“I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?” – is my favourite song because it’s a typical song from the band. It is the song that most fans associate the homesick album with and it was the first single to be released. It features Mike Hranica from The Devil Wears Prada. The song seems to be talking about you trying to be yourself, but people attempting to change that.

“Have Faith in Me” – is a different type of track that the band is known for. The song is quite lighthearted, just like their other track “If It Means A Lot To You” this song is very similar. The song seems to be about a boyfriend acting horrid to his girlfriend and he is changing so ‘have faith in him’. It is still one of my favourite songs that the band has done, even though it is really different to their normal stuff.

“NJ Lemon Iced Tea” – This song is another great track and also one of my favourite songs from Homesick. It is apparently about a concert in New Jersey that got out of control, people got hurt and the band got a lot of the blame for it. So it’s telling people that it needs to be forgotten “So here’s to another better year”.

So overall the album is my favourite and a lot of other fans’ favourite by the looks of it. Homesick is full of great songs and I have just chosen these three as an example, but I would recommend this album to anyone into rock/metal core as it’s worth the money. The band has come a long way from their old stuff and are now known all over the world. A Day To Remember have just toured the UK and I was unlucky to not get a ticket for the Nottingham gig, but friends told me it was an incredible show. The band can only get better in years to come.

The Ray Charles cover ‘Sinner’s Prayer’ is a perfect opener, immediately showing you what the album’s about. The classic blues rhythm and structure and ball busting solo is the first example of Joe Bonamassa’s guitar capabilities. If it’s not this that interests you, I’m sure the powerful vocals will keep your attention. They follow with a cover of Tom Waits’ ‘Chocolate Jesus’, with a bob-your-head, offbeat rhythm. Next up is a Melody Gardot cover, taking her song ‘Your Heart Is As Black As Night’, keeping it’s laidback feel, just throwing in a few guitar solos.

A Bill Withers cover is next. ‘For My Friends’ is one of those old school blues rock songs, with lots of little niches and interesting timing complexities. As I bob my head, I can’t help but anticipate well for the rest of this album. Next comes their soothing cover of Billie Holliday’s ‘Don’t Explain’. Beth Hart has shown a lot of talent in this album, but here she shows her true capabilities. I feel a guitar solo wasn’t completely necessary, but they put one here and proved me wrong. Joe Bonamassa went more for the ‘making love to the guitar approach’ as opposed to ‘defiling the guitar’. They keep it mellow with Etta James’ ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’. If you have a partner, sit down with them, pop this song on, and relax. It’s a lovely anthem to enjoy together.

Their second Etta James cover, Something’s Got A Hold Of Me’ gives a body to Beth and Joe’s soul. The upbeat track reminds me of a typical American church, full of major chords, topped with the cherry of happy lyrics, drawing a smile on your face for six minutes and five seconds. The song that introduced me to this album, Bobby Bland’s ‘I’ll Take Care Of You’, famously covered by Rihanna and Drake, is introduced with a beautiful piano arpeggio, easing you into the song as Beth Hart jumps in. The climax and emotion in this song is hard to comprehend, overpowering any version I’ve ever heard before. This track was overflowing with passion as it was, then an impressive display of unique vocal power kicks you into the solo. I don’t know how to explain the masterpiece in words, so I’ll use just one; godly.

Finishing with Aretha Franklin, ‘Ain’t No Way’ tones it down with a romantic ballad. Showing lots of talent and understanding of music, this track is a lullaby, the string section pulls your heart strings, leaving you sitting there enticed by the beautiful music. Overall, I’ll give this album a 9/10. A truly phenomenal work by the two prodigies!

Gallows are a five piece pioneering hardcore band from Watford. They are responsible for the revival of the genre in the UK over the past few years and though some people see them as the Metallica of the genre (as in they are influential but everyone likes them), most other bands wouldn’t exist without them. Unfortunately this glorious debut was followed by a not so good second release which was more like a long moan than an album. Lead singer Frank Carter’s departure from the band marked the end of their golden age and the band have since sunk into the scene with rising stars Your Demise leading the charge for the UK.

Opening track Kill the Rhythm is a pounding fast track that takes you on a tour of what Gallows have to offer. Brutal, unhinged vocals, furious guitar, heavy bass and pounding drums that tell the listener “abandon hope all ye who enter here”.  Abandon Ship is a metaphor about a bad relationship. “Mayday, mayday the captains lost control again and no one can f*****g swim.” Carter’s lyrics are top notch on this album, being funny but with a clear and concise point. The guitars are like beat down hardcore and leave the listener dazed and confused by the speed and force of the album.

Gallows most famous track In The Belly of a Shark is one of the catchiest punk rock anthems you will ever hear and I implore you to go listen to it. The bass is juicy, the riff stupidly awesome and again Carter’s vocals are breathtaking. “So here I lie! In the Belly of a Shark, so f*****g cold and so f*****g dark”. Does it make sense? No! Is it awesome? Yes, but I don’t know why. Will Someone Shoot that F*****g Snake is a taste of Carter’s opinionated lyrics that would lead to the bands downfall after their second album. However unlike the second album this song has a subject that everyone can happily get behind and sing along to. This song is about people who spike girls’ drinks. This song is violently angry and it’s clear the band must have some sort of experience in the matter as most of the band join in with a chant of “You are dead!”. Carter is terrifying as he screams “Blackening her name, screaming in her face, I’m gonna drown you in the f*****g rain, will someone shoot that f*****g snake!” Title track Orchestra of Wolves is where the band let their hair down a bit. The song subject is lighter hearted, if a little sexist. I’m not going to directly quote it but rest assured it involves buying girls only non-alcoholic drinks so they don’t ahem pass out before Carter can get them home.

I give this album 9 out of 10. It’s a brilliant punk rock/hardcore record that manages to be incredibly fun and energetic at the same time as being serious and angrier then hell and damnation. I have two issues with the album. Firstly some of the songs I didn’t mention are dull and sometimes I faze out while I’m listening. Secondly Carter is a hypocrite throughout his career. In this album he sings about stabbing rapists but on their second album he sings about how knife crime is disgusting and cowardly and all issues should be settled with the “Queensbury Rules”. Apart from that this is an amazing tour de force of anger and passion. A must for any hardcore fans.

For Fans Of: Old Your Demise, Blackholes

Listen to: Orchestra of Wolves, Abandon Ship, In the Belly of a Shark

The album consists of 12 hysterical tracks that don’t fail to knock you on your funny bone. The title track ‘Rize of the Fenix’ opens the album up with an aggressive acoustic guitar riff that carries the song with vocals from Black and Gass, this is one of the tracks on the album that stands out to me. The song talks about how fans of the band thought they would never release anything again, lyrics like “When The Pick of Destiny was released it was a bomb/and all the critics said that the D was done” explain this. The fourth track  ‘Senorita’ is also one to look out for with its mexican horns that open the track and the fast guitar-playing and humorous lyrics.

Another track to keep your eye open for is ‘Roadie’ with it’s acoustic guitar riff and lyrics from Black that talk about being a roadie for a band, what they have to do and how they are treated, “well it’s 3pm/time to lock the gate/got to get it on the stage/my muscles flex/my f*cking sweat will save the day” explore the theme of the song well. This is one of the songs from the album where the drumming is at it’s best because Dave Grohl, a regular contributor, appears on it. Another song that strikes out is ‘Throw Down’ with it’s biblical references that talk about when Moses came down from the hill and how Jesus turned water into wine.

When you listen to ‘Rize of the Fenix’ prepare to be shocked and also expect to laugh along to the humorous lyrics and rock out to the impressive use of instruments such as acoustic guitars, drums and electric guitars.

If you are looking for something new and refreshing to listen to that will have you entertained with its funny lyrics and catchy choruses, then I definitely recommend that you listen to this album today and go out and buy it because I promise you will enjoy it every bit as much as I have.

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“Sssnakepit.” – This is the most unique track from the album and my personal favorite. Its usual catchy sing-along chorus really seems to drag people in before exploding into an electro trance sounding verse. Towards the end of the song, there is an incredibly destructive metal breakdown, where basically mosh pits can engage. Even with so many different elements to apply to a song, Enter Shikari pull it off without a sweat.

“Arguing with Thermometers.” – Now, I have never heard of a song that can switch from metal to indie to dubstep, and I’m pretty sure you haven’t either. But this is one track will not disappoint, keeping those old political lyrics similar to their two previous studio albums but with a new, more ‘f**k the System’ approach, which is an absolute blast from start to finish.

” Gandhi Mate, Gandhi”  - Among a fair few other tracks on A Flash Flood Of Colour, this one sees Rou Reynolds really putting forward his feelings about global warming and other contemporary political issues. Whilst this serious rap-rock with a bit of wobble of a track takes place, there is a small comedy aspect when the other members of the band tell Reynolds to calm down. I myself see this as a track I would probably listen to in the car, or just at home with the speakers on full blast.

The album brings out a whole new side to the band and puts forward the idea that it is possible to bring genres that are almost polar opposites together to make a very dominant collection of tracks. I feel that from their older albums such as Common Dreads, the same distorted guitar riffs have been retained, but the booming drops have never been better. I find almost impossible to keep still when listening to some of these new songs, they really bring the attitude on this one. I highly recommend you give it a listen if you get the chance.

This song is a love song which does not surprise me with Robin Thicke as he is well known for his beautiful, soft, dreamy voice and his love songs. With Lil Wayne, this does surprise me because we usually hear him rapping about money and sex. This song shows his romantic side. The track goes straight in with Lil Wayne’s verse and he is talking about being in love but he still shows his cheeky, mischievous side with lyrics like ‘Oh you, the s**t’.

With Robin Thicke’s voice there is never a note out of place, even when he sings live. He can also really hit the high notes like on other songs such as ‘Wanna Love You’ featuring Pharrell Williams and his Whitney Houston Tribute ‘Shoop Shoop’. Towards the end of this song his voice reminds me of Michael Jackson in his song ‘One More Chance’, I think it must be the style of his voice on this particular part. I think on this track Robin Thicke’s voice is sexy and quite mysterious. I love it!!

The video to this song is a must-see. It is inspired by the 1920s and set at a club on what looks like a Texas desert. At the very beginning of the video Robin Thicke is acting out a scene from the famous James Dean movie ‘Rebel Without A Cause’. I love it when artists do this, I think it’s so clever and different. I think Robin Thicke can adapt to any music genre, but this collaboration is definitely one of the best.

Music Magazine Rolling Stone has labelled Tesfaye as ”The songbird of his generation.” Not to mention MTV’s John Norris going so far as calling this promising young talent ”The best musical talent since Michael Jackson.” Featuring alongside Drake on his hit album ‘Take Care’, The Weeknd appears on three of Drizzy’s tracks, boosting his reputation and winning more fans in doing so.

Listening to his music, the majority really shone, but the track ‘Loft Music’ really stood out for me and was an instant favorite. This was released on his first of his three mix tapes in 2011, called ‘House of Balloons’. At first glance some listeners may be put off by the song being just over six minutes and may assume that they will get bored by it, but listeners will soon have their initial assumptions overturned when the track begins playing. Theres no waiting around with the vocals as The Weeknd jumps straight in with a powerful first note which really caught me off guard but it’s when Tesfaye begins his first verse that you really feel the song.

In the verses he maintains a soft contained voice which can only be described as mesmerising. The beauty of the instrumental really compliments Tesfaye’s voice and the two go hand in hand to create nothing short of an exceptional track.  The song is not for the light-hearted and the lyrics contain a fair bit of cursing but hopefully you can look past that and enjoy the sheer beauty of the track for what The Weeknd intended it to be, as it just simply wouldn’t sound as delicate without the intended lyrics.

2012 holds big things for this young Canadian so you can expect to be hearing a lot more of The Weeknd.

Their ninth album isn’t likely to change that dramatically, sticking as it does to a formula that’s served them splendidly since shifting from an early, grunge-like outfit to a polished, commercially box-ticking ensemble with every intention of maintaining their career trajectory. And there’s no shame in that: it’s not like you, the reader, would turn up at work after 15 years of doing a job one way and proceed to tear up the rule book you’d established for yourself. Such actions tend to have repercussions, bad ones. In a nutshell “Something for the Rest of Us” is every bit as easy on the ear as each of their albums has been since 98’s big-league breakthrough, Dizzy up the Girl.

The album opens with the upbeat track, “Sweetest Lie.” The song should definitely be considered as the second single. The track is very relatable to anyone who has been with someone and not had it work out, but then finding themselves wanting to be with that person, even though they’re probably not the one for them. It is apparent on Something for the Rest of Us that the Goo Goo Dolls still know how to rock a love song. From “One Night” and “Still Your Song” to “Hey Ya,” each of these songs has well-crafted melodies and sweet lyrics. The stand out track of the album is the emotionally poignant, “Soldier.” The final song rounds out the album with lyrics that make you feel like the song is being sung directly to you.

“Something For the Rest of Us” is so easy on the ear, indeed, that maintaining focus can be difficult. John Rzeznik’s gruff tones are always the scene-stealing element of any track, but when he’s barking out well-worn clichés about love and loss, it’s a task to read between tired lines and hear some heart. Several tracks aren’t so much dripping with weak metaphors as drowning in them. But the lyrical side of Goo Goo Dolls has never stood up to much serious scrutiny – the point is that these songs are swiftly processed, ensuring sing-along potential is realised amazingly fast. These are songs for belting out in traffic-jammed cars, for humming along to in shopping malls while waiting for a partner to finish up in the changing rooms. They’re not supposed to challenge the grey matter. They are as exclusive as own-range supermarket clothing.

Lead single “Home” has already performed well in the States, offering evidence that Goo Goo Dolls remain a mainstream force to be reckoned with on the other side of the Atlantic – but it’s unlikely they’ll ever repeat that success here. However, British fans of big-chorused rockers like U2, Journey and Bon Jovi yet to investigate this lot are encouraged to do so, as many traits are common across said acts.

I got to the arena at around 7pm and was astounded when I had my bag thoroughly checked by security! Being sly I had already maneuvered my drink up my coat sleeve. I mean to be fair who wants to be paying £5 for one drink!? By the time I got to my seat I was well and truly feeling the vibe. The arena was packed and the adrenaline from everyone there was amazing. It was a total sell out and I didn’t see any empty seats, which shows how big Drake actually is in the UK now.

Having waited to see him for over an hour and a half while Labrinth kept us busy, Drizzy was finally ready to show Nottingham what he was made of. We didn’t even have to see him on stage – the crowd screeched, girls were going crazy screaming and shouting; that was our cue to tell us that Drake was here. His whole performance was absolutely outstanding. He sounds exactly the same as he does on a recorded track and there was no way he mimed. His audience interaction was really good and it allowed the audience to feel involved. He pointed out girls and complimented them regularly, which definitely shows that he is a ladies man.

To my surprise, lingerie was being flung at his face throughout the show and Drake clearly loved this. As he was reading out the girls bra sizes and telling them they had ‘good sized titties’ I felt like I was watching Girls Gone Wild. He had the crowd going and when he was on stage there was never a moment of silence. A woman sat in front of me was even brought to tears and comforted by her friend. She was obviously star struck by his manly charm.

Drake performed many popular songs from his latest and debut albums. I personally think the best song on the night was ‘Shot For Me’ because the way he performed the lyrics came across to everybody in the Arena, as if he was talking directly to them. His mellow tone and soft Canadian accent were complete perfection and he sounded exactly how he does on his latest album ‘Take Care’. Drizzy smashed this song to pieces as well as ‘Crew Love’ and ‘Buried Alive’, both of which which he totally destroyed! In a good way.

The only downfall I have to say about the concert was that Drake’s attire and dress sense in general was very bleak and dark. He wore black trousers, black shirt and a black vest top with some Reeboks. A bit of colour wouldn’t have done him any harm. To me he looked very plain Jane and could have done with hiring a stylist on this tour. I understand that he is a rap artist but come on, a change of garments wouldn’t have gone amiss for a big arena show like this.

Overall though I think that he smashed all the tracks from of his Take Care Album and I would definitely go to see him again. If you didn’t go, you missed out on a very good night on the Club Paradise Tour.

************** Check out @Ashton‘s Drake live review from Birmingham Arena on April 20th 2012 **************************
Photo: Dominic Henry

Tom Jones, Danny O’Donoghue, Jessie J, Will.i.am, Tulisa, Cheryl Cole. To be fair most of those didn’t have much credibility anyway but Tom Jones is a legend who’s been one of the few rocks in the music business and now he’s helping people cheat their way into that business. Tulisa who was an underground RnB star for years, preferred to throw away the group that made her career and judge X Factor. There’s no morals in musicians these days, it’s all about doing whatever you can to stay in the limelight, which is one of the main reasons I stick with alternative music and underground rap where the genre and the business is still pure.

But the main example is Cheryl Cole. She’s like some sort of paradox. Her group Girls Aloud shot to fame after winning Popstars, she enjoyed a steady career with the group then lost all her credibility by being a judge for X-Factor. Notice how she went from being a credible musician to jail bait for red banner newspapers who only care about her personal life (She should take a restraining order out against The Sun). She was made by The X Factor which helped her launch her solo career and put her in the limelight but then had it robbed away because she wasn’t wanted for the US X Factor. A year later and she’s still having a tantrum and has barely been seen in public (not exactly a bad thing…).

That’s the other thing I hate. The musician who has thrown their career out the window in terms of the credibility of their music, but they just get bigger because of the programme. Tulisa (helped along by a certain, ahem, tape) is massive in this country at the minute all because of The X Factor and Danny O’Donoghue is steadily gaining fainting “fans” because of The Voice UK.

There is nothing good about these shows. I can hear some of you arguing “But without these shows we wouldn’t have world-selling acts like Leona Lewis or Alexandra Burke”. My argument: If they were really any good they would have been discovered years ago which explains why so many of the past winners have disappeared. It’s because they’re not up to the music industry standard; they’re some randomer from Liverpool who was voted to stardom by crazy fan girls and old people that think he “has a kind face”.

This is now beginning to infect the alternative music scene. The Red Bull Jam is a competition done over the internet where fans are asked by bands to vote for them. The top voted then play a gig which is judged by actual musicians from the scene and the winner gets a label contract. Sound familiar? No effort for big rewards isn’t worth having and in a music scene where the fans and bands constantly scrutinise each other your band will just be the band that cheated their way to fame.

I know this article could be quite controversial. What do you think? Are these talent shows/reality TV things a good thing? Do the musicians that get involved in it have any credibility? Leave your comments below and we’ll discuss.