sound that Tom was going for by starting A&A. Deeper lyrics about love and life abound throughout the album, including the track "Letters to God, Part II" which is a follow-on to the first part written during Tom's Boxcar Racer stint. Overall, there isn't too much of a departure from their previous two albums, so if you enjoyed them, chances are you'll enjoy this one. Oh, and it was released for free on Modlife. But you can get it here for free, too. My favorite track: Shove.

1. Et Ducit Mundum Per Luce
2. The Flight of Apollo
3. Young London
4. Shove
5. Epic Holiday
6. Hallucinations
7. The Moon-Atomic (...Fragments and Fictions)
8. Clever Love
9. Soul Survivor (...2012)
10. Letters to God, Part II
11. Some Origins of Fire

Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?2mgldm04tvj

Matt Pond PA - The Dark Leaves

I know it's been a long, long time...to be honest I've been swamped with work and kinda fell off the music scene, as unfortunate as it is. BUT, I do occasionally follow the music blog scene and on one random, lucky day, the new Matt Pond PA album was posted. And thus far, it's my favorite album of the year. It encompasses smooth and catchy, like a something that just clicks. It flows together, both internally in each song (from verse to chorus, percussion and guitar), and track to track. "Starting" almost seems to balance melancholy, angsty (for Matt at least) with "Brooklyn Fawn" that quietly dances along between vocal harmonies and slide guitars. Brilliant, and definitely will keep it in mind towards the end of the year for the year-end wrap-up.

1. Starting

2. Running Wild

3. Specks

4. Remains

5. Sparrows

6. Brooklyn Fawn

7. Ruins

8. Winter Fawn

9. The Dark Leaves Theme

10. First Song

***Link Fixed..First track should be fine***

Link:

http://www.mediafire.com/?uelmzko0n2y

r.i.a.a. Part II

So the RIAA and the stranglehold they have on everything have decided to aboslutely brutalize the blog. I don't mind artists posting comments asking for work to be taken down (which I always do, and has happened a few times), but most of the reviews I think could be left up.

So that's why it seems like my posts are disappearing. I'll take out the links when I have time, and re-up. Send requests this way as well, the new Alk3 is on the 'net, so look for that in a bit.

(Edited) MCS - My Dinosaur Life

FINALLY. I've been a huge fan of MCS since they played a small rinky-dinky club in my hometown during my high school years and completely blew the place away. Ever since then, every chance I get to see them play is a show well-worth-it. This album feels less-polished than Even if it Kills Me, but more so than their earlier efforts. Justin Pierre's voice has subtly evolved since their last album into something that adds more dynamic to the rough sound. I've always been blown away by his ability to go from highs to lows within the same line (listen for it, it's pretty remarkable), as if he were a classically trained pop-punk vocalist. Of course, I couldn't end this without making a note about the production and harmony (which IS the backbone of pop-punk): whether or not this is the case, it sounds like Justin and Co. have not layered each track as heavily as their previous records, which may lend to their return of the older sound. And the harmony exists, but not in the sugary overkill that I felt brought some of their other records down. Ironically (due to space considerations), I posted the only ballad on the record as the teaser, but it only gets better from there.

1. Worker Bee
2. A Lifeless Ordinary (Need A Little Help)
3. Her Words Destroyed My Planet
4. Disappear
5. Delirium
6. History Lesson
7. Stand Too Close
8. Pulp Fiction
9. @!#?@!
10. Hysteria
11. Skin And Bones
12. The Weakends

Link: See Comments

Avett Brothers - I and Love and You

First, sorry for the lack of updates, I've been traveling a lot during the holiday season. Happy holidays, hopefully they were filled with drunken nights with friends, loud music and time with family. Belated Happy Holidays from myself to all of you. Thanks for the support, even though I haven't been posting for the past month.

I usually post a "Best of" list, but really got a late start to the year as far as music. Lately, since about October, I can tell you that I've been listening to Chuch Ragan's new album and Jay-Z's Blueprint 3. Eclectic, yes, but that's how I roll.

The album itself is...much larger than their previous album, although the pace remains the same. Pianos dance throughout many of the tracks, backing the folk-crooning of Seth and Scott (Avett). The quicker songs really do feel like they belong in a saloon, and my favorite, "Kick Drum Heart" almost has a Billy Joel-esque touch to it: familiar and extremely catchy. If you liked their previous album's lyrics, you'll enjoy this as well. Lyrically, not much has changed, which doesn't bother me at all, because their last album was fantastic. This album, on the whole, will probably suck a larger fan base in versus Emotionalism, spreading folk-rock bliss to the masses (well, maybe not that large)...oh, and it was #16 on US charts.

1. I and Love and You

2. January Wedding
3. Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise
4. And it Spread
5. The Perfect Space
6. Ten Thousand Words
7. Kick Drum Heart
8. Laundry Room
9. Ill with Want
10. Tin Man
11. Slight Figure of Speech
12. It Goes On and On
13. Incomplete and Insecure

Link:

Bayside - Acoustic

This one's for Laura. I don't know how it played out, but for some reason, the first Bayside song I'd ever listened to was "Megan," which for you music lovers out there, is a Smoking Popes song. So, with one song, I got hooked to two bands. The rest of this album is a mix of covers, acoustic versions of pre-existing tracks, and "Winter" which is an original tribute to John Holohan, their drummer, who tragically died in a car wreck back in 2005. I actually remember reading about it on Punknews.org when it happened, before I got into the band. Anthony Raneri's familiar voice croons through the tracks, expertly weaving in and out of the acoustic guitars. Acoustic albums can make or break bands, as the depth of songwriting becomes transparent without the effects: chord changes and riffs cannot be hidden behind a wall of distortion...it's bare and plainly audible for the listener. All-in-all, it's slow and melancholy, an acoustic-punk dirge if you will...but still a brilliant listen. Especially Josh Caterer's guest vocals on "Megan."

1. Winter
2. Blame It on Bad Luck
3. They Looked Like Strong Hands
4. Masterpiece
5. Megan
6. Montauk
7. Devotion and Desire
8. Baby Britain
9. Paternal Reversal
10. Don't Call Me Peanut (Live)

Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?zyezawwujmw