Made in Heaven

Queen is one of those legendary bands that will never be forgotten. They've made an indestructible mark on the world, and even the most diluted pop listener will recognized the stomp clap beat of "We Will Rock You". Queen's fifteenth studio album, Made in Heaven, was released in 1995, after the death of legendary frontman Freddie Mercury. This album uses previously recorded vocal tracks by Mercury and music recorded by the other three members of the band.

The album opens with the amazing "It's a Beautiful Day", a song that opens with a rising crescendo mimicking the rising sun in the morning. It serves as an excellent opener, as the symbolic rising sun of the album. At just 2:33, with a few sparse (but terrific) vocal lines, it begins a brisk ride into an epic album.

The next track, "Made in Heaven", is not as atmospheric and symbolic as "It's a Beautiful Day", but it serves as an introspective epic. Queen did not make this into a hard rocker like "I Want it All" or "We Will Rock You", but made it into a different kind of epic. Freddie Mercury is at the top of his game in this track, which is extremely impressive considering he was dying of AIDS at the time of the recording. Brian May uses intricate guitar harmonies and extended melodic leads to build an aura of adventure and dreamy psychedelia. The eerie thing is that Freddie appears to be welcoming his own death in the lyrics, claiming it was "written in the stars". 

"Let Me Live" may be the most bitter song on the album "All I do is give, and all you do is take," sings Freddie. I'm no mind reader, so I can't say "OH YEAH FREDDIE IS DEFINITELY REFERRING TO AIDS" but the theme of his death is lingering around the edges of the album. "So, let me live/why don't you let me make a brand new start?" he sings, as if lamenting his choices. The opening chorus harmonies and soul  choir style harmonies placed throughout the song make it into a hymn of sorts, a hymn praying for the life he deserved. However, a criticism that can be made is that, at this point, there is still very little musical variety on the album. Similar slow guitar solos and warm piano chords are used so far, and the album is lacking of the diversity of previous releases such as A Night at the Opera or Innuendo.

"Mother Love" kicks in some variety. Freddie takes a dark tone, and the music is subtle and moody, with an underlying layer of tension and a pumping bass line. The slow crescendo echoes the feelings of love, as it rises into a vicious, overpowering climax in the chorus, where Freddie's vocals soar far above the music, like a free bird. The soulful blues solo by May is also a refreshing changed from the refined glam rock of the previous three songs. The song ends with a baby crying, leaving us to wonder if Freddie's life has come full circle, back into the fetal stage.

The fifth track, "My Life Has Been Saved" is somewhat unremarkable. Granted, it's a well constructed song, with superb vocals and a sweet guitar solo, but it once again falls into the typical soft glam rock sound of the album. However, the "I read it in the paper" line is undeniably catchy.

"I Was Born to Love You" kicks things up a bit with a faster pace and a chugging guitar riff. Though the guitar leads are still as glam and showy as the rest of the album, and the keyboards are employed in the typical pop rock fashion, Freddie's razor sharp powerful delivery cuts through the track, making it a winner.

I was a bit disappointed by "Heaven for Everyone". As usual, the track is extremely well constructed, but there is little energy that characterized the band's earlier releases. Instead it continues in the typical pop rock style, with mellow keyboard verses, and uplifting guitar laden choruses. Brian May makes a halfhearted attempt at an epic guitar solo, but goes along too slowly to make it anything impressive.

Well... I literally zoned out during "Too Much Love Will Kill You". It was a generic pop rock song, and I found it pretty boring. Haha, I really have nothing else to say about it.

"You Don't Fool Me" is a welcome change from the rest of the album, and is probably my favorite song on the album. Using a quick disco influenced pop beat and quick harmonies, it builds an air of energy that is largely absent from the album, boosted by a simple and incredibly catchy chorus.

"A Winter Tale" is a bit boring at the start, but it warms up by the end. The intense vocal harmonies and Freddie's chesty singing give the track the powerful punch it needs to warm up the otherwise dull second half of Made in Heaven. The operatic overtones hearken to their older releases, a touch I enjoy.

The reprise of "A Beautiful Day" is amazing. The song goes along the same route as the original, but adds a hard rock section with a guitar solo in the Phrygian scale (which gives a decidedly Arabic feel to the music). Brian May is finally unleashing his considerable guitar skills, and soloing his heart out in the best rocker of the album. What's even greater is the feeling of a full circle in the album, as if the sun has set like it rose in the beginning, making a perfect ending to the album.

Made in Heaven is really an album for a Queen fan. It's not groundbreaking, and it gets quite repetitive and boring at times, but it is extremely solid. There's not a slip in the production and all the songs are expertly crafted. The only things I wished for would be some more diversity, more interesting guitar work from Brian May, and some more of the classic energy the band had on previous records.

All in all, a wholesome listen.

8/10

Daniel Do's Music

I remember when Daniel Do released "Bipolar", his first song, very clearly. He asked me to have a listen and give feedback, and I have to admit, I was pretty blown away. I thought it was incredible that someone his age could have such deep and intense composing skills. I've heard quite a bit of Daniel's music, so I'm really happy to review music that is close to me.

"Bipolar" still remains one of my favorites, perhaps for sentimental reasons. The control of dynamics is superb, and the subtle tonal changes, and the change in moods is done with expert precision. The guitar cuts clearly through the soothing music, with a crystal clear tone. However, "Bipolar" is a bit of a misnomer, for it does not really resemble bipolar disorder. The song shifts between a mellow, reflective mood, and buildups to a dramatic "chorus". However, it lacks the feel of true bipolar disorder, which is highlighted by its manic phase. If Daniel had intended to portray that phase, I feel like a more aggressive, uncontrolled sound would have done the job better. However, for a freshman effort, excellent work, with solid production skills that I envy.

"Apollo" is a curious piece, in that it carefully conveys a sense of adventure, but avoids going too loud and powerful, keeping an air of tranquility. This actually is an interesting concept for a listener. Do all adventures have to be loud, majestic, and overbearing? Could they not be quiet, peaceful, and subtle? For two minutes of music, it gives us a lot to think about. As a side note, I quite liked the atmospheric effect of the drums. The sparse and almost off beat distance of the drumming gave a surreal glimpse into the experience of an astronaut.

"My Beloved" is a good piece, but not up to Daniel's potential. It seems overly simplistic and rather generic compared to many of his other works, with less dynamic variation and atmospheric power. If there is one thing I admire about Daniel, it is his sense of atmosphere, which was so brilliantly illustrated in "Apollo". Honestly, I found the addition of the sax solo a bit unnecessary and rather ill suited to the atmosphere he was trying to create. Don't get me wrong, Daniel did a good job here, but I expect better from him.

On "The Dream Atelier", Daniel Do has pulled a Bob Dylan. He used something known as simplicity. In its best uses, simplicity can be the most artistic of all techniques. With less electronic haze and instrumental clutter, Daniel's piano skills and artistic composition is clearly visible as he constructs a simple, yet elegant melody. Note the fantastic dynamic buildup that rises into a powerful, swaying climax at 3:30ish. The flute solo following the climax is also just perfect, unlike the incongruous solo from "My Beloved". This solo cuts at you, and is played with a bittersweet emotion that is indecipherable. Fantastic work, Daniel.

"Paradox" is one of Daniel's experimental pieces, with lots of electronic influences, and with many experimental compositions, some elements work, and some don't. The screaming electronic solo was quite the artistic choice, and well composed, but I really disliked the dubstep percussion style that plagued the first half of the song; it was quite obnoxious. The second, more atmospheric (or more typically Daniel Do) half of the song was much better. As a conclusion, Daniel Do should be respected for his experimental attempt, for it take some bravery to do such a thing, but he needs to refine his style to make it truly work.

"Apollo Pt. 2" is a piece that I like a lot, because we finally get to see some aggression from Daniel. Distorted guitar, funky bass, and some sick soloing keep the track moving. I don't quite feel the congruence with the first part of Apollo, but this is certainly one of the most original of his tracks. Fans of his softer style will still enjoy this aggressive attempt, because Daniel still retains the artsy piano pop roots from before, but now allows himself to go loose and strike out with power. Excellent work!

"Parasol" is nothing spectacular, nice music and all, but is a bit of a drag in the originality department. It's one of those simple songs, but it falls into such typical pop melodic patters that it quickly loses the listener's interest. The sweet piano bit at the end is a very nice touch, where Daniel once again shows his atmospheric skills.

"Sudden Movement", Daniel's latest release, definitely ranks among his best. It shows off his formidable piano skills, and explores dynamics and jazzy building style. One basic piano riff outlines the song, with Daniel using jazzy chord add-ons and improvisational trills, with added instruments for a richer texture. Being a blues fan, I really liked the piece, and felt it was a more original and more successful experimental piece than "Paradox".

In conclusion, I consider Daniel Do an excellent composer with a lot of skill. Though he has yet to reach his full potential, I am confident that we can expect great things from him.

Continue with your passion, Daniel!

Blink-182

Blink-182, the eponymous fifth album by Blink-182, is what you'd expect from the band, and a little bit more. If you know me, you probably know that I hate this genre, but I reviewed the album as objectively as possible, because, as you know, reviewing can never be TRULY objective. Lyrically, Blink-182 is as girl obsessed and lovesick as ever, churning out track after track of whining about heartbreak. However, there are some rare experimental gems on the album, and Blink-182 often succeeds when they focus on the instrumental aspect of their songs.

The first track, "Feeling This", clearly shows that boys from Blink-182 don't really care about lyrics, as they write the typical "let's screw some girls and have fun" lyrics characteristic of the pop punk genre. However, the music is undeniably catchy and the main guitar riff is intriguing enough to catch my attention. The entire song is a bit harsher than what is typical of songs in the genre, though the harshness is largely added by the verse guitar riff. The chorus was fairly unimpressive, featuring generic modern production and overdubbed guitars that makes the song fall into the swamp of generic alt rock once again. The melody is catchy, but that's only to be expected from Blink-182.

"Obvious", the second track, is aptly named. The lyrics describe a cheating female (If Blink-182 is anything, it certainly isn't original) and lack even the slightest bit of subtlety.

"I saw you again... I know you f***ed him again"

Yeah, I get why you called the song "Obvious".

Now, I actually don't dislike the song. I think it's probably one of the best things I've heard from them, musically. It's much heavier than a typical pop punk song, and there's a little break in the middle with a fantastic chord change. And though the lyrics are generic, the song itself certainly isn't. It bears similarity to "Stockholm Syndrome", the other rocker on the album.

The third track, "I Miss You", is the ultimate testament to generic music. I won't even bother going over lyrics, but the music is a typical pop song buildup that has been done since the 60s. The song is completely forgettable.

Oh yeah, there's autotune, which destroys the song's attempt at a sincere love ballad.

"Violence" is definitely the gem of the album. Though the simile (violence compared to heartbreak) is weak, the song is well constructed, with an atmospheric intro that is followed by dry spoken parts which fit the song perfectly. The song has some excellent guitar work, and a riff that anchors the otherwise weak chorus. But most importantly, "Violence" is original, and that's what makes it noteworthy.

The rest of the album contains a massive load of mediocre and generic filler, but "The Fallen Interlude" is a sweet treat. With an atmospheric piano ostinato and excellent beat, it serves as a fantastic sequel to "Down" (which is an excellent example or unoriginal and uninteresting filler), with emotional (I know, I was surprised Blink-182 could be emotional) singing at the end, in a whispery fashion. "Go" is also an interesting track, and the only one with lyrics that aren't about lovestruck teenagers.

As I came to the end of the album, only one more track got my attention. "Here's Your Letter", though as generic as "Down", has one virtue: its killer bass line. However, if anyone is truly interested in good basslines, I recommend The Uplift Mofo Party Plan by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Flea's a fantastic bassist.

Blink-182 delivers. That's the best I can say about the album. It offers nothing innovative or original, nor does it carry much substance. But it delivers for the fans, and it excels at what it is; it is a straight up pop punk album aimed at a teenage audience. Though it contains an appalling excess of filler, the band battles through with an impeccable sense of melody. All in all, a fairly satisfying listen for the average listener.

7/10

My First Review

Exciting, isn't it? This isn't a review of an album, rather a review of several songs a good friend of mine asked me to review. I'd like to thank him here for advertising and helping me get started. Without further ado, the reviews!

1. Remember the Name by Fort Minor

This track is pretty iconic by now, and the music video is sick. Mike Shinoda's the guy from Linkin Park who deals some pretty sweet raps and has some great lyrics. Now, the song starts with the famous riff, a synthesized strings riff that complements the beat of the music very nicely. Mike begins his line with rapid fire rhythmic delivery; he doesn't waste a single word before it transfers to his contributors, Tak and Ryu. The narration of the lyrics is probably the most intriguing aspect of the song, with each rapper adding his own take on the rap business and life in general. The overarching theme of the song is pretty evident in the hard hitting chorus. It ain't easy to be a rapper, and it takes a lot of work, and Mr. Shinoda and company get that out loud and clear. Mike's lyrics are a call to the modern generation of rappers. He knows that real rap isn't about the salary and the girls. It's about the music and the message. Where Fort Minor lacks in originality and complexity, they make up for it with lyrical taste and sense of rhythm.

2. Hands Held High by Linkin Park

You know, when I began listening to music, I was just like every teenager; I loved Linkin Park. Though I've grown away from the band, it was nice to listen to this song again from an objective viewpoint, and not as a fanboy.

This song is lyrically deep, if musically a bit dull. The dynamics of the song are lackluster in that the instrumental and melodic content is emotionally vapid. Linkin Park have largely left the days of intense choruses and emotional, grinding music, focusing on a more smooth, subdued, and somber sound. As a fan of the band, I disliked the change, but I cannot deny that it worked well here.

Hands Held High is lyrically astounding. Mike Shinoda is truly a man of the times, and he calls out to every American in this song eulogizing the sacrifices the military has made, arguably for no justifiable cause. But I'm not going into the politics, let's stick to music.

"These f***ers are laughing their way to the bank and cashing the check/Asking you to have some compassion and have some respect"

This small fragment beautifully summarizes the lyrical content of the song. Excellent work, Mr. Shinoda.

3. Cry Me a River by Justin Timberlake

I'll admit I'm not a pop fan... like at all. But I've been objective here, or at least I think so.

The song started pretty promisingly, with an atmospheric electronic riff. The lyrics of the song detail a betrayal of love and the fallout of a relationship, but the music is a bit incongruous with the lyrical theme.

After the opening, the typical synthetic sounds and electronic effects kick in, giving a very sleazy sound that leads the listener to think that this will be some sort of jaunty exploit. But the lyrics emphasize completely different emotions, emotions of bitterness, betrayal, satisfaction, and vengeance. Naturally, this disparity leads to a very unconnected and odd feel for the song.

Timberlake is a unique and talented singer, but I feel like his sincerity was lost within his desire to experiment. The falsetto backing vocals and whiny vocals fading in and out give a very poor picture and have little emotional appeal. The best part of the song vocally was the end, where Timberlake shows some vulnerability with soft falsetto whimpers.

In conclusion, an ambitious song that attempts to be experimental, but falls sharply into mediocrity.

4. Paparazzi by Lady Gaga

Even I, a grunge rock fan, must concede that Lady Gaga has a fantastic voice. I recall reading that she had said she would have sung metal if it was popular, and I can't help but express some regret she sold out for the popular genre.

But in any case, personal opinions aside, I found this track to be mediocre. The lyrics are interesting enough, but I feel like the song could have had a more eerie and intense feel. Lyrics about fame and groupies go well with dark music (Michael Jackson's Billie Jean and Dirty Diana are good examples).

Gaga, however, goes for a pseudo stoner pop style of music, with an almost psychedelic feel to it. It works out fairly well (personally I enjoyed that approach, despite the lyrical incongruity), but it is greatly offset by the obnoxious beats, which should have been much more subtle to fit the airy feel of the overall music. The song is also extremely repetitive, with almost no melodic variation throughout. These flaws send Paparazzi from the realm of impressive to slightly above average.

5. Valentine by Kina Grannis

For those of you who know me, I think you'll be surprised that I thought this song was pretty good. It was short, simple, and didn't sacrifice an ounce of melody. In other words, it's a textbook classic pop song. Though it lacks originality, and the lyrics are unremarkable, it proves to be a melodic listen that was enjoyable. Great song for easy listening or just chilling.

6. Hello Seattle by Owl City

Let me tell you how much I despise autotune before I begin this review.

I find it to be an insult to the beautiful art of singing, which is an amazing method of emotional expression. The fact that Owl City uses this automatically takes them down in my book. However, I commend them for keeping the autotune bearable and listenable. It's a lot more than I can say for Brokencyde.

Subjectivity aside, the song focuses heavily on the melody and the congruence of the melody with the music, and it does this well. Both meshed together in a tight web of light, easy, accessible music. Though there is little variation in the melody, there is enough to keep it interesting, which is more than I can say for many songs I hear on the radio. Overall, a pretty good song.

7. Climax by Usher

I dislike Usher, but this song was extraordinary. The lyrics are mediocre, but if you look past that, the song is remarkable among most modern pop music.

The atmospheric synth and electronic music suits the song perfectly, fueling it along at a steady pace that builds the listener up emotionally. Usher's singing is emotional and absolutely beautiful at points, where he shows his inner weaknesses and need for comfort. I was quite surprised that he had such good control over his voice as he glides effortlessly up to emotional falsetto notes. This song is a smashing success for pop music.

8. Dance to This Song by KevJumba

To be honest, there isn't much to review here. This song is designed as a pure dance song, and it succeeds there, with repetitive lyrics and catchy electronic twists and beats. So, as a dance song, it does a great job.

9. Maplestory Start Music

This song is chill. Like, really chill. You know I was expecting some corny video game junk, but this is great. Just chill music with some pretty interesting melodic variation and really subtle dynamics.

10. River Flows In You by Yiruma

Who hasn't heard this song? Sheer piano virtuosity, identified by its simplicity but intense melodic expression. There is endless subtle melodic variation which is anchored from losing control by an easily identifiable "chorus" of sorts. The main melody is instantly recognizable and invigorates multiple emotions within a listener's soul at one time. Beyond melody, the sense of dynamics is impeccable, and truly blows me away. There is a reason this is one of the most iconic songs of all time.

11. Forgetting the Past by George Shaw

Nice, relaxing song. The piano is complemented very nicely by the wind instrument that lingers subtly in the background.

12. Little Fighter 2 Soundtrack Main Menu

Pretty sick riff with some nice guitar and organ work. The drum beat is pretty annoying, mostly because the instrument seems to have a very flat tone, but the guitar solo that kicks in about thirty seconds in is melodic and rocking at the same time. The guitar trades off melodic roles with the organ every few phrases, giving a versatile and agile melodic sound to the track. The dynamics build very nicely throughout the track, and it does not fail to entertain.

So, that was it. My first review.

I feel accomplished for once...

Stuff to review...

What should I review? Suggestions would be nice, hahahaha. I don't really think anyone would be interested if I just reviewed my music.

Comment here for a review, please.

Guess I'm Emo?

Guess I write lyrics like an emo. Well, it's more like people can't distinguish between a dark song and a suicidal one. In any case, I was listening to some Alice in Chains and Black Sabbath, when I got the idea for a song. I haven't really written the music for it yet, but every time I've tried, it's come out as a rip off of an older tune, so I've kind of pushed it out of my mind for the time being.

Look at the hanging man

Look at him dangling there

Look at the angry man

Look at his lifeless glare

Broken pitcher where he stood

Two bullets and an empty shell

A buzzing hum behind his lips

As it trickles down his chin

Had his own tree and a roll of rope

Tied his hands and cut his hope

Two shots and a bag of sand

Two scars across his left hand

Look at the hanging man

Look at him dangling there

Look at the angry man

Look at his lifeless glare

Folded hands and a prayer

Spat on a cross and layered

Two lives weren’t enough for him

He still couldn’t bury his sin

Took a life and a few souls

Threw it all into a black hole

And when they came out

There was no more doubt

A man can get real tired sometimes

When all he does is throw stones at a broken window

Look at the hanging man

Look at him dangling there

Look at the angry man

Look at his lifeless glare

Emo? I actually don't think so. There's an interpretation to this song and it isn't about my life sucking. It's more of a story than a complaint.

Introducing Me

So, I made a blog.

Cool.

I'm really cool now.

Hmm...

Perhaps I should say something interesting. But I rarely if ever do that, so let's go into the boring usual. I think this blog is going to be mostly about music, just with a personal touch and some insights from me, as well as some poetry and such.

Yes. You get to look deep INSIDE my soul.

I like music, and I like critiquing it. As you can see, I'm pretty much a massive classic rock and grunge fan, BUT I will listen to any album requested with an objective viewpoint. I've decided that I'm going to ask people about albums they want me to review, and every week or so... I shall publish a review.

Oh, wow, do I actually have a plan? It's a miracle. Let's see if my next post can live up to the utter dullness of this one.