Album Review: Acoustic LIVE! by Adam Lambert

Our favorite glam rocker Adam Lambert has recently released a new EP and fans such as myself are enjoying every second of it. Best described as a vocal masterpiece, this is a mind-blowing live record that is disappointing only by way of the fact that there aren't even more songs for us to enjoy.



Acoustic Live! Quite possible the best live album of the year

Starting off you have Whataya Want From Me? recorded live at ENERGY Berlin radio station 103.4. It is impossible not to be moved by the emotion and feeling that Adam pours into this song. Stripped down from the studio release, this version has only an acoustic guitar to back up Adam Lambert's voice

People of all ages and demographics have fallen in love with this song and the powerful message that it conveys. Adam has even been nominated for a Grammy under the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance category because of this single.

As the song most people are familiar with this was the perfect choice to open the album and you'll be hitting the replay button time and time again.


Whataya Want From Me?



Next on the list is Music Again which was recorded live at Hit Radio FFH. Honestly, I was very curious to see how this would work out as an acoustic song. Using only an acoustic guitar and drums its a rather big change from the electronically infused studio album. It carries the same tempo, but doesn't have the additional vocals of the studio release. This is a beautiful combination and Adam works around it perfectly with alternating soft and strong vocals.

The silence of the radio station setting offers a pure untainted sound and every note comes across crystal clear to the listener. You will definitely be listening to this music again and again and again.



Music has never looked so good



Aftermath is the third song on this album and starts off with the cheering of the crowd on the Glam Nation tour. Yet when the guitar starts playing they respectfully go silent allowing Adam to start singing. This song is so beautiful that words can even begin to describe it. Even non fans will find themselves enjoying this song and gaining a greater respect for the smooth voice and emotion that Adam Lambert can convey with only a few words. His soaring note at 2:57, and at the very end, send the crowd roaring with approval and how can you blame them? 

Speaking of emotion this is the perfect song for anyone who has or is having a bad day. Every verse will help you to appreciate that things really will be all right when things are said and done. Adam Lambert himself was one of the co-writers for this song and every word will strike a powerful cord in you.

After a hard day's work or a rough time in life you'll find yourself reaching for this song and it does a great job of picking you up and lifting your spirits.

Adam and his band members

Soaked follows as the second to last song on the album and the only instrument used is a piano. This is by far my favorite song as Adam's voice shines through like nothing else you have ever heard. Soft at times but with an underlying power that is sure to captivate your attention just as it surely did those attending the concert.

A masterpiece of the highest order is the only way to describe Soaked. Here on this song you will be able to see why it is that so many people around the world have fallen in love with him.

The chorus soars and in the last minute or so of the song there is a pause followed by a couple seconds of singing without the accompaniment of any instruments. An acapella version of Soaked would have been amazing to hear. Maybe next time around Adam will treat us to such a rendition of one of his songs.

What do you think? Tell me if you would like to hear that just as much as I would! 




Glambert's just can't get enough of Adam

  

Last on the album is Mad World. Adam Lambert's sensitive, stripped down performance of this song during his run on American Idol was so good that even sour Simon Cowell himself was moved to give him a standing ovation.

Many consider it to be his best performance of the season and legions of fans were not only disappointed, but angry to see a cover of it excluded on his first album For Your Entertainment. Now they have what they so badly wanted and not only the song, but a live acoustic version of it as well.

As a dedicated fan who was glued to the TV throughout that American Idol season I was greatly surprised when the song started off, not as the slow rendition that Adam had done before, but instead as an uptempo version that will have you tapping your feet, bobbing your head, and singing along to every word.



Glitter, glam, music, and Adam Lambert will make anyone's day



This Acoustic Live! album starts off with a song everyone loves and ends with a bang on an old favorite that fans have been screaming for since he first sang it on the American Idol stage.

Physical copies are being snapped up left and right and the CD + poster combo is flying off the official website. Better get yours fast before it's gone because once they run out there won't be any more made!

With the voice of an angel and the class to back it up, Adam Lambert is an intelligent man who knows just what he wants how how he's going to get there. He was born for success and has more than enough talent to back up his ambitions.

Acoustic Live! is easily the best live album of the year and does not disappoint in any possible way. You have not heard a true singer until you've heard the songs on this album.

It is out now on the official website, iTunes, Amazon, and plenty of other sites. So go out and buy it now!

Album Review: What's My Name by Miyavi

So as many of us know Miyavi's new album What's My Name is now available around the world.

You all know his name!

Like tons of other fans I rushed out to buy an iTunes card the day it was available on iTunes just so that I would be able to download the new album. His videos Survive and Torture were just a small taste of the awesome guitar skills that Miyavi has. It made all of us hungry for more and we were most certainly not disappointed.

Fresh off his Neo Tokyo Samurai Black World Tour and with a Tour Documentary DVD in addition to a new baby girl and album, Miyavi is no doubt on top of the world. His fans consider him the greatest guitarist of his generation if not in the world. Few are those who can rival him and no matter who you are you can't deny his amazing skill with a guitar.



Miyavi is back and he's letting everyone know his name


Miyavi's music has ranged from more pop songs in the past to a more defined rock sound in other years. One thing though was always certain: when it comes to playing the guitar Miyavi is not just on another level, he has his name plastered all over it.

Each song features a unique twist on his own special brand of guitar playing and once you start listening to this album there is no way you'll ever be able to put it down again.

Not a single song disappoints, but be warned that the lyrics can be hard to figure out since they are a mix of Japanese and English. Then again this is Miyavi we're talking about and all things can be understood just by the mention of his name.

This album is pure rock and the first song on the album is called What's My Name and the guitar intro gives you the perfect taste of what is to come on the rest of the album. Following is his second single Torture and then my personal favorite A-Ha. This tune will be stuck in your head all day long and I love it.

Chillin' Chillin' Money Blue$ is the perfect song to chill out to if you've had a rough day at work and the simple but effective melody really does give it a bluesy feel... or is that just me?

His more subdued vocals on I Love You, I Love You, I Love You, and I Hate You perfectly matches the music and sets you up for the next song Moon which will leave you wishing you could see it live so that you would know just how he managed to pull of those guitar riffs.

Gravity seems like a perfectly good ballad... but watch out for Miyavi's sudden scream of "LET ME OUT!" at 4:06 because he'll blow your eardrums right out if your not careful. I'll admit that I prefer the ending of the song to the beginning.

The opening tune to Universe will immediately catch your attention while Unbreakable deviates from the overall theme by opening with the drums first and then adding the guitar after a few seconds.

Shelter is my second favorite song off this album and I could tap out the tune all day long. The combination of guitar and drum set will hook you right away and never let you go.

Super Hero again seems like it will be a nice soft ballad along the lines of Gravity... but then again this is Miyavi we're talking about and something so predictable will not be allowed on his album. This is a rock song all the way, but again you might want to turn down the volume a little when you get to 0:44 seconds as the pause before it is very misleading. I love the guitar playing on here and it again highlights Miyavi's skill and unrivaled precision.

Miyavi once again does the unpredictable by giving us an actual ballad with the song Sutekina Mirai. No sudden screams or sudden change of pace here. This one you can settle back to and turn the volume up without worry.

Fear not, that's no glitch its just the strange but funky opening to Futuristic Love and it will have you bobbing, or banging, your head before Miyavi has even started singing.

Rounding out this album is his first single Survive which sound slightly different and actually heavier then expected. If you bought the single release and then bought the album like I did then you are in for a big surprise. Although it is interesting to see the same song sound so different with just minor adjustments.

Are you ready to rock?

Sometimes weird, always crazy, and never one to let down his fans. We all know his name and this album will ensure that it stays stuck in your head for years to come.

Artist Spotlight: Seven Symphonies With Apocalyptica

Some of you may have heard of them, but chances are some of you have not. That is why I'm here to tell you about the cello rock sensation know as Apocalyptica. That's right... cello rock.

Apocalyptica is taking over the world one concert at a time

It's understandable that a person could hear the opening rifts to a song like Distraction or Misconstruction, both off their recent self-titled album, and mistake those amazing rock beats as guitars instead of cellos.

It is high time a group like this came along and changed our opinions of what is possible with different instrument and with music in general. In my opinion I think it's great that there are groups and artists willing to think out of the box and try styles of music that other people may never have considered before.

Apocalyptica, Nightwish, Within Temptation, Kamelot, Epica, Tarja (solo artist and formerly the vocalist for Nightwish) are only a few such groups who have fused different instruments and genres into a more streamlined modern sound that we know and love to call symphonic rock or symphonic metal. Its different, beautiful, and unlike anything else mainstream today.

Current lineup from left to right: Mikko Sirén/drums, Eicca Toppinen/cello, Perttu Kivilaakso/cello, Paavo Lötjönen/cello

The band itself, though, is composed of classically trained cellists and in 2003 drummer Mikko Sirén was made an official part of the band. Classical music is often looked down upon by the younger generation and a group like Apocalyptica helps bring this genre back to the fore and helps foster an interest in it. Or at the very least it helps generate a deeper respect for this kind of music.

Featuring a slightly different lineup, Apocalyptica got their start by doing Metallica covers at Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. Not long after they then released their first album Plays Metallica by Four Cellos.

Their next album Inquisition featured cover songs by Metallica, Faith No More, Pantera, and Sepultra and is rounded out by three originals by band leader Eicca Toppinen. Following are albums containing mostly original pieces along with a variety of guest singers.

Press shoot for their video End of Me released in July. It features Gavin Rossdale  (third from left)

End of Me is the latest single and comes off their new album 7th Symphony. Gavin Rossdale is only one of the guest appearances on the album and he is better known for being the vocalist for British alternative rock band Bush.

Apocalyptica has been going strong since 1993 and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. They are currently on tour with Japanese metal group Dir En Gray and still have shows scheduled across America in various states. You can check the official website to see if there is a concert near you.

Their new album 7th Symphony comes out today in the United States and can be purchased off iTunes. Buy the deluxe album off iTunes and it will come with 13 songs and 6 live performance videos as well.

7th Symphony is certain to please old and new fans alike as well as provide the unmistakable sound that is undeniably rock but is also subtly fused with classical undertones. This is Apocalyptica and we wouldn't want them any other way.

Album View: Humanoid City LIVE by Tokio Hotel

This time I thought I would do something just a little different and give an album view for the German pop/rock sensation known around the world as Tokio Hotel.

Notice that is album VIEW and not an album REVIEW. There are 19 songs here and not enough blog space to contain my enthusiasm for each one. So I'll just give an overview of the whole thing. Ready?

They are officially the biggest German band ever and they have released several studio albums so far: Schrei, Schrei--so laut du kannst and Zimmer 483 are all in German. The next album Scream is in English and was released outside of the United States as Room 483. Their recent album Humanoid was released in both German and English.

On July 20th however eager fans were finally able to get their hands on the latest release by their favorite German sensation. Humanoid City LIVE, as the title suggests, is a live album that was recorded during the band's concert in Milan, Italy. Anyone who thinks today's song artists can't sing and just have voices that are like nails on a chalk board have evidently never heard Bill Kaulitz sing live. Now you can simply download this album from iTunes or whichever site you prefer, but the actual CD comes packaged with a special DVD showing the entire concert.

It features a special Tokio Hotel TV episode showing what it takes to prepare that massive stage and special display.

Are you ready for an incomparable LIVE experience?

The CD + DVD combo pack is a must have for any fan of this band, for a person who's decided to take a look at the band for the first time, or someone wanting to see some of their new music. The song list is as follows:

1. Noise
2. Human Connect to Human
3. Break Away
4. Pain of Love
5. World Behind My Wall
6. Hey You
7. Alien
8. Ready, Set, Go!
9. Humanoid (German version)
10. Phantomrider
11. Dogs Unleashed
12. Love & Death
13. In Your Shadow I Can Shine
14. Automatic
15. Screamin'
16. Darkside of the Sun
17. Zoom Into Me
18. Monsoon
19. Forever Now

Some songs such as Pain of Love are rearranged slightly and others such as Humanoid are completely changed and done in a more acoustic style. Most of them, however, are the same as fans remember.

This album and DVD gives you a real feel for what it would be like to be in such a massive crowd listening to Tokio Hotel play their hearts out. The cheering and screaming of the fans, the pauses as singer Bill Kaulitz holds up the microphone to let the crowd sing along with him, even Bill thanking all of the fans and then asking them to shut off their camera's and cell phones (excuse me that's "mobile phones" as he says it) and just enjoy the next song as they get ready to perform Phantomrider. Even the flash of fire at the end of Darkside of the Sun although you might not realize what it is until you see the DVD.

It also helps you appreciate just how loud concerts can be. Don't forget to protect your ears everyone! Especially if you are close to the stage!

I was actually wondering how well Bill would do on some of those high notes and falsetto's such as in the chorus of Automatic, but he pulls them all off flawlessly and admirably. Now Bill's voice might sound a bit restrained on some parts of different songs and it certainly does to me at times; kind of like he's not singing as loud or as hard as he could be. That's just might impression and it could be completely wrong.

If it's true then you can't really blame him. He's only 20 years old and he has already had surgery to remove a cyst on his vocal cords once because of constant inflammation and the rigorous schedule they were on. However, even if he is holding back just a tiny bit he still has an astounding voice that few others can compete with. These guys are taking a break after their European tour but they still have a lot of concerts afterwards so its good to see them going on vacation no matter how short that may be.

Let's get back to the album though. Noise has a noticeably longer intro and is the perfect song to open the concert. It easily gets the crowd pumped up and excited for what is to come it has. Slightly older favorites such as Break Away and Ready, Set, Go! off their album Scream are included as well and help you appreciate just how far these four Germans have come since then.

The lyrics to World Behind My Wall are filled with depth and emotion while Dogs Unleashed, actually written about Bill and Tom's own pet dogs, is a great track and helps show the love they have for all animals. So much so that the twins have turned vegetarian and all the outfits that you see Bill wearing during the concert on the DVD are made from fake leather.

Next up you have a powerful beat and lyrics that no one can resist. Yes, I'm talking about Darkside of the Sun with Sonnensystem being its German counterpart. This is my favorite song off the recent Humanoid album besides World Behind My Wall and I was so happy that they made it their latest single as you can see by this video here.

A song I really looked forward to listening to is In Your Shadow I Can Shine. This song was only available when you purchased the Humanoid (English) CD from Hot Topic stores. If you are like me and did not get one of those CD's then this is your chance to hear it in all its glory. This is a beautiful song and Bill's vocal are soft, sweet, powerful, and touching. This is a song right up there with World Behind My Wall and it really helps highlight their song writing skills. People can say what they want about these, but listen to these lyrics and there is no denying that every song Tokio Hotel performs has meaning and depth to the lyrics and words.

Closing out the Humanoid City LIVE album is Forever Now and is the perfect song to close the concert just as Noise was the perfect song to open. Bill sings like never before and thanks the crowd and the fans for coming out before jumping right back into the song again. One verse says that "I will never let you down" and we can all be sure that Tokio Hotel will continue to put out great music and put on amazing, heart stopping, tear jerking performances for all of us.

All of this doesn't accurately describe just how good this LIVE album is however. I've never been one for LIVE CD's or tracks, but this one has certainly turned my opinion around.

So what's my favorite song? Well, I can't name a single one, but rather In Your Shadow I Can Shine, Darkside of The Sun, Pain of Love, and Forever Now really stand out to me and are my personal preferences.

For die hard fans such as myself there is no question as to whether or not you are getting this album. However, if you've only seen or heard of Tokio Hotel in passing then this is certainly the place to start if your looking to get your feet wet. If you weren't thrilled by their previous music (although I can't imagine why you wouldn't be) then you'll most certainly be impressed by the different and more electronic/rock sound that most of these new songs offer.

Humanoid City LIVE is the album and you can find it in stores around the world. So if Tokio Hotel comes to a city near you then buy yourself a ticket to the show because it is one band and one sound that you will most certainly never forget.

Stick Them in a Room and See What Happens

You know it's always interesting when two totally different bands or singers get together and just hang out, or if they happen to meet each other backstage at a show.

Learning about which fellow song artists and bands they admire in turn is also interesting because it gives you a better look into their lives. It helps you appreciate them more and see them as people, not just icons standing up on a stage somewhere.

So what would happen if you stuck a couple song artists like Justin Bieber, Adam Lambert, and the group Boys Like Girls in a room together? Apparently they will gather out in the hallway and practice their "gangsta" handshakes.

No joke.

Don't believe me? Well I don't blame you. If you must have proof however, then just check out the YouTube video I saw yesterday yesterday. They were all participating in Jingle Ball for the radio station KDWB. The whole thing is hilarious by way of its sheer randomness.

Then we have Tennessee born Miley Cyrus the former Hannah Montana star and still raging pre-teen sensation regardless of whether you like her or not. On the other side Tokio Hotel. Four guys from Germany who were nominated for Best New Artist at the 2008 Video Music Awards. They still carried admittedly thick (but very cute) accents and have quickly and officially become the biggest German band ever.

Stick them all together and what happens? A rather interesting Rock Band 2 session with drummer Gustav Schafer on the....um... drums and singer Bill Kaulitz on the guitar. Meanwhile, Miley Cyrus belted out Livin on a Prayer by Bon Jovi while Georg Listing and Tom Kaulitz stood off to the side looking decidedly amused as she bounced around.

You can watch the video here on YouTube of course.

This was backstage at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards so it was only a few seconds before host Russel Brand came, chewed her out as well as chastising her for "leading them astray" them being the guys of Tokio Hotel of course. The video ends as she prepares to introduce P!nk.

Next we have the Jonas Brothers. I'm not exactly a fan of their music and never will be, but I did happen across a short interview clip where they explain who they would like to go on tour with.

Now who could that be? None other then Tokio Hotel. Just check out the interview and see for yourself. Apparently its a dream of theirs. Not exactly sure TH fans would appreciate the overture but I'm not here to settle wars I'm just stating the facts.

Of course there are the fan videos too. One is Rhianna offering her "Umbrella" to Bill so that he can make it through the "Monsoon".

Get it?

You know because she made that song Umbrella and Tokio Hotel did Monsoon....

Never mind. Moving on.

The point is that it is always interesting to see music artists interacting with each other. Besides collaborations and duets I mean. It is these random moments that allow us to see what our favorite artists are really like when their able to relax and just be themselves.

My favorites being Adam Lambert and Tokio Hotel of course. I know you'll get a kick out of the first video at least so be sure to check it and the others out too!